FQ TOPIC: Pet

FQ1: Any pets as a kid? As a kid I seemed to always be asking to be able to keep some animal or other. The first pet I can remember was a ginger cat called, funnily enough, Ginger. Technically not *my* cat I suspect, but according to the Laws of Nature, all items/animals/people I like in my house/home/vacinity belong to me. Me.. you understand? ME! There were tropical fish too but after the whole lounge-flooding-incident we never did have any more. I had a budgie named Ollie who didn't mind being under the blankets with me, my torch and my book late into the night. He used to sit on my head and groom my long blonde hair. There was a guinea pig who virtually lived in my school blazer pocket by day as I'd smuggle him to school. Funny how animal poo didn't worry me so much back then. Mice, always with the mice - I seemed to like mice a LOT and often. God how they smell to my grownup nose. Caterpillers/butterflies/tadpoles/stray kittens/feral kittens/mice did I mention mice? those field ones are *fast*. Moving out into my own place and I had another cat - she used to come running with me and would get *really* pooped. So would I so we would flake out on the grass together. She ended up running away due to an abusive flatmate. Then there was Hilary - named for her climbing abilities. She was a domestic long haired cat and I had her for about 14 years before I had to put her to sleep when she failed to cope with sudden blindness. She was a lovely cat. She suffered through me picking up strays - Frances (tabby cat), James, Russell (both ginger females) - she minded Russell the least. Now I have Mouse.. and she's growing out of kittenhood rapidly. nap time FQ2: Any pets now? Mouse - Best Cat in the World. Black tabby with razor sharp claws which she used with precision the other week to rip my contact lens while it was still in my eye. Her latest attention seeking behaviour involves clawing the small of my back until i *have* to respond. She used to play fetch - now she only plays fetch when she misses catching the toy. She leaps and twists in the air to catch the toy in her paws. In the last week I've let her go outside and she's taken to it like a duck to water.. or like a cat to the outdoors! I am overprotective and worry that she'll get lost so insist she wears a collar with a bell while she's outside. She doesn't mind the collar anymore because she knows it means she is about to be let out and runs to the door after I put her collar on waiting for me to open it then she's *gone* in a blur of black speed. She comes back into the house every 15-20 minutes to tell me all about outside. She jumps up onto my desk and *meowmeowmeow* tells me *pat pat* all about it *purr purr* I smooch her and she's gone again on another adventure. FQ3: Name your favorite famous pet from television or movies. I didn't really like stories with animals.. shows like Lassie and Black Beauty used to make me cry. And don't even remind me of the Snow Goose *lower lip tremble* oh god *cry*. Probably my favourite pet from television was K9 from Dr Who. FQ BEST FRIEND: If money and legality were not a barrier, what exotic animal would you like as a pet? I'd like a Polar Bear as a pet. He can stay as wild as he likes so long as he likes me and doesn't try'n remove my contact lenses or liver or anything like that.
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FQ TOPIC: Beauty

FQ1: Where's the most beautiful place you've ever been? What made it beautiful to you? I've been sitting here debating between the coral reefs in Fiji and the coastline of Taranaki. One one hand, the coral reefs in Fiji are undeniably beautiful. Snorkling there yields wonderful visuals of fish and colour that no film can capture. I was amazed when i went to Fiji how photos I had seen of it (which showed the Islands to be tropical and beautiful) paled in comparison to the real thing. And that's saying something because those travel brochures don't exactly slouch when it comes to showing their resorts in the best light. And when does that ever happen these days? it's usually the other way around - there is no disappointment in Fiji. But getting out into the water's where it's at - and I can't think of anything more colourfully beautiful than the reefs and fish I saw when snorkling. And this is the bit where you decide I'm nuts I think - because the Taranaki coastline has actually won in my brain for "most beautiful", especially in the winter. What I love is the feeling of isolation you can have there when you're not isolated at all. The beach I am thinking of is strewn with boulders worn smooth by the rivers that have taken them there. Finding a place to sit amongst the rocks, one under me and one at my back - a break from the wind. The waves crashing against the rocky shore. The rocks, the shoreline, the waves, the sky - painting bands of grey on grey until the colours start to change as the sun gets low, then lower, then dips into the ocean. Watching the sunset take the light away from the beach and leaving the warmth in the rocks. That's beautiful. FQ2: Who's the most beautiful person you can think of? What makes them beautiful to you? The most beautiful person I can think of has the smoothest skin. My fingertips glide over his skin and it's silky warm. Especially his face - his cheekbones and brow. Fingertips over his uncomplicated, perfect eyebrows that make his eyes close and cause him to sigh. He has the most expressive mouth with the most wonderful smile I can hear in his voice and see in his eyes. His arms are long, and his legs straight. He has beautifully large hands - strong and gentle at the same time. He smells devine. Nuzzling against his soft skin and breathing him in is what heaven must be like. I could live the rest of my life in the curve where his neck meets his shoulder. He is beautiful because people love him. He is beautiful to me because he lets me be one of them. FQ3: What's the most beautiful object you've ever looked at? What makes it beautiful? I see beautiful things every day. The constrast between the golden leaves of the tree outside by window against the brilliant blue of the sky. The way the blinds in my lounge slice up the image of outside into long horizontal slivers of colour. The glowing whiteness of the yachts on the river as the heavy thunderclouds hang in the sky above. The way peoples faces move and change as they speak. The subtle shadows on your face that define your nose. But a thing.. one thing.. one thing that I find beautiful to answer this question. I know what I want to show you but I don't have the right words and/or internet links to give a proper answer. And I'm not even sure where I saw it - was it at the V&A in London? was it at the British Museum? was it at Te Papa? Wherever it was, it was a Samurai Warriors armour. His kit, his gear. The layers of textures; of leather and metal and cloth. the earthy worn tones of a suit worn and used. The segmented parts that allowed for greatest movement and some protection. And his sword.. his beautiful sword. Besides the wonderful carving and simple detailed decoration of it's hilt and handle's leather weave - the utter beauty of the folded metal. The waves of subtle greys repeated along it's length showing where the swordsmith has hammered and folded and crafted the sword. thousands of hours of work to temper the metal into this magnificent thing. I can't describe it - I don't have the knowledge or the words or the ability to. Your eyes need to find such a thing and soak it up and store it away. FQ LIST: Tell us ten more beautiful things! When you think of "beauty," what one thing comes to mind for the following words: music: Street Spirit - Radiohead movie: Hero book: Large, glossy, expensive Atlas. meal: heapings of fresh brightly coloured stir fried vegetables on noodles gemstone: Aquamarine flower: white lilies on green stalks web site: Switch Interactive artwork: paintings by toulouse lautrec (esp. this, and very this) appliance: espresso coffee machines animal: my cat, Mouse.
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