You're not bloody sorry…

No, I’m personally not sorry for anything I do because I am who I am and there it is. However I had to deal with a pernickety phone banking system today. I have two bank accounts – no, I’m not rich. I wouldn’t be working if I was. I would be slumped on the sun lounge on the patio sipping wine and directing some luscious man to fix the concrete I still have not fixed and to wash the car etc. How much time does work take out of your life? Too frigging much. Anyway, one phone system at one bank is so easy to use and I use it all the time. The automatic voice understands what you are keying in and just does it. I like robots like that. The other is a complete bitch. Now while I don’t have a problem with bitches per se, this one with her supercilious voice was annoying as hell this morning. Every time I entered the numbers requested, she kept saying ‘sorry, please re-enter’- so I’d re-enter – ‘sorry, please re-enter.’ I tried 7 times to get this stupid robot to accept the payment and each time she kept apologizing but I just knew by her tone she was not sorry and I believe she was enjoying herself and I swear I heard her giggle. You know there has always been that theory the robots would one day take over the world. I wouldn’t be surprised if this wasn’t the start of it.

‘Ever had to back off from someone because you know you are going to say something you really need to say but you know that if you do that person will be hurt? How much do you keep inside you and how much to you just let out because keeping it in is killing you and you deserve more than what this person is offering you? I generally call a spade a shovel and I know this is confronting to some people. I still do it but of late I have been backing away from some people because I just want an easy life and getting caught up in their melodramas is just too time consuming – and I tired of wasting my time. Sometimes it’s hard to be yourself. I believe you must remain to true to who you are but some people make it damn difficult. You’re all probably too reasonable to think like this.

I have been working with someone who has been in their job since Noah built the ark. While this is a concept I’d don’t understand – the job – not Noah, all legends are interesting – I just wonder what this person has missed out on in their life. Maybe they never wanted more

than what they had. Maybe they were happy to settle – or do they consider it as settling? The whole concept fascinates me as I see this person holding on to the only thing they have ever known with a death grip. What happens when it ends? What do they do with themselves after decades of turning up at the same place every morning? Work, as you have probably guessed, is just a means to an end for me. I get no joy out of it and I don’t expect to. That’s just who I am. I am not my job and I get no added self esteem from it. I just wonder what happens to these people after years of service. What do they do? Are you one of them? Do you know someone like this? Please fill me, the rampant job swapper, in. I’m not saying there is anything wrong in it… I just wonder. Speaking of jobs – spookily on the radio they are asking people to call in about the most boring job they have ever had. I would have to say all…but then I am committed to nothing but myself and those I love.

I was reading a blog where the blogger was pissed off at turning a certain age. I really don’t understand why people worry about their age. Is it because they had certain goals they wanted to reach by 30 or 40 and they did not accomplish them? Is it that their life has not turned out like they wished it to? Well, whose life does? You make the best of what you have. Goals are great but there’s no point falling apart if they aren’t made real. I personally think age is irrelevant and that people who worry about aging make it worse as they get so caught up in what others think of them – who they are and what they should be. I’m 44. I am better and stronger now that I ever was a 24 and hell no, I would never want to be any younger. Work with your age – not against it. To me, it’s just not that big a drama.

Someone asked me today if I had one wish what would it be? My standard answer is another three wishes. They said – “no really, what would it be?” That’s what it would be. What is the point of one wish when there is so much crap stuff going on in the world? So on the whole I think this is a dumb question. Wishes do not come true anyway. Reality is the only thing you can depend on and if you want to change something you have to work at it. Tinkerbell rarely shows up in anyone’s life – though if you have seen her please tell me…I’ll order you some coffee to sober you up.

Speaking of coffee…the mobile barista person comes at 10:30am every day at work. They make damn fine coffee. I like my coffee strong and they make it accordingly. But sometimes it’s bloody hard waiting for 10:30am. Work has free coffee. It is like dishwater. How can one stay awake on that? Do you notice how hooked you get on stuff? One of my fellow coffee aficionados is dead jealous I can get a free coffee tomorrow as my coffee card is stamped 9 times and the 10th one is free. Can you picture it? A bunch of shaking women standing in reception at 10:30am with their coffee loyalty cards hanging out for coffee. I am a big fan of loyalty cards where every time you buy something you get a stamp and collect so many stamps then you get x amount free. Sure, I know that somewhere that freebie is built into the prices but I also don’t mind supporting local businesses who work hard and make an effort to keep customers and free coffee man is free coffee.

Best friend Ethel and I are winning the lotto - $30 million tonight. How do I know this? Because we are the best people to win it. Speaking of the goodly Ethel, she was a tad pissed off today and sent me several emails from her work to mine with some exceptionally colourful language within. She was so upset most of the words were spelt incorrectly but I understand Ethel email speak as she understands mine. Good thing is the job I am in does not have a profanity filter like a previous one I was in – so I did not get called into the IT office to have to explain her colourful emails as I have in the past…though I do enjoy coming up with excuses to explain bad behaviour. Thankfully I have had a bit of experience of that.

Reality is something you rise above -- Liza Minnelli

www.freewebs.com/amarindajones/
Go ahead: Live with abandon. Be outrageous at any age. What are you saving your best self for?

Monday frigging Monday....

There is a new blog out called Oh Get A Grip. Supposedly they are going to give an opinion. I haven’t seen it yet. I think they’re scared. They are a bunch of good girls who wanna be bad – so I have called them out and slapped them with the glove of challenge.

The Amarinda Blog challenges the Oh Get a Grip Blog to put their money where their mouth is and give an opinion. I want to know the 5 things that totally and utterly piss you off beyond all reason. No namby pamby responses will be accepted.

‘Just got an email from the ‘grippers’ and already they have put their own interpretation on this challenge. It is 5 things each not 1 thing each as they like to believe. I have explained this in depth to them – even pulled out the sock puppets to help them understand – so let’s see what other ways they can think of to get out of the challenge. To give you a clue grippers – this is what I mean….

5 Things that piss me off…

1. Pushing in front of me or others in a line – don’t do it unless you want to be embarrassed because I will embarrass you big time. I am the person that stands there and announces to all that ‘it’s not your turn and get back in line.’
2. Bad manners – if you cannot say please or thank you, prepare to meet thy doom. Example of this, I was forced to buy Tim Tams yesterday and this man was ahead of me at the checkout and he dropped his money on the ground. The check-out chick got down on her hands and knees to pick it up. She handed it to him and he did not say ‘thank you’ – he just ignored her. Not good enough. I pointed out what she had done for him and that he needed to thank her as she was not his slave. Yes, men can blush. Did he say thank you? Yes. I can be pretty scary clutching a pack of hormone soothing Tim Tams in one hand with the death stare going on…you either say sorry or gnaw your leg off to get away from me.
3. Men who believe all women should have a Paris Hilton -like body and consider anyone else a ‘dog.’ Well you know what? Real women don’t want men who think Paris Hilton in the essence female beauty. Real women don’t want boys…go ahead – play with Barbie or yourself – probably the only real action you’re going to get that you don’t have to pay for.
4. People who sniffle!! Use a handkerchief or tissue – I don’t want to hear you snorting up and re-circulating snot throughout your body – it’s pukeable and yes I will tell you.
5. Want to see me really stamp my feet? I hate and loathe surprises. The only good surprise is one that I know of in advance. I hate to be surprised – it pisses me off big time. Go surprise someone else is my theory…

Yes, how annoying I am and I could go on and on….

So….everyone appears to be in a frenzy to change their blog template at a moment. Is it a full moon or something? They all look very nice and creative but there seems to have been this sudden rush to change. Did a memo come out that I missed? Will I change my template and follow the trend – nope… that’s just not me. I like to dig my size 8 heels into the ground and be stubborn and buck the trend. I’m perverse and I like that about me. So what is it with blog land at the moment? Why the blog changes? Is it because everyone is doing it or is it some existential moment of your own realization as an individual amongst the faceless masses in blog existence? No really, I want to know.

Speaking of feet…were we? Yes, I mentioned size 8 heels…I got an email about my blog comments yesterday about what a drag it was to have a big bust. The email was from a friend, lets, call her…er…Melanie, who read my blog and said and I quote – ‘yeah, boo hoo, I feel so sorry for you.” Yes, sarcasm – I love it. She is flat chested and she is right – we whine about stuff that other people would kill for. So, I will not mention the big boob issue again. So what does this have to do with feet you ask? Well, nothing really other than I have flat feet (flat chest, flat feet – no it doesn’t have to make sense) and someone told me today that my feet were dainty – and no they did not appear to be drunk. And yes, they wanted something from me. I have to say complimenting my flat feet is a new one on me. Did they get what they wanted from me? No, but I awarded them a 9/10 for originality in sucking up. So what is the weirdest compliment you ever got?

Let’s all say a soothing prayer for my editor tonight as she edits my latest book. I swear she thinks I torture her. I really don’t…I just consider it playing with her mind….she has a brilliant mind…I’m trying to warp it. People are 'who' and not 'that' - see I do get it. Remembering it is the hard thing.

Do you remember Mervina the possum? No? She is a possum that hangs out at my place and looks really pissed off to see me when I come across her. Hey! I own the place you ball of fluff- don't be giving me attitude. Well, Mervina has taken to living under the house in my store room Okay, fine, whatever...you need your space I get it. What I don't frigging get is why Mervina delights in making noise at 2 am in the morning. She knocks stuff down under the house and it sounds like a herd of wild elephants have rampaged through. Now, fine have a night life - go out and rage with the other possums but for god sake shut up. I have been told to get a cage and trap her. I am against this because I think she is too smart to be caught and she will delight in driving me nuts. I also think that if she gets trapped and released in the bush she can no longer play with the native wild life because she is such an urban smart arse. So, what the hell am I to do with this wild child possum? Sandra Cox - author and animal lover - what's the answer?

Anny and Kelly are doing Anny and Kelly stuff – go check them out.

www.freewebs.com/amarindajones/
Go ahead: Live with abandon. Be outrageous at any age. What are you saving your best self for?

Really?

I got an email from a writing acquaintance bemoaning the fact that no one comments on her blog and what could she do about it? These are my thoughts – if people want to comment they will, if they don’t then they won’t. Pretty simple. There is no rule that says that if you read a blog you must comment. Comments are great but I don’t expect people to write a note if they have no thoughts on what I have written. I don’t agonize if I get no responses one day and 12 the next. I tend to think if that’s all you have to worry about you are doing pretty well in life. But that’s just me.

And lets face it sometimes it is damn hard to make a comment on a blog. It quite fascinates me when I read the amount of personal details some people give on their blogs. I am a private person by nature. What I write about on a blog is silly inconsequential stuff that happens but it is only a very small part of my life. I know you lot are smart enough to realize that and I know you would not expect me to tell you personal details. That would be crazy right? But of late the stuff people write about on blogs is alarming to me and in some cases bores me to tears – but again - this is

all subjective. This is Amarinda opinion only. What bores me will fascinate someone else. To me a blog is like an online diary. It’s also a useful tool for a writer as it keeps readers aware of your books and other people’s books I put on the blog. But in saying it’s a diary – I personally don’t want to know everything you ate in a day or how many miles you drove to in order to have the cat/dog/guinea pig vaccinated or what TV shows you watched. That’s just me. I find blogs like that hard to comment on. Also, another Amarinda peeve, if you announce on a blog you’re going to give hard hitting opinion and you don’t, then why bother announcing the ‘opinion’ thing at all? What is the point of that? I love controversial blog sites – but will I always comment on them? No, because some blogs are best not to have your name attached to unless you personally feel strongly about an issue and you know the consequences of putting your two cents forward. Is that cowardly or sheer smarts? I tend to think the latter.

So – feel free to give your opinions on blogs or not…up to you. What topics on blogs drive you to the point of boredom? What interests you? Who would you just like to tell to shut up? Yes, you can tell me to shut up if you want – I have a thick skin.

*****************************************************

Dreaming….

I had this dream last night at 2am and I stumbled out of bed and wrote down some notes because at 2am it seemed like a fabulous idea for a book. Here are the main points I jotted down

– art deco
- auburn haired man
- rowing machine
- Prince Charles
- glass light shade

- dusty room
- flying bat

- oranges

- carpet

- Cigarettes

Yes – quite the novel in that. What does all that mean? Stuffed if I know. And Prince Charles for god sake? I am dead set anti royalist so I have no idea why he would come to my mind. The man is a drain on society. So I’m thinking my heroine will buy a glass light shade from an auburn haired man who sells art deco, in between eats oranges and smoking cigarettes. A bat will fly into the dusty store and its wing span will remind the heroine of the size of Prince Chicka’s ears and it will perch on the rowing machine in the store. Yes…I can see that as WIP. My editor is now smacking her head on her keyboard.

*****************************************************

“Teach Me (The Hierophant)” A Torrid Tarot Novel By Cindy Spencer Pape. It's available now at Ellora’s Cave – it’s another click on the cover and buy moment. I love the word Hierophant - I'd buy it for that word alone.

******

Blurb:

******

The Hierophant generally appears in life in the form of a teacher or mentor. He’s wise but can be stubborn to the point of disaster, especially if his beliefs are called into question. Galen Forsythe believes the traditions and tenets of academia to be an almost sacred trust. So when he is hopelessly attracted to a brilliant young graduate student, he fights against it for three long years. Lydia has been in love with Galen, her Hierophant, from day one. When she’s targeted by an ancient demon determined to escape its prison, Galen has to learn to let go of logic and tradition and trust in the power of love to save her.

*********

Excerpt:

*********

“I’m not young enough to be your daughter you know. Not unless you’d started awfully early.”
He stared at the painting on the wall opposite the bed for a moment, swirling the wine in his glass before he answered. “Intellectually I’m aware of that. I guess I’ve just spent way too long laughing at middle-aged guys who go out trolling for younger women. And it isn’t just your age, you know. I’m—dealing with that. It’s everything about you, Lydia. You’re so beautiful, so dynamic, so full of life. I’m well aware of the fact that I’m not the most exciting guy in the world. Boring is usually one of the nicer things I get called—my ex-wife could have gone on about that one for hours. There’s a big part of me that still has no idea what someone like you sees in someone like me.”
Lydia laughed. “Galen, I can see a mirror right over there on the dresser. Learn to use it. You’re tall, you’re fit, you have gorgeous hair and the most amazing blue eyes I’ve ever seen. Whereas I’m medium height, thirty pounds overweight and pretty much average by almost any standard. Brown hair. Brown eyes. Medium pale skin. If we’re talking about physical appearance, you’re way out of my league. But when you look at me—then I do feel beautiful. And do I need to point out the absurdity of the words boring and handcuffs coming out of your mouth in the same five minutes? Aside from being almost scarily smart, you’ve got a wicked sense of humor and you’re inventive as hell in bed. What on Earth makes you think you’re boring?”
“Well, not too many people know about the handcuffs,” he admitted with a chuckle. “It doesn’t really go with the scholarly image.”
She shrugged. “The combination works for me. How many guys I’ve dated do you think can put up with me getting lost in a manuscript or history book for hours on end? Or understand that being a bit submissive in the bedroom doesn’t mean I don’t have a mind of my own?”

************************************************************************************

As always check Anny on http://www.annycook.blogspot.com/ and Kelly on http://www.kkirch.blogspot.com/ to see what’s going on in their worlds

************************************************************************************

www.freewebs.com/amarindajones/
Go ahead: Live with abandon. Be outrageous at any age. What are you saving your best self for?