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Sharing My World Week 13
It’s time once again to Share My World! The questions have been posed by Cee over at her photography blog. I don’t have a lot of time, I’m off to work soon to start the “long weekend of work” so I’m writing this now in case I don’t have any more free time until next week.
Do you believe in extraterrestrials or life on other planets?
Of course there are other thingies and whatnots out there. Have you not seen the TV? I was watching an excellent documentary the other day, it was called “Star Trek” I think, and they had lots of pictures of extraterrestrials. Here’s one (copyright probably CBS/Paramount).
What type of pet or pets do you not want to have?
I wouldn’t want a duck-billed platypus as a pet. I would think that they’d be quite hard to take care of!
(Picture from State of the Environment, Tasmania website, credited to Dave Watts).
If you were a crayon, what colour would you be?
I’d be bluey-purple. I like that range of colours. Or alternatively I’d be white, because no-one would use those much and I’d exist a long time.
What type of transportation would you be? Why?
Transportation? I’d don’t really fancy dragging people from place to place. If I had to be a mode of transportation, maybe a little boat, cutting through the waves in the sunshine. That might be nice. Except I wouldn’t know if it were nice or not, because I’d be a boat, and boats aren’t aware of such things.
Bonus question: What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?
Oh dear, this tricky question again. I’m grateful I’m still alive and kicking. I’m looking forward to the hopefully successful completion of this weekend’s big project at work.
See you next time when I will be “sharing my world” once again!
Sharing My World Week 12
It’s time once again in draliman-land to Share My World, courtesy of Cee at Cee’s photography blog! This is a chance for bloggers to get to know each other a little bit better by answering some questions.
Here is the badge.
And here are the questions.
What is your most favourite smell/scent?
That’s a tricky one. I like the smell of freshly-mown grass (I borrowed that from someone else, but I do). I also like the smell of bacon cooking.
Mmm, bacon.
Here’s a picture of my tea the other day, some of which I bought in the monthly village market.
That brown stuff is Worcester Sauce. Mmm, Worcester Sauce. And bacon.
Mmm, bacon.
I rate that tea at three out of five heart attacks. On the other hand I eat maybe one fried egg a year (the cooker in my rented place was rubbish) so I don’t feel too guilty.
How do you write: computer, longhand or other?
Other? What would that be then? I use the Force to conjure the words into the ether, there to reside until I need them again.
Actually, I tried that once but it didn’t work out. I could never find the words again. Everywhere I looked someone was waving his hand and saying “These are not the words you’re looking for.”
Ha ha. Ah haha.
I write everything on my computer. I write posts like this straight into WordPress and I write all stories in Word and then paste them in. My handwriting is not the best. Sometimes I come back to something I wrote ages ago and I can’t even tell what I wrote.
Your favourite blog post that you have written? (add link)
Oh dear, how can I choose? I can’t so I’m going to shamelessly do three. A kiddie’s one, a little story and one with a sort of moral (though it may not be obvious).
Spider Army (short kiddie poem with DraliDoodles)
Baptism of Fire (short story)
Until the End of Time (mock diary – be careful what you wish for)
What’s one of your favourite books from childhood?
Oh boy, I have no idea. My childhood was soooo long ago and I read so many books that I can’t remember. Just little flashes. I remember a lot of the books I read at school, but we had to analyse them to death so I didn’t really enjoy them.
It would probably have been sci-fi or fantasy, like The Hobbit. Okay, we’ll go with The Hobbit.
Here is a picture I just took of my copy of The Hobbit. Professional photographer that I am, it features a flash reflection and it’s on its side. But… Hobbits!
Bonus question: What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?
Last week happened. I’m grateful nothing bad happened. Next week there’s some big stuff going on at work which I can’t afford to mess up, culminating in a weekend of doing the bulk of the tricky stuff, so I can’t say I’m particularly looking forward to that.
I guess I’m just fundamentally an ungrateful person 😦 .
And on that bombshell… see you again next week!
Sharing My World Week 11
I can’t believe a whole week has gone by already, and it’s time once again for me to Share My World, part of Cee’s Share Your World feature.
Here’s the badge, which I must remember to pop on my sidebar.

If you were an ice cream cone how many scoops and flavours would you be and why?
Mmm, ice cream. What to choose, what to choose? I think we’ll start with cool mint choc chip. Add to that a bit of plain old creamy vanilla and add in a bit raspberry and I think we have the perfect cone.
Unless the raspberry clashes with the mint choc chip, in which case it’ll be gross.
Are you left or right handed?
I’m right-handed. Very right-handed. I can count on the fingers of one hand the things I can do with my left hand. I’m counting those things on the fingers of my right hand as my left hand is not up to the job.
Before making a phone call, do you ever rehearse what you are going to say?
I rehearse to the point that I have an idea what I want to say, and I decide up-front my opening line. A bit like when I’m giving a talk – have an idea, an outline, and know how you’re going to open and the rest will flow naturally.
I hate making phone calls. “Dread” might be a better word. I put them off as long as possible, so you can imagine what the past few months have been like, buying a house. Calls to the solicitor, estate agent, changing my address with a gazillion people. It’s never-ending!
How many rings before you answer the phone?
I actually stopped answering the land line phone ages ago. I was getting multiple junk calls a day, until I registered with the Telephone Preference Service, and then they largely stopped. My mum uses a code – a certain number of rings, hang up, then she rings again so I know it’s her.
As for my mobile, I’ll answer it as soon as I fumble it out of my pocket. Sometimes I accidentally answer it while it’s in my pocket.
Bonus question: What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?
I’m grateful that in the three days I took off from work last week I actually got a lot done, rather than just vegging out like usual. I bought and constructed some bookcases, and they are actually really good, sturdy things. Unbelievable considering they only cost £22.99 from a warehouse chain store – I’m very impressed. Here’s a picture of one I put in my bedroom.
I even registered with the local doctor! I needed antibiotics for my eye, which I had to pay for. £7.85, if you can believe that. It’s gone up since my last prescription back in the 90s. As a new patient the nurse did a full work-up including a blood test and now they want to monitor my blood pressure. I tried to tell her that it’s been “borderline danger level” for years and coming back to have it taken again in 4 weeks isn’t going to make any difference, but she wasn’t for swaying 😦 .
In the week coming up I’m looking forward to – nothing in particular. Let’s just get through it in one piece, shall we?
That’s me for this week. Tune in again next week, when I will be Sharing My World once again!
Sharing My World Week 10
It’s time for me to share my world again! Actually, it was time to share my world almost a week ago, but this last week I picked up a bit of a social life. I know, me!
I’m also still spending time getting the house in order. The sitting room is all spick and span and the kitchen is pretty much there, but I still have a lot to do in the bedroom.
This week has some tricky questions. It’s all based on introvertism (I think I just made that word up – my browser is not happy with it), and is hosted by Cee over at Cee’s Photography Blog.

Describe yourself in a word that starts with the first letter of your name.
Hmm, the only word I can think of (avoiding the obvious) is “average”, so I’m going to use my bloggy name and go for “dark”, which pretty much describes my character, and is easily divined from my stories.
If 100 people your age were chosen at random, how many do you think you’d find leading a more satisfying life than yours?
Now this is a hard one. Most of them, but that would be my perception. They would have problems and worries that don’t show on the outside, I’m sure. The grass is always greener, and all that.
If you were a tree, would you become a book or furniture? Please describe.
I think I would prefer to stay a tree, thanks. Looking out over the world, enjoying the sunshine and rain and the wind blowing through my leaves or needles.
I wouldn’t want to be a book, leafed through, falling to bits and discarded. I also wouldn’t want to be sat on. Please don’t chop me down!
You are trapped in an elevator, who would you want to be trapped with?
I don’t generally use lifts. Fortunately most buildings in Cornwall are not so tall that you can’t use the stairs. I’d definitely walk up three or four flights rather than getting all squashed in a lift with strangers. Enclosed spaces are fine as long as I’m in there alone.
Bonus question: What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?
I guess I’m grateful that nothing went horribly wrong last week. There was no reason why anything should, but you never know. “Dark”, remember? I’m looking forward to a couple of days off next week.
That’s all the questions for this week, most of which I have managed to avoid answering correctly!
Sharing My World Week 9
Hello friends! It’s time once again to Share My World, part of Cee’s Share Your World series of questions which helps bloggers to get to know one another a little better. Peace out!
This week’s questions are all about our dream house.

Would you prefer a reading nook or an art, craft, photography studio?
Reading nook? Art studio? What what what? Where’s “kick-ass soundproofed and fully stocked entertainment room”? Somewhere I can turn up the volume and shoot aliens, or watch Hobbits (yay, Hobbits) kicking Orc ass, all without disturbing the neighbours with fully surround-sounded gunfire and whatnot.
And I could read in there as well.
Would you prefer the TV in the living room or another room?
I would prefer a TV in every room, thanks.
Especially in my kick-ass soundproofed and fully stocked entertainment room.
What colour would you like your bedroom to be?
Who cares, when I’ll be spending all my time in my kick-ass soundproofed and fully stocked entertainment room?
Okay then, lavender.
Would you prefer a one floor house or multiple levels?
Well, I just bought a house with two levels. While I’m a little worried about the stairs when I get older, it’s nice to go upstairs to sleep at the end of the day.
At least it would be if my bed wasn’t still in bits and I wasn’t still sleeping on the sofa in the living room.
Bonus question:
Ooh, a bonus question! What could it be, what could it be?
As I was saying, Bonus Question: What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?
I’m grateful that my house move went reasonably smoothly. In the upcoming week I’m looking forward to getting my bedroom sorted out so I can invite the people round who have been eager to see my new abode (and so I can sleep in a bed again, because I’m getting too old for sleeping on sofas. Especially two-seater sofas).
That’s all for this week. Have a lovely week everybody!
Sharing My World Week 8
In an attempt to put off unpacking, I’m going to Share My World! Thanks to Cee over at Cee’s Photography Blog for posting the weekly questions!

Here’s the mess I need to tackle shortly 🙂 .
So, on to the questions!
Would you rather be given $10,000 for your own use or $100,000 to give anonymously to strangers?
Well, not to sound selfish, but I’ll take the cash, thanks. I could pay off my credit cards! And whatnot.
When you’re 90 years old, what will matter most to you?
Where I’m buried, I expect. On the off-chance that I’m still alive and kicking I hope my mind will still be functioning correctly.
Candy factories of the entire world have become one and will now be making only one kind of candy. Which kind, if you were calling the shots?
I’m not sure if the American word “candy” covers chocolate, but I’m going to assume it does. Therefore I’m going for some nice standard milk chocolate because that works for me in any situation!
So, you’re on your way out and it’s raining. Do you know where your umbrella is or do you frantically search for it all over your apartment/house?
While I was packing, I did actually stumble across a little umbrella. However, I don’t use umbrellas. I’m a hazard. I either turn it the wrong way and it gets blown inside-out and/or shredded, or I put some poor innocent’s eye out with it. For safety’s sake, I stick to using a hat (I’m not bothered about the rain per se, but I do like to keep it off my glasses, otherwise it can get difficult to see where I’m going!).
That’s all for this week, back to the unpacking for me!
Sharing My World Week 7
I’m supposed to be packing and disassembling furniture and whatnot. I don’t think I’ll have time to write my usual flash fictions but I didn’t want to miss sharing my world (hosted by Cee of Cee’s Photography Blog – check it out!), especially since it’s all about couch potatoes, so I’ll quickly bang this out and then get on with my house move.

What is your favourite couch potato activity: readings, watching movies, watching sports, napping, anything on TV, computer games, play cards, or other?
Yes.
What is your favourite toppings on pizza?
Mmm, pizza. Cheese, pepperoni, cheese, chilli beef, chillies, cheese, cheese, ham and not forgetting cheese. Plus half a bottle of Tabasco sauce.
Mmm, extra cheese.
What is is favourite genre of movie or book?
Fantasy/swords and sorcery (eg Terry Brooks, David Eddings, Raymond E. Feist, James Barclay, Elizabeth Moon), urban fantasy (eg Kim Harrison, Ilona Andrews), sci-fi (eg Elizabeth Moon again), cool and clever humour (eg Janet Evanovitch, Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams).
Do you prefer eating the frosting of the cake first?
Both together. That’s why they’re both on the cake. Mmm, cake.
Service Interruptus
Hello, my friends! It has finally happened – I am moving house!
I will be busy packing, ferrying stuff to the new house before/after work and generally having not a lot of time over the next couple of weeks. At some point I will lose my internet while my service gets transferred (which could take up to 2 weeks! To push a few buttons!).
So I wanted to give you the heads up. I haven’t forgotten or abandoned you! I will try to read and comment as much as possible but I may not be posting much (if at all), even my regular Share Your World, Friday Fictioneers and Chain Writing Game posts 😦 .
In the mean time, here are some dodgy photos I took of my new home. To be honest, the Estate Agent pictures were far better.
Sharing My World Week 6
Cee over at Cee’s Photography Blog runs a series in which she asks questions and we answer them! The goal is to share a little bit about ourselves. See here we go with week 6. This is all about sport so it will be quite short!

Have you watched or plan to watch any of the 2014 Winter Olympics?
Nope. I’m too busy watching my soaps and whatnot.
What is your favourite winter Olympic event? Would you ever want to be an expert in that sport?
I think snowboarding is really cool. I love the tricks and flips and stuff they can do. It would be great to be an expert. It’s like the winter form of skateboarding and that’s still cool, right?
Have you ever met an Olympic Athlete?
I’ve never met an athlete, Olympic or otherwise. Not a well-known one, anyway. I’ve met lots of people who “do sports”.
Do you have a favourite athlete? Name sport.
I don’t have a favourite athlete. I told you this was going to be a short one 🙂 .
What is your favourite exercise or sport? Is there a reason why?
Here’s one I do have an answer for!
My favourite exercise is “the remote control reach and snatch”. It’s quite tricky. From a semi-prone position, you reach out for the remote control, which is almost out of reach. Then comes the snatch and the channel change. This exercise strengthens the elbow you’re leaning on, as well as improving hand-eye coordination. Real experts can change the channel and then use the rocking motion to fly forwards again and replace the remote control.
As for sport, I like to play badminton. (I like to play it, I don’t actually play it. Not for ages anyway.)
Tune in next week, when hopefully the questions will be more couch-potato-based!
Sharing My World Week 5
It’s Sharing My World time again, part of the weekly “Share Your World” challenge hosted by Cee over at Cee’s Photography blog. Pop over and see her, and join in if you like. Share your world too!

If you had a choice to live anywhere would your preference be salt water beaches, forest, fresh water lakes, hot tub, ski resort or desert?
In common with several people this week I’d like to cheat a little and go for a combo. A cabin in a forest on the shore of a fresh water lake. Lovely!
I’m thinking we combine Colliford Lake in Cornwall (up the road from me) on the left, and Coed y Brenin Forest Park in North Wales on the right.
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