I've been tagged to do a meme by the very talented and lovely Stephanie - it's been so long since I've done one and it's been the perfect antidote to my hormonal brooding today...
What is your current obsession?
My new juicer. I've committed myself to making fresh juice daily, in my bid to get healthier and stave off stress. Today: carrot, apple, cucumber, broccoli and ginger. Tomorrow I'm going to see how it tackles spinach...
What is your weirdest obsession?
I find it (almost) impossible to flush the toilet without first putting the lid down; i once read that with every flush millions of tiny droplets of loo water come flying out and land everywhere, and from then on i had to put the lid down. I don't know if that's weird or simply OCD.
What are you wearing today?
Nothing glamorous enough to mention here - comfy clothes so i can sit at my desk and write all day.
What's for dinner?
Leftovers from last night: vegan stew of butter beans, onion, potatoes, peppers and tomatoes with smoked paprika and thyme, served with brown rice (first made by Claire aka BB)
What would you eat for your last meal?
I want to concoct something fancy that would include all my favourites like risotto, prosciutto, peas, nectarines, artichokes, sea bass, mint, Moroccan-spiced chicken yadda yadda, but i know that on my very last night on earth I'll be craving fish & chips with mushy peas and lots of vinegar and ketchup. Sad but true.
What's the last thing you bought?
The new album from Phoenix on iTunes, two hours ago. It's excellent.
What are you listening to right now?
See above.
What do you think of the person who tagged you?
I think Stephanie is an insanely talented artist who i admire greatly. I love how she promotes her fellow artists on her Artists Who Blog site - I was lucky enough to be interviewed by her in April.
If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished anywhere in the world, where would you like it to be?
San Francisco.
If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go?
New York or LA to have a coffee with one of my girls.
Which language do you want to learn?
Poetry
What's your favorite quote (for now)?
I love this new one i found by Dorothea Lange: 'While there is perhaps a province in which the photograph can tell us
nothing more than what we see with our own eyes, there is another in
which it proves to us how little our eyes permit us to see.'
What is your favorite colour?
Today: pomegranate red.
What is your favorite piece of clothing in your own wardrobe?
My jeans
What is your dream job?
I'm beginning to feel like I'm doing it already. Teaching my Unravelling classes is going above and beyond all my expectations and proving to be such a humbling and wonderful thing to facilitate and participate in, and that is all down to my students and how willing they are to excavate and share their lives and selves. If you add in a two-book deal from a top publishing house (or even an agent at this stage) and i would be doing my perfect job.
What's your favourite magazine?
UK Elle Decoration; The Week
If you had £100 now, what would you spend it on?
Yoga lessons
Do you admire anyone's style?
Charlotte Gainsberg, Helena Christensen, Kate Moss, Emmanuelle Alt
Describe your personal style?
Preppy in the winter, Portobello girl in the summer.
What are you going to do after this?
Make lunch then post the new writing exercise for my Unravellers on the e-course blog.
What are your favourite films?
Last week's fun: Yes Man; fail safes: anything sci-fi or with Clooney in (this evening i'm watching Burn after Reading); always: Desperately Seeking Susan
What's your favourite fruit?
White nectarines, cherries, papaya
What inspires you?
Other artists and disciplines, books, walking aimlessly, sunlight, my sister
Your favourite books?
I turn to The Dance by Oriah Mountain Dreamer and Let Evening Come by Jane Kenyon again and again.
Do you collect anything?
Badges, vintage cameras, retro glassware and ceramics
What are you currently reading?
Just finished Valley of the Dolls (a rip-roaringly entertaining read!), just started Middlesex, dipping into Real You Incorporated
Go to your book shelf, take down the first book with a red spine you see, turn to page 26 and type out the first line:
"brief, tick-tock the biological clock, and that message is thrown at us over and over again."
~ from page 26 of Bitch by Elizabeth Wurtzel... Hmmm, interesting
The rules :
1. Respond and rework; answer the questions on your blog,
replace one question that you dislike with a question of your
invention, add one more question of your own.
2. Tag eight other people. (i don't like to tag people as i know we're all busy, so if you want to play along, leave a comment so i can come read your answers :)
some beautiful reads there and I like the description of portobello girl in the summer. i also love the quote by lange.
Posted by: charlane | May 27, 2009 at 05:43 PM
If you ever come to NYC ~ you must let me take you to Helena's shop. You would love it!
(butiknyc.com)
Posted by: Bella | May 27, 2009 at 05:46 PM
I loved reading this over lunch. I too have a thing about toilet lids down — guess we're both OCD. I'm thinking I need to get a juicer. I always love the $5 ones at this gourmet shop, but who has $5 to spend on juice everyday.
Posted by: Jen | May 27, 2009 at 08:45 PM
This took AGES.
Burn After Reading is brilliant :) Best thing Clooney & Pitt have done together.
Enjoy!
Posted by: sas | May 27, 2009 at 08:57 PM
I still haven't watched Burn After Reading, despite it sitting on the computer ready to be watched. Loved the meme :-)
Posted by: Carol | May 27, 2009 at 09:14 PM
I just had to pull down the first red spined book on my shelf! haha
It reads: ...what he did with me when I was upset. "We'll be able to look right in their windows." I said brightly. "It'll be great."
*The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing
=)
And I'd want to live in San Francisco too.
Posted by: Shanon | May 27, 2009 at 09:44 PM
Just saw burn after reading, thought it was fantastic, john malkovich is great in it too. Love the ending!
Posted by: Jo | May 28, 2009 at 02:23 PM
Hi Susannah, I knew you would have beautiful, poetic answers - and you didn't disappoint, a joy to read today!! And your juice looks yummy too :)
Great idea with taking a book off the shelf and quoting.. he he..
Thanks for participating!
Posted by: Stephanie | May 28, 2009 at 04:29 PM
Just to put the loo lid down topic in a different perspective: in Feng Shui thinking, leaving the lid up when flushing, sucks all the energy from the particular area of your house that the water vortex occurs in... did that make any sense? Well, just know it makes good sense in a Feng Shui way to close the lid first... All your beautiful, poetic answers to questions, and this is the one I fixated on... hmmm
Posted by: Liz | May 28, 2009 at 04:46 PM
this was so fun to read. i am so there with you on the toilet seat, for the same reasons.. xo
Posted by: stacy | Jun 01, 2009 at 05:22 PM
This was a very enjoyable read. I'll have to write down those book titles that you mentioned. How are you liking Middlesex? It had me thinking about what I'm comfortable with (won't give it away here). Glad to hear that you are enjoying your classes. Your students must love having you as a teacher. The course sounds so personal. I'd love to see some of your students' work.
Posted by: susanna | Jun 02, 2009 at 02:09 AM
I loved reading this. Am going to have a go myself on my blog.
PS. SF is sooo beautiful. Would love to live there too!
X Bel
Posted by: Bel Youll | Jun 06, 2009 at 09:04 AM
The lid thing...I do that too! I read that somewhere as well. After reading that I always feel weird when people's towel racks are right near their toilets and the lids are up. Ewww.
Posted by: Samosasforone | Sep 03, 2009 at 01:24 AM