This is my first time participating in Cee’s Share Your World challenge. I’m looking forward to answering the questions every week for the year! But you know me by now – I’m gunna do this, I’m gunna do that … We will see.  Each week there are four questions and a bonus question. Presumably, the latter is optional.

How do you get rid of pesky phone calls from telemarketers?   Telemarketers? Well, I don’t adopt a consistent approach here. Sometimes they will just keep ringing and ringing, despite being sent to voice mail. And I’ve used up all the blocking number spots on my phone. So, when answering, it all depends if ‘nice’ or ‘nasty’ Christine picks it up.  It is always electricity, telephone, or website promotions on the other end. The ones I hate the most are the ones who tell you that ‘from next week, you will no longer pay …’  and so on. The nice me might say sweetly, oh that’s lovely,  are you ringing from Telstra? When they say who they are from, I act all confused, and say things like ‘ but how will you change my prices if I don’t change the company who sends me the bill? Then nasty me takes over and accuses them of lying to me. ‘You said my prices are going down but they’re not because I’m not changing.’ Then I hang up.   Other times I let them gives me the works, I ask questions and then suddenly remember that I have a T-box and can’t get my free internet channels from Telstra, or my free weekly movie if I change providers. Other times, I just cut off their spiel, thank them for calling and ask them not to call again.  I have been known to just  pick up the phone, wave it about so they can hear our music playing, and then hang up.

What are you a “natural” at doing?   I’m a natural at doing nothing  – I mean nothing. I can laze away the day just sitting and day-dreaming, quite easily. Being lazy comes natural to me.  I suppose I ought to think seriously about the question.  Telling stories comes natural. Telling lies does not. Writing to strangers comes naturally.

How often do you get a haircut?   Oh, oh. A complex question. There is no answer, because my haircuts are completely random. Now, if the question had been How often do you give yourself a haircut? then the answer might be about  every eighteen months to three years, more often for the fringe. In fact, I hacked a bit off my fringe just yesterday. Maybe you should see my Bite-Sized Memoir about my hair.

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word “fun”?  Balloons. What, you want more? You don’t have balloons without fun attached. Enough said.

Party Supplies, Preston

Bonus question: What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?  Any day above ground is a good day, and I would dearly love that to continue.

I’m grateful for the learning I am getting from Coursera. I’ve almost completed a self-paced course called Get Organized: How To Be A Together Teacher.

This helpful system will work for anyone who wants to get out of the chaos rut. It’s not just for teachers. I’m up to the last segment, but I have used my new ‘flexie’ for three weeks.  Now I have everything to hand – weekly worksheet, comprehensive calendar, an upcoming to-do list – to keep me on my toes and productive. Also added to the flexie: my daily writing target sheet (front, behind weekly page) and my weekly food record (at the back, facing out).

I improved a lot on this version this morning.  I’ve now added some housework to it Monday and Thursdays, and designated a second writing session on three days. I’m looking forward to really trying to make this work properly this upcoming week.