absolutwillie

Tag: blog-meme

  • Revisited 2: My life in 5 year segments

    In the (not so) grand tradition of my own #5yrs life segments review, the time has come for another consideration of a possible legend/guide to find trends/patterns in my mortal experience. Perhaps the 9th addition to this list might allow for some insight into my journey? Let’s see then shall we?

    Quick recap:

    00-05: carefree childhood

    05-10: awareness of my Other-ness

    10-15: trusting the Closet

    15-20: escaping the Closet

    20-25: student-/full time LGBTI-rights activist

    25-30: print/design entrepreneur

    30–35: sober, educator*, consultant, exhibiting photographer, community activist and odd-jobs-guy.

    35-40: sober student of Education: Postgraduate Certificat in Educaation (PGCE 2013) cum laude; B.Ed. Honours in Language Education (2014) cum laude; M.Ed. on Language Didactics and Digital Pedagogies (2017) cum laude. Lecturer in Higher Education.

    40-45**: still sober (by Gracce), Lecturer and Academic Head of an HEI, now pursuing a PhD (2022-2024?)

    To be honest, the journey from 35 to today (the day before my 44th birthday) took a wildly different turn than I expected when I enrolled in the PGCE programme at Stellenbosch University. The initial plan was to get in, get teacher certified, and get out to go back to teaching in Taiwan. I still miss my kids from the kindergarten, and wonder who they’ve grown up to be(come).

    That is not to say that teaching in Higher Ed has not been a wild and wonderful adventure in and of itself! I’ve had the privilege of meeting a wide array of wonderful people, and I’d like to think that I’ve had at least a small impact on their thinking and careers. The hundreds of PGCE students that swept through my lectures, and the smaller groups of incredible game design and developers I was privileged enough to have in my classes have truly left their mark on my soul. I sincerely hope that they have forgiven me for my sins as an academic assessor, and perhaps even think of me gently on the odd occasion.

    Teaching as a profession is not what it should be. There, I’ve said it. While being guilty of aiding and abetting the corporatisation of education in order to earn a living – I’m not a fan. Perhaps braving the waters of academia as a PhD student, then, might be seen as a counter-intuitive and ironic act of surrender to the Overlords. The covert intent, I feebly hope, is however to try and liberate a smidgeon of thought surrounding learning/mediation of learning from the grip of The Formal and show that we have always been doing it ourselves.

    Then again, I might be going soft in the head (as last year’s barrage of MRI scans suggest).

    I don’t really know why I’m blogging again, actually. Most of the people who were on this blog’s journey with me have moved on or died. Cancer took my Mom in 2018, and the world caught fire shortly thereafter when COVID-19 hit. I sound callous, or even cruel when I put it like that… and maybe I am a bit. I do hope that I’m not so far gone that I’ll disconnect from the joy in the world completely. I’m sure it’ll come back.

    Then again, I might be insane.

    *Serious relationship that ended the Christmas eve after I proposed.

    ** Updated on 2024/03/25

  • Revisited: My life in 5 year segments

    In March of 2011, I wrote a post on how an old twitter trend (#5yrs) sparked a list. For me, it’s turning into a personal meme – looking at my life in 5 year segments, and seeing what pattern/legend hides in the folds of history.

    Quick recap:

    00-05: carefree childhood

    05-10: awareness of my Other-ness

    10-15: trusting the Closet

    15-20: escaping the Closet

    20-25: student-/full time LGBTI-rights activist

    25-30: print/design entrepreneur

    30-3?: sober, educator and consultant

    Little did I know, at the time, that by the end of that year I’d be living in Missouri (USA)! Or that the reasons for me moving to Missouri turned out to be a load of bull. Cost me mega bucks – but I learned a lot in the process.

    Similarly, I couldn’t have dreamt that 2012 would see me escape from the clutches of evil in the States, and that I’d be back at my Parents’ house, where I did everything I could to earn enough money to pay my new debts, and save up for University again.

    So here’s how the last completed segment looks like:

    30-35: sober, educator, consultant, exhibiting photographer, community activist and odd-jobs-guy. 

    Things are looking up for the next segment though!
              35-??: Student – Postgraduate Certificate in Education (still sober)
    What can we see from this list so far?
    Firstly, that 4 out of the first 5 segments of my life revolved around my sexuality, and fighting for acceptance in main stream society.
    Secondly, that 3 out of my 4 “adult” segments marked the rise and rise of my alcoholism.
    Lastly (for now), that I might very well spend a couple more segments in Education, my dream since the age of 15  
    ;0)
    So what does your life look like in segments of 5 years?

  • Brilliantly correct incorrectness

    Image from “Absolutely Pathetic” via Google Image search

    My Mom sent me this funny list of questions and answers:

    ANSWERS OF A BRILLIANT STUDENT WHO OBTAINED 0%
    (I would have given him 100%)
    Q1. In which battle did Napoleon die?
    • his last battle

    Q2. Where was the Declaration of Independence signed?
    • at the bottom of the page

    Q3. River Ravi flows in which state?
    • liquid

    Q4. What is the main reason for divorce?
    • marriage

    Q5. What is the main reason for failure?

    • exams

    Q6. What can you never eat for breakfast?
    • lunch & dinner

    Q7. What looks like half an apple?
    • the other half

    Q8. If you throw a red stone into the blue sea what it will become?
    • it will simply become wet

    Q9. How can a man go eight days without sleeping ??
    • No problem, he sleeps at night.

    Q10. How can you lift an elephant with one hand?
    • You will never find an elephant that has only one hand..

    Q11. If you had three apples and four oranges in one hand and four apples and three oranges in other hand, what would you have ?
    • Very large hands

    Q12. If it took eight men ten hours to build a wall, how long would it take four men to build it?
    • No time at all, the wall is already built.

    Q13. How can u drop a raw egg onto a concrete floor without cracking it?
    • Concrete floors are very hard to crack.

  • My life in 5 year segments

    how a twitter trend (#5yrs) sparked a list:

    what does your life look like, in segments of 5 years?
    well, here’s mine:

        0-5: carefree childhood

      5-10: awareness of my Other-ness

    10-15: trusting the Closet

    15-20: escaping the Closet

    20-25: student-/full time LGBTI-rights activist

    25-30: print/design entrepreneur

    30-3?: sober, educator and consultant

    it’s kind of cool looking at it this way. as well as a little freaky… what’s in the cards for 35-40? and how many segments do I have left?

    35-40
    40-45
    50-55
    55-60
    65-70
    70-75
    75-80: the “segment” when my maternal grandfather passed away
    80-85:
    85-90:
    90-95: the “segment” when my paternal grandfather passed away
    95-100: ??

    have a look, let’s see what your life looks like in segments of 5 years ;0)

  • reviewing '09

    in the spirit of remembering and reviewing the past year, i’m revisiting my post “reviewing 08” to see what’s up:

    1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?
    I proposed marriage.

    2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? 
    yup – celebrated 2 years of sobriety and reached my goal weight.
    for 2010 i’ve resolved to wait for Peter.

    3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
    Nadia and Etienne were blessed with a bundle of joy!

    4. Did anyone close to you die?
    yes.

    5. What countries did you visit? 
    Hong Kong (Taiwan and SA)

    6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009? 
    certainty, where certainty is possible.

    7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
    Christmas Eve… Peter and i separated.

    8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? 
    making it to the 2 years of sobriety mark none the less.

    9. What was your biggest failure?
    loosing my cool when faced with infidelity.

    10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
    some epileptic fits, but nothing significant.

    11. What was the best thing you bought? 
    our air tickets to SA.

    12. Whose behavior merited celebration? 
    still my Mom!

    13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? 
    unfortunately this answer is already way too clear.

    14. Where did most of your money go? 
    debt

    15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? 
    Peter

    16. What song will always remind you of 2009? 
    Lady GaGa’s “Bad Romance”

    17. Compared to this time last year, are you: (a) happier or sadder? (b) thinner or fatter? (c) richer or poorer? 
    a) sadder
    b) thinner
    c) richer

    18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
    holding his hand.

    19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
    worrying

    20. How did you spend Christmas? 
    took the high speed rail to Taipei to visit Simon and Mathilda.

    21. Did you fall in love in 2009?
    with Peter – over and over again – even after the disaster.

    22. What was your favorite TV program? 
    Project Runway, while we had TV.

    23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? 
    no.

    24. What was the best book you read? 
    Lamb: the Gospel according to Biff, Christ’s childhood pal.

    25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
    that singing like Barbara Streisand is a great way to work through my emotions.

    26. What did you want and get? 
    a job that kept me in Taiwan.

    27. What did you want and not get?
    commitment

    28. What was your favorite film of this year?
    i really loved “Were the world mine”

    29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? 
    Peter took me to a western-style pasta restaurant for dinner on my 31st birthday.

    30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? 
    hearing a certain someone say “I do”

    31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
    plaid

    32. What kept you sane? 
    my relationship with God

    33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? 
    missed that bus completely

    34. What political issue stirred you the most? 
    state-sponsored homophobia in Africa

    35. Who did you miss? 
    my sister… still…

    36. Who was the best new person you met?
    Laura Moroni, my replacement at TFC.

    37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009.
    when you’re about to loose your cool – pray!

    38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
    “I want your everything…”

  • Meme: It’s not really fall until…

    here’s a meme i got over at Sunday Stealing – just to get me back in the swing of blogging.enjoy ;0)
    ———————————————-
    1) What did you need to do in the waning days of summer for it to feel complete?
    swim in the ocean – which I haven’t done yet.

    2)A person I know was wrong for me but about whom I frequently thought after a break-up was…
    *lol* the person who kinda fits the criteria never dated me, so there was no real break-up… let’s just leave it at that, shall we?

    3) If you could only attend one major sporting event what would it be?
    the gay games – for the fun of it!

    4) Assuming that you write an anonymous or partially anonymous blog, by what non-physically identifying characteristics might you be identified in a bar?
    uhm… probably won’t be in a bar (walking in dry places)… what would work here? i’ll take a cue from Geoff and say “my voice” (and to make it “non-physical” let’s contextualize this as my “flavor”).

    5) Most blogs cover some sort of niche – personal, political, dating, culinary, etc. What topic, if any, would you like to address on your blog but doesn’t fit into your niche?
    olfactory overload (sure like the sound of that)

    6) If you could manipulate the time space continuum and give as many as three pieces of advice to a younger version of yourself, what advice would you give and to what age of you?
    @ around 5 years of age: believe in the life you prayed for – it is coming!
    @ around 12 years of age: you are perfect exactly as you are. live your truth!
    @ around 19 years of age: forget about making anybody else happy – study the arts (design & education).

    7) Who among your friends do you really wish had a blog because their stories, or perspective on something ought to be shared?
    A) Luzanne – her perspective truly ought to be shared.
    B) Karl – his exploits would make great reading!
    C) my Dad – because he rocks on so many levels.

    8) If you were to take an e-cation (vacation from the trappings of our electronic world,) and assuming that employment obligations would allow it, how long of a break could you take? What would you miss the most, the least?
    with Peter by my side, i’m pretty confident i could last a couple of months (unfortunately though, he would barely last a weekend).
    miss the most: music
    miss the least: work e-mail.

    9) On September 11th of this year, I attended a couple of parties and was somewhat conflicted by the fact that this ignoble anniversary shall pass with it being just another day in the eyes of many (and in some ways my own eyes as well.) Thoughts?
    live in the light – and in the present. anniversaries are for lovers ;0)

    10) How high are your walls? Who was the last person to scale them? What tools should would-be climbers have on their belt?
    walls? i broke those down after Peter leaped them in a single bound!
    would-be climbers would need a different target (awww schweet)

    11) The sexiest thing a man or a woman can say to you (or has said to you) is:
    “Dance with me.”

  • reviewing 08

    not knowing how to start posting again can be a serious pain in the ankle… thankfully, Clive posted this blog-meme that makes it a bit easier to get going again ;0)

    1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?
    I moved to Taiwan, became a teacher, experienced my first typhoon, experienced my first earthquake, sang at karaoke bars, circumnavigated an island on a scooter and saw one of my t-shirt designs go into production via springleap.

    2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
    yup – celebrated 1 year of sobriety one week ago :0D

    3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
    Gretchen and Stefan welcomed baby Kasia into their lives, Meagan and Johan were also blessed with a bundle of joy, I believe.

    4. Did anyone close to you die?
    not this year, thankfully!

    5. What countries did you visit?
    Taiwan

    6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
    certainty, where certainty is possible

    7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
    6th of August… why? First date!

    8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
    Definitely making it to the 1 year of sobriety mark.

    9. What was your biggest failure?
    trying to like smelly tofu… I just can’t.

    10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
    Man Flu!!! is there anything worse? lol – no, nothing significant.

    11. What was the best thing you bought?
    my scooter!

    12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
    my Mom! the way she faces everything that life throws at her is beyond inspirational!!

    13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
    erm… keeping in mind that i’m bipolar – this one could go on for ever, or not even start.

    14. Where did most of your money go?
    debt

    15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
    Peter

    16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
    every moment is filled with memories and music… which one popped up first when i read the question? Disturbia by Rihana

    17. Compared to this time last year, are you: (a) happier or sadder? (b) thinner or fatter? (c) richer or poorer?
    a) happier, for sure
    b) thinner!!!
    c) richer

    18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
    spent time with friends.

    19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
    self-editing

    20. How did you spend Christmas?
    working all day and going to bed early.

    21. Did you fall in love in 2008?
    oh and how!

    22. What was your favorite TV program?
    didn’t watch much TV

    23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
    hate is way too strong a word. i try to either like people, or not have an opinion about them… but yes, unfortunately there is a person who elicits negative emotions from me.

    24. What was the best book you read?
    i didn’t really read all that much, come to think of it. shocker!!

    25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
    Colbie Caillat to be sure!

    26. What did you want and get?
    perspective

    27. What did you want and not get?
    peace

    28. What was your favorite film of this year?
    Maid of Honor (i think)

    29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
    we went to Matjiesfontein for my 30th birthday :0)

    30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
    hearing a certain someone say “I love you”

    31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
    worn from the washing line

    32. What kept you sane?
    my relationship with God

    33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
    Han Ju *blush*

    34. What political issue stirred you the most?
    Prop H8

    35. Who did you miss?
    my sister… i miss her a whole lot lately

    36. Who was the best new person you met?
    Yeh Chuan-Sheng

    37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
    now is all you truly have – grab it and make it count!

    38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
    “Pappa watch me fly!”