Right. Been tagged by Sarah Salway. Uh, to list six random things about myself. Love it. I wonder if the ‘random’ is of the real type (here) or of the slang type used by my nephew, my students, and now my son, as in ‘that’s so random man’.
***
1) I used to have a recurring nightmare when I was young which involved me riding in a tiny toy-like car away from people who were chasing me. All during this ride the world was in tunnel vision, with strange creatures and sometimes very ordinary life lining the sides of the road. Sometimes as I’m falling asleep I still get this tunnel vision, which makes me feel like I’m falling.
2) I absolutely adore frosted brown sugar cinnamon Pop Tarts. Only available in the States. At a push the frosted strawberry ones available in the UK are okay.
3) One of my ideal situations is being driven down a highway with the windows open, road music on, and my bare feet hanging out.
4) I’ve never read Moby Dick. This may only mean something to Americans. But I have read Ulysses. And loved it. Does this mean anything to anyone?
5) I’d like to ride in a hot-air balloon again. A lot. The one and only time I went, I was a secretary in a real estate agency in London, going along for an early morning client-pleasing ride. It was completely thrilling. And silent. And hugely poetic. And I had to keep everything I felt about it to myself.
6) One of the most formative creative pursuits of my life has been translation. At Oberlin College I translated poetry from around 15 different languages (using trans-literations). My very first publication was a translation of a ‘creative non fiction’ essay by Miroslav Holub, Shed Blood, which was later collected into a book (The Dimension of the Present Moment, now out of print). Translation seems to speak directly to the intangible, the bit before words, beyond words…and I find that fascinating. It has made me acutely aware of the creative transformation of coming to the page: you may think you know what you want to write in your head, but the page, the process, changes all of that. The process of translation is like high-intensity editing of your own work: you wait for it to dawn on you, to talk to you in your own language. I love it, and everytime I think of it, I miss it.
***
Now it falls to me to pass the baton, along with the rules:
Link to the person that tagged you - i.e. me.
Post the rules on your blog.
Write six random things about you in a blog post.
Tag six people in your post.
Let each person know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
Let the tagger know your entry is up.
So now I tag… Caroline, George, Danny and Alis.
11 comments
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April 24, 2008 at 3:22 pm
Sue Guiney
Love your responses. I got tagged for this too — not easy, I tell you. But I have to say, I always loved twinkies (you know - the torpedo-shaped sponge cakes filled with cream) and then I recently tried one and it was SO DRY i almost choked to death — your pop tarts made me think of that. I also have a question, though — I didn’t know you went to Oberlin. we’re looking at schools for my son and he thought it would be too much in the middle of nowhere to even look at, but I think it’s a great place and worth a look. Any thoughts for a kid who’s lived his entire life in London? Thx. xo
April 24, 2008 at 3:59 pm
pdom
Aha! Never went for Twinkies, mind you…
Well, I LOVED Oberlin, absolutely loved it. It *is* in the middle of nowhere, but has more there now I think than when I was roaming around…It’s worth remembering that it is full of people who are used to being in big cities (e.g. NYC, Boston etc) so they spend a lot of time and energy goes making it active, engaged, and it’s not really lacking in amenities (for instance, I had never tasted a bagel, being from SW Virginia, until I got there! Same for Ben & Jerry’s ice cream…).
It’s very liberal generally, and values its politics and involvement with the world, so it doesn’t necessarily feel isolated. But if your son is used to just stepping out the door into other worlds and places and cultures — he won’t find that there. It’s very much a ‘make your own experience’ kind of place. Huge variety of people, lots of institutional support — almost forces you to take account of yourself and who you are. Positively *made* to sort out identity! Stuffed full of bright people though and the music of course is wonderful, and on tap.
Need more? Email?
xxoo
April 24, 2008 at 5:08 pm
Caroline
Hi honey.
I’ve did this tag a while back and found it really hard.
I am, honestly, not at all interesting!
I love your responses.
And I really really want a pop tart.
x
April 24, 2008 at 5:42 pm
pdom
Thanks Caroline! I figured you’d done it, being an old hand, but couldn’t see it quickly so thought I’d try…What’s it called so I can look at it?!
You gotta have a Pop Tart. Interestingly my son thinks they are the bee’s knees, my daughter hates them, as does my R.
One of those things. But you are missing out on brown sugar cinnamon. I could live on them. When I was little (geez, I shoulda put *this* on the random list!), I used to heat them in the toaster and line them up the inside of my arm, covered in melted butter. Strange. And on my own. But maybe we learn to love what in childhood makes us different?
xxoo
April 24, 2008 at 8:24 pm
Alis
You’ve never read Moby Dick? Call yourself an American?! Tsk!! Also, Ulysses… sigh… coulnd’t say I liked it but I have read it…
Thanks for the tag - my post is up today. Enjoy!
Loved the photos of the kitchen by the way - I am SOOO jealous!
April 25, 2008 at 12:57 pm
Sue Guiney
Thanks for the Oberlin info. it sounds like a good place for him to consider. i’ll pass on the info. And as for never doing twinkies…well, just as well.
April 25, 2008 at 5:01 pm
Dana
Hello, I found you through George Szirtes. I say, amen to brown sugar/cinnamon pop tarts, and cinnamon generally. I keep a shaker of cinnamon and sugar on my kitchen table for buttered toast. Husband uses it on vegetables for the twins, age 18 months. He says it works sometimes.
And I’m very poorly-read, but did get assigned Moby Dick years back. The first chapter had me in absolute stitches. Honestly. The rest of the book can’t compete, so that’s probably why no one ever mentions its comic quality. Or maybe it was my addled college brain that found it amusing. Cheers!
April 25, 2008 at 7:15 pm
pdom
Fantastic — thanks Dana! Never thought about cinnamon and sugar on veggies, but hey. You’ve made me think about a shaker on the table though….
You’ve also made me curious to actually read Moby Dick — for the first time ever! Never thought it might be funny….
Good to meet you!
May 2, 2008 at 7:51 pm
Caroline
Just for you … it was 5 things because I’m a bit dull:
Five things about me that most don’t know.
1. I have a small tattoo of a lizard and I really enjoyed getting it.
2. I know a lot about Developmental Verbal Dyspraxia, as my eldest has it and I was going to do my PhD (R.I.P) in language acquisition.
3.My mum is Maltese.
4. I suffered from postnatal depression with my first child and trialled medication with my second. I didn’t have any medication or depression with my third.
5. I drive a rather lovely red Mini.
Now please please please can I have a pop tart?????
xxx
:)
May 2, 2008 at 8:23 pm
pdom
Oh maaaan…I LOVE you for this.
1) Lizards are very cool.
2) Weirdly, I did a huge high school project on dyslexia. Not the same of course at all, but these whole lingui/science areas are truly, truly fascinating, non?
3) Wow.
4) Good for you for carrying on. I had a bad go with E (not clinical though) at first, and felt in very rough shape with M *during* pregnancy (have since heard quite a lot about this). So hard.
5) I adore Minis. Honestly. Covet a convertible.
Next time I get a batch of PTs from States, you name is on a box. Because you’re worth it!
xxoo
May 5, 2008 at 8:44 am
Caroline
:)
You are lovely x