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Member since February 17, 2008

About Me

If you were to throw up your hands in exasperation and yell \"it's the story of my life,\" what would you be talking about?
For 10 years I lived opposite Geoffrey Bradshaw. One afternoon after finishing our exams we sat outside talking about what we would study the next year, University, travel and future occupations. The next day he went to pick up a bike he was given as a reward for doing so well at school. The brakes failed and he went head first into a concrete wall. He died several days later. At university three years later, a boy a year behind me was diagnosed with testicular cancer. He continued his studies believing in his future and being cured. He died during the year. The deaths of these two young men while we were all in our teens had a profound effect on me. Death wasnt for the old, the young could die by means of an accident or an illness. I had been very shy, introverted with an attitude that one day I would be braver. Their deaths made me realise that you have to take opportunities, take risks and live every day to the full. I finished university, and rather than wait for a few years of working and economic stability, I left to work and travel overseas, working for six months at a time and then travelling through Africa and South America. Approaching 30 years I looked at my life, and decided it was time to take some risks: I broke out of a bad relationship, quit my secure job and went back to university to re-train. I have continued making the most of opportunities that have arisen, at all scales. Big choices such as marrying a younger man, having three children and returning home to New Zealand after again being settled in a good job. At the smaller scale, I kiss my children good night every night and go to all their events at school. We go to the beach on sunny weekends rather than staying home to do chores. Sometimes we play lego or dress ups after work - eating dinner later, or buy ice creams on the way home and play in the park on warm evenings. We fly our parents over to see us as often as we can, even when it's not Christmas. We live every day as full as possible - today was lunch with work colleagues, sitting under the trees by the beach for 30 minutes. I have even gone back to Ballet as an adult, taken up art classes and writing. I hope that somehow these two young men can know what a paradigm shift their early deaths created in my attitude to life, and how grateful I am for inspiring me to make the most of the opportunities that have come my way.

My favorite story of all time is:
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving

Right now, I'm reading:
The First Circle by Solzenitzen

In bed I like to read:
John Irving