Domina is my natural role and yes, I enjoy it and wouldn’t change it for all the tea in China, India and Ceylon. At times, it’s the toughest and loneliest place to be. My lil one always comes first and she needs me to stand firm in that. It is my responsibility to make sure on the important issues I don’t fail her. It’s sure not easy when they are crying and feel you are being unfair and unsympathetic. The tantrums, the whining and the tears cannot be allowed to deter a dominant when it is a matter of health, safety, security or simply knowing what will give your lil one the ability to be the best they can be. At those times it’s bloody lonely, as a dominant you don’t feel you have any support and it would be so easy to back down. If I did that, I would be failing in my duty to my submissive and that is something I don’t want to do.
Wednesday, 30 January 2008
Morning Pages - It Can Be Lonely at the Top
Sunday, 27 January 2008
600 seconds at lunch - How far would you go for love?
There is no distance great enough, no mountain high enough or ocean deep enough to get in the way of love if it is truly meant to be. Equally, no matter how close you are if that love is not meant to be nothing will make it work. Sometimes convincing ourselves is difficult if not impossible. We all know of couples that have stayed together because of the children, family pressure, religious beliefs or whatever. How many couples did not get together in the first place for the same reasons? What stops us from accepting the truth of our feelings? I have no idea, though I am sure I have done it more than once.
Saturday, 26 January 2008
And Its Goodnight From Me - Moggy Merlin
Morning Pages - Taxis Drive Me Nuts
What is it with taxi companies? They moan like crap if you don’t book and when you do they are either late or just plain don’t turn up at all. The paying customer is just getting a raw deal no matter how one looks at it. I appreciate that some time periods are busy, exceptionally so, but surely, they know that. It’s not astro physics to realize that at busy times extra drivers and cars are a good idea. When you call to find out where your taxi has got to the telephone operator is either glib and uncaring or just plain rude. I guess it is just another example of how our service industry, once something we could be justly proud of, has gone right down the pan.
Friday, 25 January 2008
And Its Goodnight From Me - Days Gone By
In the 1920’s the Highdown Hotel was then Highdown Manor, a home of class and distinction to an aristocratic family of wealth and high reputation. The stables would have housed horses, both for work and riding pleasure. What better way to explore the Sussex Downs than on horseback. Elegant and sophisticated summer afternoon tea parties would have been held in the art deco designer gardens. Maybe even dances or even a ball. All exquisite reasons to get dressed up in regal finery and show off your status. Were these wonderful social occasions for fun and pleasure or were they really a way of rubbing the noses of friends and acquaintances in it as to how well one was doing? Now this elegant home, once a symbol of status and wealth, is a hotel, a very elegant hotel of course. The stables are now guest accomodation, all en suite naturally. The family house that was, is home to a fine carvery restaurant and an elegantly designed bar. Upstairs is a function room, a venue for weddings and other parties. What an awesome setting for a wedding, at least that is giving this beautiful building some of its glamour back.
600 seconds at lunch - Icelandic Poets
OK firstly I am never asking my mother for a prompt again!!! I don’t know any Icelandic poets, unless Magnus Magnusson counts. Was he a poet as well as Mastermind host and dad to Sally. That fearsome black chair, ‘I’ve started so I’ll finish’ just doesn’t sound the same coming from John Humphries. X/x/x//, there that’s the catchphrase scanned, so a bit of poetry theory too. Really can’t get used to Meter, stressing and unstressing speech. Stressing me out it is! Too bad I want level three so the poems in my portfolio have to be in form and not my normal freestyle. Too restrictive for a freewriter like me but I want the qualification so needs must for a year or so. Actually mum this one worked good I am out of time.
Morning Pages - Prepare to be Assimilated
‘This carriage is two of eight’ drones the mono-toned announcement from the train speakers. I feel like I am surrounded by the Borg from Star Trek, no doubt I will be assimilated shortly. The coffee is ghastly, maybe they have put something in it as part of the assimilation process. Maybe we all have been taken over already, the three of us in carriage two of eight have all just done the robot thing and said ‘Yes, I am on the train’ into our respective mobile phones. I was going to try and scan people today, but am having doubts now as the guy opposite is way too camp for me to do this seriously. Seems his maid has pulled a sickie and he’s trying to get cover from an agency. He’s having a fit as apparently it means his flat won’t get cleaned till Monday. Is he on this planet? So the maid is ill, get up off your ass and do it yourself! What a gimp!
Wednesday, 23 January 2008
Morning Pages - Sir Edmund Hilary 1919 -2008
Thank you Wikpedia for today’s awesome picture of Mount Everest and now the opportunity to write my own tribute to Sir Edmund Hilary who sadly passed away 11 January 2008. I wasn’t around when Hilary conquered this beautiful but deadly lady but thanks to him my school house team had a name. The other three, also heroic adventurers, were Hunt, Shackleton and Scott. Each year the house assembly would be a tribute to Hilary and his achievements so he became and always will remain one of my heroes. Not just because he climbed a great big mountain but also for his commitment to the people of Nepal. Hilary was not just a brave man of courage but a man with a caring heart. So thank you Sir Edmund for being a wonderful inspiration to me and my life.
© Jem Farmer, all rights reserved.
Morning Pages - Sailing the Seas of Dreams
‘Ships of dreams sail through our heads feeding our imaginations as we sleep. Sails of flowers catch each breath embracing us into our dreams. Petals fall slowly on the breeze covering us with a luxurious scented quilt that aids our rest, keep us warm in dream world.’ Another of Nana’s stories that she told me as a child, to get her restless grand daughter to sleep. The ships of dreams is one of the few that have remained with me into adulthood. My Nana could spin a yarn that’s for sure and sadly most people made fun of her for it. Me, I used to love sitting with her and listening to her tales. It didn’t matter to me if they weren’t true and it certainly doesn’t matter now, I loved the imagery my Nana used to give me from her mind. Ships with sails of flowers, Native American camps full of singing, Irish castles with people dancing, fairies for every little magical thing in life, teddy bear best friends and jolly snowmen. All of them food for the imagination, especially one like mine. This picture has taken me back decades to when as a little girl I would cuddle up on Nana’s lap and pester her senseless for her stories.
© Jem Farmer, all rights reserved.
Tuesday, 15 January 2008
Morning Pages - Assignment 3.2
The two genres I have chose to look at here are the romantic novel and the historic war story. These are two types of story are ones I just don’t like the idea of so this assignment is one I am not really looking forward to doing.
Romance: The Greek Tycoon’s Unwilling Wife by Kate Walker
Even ten pages was tough going for me, I really do not enjoy romantic fiction one bit. But I did it and read ten pages, then closed the book and passed it on to next door as she loves them. Apart from that, the lead female character managed to totally infuriate me by dropping everything and running to the aid of a man, who for the want of a better way of putting it, is a complete bastard and had treated her so terribly to throw her out on her wedding day. Just wrong, wrong, wrong that’s as good as saying men abusing women is ok. It was too unreal, too idealistic. Unreal from a lover of fantasy I know sounds mad but really romance should be believable and not this type of tripe of women being beautiful but totally incapable and totally dependent on a man to be happy. That’s too out of touch with me.
I don’t want to pan the author as she was on a loser with me whatever, it could have been the best piece of romantic fiction since sliced bread and I would have stopped after the ten pages. I just do not enjoy this genre. The author did however give a good round up of the Greek setting? Why are romances always in exotic places why not be romantic in the pouring rain somewhere in England? Now that might be worth reading. The character descriptions were good too though I do feel the lead lady should have stuck the finger up at ex and told him to go away politely or not. I did flick to the end and they predictably end up happy ever after and very much in love. Considering what he did on their wedding day… no way!
On that I am ending my trip into romantic fiction and rushing for my Anne Rice novel for a day or so before contemplating the next part of the task. Vampires will no doubt get me over this horrific experience.
Historic War Epic: Sharpe’s Eagle by Bernard Cornwell
After my respite with bloodsuckers its time for the next part of the task, the historic war epic. I have deliberately chosen this book as the TV series that goes with it is everything I hate about the genre and I want to know if its as bad in word form. So to Sharpe.
Actually I almost enjoyed this. I am really quite amazed at the knowledge the author has shown and how realistic his descriptions of military life in Napoleonic times are. From one type of bloodsucker to another the opening ten pages had a full description of the medical procedure using maggots to aid the healing of a wound. As a student nurse I remember reading about this procedure as part of a project and was absolutely impressed by the author’s accuracy.
Sharpe thankfully is nothing like Sean Bean I am delighted to say, but he is a career soldier and that is reflected so well in the text. Having said that its still a war novel and not my cup of cocoa so I am handing the book over to the world’s biggest Sharpe fan… my youngest son. I will say, however, I am now looking forward to reading another novel by Bernard Cornwell, ‘Stonehenge’.
Friday, 11 January 2008
Morning Pages - Cher
One of my favourite musical artists is Cher, a legend and a diva. I have painted her a few time but nothing as wonderful as this piece of pop art. Its an awesome tribute to a lady who has given so much to so many. Some how the artist has captured the sensuality that Cher has in abundance whilst also capturing her past with Sonny in the background. Its not only the fact that Cher is an extremely sexy lady that makes her a success, her voice is powerful and I can feel the emotion in her songs. From ‘I got you, babe’ to ‘The music’s no good without you’ Cher puts herself into her songs, or the power of her voice lets me feel that. My personal favourites are ‘Dark Lady’ and ‘Halfbreed’ both of which have personal meaning to me.
Thursday, 10 January 2008
Morning Pages - The Castles of the Mind
Castles feature heavily in my art at times. Being a fantasy artist that’s hardly surprising, a beautiful princess needs a grand castle to protect her or a dragon needs a castle to attack. I also enjoy exploring the real castles our country has. One of the benefits of English history indeed. Architecture and form has its own attractions to the artist, and is just as beautiful as images of the countryside and nature. That is maybe difficult to see in today’s architecture but maybe in a couple of hundred years when our modern buildings are historical monuments they will be considered beautiful too. Nevertheless designing buildings is an art form and an important one. Like everyone else artists use the techniques and media available to them. Modern art, digital art is still art. If Da Vinci had had access to it I am sure he would have used it too.
Wednesday, 9 January 2008
600 seconds at lunch - I am waiting for my mirror...
… to reflect the twenty something woman I feel and not the forty something I have become. Yes I know if I saw a young thing blinking back at me it would be untrue but I don’t feel any different now to when I was in my twenties. Is that really true I wonder? Back then I had no value of the planet or the environment now I am a tree hugger extreme. I thought are was for the geriatric now I paint, draw and write for hours each day. I longed to be a partner to share my life with another now I long for a place where I am alone and do what I want without constant interruption. I still listen to heavy rock but now I enjoy the opera and classics too. I have patience whereas back then everything had to be instant. I appreciate how my parents felt when I played my music too loud or watched TV till the early hours keeping them awake, my young children do that to me now. Maybe I don’t feel twenty something at all.
© Jem Farmer, all rights reserved.
Morning Pages - The Wonder of Nature
This picture really captures how I feel about nature and its glory. Already we are rapidly approaching the time of year when nature starts to wake up after her winter’s rest. Yes that means my camera will go into overdrive as I take pictures of flowers and if I am real lucky animals too. Afternoons spent in quiet contemplation in the town gardens are something I cherish both as an artist and as a busy mum. Odd for a city girl maybe as I enjoy nature and do take the time to stop and stare. Probably a bit crazy too, I don’t know. I don’t believe we need to retreat to lonely cottages in the middle of nowhere to retreat or find beauty. My greatest retreat is into my imagination and beauty is everywhere if you take a few minutes to look for it. A single flower in a window box is all it takes. Nature has designed flowers to perfection from the moment a tight little bud forms and waits for the touch of the sun to open up to full glory, making the most of its warmth and light.
Tuesday, 8 January 2008
Morning Pages - The Purple Cauliflower
I am very much a tree hugger and do what I can to live an organic, free range, planet friendly life. So every Sunday morning you will find me at the local farmers’ market getting my supply of planet happy food, both meat and vegetables. On my favourite vegetable stall they had purple cauliflowers sat there looking so awesome I just had to go for an arty picture, so out came my camera. The farmers and stall holders all know what a nut I am anyway so thought nothing of it. This purple cauliflower is now my pet project as I have painted her, given her a fairy or maybe it’s a pixie not quite sure yet. Now I am writing about her. Yes I think this vibrant violet definitely belongs to a female, maybe the everyday white ones are the male of the species though that would be going against nature as always it is the male who has the stunning coat of fur or feathers, apart from humans of course where the male does little to make himself look attractive. Anyway back to my purple hearted friend here, ok she doesn’t quite work in cheese sauce but her flavour is sweeter than the white variety by miles so she doesn’t need to disguise herself with a sauce.
Thursday, 3 January 2008
600 Seconds at Lunch - I Believe in Fairies, I do I do
Using their talents and magic everywhere
Sparkling the world with fairy dust
As they dance making merry fayre
I believe in fairies I do I do
They care for the beautiful gifts of nature
Flowers of rainbow colours, brighten our days
Giving us hope of a wondrous future
I believe in fairies I do I do
Mystical and magical the sweetest of things
Inspirations and muses feeding the mind
Dreams of gossamer silk and butterfly wings
I believe in fairies I do I do
In our world full of anger and hate
The winged ones give me hope
That the madness of our time is not our fate
I believe in fairies I do I do
In their circle a hidden collective they meet
The only trace of the event, toadstool spores
Sparkles of dew, they send us a morning greet
I believe in fairies I do I do
In our world so high tech, are we so in advance
That we oft forget the magic and mystery
That we still need the fairies to dance.
I believe in fairies I do I do
Glistening silver reflections of the moonlight
Watching over the children and grown ups alike
As they sleep dreaming through the night.
I believe in fairies I do I do, do you?
Morning Pages - Terry Pratchett
Terry Pratchett is one of my favourite authors. Discworld has been a refuge and source of humour for me for a long time. The world of myth and fantasy is often quite heavy and lacks humour so with Discworld Terry lightened things up. The concepts he uses often come from the real world and Discworld is where he uses his sense of satire to make them part of his world of fantasy. Why should wizards always be supremely intelligent and why can’t Death have a sense of compassion. Discworld and Gnomes were my release when I was battling cancer and facing chemotherapy, and I really don’t think I would have survived very well without it. Maybe medical science can achieve so much but without keeping a grip of my sense of humour and fun I’m not sure it would have been worth it.
