Friday, July 15, 2011

Breaking free.

I'll ...


  • talk to people on the bus. If I think you're wearing something nice, I'll tell you.


  • strike up a conversation with International students in the line-up for the ID card photos, and ask them where they come from, and I'll say that I have a Finnish girl who'd like some friends. And then there'll be a long silence ...

  • introduce the Finnish girl to anyone in our vicinity who may happen to glance our way. 

  • raise my hand in lectures and answer questions. Then when I've exhausted all the answers at my disposal, I'll raise my hand and ask some probing questions.



  • erupt into conversation with people at the bus stop about the weather and travel to Europe.


  • converse with shop assistants while they're serving me, and crack a few trade and commerce jokes which are highly amusing to only me. 

  • probably next start photographing the people I talk to, and pick the wrong person to talk to, and get stabbed, or something equally inconvenient.

Posted by at
Labels:

21 comments:

  1. Silver Threads of HappinessJuly 15, 2011 at 4:54 AM

    I saw a girl in the supermarket wearing the most amazingly lovely winter dress with tights and she looked fantastic. But I am not one of those brave people who would randomly tell someone in the shop that they look great. I wish I was!

    ReplyDelete
  2. KylieJuly 15, 2011 at 5:06 AM

    I'm a bit like that too...my daughters cringe if they're with me when I strike up a conversation with a stranger...I'm actually quite shy though, so it makes no sense.
    Never liked asking questions in lectures though...hope you don't ask too many when it's nearly time for the lecture to end...

    ReplyDelete
  3. Natasha in OzJuly 15, 2011 at 5:22 AM

    Please stay safe on the dark and dangerous streets of Brisbane and please don't talk to people holding knives!

    Take care and have a fabulous weekend! Don't work too hard...

    Best wishes,
    Natasha.

    ReplyDelete
  4. DebJuly 15, 2011 at 6:42 AM

    You're entering a brave new world out there while you're stickin' it to the man.

    ReplyDelete
  5. annieJuly 15, 2011 at 7:37 AM

    I once saw a woman wearing a snazzy apron and fabulous chewed birdie on a string. I commented on our common good taste and we struck up a wonderful repartee which continues a year later. Best to be brave and ask LOTS of questions.

    ReplyDelete
  6. annieJuly 15, 2011 at 7:38 AM

    E.g. Do Fins plank?

    ReplyDelete
  7. KLTJuly 15, 2011 at 9:21 AM

    You & I are peas in a pod! We would get into some serious trouble at the bus station together. :) Have a great weekend. Carmel!

    ReplyDelete
  8. LauraJuly 15, 2011 at 10:09 AM

    You must also starting singing in elevators with the goal of having everyone join you by the time you reach your floor! Also, Annie (above) has piqued my curiosity...do Fins plank? We must know!

    ReplyDelete
  9. AnnJuly 15, 2011 at 1:01 PM

    I found Kiwis got a bit scared of me when I struck up conversations in the park or the street - they're not as relaxed as us i think.... (I like broad generalisations)

    By the way... I think I might stab you if you took a pic of my bottom and put it on a blog... not hard enough to hurt of course, just a little bit.

    ReplyDelete
  10. LilliJuly 15, 2011 at 3:06 PM

    I thought people living in big cities hardly notice each other. That it was a sure sign of too long in solitary (rural) confinement, when you talk with everybody you meet. I'm always full of questiones whenever I'm in town... and I always have a Twilight Zone-feeling seeing all the cars, the shops... you know.
    Good luck out there.

    ReplyDelete
  11. DMCJuly 15, 2011 at 5:06 PM

    Heavens! It appears that your cabin fever was worse than when diagnosed.
    However, it's Annie's comments that have sent bells of alarm ringing.
    I can easily understand a busy woman leaving the house with her snazzy apron still on ,as they do become a fixture, but her pulling along behind her a fabulous chewed bird, has definitely made me wonder.
    It seems that Brisbane is beginning to crowd in on its less than mentally stable citizenry.
    I certainly regard her behaviour as eccentric or downright loopy.
    I'm afraid I would have given her a very wide berth in case she mistook me, in her stupor , as another bird to chew.
    Certainly I would never have engaged her in conversation let alone question her.
    I would have crossed the road and disappeared in the opposite direction in a cloud of dust.

    ReplyDelete
  12. MidcenturymadamJuly 15, 2011 at 5:07 PM

    Welcome back to the world of adults!

    It's my husband that does all the talking as I drag him through the market. He talks to anyone and everyone prolonging the 5 minute shopping trip into 45 minutes. He's the social butterfly, I'm the hermit. I try to break free but it just doesn't work. That's why I blog. How's the au pair working out?

    ReplyDelete
  13. brismodJuly 15, 2011 at 6:07 PM

    Really? Gosh. I don't know what I'd do. I think I would relish looking out the window without a small person asking me what I'm looking at. And after that gets boring, I'd read a book in peace.

    Enjoy your new found freedom! xx

    ReplyDelete
  14. Sarah BJuly 15, 2011 at 7:46 PM

    You're so funny. I'd happily chat to you.
    By the way, had to tell you I discovered by chance yesterday that there is a Moomin cafe in Japan. Did you know that? The blog I read it on had piccys of it. Let me know if you're not familiar and I'll scrounge out the link :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. polkadotpeticoatJuly 15, 2011 at 8:27 PM

    We are so similar, does this drive your husband crazy? It does mine when I chit chat with strangers..your cute!

    I am excited about your giveaway!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  16. FionaJuly 15, 2011 at 9:11 PM

    An older gentleman once approached me between the zucchini and broccoli in Woolies to tell me how lovely I looked. I was quite flattered, it had never happened before and never has since, but it gave me a little spring in my step for the rest of the day. I've never forgotten.
    Enjoy your new found freedom.

    ReplyDelete
  17. annieJuly 16, 2011 at 4:13 AM

    Now, now DMC, I'm certain thqt the bird had been chewed by the 4th born and that Ms MMMC was the epitome of sanity and good sense. After all the apple doesn't fall far from the tree!?

    ReplyDelete
  18. bobbiJuly 16, 2011 at 7:03 AM

    Does the moomin au pair know she's about to be introduce to people randomly?
    And so that's your town. It is very townish. It looks also very neat, but i can see why you want to go to Scandinavia-same reason why I left Milan, I presume.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Anna BartlettJuly 16, 2011 at 9:35 AM

    I met one of my favourite friends on a bus on the way to St Lucia. She is forever known as 'Maria, Anna's friend from the bus'. When she came to my 21st my parents thought I'd met her on the bus on the way to the party, but no, it was before that.
    Hope lovely things happen to you too. And you don't get stabbed. Crazy capital city people.
    I also hope you look good in your ID photo and get to see lots of cheap movies because you have a student ID. But you've probably been doing that for the last 6 years. I had to do a 6 month TAFE course to get a student card again, and then I hardly made it to the movies. Waste. (rambling, sorry)

    ReplyDelete
  20. posiepatchworkJuly 16, 2011 at 4:39 PM

    OMG, i'm in your hood at the moment, you might pick me?? I'll chat right back & you'll think, "oh God no, not a talker, next she'll take a photo of me!!" Why yes, all my favourite topics, Europe, student ID cards (um, how long ago did i leave Uni, well it's easy to judge as i was pregnant with my eldest baby, that is one way to wrap up 2 degrees, with motherhood as your end game!!) Are you aiming for glamour photography in the ID photo, please strike a pose!! I have a driver's license with the top of my 4th child's head, as he leapt up the moment the camera went flash & i'm laughing, it's my favourite!! Love Posie

    ReplyDelete
  21. PennyJuly 31, 2011 at 6:58 AM

    YOU, are an entertaining crack-up! So glad I found your blog, keep up the excellent work.

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)