Day Dreaming

I am usually out with the dogs four times a day. ( The above riveting video was taken this morning as we descended into the village from the Marian Walk)Their morning walk is the longest, and apart from enjoying the view and listening to my Ipod, I often play "mind games" with myself to pass away the time.
Today I mentally answered a questionnaire that fellow blogger Maria posted in her latest post at Just Eat Your Cupcake
I don't usually find these kind of questionnaires interesting (I prefer the factual movie questions posed by someone like Alex Ramon (Boycotting Trends) but Maria was so interesting and honest in her responses, I thought I would give it a go!
Here are the questions:-

1) A book you've read that changed your views on something.
That's a difficult question, as most literature will prick your attitude to one subject or another from time to time. It's an old chestnut, but I remember picking apart Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird in school.
It was the first time that I really realised what injustice and racism truly meant and all this was was set against the background of middle class Wales in the 1970's where a black face was never actually seen from one year to another!
I think Atticus Finch was my first major hero in literature.

2) Your views on gay marriage.
I am supportive ( of course) because I feel that gay couples should have the legal rights within partnership that straight couples do. Of course gay "marriage" is not the same as the hetero version but it's a start!

3) What do you think of religion?
I will keep this one short.
Its OK, when it works for good

4) What do you think of politics?
I will keep this one short too!
Its OK, when it works for good

5) Your views on drugs and alcohol.
I drink and enjoy a drink, but I have been on the receiving end of a Mother who abused alcohol in a way of self medicating an anxiety problem. As a child, I experienced that dreadful guilt, shame and secrecy that the family of an alcoholic are forced to go through.........its not nice!
As for drugs...I have very little experience....apart from eating a pot "cake" which only hit home after I had gone to bed......(I had scoffed far too much as the cake was really yummy!)

6) Something people seem to compliment you the most on:
Me, me,me,me me,ME! lol
I get complemented on my blog (of course) and also I know I am a good bedside nurse.....
as Judge Judy says..."they don't keep me here because I'm gorgeous!"

7) A band or artist who has gotten you through some rough days.
I am not much of a musical person but We walk the Same Line by Everything But The Girl is a particular song that mirrors those awful middle-of-the-night worries we have all experienced when dealing with a death in the family

8) Something you hope that you never have to do.
Bloody hell that's cheerful
Hummm well perhaps the worst thing would be outliving all of my family

9) Someone who has made your life worth living for.
Chris of course

10) Someone who made your life hell or treated you like shit.
Although I did not know then, many years ago I was in a relationship that I initially thought was the bees knees. In retrospect I realised that I was constantly disrespected , controlled and undermined by a person who was never able to deal with his own demons and to this day , I can not still quite believe I wasted several years on this inadequate and damaged person

11) Someone you didn't want to let go, but just drifted.
I had a very good friend in Sheffield called Vicky who suddenly decieded that our friendship was no longer important to her. To this day I still do not understand why she needed to change it as drastically as she did and I still retain some of the hurt I experienced then, when she refused to tell me why.
Some friends come and go quite naturally over the years, when you are not upset when it happens, it generally is for the best.

12) Someone you need to let go of or wish you didn't know.
No, I cannot think of anyone......which is pretty lucky I suppose

13) Something you hate about yourself.
I am far too sensitive and can be overly dramatic!

14) Something you love about yourself.
tee hee......
I like being mom!.......

15) Something you have to forgive yourself for.
I have already done this..... I forgave myself a long time ago for disliking my mother and father for their shortcommings as parents.

16) Something you have to forgive someone else for.
As in question 15!. I forgave my mother's alcoholism many years ago ( after I invested in a course of psychotherapy).....Maturity on my part led to a deeper understanding of my father's "more distant" behaviour and the two of us achieved some peace and resolution before his death in 1989

17) Something you hope to do in your life.
I would love a proper small holding....with two stables, a barn with a loft, all surrounded by a few acres of land we own!
I also want a group of goats and a cow called Mary

18) A hero who has let you down.
Perhaps it is my naive Shirley Temple outlook, but my all of my heros (My Grandfather,my first Nurse tutor-Leslie Brint and Matt Cardle) have always come up trumps!