Kookaburra

You hear it, but where is it?

TT#4: Idiosyncracies

Thirteen Things about myidiosyncracies 1. The only soft drink I really like is no sugar cola. It may be called 'diet', 'max' or 'sugarfree' and it can be any brand (low price determines the cola of choice when shopping). My very favourite though is Diet Coke with Lime, from the nestor of cola. 2. If there is a mirror, or a window for that matter, I have to look in it. My left side is slimmer than my right side. Isn't that weird? 3. I have to put on my seatbelt before driving away. Without it I feel naked. 4. I cannot get used to bike helmets. I find them silly, sweaty and totally nonsens if you're over, say, 10 years old. They mess up your hair too. As soon as I say this, people start with the stories when a bike helmet saved their life, but I have done without one for 35 years (and fallen numerous times and never hurt my head) and I'm not convinced. The only reason I wear one is because if caught without, you loose points on your drivers license. (How stupid is that? I always were my seat belt and never drive drunk or speed!) 5. I have to check my email everyday. I'm quite dissappointed if there is none. 6. As soon as I hear the unmistakable sound of the postie (government motorbike), I have to walk to the mailbox and check. I hate it when the only thing put in is some stupid commercial stuff. 7. If I start reading a book, I have to finish it. In proper order, no peaking on the last page. Even if I don't like it. 8. I don't like to eat with my hands. I prefer cutlery, even for a sandwich, or chopsticks if must be, but no grabbing with bare hands. Even as a kid, I never wanted to hold a cookie, especially not chocolat ones: my mother had to keep it and I would have bites from it. I have adjusted in the sense that I do eat with my hands when appropriate (prawns, fries, when in Africa), but I still don't enjoy it. 9. If I think someone has a nice shirt on or something like that, I'll alway tell them. I love paying compliments, but only when sincere. No lies, unless asked for (you're not putting down irreversable breast implants or face lifts of course). 10. When I'm nervous, I talk. A lot. 11. I will never let myself be beaten by a machine. I'll use the manual, call the helpdesk, ask a friend: whatever it takes to conquer the thing. Be it a computer, a phone, a DVD recorder, a new weblog program or an oven. 12. I love wind, breeze, storm, only not too much when riding my bike in opposite direction. Walking is fine though. 13. I'm totally smitten with kangaroos. Everytime I see one,and that is quite often, I love them. They are just too cute! At night you have to be very careful, so you won't kill one on the road. On the other hand, roo mince meat is nice. Forget about the sausages though! Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. Stacey 2. Mar 3. Caylynn 4. Tinkerbell 5. Ktcat 6.Aquariandragon 7. Tug 8. Danno (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

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The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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TT#3 Australia

Thirteen Things I love about Australia 1. The light here is always very very bright, summer and winter, so even if the days are not that long, it is easy to get your required dose of light. No more winter depressions! 2. Nature is awesome. Although the Netherlands has deer, wild hogs, seals, rabbits, all kinds of rodents, fish and birds, it is not quite the same. For instance, you can spot kangaroos here daily, whereas it might take you years to find a wild deer. The hundreds of different birds, the roos, the iguana's, the camels, the echidna's, the koala's, the wombats, the crocodiles, the whales, etc, etc. I must admit the spiders are either too big or too deadly. So are the snakes. We're trying to avoid them. 3. There is just so much space here! You must come from a really crowded country, as I did, to fully appreciate this vast emptiness. The endless rainforests, the endless coastal line with empty beaches, the immense desert. As I said: nature is awesome. 4. Fruit is so much better than in cold Europe. The farmers market on Saturday provides you with fresh seasonal produce for a few dollars and it tastes all great. Since the cyclone earlier this year, the banana's have been 13 dollars a kilo, so we're missing out on those, but everything else: fantastic! 5. Veggies are rather interesting. Even if they have the same name, like spinach, it is a totally different species than what we were used too. Makes you creative while cooking. 6. There are a lot more Asians here and so there are lots of good Asian supermarkets and Asian restaurants. Thai, Indian, Malay, Singaporean, Korean, (vegetarian) Vietnamese, Chinese ... you name it, it is there. And not for posh expensive prices as in Europe. Am I to focused on food here??? 7. If a public holiday falls in a weekend, you get the next Monday off .... 8. We learned how to grow veggies here, because our cousin has an organic veggie plot. So, now I know what rocket salad looks like while still growing and I can tie up broadbeans and harvest cherry tomatoes. Weeding is a bit tricky, because some veggies I might classify as weeds. But I'll learn. 9. Every park here has free BBQ's and there are clean public toilets everywhere. Very relaxed when you want to spend a day outdoors, but don't want to rough it. Or if you're with people who need to pee often, e.g. while being pregnant. 10. People are actually quite relaxed in sharing things as public BBQ's. You get into friendly conversation instead of having to fight for you half hour. If lucky, you get advice on how to cook your sausages too. 11. I like the houses here, because they are mostly groundlevel and surrounded by gardens. The fact that most Aussies have no clue on interior decorating, or gardening for that matter, doesn't matter. We made our own house quite cosy. Had to make a trip to Ikea though, which is 4 hours away. 12. A lot of our aunts, uncles and cousins live here and it is great to get to know them better. 13. I always wanted to experience living abroad and hey, I'm doing it! Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. sharala 2. susan (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants