Meme of Sevens...

...with bonus picture of the cutest cat in the whole of Western Canada...

I've been tagged by Tania of Candied Quince for the Seven Meme, for whom it was a first meme. If you'd like to know a little bit more about what a meme is, just click here.

7 Things to Do Before I Die:

1. Write a book.
2. Help as many other people as possible.
3. live to work instead of working to live.
4. Buy a chunk of heaven on Vancouver Island, Tasmania or by the Andaman Sea.
5. Have a donkey as cute as Dan.
6. Become a better person.
7. Spend the time to get really good at yoga (well, as good as my gimpy shoulders will let me).

7 Things I Cannot Do:

1. Sit still for more than 5 minutes.
2. Understand how some people can be so rude.
3. Imagine life without my husband.
4. Accept that it's 'part of life' for people to be hungry or homeless.
5. Stomach Ralph Klein.
6. Bear to return things I've bought.
7. Stomach John Howard.

7 Things that Attracted Me to Blogging:

(actually, this is more a list of things that keep me blogging rather than the initial reasons that started me blogging - which, I think is more enlightening)

1. It allows me an outlet for my modest amount of creativity.
2. The interaction with other food bloggers - some of whom I've learned a great deal from.
3. The kick in the arse to step outside my kitchen comfort zone.
4. The inspriation to refine my cooking and photography skills.
5. The flexibility of the medium - I can engage in my hobby when it suits me.
6. It's an easy way to communicate with akll sorts of people I wouldn't have the means to connect with individually.
7. A ready-made community that shares my interests and laughs at my stupid jokes.

7 Things I Say Most Often:

1. “I can't help you if won't tell me what's wrong.” (to cat)
2. “Who loves his mummy?” (to cat)
3. “I'll just be five minutes.” (to husband)
4. “Why did they cancel Earth 2?” (to self)
5. “I miss Melbourne.” (to self)
6. “At least it's a dry cold.” (to anyone who cares to comment on the fact that, climactically speaking, my choice to move from Melbourne to Edmonton is, at best, baffling.)
7. “Where's Fish-Fish?” (to cat)

7 Books I Love:

1. A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews
2. Village of the Small Houses by Ian Fergusson
3. Mao's Last Dancer by Lee Cunxin
4. The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett
5. Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt
6. Cloudstreet by Tim Winton
7. A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson

7 Movies I Watch Over and Over:

1. “Bridget Jones' Diary”
2. “Apocalypse Now”
3. “Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone”
4. “Pirates of the Caribbean”
5. “Fargo”
6. “Cinderella Man”
7. “the Matrix”

7 Bloggers I’m Tagging:

I seem to have caught the tail end of this one, so I'll just leave it open.

Comments

[Jenny]

I laughed out loud at your 7 things you say most often. And what a great cat, such an expressive face!

[Rosa]

Oh, your cat is soooo cute! My black cat looks a little like yours...

[AussieYam]

I just love the 'can't stomach John Howard' bit. =D We can't over here, either!

[farmgirl]

Oh! Oh! Oh! Dan and I cannot believe that he made your list! We are absolutely thrilled. I meant to tell you ages ago that you had better start searching for your donkey soon, as ones as adorable as Dan are VERY hard to come by. : )

P.S. I probably shouldn't tell you that I'm reading this while uploading today's farm photo, which ALMOST was, but isn't, of Dan. He was just featured a week ago, after all, and I think there are at least three people who do not want to see Dan as often as the rest of us do. : )

P.P.S. Great list and fabulous cat pic.

[Tania]

I love your lists, esp. the one about blogging. Isn't it amazing when your comfort zone in the kitchen keeps increasing?!

[Ian Ferguson]

'Lex,'
Friend sent me a link to your site, thanks very much for picking 'Village of the Small Houses' as one of your 7 favorite books, and thanks very very much for your most excellent 'Breakfast in Edmonton' reviews, which alerted me to the fact that Rick and Alice Leung, the original owners (back in the glory days) of 'Friends & Neighbours Cafe,' have returned with a new restaurant. Sounds as welcoming and homey as the old 'F & N' used to be, before they sold it (and the quality of service and food declined) and I know exactly where I'm going to go the next time I'm back up in Canada. Please pass on a warm hello from me the next time you stop in at 'Rick & Alice's Grill,' and tell them they are in my thoughts and prayers.
Cheers,
Ian Ferguson.

[Sindhu]

Amazing cat and awesome writing!