Stephanie over at Spices for Violet - curious name for a blog, I should tag her back and ask her to explain - has tagged me to share seven things about myself, some random, some weird. So here goes:1. The name Amelia means industrious and striving. If I may say so, this suits me to a T. It is derived from the Germanic word for work. I know that the German word for work is arbeid (same as Dutch) and I always wondered how on Earth Amelia was derived from that. I later learned that the Germanic word for work (as opposed to the modern German word) is amal. Now that makes more sense.
2. I like to paint my toe nails. Deep red, or dark blue or silver sometimes. But I only ever paint the first three nails because my fourth nail is a bit, umm, misshapen and I don't want to draw attention to it. Painting only three of my five toenails draws attention to my feet nonetheless - can't win.
3. I'm not musical, although I am trying. I have dabbled with the recorder (compulsory, primary school), the violin (primary school, short lived) and the piano (ditto). For my birthday last year Tim gave me half-a-dozen singing lessons which is one of the best presents I have ever received. I've always been self conscious about not being able to sing in tune and just two lessons so far have made a world of difference. I have to book the next ones in pronto.
4. I cannot stomach bananas, licorice or coffee. I love ice cream.
5. Motherhood has taught me many things, including how to fall instantly into a very deep sleep. I lay down for a quick nap at about 5:30 the other afternoon and woke at 6:10 - instant panic, phoned the childcare centre to assure them that I hadn't deserted baby bear. The phone had rung a few times already when I realised that it wasn't a childcare day at all and that she was in her pram in the hallway, still asleep from our walk an hour or so earlier.
6. Craft heresy I know but I loathe softies, particularly the deliberately ugly ones. Not endearing, just ugly.
7. As of tomorrow, I'm a uni student again. I have enrolled in the Graduate Certificate in Health Economics at Monash Uni, just one subject to begin with 'Introduction to health economics'. It's taught through distance education (which suits well when you work part time and have a child). I've done some distance education subjects before through another university and so far I am impressed with the efficiency and organisation of the Monash course.
The image above is a detail from the woodcut from lesson twelve in one of my all-time favourite books, Orbis Sensualium Pictus (The Visible World in Pictures) by Joannes Antonius Comenius. It was originally a German/Latin textbook with some hundred and fifty lessons, each page a different topic illustrated with a woodcut and with two columns of text, the German and the corresponding Latin. It is apparently credited as being the first picture book for children. I have a facsimile of the third London edition, an English/Latin version, which was published in 1672 (the original that is, mine is Sydney University Press, 1967.)
2 comments:
That is a priceless motherhood moment :) Thanks for sharing :)
So glad your Monash experience so far has been good. What do you think of the portal? The team I work in manages it. I'm with you on the softies - the only reason I tried my hand at making them last year was because it was for charity!
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