A meme and some JT.

This is one of Cherub's favourite books at the moment. Both boys can repeat large chunks of Charlie and Lola-isms. Climber can recite the list of foods Lola will not eat. Cherub talks about everything being his favourite and his best. So when he handed me this one for his bedtime story tonight and I asked Which one is this? expecting him to reel off the title, I was surprised to hear him tell me it was actually called: "Never Ever Touch My Rocket, Or Play With It". I think Lauren Child would have approved. (Have a look at her site, it's very cool.)

Having a whole punnet of raspberries in one go - that's not what you'd call a pig-out is it? Is it? Can't work out why I feel so guilty for scoffing, not sharing. It's not like the boys love raspberries that much. They were so nice. I couldn't stop..

Ewe are Here tagged me for a meme. So I've memed.

1. Do you like the look and the contents of your blog?

I do. I tweaked a blogger template to up the purple-ness and put in a personalized banner (design kudos to Aunty Cookie for the feet by the way).

I would say the contents are a very pristine version of my life. I don’t share the full extent of my angst for a few reasons. I don’t want to hurt people’s feelings, or upset their sensibilities. I don’t want to be sued. And because I started this as a personal historical record I’d rather not look back on it in 40 years (assuming I find a clever way to archive it) and think oh my God what a whingeing, self-obsessed pain-in-the-arse. Because on the whole, we are happy. This is a happy time of my life.

2. Does your family know about your blog? Yes.

3. Can you tell your friends about your blog? Yes

4. Do you just read the blogs of those who comment on your blog?

Well I tend to read theirs’ FIRST!! But no, I jump around a fair bit. I like to follow up funny comments on other blogs.

5. Does your blog positively affect your mind?
Hell, yeah. There’s the writing for brain exercise and Alzheimer’s prevention, there’s the venting as therapy, and there’s the happy and connected feeling when I get comments. It’s good stuff.

6. What does the number of visitors to your blog mean?
That I’m slightly more popular than I was 6 months ago?

7. Do you imagine what other bloggers look like?
I like knowing what they look like but I’m useless at the imagining stuff.

8. Do you think blogging has any real benefit?
Apart from being cheaper than therapy? I know that there are blogs that raise a lot of social and political issues and I enjoy reading them. But I’m going to nominate a smaller benefit. Listening. Blogging is a chance to have your say uninterrupted, and seriously, there are not a lot of opportunities in real life for that luxury. Particularly when parenthood has shredded my capacity for clear and ordered thought. My 5-year-old completes my sentences for me some days. So to set down my ideas, articulately and without interruption, and then to receive thoughtful feedback is a great thing.

9. Do you think that the blogosphere is a stand alone community separated from the real world?
We all live in the real world so how could that be?

10. Do some political blogs scare you? Do you avoid them?
It’s all food for thought. I’m not always hungry though.

11. Do you think that criticizing your blog is useful?
Why would you bother? If you don’t like the program, turn off the telly. No point complaining to the TV Guide.

12. Have you ever thought what would happen to your blog in case you died?
Sort of. Because my plan is to archive it, so that if the kids or grandkids are interested they can check it out.

13. Which blogger had the greatest impression on you?
I read a lot of blogs that I really like and they all have different impressions. Some make me laugh, some make me want to read more books, some make me wish I knew how to knit, sew or craft, some make me wish I was smarter, and some of them I’d just like to hang out with. It’s all good.

Although. I read one famous blogger and I was a bit gobsmacked by the fact that she had a list of presents that she and her son wanted so that her adoring blog-readers could buy them for her if they wished. Talk about big time.

14. Which blogger do you think is the most similar to you?
Well, we’re all very different really, but I like to think the people on my blogroll are on the whole kindred spirits.

15. Name a song you want to listen to.

Whoa. Is it just me or does this question belong in a whole other meme? However, this week I'm liking Sexyback by Justin Timberlake. Just because it makes me want to shake my groove thing. The film clip is very James Bond.

I'm tagging Tracey and Joanne.