My Life on a Plate

Chat Chat Chat

I've spent all morning preparing tonight's meal and wondering what an earth I could make an entry about apart from cooking. I don't mind cooking and am pretty good at it I believe, but I do tend to resent the time it takes. I don't have a seperate freezer, a microwave, a dishwasher or any fancy gadgets, so it takes longer than average to prepare meals and clean cooking utensils. It's my choice; call me old-fashioned but I like our food to be home-made and freshly prepared.

Anyway, my son requested a Shepherds Pie today, which if prepared freshly takes most of the morning to make. That's what annoys me I think; three hours to make and three minutes to eat hardly seems fair, but it's good when people enjoy what you've cooked.

I find domestic jobs mind-numbingly boring; the only way I get it done is by constantly playing music to clean by and dancing like no one is watching. lol But I can't gyrate when I'm preparing food so I've consoled myself by listening to 'Tom Lehrer in Concert,' one of my favourites when I'm forced to be rooted to the kitchen. That man's humour survives the passage of time and never fails to make me smile. Unlike most C.D's there's not one bad track on it and I'd be hard pushed to choose a favourite song; probably a toss up between 'The Masochism Tango' and 'When you are Old and Grey,' if I was forced. I'm interested to find out who the other Tom Lehrer fan is in Mavis's competition, although other things in the photograph give me an inkling.

So that's been my day so far. About as exciting as watching paint dry huh? I don't know about anyone else but even when my hands and eyes are preparing dinner, my ears listening to Mr Lehrer and my mouth singing along and smiling, my brain is still doing its own thing. So, half way through stirring gravy and listening to 'Poisoning Pigeons in the Park,' I realise I'm thinking about when I first started using the internet and decided that would be the subject for my blog today.

Excuse all that drivel up there but it seemed appropriate to backtrack as to how I came to the topic decision.

Three months into early retirement I found myself rather disillusioned and my days lacking any sparkle or stimulation. I realised the painting, crafts, calligraphy and desk top publishing classes weren't keeping me as happy as I'd anticipated but didn't know what else I wanted to do. Everyone told me I had to write, but I resisted; I didn't want to use my brain (what brain?) any longer, after the stresses and strains of teaching.

Shortly after Christmas 2001, a 'friend' payed me a visit. Mountainflower mentioned in her blog yesterday about people who latch on to us and call themselves friends, when in reality they are not the friends we want or need. This particular visitor fitted that description. We'd met at college in our young days and as our digs were close and we originated from roughly the same area we'd hitchhike home together, but I never really liked her that much. For some reason she'd insist on phoning me every school holiday to arrange a visit; ones I never really looked forward to.

Anyway, I told her I was feeling a little lost and she suggested I join an internet chatroom. I wasn't too keen, particularly as the one she professed to be in charge of was a football orientated one and I know very little about the game and don't like it anyway. But being the sort of forceful, dominant person she was, she insisted, and registered me as 'Byron' (That's another story lol) then introduced me to the chatroom. I felt very nervous actually; I'm not normally comfortable amongst strangers, particularly if I feel out of my depth.

But over a period of time I found myself enjoying the banter and unpredictability of being in an online community, although I suspect my 'friend' was already regretting allowing me into the room. I suppose I should have placed a bucket in the corner of the room, as being the newcomer to all this and not knowing much about football, I found myself making many errors and misjudgements, which caused a lot of amusement to the members, apart from the 'friend' if I'm correct. She called herself 'Posh' but the only thing she and Victoria Beckham had in common was thinking themselves superior and being on the brink of disappearing up their own backsides.

I still remember some of those people. 'Tractorboy,' so named because he supported Ipswich, but being ignorant I assumed he was a farmer and we had many a laugh about him feeding the cyberpigs and going out in his wellies to pick crops. 'Gizmo' who ran the virtual cybercafe, fed and watered us all and arranged cyber parties. 'Nobber' who organised trivia football quizzes in the room and enjoyed awarding me an appropriate booby prize. And Be_Bliss who lived in the heart of Yorkshire and made me laugh about going away on fantasy holidays together. I still send him an e-greeting every June when it's his birthday and he always lets me know his latest news in return. It was the perfect tool I needed for my overactive imagination and sense of humour.

Unfortunately, 'Posh' started to take offence at some of my silly remarks and lack of respect for the 'beautiful game.' I decided to leave the chatroom and haven't seen or heard from her since; not that it bothers me in any way. The chatroom folded shortly after that; I wonder who she's bossing about online now?

I firmly believe everyone who crosses our path is sent for a purpose. It seems the 'friend' I'd never really liked was sent to introduce me to something which has become an important part of my life and for that I'm grateful, even if it has caused a lot of friction in my home.

I tried other chatrooms but couldn't find one with any atmosphere; they all seemed too big and impersonal so I suppose that's why I drifted into playing online Scrabble, where I've met some great people. I finally took the advice of my friends and joined a writing leisure class, joined WDC and the rest is history as they say.

There are a lot of beautiful stories about relationships blossoming online; Mel and Tor being one. And how fortunate they bumped into CC along the way too. I believe it's the same online as off; we are meant to connect with certain people for some reason, which we may or may not ever be aware of. Just call me a silly old sausage if you like, but looking back over some of the relationships I've had I see some of the things I have learned and how one thing has led to another. So, for now we find ourselves forming our own little community here, producing a newsletter, making each other laugh. Tomorrow? Who knows, but for the moment this will suit me fine.

I just wonder how many of you can remember and relate your first online encounter? Sorry, that was one hell of an entry for someone who didn't have much to say! Off to clean now, dancing to Robbie Williams of course.

OH, AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY NADA.