Is it just us? We’ve come to accept and appreciate our somewhat quiet life, at least for the moment…
“May you live in interesting times” is often referred to as the Chinese curse. By its usual definition “interesting” is not a term I would often use to describe my life.
Interesting adj. engaging or exciting and holding the attention or curiosity
Antonyms: Dull
Dull. Yes, that’s more like it.
But, thankfully dull. Occasionally the G.O. and I will call each other during the work day. Mostly the chat goes like this “Any news?” “Nup” “You?” “Nup” “No news is good news” “Yep”… We rarely have any life changing, earth shattering News of our own. That’s ok by us.
But, there were “interesting times” happening within our wider circle of family, friends and acquaintances during the few weeks the G.O. and I were going about the business of getting our ducks lined up.
One [reportedly] experienced a dramatic and untidy end of a relationship because their other-half may have indulged in a bit of slap and tickle, which ended up being a bit of slap, tickle and tinkle as speedily alerted to the dastardly deed one found some handy bricks and applied them forcefully & generously to the windows.*
One, similar age to me suffered a stroke, has recovered and is now slowly on the mend.
One announced via a group email legal separation from their longstanding spouse.
One confided fears over family member’s change in behaviour evidenced by the acquisition of a Harley Davidson and numerous tattoos.
One is grieving a spouse after a lost battle with illness.
One is distressed by lending a family member a substantial wad of cash only to have it applied contrary to the intended purpose.
One recently explained lack of communication after moving interstate with news of relationship and subsequent nervous breakdowns, and although moved back resultant ongoing health issues necessitate a disability pension.
One subject to ongoing mediation due to as yet unfounded allegations of workplace bullying now has stress related illness and workers compensation claim.
On the bright side…
One is pregnant.
One gave birth to a son after 2 daughters.
One after going through IVF and dealing with serious health issues gave birth to premature but healthy twin daughters.
Serving to remind us “There but for the grace of God…” the timing directed our considerations also to “Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans” when assessing the use by date on engagement with our city workaday life. It’s practical, it’s useful but it’s not challenging or ultimately the lifestyle we desire, and life comes with no guarantees.
Having involuntarily had a few interesting times ourselves in past lives enroute to our current and harmonious relationship we know we’re not immune. And, as we’ve experienced vicariously and a little unnervingly these past few weeks, life takes unexpected twists and turns.
It’s best not to put off your dreams for too long.
Carpe Diem.
The timing of putting together this post collided with the awful news of the Boston Marathon bombing and the Waco, Texas explosion… the worst of times… my heart goes out to everyone touched by these events.
*Later information reveals the source of this info got it slightly wrong, and it is the “interesting” version of what really happened.
daleleelife101.blog 
these reflections are so worthwhile, let’s be grateful for the dull times and be prepared for the wild times elladee, we never know when something may come out of the blue … we are going traveling this year while we can …. just because you cannot take anything for granted 🙂
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Thank you. Life’s events come to all of us, but I try not to self create too many interesting times… now. I hope you are always able to travel, you get so much out of it 🙂
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you have such a generous heart elladee … it seems we have always traveled a bit, more than ever at the moment, we are so fortunate to have the opportunity … i am really looking forward to the Kimberley!
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🙂 I haven’t done a lot of travel but I have been to Broome, and curiously as the plane circled to land I felt like I was flying home rather than to a holiday destination, and felt the same the week we were there. One of our big travel things to do is to go back and explore the Kimberley properly. You are right to be looking forward to it 🙂
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Nice reflections on life
Sounds like hints to you guys: “It’s best not to put off your dreams for too long.” Believe that.
The quiet low key life would be exciting enough for me.
(and thanks for remembering Boston and TX – the blast last night was dreadful – thoughts and prayers to both – and bless all the first responders and volunteers)
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Thank you. I hope we can always live our dreams, and also enjoy the quite life with time to dream them – I think we need both.
When things like Boston & Waco happen it reminds us that we are all just neighbours on the same planet…
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Sometimes the interesting times are around us and we get to be in the pond of stability. 🙂 Happy you and the G.O. are in the pond right now. Goodness that’s a lot happening around you though. Waco and Boston are both in my thoughts. Terrible tragedies. 😦
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Thank you – life in the pond, such a good analogy, is ok 🙂 It was unsusal to have such a flood of News, and then followed by devastating world tragedies. Makes me sad, and thankful for for my safe little place right now.
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It was like the universe vomited on everyone around you and missed you. Then such earth shattering tragedies. Terribly sad and unfair. But think of it this way, you may be called upon to help everyone navigate their issues so you had to be safe right now so you could help them. 🙂
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Having lost my Dad and then having had a brush with cancer three years ago, I am very happy to be living a relatively dull existence! Nothing much happens around here but the stress of bushfire season keeps me on my toes, and the joys of writing keep me happy so… if the gods are listening, ‘Please keep things dull!’.
I have an online friend who lives in Texas. She is 200 miles away from West and that awful explosion, but I still worried. -shakes head- So much grief and pain, and the ripples spread out so far from the victims and their families. 😦
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I don’t want to jinx things but I am so glad Australia is so far from the centre of all the action. I don’t think I could live in the US. I just hope things settle down again soon, if that is possible.
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I think we’re all glad… although on Friday I did cast a wary eye over the busy train station in the CBD and thought I do not want things to go back they way they were after 9/11. We need to live free.
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Yup, when the Daughter went off to the city by train I did have a moment of dread, but like you I hate the thought of living in fear all the time.
The one thing I am really glad about is that the Boston Marathon bombers were /not/ Arab or Indian or Sri Lankan or any other non-white nationality. Fear based on race is the worst kind of fear of all. We don’t need any more fear of the ‘other’. What we need is for the peaceful, kind majority to stand up as a group and say ‘no’ to this madness.
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I had this same thought… the media reports seem to be asking why, what made them do it, how are they different, ie other, from the rest of us… like ordinary, same as us people don’t do atrocious things…
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What a great point. I honestly hadn’t thought of the media coverage like that before. And you’re right, us ordinary people are not that different at all.
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I understand why you think your life is dull now. I often think the same. Though I don’t know that I want any of that stuff happening to me. I certainly don’t want to read that it is happening to you either. Keep well and please stay very dull.
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I think it’s a matter of persepctive. I have a friend who thinks her life is dull and mine is interesting life. I think the opposite 🙂 I also know I couldn’t cope with her life, and possibly vice versa. Thank you – I can’t help thinking all that work you are putting into your photography ideas will come to fruition and you’ll have a very interesting time of it, in the best way.
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After many ‘interesting’ times in my life I am happy to now be one of the dull ones. Peace and quiet is my preferred state!
I laughed when you recalled your phone calls with the G.O. The Man and I speak every day on the phone while he is at work and our conversation is pretty much identical! 😀 “Anything exciting happening?” “Nup.” “Good.”
The events of the past few days in the US make me cherish my peaceful existence even more.
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And now you’ve got Telstra sorted there’s not even that 🙂
The events in the US have made my dull existence that much more precious. This week I’ve appreciated the simple things like the early mornings and industrious but quiet days in the office so much more for the feeling of safety.
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Well, the Telstra saga goes on. The monthly bill came today with the addition of the free modem(s) for $347 extra. How nice.
If course I got on the phone and more than an hour later it was fixed, although unfortunately my brain was broken… 🙂
Feeling safe should be something everyone has shouldn’t it. The events in the US certainly have made my quiet life that much more precious to me.
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Yup, same old same old with Telstra 😉
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I’m very happy with the dull times, may they last forever! 😀
The US is really getting hammered at the moment (now a shooting in Boston to add to their trauma) and I really feel for them. There but for the grace of God (a brilliant saying) …
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Oh I bet you are 🙂 You’ve had more than your fair share of “interesting times”. I’m not sure you’ve got high scores for dull quite yet – you’ve got a lot happening still, but good stuff 🙂
I saw the latest news… it is just awful.
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Dullness is underrated. In fact, N and I deliberately seek it out – it’s how we ended up living somewhere we both like!
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That’s what we’re aiming for as well 🙂 There’s a lot to be said in favour of a quiet life with space and ample time to do… whatever takes your fancy, or nothing.
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I have had more than enough excitement, EllaDee, and though there’s sure to be more, I relish these dull periods and do my best to remain in the Present. As recent events have once again proven, everything could change in an instant.
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That’s the trick, being zen, knowing how good right now is. I think recent events in the US have rattled all us, even I looked around me assessing the potential of risk, and said a prayer for sanity and kindness.
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I wouldn’t describe life as dull or interesting. Although your examples are pretty wide-ranging. I think for me it is more a case of what I find interesting, contentment, and happiness with what I have chosen and all that sort of idealistic crap. About the only external (to us) events that tend to affect us are deaths and unemployment. Which is why I would rather focus on the good.
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Neither dull or interesting is a very good status 🙂 Interesting times are usually thrust upon us, as you say for example by death or unemployment. In other cases some people attract them more than others, possibly in the past myself & the G.O. through our own doings, although with the best of intentions, which is one of the reasons we enjoy dull so much 🙂
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I love my relatively dull life. Comfortable and routine can be dull at times, but when you read or hear about the turmoil some others experience. Dull is good 🙂
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Turmoil equals no time to do anything but react 😦 Dull works for me too, altough I’d prefer my dull a little less busy 🙂
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EllaDee, I am so glad you found me today. I have spent a good while here with you and loving every word of it. Thank you for finding me!
As for interesting times, well, we left those behind when we left Southern California. We are not so wealthy, but we find we are richer by far than before we left. 😉
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It was clever and wonderful of Celi to orchestrate us all geting to know each other better. When we read the names and Farmy comments we will at least be able to put places to the names.
We’re aiming for similar, a tree-sea change, which will be interesting times in itself, but then a rich life, but maybe not so much in wealth terms 🙂
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