Ten Things I Like
February 18, 2007 at 10:40 AM
by Ashleigh
I read Charlotte's interesting post on things beginning with the Letter L that she likes. They include 'long things'! Not allowed to wonder about her husband's shoe size, not allowed not allowed... argh!
Charlotte gave me the letter N.
I don't suppose I can preface the things I don't like with Not. Like .. Not Ironing, Not Grocery Shopping, Not Standing on the Football Field. No?
Ok, here's mine.
I like:
1. Noodles. I didn't always like these. In fact, during the great Zimbabwean rice and potato shortage of my youth, when all that was available was pasta, I was heartbroken every time a noodle appeared on the table. My mom and dad called all pasta 'noodles'.
The kind of noodles that I think of as a noodle were completely unknown in my 1980s childhood. As for the potnoodle or the one-minute-noodle. I'm sure it still hasn't been heard of. Noodle is an odd word. A bit like 'moist'.
2. Nightfall. I like the evenings. I prefer them to the mornings because there's less to do and I'm just as tired as when I wake up so there's no difference there. When I lived in the tropics I loved the way the night fell so suddenly. You have to have lived there to understand - there is no long twilight like we have here in the temperate North. It's a quick sharp shock to experience nightfall after years of the neither here nor there of places outside of the tropics.
Which reminds me of something else I wanted to share with you. When we visited South Africa and travelled down the road from Harare, through Beitbridge, past Messina and Louis Trichardt and into South Africa 'proper', there was a sign saying 'Tropic of Capricorn'. It marked the tropic line and I always felt odd when I passed it. I'd love to be on a cruise where they make a big deal of crossing the Equator. I've never been to any of the equatorial countries, but I believe that nightfall comes even quicker there.
3. Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere. Cool. Two N's in one item. Judging by the difficulty I have with finding 'n' things to talk about *ahem* perhaps I shouldn't be putting them together. Regardless. Neverwhere is one of my favourite tv series and books of all time. The tv series is true to the book.
Neil Gaiman's blog is fast becoming one of my (and everyone else in the world's) favourite blogs.
4. Nibbling. How I got to gain 20 kilos.
5. Nuts. Just because they must always follow 'nibbling' and can also be involved with 'Nobby's'. As for other meanings of nuts and nibbling, as Charlotte says 'watch it!'
6. Needlecraft. When I was thinking of this list in the middle of the night last night and I suggested 'needlework' to Brad he said 'only a lameass would put that'. Hah. So this lameass is sticking her hand up and saying 'yes, I like needlecraft'. I wanted to say knitting but Brad thought you might notice that looming K in front of the N. Just perhaps.
7. Natuurwinkel. I knew there had to be a way to get a Dutch word in there somehow. I love shopping at the natuurwinkel, also called a reformwinkel. It's the 'organic' shop, or health shop. I can't think of a parallel in Britain except for an organic market?
Maybe like Fresh & Wild in the UK? Or like a tiny Wholefoods? Strangely, Fresh n Wild is actually owned by Wholefoods, which is something I found out when I googled it! When we lived in London EC1 there was a Fresh & Wild just around the corner from our flat. I loved it.
8. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds. Especially their album, Murder Ballads. I remember listening to this over and over in Cape Town at a particularly annoying stage in my life and really sympathising with a few of the characters in the lyrics.
From the Curse of Millhaven: 'Since I was no bigger than a weevil they've been saying I was evil that if 'bad' was a boot then I'd fit it that I'm a wicked young lady but I've been trying hard lately o fuck it! I'm a monster! I admit it.'
9. Nightmare Before Christmas,Tim Burton. Love this film. So does everyone else apparently. We watch it every year.
I also liked the Corpse Bride, but we haven't bought that yet. Such beautifully depicted characters. Brad just said 'I haven't found a Tim Burton movie that I haven't liked.' Which is true.
10. Nelson Mandela. I was at a loss for #10. Do you have any idea how hard it is to find 10 things starting with N?
But, I do actually like Nelson Mandela and all that he stands for. I've actually met him and I suppose that's a pretty notable thing to write about. I'm sure thousands of people have written about meeting him and feeling a sense of presence, blah blah, so I won't do it again. I met him in Cape Town when he was granted Freedom of the City on 27 November 1997. Shortly afterward I met him again when I worked for the Ministry of Water Affairs. The most notable thing I remember about him? Thinking of how kind he seemed to be. He gave the appearance of having time for everyone.
Now, Brad's listening to Nirvana. Hello hello hello....
Let me know in the comments if you want me to torture you by giving you a letter ... or just pick one yourself and go for it!
Comments
Hey my name starts with an N too ;)
Modest? me? never...
Ash: LOL
Hi, I came here via Charlotte's web. I love your pages and have been browsing on my coffee breaks from repainting the house, a most welcome place to come and relax. Thank you!
Ps I too adore Fresh and Wild and just FYI... they are opening a 75 000 sqft Wholefoods early June in Kensington :-)
Neverwhere is also a series?! OMG, I MUST have it. MUST. Neil Gaiman is incredible. Don't get me started. I've read and re-read all his books that we've got (and I believe we only miss his graphic (i.e. comicstyle) novels).
But I'm rambling. Give me a letter!
Ash: I give you a W!
Narnia
Neil Young
Neil Kramer
Nachos
Nikes
Neutrogena products
Nice notecards
November sky
Noshing
Nature Valley granola bars
Ash: see, this is why you're a writer and I'm not ;)
Hi Ash :)
I don't think I have ever seen Neverwhere :( Think I am going to have to hunt down the book and see what its all about.
*Jumps up and down waving arm in the air - please can I have a letter?*
*Hugs*
Ash: You can have B :)
Nice! Well Nelson, of course, that's the perfect why to end your list of "N's". How lucky you are to have met him! I guess the "Natuurwinkel" is the German equivalent of the "Bioladen" - also one of my favourite places to go.
Now, I consider myself quite well-read and all that, but until I started blogging I'd never heard of Neil Gaiman. Now it looks like I'm going to have to seek him out.
February 18, 2007 11:55 AM