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So great a loss

November 9, 2007 by Sandra Hanks

I’ve just returned from Marianne Hodoul’s funeral, and not even puppies can cheer me up enough to write a zesty post.

The Baie Lazare church was packed; everyone from this area, of course, and a lot of dignitaries were in the crowd. Very appropriately, it rained.

Apparently, three men are being held in connection with Marianne’s murder at the moment. One was released from prison only a few months ago after beating his girlfriend and leaving her for dead. She survived … barely … and he served all of about three years for his crime.

Marianne was a kind and gentle person and she is well missed by many who loved her and others who appreciated her calm and simple ways.

Because her murder was so brutal, in addition to mourning Marianne everyone is terrified. Our peaceful world has been shattered and we are all paying attention to the reminder that any of us can be a target. Drugs are now making their way into Seychelles, with heroin … unheard of here only a few years ago … tallying up victims faster than anyone can follow. Crime is on the way up, hand-in-hand with fear. The police are under-prepared and, like those in almost all the world, unable or unwilling to stop the traffic in and the sale and use once here.

People are beginning to build walls around their homes, install electric gates, hire private security companies.

Yes, Marianne’s death also seems to mark the death of an era, a way of life that can no longer survive. The days of peaceful island living are gone. We have now joined the real world.

I am so sad today. Sad. Angry. Frightened. And worried for the future for my children.

Posted in Island life, Seychelles | 6 Comments »

We be ‘pupulatin’

November 8, 2007 by Sandra Hanks

It’s a ‘pupulation’ explosion, and we’re knee deep in cute. By Christmas we’ll be pooping precious around here.

Our dog Dinah gave birth to eight of these little sweeties, and being the great mom that she is, they’re doing very well.

There are details … sort of … on one of my pro blogs here if you’re interested in more of the pupdate.

Sam Cj Puppies ©2007 SHBenoiton
Sam and Cj and puppies, oh my!

Puppy Paw ©2007 SHBenoiton

Wanna shake? Here’s my paw …

Puppybutton©2007 SHBenoiton

And here’s my tummy button … it’s that little thing there below my great big head.

Posted in Family, Fun, Island life, NaBloPoMo, Seychelles | Tagged , , | 4 Comments »

Animals rule

November 7, 2007 by Sandra Hanks

My dog had eight puppies last night, and the fruit bat that powers my Internet access has apparently been unwell all day.

Photos may follow, but this is all I’m doing today.

Posted in Island life, NaBloPoMo, Seychelles | 3 Comments »

What DO women want?

November 6, 2007 by Sandra Hanks

Who is this guy?

I’m other-side-of-the-planet out of the loop, so may possibly be forgiven for never, until today, having heard of Steve Santagati, but I’ve just come across a blog post by him on the Huff Post.

He was apparently on a CNN program I’ve also never heard of, Showbiz Tonight, talking about a magazine I’ve never heard of, Maxim, and voicing opinions I have most certainly heard, but not for a while.

Divvying up what does or does not make the opposite sex desirable isn’t a conversation I’ve come across lately, so I was interested to learn what the buzz is in the real world late 2007.

Being some sort of expert on what makes women sexy in the eyes of men, he posts a Top Ten that addresses wardrobe (classy, but provocative), grooming (perfume should be present but not over-powering and it’s best if her hair is clean and of feminine length), temperament (can’t have a “sour puss” or get up on a soapbox and complain all the time), and humor (should be able to take a joke…even if it’s dirty), amongst other things.

Insisting that woman want “brutal honesty”, and admitting that 95% of us can “take it on”, he’s right tiffed by those who can’t … or possibly choose not to?

Because it’s his blog inspiring mine today, I’ll give him his Top Ten and a nod to the postulation that men find ‘sexy’ the quality most attractive, and since he’s never heard of me I’ll assume we’re square and turnabout being fair play I can join the game.

Not being a man, I would never assume to speak for my gender on anything, so my thoughts on what is hot on a man would be my own. Looks are part of the initial draw, but far too subjective, and a small part of the picture.

So, my Top Ten of what makes a man attractive looks like this:

1. He should look like he could care less about what he wears and not spend more than 30 seconds on his hair.

2. In reasonable physical shape, showing evidence of enjoying a good meal and the occasional ale is required.

3. He can be clumsy and goofy as long as he has a good laugh.

4. He must be good at listening AND hearing. (Eye contact is important, too.)

5. He shouldn’t smell like anything that can be purchased through Duty Free other than a good Single Malt.

6. He must be passionate about something.

7. He should not be whiny, ever have his mother do his ironing or freak out at the sight of bugs or snakes.

8. Loving kids and animals and being gentle goes a long way to making up for lost hair or other mere physical attributes that may be less than perfect.

9. An addiction to the written word is vital.

10. He must have honor, never lie, and be ready to protect those he cares for with his life.

Is this too much to ask? Not for me. And, by the way, this is not just the Top Ten for “What I looked for in a life partner.” This would also be the checklist for anyone looking to get laid.

Feel free to add your own thoughts …

Posted in NaBloPoMo, Older women, Younger men | Tagged , , , , | 14 Comments »

From NaBloPoMo to NaNoBloPoMo?

November 5, 2007 by Sandra Hanks

A question posed on this blog on the Huffington Post stopped my fingers mid-stroke this afternoon, and I’m still not at all sure how I’m feeling about it.

Titled “It’s ‘Only’ Words” and written by Carol Hoenig, the main gist is the upcoming writers strike, and she reminds us in the first sentence that:

Whether a writer is part of the Guild or not, it’s true we are an underpaid lot.

Well, AMEN, Sister. I’m right there with you on the solidarity front, rooting for Hollywood writers to finally get a piece of the action that is closer to proportional for their contributions. Why should Conan O’Brien get all the fame, glory AND money, when his witty asides are mostly scripted by some poor slob with a three-hour commute because she can’t afford to live any closer to work?

If there’s any way for me to help out, just let me know.

Oh. Wait a minute …

I wonder what would happen if all writers, from novelists to bloggers, decided to join in the strike. With that thought in mind, does my blogging without compensation make me part of the problem?

Whoa, Nelly!

But …

What WOULD happen if we all just stopped our write-for-free compulsion? Should NaBloPoMo be followed by NaNoBloPoMo?

Discuss …

Posted in NaBloPoMo, Writing for a living | Tagged , , | 4 Comments »

No time to get personal

November 4, 2007 by Sandra Hanks

In addition to the NaBloPoMo challenge of daily posting … one I’m shouldering only on Paradise Preoccupied while taking some weekend time for my family rather than pour it all into the pro blogs … participation presents another venue for publishing content, making friends, joining discussions, sharing music, and ever so much more.

As if yet another offering of a pleasant way to kill hoursdaysweeks isn’t enough, the initial requirements for involvement are also time consuming as all get out. Filling in the blanks is a no-brainer, but takes a while. The big investment, however, comes with the overture to personalize.

I’d love to see a study of how much time people spend selecting an avatar, choosing a theme, picking widgets and coming up with a name to suit the identity they are creating. The pressure is on to project the perfect image, to convey just as much of yourself as you wish to reveal at first glance … only one chance to make a first impression.

Are you frankly scarlet, or does olive come closer to producing the mood you hope readers don as your page opens? Are you edgy and sharp, or softly ethereal?

Themes on NaBloPoMo range from Neon to Ice Cream, London to Zen, Gizmo to Gothic, and offer flexible sidebar colors, fonts, and of course CSS if you’re savvy and determined.

Remember the days when personalized letterhead seemed a lavish luxury, and more than a bit precious when done for private correspondence only?

We’ve come a long way, and I’m not at all sure the trend to make and remake images of ourselves for public consumption is a good thing. Could the compulsion to customize also be too precious? And if not precious, how about pressure?

How much of our stretched time should we eek out of our schedules to make the choices, embed the widgets, apply the themes? And what does it say about us when we do? Or if we don’t?

At the moment, personalizing my NaBloPoMo is way down my ‘to do’ list. Does that make me less a presence? Do I grow generic as pages without customization multiply as participation increases and available time decreases in so close to direct proportion? (Generic sounds an awful lot like geriatric, so am I doomed to be both someday soon?)

Be that as it may, perhaps spilling my guts will be enough to say “Sandra was here”.

Then again, there are lots of Sandras.

I know! I’ll be the Neon Sandra with the helvetica text and mauve sidebar and Clustermap widget. No one else in the whole world will look like me then …

Posted in NaBloPoMo | 2 Comments »

A NaBloPoMo Winner (blush)

November 3, 2007 by Sandra Hanks

NaBloPoMo, National Blog Posting Month, is just seeing the dawn of its third day and I have already managed to embarrass myself into being declared a winner.

Not that the point of the daily post-fest has anything to do with competition; in fact, the camaraderie building feels comfortably non-comptetitve and I’ve yet to see any announcement of prizes for “most compelling post on recipes using feta” or “best tips on cable knits”.

No, I won’t see any award, but kudos are coming, nonetheless, with one poster stating emphatically, “You win for the BEST story I’ve heard in a long time!” while another is shamelessly “*bowing deeply and kissing Sandra’s big toe in attitude of adoration*”.

To what do I owe these accolades so long coveted?

My big, fat mouth and my most embarrassing moment.

I should have known that any distinction I’d ever manage to achieve would end up having something to do with my innate talent for offensive verbosity, as even when trying really hard to make nice I oh-so-often end up leading an unintentional pas de deux that stumble-starts with a faux pas … a faux pas de deux, so to speak.

That’s what first attracted me to the topic … the discussion is here … a title that told me I could really get my teeth into this one: How Does Your Foot Taste?

The story I recounted for my new NaBloPoMo pals has been told before. I fessed up big time on one of my pro blogs a couple of years ago, but this seemed a perfect opportunity to trot it out again.

If you’ve not yet heard my “Ugly Baby Story”, check out either link, or both, for the whole train wreck. If after doing so you would like to join the ranks of those presently bestowing approbation upon me for my mortifying blunder …

Line on the left, one slap each.

Posted in Adoption, Family, NaBloPoMo | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment »

Remembering why …

November 2, 2007 by Sandra Hanks

In an effort to keep the beauty of my island home and all that is wonderful in my world in mind as the ugliness of life and death intrudes, I’m posting more photos today and saying little.
Bird/Sam rope ©2007SHBenoiton
My amazing son, Sam

Bird/Tortoise
A big, bird-poop spattered tortoise enjoying the attention (?) of my family.

BirdSootyTern©2007SHBenoiton
A sooty tern, up close and personal with a potential for poop spattering

My lovely family on a lovely beach ©2007SHBenoiton
My lovely family on a lovely beach on Bird Island

The Ent in my garden ©2007SHBenoiton

From my veranda at home, the Ent that lives at the bottom of my garden pointing at the hidded treasure on the hill opposite. (One day I’ll follow his finger and dig it up.)

Posted in Adoption, Island life, NaBloPoMo, Seychelles | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments »

NaBloPoMo #1

November 1, 2007 by Sandra Hanks

I blog every day. Honestly. Not here, I’ll admit, and this, my very own personal blog that I created with my two little hands and love to bits gets ignored too often while I’m working my fingers to the nub on the pro blogs.

This month, all this changes, however, as I dedicate myself to the concept of NaBloPoMo … National Blog Posting Month.

Although I’d love to kick this off with something fun or focused, I can’t. I’ve used up all my energy already on posts about adoption and such and now have to address what’s been too close all day …

Sometime last night a lovely woman, a kind and pleasant neighbor, was brutally murdered in her home in Anse La Mouche.

Violent crime happens rarely here, and there is something even more horrid, more shocking about murder in a place as seemingly tranquil as Seychelles.

Everyone on this end of the island is in shock. Many are terrified. Most are both.

Posted in Adoption, Island life, NaBloPoMo, Seychelles | 9 Comments »

Bird Island photos

October 30, 2007 by Sandra Hanks

Life has once more come between me and my personal blog. Not only have I been dealing with some unpleasant work issues and sick kids, I’m putting the finishing touches … I hope … on a collection of short stories and other bits that have been begging to be included between the front cover and back page.

Of course, I’ll be flogging the book here when its available … no worries about that.

Since I’m using up all my meaningful words in other places at the moment, I thought I would post some pictures (worth thousands of them, I hear) of our Bird Island trip for general consumption.

birdda-plane.jpg
De plane … de plane …

The runway … avec Giant Aldabra Tortoise
That’s no rock on the runway! (Yes, that is the runway.) It’s a Giant Aldabra Tortoise.

Runway tortoise, up close and personal
Up close and personal with the runway tortoise.

Bird/Sam&bush ©SHBenoiton
No footprints, please. (Sam with a bush on the beach.)

Posted in Family, Island life, Seychelles | Tagged , , | 8 Comments »

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