Let's get...

THE OTHER DAY I almost died at the fate of a novelty sized toasted sandwich maker falling on my head. Actually - it didn't fall on my head, but it was so close I could feel the airwaves alter around me. I was putting the very large appliance in its very unsafe home (about two metres from the ground on a very high shelf) when I had the sudden thought, "this probably isn't the smartest thing I'll do all day." It wasn't.  Now, I'm not a very tall girl... perhaps 167cm...(even though I often put 166cm in my theatre CV hoping that's short enough to one day fit in Glinda's bubble in Wicked)... so when I stood on my tip-toes trying to put the maker in its rightful place, I kind of had to jump to get it there...and then secure it precariously with my finger tips. I stood away thinking, "job... somewhat ...done." It was when I was making toast (guiltily with peanut butter and honey) with my back turned when I heard a massively large t

Chapter 36: Gallipoli: A bit of Aussie pride EVEN the rowdiest young Australian could be hushed by the emotional experience of Gallipoli on Anzac Day. The crowd of thousands of Australians, New Zealanders and a handful of Turks (mostly officials) are silenced just before the dawn service. Everyone rubs his or her sleepy eyes.  Most of the group hasn’t slept since arriving at Anzac Cove the evening before. I know I vaguely slept. It was a mixture between anticipation of the huge day that lay before me and possibly the discomfort of sleeping on the ground that kept my eyes open for the majority of the night.  It would have been low for me to complain of discomfort however, seeing as our forefathers fighting for Australia and New Zealand had it much, much worse. They didn’t just have the cold, they had the added factor of the threat of death, not just from opposing soldiers, but also from disease and severe weather conditions. We arrived at Anzac Cove about

AND...I'm back. I went to a wedding last weekend and I thought...this place looks kind of country (Gunnedah, NSW) I think the experience calls for a bush poem. Now I've never really dabbled into bush poetry, but as far I can see, you just have to make the iambic pentameter (or whatever the equivalent for bush poetry is) a bit more bouncy...and hope that the reader will have a real laid back internal monologue voice going on...."There was movement at the station, for the word had got around...) and then try and throw in some rhymes...hopefully to the tune of ABAB or at least ABCB. Anyway, let's give it a crack (insert whip noise here).  A Country Wedding By Maree Butterworth  I'm glad I wasn't driving,  Because it did take all day,  My little bro was whinging,  Pretty much the whole way. But finally as the day passed,  I could see the town in sight.  A big drive from Brisbane,  But too close to catch a flight.  In the lead-up to

Happy Easter!!! I'm taking a break from blogging this week because of Easter, and the need to put my effort into assignments! Will be back next week :-)

Let's get physical!!! This post is going to discuss two elements that come into play when you exercise, the thought of: "Am I too old to be doing this?" and "I think exercise decreases my brain cells significantly..before and after.. ." Discussion 1: Am I too old to be doing this? The other day when I was riding a pogo stick and crashed into a trampoline.... no that hasn't happened...yet.  Last night, I was at my weekly jazz class. There is a move in our dance where you jump as high as you can and then delicately plummet to the ground, landing on your bum and tilting backwards to flip your legs over to be standing up...it's kind of like a continued "yoga plough" position? I don't think I'm describing that very well, just think of something very awkward and you'll get a vision of me in all my non-dancing-glory. Over the last few weeks I've done the move about five times per dance class, so probably about 30 times...let

Before I begin, there is a little tab at the bottom of this page which says: Subscribe by email.....do it! Where was I? Oh.  Let's get FARCICAL! I was involved in an incident on Tuesday which could have been a scene from a farce. No one likes Tuesday...and on this particular Tuesday I had a meeting...let's just say it was very, very important. Was it important? Let's just say....yes. So, my colleague and I arrived at this meeting, all dolled up in business attire which is big for me, as where ever I can get away with it - I usually just go for casual. To make you feel part of the moment, I'll now switch to present tense....(you may or not like to insert a harp or chime sound here as if we're going back in time). We walk through the door to the reception and realise we are about 15 minutes early. No one is at reception so I decide to insert a loo dash into the next three minutes (don't worry, this won't be time for some toilet humour). I reach

There's a lot to be said about trying to be comical. Last week, for instance, I was packing envelopes to send USBs with photos to conference delegates when I had the bright idea of placing two envelopes on my hands to say: "Look at me...I'm Edward Postage-Hands!" (and I wasn't referring to what the classic movie's porno version is probably called...I was purely just trying to be witty!). No one laughed so I presumed they hadn't heard my joke...so I repeated it.... ...silence.... (Apart from the candid laughter echoing in my mind) It was the same reaction I got when I worked at a cafe a few years ago. I was placing cups and sauces above the coffee machine and tried to carry as many cups on each finger to save time.  As you'd mind imagine..my Edward-Tea-Cup-Hands..it didn't get the laughter it deserved.. maybe it was them? ....definitely not me.  Fortunately, this post is not about being COMICAL but is rather ... again....about getting

"REE, of all the posts you've written, the one about the Importance of Being Ernest was my least favourite," my brother told me politely. I didn't take offense at all, the fact that he had read all of them was compliment enough! He can join my small group of weekly avid readers which includes my mum....my step-mum, sister, future sis-in-law.......did I mention my mum? Thank goodness I'm from a large family! (If you are part of this rather exclusive group, please make yourself known by commenting at the bottom of this blog or send me an email at mareewrites@gmail.com. I would love to hear from you). So, Nicholas...if that is your real name...sink your teeth into this one! It's about classical writing as well! Let's get CLASSICAL! I started to read Emma by Jane Austen the other day... sdal;kfjhwaeiotweat9wra Oh sorry, I just fell asleep on my keyboard thinking about it. I'm not really being fair. I started to read it when I was jet-lagged

When it comes to theatrical experiences, who hasn't at least once hummed the Rocky or Chariots of Fire theme song when doing something mediocre, such as, getting the mail, trying to run up a hill or sprinting to the clothesline without a bra before your neighbours catch you. Let's get MUSICAL!!! How can the words "I love you" get the maximum effect? I know! Sing it loud and proud at the top of your voice, throw in "always" and allow for a few key changes inserted with maximum precision. Did I mention I saw The Bodyguard - The Musical last week when I was in London? Well I did and it was awesome...I also saw my favourite musical, Singin' in the Rain , my not-so-favourite, A Chorus Line  and the brilliant play, The Mousetrap by Agatha Christie. A while ago, when I was a journo in Toowoomba, I wrote an entire column trying to incorporate as many names of musicals as possible...clever? More like, time consuming and a mental challenge! Since the

When it comes to not getting caught in a tree when skiing, the best thing to remember is....just get caught in the tree..it will give you a fantastic vantage point! Let's get physical, geographical and nostalgic-cal. On the weekend I arrived in London. It was when I was laughing loudly into my cider at my old workplace in Blackheath that I realised, man I love this place. One of my mates, Jess, made an hilarious comment which made me laugh for far longer than anyone else at the table. We were discussing our old Scottish manager and when he once kicked a trouble maker from the pub. "You can take over me pub, but you'll never take me freeeeedom!", Is the text Jess reckons was used that day. I agreed. Let me sum up my last few days traveling here, there and everywhere. Day nine: We arrive to a blizzard in La Clusaz, France, after a long bus ride from Geneva. Sean builds a tiny snow man and photographs it closely and from a low angle to make it look the size of

When it comes to air travel, the most important things to remember are earplugs, deodorant and patience, no need to worry about turbulence, it makes you feel alive! Let's get geographical!!! I write this blog with a heavy heart...not from sadness, but purely from eating so much delicious food in my travels, that I'm quite sure my arteries are heavy from lard. It was on a walking tour of Prague where I discovered the love of my life. No, it wasn't a European suave chap...it was some deliciously amazing doughnuts...but not just any doughnuts. The dough had been wrapped across a steel pipe-like device and baked so it was soft and squishy in the middle. The crispy outside was smothered in cinnamon and sugar, inside, Nutella was smeared liberally. I'm not sure the exact name for this amazing treat that I'm tempted to try and replicate upon my return home to Aus to consume it daily, but if I had to hazard a guess, it would be called "heaven". I promise

When it comes to travel....well all will be revealed in my novel coming out this year (nothing like a little bit of premature publicity.) Let's get...Geographical!!! I was very tempted to write this post in the similar style and intention as a carefully scribed letter sent from an articulate serviceman of WW1. Dearest Phyllis,  The gangrene has taken my leg, but you've taken my heart... But I decided against it as I thought for you to keep the well-spoken proper English Alfred Lord Tennyson accent in your mind for the entirety of this blog would have called upon a great deal of effort. Instead...as I pen/write this from Budapest, Hungary on my iPad with my hands cramping up from the not so good ergonomics, I will tell you about my travel encounters so far. Day one - Paris. It will forever be known as the great robbery of 2013. Well that's if a theft of some winter woollies, a GHD straightener and some boots can hold any impact.... it can... My poor sister l

When it comes to time travel...well, what wouldn't it come to? Anyway...where was I? Oh, let's get PHYSICAL! Apologies but this blog may be shorter than the last couple, ("Thank the lord!" I hear probably one of my only readers claim loudly in her head because she is reading it on public transport. She had to exclaim "thank the lord" in her head so not to disturb fellow passengers but in doing so, she's disturbed them even more because her eyebrows moved up with the inflection.) The reason of the shortness is that I'm preparing to get "Geographical" and am about to fly off on an amazing Eurotrip and while I do rather love burdening people with my carefully scribed words, I don't have the time this week. So, without further ado... The end. No, you're not getting off that easy... eyebrow girl. Lately I've been pursuing all sorts of sports, when I say "lately" I more so mean for probably the best part of m

When it comes to riding a unicycle the most important thing is.... Is there such a thing as digressing from the point when the point has not yet been made? Yes. LET'S get classical! Where was I? Oh...they were COUSINS! Sorry, "spoiler alert!" Oops, I think I'm meant to say "spoiler alert" before I actually spoil it for everyone. I always get things the wrong way around like... is it Juice Boost or Boost Juice? Anyway..can you still spoil something when it premiered more than 100 years ago and possibly half of the world's population who hold English as their first language have read the play? The answer is no because even when you know how a story ends...you sort of make yourself forget because you want to be excited. It's just like telling someone the Titanic sinks before they watch the movie. Everyone knows the Titanic's fate, however, even watching it for the tenth time your adrenaline from anticipation still kicks in at the end

WHEN it comes to love....ha... as if that's going to be the theme of my blog! ...rewind (*insert old fashioned tape noise here) LET'S GET...physical, classical, theatrical....geographical! "Here's to the freakin weekend!" as Rihanna would say and yes it may be Friday, but it's not time to throw your pen down just yet. You've still got about seven hours left! (if you're working until 5pm... not working today?...then why are you up! ) If you are really struggling to resist checking Facebook right about now, then exchange the habit with another. Read my blog. In fact, do it every Friday at 10am. I'm getting physical, classical and theatrical and upon reading this for a few weeks, you may too. My blog is going to explore all the fascinating experiences that come in life before you burn out and at the ripe age of 110 (I have good genes) you kick the bucket. I'm only going to concentrate on the stuff that's whimsical and mystical, not

Testing to see if this works! Testing...one...two...three

I'm almost ready to blog...just finalising my page and making sure it's all good to go!