Elevenses: Tagged...I'm " IT"

I haven't played Tiggy since my early school days and the last time I referred to elevenses was when reading Paddington Bear, but I've unwittingly been "tagged" by Chic at Any Age  in a game of Elevenses. Do I play or spoil the fun of the other participants and withdraw from this unexpected challenge?

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What are my options at this late hour of the night? The Husband is asleep on the couch; the ironing basket is perennially full; the Offspring are off doing their own thing; there is a pile of work on my desk waiting to be finished; I'm not a fan of the television and my brain is too tired to conjugate French verbs.
Can one concurrently play tiggy and drink a glass of wine? I'm about to find out.

Firstly, the Tiggy rules

Rule 1. Disclose 11 random things about myself. Tricky.

Rule 2. Respond to 11 questions from the person who tags me.Very tricky.

Rule 3. Pose 11 of my own questions then try to tag someone else. Could blow a fuse here because:

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a) many of the questions I would like to ask have been used by recent participants and

b) not sure who wants to play.

Let's give it a go - the game starts NOW. 

11 random things about myself (Remember some things are best kept secret!)

1. Biggest shortcoming is that I find it difficult to say “no” – even to myself!
2. I relish the company of creative people. They feed my soul. 
3. Music is my sixth sense. Without it I’m not truly living, but I also appreciate silence.
4. A major failing - I didn’t have the courage to go with my passions and be true to myself when younger.
5. A late maturer - I was in my thirties when, I truly grasped the fact that processions and wealth don’t create happiness, they just make your misery more comfortable - my parents were right yet again!
6. Irritated by parents who pander to  their progeny and live vicariously through them. Unconditionally loving a child does not involve incessant indulgence and an inability to set boundaries and say "no".
7. I revere the intricacies and wonder of nature and the strength of family and community.
8. Most valued gift – love of family and friends.
9. Intolerant of religious and political zealots. Nutters with a cause are extremely dangerous.
10. Don’t own a car –prefer to walk or drive Roger, my husband’s beloved Land Rover. 
11. My fantasy; David Suzuki rules the world - fully clothed, but without the tights, the cape and his underpants worn as an outer garment.

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And "no", I don't have hairy armpits, prickly legs and a propensity to demonstrate and chain myself to trees, but I respect the fact that we only have one finite world, for which it has taken millions of years to perfect the balance of nature. 
Responses to the 11 questions posed by Chic at Any Age 
1. What makes you blog? 
I love to jot down my thoughts and had a propensity to do so on scraps of paper. Blogging gave me a platform to record my ramblings  - it's easier to locate my computer than random pieces of paper. What sustains my blogging are the community of interesting and inspiring people I've met as well as the friendships I've forged through my blog.

2. What beliefs sustain you?  
The philosophy of Buddha and the 10 commandments are a good guiding lights, which is not to discount the teachings of other religions. But I'm most comforted by the belief that, in general, individuals are inherently good.  I strongly believe that healthy communities enable the best to be brought out in people. 

3. What is the biggest risk you have taken? 
Buying my first property (on my own) at the age of 24. It was the  mid 1970's and the bank claimed that I was the first single female to whom the company had ever given a home loan.
Second biggest risk was buying a house in France, sight unseen!

4. What does getting older mean for you? 
Getting older means getting closer to the end of life’s conveyor belt (with a wiser head on my shoulders). I'm hoping like crazy, that the speed of this contraption slows downs rather than accelerates as I inch closer to the end! 


5. How do you best relax? 

Relaxation is best achieved by a fusion of music, meditation and walking.(Still convinced that I'm a middle aged hippy?)

6. What is your favourite outfit?  
There isn't one! I favour comfort and natural fibres over synthetics- which extends to my undergarments. (Poor Mr R!). Prefer classic pieces to fashion, love ballet pumps (with almost anything) and can't go past a well cut pair of jeans. But I feel my best when wearing heals and an elegantly cut dress or suit - natural fibres of course. And I couldn't live without my leather gloves in the cooler weather.

7. What is a colour you love/hate and why?
My favourite colour depends on time and place. Am I wearing it, painting it on a wall, covering my chairs, wrapping a present, buying clothing for someone else or for me? At this age and stage of my life, the basics in my wardrobe are black, which I accessorise with colour.
 

8. Whom would you most like to interview?
Nelson Mandela – I would love to cultivate some of his faith, patience optimism and forgiveness.     

9. Who inspires you?

If I were asked WHAT inspires you, my answer would be simple - nature. 
No one person inspires me. Inspiration comes from many directions –  those who are the victims of life's challenges and tragedies yet manage to keep going and raise a smile; people who contribute positively to humanity; a person who can truly forgive when it is contrary to do so; those who give unselfishly to serve others; my parents and family…………

10. What was your most embarrassing moment?  
Most embarrassing? My teenage years had embarrassment on tap! I was far too sensitive and a perfectionist. Glad I’ve grown out of that! (Well almost....)

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11. What would you like your epitaph to be? 
"In her own way, she helped to make the world a better place".

Now to you. A voluntary invitation to play is extended to the following bloggers and also to anybody else who would like to contribute.
classic • casual • home
French Basketeer
La Pouyette
Lost in Arles
my french country home 
Paris and Beyond
PlumSiena
... meine Dinge ...
That's Not My Age
Your Eleven questions are: 

1. What is the object(s) of your desire?
2. Which is your signature song and why?
3. Your favourite quote and why?
4. If you could choose only one fashion icon throughout history, who would it be?
5. What is your one characteristic that you would rather keep hidden?
6. Identify one ritual or tradition that you couldn’t live without.
7. If there were one characteristic about people or the human race you could change, what would it be?
8. What are your passions that sustain you?
9. What is your most treasured possession – why?
10. As Sinatra sang, “Regrets, I’ve a few....” What is your greatest regret?
11. What is your greatest extravagance?

* All photos, except for the image of the water droplet, are courtesy of Goggle images. Please contact me if are the owner of one of these images so you may be acknowledged.