Brandi Jefferson - Plinky Answers

You find a big spider in your bedroom. Your next move is to...

2011-09-26T08:53:26-05:00

Jump in alarm of its presence!
Then watch it for a quick moment, determining what type of spider it is and its potential risk to me. Then I would quietly step away and pick up my camera hoping that when I return to my bedroom that it is still in same spot as to where I discovered him to be.
Upon my return to said spider’s location, I would continue to watch him with much content and less fear as I take photos. Photo after photo, shot from distance and close up, from different angles I would capture this fascinating eight legged creature.
Before long though I would stop taking interest in how this creepy little creature managed to find his way into my bedroom and start to think about what I should name him. Once I have chosen said spider’s name I will slowly reach for my nearest shoe, raising it up above this creepy creature then slamming it down upon him forcefully. I will wait and watch for any movement. Once he is dead I will dispose of his body; wrapped in tissue and thrown in the trash can.
I will then proceed to upload my best photo of him to my Facebook photo album called ‘Spiders’.
The description of the photo shell read: This is Walter. Walter is dead.
I justify this simply as if a spider dares to enter my home he will leave dead. I have no problem when they are outside but if they come inside they are risking their lives. I live in Australia after all. Kill or be killed, as my dad taught me.

Could I live without a car for a year?

2011-06-17T05:30:03-05:00

Living without a car for a year was something I thought I could never do.
I love the freedom I get from having a car, I love to drive, and it makes me feel incredible.
I sold my old wreck of a car that was bad for the environment because I was working in the environmental sector at the time. I was 24 at the time and had had my licence for a few years and enjoyed driving and owning a few different cars.
I never thought that selling it for $300 just to get rid of it would have felt so good. I was living out in the suburbs at the time, about 25km from the city. My office was in the city and I spent a lot of my free time enjoying Melbourne for what it had to offer; the pubs, the restaurants, the cafes, the shopping. The public transport system was not great, but I could get around. I love to walk, and without a car that meant a lot of walking! My closest supermarket was 4 kms away from home so I got my fair share of strength training just to get food supplies.
Winter time was particularly tough, but I felt great and that is what is important. Living without a car for a year was a way for me to get creative resource wise, enjoy my surrounds and find out what my city and suburb really had to offer.

© June 2011. Brandi Jefferson. All Rights Reserved.

Chocolate or Vanilla?

2011-06-13T22:30:45-05:00

Chocolate!

Why? Because it adds that little bit of extra flavor, it's rich and comforting.
I have been a chocolate fan since my first taste as a child. I would not like to admit it but I do eat chocolate at least once a week. My favorite chocolates to eat: Cadbury Coconut Rough, an awesome combination!

Example: Chocolate milkshakes. One of the best drinks. It fills your tummy up and is a nice way to get a good dose of milk. The downfall is the sugar content, but the flavor is amazing.

© June 2011. Brandi Jefferson. All Rights Reserved.

My Childhood Dream Job

2011-06-11T10:50:40-05:00

My childhood dream job was to fly to the moon to explore. I always wanted to see the stars. I know the moon is a big dull orbiting rock, but I have always liked to think of it as a majestic, romantic place. The moon must be such a good place to view our universe from. You would be able to truly see how beautiful of world, planet earth really is.

As a kid I wanted to fly to the moon, fly through space; visit the stars that shine so brightly in our night sky. I wished to travel and explore and learn and experience. I longed to jump lightly in zero gravity from place to place, leaving a track of footprints behind me in the dust.

I wanted this badly as a small child because I knew it was unobtainable, that space is not romantic; it is full of burning balls of gases, floating rocks and space junk.

I have always been a romanticizing dreamer, someone that doesn’t want to stand still for too long. While most of my peers wanted to be doctors, nurses, fire fighters, truck drivers, vets, teachers and football players as most children do, I wanted something a little different.

I remember hearing about Richard Branson and his dream of building a rocket that could take people up into space and it made me think about my childhood dream. That memory makes me smile, every time. One day, I hope to be a passenger on one of his rockets.

© June 2011. Brandi Jefferson. All Rights Reserved.

First Impressions

2011-06-09T10:17:24-05:00

When meeting someone new for the first time it difinitely varies depending on the situation. These days there is so many ways in which you can 'meet' someone. Just because you can't see them right in front of you it doesn't mean that you haven't 'met' them and that they haven't made an impression on you. In this day and age of technical advance we have access to so many social realms such as Facebook, Twitter, Word Press, LinkedIn, and so many more. This lets us connect with people that we may have never been able to be in contact with before the age of the internet.

Meeting people in person I tend to notice their eyes and smile- these tend to be good character give aways. I also notice body langauge and sense of humor.
As for meeting people online, when you can't see them it is langauage, use of words that makes me notice them. A sense of humor is also a thing to look out for but tone is always so hard to convey!

I think it also depends a lot on the social situation as to what light you see someone in or what part of their personality they present to you.
On a business situation you will present yourself in a professional manner to make a good impression on the people you meet and be showing off your best qualities to gain the opportunity to network. Whereas in a social situation with your close personal friends you will act more relaxed and natural.

© June 2011. Brandi Jefferson. All Rights Reserved.

My Favorite Type of Music for the Road

2011-06-08T11:26:48-05:00

Music is a must have while driving, there is nothing better than hitting the road and driving for hours, off into the distance.
I have one favorite song for road trips. It is really funny because my partner loves this song as well. We play it every time we go on a road trip.

The artist: Fastball. The song: The Way.

I love the lyrics to this song, it's the perfect travelling song.

'Anyone could see
The road that they walk on is paved in gold
And it's always summer, they'll never get cold
They'll never get hungry
They'll never get old and gray
You can see their shadows
Wandering off somewhere
They won't make it home
But they really don't care
They wanted the highway
They're happy there today , today'

Supposedly this song is loosely based on an incident where an older couple had to travel for a family event and never made it to their destination. The song writer, Fastball bassist Tony Scalzo said that "It's a romanticized take on what happened" - he "pictured them taking off to have fun, like they did when they first met."

I think the whole romantic angel of this song is what makes it such a good road trip song.

On Predicting My Future

2011-06-07T10:18:32-05:00

I would have never expected my life would be anything like it is today.

Ten years ago, at 17, I was drug addicted and in an abusive relationship.
I was cutting myself off from life in general and losing my passion for writing at an even faster pace.

My life took a turn for the better that at the time appeared to be the worse about four years ago. I managed to break away from my abusive relationship but found myself to be a shattered depressed soul.

It took a few years and a lot of hard work for me to develop into a person worthy of my own self love and that of another. I had two six month relationships with men that on the surface appeared to care about me and treat me well but the facts behind closed doors were quite different.

These two men with whom I'd wasted my time, did not like me for the person that I was or wanted to be. They both insisted that I change my appearance- my hair style, the way I dressed and how I spoke and interacted.

I finally had a light bulb moment and told myself that I would not be treated badly anymore. This was almost two years ago. The most interesting thing was that I met my current partner not long after. It took a lot for me to even agree to the relationship. He is four years my junior. I was scared of being hurt, again. But I could not deny my feelings, I had fallen madly and deeply in love with him. And he feels the same way about me.

He is the best thing that has ever happened to my life, and some days I can not believe I found him, or that he found me. He loves me for who I am and who I want to be. He supports my dreams and cares for me in a way that no one else ever has before.

He is the love of my life.
His name is Alex.

On Blogging

2011-06-06T22:38:37-05:00

I have just started blogging myself on Word Press. My blog is called bjefferswriting and it is in the growth stage. I have a lot to add to it, and improvements to make. I am setting it up as my space where I can develop my skills as a writer.
I have started reading a few of the 'Just Pressed' blogs on Word Press to help me get some ideas on how to develop my own blogging space. I am yet to find some favorites but some of the blogs out there are just fantastic!