Where were you when....

Where were you when Neil Armstrong landed on the moon? er, not born
Where were you when Nelson Mandela was freed from prison? In our family room in South Africa glued to the TV. *more on this later
Where were you when you heard Princess Di had died? At a friend's birthday party. It kinda put a dampener on the occasion.
Where were you when the first black president of the USA was inaugurated? At home. Trying to watch the tv. While being pelted with stickle bricks and whacked on the shins with Ben 10 toys to the background strains of 'TURN IT OFF MUMMY. TURN IT OFF. IT'S SO BORING I WILL DIE IF I HAVE TO WATCH IT. WE WANT CBEEBIES!!!!!'

I knew it wasn't going to a unanimous vote to watch Barack Obama become president but I feel I watch enough Lazytown to justify the odd momentous occasion to flick to one of my channels. But my children were very, very unhappy with this turn of events. Trying to explain why it was important was as effective as explaining about starving children in Africa and why they shouldn't waste food.

It ended up with one of them on my computer playing Cbeebies and the other put into the hallway with the door shut on him, while he methodically kicked the door with ever increasing screams until it reached an ear-splitting crescendo. I don't really know what the man said. The snatches I heard sounded good. But at least I can say that I did watch it. I was there in spirit.

Sigh. Can you tell that my day hasn't really improved since this morning? I'd love to tuck into a bottle of wine but I refuse to become a statistic. A statistic that says statistically yesterday was the day we will have given up on our new year's resolutions. I have lapsed a bit. Quite a lot actually on the exercise front due to poorly health. But I did attempt a 'heat in your feet' latina-cize video this morning which almost made me put my hip out, such was the gyrating fiesta. But I am clinging onto the dieting/sobriety wagon with white knuckles bared and the odd tumble taken now and then. I will not be a resolutions casualty.

Anyway, onto different issues altogether. Welsh Girl tagged me in an honesty thingy where I have to list 10 honest things about myself. I'm not convinced of the wisdom of this and think I might just limit it to five as I'm lazy (you can count that as one) -here goes:

1. There was a song called 'Solid' (don't know who sang it) that we had on one of the Now that's what I call shit music (or similar) when I was a young teenager. Anyway, the actual lyrics are:
And for love’s sake, each mistake, ah, you forgave.
And soon both of us learned to trust
Not run away, it was no time to play
We build it up and build it up and build it up
And now it’s solid
Solid as a rock
That’s what this love is.

Except that the bit I've put in bold I used to sing as follows:

Started, started as a rock....

I used to belt it out until someone in my family noticed the error of my ways and they all fell about laughing wondering what I'd progress to if I started as a rock. A small boulder perhaps? I've hated that song ever since. I didn't 'do' being laughed at very well.

2. Now here's a telling example of what it was like to grow up in Apartheid South Africa. Nelson Mandela was released from prison in February 1990. I was in my final year of high school that year (17 years old). The first time I EVER heard of Nelson Mandela was midway through 1988 (a mere 18 months before he was released). Even then, it was a passing comment that the cleverest girl in our class made about 'whether Nelson Mandela should be released from prison' and we collectively went 'Who?' I am very embarrassed about this complete and utter lack of awareness of the world around me. While people around the world were campaigning for his release, I'd never heard of the man.

3. I'm impatient, short tempered and quite bossy. (Please let my husband not read this. He will feel smug and vindicated). Although I know these things about myself, I still quite often feel that I let myself get railroaded by people instead of standing up for myself. I honestly believe that I'm quite malleable. When I revealed this deep insight to friends one drunken evening, I do believe their drinks actually came spurting out of their noses such was their mirth. They've now taken to calling me 'Malleable Mel'.

4. Almost every meal I make contains Mrs Balls' Chutney. This is my secret ingredient. I shouldn't be proud of it. It's not what the top chefs would use, but it works every time. Oh, and for added crunch on lasagnas or cottage pies, I scrumpled up corn flakes. Again, not something that will see me into the late stages of Masterchef but it works.

5. I bite my nails. Always have. Always will. Saves me a fortune on manicures.

That's my honesty quota reached for the day. Might I suggest Susanna at Modern Mother and Ali at Callapippa Tree take up the honesty baton?