Talking and Texting and Driving and Being Distracted and Being an Idiot

Do you ever text while you're driving? Be honest. You can be totes honest here. 

I've been observing drivers lately, when I'm sitting in traffic - because I live in Sydney and there's plenty of traffic in which to observe. 

So many people texting or holding their phone while driving. 

I watched one car in my rear-vision, and could see the woman looking down incessantly to her lap. One guess to what she was doing. I don't think she was sewing a button on her skirt. 

23% of Australian drivers talk or text while driving. That's a little scary when I consider how many people are on the road - and how quickly accidents happen.

I know driving home from work, I sometimes want to chat with someone, because I'm by myself, it's a good time to talk because there are no little people to interrupt, and no distractions. 

No distractions? HUH?? That's crazy isn't it. 

So many distractions on the road.

This is not to give you a rap over the knuckles, dear reader, it's to say: I'm not going to answer my phone or text, or even so much as give my phone a glance when I am in the car, sitting in traffic, bored. 

Instead I will find a good song on the radio and engage in some in-car karaoke. 

ETSY Success: DIY PR

Watch live streaming video from etsy at livestream.com

It feels like long ago, but remember when I spoke at ETSY Success as part of the Vivid Festival?  I promised I would post when my video had gone live on the ETSY site. And well.. I've arrived.

Now you can relish in how truly dorky I am. Truly. Dorky.

I can't watch myself because it is excruciatingly cringe-worthy. But I'll post it so you might be able to glean some PR tips if you need them...

Ok so this is me, with Jo Walker, the Editor of Frankie Magazine. Please keep in mind that just moments before going on stage, I was tempted to get in the lift and disappear for the afternoon.

You can thank ETSY for this video.

Vivid Festival:: ETSY Success

This weekend I am lucky enough to be involved in ETSY Success – part of the Vivid Festival. I’m talking DIY PR – a really, really practical guide to getting yourself out there. Because let’s face it, promoting yourself can be awkward.

Together with a host of ace speakers, such as Wee Birdy, the editor of Frankie Magazine – Jo Walker, and the CEO of ETSY, Chad Dickerson, it’s going to be a jam-packed day full of tips, tricks and case studies to help build creative businesses.
I am a long-time ETSY fan, and am really looking forward to this event both personally and professionally, as well as meeting some of the cleverest minds in the biz.
You can still buy tickets for the day here – and let’s face it – a day spent in the salubrious setting of the new MCA building, overlooking Sydney Harbour? Super fantastic. Plus there’s bound to be some top learnings from the day.
You can see how the day looks here.
If you can’t make it – the event will be filmed (eek!). You can read more over here.


image via the Etsy blog

Tonight I Banned Talking About Poo

Living with a six (almost seven) year old and a four year old, I hear a lot of poo talk. 


All. Flipping. Day. Long.


And you know, it can really wear a girl out. 


I am sick of poo talk.


Poo jokes? I am sick of them too.

Tiny thinks anything with a punchline of poo poo is going to elicit giggles. It might from her, but I'm not laughing. 


Tonight they were reading a book together, and every second word was poo. And you know, I just put a blanket ban on poo talk. 


I do not want to discuss poo. With you, or without you. Poo is poo is poo. It's what we do. I do not need to talk about it, thank you.


If you have a poo frenzy on your hands (well not literally I hope), you should get this book. We have the pop-up poo version. It is very funny. Well it was until Tiny tore out all the pop-up bits. 

InstaBotox

I've been having a blast on Instagram, whereby I mess with the filters (not fillers) and can produce almost blemish-free, wrinkle-free skin. It's better than Botox. No needles. No toxins. No muscle paralysis. 


Speaking of which...What do you think of Botox? 


I've not had it. Not going to either. 

I like to think of ageing gracefully - of embracing the wrinkles and lines that are medals of life (and I often think - if I was a caveman, I wouldn't even be alive now - high five frown lines!). 


I had some photos taken last week - where my brow is furrowed - and well, it's probably ripe for sowing some plants in there. It's probably not perty, but it's part of me. 


I think overuse of Botox winds up looking a bit.. Odd. A bit... Freaky. It's a slippery slope, and how do you ever get off the merry-go-round of your three monthly Botox top ups? I genuinely want to know. 


A tell-tale sign, I believe, is those cray cray kick up eyebrows - that's a giveaway. 


So go to town friends, if you're pro-Botox, educate me on the joys. If you're sitting on the fence, perhaps I'll come join you. And if you're not keen on the needle in the face, talk to me too. 

The New Look PottyMouthMama

I've had a makeover over on my Facebook page. You should totes come over and check it out - as well as my new ample derriere. And bosom. And nose. And new and improved skinny arm. We can chat. And talk. And stuff.

Of if you're more into short and sharp, come over to Twitter.

PottyMouthMama. Get it while it's hot.

Dangerous Kids VS Bubble Wrapped Cloistered Kids

Do you let your kids do dangerous things? Me? Nope. Not really. Which is a shame really. It is. They live this cloistered life where they don't get to experience life's heady ups and it's way down downs. 


While my kids don't live a dangerous life, I do try and invest in them a sense of independence. I think independence in children is an absolutely positive thing. It's what you want. Well it's what I want anyhow. 


I lived a childhood where we tore up the streets riding our bikes 'round and 'round, through church yards, up and down gravel roads. We walked to the local BP station for mixed lollies. We walked bare foot through grass. We got sunburnt. I jumped into the pool. Mum had to fish me out. We lit fire crackers. We made bonfires. We made teepees out of sticks. I jumped into the pool. Mum had to fish a blue-faced me out. We drove through my grandparent's paddocks, me sitting on Gramps' knee steering. I got rose thorns in my fingers. I trod on bindis. I trod on prickles. I trod on bees. I trod on a nail. Yes. I trod on a lot. That's what happens when you have big feet like me. 


We had cats, dogs, rabbits, lambs, birds, fish and chickens for pets. Life was good. Life was full. And Mum and Dad cast out a net for us to catch our own experiences. 


And then I look at my children's experiences. They don't really play out on the street with the other kids. Society has in a way wrapped them up in bubble-wrap and cloistered our kids. We're raising a generation of kids that are bubble-wrapped. Heck, all the playgrounds these days are safety-conscious they've removed the fun from it. Where's the sense of adventure? 


One of my friends posted this TED Talk on their Facebook page (thanks to whoever that was) and I became inspired. 


I'm inspired to let my children experience more. I want them to play with fire - but with boundaries. I want them to pull things apart. I'm going to let my kids use knives. I'm going to give my kids tools to experience life to a fuller capacity. They can throw spears too - just not sure where we're going to do that. 


If for one thing alone, watching this has added a new dimension to my parenting. I want my kids to live a colourful and rich childhood. A pocket-knife is now on my shopping list for the Doctor's birthday.

Speaking The Truth

Sometimes I'd really love to speak my mind.

Yesterday I sat on the train next to a guy who talked on his mobile at the top of his voice. From this conversation I extracted the following conversation:

• He was on his way to work
• His boss' name is Andrew
• His boss is overweight
• His boss is married
• His boss was attending his wife's grandfather's funeral that day, and would not be at work
• His boss had a four year old daughter
• His boss was definitely married (yep, kept reiterating that point)
• And heck, he didn't know what he was up to on Saturday and Sunday

I heard all of this despite my best efforts to not hear all of this. I cranked up Bon Iver but still the noisy commuter's voice permeated my music. While Bon Iver is not exactly Pantera, it was up loud. Truly.

Reminded me of Clive. There's always a Clive on the train. Yes?

Speaking Of Which...

A dinner table conversation from a couple of nights ago:

Tiny: Mum, can you say 'beaver'?

Me: Beaver.

Tiny: Good girl!

Bush. Brazil. Beaver. Here's some music to mix things up.

image via Beaver Pond

The Over Talker. The Opposite Talker. The Disinterested Talker

There are people in my life who fit in to each of the following categories (and thankfully most don't fit in to any):

• The Over Talker: Talks over the top of me. Interrupts to talk more about themselves. And no matter what I say, will just continue to butt in so that they can talk. Usually about their favourite topic. Themself.


• The Opposite Talker: Someone who - regardless of your point-of-view will take the opposite stance, for no other reason than they want to butt heads with you. Take for example:

Me - 'I can't stand this heat, I don't cope with 43 degree days.'

TOP - 'Oh these days are so lovely, the sun is brilliant.'

Between you and me, I know very, very few people who thrive in such heat.

• And finally, but by no means conclusive of 'types of talkers' - I give you, this, possibly the most difficult to converse with - the Disinterested Talker: Doesn't care what you're up to, doesn't give a toss that you're not feeling well/you grew an extra head/or an Ewok just crawled out of the toilet, they will not engage with any of your conversation, and will always find something else to talk about - even if it's as banal as the weather. Even if it's as scintillating as talking laundry.

And what happens if these three merge in to one person? It's a difficult conversation. Trust me, I speak from experience.

How do you cope with these kind of conversations?

image via