Reflections on Team Up Thursday....

Last week Wendy (Fit, Fab & Forty Plus - http://www.iamapear.blogspot.com/) asked what TUT was all about in my comments...

I have answered the question (simply) in the comments of her blog, but her question made me really think about TUT and what it means to me...

My inspiration in doing TUT was my longest standing best friend - Claire in Wales (Inspiration for the Soul - http://www.mcgeers.blogspot.com/)  - she has been blogging for a long time...and like most bloggers there have been periods of inactivity, however, I started noticing that every week she was doing a TUT post....Claire is a very talented photographer...and I have never really been interested in photography....(Mike is the photographer in our family and I have never felt the inclination to pick up the camera) - BUT I loved the pictures that Claire was creating and I liked the idea of having a theme to guide me - Also - this type of photography was not Mike's standard stuff - so I would be creating my own photographic space.

She told me that all I needed to do was to find a partner and start a blog - the rest followed very easily.

I chose Mariette as my partner (http://www.mk-appreciatinglife.blogspot.com/), because I sensed in her the need to do something totally for herself..As time has gone, I have realised how spot on I actually was and indeed we should all be making time to do something that is totally selfish once in a while...Because TUT is a partnership, you tend not to want to let your partner down, so you don't fall off the wagon as easily as if there was no partner.  Mariette's confidence and creativity has increased every week, and she has taken some beautiful photos...It has also enhanced our friendship - from having a fairly patchy e-mail correspondance we now exchange an e-mail at least once a week and along with our photo we include some news - It has been great to find out more about my far away (UK) friend through our weekly e-mails and TUT.

I love doing TUT and even if no-one was reading it and leaving comments, Mariette and I would both carry on...for our own benefit - It has helped my photography, and has given me a creative outlet in a time that I have really needed to focus on somehing completely different each week.

My sister in law, Pam, (http://www.live-life-as-a-play.blogspot.com/) in America and her sister Heidi, (http://www.hidesignphotography.blogspot.com/) on the other side of the world in New Zealand, also recently teamed up and are doing some fantastic stuff...The fun thing about teaming with someone in a different part of the world is that the seasons and time zones as well as cultures and way of life are different and it shows in the photos....

Lynette (Work in Progress - http://www.creative-moments-lynette.blogspot.com/) used to do it - Lynette I still read your blog and love it, it would be nice to see you doing TUT again..

So Wendy, and anyone else, choose a partner and join - It is a lot of fun.

NOW for some fun of  a different kind...

25 Get to Know You Questions

...from Wendy's blog....Play along if you want...

1. What time did you go to bed last night and were you alone?
At about half past ten...Mike and I went to bed together - And the cat jumped up in about two seconds and hassled me all night by being very affectionate - Tickey joined two minutes after the cat and slipped under the duvet and lay at my feet as she always does....

2. If you could be given ANY gift what would it be?
Anything that someone has put thought into and gotten especially for me...from flowers to jewellry to whatever, particulary special if it is unexpected - An "I Love You" gift.

3. What was the last film that really moved/disturbed/thrilled you and why?
Don't know what the last movie was - But the all time movie has got to be "A Whale for the Killing" - I saw it as a teenager and would love to see it again.....A disturbing movie because of the creulness and greed of human nature and a lovely movie because of the beautiful relationships humans can build...

4. What is your favourite TV show of all time ie you've seen them all, can watch it over and over again and quote lines from it?
Probably Two and a Half Men...

5. Whats your favourite way to wake up and whats the first thing you do?

I love waking up in Mike's arms - warm and snuggly...I snuggle for as long as possible and leave getting up to face the day to the last possible minute...

6. What would you call yourself if you could choose your own name?
I have grown used to my name and now quite like it - BUT I think I would have preferred to have been called Sarah...

7. If you had to do a bushtucker challenge (you have to eat insects/grubs etc) what would be the worst thing you had to eat?
I could not eat any of those things - and knowing this, would never willingly put myself in that type of situation 

8. Whats the worst/most embarassing CD/Album you've ever owned and do you still have it?
I am not embaressed by the musice I like or own - Someone else may be embaressed to admit that they love Air Supply - but not me
 

9. What would be your dream vehicle (bikes, cars, boats, batcar and millenium falcon is allowed!)?
Don't care - As long as it gets me to where I want to go...I am happy with my little car...

10. Whats your favourite fantasy people sandwhich?

What????

11. What characteristics do you dislike in yourself?

Too many to mention - but they are all minor little irritations - probably the most irritating is that I can not do anything straight and I also can not see when something is not straight - Makes scrapping challenging...
12. Your favourite item of clothing and why?

My PJ'S and Dressing Gown - Soft and snuggly and warm - I am also a sucker for soft jerseys...

13. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would it be and who would it be with?

Holland with Mike and Brad and Kayla-Fern - would be nice to have other family and friends join if they wanted
14. If you could have any animal/creature, what would be your ultimate pet be?

I love all our pets dearly, but it would be awesome to have a baby hippo...

15. What did you want to be when you were little and do you think you ever will be?

Oh, I wanted to be a choreographer...I never will be because I have absolutely no sense of rhythm and beat at all - I still love to watch beautiful dancing - but it must be two people who are in love....

16. Whats the next planned event you're looking forward to in your life?
A weekend break just Mike and I - not planned yet...but will be soon

17. What were you doing before you started this?

Eating breakfast

18. What was the last thing you ate that you really shouldnt of ?

Slice of bread and peanut butter and a crunchie ...

19. If you were an ice cream/haagen daz/ben an jerrys flavour what would you be?
Anything Fruity 

20. Who was the last person you spoke to that you didnt want to talk to?

Someone phoned on my cell phone to offer me a new credit card


21. What was your favourite toy as a child  . . .and now?

Can't remember, but I loved reading, (I would hide away so that I could read inside instead of having to go and play outside at boarding school) so books were always popular and now ...mmmm....


22. When was the last time you cried laughing and why?
Monday - When a collegue told me about his wife who is an optometrist who refuses to test his eyes and why she refuses to test his eyes...

23. What is stashed under your bed/mattress?

Nothing


24. What did you dream about last night?

Can not remember

25. What are you really afraid of?
Being lost in the dark
Hurting the people I care for (unintentionally, of course)