avatarBarb Dalton

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Abstract

e pudding!’</i></p><p id="1e38">For the record, they’re not easy to make, but I am the Queen of them. Pavlova anyone?</p><figure id="60ba"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*eirLcvbF7tE3b9sey8kUZg.jpeg"><figcaption>© Barb Dalton</figcaption></figure><h2 id="d36b">What type of friend would you like to be?</h2><p id="fccb">I have a lot of friends all over the world — that’s the beauty of being born in one hemisphere and moving to another as an adult. I don’t see many of them in person regularly, but when we do, we pick up where we left off.</p><p id="6871">I want to think that my friends are similar to me in terms of outlook, interests and values; people to have fun with, who make me happy rather than evoking feelings of anguish or frustration.</p><p id="4929">I’m not good with needy people as I’m very independent and am ‘needed’ in my job. I appreciate reciprocity in a friendship; it’s not always left up to me to call or make plans.</p><h2 id="7ae2">What have you given up on?</h2><p id="09aa">Oh goodness! There are a few things here, but I’ll mention just one.</p><p id="53cb">I’ve accepted I’ll never be as skinny as I was as a kid. Ironically I used to complain about it; now, <i>I wish</i>!</p><h2 id="7db1">What is one thing you’re committed to learning more about?</h2><p id="7c12">Just one? Every day is a learning moment! My job requires staying on top of best practices based on research and new technologies — and being one step ahead of my students.</p><p id="0963">There are a ton of subjects I wish I knew more about; the current global crises with the pandemic, political unrest, and climate change are subjects I read about to try and understand the different perspectives and be more open to criticisms and discussions — and have my two cents worth without looking like a dumbarse!</p><h2 id="0a16">Faves?</h2><ul><li><b>Favourite soup?</b> — anything homemade.</li><li><b>Favourite stationery item? </b>— notebooks. I have way too many, in all shapes and sizes, scattered all over the place and used for all those lists and thoughts I have.</li><li><b>Favourite novelist?</b> — I love Vanessa Diffenbaugh. Her book <i>The Language of Flowers</i> is one of my all-time favourite reads.</li><li><b>Favourite blue item? </b>— My Hydroflask water bottle</li><li><b>Favourite unhealthy beverage? </b>— Chardonnay</li></ul><h1 id="6c5b">Articles to share</h1><p id="3571"><b>Your top piece last month</b></p><p id="1aea">I ate some humble pie and was shocked at the enormous support I received. Medium is a friendly — and forgiving place!</p><div id="4f6b" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/i-was-wrong-to-write-what-i-did-89f7a45d3552"> <div> <div> <h2>I Was Wrong to Write What I Did</h2> <div><h3>I deleted a story and am here to apologize</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.re

Options

admedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*URXfkNR6bVtHEDubeIQ03w.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><p id="f623"><b>A piece that deserves more love</b></p><p id="875b">This was a tribute to my mum; she made me into the person I am today.</p><div id="4d69" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/10-ways-to-be-a-decent-human-being-b80516372e38"> <div> <div> <h2>10 Ways To Be A Decent Human Being</h2> <div><h3>The powerful, unspoken lessons I learned from my Mum</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*dvn3xPEOEYQUpqNMPZhgPw.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><p id="2dc2"><b>A piece that’s fewer than 3 minutes</b></p><p id="5c90">It’s the bane of my existence when at work!</p><div id="8e00" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/whats-up-with-doctor-s-handwriting-e1bb3e77aafb"> <div> <div> <h2>What’s up With Doctor’s Handwriting?</h2> <div><h3>Their scribbles are the bane of nurses!</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*AOoeRHB2j9UQdgrSTsHARA.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><p id="0d54"><b>A long-form piece</b></p><p id="4979">I’m surprised not more people read this!</p><div id="de62" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/is-there-an-elephant-on-my-breast-b32cdafef8a4"> <div> <div> <h2>Stomping Out Breast Cancer</h2> <div><h3>The lowdown on Mammograms</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*UI8l_B9nclplI0PvHZOENA.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><p id="a414"><b>A poem</b></p><p id="6574">A shout out to <a href="undefined">Lucy Dan 蛋小姐 (she/her/她)</a>for this prompt!</p><div id="6376" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/beach-life-422e4b9e490d"> <div> <div> <h2>Beach Life</h2> <div><h3>Building sandcastles</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*EYz1a1akA1FxWOkQlegF2w.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><p id="82e0">Thanks, <a href="undefined">Lucy Dan 蛋小姐 (she/her/她)</a> for yet another thought-provoking interview.</p></article></body>

TBIN OCTOBER INTERVIEW

Hand Me That Microphone, Lucy!

An interview to shed more light on yours truly.

Image by WilliPuschel from Pixabay

What to do when you want to write and are avoiding the research required to produce a decent story? Answer some pub questions!

Here goes with my answers to TBIN and its excellent interview questions, concocted by its inquisitive editor, Lucy Dan 蛋小姐 (she/her/她)

Does writing energize or exhaust you?

I’ve been writing fiendishly since February, and up until now, it has energized me. There were oodles of things I needed to say that suddenly seemed to be bursting out of me like there was no tomorrow. It was like a small stream suddenly being inundated, thoughts gushing out of me.

8-months later, I have lots of ideas but less time to sit down and write now that work has resumed its arduous pace. I’m not exhausted with writing per se, but more frustrated at not being able to devote more time to do a craft that I have fallen in love with.

A lot of the topics I want to write about require significant research to execute appropriately. I have several drafts on the go and try to get to them whenever I can.

What is one food that represents the country you are currently in?

That’s a loaded question — especially if an Australian is reading! New Zealand’s claim to fame is a dessert called pavlova. It is egg whites whipped incessantly before cornstarch, sugar and vanilla extract are added.

The result? A crunchy exterior like meringue and a marshmallow interior. Delicious!

Why the debate with those Aussies?

The pavlova is named after the famed Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, who toured Australia and New Zealand in 1926. As the New Zealand story goes, the chef of a Wellington hotel at the time created the billowy dessert in her honor, claiming inspiration from her tutu. Australians, on the other hand, believe the pavlova was invented at a hotel in Perth, and named after the ballerina when one diner declared it to be “light as Pavlova.” Source

Preston, the author of the article mentioned above, claims we are both barking up the wrong tree. Who cares?! It makes for a fun debate and adds an element to the saying, ‘the proof is in the pudding!’

For the record, they’re not easy to make, but I am the Queen of them. Pavlova anyone?

© Barb Dalton

What type of friend would you like to be?

I have a lot of friends all over the world — that’s the beauty of being born in one hemisphere and moving to another as an adult. I don’t see many of them in person regularly, but when we do, we pick up where we left off.

I want to think that my friends are similar to me in terms of outlook, interests and values; people to have fun with, who make me happy rather than evoking feelings of anguish or frustration.

I’m not good with needy people as I’m very independent and am ‘needed’ in my job. I appreciate reciprocity in a friendship; it’s not always left up to me to call or make plans.

What have you given up on?

Oh goodness! There are a few things here, but I’ll mention just one.

I’ve accepted I’ll never be as skinny as I was as a kid. Ironically I used to complain about it; now, I wish!

What is one thing you’re committed to learning more about?

Just one? Every day is a learning moment! My job requires staying on top of best practices based on research and new technologies — and being one step ahead of my students.

There are a ton of subjects I wish I knew more about; the current global crises with the pandemic, political unrest, and climate change are subjects I read about to try and understand the different perspectives and be more open to criticisms and discussions — and have my two cents worth without looking like a dumbarse!

Faves?

  • Favourite soup? — anything homemade.
  • Favourite stationery item? — notebooks. I have way too many, in all shapes and sizes, scattered all over the place and used for all those lists and thoughts I have.
  • Favourite novelist? — I love Vanessa Diffenbaugh. Her book The Language of Flowers is one of my all-time favourite reads.
  • Favourite blue item? — My Hydroflask water bottle
  • Favourite unhealthy beverage? — Chardonnay

Articles to share

Your top piece last month

I ate some humble pie and was shocked at the enormous support I received. Medium is a friendly — and forgiving place!

A piece that deserves more love

This was a tribute to my mum; she made me into the person I am today.

A piece that’s fewer than 3 minutes

It’s the bane of my existence when at work!

A long-form piece

I’m surprised not more people read this!

A poem

A shout out to Lucy Dan 蛋小姐 (she/her/她)for this prompt!

Thanks, Lucy Dan 蛋小姐 (she/her/她) for yet another thought-provoking interview.

Interview
Prompt
Tbin Interview
About Me
Writing
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