joannebarbarella's blog

Final Chapter

My wife died last night in the Wesley Hospital in Brisbane, Australia. Her passing was as peaceful as could be expected after nearly two years of suffering with cancers of the liver, breast and adrenal gland. She had three sessions of chemo and two of radiation treatment, which undoubtedly prolonged her life but at considerable physical and mental cost. These are cruel diseases and it is a terrible thing to see someone gradually decline before your eyes.

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Christmas Fairy Queen

I read a story by Robyn Hoode over on TG Storytime called "Christmas Fairy Queen" which she claims to be not sufficiently good to be posted here. She's wrong and needs to be shown the error of her ways. This is definitely a BC level story. Let's raise a little bit of Cain here ladies,

Joanne

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On The Subject OF Christmas Songs

This is one that you will definitely not hear in shopping malls. Take note of my warnings.

www.youtube.com.sg/watch?v=tEe55NxFSSU

Otherwise, have a very Merry Christmas,

Joanne

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Apologies To The Odd Reader

I do apologise to those few readers who may have been waiting for another chapter of my last story "After The Ball". I have just not been able to come up with anything which satisfies me or seems to be a valid continuation and so I have retitled the previous post "Just For The Ball?" with very minor changes to make it a stand-alone. If anyone thinks that they can continue the tale please feel free to do so. Just run it past me before posting. Sorry,

Joanne

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Beautiful Songs Written In Pain

Here I am again, indulging in my usual late night indulgence of listening to music which transports me. Tonight it's Fleetwood Mac and the particular song that got to me tonight is "Go Your Own Way", probably my fave song by this group, written and sung by Lindsey Buckingham (with chorus by Stevie Nicks) when Lindsey found out that Stevie was having it away with Mick.

Listen to the pain,

Joanne

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Another Day In Paradise

Here I am, fairly late at night, had maybe one wine too many, tears streaming down my face as I listen to Phil Collins' "Another Day In Paradise", a song that I love, but it always makes me feel so guilty.

The destitute woman pleads for help and the man pretends he doesn't hear and ignores her. Which of us at some time hasn't done the same? Ignored that desperate plea for help because it was too embarrassing or inconvenient, or too much trouble.

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Is Something Going On Here?

I had sort of noticed this phenomenon in that my most recently posted story had only received a fraction of the hits which I would have normally expected, but I shrugged my shoulders and put it down to the fact that I had just not connected with the audience or I had a bad authorial day when I wrote it.

Then another author bemoaned the same effect on her latest posting and wondered if it was to do with the recent up-grade. So..I went investigating, a la Nancy Drew or Susie and Jeffrey, but more cerebrally and without the mayhem.

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KUNG HEI FAT CHOI

This side (Eastern Hemisphere) of the International Dateline it is Monday 23 January, which is the first day of the Chinese New Year.

WELCOME TO THE YEAR OF THE DRAGON
May you all have a truly wonderful year

Joanne

I Am Totally Devastated

There is a heading in "My Accounts" which summarises the total number of kudos which a writer has received. I would jealously chortle over the hundreds of thousands (actually I have to tell the truth....a few hundred) of these precious little items every day, somewhat like Gollum with his ring....my pressshhhusss.

I WENT TO LOOK TODAY AND THEY WERE GONE! ALL GONE!

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Real Heroes

Most of you will never have heard of Daniel Morcombe or his family. The Morcombes are a family living on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland...that's about an hour-and-a-half's drive north of Brisbane.

Daniel was a 13-year-old boy who went Christmas shopping eight years ago and never returned. He was last seen at a bus-stop on his way home. His bones and a pair of shoes have just been discovered about twenty miles away from his home in a swamp.

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The Royal Wedding Night

The wedding night of British royalty is steeped in as much tradition as the public ceremony.

It is the custom for the bride, when she is finally undressed and ready for the nuptial bed, to say to her new husband;

"Sir, I offer you my honour."

He replies;

"Madam, I honour your offer."

Then he's on 'er and off 'er all night.

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Why Can't I Own A Canadian?

Leviticus rules
Date: Fri, 14 May 2010 15:38:30 +0800

This was sent to me today. It is self-explanatory and, in my opinion, very, very funny:

In her radio show, Dr Laura Schlesinger said that, as an observant Jew, homosexuality is an abomination according to Leviticus 18:22, and cannot be condoned under any circumstance. The following response is an open letter to Dr. Laura, penned by a US resident, which was posted on the Internet. It's funny, as well as informative:

Dear Dr. Laura:

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All Those Things You Always Pined For

Do yourselves and Erin a favour in one go.

Make tracks to Hatbox NOW and read this wonderful story by Angela Rasch. It has to be one of the finest pieces of TG fiction ever to have graced this site.

Go on! Now I've made you curious. Resistance is futile!

Joanne

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I Have Always Depended On The Kindness Of Strangers

I have been a little uncomfortable with the debate on "ownership" of stories. The theory is fine. An author owns their story and the rights to deal with that story as they see fit.

Dead easy, right?

But then you get to the somewhat more messy realities. A week or so ago I was trying to post a story and I was having Hell's own difficulties with formatting; can't blame anybody. It was me that was stuffing it up. Eventually I posted it. I took one look and (shock! horror!) deleted it. My pride wouldn't allow me to leave it there.

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