Monday, February 25, 2008

Lately ...

More than a few people have talked of my book ... the one that I'm writing soon, so they tell me.

I've started books in the past; a half-finished manuscript of interviews with New Zealand climbers that made it through two publishing meetings, only to be rejected based on the predicted lack of a huge audience.

A few years later and mountain stuff began to enter the public sphere, I was simply too early and by then I had signed up as a 'mature' student at university, my mother had died, my marriage was ending ... I had stuff going on.

I have at least 11,000 words in a fictional piece, something I rework as my life and experience of life changes. I'm not sure what that's about but it's there and I play with it.

These days, if I wrote, I think it would be more about my strange and unpredictable life. I have been a daughter, a wife, a mother and grandmother, I've worked for photographers, lawyers, a jeweler and in the office of a New Zealand government corporation. I've been a really bad waitress, a teacher and of course, all the way through there was always photography as my passion.

I've lived around New Zealand in 4 very different locations, been the wife of a teacher and an airforce officer (same man, his midlife crisis), the wife of a Belgian civil servant who works two very different jobs at the same time.

I've lived in Turkey and here in Belgium, traveled to America, been stranded in Fiji, stayed in Australia, fallen in love with Italy, wandered through France, Germany, Holland, adored Spain too.

There was the woman who fell past my balcony, the motorbike crash at more than 100kms. There was me shaking over the opportunity to photograph the Queen of England located across a small stretch of empty grass, being tasked to spend the day following a famous Canadian actor, being asked to photograph New Zealand's prime minister, a Victoria Cross winner and so many other interesting people.

Now there's this part-time job in communications in Brussels and I'm loving it and the worlds it's exposing me too.

My business is launched and that's okay too.

But there was never a plan ... school reports always said 'Diane could do better', even while I was sailing along in the top class groups.

I've been a swimmer, a badminton and hockey player, I've ridden horses and sped across a winter lake ice-skating with friends, racing towards the final somersaulting moment into deep snow because I have this weird mix of risk-manager and adrenalin junkie (if really pushed).

I've read by the light of the moon until the book was finished ... regularly, fallen in love and out of love with Cadburys chocolate because of Belgian chocolate. I'm still waiting for that moment when I stop loving red wine.

I love coffee but it doesn't like me, although I persevere with the relationship, oftentimes wishing I hadn't.

Materially, I adore my camera, my laptop and little plastic mp3 player.

Hmmmm, no need for that book ... tis done.

9 comments:

The Littons said...

I'm always suspicious of people who have "plans" for their life.
And I don't know anyone who wasn't told "could do better" at school. That's what life is about - learning to do, and be, better.

Anonymous said...

Tis not done. You just have to work each aspect out a bit, like woman falling by my window, stranded in Fiji, etc. Your book could be bigger (in pages) than the one of Bill Clinton. Start penning down, you!

Di Mackey said...

I did smile, Simon but some of my friends who made plans have money, a house, a car even ...

They were incredibly mean with their 'could do better' ... one grows up with this feeling of laziness and underachieving.

Lol, is that so Manictastic - not done huh?

Anonymous said...

My, you have had an interesting ride on life's waves Di - I sort of suspected as much all a long!

Sounds as though you should simply write a book about yourself and your adventures.

As for the skool reports - and as your life just goes to show - they ain't worth a fat lot.

Skool works for some,and not for others - just because you did not shine at school, in no way means you cannot shine in life.

We both know this;-)

Kind regards,

Alex

Anonymous said...

Although life is all about choices, I never forget that coincidence, fate or whatever it may be called plays a major role.

I made plans too Di, had the financially stable partner-large suburban house-garden-dog- bits, but destiny decided otherwise.

When I 'read' your book at this very moment, I think you can be real proud of what you achieved.

Anonymous said...

So many reasons to love you...not the least of which is the lack of plans.

It took me years to let go of my plans. You were a child genius. : )

Di Mackey said...

Grazie Alex :)

And dank u wel, Peter. You know, my teachers were writing 'Diane can do better despite the fact that I was in the top-streamed classes, most particularly for English lit. That's the sad thing, that I was growing tired of it by 16 and briefly contemplated being the secretary my parents wanted me to be. Lol, can you imagine ...

And thank you to you, Ms V.

A child genius ... and there was me, always haunted by that morality tale of the cricket and the ants.

You know, where the ants are prepared and the cricket plays the fiddle all summer. Winter comes and the ants have to rescue him.

Thanks for your comments here. You all made me smile.

Anonymous said...

Planning, Planning, Planning... I am always planning. And yet, the best things in life came to me because my planning didn't work. Great job? I did the entry test as a practice run for the Italian diplomatic service (which I failed).
Great husband? He was supposed to be a one-night stand but he refused.
But we should still "plan" the next get-together ;-)
Paola

Di Mackey said...

Paola, you left me giggling and yes, our next get-together needs planned

After you're back from your parent-hosting, jet-setting, camera-buying travels :)