Project Tiger Stripes

I'm not very artsy or crafty. Creative genes I may have, but they do not extend to this area. (At this point, I think of the wonky-looking clay blob I made for my parents when I was 12. It still sits in my dad's display case. We tell people it's a paper weight.)

My creative mind has all sorts of ways of devising projects that are out of my league but I think, for this next one, I just might take up the challenge.

Oh nouns, oh nouns ... where can you be?

Dearest Nouns,

I fear your visits to my ears are becoming few and far between. 'Twas once a time when those party conversations were graced with your presence, but I'm afraid I've missed you at the last couple of large social gatherings.

Post-surgery entertainment

Tony sings: "Tonight, tonight, it all began tonight …"

Yes, well after tonight, it’s official: West Side Story is well and truly off the list of movies I’m allowed to watch when I’m recovering from my CI surgery in a couple of weeks. (*sniffs*)

Why? Because I've just remembered we are not supposed to blow our noses for two weeks after the surgery! Oh dear … and I thought the three weeks of silence would be the greatest challenge!

I’ve been told that I cry at everything and – oops. It’s kinda true.
OK, new goal. No unnecessary crying during the two weeks after surgery.

What does this mean for that neat floor pile of ‘recovery movies’ I’ve stacked up for myself? Well, let’s take a look.

There’s Mildly Ambitious … Far Too Ambitious … and Insanely Ambitious

Shh … I’m booking tickets for musical events taking place later this year. If my audiologist finds out, I fear she’ll send me for a pre-implant psychological assessment, quick smart, to quash those Unrealistic Expectations.

Let’s start with Mildly Ambitious, scheduled for around 4.5 months after switch-on. (August 2010)

Sorry, Dr Seuss!

OK, so everyone says that listening to children's books is a great way of training yourself with your CI, right? So, given that I'm itching to move ahead with this whole thing, I decide that I should fill in these last two weeks before the surgery with a new project: collecting some aural activities (in this case, audiobooks) so they're all ready to go for me after switch-on.

My husband raises one eyebrow at me (kills me how he can do that, I'm so jealous!) ... surely there's no hurry to do this now, his look suggests. I'll have plenty of time for this after the surgery.

Yes, well I'm IMPATIENT! ("You married me!") And here's where my apology to Dr Seuss comes in.