Articles written by Amanda Le Bas De Plumetot - Page 3

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About me - Amanda Le Bas De Plumetot

In a previous life I worked as an advertising copywriter. I have way too many pets and they are so badly behaved. I love to write but I earn my keep by selling cinema tickets.

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Travel > Public Transportation Public transportation should be free: 15 of 35
You bet it should. Think about it, the government pays for all that rolling stock, for the rails and energy to drive it and for all of the station staff and drivers and ticket collectors. And does the customers' fare cover all this? Of course not. I'm betting it would be cheaper to not have ticket collectors and those stupid... More..
Creative Writing > Poetry Poetry: Directions: 35 of 80
MAKE A MAP Draw it on the back of an envelope. It doesn't matter what it shows. X doesn't have to mark the spot. Just make something up. Make it up and hide it. Put it where people will look when they want to find your secrets; a shoebox under the bed, camouflaged with dust and odd socks; a jewellery case littered with diama... More..
Parenting & Pregnancy > Child Discipline Strategies Discipline: When your child is in control of you: 10 of 21
Kids take control when they can see an opportunity. In the cases I've noted, the opportunity isn't just grabbed on chance, it's offered to them on a silver platter. Mostly by parents or carers who don't have a clue or can't be bothered. In my job selling cinema tickets, I spend a lot of school holidays faced with parents and... More..
Creative Writing > Memoirs My most humorous gardening (mis)adventure: 41 of 76
It seemed like a great idea at the time. We had a whole acre of garden and really not much inclination to do anything constructive. Why not get a sheep? It would mean hubby didn't have to spend all summer cutting grass on our steep and rocky block. It would mean the peaceful sound of an occasional "baa" instead of hours of t... More..
Parenting & Pregnancy > Pregnancy Can Thomas really be considered the first pregnant man?: 6 of 11
I thought this was a joke when I first read about it. Then I saw an interview with Thomas and yes. He looks like a man. He sounds like a man. He dressed like a man. He is married to a woman. He's obviously got some hormones to make him grow a beard. Now it's no secret that Thomas started off life as a baby girl. He was obvio... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Energy Issues Does protecting the environment have to come at the expense of jobs?: 5 of 9
Sure it will. Of course it will. It has to, just as computers in the workplace have cost jobs and driving round in cars has cost jobs and having factories instead of doing everything by hand has cost jobs. All of these things have also created jobs, though it might take the truly conservative elements a little while to catch... More..
Food & Drink > Sauce, Spread & Dip Recipes Recipes: Salsa: 19 of 34
1 fresh, ripe mango 2 Lebanese cucumbers 2 green onions 1 capsicum red or yellow 1 red hot chilli corinaner leaves or Vietnamese (hot) mint mint leaves balsamic vinegar This is a really simple recipe: chop up the mango peel and chop the cukies chop the onions seed and chop the capsicum and chilli chop up the herbs mix it all... More..
Creative Writing > Short Stories Short stories: A new life: 25 of 42
Dandelion Wine "They have dandelion wine to drink. And they eat cakes made of acorn flour and flavoured with, with, umrosepetals." "And I suppose they live in mushrooms with little doors." "No, they live under tree roots. Like that one," Travis indicated the big oak they were passing. Something had burrowed under the roots a... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Pagan & Earth-Based Religions Testimonies: Why I follow pagan traditions: 8 of 13
I like honesty. I like animals. I like the earth. I have much in common with other 50 year old middle class western women. That is to say, I was brought up as a Christian. This was more a matter of convenience for my parents than anything else: the church was about 5 doors down and Mum could put my sister and me into our Sun... More..
Arts & Humanities > The World Wars Should the Allied powers in World War II have bombed Auschwitz?: 23 of 36
Oh, what a great idea. Bomb a concentration camp. Who thinks of these things? What are they on? Those camps were full up to the gills with prisoners. Men and women and little children who had done nothing more sinister than have some vague attachment to a pre-Christian culture. Or to have had black skin. Or a predeliction to... More..