My Own Pandora's Box

Vows and thoughts on well, being married

valkyrie24 — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 01:57:34 GMT

For our ceremony Mick and I had a small reading done by my older brother Lynton, and then the vows themselves...

The reading:

Mick, please hold Claire's hands, palm up so that you may see the gift they are to you

o These are the hands of your best friend, smooth and young, that are holding yours on your wedding day, as she promises to love you today, tomorrow, and forever.

o These are the hands that will work hard for you and your family, and hold them together as one.

o They are the hands that will love you and cherish you through the years, for a lifetime of happiness.

o These are the hands that will hold you in joy and excitement and hope as she tells you that you are to have another child, that together you have created a new life.

o These are the hands that will give you strength when you need it and hold you when you struggle through difficult times.

o These are the hands that will comfort you when you are sick, or console you when you are sad.

o These are the hands that will support and encourage you to chase your dreams.

o And lastly, these are the hands that even when wrinkled and aged, will still be reaching for yours.

Claire, please hold Mick’s hands, palm up, so you may see the gift that they are to you.

o These are the hands of your best friend, young and strong that are holding your hands on your wedding day, as he promises to love you all the days of his life.

o These are the hands that will work along side yours, as together you build your future.

o These are the hands that will hold you as you laugh and cry, as you share your secrets and dreams.

o These are the hands you will place with expectant joy against your stomach, until he too, feels his child stir within you.

o These are the hands that will love you and cherish you through the years, for a lifetime of happiness.

o These are the hands that will wipe the tears from your eyes: tears of sorrow and tears of joy.

o . These are the hands that will comfort you during illness and hold you when fear or grief fills your mind.

o And lastly, these are the hands that even when wrinkled and aged, will still be reaching for yours.

And the vows:

I Michael promise you Claire to love you with all my heart, mind and strength.
I promise to be your lover, companion and friend.
I promise to be your ally in conflict,
your greatest fan and your toughest adversary.
I will be your partner in adventure and your accomplice in mischief.
I promise to be your consolation in disappointment, your strength when you need me, and to turn to you first in my own needs.
It is my vow to encourage you in all your endeavours,
and to walk with you to help you fulfil your goals.
I will never leave you. I am here to stay,
and I will be proud to be your husband.

I Claire promise you Michael to love you with all my heart, mind and strength.
I promise to be your lover, companion and friend.
I promise to be your ally in conflict,
your greatest fan and your toughest adversary.
I will be your partner in adventure and your accomplice in mischief.
I promise to be your consolation in disappointment, your strength when you need me, and to turn to you first in my own needs.
It is my vow to encourage you in all your endeavours,
and to walk with you to help you fulfil your goals.
I will never leave you. I am here to stay,
and I will be proud to be your wife.

People told me that things wouldn't really change that much once we were married - after all, we'd been living together for over 2 years. But to me there is one significant change, a sense of contentment and security that this is real. This is going to last.

I still wake up crazy with excitement to see him. And hope I always do.

Random Observations

valkyrie24 — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 03:01:53 GMT

1) Explaining to an almost 8 year old why there are 3 Santas in the main picnic area of the Zoo is an exercise in creative deception.

2) The look on said child's face when one of the Santas loses his trousers due to an ill fitting suit is even funnier.

3) Christmas trees with Mick will include Star Wars figurines.

4) Finn the Wonder-blonde Cat managed to surprise us by NOT bothering the dangling sparkly things on the tree. No idea why.

5) Christmas shopping on the Saturday before Christmas should be banned by the Geneva Convention

6) The numbers of bored looking men guarding tables in the food court probably agree with me.

7) It's all well and good marrying the evil uncle that provides noisy electronic toys to his relatives and godchildren, but Karma is a bitch.

8) We have other plans is a legitimate excuse for avoiding family you don't like.

9) Secret Santas are an annoying tradition designed to mess with your head and should be avoided where-ever possible.

10) By the end of the silly season, everyone is usually glad it only happens once a year.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Happy Birthday Jennie-fish

valkyrie24 — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 04:51:43 GMT

That is all :)

We have a Magpie

valkyrie24 — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 07:46:03 GMT

One of the local magpies has become Finn's nemesis. He's worked out that Finn is locked inside and can only watch from the windowsill. Finn is somewhat less than impressed at said cheeky little magpie sitting on the front porch right below his favourite windowsill and carolling to get his attention - it really is quite hilarious to watch.

Owwwww....The rum is gone

valkyrie24 — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 06:03:01 GMT

I'm getting old. I knows it - I have the hangover from hell.

**insert pathetic whining here**

Nicked from Pam - who nicked it from Simon

valkyrie24 — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 02:21:16 GMT

You are in a mall when the zombies attack. You have -
[01] one weapon.
[02] one song blasting on the speakers.
[03] one famous person to fight alongside you.

***

1) Chainsaw scrubcutter
2) WW3 - KMFDM
3) Keanu Reeves - no because he'd be any help, but maybe I could feed him to the zombies and he'd stop making bad movies.

Headspace

valkyrie24 — Sat, 24 May 2008 08:54:06 GMT

Turn my mike up louder I got to say something
Light weights step to the side when we come in

Feel it in your chest the syllables get pumping
People on the street they panic and start running

Words on loose leaf sheet complete coming
I jump in my mind and summon the rhyme, I'm dumping

Healing the blind I promise to let the sun in
Sick of the dark ways we march to the drum and

Jump when they tell us that they wanna see jumping
Fuck that I wanna see some fists pumping

Risk something, take back what's yours
Say something that you know they might attack you for

Cause I'm sick of being treated like I have before
Like it's stupid standing for what I'm standing for

Like this war's really just a different brand of war
Like it doesn't cater the rich and abandon poor

Like they understand you in the back of the jet
When you can't put gas in your tank

These fuckers are laughing their way to the bank and cashing the check
Asking you to have compassion and have some respect

For a leader so nervous in an obvious way
Stuttering and mumbling for nightly news to replay

And the rest of the world watching at the end of the day
In their living room laughing like "what did he say?"

[Chorus]
Amen
Amen
Amen
Amen
Amen
[End Chorus]

In my living room watching but I am not laughing
Cause when it gets tense I know what might happen

World is cold the bold men take action
Have to react or get blown into fractions

Ten years old it's something to see
Another kid my age drug under a jeep

Taken and bound and found later under a tree
I wonder if he had thought the next one could be me

Do you see the soldiers they're out today
They brush the dust with bullet proof vests away

It's ironic at times like this you pray
But a bomb blew the mosque up yesterday

There's bombs in the buses, bikes, roads
Inside your market, your shops, your clothes

My dad he's got a lot of fear I know
But enough pride inside not to let that show

My brother had a book he would hold with pride
A little red cover with a broken spine

On the back, he hand-wrote a quote inside
When the rich wage war it's the poor who die

Meanwhile, the leader just talks away
Stuttering and mumbling for nightly news to replay

And the rest of the world watching at the end of the day
both scared and angry like "what did he say?"

[Chorus]
Amen
Amen
Amen
Amen
Amen

With hands held high into a sky so blue
As the ocean opens up to swallow you

With hands held high into a sky so blue
As the ocean opens up to swallow you

With hands held high into a sky so blue
As the ocean opens up to swallow you

With hands held high into a sky so blue
As the ocean opens up to swallow you

With hands held high into a sky so blue
As the ocean opens up to swallow you

With hands held high into a sky so blue
As the ocean opens up to swallow you

Because you must all share the pain of a song stuck in your head...

valkyrie24 — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 08:26:18 GMT

Random - gakked from Liam

valkyrie24 — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 10:42:45 GMT

1. Flute
2. Has an amazing range of notes, sounds awesome and means if I'm playing it, I can't sing :)
3. Shawshank Redemption
4. Arabic - sooo many people speak it here now.
5. Kind of predictable here - abuse (in any capacity) of children. Children are innocent and defenceless, they should be cherished and not abused.

1. Leave me a casual comment of no particular significance, like a lyric to your current favorite song, or your favorite kind of sandwich, maybe your favorite game. Any remark, meaningless or not.

2. I will respond by asking you five personal questions so I can get to know you better.

3. Update your LJ with the answers to the questions.

4. Include this explanation and offer to ask someone else in your own post.

5. When others respond with a desultory comment, you will ask them five questions.

Lemming warning

valkyrie24 — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 11:54:56 GMT

Your Score: Lion Warning Cat

72 % Affection, 70 % Excitability , 43 % Hunger

You are the good Samaritan of the lolcat world. Protecting others from danger by shouting observations and guidance in cases of imminent threat, you believe in the well-being of everyone.

Link: The Which Lolcat Are You? Test written by GumOtaku on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test

Happy Kitty has run out of Happy

valkyrie24 — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 16:46:36 GMT

Cranky. Restless. Stressed and or confused, usually both. If I snap, it's probably not specifically you, unless you are doing something you know damn well will annoy the hell out of me. But be warned, not a happy joy bouncy little so and so currently.

Ha ha ha!

valkyrie24 — Sun, 13 May 2007 03:48:33 GMT

Your Score: The Cardinal

You scored 76% Cardinal, 28% Monk, 29% Lady, and 27% Knight!

You are the real power behind the throne. No one dares dispute or refuse you. Which is good because that's how you get things done. You are also, however, completely corrupt and highly immoral. This doesn't bother you in the least as you lounge around your rich comfortable surroundings, reveling in wealth and authority.

Link: The Who Would You Be in 1400 AD Test written by KnightlyKnave on OkCupid, home of the The Dating Persona Test

Cause I'm bored and ego stroking is a good thing

valkyrie24 — Sat, 07 Apr 2007 07:56:27 GMT

comment and I'll..
1 - Tell you why I friended you.
2 - Associate you with something. A fandom, a song, a colour, a piece of fruit. SOMETHING.
3 - Tell you something I like about you.
4 - Tell you a memory I have of you.
5 - Associate you with a character/pairing.
6 - Ask something I've always wanted to know about you.
7 - Tell you my favorite user pic of yours.
8 - In retort, you must spread this disease in your LJ.

heh...really?

valkyrie24 — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 10:45:44 GMT

What Be Your Nerd Type? Your Result: Social Nerd You're interested in things such as politics, psychology, child care, and peace. I wouldn't go so far as to call you a hippie, but some of you may be tree-huggers. You're the type of people who are interested in bettering the world. You're possible the least nerdy of them all; unless you participate in other activies that paled your nerdiness compared to your involvement in social activities. Whatever the case, we could still use more of you around. ^_^
Drama Nerd
Science/Math Nerd
Literature Nerd
Artistic Nerd
Gamer/Computer Nerd
Musician
Anime Nerd
What Be Your Nerd Type? Quizzes for MySpace

Gakked from the Squidster

valkyrie24 — Sun, 18 Mar 2007 04:13:01 GMT

1. Can you cook?

2. What was your dream growing up?

3. What talent do you wish you had?

4. Favorite place?

5. Favorite vegetable?

6. What was the last book you read?

7. What zodiac sign are u ?

8. Any Tattoos and/or Piercings?

9. Worst Habit?

10. Do we know each other outside of lj?

11. What is your favorite sport?

12. Negative or Optimistic attitude?

13. What would you do if you were stuck in an elevator with me?

14. Worst thing to ever happen to you?

15. Tell me one weird fact about you:

16. Do u have any pets?

17. Do u know how to do the macerana?

18. What time is it where u are now?

19. Do you think clowns are cute or scary?

20. If you could change one thing about how you look, what would it be?

21. Would you be my crime partner or my conscience?

22. What color eyes do you have?

23. Ever been arrested?

24. Bottle or Draft?

25. If you won $10,000 dollars today, what would you do with it?

26. What kind of bubble gum do you prefer to chew?

27. What 's your favorite bar to hang at?

28. Do you believe in ghosts?

29. Favorite thing to do in your spare time?

30. Do you swear a lot?

31. Biggest pet peeve?

32. In one word, how would you describe yourself?

33. Will you repost this so I can fill it out and do the same for you?

As much as I hate to be predictable...but Squidy said I should

valkyrie24 — Sun, 11 Mar 2007 09:18:14 GMT

Finish the sentence as if you wrote each one yourself.
Some may be uncomfortable, but you'll manage.

1. I've come to realize that my last kiss...
Was wet and squishy, from lips covered in tinned spaghetti and toast crumbs. I love my baby girl.

2. I am listening to ...
Gregorian Chants of John Lennon songs (yes, I'm weird sometimes)

3. I talk ...
For a living. But I still love to yak to my friends.

4. My family and friends...
Family, other than a few exceptions, I can take or leave, preferrably leave. Friends I can't live without.

5. My best friend ...
wait... I have to pick just one? Blow that for a joke!

6. My first real kiss ...
Was at the beach (where else?) and I was older than most might think - nearly 17 (first willing kiss, that is)

8. I hate it when people ask ...
How's your family?

9. Love is ...
when my little girl smiles at me and gives me a hug.

10. Marriage is ...
Not something I have a lot of faith in, to be honest, though I'd be open to someone changing my mind.

11. Somewhere, someone is thinking ...
How the hell would I know??

12. I'll always ...
live near water.

13. I have a secret crush ...
On someone, who has been a friend for a long time. Not saying anymore than that.

14. The last time I cried was ...
Over something that I am not going to tell anyone about.

15. My house phone...
Is rarely answered. Anyone who knows me knows to try the mobile first.

16. When I woke up in the morning ...
It was to an elbow in the ribs and a knee in the region of my stomach - Rachelle jumping on me :)

17. Before I go to bed ...
I have to wash my clothes for tomorrow - boring huh?

18. Right now I am thinking about ...
Packing up to take my girl back to her daddy

19. Babies are ...
Noisy, a lot of work, and not something I am in a hurry to worry about again.

20. I go on MySpace ...
Occasionally, butI haven't been there for a while.

21. Today I ...
Took my lil girl swimming.

22. Tonight I will ...
Go hang out with a bunch of middle aged geeks. As strange as it sounds.

23. Tomorrow I will ...
Go to work. And also get in contact with Victim Support services to talk to them about the case

24. I really don't want to be ...
In Perth much longer. But you get that.

25. Someone who will be most likely to repost this is ...
Maybe Pam...or Doug. Not sure on that point.

Yay, Net is back...

valkyrie24 — Sat, 10 Mar 2007 02:26:18 GMT

I must admit a certain amount of smugness and being pleasantly surprised. They said 5-10 working days, but apparently they somehow did it sooner. I'm not complaining. If I haven't already given it to you, comment here and I'll give you the new email address.

Unnecessarily high levels of Stupid

valkyrie24 — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 08:04:22 GMT

Okay, so I used to get my internet as a staff benefit. One of the very few perks of my previous job between all the other shit I had to put up with. Cool, can deal with that. Had a decent amount of credit built up. So they don't send me a bill. At All. Then disconnect me for not paying their non-existent bill. Without the courtesy of an email to prompt me to do something about it. Ah well, fudge to them.

Result of this - my email address (for those that have it) is currently out of commission and will be changed (have just signed up with new company, so hopefully back online soon) so until further notice, catmoretti_at_gmail_dot_com is the only one I am checking.

Since when was public embarrassment mandatory for your birthday?

valkyrie24 — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 07:11:12 GMT

Yes, today is my birthday. Went out to lunch with a few friends, this of course necessitated the obligatory singing...I blushed :P But had an awesome time just hanging out with people and talking. *grins* tired, hot and sleepy now - gonna go lay down...

If I get one more smartarse comment.....I will go POSTAL!

valkyrie24 — Sun, 28 Jan 2007 01:29:59 GMT

It never ceases to amaze me the comments and self absorbed crap people come up with when their power is off. Okay, so you can't run your air conditioner, and it's 42 degrees. I am at work. It's the weekend, and I have been called in to answer the phone. EVERYONE is already on overtime, whinging at me and telling me it's an emergency because you run an ice-cream shop and your fridges aren't working, sorry. Not a whole lot I can do. I mean, spare a thought for the poor sods up the pole in a rubber-sleeved suit trying to fix the problem. Can bet your arse they are more uncomfortable than you. And after I have been here listening to people complain for 9 hours, your smart alec comments about needing to feed the hamster that spins the wheel are not only not funny or smart, they are inducing me to VIOLENCE!!

Skullcrusher Mountain

valkyrie24 — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 06:29:52 GMT

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_ryNJVreiY

The Coolest 8 Year Old In The World Talks About O'Reilly

valkyrie24 — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 12:24:26 GMT

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8x14cLGh5o

Swiped from the Cannuck

valkyrie24 — Fri, 10 Nov 2006 17:16:31 GMT

1. Reply to this post if you would like me to tell you how cool you are! (Sorry, but if I don't actually know who you are, it doesn't really work, this is supposed to be genuine)

2. Watch my journal over the next few days for a post just about you and why I think you (to borrow a phrase) rock my socks.

3. Post these instructions in your journal and give your friends a much needed dose of love and adoration!

Thanks to Mike for this one..because it made me smile

valkyrie24 — Sat, 04 Nov 2006 06:47:01 GMT

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr3x_RRJdd4&eurl=

Helluva weekend...Part Two

valkyrie24 — Mon, 02 Oct 2006 23:30:05 GMT

Requiem Session 2: The Carthian Birthday Party. It starts with the rules, including the rule "Ghouls are people too". Right, yes, I know that, which then makes me free to make my own choices and I choose to serve his Grace. Is that such a bad thing?
They keep trying to talk to me like I am an equal, which is an utterly insane notion considering some of them would think nothing of draining me entirely if the fancy so took them. Smart ghouls know to defer to the Damned, sometimes I worry Tommy will cross the line one day and not come out of it. Was hard enough when asked to watch the doorway to the garden to ensure Dr Harker could have some privacy, considering those up themselves Invictus "Lords" kept demanding entry, I know I couldn't have stopped them in any way, yet they weren't really game to risk his Grace's ire. Instead they resorted to disparaging comments about taking orders from "property". Idiots. And as for Salvatore, telling me that there was to be no feeding at his party - I wanted to return the comment that he should speak to his Grace about that, or was I not to grab a bite from any of the local cafes? Worse was Lucian, demanding to know if I was a distraction for Tommy? I don't think I am, it's more the other way around - he keeps trying to distract me. Tommy seemed kind of disturbed when I asked him about it though...I wonder why? As it was, I had bigger problems on my mind - something was troubling Lestat. More so than usual, he'd gone all wistful and contemplative. Like he didn't think he'd be around much longer. I just don't know...

Mage Session 2: Holy crap that was hilarious!! Anyone playing mage will be forever wary of camp waiters. Especially that guy with the leprosy, considering the result was having the health authorities get involved. Had just as much fun playing the waiters as the players did playing their characters...

Werewolf Session 2: Fucking ROCKED!! Danica has more than proven herself as a potential Storm Lord and has displayed her grit and determination to the nation's Uratha. However, the war has begun, and she now has a lot of explaining to do to her own totem. Not to mention that she had a yelling match with a Pure and survived :P (see my IC journal, pyrospin for more)

So all in all, a damn good Conclave, sad to be seeing everyone heading back home, and so am totally going to start saving for Noctis next year, in Sydney :)