47 Things About Me
34 Comments »13th July, 2006; Category: General
You may be wondering who I am and various things about me. Here is a list of 47 things about me that might not be obvious from my blog.
UPDATE: many items on this list were updated on 28th November 2009.
- I was born in 1947 (sssh – yes – I am THAT old – just keep it quiet)
- I have blue eyes and fair hair. (Update: it’s getting thinner)
- I wear glasses.
- I have been happily married since 1971. To the same person.
- I was a primary school teacher for 35 years until I retired in 2004. Update: in 2012 I was invited to take up a part-time lecturing position at Tabor Adelaide.
- I write poetry and have had many published. In 2009 I won first prize in a major poetry competition.
- I have a great passion for birding.
- I enjoy writing stories and have many published.
- I am a legend in my home town for telling jokes – I’ve have even been a stand-up comic on a number of occasions (but not professionally)
- I collect maps – 100s of them.
- I have trekked the Himalayas as far as Tengboche about 5 days’ walk from Everest base camp.
- I have a daughter who is a high school teacher.
- I have a married son who is a computer whizz (and you thought that I maintained this site????). Update: I now have a grandson and a grand-daughter.
- My wife has a small Australian native plant nursery.
- I live in Murray Bridge, South Australia, 80km east of our state capital city, beautiful Adelaide.
- I help run a poetry reading and critiquing group.
- I spend too much time watching the Australian cricket team.
- I love attending cricket matches at the best cricket oval in the world, the Adelaide Oval.
- I follow the Adelaide Crows in the AFL (Australian Football League).
- I like reading.
- I usually read magazines from cover to cover (if I’ve paid for it I want to get my money’s worth).
- I have a large, growing heap of unread magazines.
- I enjoy reading stories aloud (this comes from reading aloud to my classes while a teacher for so long.)
- I love the smell of rain on dry ground.
- My favourite movie is “Pirates of the Caribbean” but this is subject to change with my mood.
- I love taking my daughter’s dog Nancy for a walk. (Update: sadly Nancy went to Doggy Heaven in 2008. I now walk alone.)
- I have been a member of Birds SA, South Australia’s main birding association, for over 30 years.
- I grew up on a wheat and sheep farm in the Murray Mallee districts of South Australia.
- I once lived in Clare in the mid-north of South Australia, just around the corner from where my daughter now lives!
- My son and daughter-in-law live in Sydney. (Update: they adopted a Colombian boy in 2009 and a girl in 2012 so I’m now a Grand Dad).
- My interest in photography has returned since buying a digital camera in 2005.
- I love sitting in front of a wood fire.
- I love going camping, especially in the Flinders Ranges.
- My first teaching appointment was to Parachilna Rural School, a one teacher school in the Australian outback.
- My favourite bird is the Rufous Fantail, a member of the flycatcher family.
- I am a Life Member of the Adelaide Zoological Society.
- I have been a member of the South Australian Writers’ Centre since about 1992.
- I enjoy watching natural history programmes, especially if they feature birds.
- I am a member of Birds Australia, our largest birding association.
- My favourite animal is the Red Panda; unfortunately I didn’t see one when in Nepal in January 2006.
- I have written four novels and seven picture books for children, as yet unpublished.
- I have had six books published (in the early 1990s now sadly out of print)
- I enjoy watching the Tour de France – and wished I had 1% of their energy and endurance.
- I have an in-ground swimming pool in the garden affectionately known as “Le Swamp” when I don’t maintain it properly.
- I love travelling and my most memorable trip was 2 weeks in Ethiopia, followed by 2 weeks in Morocco and another two weeks in Spain during December – January, 2011-12.
- In February 2008 I went back to university. I am doing my Master of Arts in Creative Writing. It is fun – but hard work. UPDATE: Feb 2011: I passed my degree with a distinction. Yay. UPDATE #2: In February 2012 I was invited to take up a part-time lecturing position at Tabor Adelaide.
- This list started out being called “100 Things About Me” but I ran out of steam at 47, so this is it. Why stop at 47? Well, I was born in 1947, and thinking up a list of 1,947 things about me would mean no-one in their right mind would read it. Besides, that many things about me would be rather silly. So there you have it.
The trip to Nepal must have been fantastic. Unfortunately, I’ve never made it out of the US, even though I told the Air Force to send me anywhere when they had control of my life.
The trip to Nepal was truly awesome. I could not come to terms with the sheer magnitude and beauty of the mountains. I did not know that mountains could be so, high, so steep and so amazing. The trek was something I had dreamt of doing for about 30 years so you can imagine how I felt. It was also the hardest thing I have ever done – physically, mentally and emotionally. Have you read my journal of the trek? Go to the links section under “Trevor’s Travels” and then use the archives. Over the coming weeks I will be adding photos from the trek to the photo gallery.
Hello there. It’s great to meet another blogging Trevor.
Hi Trevor,
I was at Parachilna school around 1970 with my two sisters Alison and Kathy. I seem to remember a Gymkana being staged there. I have returned recently and just can’t imagine this. Do you have any other memories of this time?
Andy.
Welcome to my blog Andy. What a small world this is! Probably less than two hundred or so children ever attended Parachilna Rural School and only a handful of teachers actually taught there – and you happened to find me on my blog.
I taught there in 1969 and 1970 before moving to Port Augusta to teach. I believe that the gymkarna being held there was sometime in the 1970s after I had left. The teacher who succeeded me organised it as a fund raiser for the school. I didn’t attend as I only heard about it after the event.
It took me until the mid-1990s to get back there for a visit. I was amazed at the transformation of the “township” especially the hotel. This has been ungraded and expanded considerably in the last decade or so and it now has something of an international reputation, a far cry from the country pub atmosphere it had in the late 1960s.
The original school building is there plus another building. It is now used as a campsite – or was when I was last there.
We are long overdue for a return visit to that part of the world. There is actually a double reason for returning – my wife’s first teaching appointment was at Blinman. That’s how we met.
Hi Trevor,
I attended Parachilna Rural School back in the early 80’s just before it closed down, 1 teacher& 9 students.
What great memories growing up in and around Para.
My mother went to Blinman school back in the 50’s with her two sisters, beautiful place.
I also lived in Clare for a period of 7 years, married and had our first child there, and worked at the Bentleys Hotel for a number of years, very nice but a cold place.
Brenton.
What a small world this is – welcome to my blog Brenton – and thank you for leaving some comments.
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Hi Trevor,
I was wondering if you could pass my email address on to Dean Johnstone (comment 9 on your blog) as my family would love to get in touch.
Many thanks
Kathy
Hey Trevor,
my grandparents owned the hotel in Parachilna through the 60’s and 70′ (Mac and Dos Mackenzie). You probably stayed there while you were teaching as was the custom then. I attended the school for grade 1 in 1966 and continued to return during school holidays for as long as 1974 to visit the grandparents. I actually used to play with Kathy Connolly mentioned in item 4. The place is no longer the same.
Kathy Bishop says:
Tuesday 15th November, 2011 at 11:07 pm (Edit)
Hi Trevor,
I was wondering if you could pass my email address on to Dean Johnstone (comment 9 on your blog) as my family would love to get in touch.
Many thanks
Kathy
kathy.bishop@live.co.uk
Hi there Dean,
Welcome to my blog. It continues to astonish me how people find this reference to Parachilna – I guess that is the power of the internet these days.
How could I forget your grandparents at the hotel. They were amazing characters, especially your grandfather. They were both very kind and helpful to me a fresh out of college new teacher struggling to find his feet in his first appointment. I am now at the other end of my teaching career – I retired four years ago and have just recently returned to full time university study.
Thanks for stopping by.
Hello Trevor. You have brought back many happy & sad memories of the Parachilna Rural School. I attended from 1971 grade 4 till 1974 grade 7. Had a teacher named David Jones. How could I forget his name. A yard stick accross the rear end at 9.00am every Monday morning was the norm for me. As for Old Mac at the “Para Pub”, yes I remember him as well. I also remember the 3 gymkarnas in the early 1970’s. My family were in the district for approx 20 yers so know the place fairly well, although, it has been some time since I was there. Must go back sometime. Regards Gary
Hi there Gary,
Looks like you just missed out on having me as a teacher. The yard stick treatment sounds harsh – or did you deserve it? LOL.
I vaguely remember meeting David Jones several times at teacher conferences in Port Augusta during the time he was at Parachilna.
I’d strongly recommend a return visit sometime – if the memories are not too painful for you!!
Thanks for stopping by.
Hello again Trevor.
The yard stick was mainly due to not singing God Save the Queen, for which we had to sing whilst raising the Australian Flag each Monday morning. I wander if that’s why i’m pro republican???
Anyway, it’s a great area to live & learn & i will endevour to get back soon, & the memories are not bad, mostly good!
All the best Gary
Kathy here as mentioned above by Gary Johnson …very vague memories but fireworks come to mind associated with that name.
I remember David Jones I think his cane was called “Percy”. I remember having barbecues at the gangers house, helping out at the pub with my friend Vicki (her auntie worked at the pub). We used to go out for the day at rock pools to swim and visit the aboriginal caves at tomara rocks (I think that is what they were called). I have very fond memories.. The Tea and Sugar train for supplies etc.
Was surprised to see your blog and intriged me.
Bye for now.
Hi Trevor
You have a great site here. I’ll be back to check more of it out. I see your doing a Masters in Creative Writing. I started a Master of Arts in Creative Writing, but was quite unhappy with the format. I’m interested to know what you think about your course.
Hi there Sharon,
Thanks for stopping by. I’ve also had a look at your blog and enjoyed the experience – came to it through your comments on Karen’s blog. I must remember to bookmark your site and return to read more.
Thanks for your kind comments about this blog. I haven’t written as frequently this year because of the demands of my studies. That will change shortly because I have finished the course work (only last week). I also write regularly for 2 other blogs (see side bar for links) My wife, daughter and son also blog – the family that blogs together….??
As I said – I’ve finished all of the course work for my MA. For the rest of this year I need to complete my 40,000 word novel for children. This is well under way and I should be working on that RIGHT NOW. (Procrastination is my middle name!) After completing the novel I need to write a 10,000 word exegesis on the writing process, my research and how this all came together in the writing of the novel.
I have been studying at Tabor Adelaide. This uni is about to get full accreditation as our 4th university here. Originally it was a theological college. It still caters for that area, but now has a well established and highly recognised teaching course and next year commence a nursing course. They also have extensive TESOL courses (my wife is doing her MA in TESOL), counselling courses and now the creative writing course which started 5 years ago and continues to grow and expand. I’m hoping to be the first doctorate candidate when this starts next year.
I’ve found the course to be extremely useful. It has taught me many things, especially the importance of rewriting, careful editing, being very self critical, being about to give fellow students valuable feedback on their writing etc.
Before starting the course I had a string of 30 rejections and nearly gave up writing. Since starting the course I’ve had success with 18 successes out of about 32 submissions – these were all stories, articles and poems. Included in that was first prize in a major poetry competition. The cash prize was a bonus.
While Tabor Adelaide is a Christian college/university, there are no requirements that students be Christians. All the staff are – but only a percentage of the student body. Go to the web site to see what they offer. Being small (about 1200) every student gets very well looked after. The writing course is offered externally. Consider transferring – Dr Mark Worthing as head of Humanities would give you credit for what you’ve already done. Drop my name if you like. LOL.
All the best with your writing.
Wow, thank you Trevor. I’ll definitely take a look at the website. I haven’t heard of Tabor before today. I’ve examined every course possible in writing and was going to do a doctorate at Uni of Sunshine Coast, but my plans have been put on hold. I don’t envy you the task of creating an exegesis. This part of the requirements for the doctorate had me chewing my nails a bit.
Congratulations on getting as far as you have, and keep hammering away at that novel.
Hi Trevor, Do you know someone in your area named Brenton who owns a pub? If so do you know the name of the pub?
Sorry “Curious” – I don’t know any pub owners – probably because I only visit a pub very infrequently – usually for a meal.
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Hi Trevor – I was interested in the 47 things about you. Just wondering whether you attended Loxton High School in the 1960s??
Yes Lorraine – from 1961 to 1966 (I repeated the final year). I only get back there occasionally these days, despite some family members still living there, including my brother.
Interesting – I attended then as well. Interested to see your links with Tabor as well – I’m teaching at Cedar College with a Tabor graduate, and we have a few current Tabor students doing their teaching prac here. Smallish kind of world! There’s a reunion of Loxton students of the 1961 intake coming up here in Adelaide if you are interested.
Yes – the small size of the world amazes me at times. I know about the Loxton reunion and have received the invitation, though I doubt if I will get there due to other commitments.
Hi Trevor,
Been reading through your site and has bought back some old memories.
I am doing a little family history project and chasing old school photos of Parachilna – I attended somewhere between 1972 and 1976. I can vaguely remember a teacher called Mr Germaine (I think). One thing I do remeber very clearly was the movie nights they held on the trains – crazy stuff really…
HI Trevor I came across your site by accident. My fat birder was not working so I went in to see how things worked on that site and I am always interested to reading and seeing birds from Australian. My daughter and her family did live in Sydney for a number of years and so I visited there and went out with Alan Morris from the Central coast and Keith Brandwood from the Hawksbury direction. I have spoken in Sydney myself at a bird event and was about to again, when my daughter and family moved to Innisfail, Queensland and so for the past few years, that is where I have gone. However just a week ago, they moved to Malawi for 2 years so no doubt I will be going there!! I did read all 47 facts about you and most of the comments over the year and I think most of the people are from Australian. Not me!! I live in Northern Ireland. You don’t seem to have come over to the UK at anytime (might be wrong about that) but if not, why not?? You like travelling (no I am not offering to pay your fare!) but you would be given a very friendly welcome over here. I have not been blogging a year yet and you might be interested to have a peep at it. http://www.birdingforpleasure.blogspot.com my email is margaretadamson@mail.com should you ever wish to make contact with me. I am still on a learning curve regarding this blogging however am enjoying it very much. Well that’s enough talk for now. I will explore your site with great interest.
Hi Margaret,
Thanks for visiting and for leaving a long comment. Visiting the UK is certainly on the bucket list. I still regret that we didn’t visit when our daughter was teaching in Essex in 2005. She is currently planning on returning to teach in Ethiopia in 2016, so we plan to visit her and include several other European countries on that trip – like we did on our last visit to Ethiopia, visiting Morocco and Spain – love to go back there too. Too many countries, not enough time – or money. Sigh.
Hello Trevor,
I too am a mad bird lover-they are my life, particularly the
parrot species-have Western Rosellas in cages, Easterns nesting
in our yard and I keep a green cheeked conure and a quaker as
pets. Do you do any birding tours? Have heard that the
Gluepot Reserve is fantastic-my dream is to see some Major
Mitchells in the wild, plus some flocks of budgies-would also
love to see the Orange Bellied Parrot and a mad dream to see
a Palm Cockatoo-having a holiday down at Nelson (Lower Glenelg National Park) soon-the bird life there is fantastic.
Kind regards,
Meredith Skoravic
Hi Meredith,
I am so sorry that it has taken me over a year to reply to your comments. Not sure how I missed it.
I used to keep a few birds in an aviary but gave that up because we didn’t want to impose upon other people to look after them when we travelled.
I don’t lead birding tours mainly because I am too busy writing. I have not been on any tours led by others, either. I prefer to go birding by myself.
Gluepot Reserve is really great and I enjoyed my camping visit there a few year ago. I have promised to take my wife there soon, possibly later this year. Nelson is also a great birding spot and I have been there several times and would like to go again soon.
Hello Trevor
I came across you site by accident,
I was a student of yours at the Parachilna rural school,
Hi there Kerry,
It is always lovely to hear from any of my former students. I keep in contact with many of my students via Facebook, or I see them doing their jobs in Murray Bridge where I now live in retirement.
Please excuse me if I only vaguely remember you – it has been too many years. I would be interested in hearing what you have done with your life – if you have the time to reply.
[…] It hardly seems like eleven years, but time flies when you are having fun. The start of this blog was soon after I retired from 35 years of teaching. (You can read more about me here and here) […]