It’s too hot. Very hot. So hot that I’m going a bit loopy.
Case in point:
1. At 11:40pm last night, I started vacuuming my bed whilst singing “A Spoonful Of Sugar” from Mary Poppins at the top of my lungs, all because I found a few flying ants on the sheets.
2. I posted a Facebook status about how the heat makes the social convention of wearing clothes seem like a cruel joke. I then immediately deleted the status because I feared it put me and nakedness too close, contextually. That isn’t something I like to force on people.
3. There is no room in my fridge for real food because it’s stacked full of chocolate that would melt in the pantry. (Well, I have half a cabbage, two plums, soymilk and a bag of flaxmeal somewhere in the fridge, but they’re hard to reach.) I’m okay with this.
Anyhoodle, what I’m trying to say is this: it’s hot and my brain is addled. Consequently, now seems like the perfect time to post my answers to the Four Things meme, which fellow chocoholic Victoria tagged me with weeks ago. Oh, and because I have no relevant photos for my answers, I’m setting myself up for ridicule by posting pictures of me as a child.
Here goes!
Apparently I’ve always felt the urge to show off new dress purchases
The Four Things Thing of Thingness:
Four TV shows that I watch:
1. The West Wing with my mother. This always takes place accompanied by Irish Cream-flavoured coffee and chocolate.
2. Battlestar Galactica with my father. This only takes place when the American football season is over. (Bring on Superbowl Sunday [or Monday, Australia-time]!)
3. Pushing Daisies. Because it is gorgeous.
4. 30 Rock. Because Liz Lemon hits scarily close to home.
Four things I’m passionate about:
1. Chocolate.
2. My family, and not just because many of them contributed to creating me. I genuinely like who they are as people.
3. Travel, because I feel free, light, independent, and like the best version of myself when I’m exploring new places.
4. My friends, because they make the world less scary and life feel worth it.
Hey Mum, do you think we could hoist those shorts up a little bit more? I don’t think I look quite cool enough yet.
Four words/phrases I use a lot:
1. That was just me being a nincompoop.
2. Chocolate.
3. Holy bucket!
4. If you have a problem and you need a helping hand, cross the dell and ring the bell, he’ll understand. Con’t worry, ’cause here comes Oakie Doke. The friendliest of folk is Mr Oakie Doke.
Four things I’ve learned from the past:
1. Hiding from the world because you’re scared of failure is a surefire way to make yourself miserable.
2. Chocolate is a superfood.
3. Thinking that you’re worthless can lead you to unintentionally hurt the people who care about you. (Realising this was a rather big moment for me, actually.)
4. It is possible to survive your brother sitting on your head for an extended period of time.
Four places I would like to go:
1. Everywhere my dearest blogfriends are.
2. [Back to] France.
3. Anywhere with a Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, or gourmet chocolate store.
4. To me. *snicker*
Whenever my brother and I are being naughty, our parents stick us in a cage for a few hours. Works every time. (Also, note the vegemite shirt!)
Four things I did yesterday:
1. Ate chocolate.
2. Ate raw vegan cookie dough truffles (post to come!)
3. Felt happy inside after reading blog comments and emails.
4. Complained about the heat.
Four things I am looking forward to:
1. A cool turn in the weather. (Please happen, afternoon thunderstorm.)
2. Figuring out what to do with my life.
3. Finishing my raw vegan cookie dough truffles so that I can make another, equally-tasty, raw vegan dessert.
4. More travel. Eventually.
Four things I love about winter:
1. Nothing. I hate the cold even more than I hate the excessive heat. Seriously, would you enjoy weather that turns your toes purple? Exactly. Exactly. (Well, okay, I do like being able to use my oven without suffocating my apartment, and I do like the lack of bugs.)
See? It doesn’t look like I enjoyed the cold much as a child, either.
Tag four people to play along:
I can’t help feeling that a lot of people have already done this meme, so I’ll instead open it up to anyone who wants to have a go. And if you don’t have a blog, feel free to give your answers in the comments!
hahaa I love the picture of your “hoisted up shorts”!!
You even have a little smirk on your face. Such a cute kid you were… <3
Aw, thanks Ellie! I’d like to think that smirk was me knowing I’d be judging myself 18 years later
I’m with you on the heat thing! I think I melted a bit today. It’s addled my brain and common sense and my ability to play along. Sorry!
No worries; I completely understand! Down with the addling heat!
I have just finished eating an icy pole that I made out of fruit puree – highly recommend it for hot days (or just freeze grapes as my mum does). I also recommend you get a chocolate cellar a bit like a wine cellar to keep your chocolate collection cool but this is probably less practical than making fruity icy poles.
Love the meme – thought I might even do it and then remembered two of the memes I have on my to do list – but this one amused me (sshhhh don’t tell anyone who passed on a meme to me) That is how blogging backlogs happen – too many good intentions!
However a few responses – love your harry high pants photo – that would be great shame in my family! Love 30 Rock! There is a little liz lemon in everyone of us! I noticed chocolate managed to sneak its way into nearly every gang of four! When you say that chocolate is a superfood I imagine you as Captain Chocolate with a cape and undies on the wrong side of your tights! That is probably enough as the heat is getting to me too now that I have finished my icy pole
Oh Johanna, I’ve been dreaming of a mini chocolate fridge (a la wine fridges) for months now! If only… Must admit I’ve never got into frozen grapes, but I’m enjoying my frozen cookie dough truffles
As I said on your blog, I’m so impressed you did the meme so quickly! Applause! And I’m now seriously considering dressing up as Captain Chocolate and posting it on the blog… if only I could find a cape…
just tie a tea towel around your neck – that is what we used to do when we wanted to be a superhero – though tea towels are probably a better size for kids than adults when seeking capes!
and I only did the meme so quickly because I was procrastinating which is why I added the last gang of four about what I should really be doing!
Hmm… maybe a bedsheet would work then?
Yes, I did like your last addition to the meme. I think if I had done that one, I’d have ended up feeling far too guilty!
Teeheee isn’t Liz Lemon the best? She totally makes 30 rock! Along with the sexy voiced Jack Donaghy. I wish he could do the voice on my car GPS…
Teehee, did you just see the episode where Jack voices the online dictionary? Because I totally agree with the GPS thing. That is, if I had a car. With GPS.
LOL yes I do! The universe recognises the sexy gravelness of Jack Donaghy’s voice!
Is gravelness even a word? Jack what say you in the spoken dictionary?
I’m sure he’d say yes, and gravelness, and make us melt at the knees
Yay! So happy about how many places chocolate showed up here. All is right with the world. And let’s see those raw vegan cookie dough truffles, ‘kay?
I’ll absolutely be showing the truffles soon! They’re so good (eating one now, actually…
) I honestly didn’t even mean for chocolate to be in there so much. It just happened.
oh those pictures are adorable!
Thanks!
Eep. I hope the heat doesn’t ruin your Christmas present, which is now more of a Valentine’s present, since I finally got my lazy butt down to the post office to mail it. On the upside, it’s bigger now. Aren’t you intrigued?
So so so intrigued and feeling a bit overwhelmed by your generosity! Thanks so much, soul sister
Might I ask when you posted it? Hopefully it hasn’t been in trucks on these 38 degree days! I’m sure I’ll still love it, regardless 
I’d be surprised if it’s already in Australia – I just mailed it on Tuesday.
Then we should be safe-ish, as it’s only going to be high twenties next week
So long as wherever it is this weekend is air-conditioned, that is! YAY! 
haha this is great! I may just have to do a ’4 things’ post of my own
I’d love to see your version, Lisa!
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What a cutie-patootie you were (are) !
I share your love of chocolate (obvs) and 30 Rock.
And this: “Thinking that you’re worthless can lead you to unintentionally hurt the people who care about you. (Realising this was a rather big moment for me, actually.)” Perfectly put.
Thanks Kath, though really the compliment should go to my mum for her impeccable fashions sense in dressing me
Also, *hugs*. It’s a bt of a wake-up to realise that, isn’t it?
If you like Arrested Development and 30 Rock, I have the following recommendations, which you can watch on Hulu:
Parks and Recreation (start with the end of season 2)
Modern Family
Ha, I think every American believes that every Australian child owns a Vegemite shirt.
Already there with Modern Family. Brilliant stuff. I’m very interested about your post-season 2 P&R advice, as I started watching that when it first came out and didn’t find it great. So it gets better? (P.S. Can’t watch on Hulu though. America only for that
)
P.S. Every Australian child does.
P.P.S. True story.
P.P.P.S. Not really.
P.P.P.P.S. Yes really.
Yeah, I definitely swore off Parks and Rec after the first episode — I thought it was terrible. But it really improves later on! Really cute love story — Pam and Jim-esque, naturally — between two of the characters, they assemble a good cast, good humor.
I shall have to look into it once I’ve finished Pushing Daisies
Cute pictures! And…we can switch places if you’d like…ya know…just hop on a plan and trade sides of the continent
. My driveway and yard are currently a sheet of ice, and it’s supposed to get down to 6*F tonight. It would probably feel refreshing to you!
that was supposed to say…on a plane
*laughs* It would feel refreshing to me… for about five minutes. Then I’d be complaining even more than I am right now, as the only thing I hate more than excessive heat is excessive cold. At least I don’t have to dig my car out of the sun!
I love your “Holy Bucket!” saying. I kind of want to try super hard to incorporate it into my life. Is that weird?
Also, it’s cracking me up that it’s hot there. I think everyone here in America is freezing! I can totally relate to chocolate in the fridge, living in Phoenix, but am bundling up now for sure 
No weird at all; let’s make “Holy Bucket!” happen on a grander scale
I know, it feels crazy wo me too when I read all the American blogs with their snowpocalypse photos 
Personally, you can keep the snow. Scary slippery slushy stuff…
What a cutie!! Such lovely photos.
I bitterly hate the cold too, but on days like this it seems quite appealing. I’m also looking forward to using my oven again and the disappearance of bugs!
Plus I’m anticipating the arrival of William Bartlett pears and apples in autumn.
It looks like you’re standing in the snow with bare feet! Ouch.
Wow, you’re right, it looks like I am barefoot! Maybe that’s why I’m pulling such an unhappy/yelping face?
My housemate very clearly pointed out to me yesterday that I was complaining an awful lot about the weather during the depths of winter too. But I figure I’m allowed to complain about heat over 35 degrees, even if I do prefer summer to winter
Oooh, orchard-fresh apples will be lovely…
You were such a cute kids! I love your dress in the first photo
I think I did too
I’m so over the heat I can barely construct sentences, the A/C has broken at work & I’ve realised extended hours have lessened my ability to see humour in, well…, just about anything really under those conditions. Thank goodness I’m back home with the air conditioning turned onto me full blast…., humour returning as I definatly felt myself giggle at some of your answers & it could have been almost a belly laugh at one of the pics……. memories…., I’m sure I had shorts just like those but I always thought Mom must have made them out of some left over quilting material (not at the time of course, at the time I thought I was super cool) but on reflection etc etc
Amen, sister! I went in to my office at uni this week to discover there’s no air-conditioning at all in the building. After three hours, I felt physically sick. But there’s no air-con at my place, either, so I’m stuck either way!
Oh gosh, I bet I have clothes made of leftover quilt fabric too! My mum was/is quite the patchworker
Great post … as usual.
However, that first dress wasn’t a purchase but specially made for you by a family friend… And, the shorts, well they were different times (I think!) – perhaps having the top out (which is my normal preference) would have been the go.
Nice try, Mum, passing the blame like that
Ooh, who made the dress? Someone we still know? If so, you should send them the link to this post!
P.S. Thanks
We’ve sort of lost contact … but I’m sure I could track her down if I tried. She’d love to see it I reckon.
You’ll have to tell me who it was tomorrow
This was a great read. I especially love the pics of a younger you
Thanks Cherrie
It was fun looking through the photos myself!
omg how cute are you! Pushing Daisies was a very cute series. The baking scenes were the best part! And is it just me or does Ned remind you of Flint Lockwood from Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs?!
YES! You’re right! He kinda does
I do love a show with baking scenes – that’s almost the entire reason I liked the movie Waitress, too (well, that and Nathan Fillion). P.S. Thanks Helen 
Love this post Hannah, and your pictures are adorable! Hmm, like chocolate much?
Like chocolate? Oh, just a bit. Why, can you tell?
Ahem, how cute were you as a child?!! Too freakin cute. Loved the 4 things (well more but yeah, it was cool to hear MORE about you!!!) xxx
Now if someone could just figure out where all that cuteness went…
Thanks Rob 
I almost put “Rome” on my TV show list… have you watched it yet? I definitely wouldn’t put that on when the baby’s around 
You were an adorable freckled child! Do you doctor up the photos? They’re so VIVID.
I love how much you love chocolate and can’t wait for the vegan dessert recipe!
Thanks Stephanie! No, no doctoring, but it’s funny you say that as these are scanned photos from non-digital cameras, so I would’ve thought they’d look less clear than other photos!
Can’t wait to show you all the vegan cookie dough – might post it today, actually!
rofl my fridge is filled with chocolate too! poor chocolate ill save youuu!
I honestly have more chocolate than I could possibly eat in a month… and yet I keep accumulating more
Those photos are too adorable! Loved the answers, too (especially Battlestar Galactica and chocolate).
Thank you Ricki! Funnily enough, Dad and I are watching BSG right now… with chocolate
Ahh cute overload! More little Hannah photos, please!
haha, I love this. your pictures are ridiculously cute! those outfits!! especially the floral high waisted shorts. yep, i think they could go a little higher, hehe.
Heidi xo
Thanks Heidi! I think people will soon start replacing the term “Harry Highpants” with “Hannah Highpants”
These pictures are so cute they almost make me melt into a puddle of “aww!”
Don’t melt! There’s no bowl pretty enough to deserve holding a melted Amber