Meredith Jaffe’s journey to becoming a writer has been via the scenic route. As a schoolgirl she wrote stories and poetry almost exclusively on the topic of horses. When not writing, she channelled her energies into drama classes, honing her skills in eisteddfods and bit parts in the annual school plays. She has fond memories of her role as one of the four amazons in The King and I and claims to still know most of the words to Getting to Know You. In Year 12, Meredith scored one of the two leading roles in the school’s production of Pride and Prejudice. Playing the part of Darcy remains the pinnacle of her acting career and earned her a pocket for her school blazer.
Meandering off to university she majored in English Literature and Sociology with a bit of history and drama thrown in to make up the points.
Upon graduating, she announced to her parents that she was going to be a writer. The told her not to be silly and to get a real job. Meredith joined an insurance company intending to give it six months and ended up working there for 9 years. Later she was quite successful as a recruiter, probably because she is a natural sticky beak and loves collecting people’s life stories.
Facing the impending birth of her third child she decided it was time to write or die wondering. This journey has seen her write her debut novel, become a published book reviewer and a blogger.
Meredith is married to the gorgeous Paul and lives with two of their four gorgeous children on Sydney’s northern beaches.
- [...] I’m reporting Gillard to DOCs [...] - THE MOST IMPORTANT JOB IN THE WORLD?
- [...] Terrorism was just around the corner [...] - MINING PROFITS : THE FACTS
- [...] Seven Visible signs of stupidity [...] - I'LL HAVE WHAT SHE'S SELLING...
- [...] A ban on cosmetic surgery ads? [...] - I'LL HAVE WHAT SHE'S SELLING...
- [...] This lesson brought to you by… [...] - WOULD YOU BUY SHOES FROM THIS WOMAN?
- Who the hell do you think you are sally ,I have been through the court system twice now &my ex has a history of domestic violence 48 documented police reports and welfare intervention &that only when I lived with the monster ,what are you going to say that all women like me are liars when the paper trail speaks for its self ,not only has my ex assaulted me but also a teacher &me in front of our son s peers and two other class rooms ,plus the school went on lock down due his behaviour .our son has mild autism so he hasn't got the defence system that I and anyone else has ;they keep all their emotions bottled up inside .the family courts are a joke I share custody of our son with this monster due to the fact that our son hasn't shown his fear of how frightened he is of his father &that there isnt any physical harm done to our son by his father but I and many know that he is doing it mentally ,but since the share care came in its the decent parents who aren't getting a fair go in the courts it the liars &perpetrators that are not fit enough to be around any ones children ..f,,,,ck the law i lost my respect for them all years ago 'I have no police history &even have a police clearance for working in aged care &I left this monster nearly 7years ago &have had further dvos done several by me and the domestic violence service here &,I have also had dvo breaches not even reaching the courts due to police taking it into their own hands &dropping them when it s the law that any dvo breech goes to a magistrate and they make the yay or nay on weather it is a breach not the police 'I already had one reinstated after putting a formal complaint into Brisbane in 2011 &this I never found out untll last year at the 2nd family court hearing ,many &i mean many people in my community have said my ex is being looked after by someone here with in the Toowoomba police .no one gets off with half of what that man has done ,he got off with assaulting me at our sons school and only got a $750 dollar fine for assult of teacher ,joke joke I am now going back to a lawyer yet again as I am not getting my son ,my ex cant hurt me directly anymore I fight back legally but he uses a innocent child as a means of domestic violence to get at me &I swear I will run this monster through the courts this time I loath parents using children to fight their battles only cowards do that any way.. - tracey
- [...] Now 45 is too old? Huh? Anyone having trouble getting a job once they reach a certain age? [...] - Weekend Notes
- [...] Our Big Banks: Doing it “Tough” [...] - MINING PROFITS : THE FACTS
- Here's last year's list of winners. Seems to be a lot of actors / directors / "celebs" on the list : http://www.instylemag.com.au/Article/WomenOfStyle/Latest-News2/Women-of-Style-Winners-2012/ Miranda Kerr for "Beauty" .... Indira Naidoo for "Lifestyle" ... pretty heavy Categories .... - Schoom
- What a bunch of whingers. Gina Rinehart-Hancock is a single mother doing it tough and she's never got a cent in welfare! - Jack Richards
ON THE HIGHWIRE PROFILE
Meredith Jaffe
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WHAT ARE THE BRANDS THAT MADE US AUSTRALIAN?
What about coming home from school and having an ice cold Milo and demolishing a packet of Tim Tams for afternoon tea. Slipping a pair of Bonds terry-towelling shorts on over the Speedos, a dab of Pink Zinc on the shnoz, a pair of Dunlop Volleys on the feet and racking off on the Malvern Star (with basket covered in plastic flowers).
Home for tea and if I was lucky mum had made ham steaks with a Golden Circle pineapple ring on to and side serve of baked beans.
Along with the milk, an uncut loaf of bread was delivered in the mornings and I knew when the Crystal drink man was coming by the clink of bottles as he trundled up the road.
I drank gallons of GI cordial made at the Cottees dome-shaped factory at Brookvale which I passed on the bus each day. At night Dad drank long necks of Resch's Dinner Ale and mum would have a sherry glass of wine from the flagon of McWilliams Moselle with dinner.
How many of those brands are no longer Australian? Too sad!
WHAT’S YOUR MOST-TREASURED COOKBOOK?
Margaret Fulton's Encyclopedia of Food & Cookery. It's lost its dust jacket, is held together with sticky tape, is covered in globs of oil and its creases are full of crumbs. Margaret has the original authentic recipe for any dish you care to name from proper Beef Stroganoff to Prawn Cocktail. Whenever I am in doubt, uninspired or have no idea what to do with a head of broccoli, Margaret has the answer. I made sure my eldest left home with her very own copy. But I also love Stephanie Alexander, Diana Seed and David Thompson.
DO YOU SUPPORT VOLUNTARY EUTHANASIA?
You only have to witness a loved one dying a slow agonising death to wish for a better option. Before all the brouhaha about voluntary euthanasia, that was often what palliative care meant; death with dignity. If a person, when face with the options, chooses to leave sooner rather than later that is their choice to make. The devil will be in the detail- ensuring we have the right legal framework.
MY FIRST CAR…
At 18 it was a poo brown Ford Escort Ghia (note the Ghia- it's code for posh) which had been modified for rally driving. This meant it had rows of dials across the top of the glove box that twirled really fast and impressively but without a navigator they were completely useless. Luckily I also had a Gregory's street directory because I had no idea how to get anywhere that wasn't on the L90 bus.
I did fork out for a decent cassette player with an inbuilt alarm so it couldn't be nicked (doesn't that take you back!) And it taught me how to drive a manual which is a very important life skill. Number plate started with HRH - her royal highness- of course
WHAT’S THE ONE TALENT YOU WISH YOU HAD?
Oh Lordy, the list is so long! Can I say learning to keep my big mouth shut?
I'm with Wendy but would prefer to be fluent in Italian than French. However, for me it would be the ability to draw and paint so I could do watercolours.
I tried once and was dismal. I might have even thrown out the paints in a of pique.
SO, CHRISTMAS… WHERE ARE YOU UP TO?
Last night the kids and I wrapped everyone's presents (except theirs of course, Santa does those.) We have a real tree that needs to be lugged in from the garden but all the other decorations are done. Cards are written so tomorrow I shall send them and pop into the butcher to order turkey and ham.
Am I relaxed? Indeed, I am serenity herself! Champers anyone?
WHAT DO YOU WANT FOR CHRISTMAS?
I've just done what I wanted to do for Christmas- bought a present to put under the Tree of Joy. When a 7 year old girl wishes for some undies and summer clothes, I feel grateful that I am able to oblige. Plus my children learn to give a little instead of receive which is good for the soul.
WHAT ARE YOUR HOPES FOR 2012?
Every year I look back in amazement at the last 12 months. It seems nothing ever turns out the way I plan or expect.
I'm tired of the pointlessness of war, that children die of hunger whilst the rest of us suffer from obesity related illnesses and that we choke on the detritus of our collective over consumption.
On the other hand, I celebrate with those who rise up and seek liberty, freedom of expression and the right to dignity. There can never be too much tolerance and kindness in the world. I hope 2012 brings more of this.
Happy New Year one and all. Mxx
IF YOU COULD STOP PEOPLE FROM DOING ONE THING…
Mmmm, where does a girl start? Stop polluting the air that we breath and the oceans so we have fresh water, Stop killing other species and greed is so NOT good. (That last applies to pretty much anything we have too much of- clothes, food, electronic devices etc.)
WHEN DID YOU FAIL? WHAT HAPPENED NEXT?
I have to admit that I am one of those people who is motivated by the fear of failure. I know, I know, I'm not alone. Failure is stressful, whether its being late for school pick up, forgetting to return library books on time or having to admit that your marriage is over. I fail to keep my cool when the kids are arguing and I am pretty much a failure at managing money.
What to do? The older I get the less need I have to beat myself up over failures big and small. I try not to dwell on the "what ifs" and just strive to better next time. Oh, and I say sorry- A LOT!!!
DINNER FOR SIX, WHO WOULD YOU INVITE?
Mmm, this question is tough. First of all I would like to invite my grandfather, Keith Penny, because he died when I was too young to remember him and by all accounts he was a very charismatic man. The writer George Eliot because she is such a fine writer. Then either Cary Grant or Jimmy Stewart for a bit of thespian colour. Cole Porter to tickle the ivories and write a few witty ditties between courses and last but not least , the fabulous Miss Peggy Lee. Just because she is fabulous.
WHAT IS THE MOTTO YOU LIVE BY?
"Treat others as you would have them treat you" not because I am religious but because it makes sense. When that doesn't work, its "you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear."
After that? You don't want to know the answer....
YOUR FIRST KISS?
In disgust, I told my mum "He used his tongue!" There was nothing romantic about it. I was too shocked and it put me off until I was much older and wiser...17
WHEN WERE YOU THE ‘HEIGHT OF FASHION’?
Oooohhhh...too many to mention. mmm, let me see. 1970s highlight was possibly the black kaftan with donkeys all over it (made by my mother) worn over a white skivvy and long Jesus like curly hair. 1980s Buffalo Gal- God I used to love Cash Palace in Oxford Street. Once I started work, I remember shoulder pads and loud checked jackets. After that, it's a blank- perhaps for a very good reason!
WHAT I EAT WHEN NO-ONE’S WATCHING
I love washing down a large packet of salt and vinegar chips with a couple of icy cold Peronis. It makes my tongue go numb but it meets some deep need for salt, fat and bad carbs!
SEEN ANY GOOD MOVIES LATELY?
The short answer is no. The last movie I saw was Happy Feet 2 which cost $45 for 1 adult and 2 kids under 6 - without snacks or drinks. I could eat out for that kind of money, buy a case of wine or pay for my week's fruit and veg shop. I have borrowed from the library but the disks are always scratched, and the price of DVDs is a joke. No, this grumble bum watches The Movie Show and then waits for the movies to go on free to air before falling asleep in front on the TV anyway.
WHAT WAS THE BEST THING YOU EVER GAVE UP?
Cigarettes. Nasty pernicious addictive smelly ridiculous habit which I absolutely loved except for one small thing. It controlled me and not the other way around. That's the problem with addictions, whatever shape they come in, you think you can stop whenever you want but it takes a lot of effort to rid yourself of them.
WHAT’S YOUR POP CULTURE FAIL?
Boot camp. Why are people so obsessed with this uber personal training? Wasn't plain old personal training bad enough? Go for a walk, swim a few laps, do a spot of gardening or go for a bike ride with the kids.Ultimate fitness is for elite athletes, the rest of us don't need to go that far. Donate the ridiculous amount of money you'll save to something useful like children's literacy.
WHAT WAS I THINKING?
All the usual stupid things involving drugs, legal or otherwise, sex with all the wrong men, driving after consuming things that put me way over the limit and meant I drove home at 3/4/5am with my sunglasses on because the street lights were too bright.
Lots of clubbing, bands and cheap restaurants (remember Cheap Eats? It was our bible.) Some of those restaurants and clubs are still there!! the Midnight Shift, DCMs Stonewall, The Balkan, The Exchange, half the Lebanese restaurants on Cleveland Street. Gee it was fun. Please don't tell my kids, I'm much better behaved these days....
WHAT’S YOUR GREATEST DINNER PARTY DISASTER?
Dinner parties are such an 80s extreme sport, aren't they? Given that for years the only dish I mastered was spag bol, there weren't too many disasters but guests could die of boredom. Anyway, who needs a dinner party to have a cooking disaster? I can manage that any old night of the week.
However, the best one was going to my BFF Kait's for dinner. As we arrived she announced, "it is all under control." The 4kg side of beef was in the oven, the veggies were organised and dessert was in the freezer. We drank champagne, we drank some more and then Kait checked the oven- which was off. Dinner was served about midnight by which time we were all too sh*tfaced to care what we were eating.
WHAT THREE THINGS WOULD YOU TAKE TO A DESERT ISLAND?
Sunscreen, waterproof matches and then it gets tricky. Should I choose a fishing line, a blank journal, wine, husband, children or something practical like waterproof sheeting?
WHAT’S THE BEST THING YOU DO FOR YOUR HEALTH EVERY DAY?
I'm hopeless at sticking to fitness routines but I do eat tonnes of vegies and drink gallons of tea. And yes, I do wear sunscreen, even in winter. Oh and I don't eat takeaway. That's about as good as it gets really.
THE TEACHER WHO INSPIRED ME
Mrs Hoskins in primary school, who I had in Year 3 and Year 4, was a teacher of warmth and compassion. Mrs Smith in Year 5 and then I'm afraid then there was a gap before my English teacher Mrs Bathurst and my geography teacher Ms Coates. Great teachers because they were passionate and they cared about learning and instilling the joy of learning in the face of a sometimes apathetic reception. Oh and my drama teach Mrs Barnett was wonderful too because she gave me a productive outlet for the maelstrom of teenage emotions.
THE SMELLS THAT MAKE ME REMEMBER…
So many smells linger long into life and the pictures that go with them return at the first whiff of scent. Cut grass, freshly baked bread, the dusty chaff smell of horses, the clean earthy smell of the Australian bush after rain, the salty air of a winter sea, the smell of petrol and matches that have just been struck or coming home to a house filled with wafts of roasting chicken. Mmmm.
WHO ARE YOUR FAVOURITE SINGERS?
Too easy. Peggy Lee, Ella Fitzgerald, Cleo Laine, Annie Lennox, Kate Cebrano, Aretha Franklin and Cecilia Bartoli. Big voices with lots of smooth textures, sultry as and great timing. No one has ever sung Fever as well as Peggy Lee. Plus I can't sing to save my life so to be able to belt out a tune like these ladies would be a true joy. It doesn't stop me trying though and all within a one kilometre radius suffer as a consequence!
DO YOU KNOW YOUR NEIGHBOURS?
Yes we do! And whilst we don't live in each others pockets, we do keep an eye out when a family is away. Bringing in bins, mail and daily papers is an easy way of keeping trouble at bay. Now and then we have a BBQ or share some bubbles and canapes but it is all very ad hoc. Living on a main road, it means stopping to chat whilst walking the dog or taking the kids to the bus stop and being prepared to lend a hand or a ladder now and then. Neighbours are an important part of our sense of connectedness to the local area. It's a very good thing.
WHEN I TURNED INTO MY MOTHER…
Only recently, I've taken to using the bathroom hand towel to give the vanity basin a quick wipe down after morning "rush hour" before throwing it in the laundry basked and popping a clean one on the rail. That's my mum all over. Bless her.
On a similar note, my 21yo old daughter told me that she can't cook in a dirty kitchen "thanks to me" so I guess 20 something is the new 40 something!
MY FAVOURITE CHILDREN’S BOOK CHARACTERS
There are so many favourites. My homegrown favourite is The Silver Brumby. One of the highlights of my life was riding up into the high country of the Snowy Mountains and seeing the sweeping landscape that Elyne Mitchell wrote so evocatively about. I rode real brumby and I'm sure I saw the silver brumby galloping across the landscape.
Then I quite fancied myself as poor orphaned Christina from the Flambards series. Only because she learns to ride and becomes super good at hunting and in the end runs away and marries Will. I still love a book with a decent horse in it!
LESSONS LEARNED FROM MY FAMILY
Always be nice to the butcher if you want a really decent cut of meat. Ditto waiting staff if you want great service. Always say thank you. How to play air piano whilst accompanying Louis Armstrong or Oscar Peterson. Stephane Grappelli is a genius. How boring it is to listen to someone recount every shot of an 18 hole round of golf. When cracking a joke at the dinner table, speed counts even if the joke flops. Knowing how to sew pinch pleats and hang curtains properly is actually a life skill you grow to appreciate. And last but not least, the F word can be substituted for any noun, verb, adverb, adjective, personal pronoun......when on is under duress! Mx
ARE YOU A TECHNO-JUNKIE?
I am a complete Luddite. I only replace stuff when it breaks and can't use a smart phone to save my life. Why do we need stuff that does everything but bake a cake when it is supposed to be a phone or a TV or a word processor? Do I care that Apple have the next gen i something-or-other coming out? No. Would I ditch my old but perfectly functional lap top for the latest and greatest thing? No. I can count on one hand the number of people in my life who actually utilise the immense functionality available to them from their various pieces of technology- and all of them are paid to know how to do that. No early adopters around these parts I'm afraid!!
WHAT’S YOUR DEADLIEST SIN?
Can I only pick one? Jeez. Definitely gluttony because I love a sav blanc or three. I can be quite slothful at times (especially after a couple of vinos!) I can't be bothered with envy, what's the point? And anger is just a daily part of being mum really, that's what the mummy voice is for, isn't it? To convince the kids that all sorts of terrible punishments will rain down upon them if they persist in being naughty and once they are cowed into submission I can toddle off and enjoy the ensuing peace and quiet!!
HOW DID YOU GO IN YOUR EXAMS?
The HSC was not one of my finest moments. For some reason, I never got the hang of the whole study caper, perhaps as a result of cruising through the primary and early secondary years? My HSC results were only propped up by the fact I was Darcy in the school production of Pride & Prejudice and therefore could quote the text liberally in the English exam. That, and I adored Shakespeare. Otherwise it was a disaster. And Maggie is a freak for loving exams, they are truly awful (sorry Maggie!)
Fortunately, I was smart enough to tell my daughters (one finished and one doing the HSC this year) that there are many ways to go from A to B and the HSC is just one option. Who needs the pressure?
HOW DO YOU KEEP YOUR BODY AND MIND STRONG?
Look, I'm a slacker. I do try and do the 5BX/ XBX program invented for the Canadian Airforce before aerobics hit the scene (yes, by that I DO mean old, but then, so am I) so that's a small tick for cardio and core strength. I try and swim laps regularly which is more hit than miss. I do eat well since I love veggies but drink wine everyday which counteracts the veggies. I love Sudoku but prefer Scrabble which I play online everyday.
But you know, I don't think I could bear my own company if I was all wheat grass and goji berries. Life is for living not for worshiping at the altar of the body temple. Maybe that viewpoint is out of step (all 12,000 of them) with our contemporary obsession with the body beautiful but I'm 47, the body is lumpy and bumpy, it's given me three kids, it sags, yet amazingly it still turns my husband (and me) on, so I consider myself lucky.
It's all in the balance.
HOW DO YOU SLOW DOWN?
I'm already planning next years workload, Christmas, present shopping and am well into the end of year school activities. I'm one of the lucky ones because for me, time out is actually work. I read. Yep, flopping on the couch reading is my ultimate relaxation activity. Followed by staying in bed with a cup of tea in the mornings, reading. Or, going to bed early and missing all that dreadful pap served up to us at the end of the ratings period (except SBS, they always keep the good shows rolling) and reading. No, please, don't feel sorry for me.
WILL YOU SHOP ONLINE THIS CHRISTMAS?
Next silly question?
I REALLY DON’T NEED ANY MORE…
The NO list is so obvious- no books- be they cookbooks, fiction, fact or fantasy. My kitchen sinks under the weight of appliances, crockery, cutlery and Creuset. My linen press doors no longer close and my wardrobe is well worn and not needy of scarves or bespoke jewelry. I'm not overly fond of chocolate, liqueur or otherwise, but Champagne is always welcome, as is good nougat- the sticky kind.
All I really want, and don't tell them I told you, is my family in my home to share company, food and cheer- the most important gift of all. (I much prefer giving to receiving) Mx
DO YOU TAKE A HEALTH SUPPLEMENT?
Quite frankly it's a sin that one can't include wine or chocolate as a health supplement. Many a time they've been a lifesaver in this house!
But seriously, I try and eat my health supplements in the form of fresh fruit and veg and plenty of calcium. However, I do take the occasional Vitamin C, multi vitamin, probiotic and magnesium, which is good for muscles.
The one I swear by? Ginger. Freshly cut up with boiling water poured over it is the best liver cleanser, cold & flu killer and terrific for sore tums. Plus, it is the ultimate hangover cure. What more can you ask from a humble root?