Life lessons: Genevieve Blanchett

I often do a week's worth of cooking on a Sunday. I just pack it up into neat little containers and forget about cooking again until the next Sunday. I think it's something I developed to cope with the demands of study and full-time work. It may not be all that unusual, who knows, but my friends think it's weird... I am, however, the queen of creating a tasty one-pot meal, and I don't get any complaints about that.

I've always wanted to be short and cute. Really. I'm 1.85m, so being short would mean I could find shoes and pants that actually fit me, aeroplane and public transport seats that fit me comfortably, and I wouldn't always get stuck in the middle row for photographs or have to help people get things off the top shelf. And I've always thought being cute would be an interesting change — for a little while anyway.

I'm dreaming of the day when my wardrobe can consist of nothing but identical tailored silk and cotton pyjamas. They fit all of my golden rules for dressing: comfort, simplicity and natural fibres. I would hasten to add that however you dress, it's always a good idea to understand your shape and respect your age.

If I admire anyone, it's artist Louise Bourgeois. Her work is extraordinary. But while I admire her for her talent and creativity, I mostly admire her for being her. At 98, and still working, she is a fierce woman who is original, curious, intelligent, sensitive, generous, wildly imaginative, sexual and uncompromising.

I get irrationally happy anywhere with grand, epic landscapes and dramatic skies. There's a pure joy in experiencing an overwhelming connection to the stuff of life when it's brought on by the beauty of the landscape before me. I think that's why I can't keep my eyes off the horizon — it's where the weather changes, the stars come out and birds fly free.

I'm slow to anger but when it comes, it comes on strong. I also tend to forget about it quickly. While my success in coping with it varies, I do try to make myself aware that I am becoming angry, and then ask myself why.

My greatest challenge was forcing myself to see out a 10-day Vispassana (meditation) course. It taught me many lessons that I am still working through, but the main message was that mastering the mind is the key to everything. Unfortunately mine is a very wild and unruly one.

Genevieve Blanchett is the sister of actress Cate Blanchett and the production designer for the NZ Opera production of Eugene Onegin, on at the Aotea Centre in Auckland from September 17-26.