Destroy them ALL!!!

I witnessed something out of my own nightmares today, only happening to someone else.

I am on the bus.  We are stopped in traffic.  There is a small black  hatchback car beside the bus.  On the roof of that car is a MASSIVE huntsman spider.  Google it, cos I ain't gonna post a picture.  It was seriously bigger than my hand.  This was my reaction, and I was safe in the bus:

The two ladies sitting behind me had pretty much the same reaction.
While we watched in our own little bubbles of terror, the spider ran all over the car, and eventually over the passenger side window, which caused the woman sitting inside the car on the passenger side to totally freak.  It then ran down the door where she couldn't see it, and she seemed to settle down.
However, we on the bus saw something altogether more horrifying.  The massive spider then squeezed itself in the crack of the passenger front door... INSIDE THE CAR!!
All of us on the bus near her start waving frantically and pointing and freaking out, making that scream reaction again, and she just smiles and laughs and waves at us all, completely oblivious to the massive evil creature from hell that is now crawling in to get her.
They then turned a corner away from the bus and we have no idea what happened from then.
All I can say is that I've twitched and freaked and been jumpy all day.  I'm a total arachnophobe.  If I had mine I'd wipe them all from existence.

Roses are Red...

Well another Valentine's Day has been and gone.   *Kath waves*

This is the first Valentine's Day since I have been conscious of the concept of Valentine's Day that I haven't been totally depressed.  And it's been a single Valentine's Day for me.  Not to mention the fact that I stayed home all day and didn't really do anything.

It goes to show just how much more at peace with myself I am these days.  I used to measure my self worth by my status or activity on Valentine's Day.  "I'm so pathetic, I'm single on Valentine's Day."  Or "Why doesn't he show me he loves me more?  I must be horrible."  But this year I didn't feel that my being single and spending the day at home reflected at all on who I am.  It was nice to send a few pretty things to friends on Facebook, but otherwise, it didn't really affect me much at all.

One thing I did notice though, was the number of people, and admittedly, almost exclusively women, complaining that their Valentine's Day was crap because their significant other didn't do enough for them on the day.  Didn't acknowledge the day enough, wasn't romantic enough.

Now don't get me wrong, but isn't Valentine's Day a celebration and appreciation of love?  Or is it an excuse to get the best goodies you can?  Or the most elaborate gestures you can?

Shouldn't it be about celebrating and appreciating that you HAVE someone to love in your life, who loves you?  Shouldn't it be an opportunity to take some time out and spend time together?  If you're in it for the gestures and the goodies... do you really love that person?

I'm just askin' is all.

Interview Me!

Over on Camels and Chocolate is a lovely meme called "Interview Me".  I'm always looking for inspiration when it comes to blogging, so I've volunteered for Kristin to interview me, and she supplied me with these fabulous questions.  So here goes:

1. You took a 13-week-long trip around North America and saw more of the continent than many people who have lived here their whole lives. Did you find the American and Canadian people and culture quite similar to Australia? What were the similarities you experienced? Total differences?

I was surprised at the differences.  And different differences.  

In the US, my sense of humour totally went over everyone's head.  I would be roaring with laughter at something, but everyone would look at me like I was completely bonkers.  Maybe I am completely bonkers?  I was also impressed by the kind of formal politeness that American people generally exhibited.  People didn't make so many smart arse remarks, and weren't so aggressive and pushy.  A polite "Excuse me." is heard far more often there than here.  Well, you hear it in Australia as an insult.  EXCUUUUUSSSSSE ME!  However, I did notice that on duty service people are generally invisible to most Americans.  I was constantly surprising janitors or waiters and such with my chit chat or acknowledgement of them while they were working.

Another interesting thing I noticed was that cultures don't mix much in the US.  Not in a nasty, racist way, but just because there are so many folks there, that you have enough people to have a doctor, or a plumber, or neighbours all round, of the same culture as you.  And along I came from Australia, where there are only 20 million of us, so we're all mixed up and HAVE to be in contact with each other, and I would bowl up to an African American person, or a gay person, or a Chinese person, or a Hispanic person etc and start talking to them.  I felt like they weren't used to having a white/hetero chick just start talking to them without being introduced by someone else from their culture.  Does that make sense?

In Canada, the sense of humour is a lot closer to ours - or it certainly is in BC where I was.  I felt more connected to Canadians in general, not that it detracted from how much I loved the US, I just felt a commonality.  And while general Canadian culture is very different to ours here in Oz, they hang on to their culture in the same way we do.  Both countries kind of revel in our quirkiness.

With the US, the similarities I thought were there were actually more superficial.  Sure the music and the movies are there on the surface, but deep down we do think different and behave differently.

2. Did you have a favorite city from your trip? Somewhere you think is totally overrated? (You better not say San Francisco! HA! Only kidding...sorta!)

Ooh, I couldn't say any one place was the very bestest.  I loved different places for different reasons.  The most beautiful place was Gibsons in British Columbia.  Good God that place was gobsmackingly beautiful.

New York City was the most iconic, I did fall quite in love with it.  Chicago (and where I stayed with friends at Aurora) felt like home.  I could very easily live there, I just felt like I belonged.  San Francisco was SOOOOO much fun!  I would love to spend much more time exploring there, and intend to return there before too much longer, as I have made great friends there.

I don't think anywhere was overrated, but I didn't go to any of the big tourist trap places.  I was looking for "real" America, and I think I found it.  The only bits I didn't really enjoy were Wisconsin, not because I didn't like the place (very pretty, the farms look like Fisher Price toy sets) but because the people I stayed with were... unpleasant.  They made me feel unwelcome, and one of the women I stayed told me I was uncouth for using a knife and fork in the manner that I do (I think Americans refer to it as "British-Style" - with the fork tines turned down) however she and her family were so offensive one night at dinner I hung back and slipped the waitress a $20 and apologised for their disgusting behaviour. (The waitress replied "Oh honey, you were a darling, don't you be embarrassed for their behaviour."

Florida was nice but it was too hot.  I went for winter and it was the same climate as summer back home!

A place that is underrated?  Chico California.  What a gorgeous little place!

3. Thirteen weeks is a long time to travel at once. Did you have any big self discovery throughout the process? Would you do it all over again if you could?

The whole time was a journey of self discovery.  A couple of years before I was borderline agoraphobic, other than to go to work, I wouldn't leave the house.  I had very low self esteem, and was so full of anxiety I couldn't meet new people through friends, let alone on my own.  I discovered that people like me just for who I am.  That I can make friends anywhere and everywhere.  I discovered what was important to me back home too... friends, my own bed, things sweetened with REAL sugar (not that corn syrup crap), and things like good health care and a secure job!  And being greeted at my first day back at work after 3 months by my friend LukeyB tearing across the office at the sound of my voice and hauling me into a huge hug, breathing "I missed you!" was the most wonderful feeling I think I have ever had.

And if I could, I would spend six months of the year travelling - the cooler months here, and then bugger off to the Northern Hemisphere for the shitty hot months of Brisbane.

4. Do all Aussies REALLY love vegemite that much? Or is it merely a ploy to get stupid tourists to consume something that hardly smells more appetizing than cat urine?!

And you've taken a good sniff of cat urine have you?

Yes we do.  Of course, only we know how to use it.  Everyone else slathers it on like peanut butter.  

5. You say you're an Aussie who loves cold climate (is that even possible??). If you could had to live in any Northern Hemisphere country (near the Equator doesn't count either) full time, where would you pick?

Oh yes, I love the cold.  Love it!  Love it!  Love it!  I was as happy as a pig in shit when I was at my coldest.  Of course, that is a given that I do have a warm home and clothing - I wouldn't want to have to suffer it if I didn't, because it's easier to survive in warmer climes with that kind of situation.  

I think I would choose Canada to live.  Mostly because things like health care, working conditions, personal safety are considerably better there than the US.  But if Mr Obama is able to fix those things in the US, I would happily live there.  It would be hard to choose where though.  Michigan near friends there was lovely, and as I mentioned I really felt like Illinois was home.  San Francisco was awesome but I liked the snow too much to live there.  If I lived in MI or IL it would be central enough to spread myself out all over the place.  But Mr Obama needs to fix a few things first.  Health care first - I'm disgusted that people are not able to get medicine or treatment if they don't have money/insurance.  That's just wrong.

So, the deal now is, if you would like me to interview YOU for you to post on your blog, leave me a comment (make sure you have your email address or blog link in the comment) and say "Interview me!"  I'll send you some questions within the next few days.

Why I Don't Work In Customer Service Any More

I've just found this brilliant blog.  It is called Not Always Right, and it's where people can submit really stupid or rude things customers have said or done to them.

I've just spent the past couple of hours reading some of the latest entries and hurting myself laughing.  Here are a few of  my favourite gems:

Customer: “What time does the film start?”

Me: “The film starts fifteen minutes after the time on your ticket. There are fifteen minutes of ads and trailers.”

Customer: “No, I said what time does the F-I-L-M start?!”

Me: “The film starts after fifteen minutes of trailers, so fifteen minutes after whatever it says on the ticket. Your ticket says 3:30 pm, so the film would start at 3:45, okay?”

Customer: “Don’t blind me with science!”

~~

Me: “Hello, ma’am, is there anything I can help you find?”

Customer: “Yes. I need to find a book on rodents.”

Me: “Rodents?”

Customer: “Yes, I have some little creature running around my garage and I need to know what it is. I think it might be a vulva.”

Me: “Um…”

Customer: “You know, it’s small and looks like a mole or a hamster. A vulva.”

Me: “I think you mean a ‘vole’.”

Customer: “Oh right, that’s it. Do you have any books on voles?”

~~

Me: “Welcome to ****, what can I get for you today?”

Customer: “Yes, I’d like a medium coffee with twenty-seven and a half sugars.”

Me: “I’m sorry, was that…twenty-seven and a half?”

Customer: “Yes.”

Me: “You’re sure you don’t just want the twenty-eight?”

Customer: “Ewww, gross! That’d be too sweet.”

This is exactly why I left working in the library branches.  I can't be nice to fucktards like these.

Will Somebody PLEASE Trust Me!

Excuse me for a moment, but...

I need a little vent.  Boom tish!

I'm feeling very stifled creatively in my work.  It's not that I don't like my job, I LOVE it.  But I can see very big holes in the way we are engaging with our customers, and it's in the one area that I am not only passionate about, but I believe that I am good at.  In fact, it's in the one area that my whole job title is about... and that's digital media.  Also known as social media or sometimes Web2.0.  Basically it's all the stuff that we do on the internet today, most of which you will find connected to me right here on this blog.  Blogging itself, photograph sharing, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, all that stuff.  Chances are, if you're reading this blog, you're probably well immersed in it all.

I personally believe that while we're REALLY good at teaching customers new things, and REALLY good at expanding our customers horizons, we're REALLY bad at engaging with those that are already skilled and wish to be engaged with as peers.  They don't need to be taught what digital media is, they already know.  They don't need to be taught how to use it, they're already using it.  And we're not in their world, or where we are, we talk to them in corporate speak, or as though we're instructing children.

Every piece of communication we put out to our customers has been marketed to the nth degree.  There is no spontaneity to it, no warmth.  It's got to have a "look and feel".  Now while I think that is perfect for things like brochures and printed media (I know myself I can find something in my notebook or bag very quickly if it has a distinct brand look to it), it doesn't work for the whole online presence any more.  If you are engaging with people via digital media, I believe you should be speaking to your audience as though they're  your peers.

We don't do that anywhere.  We're broadcasting, not communicating.  Broadcasting does have it's place, but it's not the be all and end all like it used to be.  Our culture is far more interactive and communicative than it has been in a very long time.  And being broadcast to loses our attention pretty quickly.

Which comes back to my feeling stifled.  I'm good at the digital media stuff.  I don't mean that like "Well everyone, I'm an expert.", because I know I'm not.  But I'm confident with having a go at it, and I understand how it works.  I'm passionate about digital media because it's what interests me, and it's where I am.  And in a sense, I feel like the customer that is being ignored.

So I have this knowledge and passion... and I feel like I'm not allowed to do anything with it.  I keep presenting what I know after VAST amounts of learning on my own initiative, only to have it dismissed or fed up to the higher levels where it disappears in a miasma of workshops and focus groups, only to be spat out the other side as another piece of corporate "collateral" which totally misses the point.

I feel like I am wasted a lot of the time.  I am earning a really good wage which I feel is being spent on me stuffing envelopes and cleaning up the database, when I could be of a lot more value for money if I was given something I could really chew on and trusted more.  It's not that I believe that the work I am doing is beneath  me, it's just that I feel that as a Band 4 I could be utilised SO much better.

Not so long ago my boss asked me if I wanted him to encourage me more.  I replied "Well that would be nice, but what I really want is for you to discourage me LESS."  But I'm not sure anyone quite gets that concept.

Disclaimer:  Please remember that this is MY blog and the opinions expressed here are MINE and not that of my employer or any other organisation.  If ya don't like what I got to say, don't read it!

Do You Feel Stimulated Yet?

It was announced today by our Prime Minister Kevin Rudd that he is putting out another "stimulus" package to help soften the blow of the global economic crisis (which I'm not sure is as big as the media like to portray).

We had one just before Christmas where SOME of the population got a so-called one off payment of $1000 and were urged to "Spend!  Spend!  Spend!"  Unfortunately I didn't see any of that money, because I'm not on welfare, nor do I have children that I can't afford to support.  I would have gladly spent $1000, but despite my paying one of the highest ratios of tax in the country, the stimulus wasn't extended to me.

It pissed me off no end to trudge home from a long, hard day at work to see my dole bludging neighbours unpacking a massive plasma screen TV that they had bought with their payment.  It pissed me off no end to hear two women on the bus discussing how they were going to buy computer games for their kids, when at the time I was finding money to buy a washing machine.

However, this time, one of the parts of the package is apparently another "one-off" (how many one-offs can they create?  I thought the point of a one-off is that it is ONCE!) payment of $950 payable to all taxpayers who earn up to $80,000 per annum.  I'm WELL under that, so it seems that I am getting myself $950!  Not sure why we taxpayers get 50 bucks less than the welfare mob, but hey, I'm not going to sneeze at $950.

Of course, we're all being urged to "Spend!  Spend!  Spend!" again.  I personally will be, because I'm a responsible worker who doesn't have scads of debt to rid myself of.  My payment is earmarked for that iPhone that I really want.  But isn't it a bit irresponsible to be encouraging those who DO have scads of debt to spend it rather than pay off their debt?

Some of the other parts of the stimulus package include:

MAIN POINTS:

* Tax bonus of $950 for those earning up to $80,000, and smaller amounts for those earning up to $100,000.
* $14.7bn for school infrastructure and maintenance and trade training centres;
* $6.6bn to boost  public housing by about 20,000 new homes;
* $3.9bn for free insulation to 2.7 million homes and solar hot water rebates; 
* $890m for regional roads and blackspots, railway boom gates; 
* $2.7bn small and general business tax break to provide deductions for some equipment purchases before the end of June 2009; 
* $12.7 bn for one-off payments to working Australians, families with school-age children, farmers, single income families and for those undergoing training.  (Source)

It's good to see money going towards schools, public housing (the rental market is obscene here at the moment), roads and railway safety, small business help and payments to working Aussies, farmers and those undergoing training.

However, WTF with the insulation for the homes?  How is THAT going to stimulate the economy?  They claim it's going to create jobs, but I can't see how that's going to happen.  I can just see a back log of people waiting to get free insulation in their house.  And what about all the people who can't afford the ridiculous prices to buy a house at the moment, so they have to rent (like me).  Will our landlords be putting insulation and solar hot water in our
homes?  I doubt it very much.

So if you're eligible for the $950 payment, how do you intend to use yours? Are you going to spend it? What are you going to buy? Or will you save it or pay bills? If you're not in Australia, what would you do if the government handed you $950?

Thinkin' About the Fellas

I watched the Sex and the City movie this afternoon.  Wasn't really that into it.  I liked the shoes and the New York City bit, but I just couldn't get into it.  On further discussion with the lovely Girl Clumsy this evening, I realise what has stuck in my craw.

It's the attitude to men in it.  It felt to me that every man in it was either a piece of man flesh, or an arsehole.  With exception perhaps to the dark haired woman's husband (I know, I don't know their names except for Carrie and Samantha) who really was a bit of a shadow through the whole movie, he had about three whole lines and wasn't given any substance.

It's got me thinking a bit about how men are portrayed in film and television.  Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that how women are portrayed is any better, but at least we all speak up about that regularly.

But when it comes to how men are portrayed, it is open season.  How many ads can you think of on TV at the moment where it centres around a doofus male who just can't find something or asks a stupid question, or makes a big gaffe doing DIY etc?  Can you imagine the uproar if a woman was portrayed like that?

When we see a movie and the women in it are all either portrayed as tarty bits of flesh for the men's amusement, or complete bitches that make a man's life hell, don't we all get horrified at it?

Now I'm not saying that all movies should be touchy feely and everyone nice.  What I'm getting at is that when a whole gender is negatively portrayed, it just feels really wrong.  Sure, have your bad guy, but also have the hero who helps save the day.  Have your bitch queen, but have another woman who is cool.  Go for the bit of sexy  man flesh, but give him some depth of character.  Make your gals sexy AND smart.

I'm also not saying that men can't be arseholes and that women can't be shallow bits of fluff.  But to tar a whole gender with the same brush in a film or television show just makes me feel uncomfortable, you know?

I know ladies, I know, we've all been treated REALLY badly by a man or men in our past.  Some of us in our very recent past.  But does that mean they're all bastards?  You know we all have heard the thing where women are somebody's daughter, somebody's mother, somebody's sister?  Well the guys are somebody's son, somebody's father, somebody's brother.  And like women, guys deserve a chance before they're all written off.

Two wrongs don't make a right is all I'm sayin'!

And Thus You Have My Sense of Humour

Blooming Incredible

I have a couple of ideas/subjects kicking around in my head that I'd like to blog about, but I'm not quite my normal self yet after my bout of whatever it was I've had over the past 24 hours that had me puking and weird.  So just a simple show and tell for this blog.

This week, the moon flowers bloomed in my yard.  I don't know much about this plant, only that it's an ugly looking succulant thing that has crept along the far fence for years, looking rather hideous, until it's moment to bloom comes, and then it's INCREDIBLE.  Take a look at it:

Stunning huh?  And it's about the size of a dinner plate across the flower part (white petals) when in full bloom.

You can see a little bit of the actual plant itself  behind the plant there at the bottom and the lighter, flat green bit across the top (not the smaller, darker leaves, they're something else).  It's an ugly critter when it's not in bloom.

This plant is pretty amazing in that it only blooms at night, and only blooms like once a year or something.  I think it only blooms at new moon too, as the ones here bloomed on Monday night (Australia Day) which was new moon.  I wonder if it's lucky when they bloom on Chinese New Year?

I must admit, I do have thoughts of the "mean green mother from outer space" whenever I see the thing in bloom.  Don't you reckon it's got a little bit of the Audrey II from Little Shop of Horrors look about it?  I love that movie, and the soundtrack is fantastic.  I can just hear Levi Stubbs' (RIP) voice coming out of that big moon flower bloom.  "I need blood and he's got more than enough..."

I think I need to dig that soundtrack out, I need some Levi Stubbs and Ellen Greene!

Want!

I'm up way later than I should be this evening.  I will go to bed soon, I promise.

But until then, let's talk about wants.

I want some things.  I want an iPhone.  I want a Mac laptop.  I want a bicycle.  I also want a good quality digital SLR camera.

I don't need any of these things, but I want them.  My life won't be better if I do have them, but they will make me feel good.  I will enjoy them and the sense of achievement for having obtained them.

I've made the decision that I shall have all of those things by the end of 2009.  And once I've made up my mind, it will happen.  Dunno how, dunno when, but it will.

That's how my trip to the  US happened.  I made the decision that I was going to go to the US for my 35th birthday, and that I was going to spend the whole holiday season there, from my birthday in late October through Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year.  I just made up my mind.  And to this day I still don't know how I quite wangled it, but I did and it was the trip of a lifetime.

I am a firm believer that once you put your mind to something, you can make it happen.  Of course, it doesn't just happen miraculously on it's own, you have to have some input into the deal, but once you've made that decision the input is much easier.

I didn't always believe this.  Until a few years ago, I believed the whole of life was about fate and luck and that I had really bad luck.  But I had a shift in my thinking and started believing I could put my mind to anything I wanted and needed in life, and since I have, it's mostly worked for me.  Of course there have still been big challenges that cropped up, but I've found that when I've made the decision to deal with those challenges or make changes, then they tend to shift and change around me.

How do you feel about the things you want in life, be they material, emotional or general life goals?  Do you feel like you have any control over the likelihood of those wants being realised?  Do you believe it's up to fate?

Australians All Let Us Rejoice...

Happy Australia Day folks.

It's been a very quiet Australia Day for me.  I'm on energy-save mode at the moment, re-charging the batteries a bit as I've been really busy of late.  Instead I made sure I watched an Australian film today, and the one I watched was The Black Balloon.  An exquisite film, if you can, do see it.

There is something that bothers me a bit about the way Australia Day seems to be evolving over the past few years.  My case in point is the advertisement for lamb that can be seen here.

Does it make anyone else very nervous that this ad seems to be pushing that everyone should be the same in Australia?  That if you don't fit the "norm", you're un-Australian?

Then there is the growing habit of people wearing Australian flags, usually young guys wearing them as capes, to be hurling abuse at anyone that doesn't "look like an Aussie".  My case in point, this article from the Daily Telegraph about violence in Manly in Sydney, drunken young guys chanting "Aussie Aussie Aussie" and other so called "patriotic" slogans.  It looks like the same thing happened in Burleigh here in Queensland according to the Courier Mail.

If the behaviour exhibited by the rednecks in Manly is Australian, I'm quite happy to be called un-Australian.  Because frankly this behaviour is embarrassing to me and I believe to the rest of the country.

Now correct me if I'm wrong, aren't we supposed to be the country that is proud of our cultural diversity?  Aren't we the country that promotes the ideal of the "fair go" for everyone?

I didn't celebrate much this weekend simply because I needed some time out, but when I did go out on Friday night I thought it fantastic to go to a Chinese New Year celebration.  I thought it was a great way to celebrate all that is rich and diverse in this country.  I loved that the Chinese community could put such a great party on that co-incided with Australia Day this year, and that it was part of the New Year celebrations to include the luck of living in this beautiful country.

I love that this country is so diverse that I can find food, music, films, art, fashion and all other forms of culture without having to look far.  I love that this country generally does have an open heart and mind when it comes to those less fortunate than us that decide to come here to make a better future for them and their families.  I love the ideal of a "fair go" for everyone, because in general, most people are good and only want a good life.  I also love that on this special day, we hold citizenship ceremonies to welcome MORE people to this lovely country.

But when it comes to these people who behave like this in the name of patriotism, and advertising like that for the lamb industry that I believe just incites more of it, I do feel a deep sense of shame.  I can't bear that anyone else in the world would look at this stuff and think that it's what we're really about.

Do You Love Me?

Well you could show it by getting me this book:

ISBN: 9781921332401

I have the copy out from the library at the moment, and it's AMAZING.  Chock full of facts, photos, inside information, quotes and fabulous Mythbusters info.  It's just MythGeek heaven!  I want my own copy to go on my shelves permanently so bad.

And in celebration of this awesome book, here is the awesomeness of Jamie Hyneman, thanks to Adam Savage's tweeted photos (Link):

It's Stache-Man!!  Or MythMan!  Hyne-Man!  Good GOD he is total awesomeness.  You would never guess that he is a man of 52 years old, would you?  I'm serious.  Born in 1956.  I sometimes wonder if he is the bionic man or something.

Love ya work Jamie!

The CLAW!!

Yes, right now I look like The Claw. Or somewhat like The Claw anyway. I went back to the doc this morning after a week on anti-inflammatories for the soreness in the joints in my right arm, and she's decided it's most likely Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

All I know is that it is very sore around the wrist and fingers. I did have some pain in the elbow and shoulder but anti-inflammatories helped that, so she thinks it was those muscles over-compensating for the damage in my wrist and fingers.

I now have a LOVELY wrist/hand brace that cost me $40. Yes, FORTY DOLLARS. Ugh. It's ugly. Beige, lumpy and ugly.

Any suggestions on how I can modify it to make it cute/elegant/fun?

Stuff and Nonsense

I was just reading this article about a 77 year old woman who was found dead in her house, crushed by the mountains of stuff she had purchased.  Apparently she was known for her addiction to shopping, and her best friend Roy, also 77, reckons she had over 300 scarves, let alone anything else she had in her house.  Poor Roy, I think perhaps he wanted her attention, not just for the shopping.

I'm kinda glad I'm de-cluttering my home at the moment.  I don't want to end up like this lady in 4o  years time.  I've only just started to realise how much STUFF I've got.  Nowhere near the lady in this article, but still far too much stuff I'm hanging on to, and what for?  Clothes that I don't wear, videos that I'm no longer able to watch because I don't have a VCR, all kinds of stuff I really don't need.

So I've been chucking out, sorting and donating all over the place.  I'm picking away at it slowly because if I try to do it all at once I'll lose interest.  Mostly I want to reclaim my spare room as a spare room, not a walk in storage unit.  And I want to shed a bunch of stuff that has no meaning to me any more, and display the stuff that DOES mean something to me.

Then there was this article about the 107 year old woman who is looking for a husband... is the universe trying to tell me something?

Inky Business

I have to tell you a little story about something that happened to me a few months ago.

Now, let me just tell you, I have tattoos.  Three in fact.  Two of them are rather noticeable, those two being the most recent ones I had done.  On the top of my left foot there is a big pink lotus flower.  On the inside of my right forearm, I have a kind of balloon heart with a string in pinks.  I also have a Gary Larson "Far Side" cow on my back, above my  left shoulderblade, but people don't normally see that one.  I do intend to get more tattoos in the future.

So anyway, about three or four months ago, I got in the lift at work, and there was a woman already in there.  For a moment she looks down at my foot, and I feel her look me up and down.  I'm wearing tailored navy pants, a turquoise top, low heeled court shoes and those fishnet "socks" (for wearing under pants).  No wild outfits, no wacky hair-do's, just you're average local government corporate worker.

So she looks at my foot again and says "Is that a real tattoo?"  I smile and say "Oh yes, it is." (she isn't smiling).  She replies "Did you get that when you were young and stupid." in a tone that implies only people who are young and stupid would get tattoos.  My smile is now gone, and I say in a flat tone "No, I got it three months ago." to which she replies "Oh..." and hurries out of the lift.

Unfortunately there are still people in the world that assume that having tattoos is either a massive mistake you have made when you're young, or you're some kind of trouble making rough neck.  People don't realise that just like clothing or jewellery, they're a form of self expression, only ones that are permanent.  Part of you.  They can't understand that a mature, hard-working, intelligent person would choose to get something permanently marked on their body.  They're also the kind of people that can't see tattoos as works of art.

When I was planning my two latest tattoos, I told a colleague (who has tattoos herself) that I planned to get the one on my foot done to cover most of the top of my foot.  She suggested that I opt for something smaller so that "You can cover it up."  I kind of wonder what the point of getting a tattoo is if you have to cover it up and hide it away from the public eye.  It's not like I have some pornographic or violent image tattooed on me, it's a beautiful lotus flower.  I'm proud of it, I love the artwork of both it and the one on my arm and I WANT them to be seen.

I understand wanting to have something tattooed in an intimate area that is special for only yourself and your partner perhaps to know about, but I don't understand tattooing the rest of the body only to cover it up because of what other people might think.

My tattoos are part of me, and they do reflect on my personality, but not in any negative way.  They're items of beauty, they're symbols that reflect who I am, and if people don't like to see the art on my arm or my foot, that is THEIR problem, not mine.  It would be different if the designs were something offensive, like sexual or violent images, but it's a flower and a heart balloon.  Get over it people - it's just INK!

Do you have tattoos?  Are they somewhere that can be seen in everyday wear?  Or have you got them somewhere that you cover them up?  If you cover them up, why?  And have you had any negative experiences because of other people's attitudes towards your tattoos?

Yet Another Obsession

What is it with stationery?

Why does it suck me in?  I just lashed out and bought a packet of GORGEOUS pastel markers yesterday.  I just couldn't leave them in the shop.  I don't need them, I don't know what I am going to use them for (I am not in any way arty or crafty) but they're so beautiful I just had to have them.  They even have pretty names:

Pink Flamingo

Oceanview Blue

Peach Parfait

Cloud Nine Grey

Tranquil Teal

Lemon Bliss

Polynesian Purple

Margarita Green

DELICIOUS!!  Hang on, let me take a photo...

See what I mean?  Delicious.

Is anyone else addicted to stationery?  Do you like pens and paper and folders etc?  Do you have stacks of markers in all kinds of colours, pretty crayons and loads of coloured or patterned paper?  Do you have boxes or packets full of stickers?  Dozens of journals and diaries?

Do you actually use them?  Or are you like me, and buy them and hoard them?

How can I encourage myself to actually use all of this stationery in a creative way?  Bear in mind that I can barely draw a stick figure, and have all the craft ability of a mollusc.

Microsoft Get it VERY Wrong

I don't know about you, but this does not make me want to buy Songsmith one little bit.

All it does is make me cringe!

A Totally Girlie Blog Post

I can't let the Golden Globes slip by last night without posting a commentary on the fashion.  I just can't do it!

I'm not really interested in the awards or the movies nominated or anything, but I do love the frocks and suits and accessories of all of those big red carpet events.  The best and worst dressed of the night, the dodgy make-up jobs and the hair that looks divine.  So I've collected some pictures from various sources online to share with you.  I think I'll start with the best bits.

My favourite of the night was Anne Hathaway:

Total old school glamour, a colour that suits her milky complexion and dark hair and eyes perfectly, and she was rocking some delicious curves.

My second favorite was Drew Barrymore:

Before I saw the photos, someone described her as looking like she'd been drinking.  I will agree that she's got the whole tousled bed head thing going there, but when you look at her close up, she looks divine!

Fresh, youthful, fun and she's totally rocking that Marilyn Monroe-esque hair style.  Love it!  I also really love the lush red clutch purse she's carrying.

Melissa George got a bit of a caning for this one:

But I like it.  It's retro, very art deco, the makeup and hair is soft and glamorous, she works the black and white well and it has a lovely shape.

Another who did understated glamour really well was Kate Winslet:

But then Kate always does.  I love the detail of the bow on her waist with the jeweled piece.  Just gives it a bit of bling for a special occasion.

Then there was Salma Hayek:

Actually the dress wasn't anything special, she's just GORGEOUS and carries her curves better than any other woman does!

Another one I heard really slammed was Jennifer Lopez:

Ok, I will admit, it does look like she's just taken a length of fabric and expertly (and carefully) draped it around her body.  But you can't tell me she isn't carrying it PERFECTLY.  The lady is a true diva, she just works her thing like no other.  Look at her:

She simply carries herself like a goddess.  Her makeup is soft and fresh, she's glowing all over the place, she's let her dress and skin carry the outfit without over accessorising (look at the rock in her earlobe!) and her hair is sleek and understated.  She's gorgeous.

Now for the bad.  First cab off the rank, Lisa Rinna:

Baaaaa!!!  Mutton dressed up as lamb if I ever saw it.  Too much collagen in the lips, botox in the brows, fake tan and she needs to pull those boobs into line.  Age gracefully honey, beauty isn't about trying to look younger than you are.

Speaking of mutton dressed up as lamb, Cameron Diaz is heading rapidly into that territory too.

I couldn't get a decent close up shot, but the makeup looks like slap, it's really pasted on, heavy around the eyes and the wrong colours.  Soft makeup flatters the signs of ageing far better than a ton of slap does.  And the dress looks like a doona cover, even if it is a pretty colour.

Speaking of doona covers, what was Rachel Griffiths thinking?

She's a really beautiful woman, always regal looking and has a fantastic figure, but this looks like a cheap 70's sateen sheet.  Her hair and makeup is lovely though.  I bet she had nice shoes on too.

One of the weirdest outfits of the night goes to Marisa Tomei:

It's like she just threw on anything from her wardrobe that she could lay her hands on.  It just looks all wrong.  Yet there is a lovely shape underneath that.

But the WTF?!?!? award definitely goes to Renee Zellweger:

I mean between the fright wig hair and that BIZARRE bodice of her dress, what the... frak was she thinking?  I remember how gorgeous she looked in that yellow vintage dress at the Oscars a few years back and then I see this monstrosity... who told her this was a good idea?

Now don't think only the ladies get a mention in this post.  I wanted to post a picture of Mickey Rourke for you all, but it was too frightening to actually paste into the blog.  Go search for it yourself, but make sure you don't let any children, pregnant women or the elderly see it.

Instead, here's the prize for the most ludicrous skin tone of the evening...

I think Pierce has been bathing in carrot juice again.

Remember Press Gang?

I've been going a bit retro with my DVD watching this weekend. I joined Bigpond Movies recently and found that I could get the great English TV series from the late 80's, Press Gang. It was the launching pad for Julia Sawalha, who you'd also know from Absolutely Fabulous (Saffy) and the 1995 BBC series version of Pride and Prejudice (Lydia).

I think a lot of people wrote it off as a kids show, but DAMN it was good. Great storylines, a flawless cast of talented kids, and very believable. In particular, it had some REALLY cute boys in it, most notably the very beautiful Dexter Fletcher. God that kid was gorgeous. All huge eyes, dimples and soft lips.



It's really hard to find pictures of him back then, but he really was a good looking kid. And cheeky cute too.

For a show aimed at teenagers, it had some of the best dialogue you will ever find in television. Really quick, witty and treated it's audience as intelligent. I loved it then and I've discovered I really love it now. So glad I can watch the whole run of the show thanks to Bigpond.

I've Been Awarded!

I just found out today that I've been given an award! How special!

My friend Megan awarded me for this one over on her blog Doing What the Cool Kids Do.

Sweet!

Now what I need to do is -

Here are the rules to follow through when you receive the award:

1. Post a copy on your blog.

2. Mention who gave you the award.

3. Pass the award onto 6 others.

4. Leave a message on their blog letting them know the award has been bestowed upon them.

I'd like to nominate, in no specific order:

Katagal Kapers - my lovely friend and colleague Kerri, who is always so positive and upbeat.

Terri's Ramblings - I have only met Terri in person once for a few days, but she's like a sister that I never had!

Morphine Dreams - Jacqueline is just too cool for words.

Random Thoughts and Rambles - Jules is an open hearted lady, always around to lend an ear to her cysters.

The Bruising Adventures of Girl Clumsy - A thought provoking and often hilarious lady.

Mandie's World - Another fabulous cyster who I only met in real life for a few days, but it was an AWESOME few days.

Congratulations friends!

Game On!

Gaming in Libraries
Originally uploaded by Shanachietour

This is a photo that the Shanachies took on their recent trip to Australia, here in Brisbane. It's a sign advertising the Game On exhibition at State Library of Queensland. I think it's a fantastic quote they've used there.

Game On is an exhibition of the history of video games. I have a free ticket to go and see it, but need a buddy to go with. Anyone want to go with me? I'm happy to split the cost of the other ticket.

7 Random Things About Me! (MEME)

My friend Terri tagged me in her blog, so it's my turn. These are getting hard for me because I've done them so many times before.

1. I cannot stand the smell of lavendar. It gives me a headache and makes me want to gag.

2. If I could, I would live six months of the year here in Brisbane (from April to September) and then the other six travelling the northern hemisphere for the colder climate. I cannot bear heat.

3. I would love to find a job where I could just surf the net all day every day! My current job is close, but I need to get rid of a whole pile of crap tasks. I'm a geek, I know!

4. As I get older, I'm falling in love with my curly hair. I used to HATE it and torture it straight every day.

5. I want to write my Grandparent's stories.

6. I am completely and obscenely in lust with a guy at work. (Not one of MY colleagues though - ew!) If he knew the lewd and lascivious things I thought about him...

7. Prozac is my best friend!

I'm not going to tag anyone, cos I know not everyone digs these. But if you want to do it, go for it, and please link back to me if you do!

You'd Betta Work!

Why is it infinitely more exhausting to teach someone your job than to just do it yourself?

At the moment, 'Berto is on two week's leave. We have the lovely Luke in to help out, and instead of totally freaking him out with 'Berto's job, we've kind of mashed his job and mine together, I'll do all the complex bits that take a long time to kind of get into, and Luke is doing the bits I can just show him how to do and let him run with it.

He's great, picking things up at lightning speed, using lots of common sense and is really keen to have a go.

But I'm worn down to a nub! It's exhausting me to explain what I do and step out how I do it. Mostly because I'm not used to actually thinking about it, I just get in there and chug along and do what needs to be done.

It's good though, because it highlights just how complex the work that we do is. Plus I love the opportunity to "convert" people into understanding why we harp on about the things we harp on about. When seen from our perspective, it's understood that we're not being pedantic, or making procedures and policies just for something to do. When you're the one who has to correct hundreds of records in a database every week, you start to get a bit narky about people not entering them correctly in the first place. When you have to track down millions of dollars worth of assets, following procedural steps to receipt new stock and dispose old stock is of vital importance.

I booked some leave for March today. Three whole weeks off work, which the boss has approved. I don't plan to do a real lot, spend some time with my Grandparents but the rest shall be swanning about doing all the things I seem to never have enough time to do. Lots of reading, some socialising, some relaxing, some movies... just generally recharging the batteries.

Bring on March I say!

Best and Worst of 2008

My friend Kathryn in Chico, CA sent me this via email for herself, so I thought I would blog it. Here are my Top and Bottom 10 things about 2008. I'll start with the crap things so I end on a high note.

Worst of 2008

1. Trish being diagnosed with cancer
2. Being treated like crap by a man I trusted.
3. Dealing with a bully at work.
4. Working too much and playing too little.
5. Ali leaving BCCLS.
6. Seeing so many of my IT buddies suffering under their current conditions.
7. Summer.
8. Dealing with a weirdo on MySpace who went ballistic because Obama got elected and spamming me with hate.
9. Cysters United being ditched because the Forumsvibe service got shut down.
10. Christmas.

And the Best of 2008

1. Getting a promotion!
2. Buying a washing machine.
3. My friend LukeyB. He's adorable.
4. The tail end of my trip to the US.
5. New Years Eve.
6. Wordscraper (used to be Scrabulous on Facebook) - I'm addicted!
7. The crackwhore moving out of my building.
8. Spending a weekend on the Gold Coast with Janna.
9. The Shanachies visit.
10. Gus's coffee.

There are actually a lot more good things than bad, but I just reeled 10 off the top of my head. I had to think about the 10 bad, so that's a positive note!

Carpet or Linoleum?

I spotted this article in my web travels today. It asks what is more attractive, hairy chests or polished pecs.

I have to say I am a hairy chest gal. I find smooth chests, particularly those that have been shaved or wax highly unattractive. It just seems so... pubescent to me. Or gay. I used to know a very creepy gay guy who would wax his chest. Yuck.

But a man with a good sprinkling of hair on his chest... mmmm.... oh to run ones fingers through that lovely hair.

All my favourite men have got hairy chests. I mean, look at William McInnes:



Then there is Jamie Hyneman:

Pants Buster - Jamie Hyneman
Originally uploaded by glezgyna

And Hugh Jackman:



What about Campbell Brown:



And this guy:



No, this is not a blatant excuse to post pictures of hot guys, it's a serious debate. Shut up.

My Dice with Death - Part 2

Well I'm not dead. I had really hoped to wake up this morning as Spiderwoman, but no, I still need my glasses, am not all buff and fit, and can't shoot web from my wrists (which I am REALLY disappointed about).

However, I have a little festery wound (about 5mm long, 2mm wide) where the two puncture marks were, and it's REALLY sore. No swelling or soreness on the rest of the finger, but that little spot does really hurt far more than I think it should.

Here look:



Now it's not very big but since I took this photo it has got more... yucky and as I said, it's very sore. I'm no wuss with pain, I've been tattooed three times.

I hope it isn't one of those spider bites that rots and then you get gangrene until you have to have your finger chopped off. Yeah thanks Kerri for your Facebook comment to put THAT idea in my head.

My Dice with Death

I got bitten by a spider today. At least that's what I'm pretty sure it was. I had two small puncture wounds on my finger, and it stung like crazy.

I was actually asleep on the sofa at the time. I had put a DVD on, was mooching on the sofa and drifted off, only to be woken by my hand really stinging. I looked down to see the bites, leapt up and hunted through the sofa for the culprit, but couldn't find it. Of course then I began to worry just WHAT bit me, as with all this rain all sorts of bitey things are coming inside. So I popped down to my friend Di's (she lives in my street) for a cuppa and to have someone around to make sure I didn't pass out or anything. I don't mess around when it comes to bitey things.

A good dose of antiseptic cream, a cuppa and a couple of hours passing by has assured me that my hand isn't going to drop off and I don't think I'm going to die.

I would have been really pissed off if I'd suffered any kind of real damage. I mean, I was doing the safest thing in the world... sleeping on the sofa! For God's sake, if one can't sleep on the sofa in safety... what hope is there in this world? It's not like I'm out in the bush, braving nature at it's fiercest.

How dare anything jeopardise my sloth time?

First Words of the Day Post

I cracked my new word-of-the-day calendar today. I have two days to use of course because I wasn't at work yesterday with it being a public holiday and all.

The first word was one I am very familiar with, skylark. My Grandma uses that word a lot. "If you weren't skylarking around you wouldn't get into such trouble." She also uses the word lairising. You don't hear that word any more. "Stop lairising around and do your homework!"

The second one was ad hominem. It means attacking an opponent's character rather than answering his argument. A new term to me, though I know a LOT of people who do that. "He couldn't justify his behaviour, so he attacked me ad hominem."

I'm quite looking forward to expanding my vocabulary with this little datebook!

100 Things To Do Before You Die

This is a bit of a blog meme doing the rounds. I don't in any way think that you should HAVE to do anything, but these are things you could pick from to enrich your life. You could make your own hundred things you want to do or have done (or both) that is important to you. I may add a few more to the bottom:

1. Started my own blog- yes, several
2. Slept under the stars- many times.
3. Played in a band- yes, badly
4. Visited Hawaii-no
5. Watched a meteor shower- yes.
6. Given more than I can afford to charity- Yes, but also not given as much at other times.
7. Been to Disneyland/World- no
8. Climbed a mountain- yes
9. Held a praying mantis- yes and it was creepy.
10. Sung a solo- yes, and sounded like a goose farting in the fog.
11. Bungee jumped - and I never, ever, ever will
12. Visited Paris- Not yet
13. Watched lightning at sea- Yes, plenty of times.
14. Taught myself an art from scratch- yes, several
15. Adopted a child- no.
16. Had food poisoning- yes. Terrible when you don't know what end it's gonna come out of.
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty- No, but I've been past her on a boat.
18. Grown my own vegetables- yes
19. Seen the Mona Lisa- no.
20. Slept on an overnight train- Several times.
21. Had a pillow fight- yes
22. Hitchhiked- yes. Used to do it quite a bit in my youth. Never on my own, I had a large, male hitch buddy.
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill - who hasn't?
24. Built a snow fort- no, not enough snow when I was in the US.
25. Held a lamb- yes.
26. Gone skinny dipping- yes.
27. Run a Marathon- No way Jose.
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice- nope
29. Seen a total eclipse- Yes, and several partial ones.
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset- yes
31. Hit a home run - no but I have hit a six in cricket.
32. Been on a cruise- Nope.
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person- not yet.
34. Visited the birthplace of my ancestors- yes, cos it's not far from here. Not the other side of the family though.
35. Visited an Amish community- no, I missed that on my trip. Next time.
36. Taught myself a new language- yes, Spanish.
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied- I only ever wish for "enough".
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person- no.
39. Gone rock climbing- yes
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David- no
41. Sung karaoke- only once when drunk. Hate karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt- no
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant- Yes
44. Visited Africa- no
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight- yes
46. Been transported in an ambulance- yes, when I slashed open my right arm on a louvre window at school.
47. Had my portrait painted- nope.
48. Gone deep sea fishing- no
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person- no
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris- no
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling- Not sure my ears would let me.
52. Kissed in the rain- no.
53. Played in the mud- yes
54. Gone to a drive-in theater- yes
55. Been in a movie- Nope
56. Visited the Great Wall of China- no
57. Started a business- yes
58. Taken a martial arts class- no
59. Visited Russia- no
60. Served at a soup kitchen- yes
61. Sold Girl Scout cookies- no, but was a brownie and sold their biscuits.
62. Went Whale Watching- yes
63. Got flowers for no reason- only ones I've bought myself.
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma- yes
65. Gone sky diving- no
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp- no, but I will one day
67. Bounced a check- yes
68. Flown in a helicopter- no
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy- yes
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial- No.
71. Eaten caviar- yes - gross
72. Pieced a quilt- no
73. Stood in Times Square- yes
74. Toured the Everglades- not yet
75. Been fired from a job- never
76. Seen the Changing of the Guard in London- no
77. Broken a bone- yes, toe and nose
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle- yes
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person- no
80. Published a book- not yet
81. Visited the Vatican- no
82. Bought a brand-new car- no
83. Walked in Jerusalem- no
84. Had my picture in the newspaper- Yes, for a few things.
85. Read the entire Bible- yes
86. Visited the White House- Seen it from the train
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating- Yes
88. Had chickenpox- yes
89. Saved someone’s life- several times
90. Sat on a jury- no, but probably will before long.
91. Met someone famous- yes, several.
92. Joined a book club- yes
93. Lost a loved one- yes
94. Had a baby- not yet
95. Seen the Alamo in person- no
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake- no.
97. Been involved in a law suit- no
98. Owned a cell phone- many
99. Been stung by a bee- yes, a couple of times
100. Ridden an elephant- no

So there's my replies to the list someone else created. Here's a few others I have done and think would be great experiences others could do if they haven't already:

• Swam in Lake Mackenzie on Fraser Island
• Taken a boat tour of the San Francisco Bay
• Eaten echidna
• Had a job that you love and are passionate about.
• Started a community radio station.
• Laughed some beverage out your nose.
• Eaten a hot dog from the street vendor in New York City.
• Read a whole book (a proper novel, not a little one) in one single session.
• Bought yourself a bunch of roses, just because you wanted them.
• Had a white Christmas.
• Learned a new word every day for a whole year.
• Eaten frogs legs.
• Visited at least three other states/provinces in your country.
• Taken a tram in Melbourne.
• Had a champagne at the Sydney Opera House.
• Seen a quokka at Rottnest Island.
• Owned the entire catalogue of one author and one band/singer.
• Been to a movie marathon all night.
• Asked your grandparents, or elderly parents, or some other person over 70 about their life.
• Been completely obsessed about something that you've researched and kept notes on and collected.

I have lots more, but those are a few that just pop into my mind. What are things that you want to do, or have done and have been vastly enriched by, that you could put on a list of important things to do?

Happy New Year!

Welcome to 2009. It's my aim to post at least 365 blog posts here this year. Every little bit of creativity helps me expand my skills and abilities, so I'm going to keep working at it. Even if it's just to share a video or photo, at least one per day. Cheer me on folks, leave comments!

I don't have my word of the day calendar here at home with me, so I will just have to use two words on some days. I took it to work so that I could share the word of the day with my colleague and friend Marlene, who is a book lover and word collector like me.

One of the great joys of New Years Day for me is cracking open all the new diaries and calendars. I love them. I've got a gorgeous purple one that looks like it's coated in purple spun sugar as my personal diary. On my desk here at home is a "Cupcake a Day" calendar that my friend Janna gave me for Christmas. I have a big calendar with lovely big squares for each day so I can write stuff on there. It's going on the wall in my room. I also have a big planner thing that came from the local MP, which I am going to cover the boring (ugly) bits with stickers and stuff. At work I have the word a day desk calendar, as well as a rather dull BCC issue diary. And a SeaWorld calendar by the desk. I love cracking open a new diary or calendar and sitting down to write birthdays and holidays and other important dates in there. Of course, I NEVER open a calendar before January 1st.

I started to watch I Am Legend today. But it got too scary so I bailed out on it. I don't do scary movies. I went back to watching Mythbusters, which is more my bag.

Hey, wanna hear something cool? Stephen Fry is following me on Twitter. I think he found me through Girl Clumsy.

It's bloody hot again today. 8.30pm at night and I'm still sweltering. I think I'm going to move to Canada.

Grumble Bum Again

I'm back at work today and have still got the grumps. But at least I am out of the 33+ degree heat.

Why have I got the grumps? Cos I'm feeling ripped off again. It's a whole bunch of things but my work situation pisses me off and I'm just about at the end of my tether. I need a holiday. I plan to take one in March when it is a little cooler and I can enjoy it more. I'd like to go visit my Grandma for her birthday, she will be 80 in March. I don't get to see her as often as I would like to, mostly because the rest of my family sucks. Well, a big proportion of them do.

But let's talk about something that isn't grumpy.

I got a calendar for Christmas that is one of those "New Word a Day" things. You know, where you get a cool word and it's meaning on each page for each day. I think I should set myself a challenge to blog every day, and use that word of the day in the blog! Do you reckon I can do it? I reckon I can have a really good go at it!

Soon I won't have to update two blogs, I will be able to just use this one. Our training programme finishes tomorrow evening and I won't have to do a constant blog for work colleagues to maintain. I think I will bring some of the posts over here cos I really like them. Or I'll just archive it until we need to use it again. If you haven't already looked at the other blog, you'll find it at http://kathx23.blogspot.com

New Years Eve tomorrow night. I'm going to a party at my friend and colleague Robert's house. Will be fun. I have a new outfit to wear. It's all black - I don't normally wear all black, I love colour but this outfit was so pretty I had to have it. I also have a bottle of strawberry champagne to crack at midnight. Yummy!

Summer Sucks

It's hot. I'm grumpy. I don't want to be here or anywhere in Australia right now. I just want to go back to the US and be somewhere cold and comfortable. This time last year I was on the last leg of my trip, just arrived back in Chicago. I had the flu really bad, but it was snowing there and I was with my friends Missy and Danny and their gorgeous three dogs Sasha, Loca and India and I was REALLY happy.

Right now, I just want the heat to go away.

This Year I Have Learnt

Christmas is almost here. Can you believe it? I am astonished when I realise that it has been a year since I was in America. This time last year I was in New York City, freezing my tail off but loving it. I was just about to go to Michigan to see my cysters Terri and Mandie and their families. It was possibly the most amazing time of my entire life.

So what has happened in my life over the past year? What have I learned about life and myself? Let me see:

• I can find friends anywhere in the world, simply by being myself.
• I really did miss the Big Canadian Dude more than words can say.
• Giving my heart to someone who is only attentive of me when he wants something is a complete waste of my beautiful heart.
• I really don't like corn syrup in my food.
• But I love KFC that is fried chicken with mashed potato, green beans and biscuits and gravy.
• America has bad coffee.
• Canada has great coffee.
• Canada has bad donuts
• America has GREAT donuts.
• Bullies will never win in the long run.
• So long as I always act with integrity, no-one can stop me from achieving my goals.
• I don't have to always be the reliable and responsible one. Sometimes I can just kick back and let other people do the work.
• A real man knows a woman's worth and is not afraid to acknowledge and appreciate it.
• Aussie chocolate really does taste better than the American stuff.
• I can learn anything I want to.
• I really want to travel more.
• I need to work less and play more.

I am sure I've learnt a LOT more than these things, but this is a good start.

Let me take this opportunity to wish you all

The World's Smartest Mouse

How cool is this little guy huh?