New Design

As you can all see, I'm tinkering around with a new design for my blog.

It still needs some tweaking to get the text to fit in the boarders, but it's getting close!  I just haven't quite worked out how to get it to work just yet.

If anyone has some tips or tricks, please let me know!

Thankful Sunday

Another week has rolled around yet again, and we're back to Sunday night.

As you may have seen by my earlier posts, I had a rough week this week.  It's been really hard to kick the black dog into submission after having some shitty things happen, but I feel I'm starting to turn a corner.

So, what am I thankful for?

I had a great time at the BTUB (Brisbane Twitter group) meet up at New Farm park yesterday.  The lovely @shique organised to have cupcakes for us all to snack on, and boy were they gorgeous!  Just take a look.

Pretty special hey?  There were also some amazing red velvet ones, and anyone who knows me, knows I love red velvet cake!

Of course, I had to go for the cutesy pink one with the cherry on top that you can see there.  But of course, as well as the cupcakes being delicious, it was great company.  I enjoyed seeing a few of the folks I'd already met, and meeting a bunch of new ones.  I took my girl @lilabris with me so she could meet some of the BTUB community too.

I am also thankful for the people in my life who support me and stick by me when the black dog hits.  This week, particularly my friend Miss E (she knows who she is!) who encouraged me to go out for dinner on Friday night to lift my mood, and listened when I had a good vent.  But also the friends who commented on my last blog, or left me messages on Facebook and stuff.  It really does help!  And I know it's not easy to have a friend who suffers depression.

I think I need to leave you all with a little more cupcake porn hey?

Wisdom Blowing My Way

I was stuck for a topic to blog about tonight.  Mostly because the black dog (depression) has got me kind of low, and to add to that I've had a few shitty things happen over the past few days, which hasn't been a nice return to work.

While I was sitting here looking at a blank screen, trying to think of something positive to write about (because I don't really believe in depressive blogging), feeling a bit yuck and uninspired, and asking God why I keep getting kicked while I am down, my Twitter went off (through TweetDeck) and there was a tweet from one of my favourite quote sources, @iheartquotes:

"An evil man is snared by his own sin, but a righteous one can sing and be glad." Proverbs 29:6

Oh what a beautiful quote to come to me at such a moment.  Now I don't interpret this as "Those dirty sinners are going to hell and I'm all perfect so I can be glad." which is what comes to mind in the most basic of interpretations.  To me this proverb means that the people who chose to behave abominably will receive exactly what they deserve, while so long as I behave with integrity and respect, I'll be ok.  It relates to another favourite quote I have, which is:

"So long as you act with integrity, no-one can stop you from reaching your goals."

I don't even know the source for that one, I just saw it somewhere and loved it so much I made up a sign for my desk.

It's just perfect that I was to hear that proverb tonight, after discovering that someone has taken credit for months and months of hard work that I have done.  I know that if I try to bring it up with anyone, I'll just get told that I'm imagining things, or that I'm being overly emotional, or being dramatic.  It's just not worth fighting any more.  So instead, this lovely proverb has popped up in the quotes to remind me that so long as I am the one behaving with integrity, I can hold my head up and have faith that those who behave otherwise will dig their own big holes for themselves to fall in.

I'm very thankful that I got this little piece of wisdom fall in my lap just now.

Ada Lovelace Day

Today, for those of you who don't know already, is Ada Lovelace Day.  Who was Ada Lovelace you ask?  Well, she is credited with being the first female programmer.  And in honour of her birth, I have taken a pledge to blog about women in technology today.

As a woman in technology myself, I know it's not an easy career path to travel.  Long a male dominated profession, we ladies who have chosen to work in technology face a lot of challenges in our every day working lives.  From the challenges of actually obtaining employment in technological careers, through to having to endure being dismissed as "lightweights" by our male colleagues, or spoken to as though we wouldn't understand.

Quite often we're told we're not "technological enough" because we choose the so called softer side of technology to work in.  Those of us who choose to work in roles that deal with people and communication are dismissed as not really working in technology.  Yet with technology permeating so much of our lives now, women (and the men who also choose) are needed to work in communications and the people side of things.  We're the ones that get people adopting and accepting technology.  We're the ones who understand why when people don't pick up technology.

I love working in and with technology.  It fascinates me, challenges me and is always changing, growing and surprising me.  Sometimes I do get frustrated with the environment others create, but I am never bored.  And most of the time, it's FUN!

Are you a woman in technology?  Do you work with/know women in technology?  Tell me your story about women and technology.

Thankful Sunday

Sunday night rolls around again.  I am back at work tomorrow after three weeks annual leave, and I'm quite sure it's going to be a bit of a shock to the system!  I am going to attempt to have an early night tonight.

Being Sunday night, it's time for my weekly reflection on the things I am thankful for.

Well, to start with, I am very thankful that I've been able to have three weeks off work, just relaxing and taking some time out to get my head together, get some priorities right in my life.  I feel so much better for it.  I feel like I've taken a very deep breath of good, fresh air.

I'm thankful for the lovely weekend I have just had with 5 other ladies, in the beautiful Eumundi Guesthouse.  I had a wonderful weekend of "girl time" which is something I don't get to do very often.  I laughed, had great conversation, admired shoes and clothes, relaxed, shopped and generally just enjoyed the company of these five lovely ladies.  A special thank you to Nicole who invited me.

And finally for this week, I am thankful that there are so many people who missed me online while I was away over the weekend!  Thanks for all your comments, posts and emails my lovely friends!

Big Hearts and Pretty Things

Finally I am all ready to make this blog post!  It's been a weird few weeks and I've needed to take a little time out to just let myself relax, and to get my brain out of the fried and overworked zone it was in.  Now I've got time to organise something for other people.

Back in February, when the fires in Victoria were at their height, the lovely Nikki at Oh My Giddy Aunt, a fabulous keepsake jewellery store online, where I have bought some lovely jewellery myself, posted in her newsletter that she was having a birthday celebration for her store, and she asked if anyone had a school or an organisation that she could donate a gift to, for raffle to raise funds.

I didn't have a school or organisation that I could think of, but at the time I was waiting to hear from my friend Vonnie who lives down in the fire affected part of Victoria, worrying that she and her family were ok, so I emailed Nikki and suggested that perhaps I could raise money for the bushfire relief.

I got an email back from her the very next day, offering me this beautiful bangle to raffle:

Isn't it gorgeous?  And it's valued at a WHOPPING $160!  What a lovely thing to do on Nikki's behalf!  I am totally amazed at her generosity for donating this gorgeous bangle.  And no, I don't know Nikki at all, I stumbled across her site a while back after a girlfriend told me about it

It arrived a couple of weeks ago, and it is even more beautiful in reality than it is in the above photograph.  And now that I'm all prepared with raffle tickets and such, I shall start the raffle.  Tickets will be $1 each and I'm going to draw the winner on the 28th of April, six weeks from today, which should give me lots of time to sell tickets and raise $$.  For those of you who are local to me, see me to buy tickets.  I'm sure we could even work something for those of you who are not local, if you would also like to buy tickets.

If you'd like to see more information on the bangle, click here. (The star design is the default, but the heart one is there too, and the different price is in the drop down menu)

Now, the next thing I want you all to do, is to go over to the website for Oh My Giddy Aunt (isn't that just the prettiest name for a jewellery shop?) and have a shop around.  Because not only is Nikki an awesome generous lady, but her jewellery is DIVINE!  Really pretty, special stuff that is just delicious to own.  I have one of her chime ball necklaces, which is so tinkly and gorgeous, I wear it a lot.

The extra bonus with Nikki's jewellery is that it is presented so beautifully when you receive it.  Right down to the groovy handwriting on the envelope, soft purple tissue paper, little ribbons and boxes and hand made gift tags.  When I received the heart bangle in the mail, it came wrapped up with this mega cute little fairy on a stick:

Everything about Oh My Giddy Aunt has a lovely personal, hand-crafted touch that is not only a delight to receive, but a delight to give too.

She has keepsakes, charms, gifts for children, bespoke fine jewellery, lockets, all kinds of beautiful pieces.

If you're looking for a gift for someone, or to spoil yourself, this is the jewellery store to go to.  You'll be supporting a generous, open hearted lady who offers beautiful products and fantastic service.  That's the kind of business I want to support.

http://ohmygiddyaunt.com.au

Thankful Sunday

Is it really Sunday already?  Another week of my holidays has passed so quickly.  Why do work weeks not pass this quickly?

Let's see, what am I thankful for this week?

Well, I've had a really mellow week, just chillin' and enjoying my holiday.  I've been feeling so relaxed and mellow, it's done me the world of good.

I'm also thankful that I got to go and see Watchmen on Friday with my friend Kylie.  It's a bit hard to follow (as was V for Vendetta for that matter) but really enjoyable.  Awesome costumes, well cast, a good meaty story (around the bits that lost  me a little) and great sets and special effects.  Plus hanging out with Kylie is always cool too.

Friday was a big day, because I also went out to see Adam Hills on Friday night, at the New Farm Powerhouse.  It was the opening night of his new tour "Inflatable", and we were the second ever audience.  Better than the first, because he was all warmed up for us.  God he was funny, I think I burst a kidney.  No really, I think I damaged a kidney laughing so  hard!  My favourite line from the whole night.  It is thus:

"Going to Starbucks for coffee is like going to prison for sex.  You'll get some but it will be rougher than you're used to."

Brilliant line Mr Hills!

Thursday Mailbag

I had a bit of an idea for a regular blog post.  I've always been a lover of anything that comes through the post.  The REAL mail, that a man on a wee orange motorbike delivers from Monday to Friday (yes US and UK folks, in Australia we don't get mail on Saturday or Sunday) and that you can pick up and open and carry around.  When I was a kid I always loved writing letters to penpals all over the world, and then I started collecting postcards, which I now have THOUSANDS of.  Not just any postcards, they have to be ones sent through the mail.  Either to me, or I also have some lovely antique ones that people have bought me over the years.

That got me thinking about how nice it is when you get something through the mail.  Other than bills and junk and political crap touting for the upcoming election.  I think, once per week, I'll talk about something nice that has arrived in my  mail, and the story around it.

This week, I think the nicest thing I have got all week is a copy of Bill Bryson's "Made In America" in paperback.

I got this one through BookMooch (www.bookmooch.com) which is a website where you can register and trade books.  You create an inventory of books you have that you're willing to give away, and you get points for each book.  Then you create a wish list, and it costs you a point to "mooch" a book from someone.  When someone mooches a book from you, you pay the postage to send it to them, and in return, when it's your turn to mooch from someone, they pay the postage to you.  It's a good system and a cheap way to get your hands on books.  I used to do a lot of BookCrossing (www.bookcrossing.com) but it was pretty random what books you could get, so I like BookMooch much better, as you create a wish list of things you actually want.

Incidentally, I love Bill Bryson's work.  He's hilariously funny yet very humble.  I always feel kind of warm and fuzzy while reading his books.

It's always a delight to get a parcel in the mail, but even more so when it's a freebie, and a book!

Sixth of the Sixth

Another cute meme I found on Adorably Distracted today.  This one is to go to my 6th picture folder, then post the 6th picture in that folder, and explain.

So mine is:

Which gives me a happy, because any excuse to post a picture of a shirtless William McInnes is a really good thing!

For those of you who don't know me very well, I am possibly William's biggest fan.  Well, other than my lovely friend Barb in Florida.  I have been a fan of William since I was about 17 or something, and I saw him in A Country Practice.  His character married Kate the Ranger, and she had lots of babies breath in her hair.  Then it was Snowy, Blue Heelers, SeaChange (which the picture above is from) and beyond.  Will is so used to me turning up to every event he is at in Brisbane that he greets me with familiarity now.

And yes, I am the person who blogs over at William Watch.

Maybe you can do a blog post of the sixth photo from the sixth folder in your pictures.  Or tell me about your favourite actor.

Interviewed Again!

My online friend Robin of the blog The Kaleidoscope Kitchen, has sent me some interview questions to blog up.  These are wonderful questions and it's a real challenge to answer them, but a good challenge!  So let's see.

1. There are so many great things about you, Kath, that I can see from half way around the world, and that is why you are my only (exclusively) online friend. :)  What is your favorite quality about yourself, and how do you or could you use it for good in the world? :)

I'm really touched that Robin feels this way.  We've never met in real life, but I hope we do sometime in the future.  Now, in answer to her question, my favourite quality about myself would be my big open heart.  If you've seen my earlier post from back when I got tattooed again last July, I had a tattoo done of a heart balloon on my inside right forearm.  The significance of this is that I wear my heart on my sleeve, that my feelings for the people I care about are out there for the world to see.  I fall in love so easily, not just man-woman love, but in love with my friends, with pets, music, characters from books and movies and television.  I used to hide that about myself, but now I have learned to love it.

2. What is your strongest held belief?

Hmmm... that everyone in this world has a responsibility to respect.  Respect themselves and to respect others.  That doesn't mean that you have to kowtow to people, but to treat them as you expect to be treated yourself.  It's the old "golden rule" for me.  Do unto others as you would have done unto yourself.

3. What is your greatest dream, and what are you doing to achieve it, or what is holding you back?

My greatest dream is to have a family.  I'm not sure it's something that you can just go out and achieve, set yourself goals for.  I think it's something that is meant to come to you, and it just hasn't come to me yet.

4. I personally love cozy comfort, and am comforted by Christmas, books, blankets, baking.... What is the most comforting thing in the world, to you?

I'm a texture junkie.  So it's things with texture that bring me comfort.  My pillow, the softness of my cotton doona cover, worn to slight fuzz.  Oh and hugs from my big Canadian brother.

5. I know you love books, as do I. :)  What is your favorite book, and what book has made the most difference in your life?  And how do you think you ever became so enamored of books?  And what in books speaks to you, and is so worthy? :)

My favourite book is Cloudstreet by Tim Winton.  Every word is pure beauty, and when I have the Pickles and the Lambs I could never be lonely.  They feel like old friends, like family.  There is a scene when Quick and Rose first realise how they feel for each other that breaks my heart yet fills me with joy.  I always read Cloudstreet like I am savouring something really delicious, like a ripe mango or fine chocolates, or a really amazing cup of coffee.

Books always held a safe place for me.  I can't ever remember not being able to read, and I can remember further back in my life than most people.  I remember the feeling of safety and escape and hope that books gave me when I was a kid and things were tough.  When I was afraid, or lonely, or feeling that I would never get to a place that was better than where I was, books always offered me a road out of those feelings.

For me, it is all about character in books.  If I can't fall in love with at least one character in a book, I won't be able to read it.  I embrace characters in books like they are old friends (even with non-fiction!) and hear their lives like they are telling me their stories themselves.  Setting comes next, I love to be transported into a book, but really it's character.

So What's the Problem?

I have a question.  Why are so many atheists so threatened by those with faith?  Not all of 'em, but it seems a lot of them are.

Now let me preface this before I get down to the topic.  I have faith.  It doesn't matter what that faith is, I don't feel the need to share it, prove it, quantify it, spread it or evangelise it.  It's mine, I'm comfortable with it and I don't feel threatened or bothered by other people having either a different faith or no faith.  It's just kind of there.

It doesn't matter to me what other people believe, that doesn't detract from my beliefs at all, and I'm perfectly comfortable sharing the world with all other faiths and those who hold no faith.  It's not a requirement of my belief system that everyone has to believe the same as I do.

So on to my tale...

Yesterday someone on Twitter asked an intelligent and respectful question to those who believe in God, I replied and an intelligent discussion ensued.  Then the person asked the opinion of another Twitterer, and he replied with an answer so disrespectful and dismissive, full of attitude and sarcasm.  The implication was that someone who had any kind of faith was stupid and poorly educated.

I don't quite understand why the attitude.  Is it such a terrible thing that someone holds different belief systems to you?  Does it lessen your atheism to have someone who is not an atheist in the world.  Do you feel threatened by those who have faith?

Or is it the simple fact that so many of you feel that you're somehow better than those who do have faith?

I feel that if I were to hold the same attitude towards atheists that so many atheists hold towards those with faith, I would be shouted down for my narrow-mindedness and conservatism.  However, it seems it's perfectly acceptable for them to hold that very attitude.

It seems to me, that to people like the guy who made the smarmy comment, they hold themselves above those with faith.  What makes the likes of them more important than any other person on the planet?

Just some food for thought folks.

Thankful Sunday

Since I've had a bit of a rough week, I've decided that I'm going to make Sundays "Thankful Day" on my blog.  Each Sunday, I will think back over my week and talk about a few things that I am thankful for.

So what am I thankful for this Sunday?  Let's see...

Firstly I am thankful for my lovely friends.  As I said, I had a crappy week, and returned home on Friday feeling very blue, and quite low in the self esteem.  Within 24 hours, all my lovely friends had boosted me up and made me feel back to my normal, upbeat self.  I love you my friends!  And a special thanks to Kylie B and Kerri for their texts while I was away, you saved my life girls!

I'm also thankful that I'm financially secure and I have a nice little flat to live in.  I can't imagine how miserable I would be if I had to rely on my family.  I'm thankful that I have abundance in my life right now, and that I can not only live comfortably but have some fun in my life.

I'm thankful for all the BrisVegas folks on Twitter who showed concern after I tweeted about being attacked at South Bank bus station on Friday.  I was really pissed that nobody offered to help me when that bastard was abusing me, and that nobody asked me if I was ok even after he left (and I had called the police).  But the Twitter community  here in BrisVegas were amazing!

And I'm thankful that my friend Trish is on the home run of her chemo, and that she's been responding to the chemo so well.  Four more treatments lady!

So what are you thankful for?  Leave me a comment - it'll be good for you!

Guilty Pleasures... Or not!

Over on Adorably Distracted, a blog I read regularly, she has a little activity of listing some guilty pleasures.  I thought it was fun so I'll have a go.  Here are some of my guilty pleasures.

1. Show tunes

I love a good show tune or musical.  I can listen to them for HOURS.  Either musical soundtracks, or just albums of show tunes.  Particular favourites of mine are Michael Feinstein (oh how that man knows how to do an American Standard), early Rosemary Clooney, Little Shop of Horrors, The most recent Disney version of Annie (with Victor Garber and the delectable Audra McDonald) and anything with Barbra Streisand in it.

2. Mythbusters

I have a big crush on Jamie Hyneman.  It's the alpha-male thing.  And they are just so nerd-perfect.

3. Cheezels with pickled cocktail onions sitting in them.  

It's a taste sensation people!  And it needs to be the coloured cocktail onions.  Red is best.

4. That's Life magazine.

Ok there are a lot of bogans in it.  But it's entertaining and I feel somewhat less dorky when I read about the bogans.

5. Furniture stores.

I am a total texture junkie, I love all the fabrics and stuff on all the furniture.  If you take me to a furniture store, it is guaranteed I will molest the furniture.

6. Stationery.

Pens, paper, diaries and journals, anything by way of stationery.

7.  Margaritas

Lemon, lime, strawberry, mango... they're all good!

8. Diva

You know, that costume jewellery shop?  For the non-Aussies it's a bit like Clare's in the US.

9. Reading blogs.

I have subscribed to over 500 of them, and am happy to subscribe to more as I find them.

10.  Not feeling guilty.

I actually don't feel guilty about any of my pleasures.  I refuse to!  If I had a pleasure that was dangerous or bothered any other person, then fair enough, but these are my pleasures and I don't give a tinkers cuss if someone else thinks they're nerdy or daggy.

So... what are your guilty pleasures?  What are the little things that give you a happy?

Holding Out for a Hero (or Trying to Be One!)

Just a little blog today, a little something for those of you who read, and to keep current.

I am officially on three weeks holiday from work.  I think I've kind've had a bit of an energy collapse in the past 24 hours, it's like my body has heard my brain say "Woohoo, I'm on holiday!" and responded with a very firm "Lie DOWN!!"  I don't have a lot of energy just at the moment, and I feel kind of like I'm coming down with something, but I think that's just that beginning of holiday crash.  You know how it is, when you push yourself too hard, and don't take your time, when you DO stop, you kind of fall over.

So I am going to listen to my body, have a little bit of a mooch over the next day or so, and not just leap into all of the fun things I want to do while I have some time until I've recharged a little.  I need to stop trying to be a hero.

And on the subject of being heroes, I was faffing about this morning and found this cute website that you can make your own superhero.  Check mine out...

Doesn't she rock that crossbow?  Want to go make your own?  Go to: The Hero Factory

Is Everything That is Good Bad for You?

There have been articles in all the major papers around the traps over the past 24 hours, like this one from the Courier Mail.  It seem some boffin has published a paper in the Institute of Biology journal stating that social media like Facebook and Twitter are terribly dangerous for us all, and that as a result, we're going to get cancer from it.

There was another one doing the traps a couple of days ago how a glass of red wine each day gives you a 160% higher chance of getting oral cancer.  What?

What is it with boffins who love to come out of the woodwork and do a "study" on anything that we enjoy (red wine, chocolate, sex, social media, having a snooze on a Sunday arvo) and then claim it's all terribly bad for us and we're going to get CANCER.  You have to capitalise it you know, cos it's all very serious and if you don't stop doing what you are doing right now, you're going to get CANCER.

Stop it.  Seriously, whatever it is you're doing RIGHT THIS INSTANT, stop it right now.  Or you'll get cancer.

Now I'm getting silly aren't I?  But I'm just a bit over there being a huge kerfuffle in the "regular" media over what's going to give you cancer just because some boffin says so.  The thing about the red wine giving you oral cancer?  I know someone who died at 26 of oral cancer who had never had an alcoholic drink, a cigarette, sex or been on a social media site.  She was just a lovely young woman who lived a very strict Christian life.  How do you like them apples, boffins?

Won't somebody please think of the children!!!!

Back to the social media thing, boffin Dr Sigman claims that sites like Facebook are keeping us all at home sitting in the dark talking to each other on our computers, and that's bad.

Now I don't know about you, but since I started getting into social media, my "real life" social life has EXPLODED.  I barely have a week where I'm not running around like a crazy woman trying to get to all of the social events, meet ups and gigs I've got planned.  And where have I planned these?  Facebook... Twitter... 

Here's an example.  One Sunday morning, I was slothing about in bed.  I rolled over, picked up my mobile phone off my bedside table and sent a tweet to Twitter via text message.  That tweet was "I feel like brunch.  Toast is boring."

Half an hour later, my mobile phone rang.  "Hi," said a friend "I saw your tweet so I thought I could pick you up and we can go out for brunch.  I'm bored too."  So off we went that morning to a rather lovely brunch and lots of chat and laughs together.

And that's only one example.  I could tell  you many, many more, from big organised events like Twestival, parties and dinners and such with friends, to one on one catch ups.  Tonight I am going to a party organised almost exclusively on Facebook.  Monday I'm having lunch with a friend, we organised it on Facebook.  Tuesday night I have a dinner I'm attending that I heard about on Twitter, and taking a fellow tweeting friend with me.  And that's just over the next four days, it goes on.

When are the boffins going to get that social media is not about social misfits sitting at home in a room lit only by their monitor, tapping away at one another.  They need to understand that social media is a tool that everyday people use to connect with each other.  And contrary to popular belief, it's not just the young that are doing it.  It's been awhile since I've been a youth.  My friends that use social media range from youths to those who are old enough to be my parent.

And I have made new friends through social media websites.  Whether it be catching up with a like minded Twitter buddy for a coffee, attending a local group meet up, or conversing with someone on Facebook from San Francisco that I intend to catch up with  next time I take a trip over to the US, social media continually brings new social contacts into my life.

One of the things I'm thinking is that we all need to let go of the idea that there is a virtual life and a real life, and that they're two separate entities.  All of it is my real life, the same as talking to someone on the telephone is part of my real life.  Social media are tools for communication.  And people are using them to conduct their lives.  Not to hide behind so that they don't have to live, but to enable them to live more fully.

Here's a little food for thought for you:

I Don't Need Filtration Thank You!

So you know the Australian Government want to put a filter on the Australian internet right? Supposedly it's there to stop kiddie porn being available to the Australian public, but as there are all kinds of ways to circumvent filters (people in China do it all the time), it won't work because those people who want to partake in child pornography are crafty bastards right.

Instead, it will make YOUR internet painfully slow, block sites that are legitimate because they have one naughty word in them and besides, this ISN'T China anyway. This is Australia, a free country where the laws against kiddie porn need to be tougher and more comprehensive, not a filter put on the rest of us law abiding citizens accessing the internet that WE pay for with OUR money...

So here's something quick and easy you can do to help. Sign this e-petition. You don't even have to leave my blog to do it.



And if you blog, or Facebook, or anything else, spread the word. Cos trust me, your internet access will suck even worse than it does now if this goes ahead, and it won't even have solved the problem of child pornography.

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.