Elizabeth July 1st, 2008
There’s something inspiring about a new month, and I like making resolutions (even if they don’t last forever!). Here are my goals for July:
1. Take my multivitamin and asthma medication every day
2. Lose 3kg
3. Find a new job
I’ll be pretty happy with myself if I can achieve all three!
Elizabeth June 30th, 2008
One year ago I boarded a plane in Brisbane, with two suitcases and my dog. In that short time Melbourne has become just as much my home as Brisbane ever was, and there’s still so much more to see. I am certain that I will still be exploring and experiencing this city for many years to come.
In many ways it is more “home” than anywhere else, because of the path I’ve forged for myself and the people I’ve chosen to share it with. Melbourne has been my own little frontier, and finding my place in it has been a real adventure.
Happy anniversary, Melbourne.
Harry’s first night in Melbourne - looking a little bit sad after his first plane ride
Elizabeth June 29th, 2008
Part of my 101 Things in 1001 Days challenge
The people at my workplace are AFL fanatics. One of our sales managers can tell you the score of any Carlton match ever played, who kicked the winning goal (and in what minute), who was announcing the game and where he was personally at the time. It’s really fun to quiz him on the details when he’s taking a trip down memory lane.
As a Queenslander I didn’t really register that Aussie Rules football existed - at least, not until the Brisbane Lions started to win a bunch of Grand Finals. I’ve never understood the game, and never really cared to.
But when you live in Victoria all of that changes. If you are affliated with the wrong team (or worse - have no affiliations at all) you’ll find yourself completely ostracized. The coffee guy will secretly switch you over to decaf, your coworkers will stop greeting you in the morning, and perfect strangers will cross the road to avoid looking you in the eye. There’s no better way to scream “I’m a tourist!” than to utter a word about Rugby League or Union in this state.
When Tim and I moved to Melbourne my uncle presented us with the merchandise of our suburb’s team. It was an act of great personal sacrifice, but he recognised the importance of this rite of passage. We are yet to see our own team play a game, but we have been to two AFL games now - one at the Telstra Dome (Essendon vs Port Adelaide) and one at the MCG (VIC vs The Dream Team).
It was a really cool experience, especially since we were able to get seats in the Medallion Club for our first ever game at the Telstra Dome. However it is worth pointing out the embarrassment I felt when my boyfriend had to loudly explain what was happening on the field in his American accent. Is it just me, or does everyone run everywhere in AFL?
Elizabeth June 29th, 2008
I made my first real cold-weather purchase today.
I bought mine in black, with a grey/white faux fur trim. Honestly though, I could have bought the same jacket in army green and blue!
I saw these earrings in the store today too, but there was no price on them and I guess I assumed they’d be a bit pricey. According to the website they’re down to $25, which is so awesome that I’m going back for them tomorrow!
I have to be careful with which metals I wear in my ears, but at that price I’d happily re-make them with silver hooks.
So it was a very successful day. The Witchery sale is really, really good this year… please send money.
Elizabeth June 26th, 2008
My phone’s inbox filled up today, so I’ve just spent a few minutes backing up my text messages on my PC. Sometimes it’s fun to look back through old messages and be reminded of the dumb stuff my friends and I talk about, and tonight was no exception.
Most of Tim’s are best taken out of context…
Your dog is a wreck when i come home without you
Today I’ve seen 3 people with eye patches, none of whom were pirates.
Hey i like your boob
Well excuse me for buying you nice things
Do blind german albinos turn you on? Cuz if so I’ve got the perfect guy for you
I’m a great boyfriend, you jerk!
Got your stuff and it didn’t make my penis fall off or anything!
I wonder what girly crap I’d asked him to pick up for me that day? ♥
Elizabeth June 19th, 2008
My computer has terminated the little agreement we had, whereby it turned on when I needed it and then I used it for stuff. I came home the other day to find that it has more or less fried itself. It’s funny how much bigger and uglier a computer looks when it can’t even tell you the weather anymore.
So I’m basically counting on the fact that my hard drives are fine, and that I haven’t lost the trillions of photos, documents and music files that they’re holding. I have no reason to think that every component is broken, so for now I’m assuming that they’re okay. Fingers crossed it’s just my video card, and then business can go on as usual. It’s just that all the waiting and expense really sucks.
I wrote all about it a couple of days ago on my LG Viewty, which was really cool and liberating until the moment I hit the “Publish” button. Doing that logged me out of Wordpress and I lost everything I’d written. My dream of blogging from the tram isn’t yet a reality, but at least I can steal Tim’s laptop sometimes.
Meanwhile, I can check your comments from my phone, so tell me something good. What’s new with you?
Elizabeth June 9th, 2008
I had grand plans for the Queens Birthday long weekend. I was going to check out the Camberwell Markets, spend some time on Chapel St, clean up the house for next week’s inspection, job hunt and blog a whole lot.
Instead I spent the entire weekend on the couch, wrapped in a blanket and drowning in my own snot. Aren’t you glad I spared you detailed blog posts this weekend?
Last Thursday night I felt like I was coming down with something, but pushed myself to go to the gym anyway. I was greeted by the Personal Trainer from Hell, but left there feeling so good that I actually ran home from the tram! I was pretty sure that I was going to feel a bit stuffy for a day or two afterwards, but didn’t expect that it would develop into a full head cold.
I only managed to make it through half a day at work on Friday before waving the white flag and going home.
Since then the weekend has just been a blur of cold & flu tablets, 4-hour “naps”, bad daytime movies and ginger tea. I can tell that I will walk into the office tomorrow morning feeling like I never left, and I feel completely ripped off. At least this will just be a short week.
Last week was notable in a number of ways. Firstly, I have made the decision to leave my current job, but to do it slowly and wait until the right thing comes along. It’s amazing how much easier it is to get out of bed in the morning having made that decision, even though I don’t know exactly when I’ll resign. To say that I was feeling “trapped” is an understatement, so it’s nice to feel in control again.
I’ve discovered that I am not capable of pointless, passionless work. I’m pretty sure that I couldn’t have done this job for much longer even if I was on double the salary - it’s just too many hours in a week going down the drain. I need to know that I am helping people, or doing something meaningful… that my effort is contributing to something that makes somebody’s world better. Or failing that, I need the time and resources to be doing something outside of my work hours that makes a difference.
My current job leaves me without time, money, meaning or passion. That makes it pretty easy to leave behind.
Justine took me to see a preview screening of Sex & The City last Wednesday night, and it was so good that I haven’t stopped thinking about it since. I’m glad that I ignored the hype and saw it without any expectations; I loved it.
Afterwards we grabbed a hot chocolate at Groove Train, and chatted about all of her wedding preparations. The girl is a wedding machine - in two weeks she has designed her ring, picked the dress, found a dressmaker, venue and a new house and set the date! She’s planning to have the first “set and forget” wedding in history, so that she can just forget about it all and turn up on the day.
Newlyweds everywhere are reading this and shaking their heads, but if anybody can do it Justine can!
She has asked me to be maid of honour at her wedding. I accepted, after a short period of negotiation in which I asked to be known as her Busty Bestie instead! (Still waiting for that t-shirt, lady…)
Despite the lack of posts here lately I have been making progress with my 101 Things in 1001 Days. The next few posts will be devoted to catching up on my list and ticking off a few more boxes!
While I catch up, leave me a comment and tell me what’s new with you! Did I miss an important post of yours during my hiatus? Tell me what’s happening in your life, even if we haven’t met yet!
Elizabeth June 2nd, 2008
Before I write about anything else, I want to publicly congratulate my beautiful friends ???????? ????? ????????Justine, Adam and The J-monster! They are on their way to making their little family official, after becoming engaged last week on a secluded Tasmanian beach.
Wishing you three all the best for a happy and full life together, and looking forward to all the excitement as you plan your wedding! x
Elizabeth June 1st, 2008
Remember that scene from Run Fatboy Run, when Dennis finally begins training for the marathon, and the only reason he doesn’t stop is because Mr. Goshdashtidar is following him on his scooter and hitting him with a spatula?
Well, right now I need a Mr. Goshdashtidar in my life. Somebody to remind me that I am neglecting some important aspects of my life, and to keep the spatula just a few inches from my butt. But since I don’t have a crazy Indian landlord with a scooter and kitchen utensils, I thought I’d write about it here instead.
I’ve decided to embrace the start of a new month by making some positive changes.
The truth is that I’ve been in a bit of a slump for the last couple of months. I’ve been working in my new job for a few months now, and the situation there has become pretty hard to bear. I’m lucky enough to share my role with a girl who has become a good friend, but she’s the one oasis in an otherwise miserable workplace.
Things are going well in other aspects of my life, of course. Tim and I have gone from strength to strength, our little dog has adjusted to his new life really well, and Melbourne is still an incredible place to explore in our free time. We’re slowly making new friends in this city, and I think both of us are now feeling completely at home here. I feel lucky to have so much good stuff happening in my life.
But in many ways this job is ruining me. It’s a job where I really don’t get any personal satisfaction whatsoever. I don’t leave at the end of the day feeling like I have achieved something. I don’t derive any enjoyment from the menial tasks that I do, because they contribute very little and somebody else gets the credit for them anyway. I don’t get to help clients or coworkers in any sort of meaningful way. I don’t have any opportunity to extend myself and grow as a person - every day is exactly the same as the day before.
All this would be bearable if I was making more money, because I could be making better use of my free time. I could focus on saving up for a new computer to replace the one that is breaking, or the hot air balloon ride that I am dying to take someday soon. I could treat myself to a kickass all-day breakfast whenever I felt like it, or buy myself a couple of new shirts for work. The sad reality is that my salary covers my bills - and nothing more. Living month-to-month is just something I have to do right now.
The long-term plan is to use the “experience” that I am gaining to ask more of my next position. When I took this job I had just come out of a long period of self-employment, one that gave me very little to offer in an office environment. I am surviving all of this by reminding myself that it’s not forever - there is more out there and next time I can have it. It’s the short-term plan that has left me stumped, and caused me to neglect myself and the stuff I care about.
So for the last two months I’ve been undoing all the hard work I did at the beginning of the year with my diet and exercise. As you’ve noticed, I’ve badly neglected this blog. I haven’t been writing in my paper journal, haven’t listened to any new music, haven’t sought out or created any art. My workdays just drain me of energy and creativity, and even the desire to take care of myself properly. It really can’t go on.
So I’ve made a few decisions…
Firstly, I’ve decided to use part of my workdays in ways that benefit me personally. I might start by writing in my paper journal in my lunch hour, and using quieter parts of the day to plan/write blog posts. I’m still not comfortable blogging from work, but I can at least email them to myself and publish them from home. I have zero remorse in using work time for personal endeavours, since my workplace provides me with so little. My work will still get done.
Secondly, I want to start making my lunches more often in order to cut out some of the bad stuff I’m eating. I’ve been finding it really hard to eat well with the onset of Winter, but putting it in the “too hard” basket isn’t an option. From now on, Sunday to Thursday is dedicated to eating well - no matter what. That means less bread, rice and potatoes. More salad, maybe with soup. The plan is to eat my biggest meal in the middle of the day, and better plan my meals at night.
Thirdly, I need to get more exercise. It’s dark when I leave for work in the morning, and dark again when I leave the office. I start work at 8am, and it takes me an hour to get there. Exercising in the morning is basically not an option, since I am already getting up at 5:30 just to make it out the door on time. I need to find ways of exercising at night, even though it’s dark and cold and I just want to fall into bed.
Fourthly, I really really need to get stuck back into my 101 Things in 1001 Days list. I’ve actually managed to cross a couple of items off my list in the last couple of months without really trying (I’ll write about these in a later post), but I’ve stopped using it as a tool for keeping me on track with my goals. I’m looking forward to getting that positive momentum back in my life.
And lastly…
This blog has been a really big motivator for me, thanks to the comments and emails that you guys send me from time to time. It certainly wasn’t a deliberate decision that caused me to stop writing here - just a general case of “the blahs” that made it seem too hard. I’d like you guys to think of yourselves as the wooden spoon hovering right near my butt, and giving me a bit of a slap if you notice me falling off the wagon.
With that in mind, I’d appreciate it if you’d leave me a comment with any ideas you have for making these changes. I’m particularly interested in hearing how you eat well in Winter when all you can think about is potatoes and steak and pasta and ohmygod did I mention potatoes?
Elizabeth March 29th, 2008
I’m genuinely sorry that it has been so long between posts. I’ve been looking forward to writing here (I even have a bunch of posts half-written!) but work has been kicking my ass so thoroughly that I am crawling into bed every night after dinner.
Posting from work isn’t simple either, since I share my role with one other person who is sort of my superior. I’m sure that once I settle into a better routine my blogging will become regular again, but bear with me for another couple of weeks while I learn my job.
And speaking of regular…
You know that one person in your group of friends who catches every single bug that goes around? In my group of friends, that’s me. So when people at work started to drop off like flies from the flu and gastro, I knew it would only be a matter of time before it was my turn.
On Thursday afternoon I crammed myself into a tram at Flinders St, after being unable to get on any of the previous four. A major tram stop is being upgraded there right now, and getting home from work has been a little like being shipped off to a concentration camp. I found myself smooshed up against a group of men who reeked of BO and old cigarette smoke, and by the time I got off at my stop my stomach was churning, which was the first sign that something was wrong.
On Friday morning I got dressed for work, and spent an hour trying to leave the house. I eventually surrendered and took a sick day, not wanting to risk being too far away from a bathroom on my morning commute. Turns out I made the right decision, as I spent all of yesterday between the couch and the bathroom, hopped up on gastrolyte and swimming in Tim’s old track pants. At some point I braved the outdoors to get more Panadol, and when I came home I was so exhausted that I just fell into bed with the lights on. Tim came in later to tuck me in with the toy squirrel that his mum gave me.
After 12 hours sleep I think I’m actually worse than I was yesterday. This is a really shitty (see what I did there?) way to spend the weekend, and I’m so over it.
But anyway, in other news…
I’ve been thoroughly enjoying the recent cold snap in Melbourne, and all the beautiful rain we’ve been having. Winter clothes make me happy from head to toe, and my new haircut looks a zillion percent better when it’s not humid. It has been so great to see our yard turn green before our eyes, and to switch the heater on for the first time. I can’t wait for Winter to hit properly, but first I need to stock up on the right clothes
…Which would be easier if my first paycheck had been correct, just quietly.
I’m hoping to crank out another couple of posts that I’ve been planning this weekend, and get this blog up to date! I haven’t had much time to read your blogs over the past few weeks, so please leave me a comment and link me to a couple of interesting posts you’ve written lately!
Elizabeth March 19th, 2008
I have been following the discussion in this post with great amusement over the past week or so. It seems that when it comes to women and their periods we all have an opinion… and no matter which side of the fence you’re on it is Very Serious Business!
When I wrote that post, I didn’t really expect anything more than a few laughs. It was, after all, intended to be funny - and so many men and women can relate to the author of the letter, exaggeration aside! Instead, the discussion turned into very heated debate - which is not surprising given that a male reader helpfully suggested we girls all have our ovaries removed!
I thought I’d add some fuel to the fire with this article, discovered at the Sydney Morning Herald today. Tell me what you think!
Australian women suffer significantly higher rates of severe and debilitating poker gratuitonoble pokertilt poker7 card stud gratisstri pokerdownload giochi poker gratistavoli da gioco pokerpoker texano on linepoker on line in italiano7 card stud inlineapoker il giocodownload live pokereuropean poker tourper giocare a pokertornei di pokerpoker online bonusscommesse internetpoker online italiatorneo poker on linepoker on line gratis,poker gratis,download video poker gratisgioco video poker gratisgiochi internetholdem poker,poker texas holdem on line,holdem poker downloadgiochi di poker on linescaricare gratis pokerstrip poker flashpoker comstrategia pokeronline casino gamescasino’ onlineregole crapswww giochi casinoslots machine gratisvip casinogioco di roulettebaccarat onlinemobile casino gamesgiochi jack blackplay free baccarat onlinepc game casinoall slotsgiochi on line casinosistemi rouletteroulette europeacasino bonus no depositi casino onlineonline kenoblack jackcasino per pccasino da scaricare gratis premenstrual syndrome (PMS) than females in Europe and Latin America, a new global survey has found.
Research presented at an international mental health conference in Melbourne showed that about 40 per cent of women get PMS, typically mood swings, irritability, stomach bloating and sore breasts in the two weeks prior to getting a period.
Physical symptoms were more prevalent than emotional symptoms, but the latter were more “bothersome” for women, according to the findings collated from phone interviews with more than 4,000 women from eight countries, including Australia, the UK, France and Brazil.
About three per cent of women across all countries suffered the most severe type of PMS, called premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).
But the rate was significantly higher in Australia, where nine per cent of women interviewed met the criteria of at least five physical or mental PMS symptoms suffered on a severe scale almost every period.
Research leader, psychiatrist Professor Lorraine Dennerstein from the University of Melbourne, said the preliminary findings were both surprising and concerning.
“It’s very new data which hasn’t been fully explored yet so we don’t know what it’s linked to,” Prof Dennerstein said.
“But we know smoking is bad for PMDD, and it can also be affected by stress, income levels, cultural background and other factors.”
She said it may also be that Australian women were more aware of their bodies and reproductive-related problems.
“What ever the reasons, it is worrying because this syndrome is very, very debilitating,” she said.
“It has a major impact on how a woman runs her daily life, her work, her relationships.”
The research was funded by a pharmaceutical company which is soon to launch a new contraceptive pill in Australia that is claimed to help alleviate PMDD symptoms.
Prof Dennerstein said the pill, called Yaz, works on both physical and mental symptoms by partially suppressing the menstrual cycle.
Conference convenor professor Jayashri Kulkarni said the pill was promising. Other medications like new generation antidepressants known as SSRIs and anti-anxiety drugs had also shown some benefits, she said.
Some women were also able to manage their condition with vitamins like evening primrose oil, exercise, cognitive behavioural therapy and by reducing the stress in their lives, Prof Kulkarni said.
“This is not a minor problem, it’s terribly disruptive, so we need to explore as many different pathways as possible to find treatments.
Elizabeth March 18th, 2008
I began a mildly fanatical exercise and diet regime at the beginning of February, as part of my 101 Things in 1001 Days challenge. Since then I’ve lost a bunch of weight and am feeling a million bucks.
Writing about my weight here feels a bit strange, to be honest, because it’s a fairly private thing for me. But in the spirit of tracking my progress, I think it’s important to make mention of two big milestones!
Firstly, yesterday I went clothes shopping. It’s something that I did out of necessity, because the best-fitting work skirt I own is at least one size too big for me. I really resent spending money on clothes right now because I still have weight to lose, but it had reached the point where wearing this skirt wasn’t even an option anymore.
The skirt I bought is a cute little number from Portmans, TWO SIZES smaller than the skirts I was buying there 6 weeks ago! I’m wearing it today, and it’s pretty fabulous.
Secondly, and this is even more impressive…
I have taken ownership of my skinny boyfriend’s cargo shorts because THEY FIT ME and I want them so he’s lost them. Words cannot explain the moment when I tried them on and they looked good!
(I told Tim that if he said ONE WORD about those shorts being big on him I would break his nose. So far he hasn’t!)
Elizabeth March 16th, 2008
I know it’s been really quiet around here, but this week has been insane. I’ve started a new job, and am still adjusting to leaving the house each morning when it’s still dark. How I will cope in the dark and cold of Winter is beyond me.
I’ve made a decision to not write about work here, except in a very general way. There’s a good chance that some people at work will become friends over time, and so I don’t want to put myself in an awkward position by writing about anyone here. And besides, I really don’t want to be dooced, so I’ll play it safe for now.
I’m planning to set up “blog by email” today, so that I can write posts for my site during the quieter periods at work during the week. I’m not comfortable actually loading up my domain at work yet, but I don’t want another week to pass without any posts!
Don’t be alarmed if you see strange things around here while I’m testing it all out.
Meanwhile, it’s been nice to have a chunk of money show up in my bank account already! Yesterday I braved the 40C heat and bought some new plants, and then spent the afternoon repotting them. It was so much fun getting my hands dirty that I then weeded the garden and pulled out a vine that periodically tries to strangle one of our trees.
By the time I had made dinner and cleaned up I was completely braindead and fell into bed. Today I slept in until the grand hour of 8am! Working Monday to Friday has turned me into such a pussy.
Anyway.
I’ve been having fun thinking about all the stuff I’m going to buy over the next few months, now that I have a regular income. It feels like I’ve been living on next-to-nothing for so long, that even mundane stuff will be exciting to buy! Items on my wishlist include:
- A big, brightly-coloured watering can
- Cushions for the couches
- A spice rack
- A double stacker saucepan/steamer
- Oversized noodle bowls (for big salads and pasta)
- Blender
- Alarm clock (with an ipod dock?)
- New M.A.C. makeup
- Some cute, pointy-toed shoes with a low heel
- New jeans (!)
And the bigger stuff:
- A bed for the spare room
- A coffee table, so that I can put the blanket box in the bedroom again
- A replacement lens for the one I broke
The first step is getting out of bed again early in the morning, so that they continue to pay me. Guess I’d better get some sleep.
Elizabeth March 10th, 2008
Part of my 101 Things in 1001 Days challenge
My brother had a conference down at the Mornington Peninsula last week, just outside Melbourne, and extended his stay over the weekend. Tim & I met up with him in Frankston yesterday to see a few wineries and have lunch.
We only had a few hours to work with, which was made worse when we discovered that none of the wineries opened before 11 or 12. It’s almost as if they were telling us that drinking before lunch was frowned upon! Still, we managed to see a few great places including Main Ridge Estate, Tucks Ridge, Red Hill Estate and T’Gallant Winemakers.
I took lots of photos, but I’m really unhappy with most of them. Stupid me for forgetting my UV filter on a sunny day - the contrast and colours are pretty awful.
My brother took us to lunch at T’Gallant, and our meals were incredible
Eldridge Estate (I think?). This winery was closed when we visited, but I still wanted to get a shot
Main Ridge had beautiful gardens surrounding their vineyards. This was probably my favourite photo from the day.
Wine tasting at Tucks Ridge, where I learned that not all Chardonnays are cheap and nasty
I’m really excited about going back to these places when we have more time (and a car!). In particular, Tim really wants to take his parents to the area when they visit at the end of the year, since they love their Australian wine.
I came home yesterday with some really useful tasting notes, and several bottles of booze. Most importantly, I left with some changed opinions about what I thought I did/didn’t like in a wine, and a real appreciation for the winemakers in this region.
These wine tastings taught me a great deal, and were certainly a wonderful start to my goal of learning something about wine. However, I didn’t really feel as though I understood enough about the terminology used to describe them, or the processes involved in making different types of wine. This morning I went hunting for “beginner guides” online, and found Vino! to be a great source of information for an uncultured swines like me.
In particular, I recommend checking out Wine Knowledge 101, Wine Dictionary and The History of Wine.
Do you have a great online resource that would help me continue to learn? Tell me all about it in the comments!
| Completed: 16/101 | |||||||||
Keep track as I complete my 101 Things in 1001 Days challenge (commencing Jan 1st, 2008).
