I won Rob Thomas tickets!

Remember yesterday when I said this:

PS - I did some online rejecting of my own tonight! Ticketek generated me a B row ticket to Rob Thomas tomorrow night. I entered all my card details into the system. Then I closed the window. Must pay off my MacBook. Must pay it off fast! Don't need a Rob Thomas ticket. Can watch him 'live' on DVD on my MacBook. I will see him much closer up than at Rod Laver Arena.

Well karma has come around!

This morning I rang Nova to enter the hum-along-Hughesy competition. I guessed the right song (Sultans of Swing, thanks to my love for Dire Straits!) and the prize was...



Rob Thomas tickets!

Obviously if I bought my ticket last night I wouldn't have entered the comp, but by NOT buying one, and winning one, it is some sort of karma. That's how I get rewarded for repaying my MacBook!

Off to get ready and go to the concert now. Can't wait.

Rob Thomas is hot.

My doppelganger

So apparently it is Doppelganger week on Facebook.

All my friends are partaking. Peer pressure and that, I thought I should, too.

But no celebrity looks like me, and vice versa.

Then a friend posted her doppelganger photo.

And it reminded me of who I said I once looked like.

A red Cabbage Patch Kid. (That's who I resemble, not her. She had a cute pig tailed one)

I have fuzzy hair and chubby cheeks. Just like a Cabbage Patch Kid.



Note - my doppelganger photo has been retouched to look more like me hahaha - I'm so Jen Hawkins now!

When one word looks too much like another word... hehehe

I like to keep this blog nice. Of course, I'm going to drop the odd f-bomb, or make a suggestive remark. But I'm not going to start publishing erotic fiction here, or make comment on my sex life or of anyone else.

But I had to share this, it was too funny not to.

It was a conversation between a friend an I following on from her Facebook status.

**

Carly's friend: has something on her uvula activating her gag reflex. Worth seeing a doctor for?


Carly: the first thing I saw in your FB status update was the word 'vulva'.
Then I thought, why is your vulva gagging?
Hmmm...

**

Yep. When one word looks too much like another word.
;)

Definitions:
Uvula
Vulva

See. Poles apart.

Ebay goodies

In other news, I am suddenly on a massive fitness kick. I know. I am just as surprised as you are.

I'm not doing three hours a day at the gym. Nor am I doing any more than low impact exercise.

But now I can see a bit of my hourglass figure back after only seven sessions of Body Balance and one bellydance class, I want to do more.

Bellydance class was so much fun. I forgot to blog about it. Two friends came along last week and this week another friend will join us. It's great shimmying. Makes you feel so empowered and like your body is actually working out.

I have ordered two things on Ebay to help me on my quest to looking and feeling fabulous.

This jingly jangly hip scarf was about $6.00, including postage. I know! I have a pink one, but wanted a yellow one to alternate.



And this DVD means I can practice both pilates and belly dance in the comfort of my own home on the days I can't get to class, or need some gentle movement to help my skin feel better.



Mr postman, come by my house with my parcels.

Online rejection

I think I experienced some social networking rejection today!

Not upset, not reading too much into it, other than the conversational tweets that indicate the online rejection towards me.

I hate being rejected or let down.

I am let down a lot, to the point where I am sometimes hesitant to invite people out or call them for fear of being rejected.

This isn't insecurity.

This isn't a feel-sorry-for-myself blog post.

Nor is it a quest for popularity, online or in real life.

It's just an honest reaction to how I feel about being rejected and let down.

I am a really inclusive person, I talk to everyone, rarely take sides, and try to make everyone feel welcome and valued.

The funny thing with Facebook is seeing photos of the events that your friends were at, when they turned down your invite. The funny thing with Twitter is that your followers can read what you say, and track conversations. Ok yep. Two things that aren't really that funny.

One good thing about this blog is the positive comments it generates. Not that I'm seeking attention, but it is so nice to have an audience - an audience that responds to my writing and interacts with me through my writing. It's nice.

And when I do feel truly valued by friends and colleagues, I know that being rejected/let down by others shouldn't really matter.

Anyhow, as I said, not reading too much into the perceived online rejection.

I got a top weekend ahead of me, full of dancing, meal-dates and creativity with friends :) I am looking forward to Friday afternoon.

PS - I did some online rejecting of my own tonight! Ticketek generated me a B row ticket to Rob Thomas tomorrow night. I entered all my card details into the system. Then I closed the window. Must pay off my MacBook. Must pay it off fast! Don't need a Rob Thomas ticket. Can watch him 'live' on DVD on my MacBook. I will see him much closer up than at Rod Laver Arena.

I've been eating like a carnivorous rabbit, so...

It is 40 million degrees.


I've just worked very hard at Body Balance. I touched my toes tonight doing the hamstring stretch and did most of the moves in full, not the special needs moves like I have been doing. I'm balancing with more confidence, and for longer. It was great, despite the heat and some perving old man staring at our class through the window.

I feel every muscle in my body, and I am starting to see a defined waist. Hurrah!

This is me counteracting all that hard work with an icecream and berry combo. Vanilla icecream, mango gelati and frozen strawberries. It's ok though, I'm allowed as I've been eating like carnivorous rabbit - salads, fruit, vegetables and with a serve of meat or fish.

Quote of the day

'How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.'

~ Anne Frank

The news today

I have not kept up with the news today other than reading The Age at 6:00pm, seeing the Channel 7 news headlines on TV, and quickly flicking to news.com.au.

Even with my minimal news consumption today, I have still seen two shocking news stories.

Mother gives five year old son alcohol.


Nine year old girl gives birth.

No more comment needed on my part. I am gobsmacked.

Cute cupcakes

I'm not really one to copy and paste inspirational images from the internet to this blog. But these pictures are too cute not to share.

It was a work friend's birthday today and I sent her an email with birthday greetings and love. I attached a picture of a cupcake to the email.



Then I remembered I sent another cupcake photo to a different work friend for her birthday.


(source unknown)

And I've just googled some more pictures of unique cupcakes.

Aren't these amazing!


(from Black Eiffel)


(from Neatorama)


(from Pinku Rocks)



(source unknown)




(from Cute Yummy Time)


(from Epicute)


(from Epicute)

I love them all! Adorable.

Perfection versus excellence

I received my course details for the second last subject of my Masters of Communication today. The subject before the thesis.

There is one month tomorrow until uni starts back. I am excited, but apprehensive at the same time. All the subjects except for one in the Masters course have been ones I've known how to do, or had some skills or knowledge to apply to the subject throughout the semester.

- Writing journalistic pieces and essays.
- Researching for journalistic pieces.
- Researching for essays.
- Editing.
- Experience in organisational communication and marketing.
- Analysing media.
- Blogging.

The subject I've struggled the most with to date is graphic design - bookmaking. I really enjoyed the subject, and have made some beautiful books, but I just couldn't grasp the actual design part of the subject. It probably would have been better for me to have studied some graphic design at TAFE or at the undergraduate level before taking it on at masters level. This isn't to say I did a bad job in the subject. I did pretty well, but I push myself very hard, and wanted to do better.

I've done well in all subjects which I am very proud of. I love this course. This is different to my undergraduate degree where I disliked all but about two subjects - I found the subjects I disliked boring and difficult, and wasn't sure how to apply them, but the ones I like I can apply to real life situations and found interesting.

The upcoming subject next semester is research strategies. The many many pages of reading that I haven't yet read through indicates that we'll be learning about various research methodologies, probably statistics and also attending multiple classes including weekend classes. Wow.

I'm a bit scared. Because these are the things I'm not very good at.

I know that in life, we need to do things that we're not good at. I have enjoyed this course so much that I don't want to let myself down by not enjoying it or not doing well (ie - not achieving a distinction).

It's strange how the things we are not good at we are scared of.

Sometimes I leave things until the last minute, scared to start, in case I don't do it perfectly. These are usually essays or other written pieces. That seems silly because I know writing is my strength. But I worry I may miss the point of the question, or not relate the concepts to references, or that my writing won't make sense because I am not really clear on the content.

Writing an essay is much different to writing something in plain English for a company audience, which is what I do on a daily basis at work. Usually at work, the information is presented to me already, and I just 'translate' it or edit it. And writing a blog is really colloquial and I usually write how I speak.

Conclusions of essays are my weakness, and I'm actually trying to refine my skills on this by writing this blog. I really hope come next subject, and then my thesis, I have refined my skills enough to write really good, concise and memorable conclusions.

I am genuinely nervous about my research strategies subject and the thesis. I have an idea, but I don't know whether I have enough skills to research it. And I also know I shouldn't worry because worry makes stress and stress means soreness and soreness means hospital and hospital means a long recovery time. I will try to be calm.

I guess the thing with striving for perfection is worrying that the final product won't be perfect and so we don't give ourselves enough time to make it perfect because we are too busy putting it off.

I wrote a blog post in 2008, on my Myspace blog about a conversation I had with my manager about perfection versus excellence. Here it is:

My very wise and intelligent manager set me some homework over the weekend.

I was telling her how I was disappointed with my assignment result - even though I got a credit, I aimed higher.

She asked me to have a think about the difference between excellence and perfection.

So I did, and this is what I came up with.

Perfection is when you are completely satisfied with the end product and you don't think it needs refining.

And excellence is when your audience is satisfied with your end product.

That means, my audience was a newspaper readership, I wrote it well enough for them, therefore it had to be excellent. Well, in my eyes, it was good.

So when I discussed this with her and my other manager today, she agreed.

She told me not to beat myself up over not producing perfect work, and to have a think about who my audience is.

Most of the work I do is for other people, and in the academic world, my audience is a readership. Thus, it only has to be excellent, not perfect.

And when I am producing something for myself, that's when I put in the hard yards to ensure it's perfect. That's when I slave.

I love these little words of wisdom we exchange.

Whenever I embark on a new uni assignment or project at work, I try to think of this conversation about perfection versus excellence.

I hope I pluck up some confidence with these next two subjects and just do an excellent job, instead of worrying unnecessarily to achieve perfection.

I WENT IN THE POOL!

Yes!

I went in the pool.

In my bikini. Which was exciting for me, and the onlookers, I expect.

Only for about 10 minutes though.

And it was heated.

And indoors.

And was only 0.9 metres deep.

I stood up, and kicked around. It was such a funny sensation, floating and splashing in water deeper than the bath. I liked it.

It seems a bit silly, but in these past few weeks I've achieved a lot, physically. I do feel like a kid learning new skills. Some of the things I've learnt or done (bending my body in new ways, going in the pool) are things that people do every day. But for me, it's been either so long since I have done, or tried and failed once before, or not done the things at all, so for me to achieve these little things, and ENJOY doing so, is really exciting.

And my skin didn't hurt in the pool but tingles a bit now. It should be fine though. As I said, if the doctor said I can have a bleach bath, I'm sure the pool will be ok for 10 minutes.

Yay. Yay. Yay.

One small splash for me is pretty cool. Literally, I am MUCH cooler now!

To pool, or not to pool?

The world's most livable city, Melbourne, is right now an unlivable city for me.

It's about a hundred and eleventy degrees. Ok so the BOM says it's 34.5 degrees celsius. It doesn't feel like it.

To make up for the Body Balance class I missed on Friday due to soreness, I am going to a pilates class tonight. To keep up, and because the gym is airconditioned.

And then after class, I am considering going to have a sit in the swimming pool at the gym.

I don't know if this will be a good idea.

I have not been in a swimming pool since I was about seven years old, camping at Porepunkah. I don't think that was such a bad experience.

I went to the beach last January. I was quite covered up, and there were medical staff there. The people I was with weren't worried what I looked like.



If I wear my bathers to the pool (and yes I have a sexy mismatched two piece), I will be nervous. I haven't revealed so much of my body to another person for some years and some (but not many!) kilos.

I am worried about how my skin will go in the chlorine, but then again, the doctor suggested I have a bleach bath (yes, I know, BLEACH!!) and they did me no harm.

Google told me my skin may be ok in the chlorine. I am still dubious.

Then again, I could just sit in the bath filled with cold, fresh water at home.

I wish I could be like other people and give it no thought to whether I have a dip in the pool or at the beach. I wish I didn't have to consider the sun, the chlorine, the onlookers.

Decisions, decisions.

To pool, or not to pool? To cool or not to cool?

All creatures great and small.

I don't have any pets living with me.

My parents have two gorgeous Curly Coated Retrievers who I call my own, but my little upstairs flat is no place to keep a pet comfortable and safe. I have a balcony a little bigger than my work desk space, and a small yard accessible by all neighbours. And I don't really have the time to devote to a dog. I have enough time, and could walk the dog most days, but what about the days when I have uni at night, or am sick and can't walk the dog, or am in hospital, so not home at all?

So as much as I would like a dog (a retriever of some sort, even though it may well weigh close to my weight and I probably won't be able to control it on a lead) I can't have one until I get myself a house that I (or the bank) own, with a back yard, and I'll probably need to get a partner because then we will have enough time between us to spend with the dog. And both of those things aren't going to happen anytime soon.

I want a dog so much, and whenever I see a dog in the street that looks friendly and big enough for me to see what it's doing at all times (I am a bit afraid of little yappy things), I pat it and ooh and ahh over it.

The closest thing I have to a pet is a tiny lizard that lived under my front door,in the crack between the carpet and the bit of concrete under the door. The lizard never ventured much further than a centimetre or two from this crack. It changed its colour to match the carpet - sometimes it was grey, and sometimes it was brown. It often greeted me, in its impersonal, lizardy way when I got home from work. And the lizard and I share something in common - we both have scaly skin and like to be warmed up by the sun mid afternoon.

Today I think I killed the lizard.

I arrived home with a Vietnamese pork roll and the Sunday papers (disappointed to see Matt Preston has jumped ship from The Age to the Herald Scum), pleased to be out of the heat and spend half an hour reading and eating before I embark on THE BIG HOUSE CLEAN BEFORE THE CLEANER COMES TOMORROW.

As I shut the front door, I noticed a little thing kind of squirming on the carpet near the door. I thought it was a feather, but when I looked closer, I saw that IT WAS THE LIZARD'S TAIL. And the tiny little lizard's body was about 10 centimetres away. I CUT OFF THE LIZARD'S TAIL by opening the door!

I felt a bit sick, and a bit sad. I had not named this lizard, but I felt sad that I may have killed the lizard. I've killed flies and spiders, and once disposed of a dead mouse in my previous flat, but the lizard touched me.

Its top half of its body was upside down, and looked a bit panicked. Poor little thing.

I got my brush and dustpan, and swept up its tail and top half, and took it downstairs and put it in the garden. I apologised to it - 'I am so sorry, you poor little thing' over and over. My neighbours may have thought I was a bit strange, talking to a dustpan.

I haven't googled whether lizards' tails grow back. I really hope it will be ok.

I am sorry, little lizard.

ChIPS Camp

So as I mentioned last week, I went to camp as a volunteer staff member for three days.

The camp was organised and run by members and staff of the Chronic Illness Peer Support (ChIPS) program, part of the Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne.

It held on a large recreation campsite - the campsite featured high ropes, a giant swing, a dam, dart shooting, a swimming pool, and a number of dormitory houses.

Our group comprised 47 people - around 13 staff members and the rest Chippers.

It always amazes me that these extensively planned and smoothly run camps are organised and led by the Chippers themselves. The Chippers are between 12 and 25 years of age, and to plan and lead a camp as a young person in Chips is fantastic - I congratulate everyone involved.

We were placed into teams and partook in challenge by choice activities (raft building and racing, high ropes and giant swing), and did crafts, and had many activities to get to know everyone better. As mentioned in a previous blog post, there was a dress up party - a lot of fun!

There were some truly inspiring and emotional moments at camp - I'll remember these forever. I will also cherish the relationships I built on camp and throughout my ChIPS involvement and beyond. Everyone involved in ChIPS is amazing. And the friendships built are strong and long lasting, and empathetic.

I love seeing these young people develop and challenge themselves through physical an interpersonal activities, but above all, I love seeing them come out of their shell and be themselves in such a nurturing environment.

I challenged myself by going on the giant swing. The harness gave me the biggest wedgie ever. Front wedgie mind you. It hurt so so much. Hurt my skin like you wouldn't believe, but the rush of the drop from the (near) top of the giant swing made it worth it.

Here is a picture of me going up the ladder to be hoisted into the air on the giant swing.



And here is one of me wearing my end of camp medal on (the picture has been edited - the whole picture features my fantastic Fake Tan team members).



ChIPS is such a huge part of my life, and though I wasn't involved with it as a young person when I needed the support the most, I am so glad I've found it now, and I can help these wonderful young people.

At the end of the camp we receive books called 'warm fuzzies' - where everyone on camp can write a messages to each other. I treasure my warm fuzzies - to have someone tell me how I made a difference to them means the world to me.

PS - in case you are wondering what that orange thing is on me in both photos - it is my personal mascot to identify me with my team - team Fake Tan (orange) - I created a Gossip Girl like bow headband out of some orange material, some glittery material, a button and a safety pin - very Blair Warldorf - but it got too floppy in my face so I turned it into a Carrie Bradshaw like brooch.

Steve Poltz - Sewing Machine

I am finally listening to the USB of the Steve Poltz gig I went to at the Northcote Social Club on 2 January.

It is brilliant.

You've got to watch this - this is lyrical and performance genius.

I love Steve Poltz.

Costume acquired!

Well that was quick!

I bought my costume from Ebay. It took about eight minutes to browse then purchase.



I know. Not a true superhero costume.

And not Superted. That costume looked too hard with my limited sewing skills, anyway.

I secretly just want to wear a hoodie with bear ears. Really. I plan on looking just as sexy and cute and impish as she does in the bear dress.

I am not sure how this costume will go in an Australian February - the hottest month of the year! But then again, I always find myself cold, so at least I won't be feeling cold when the aircon is on.

I plan to embellish it somehow to make it more superhero.

I will get my thinking cap on.

Yay for acquiring something that allows me to wear bear ears. Finally, at the age of 28.

Superhero costume

I've been invited to a superhero costume party in two weeks time.

I want to go as Superted.

And I want to make this costume.

http://blog.owlpos.se/2010/01/superted-costume-tutorial/

I can't sew though.

Hello to all my blog followers!

Wow, I have four new followers today. Currently I have 31 followers (including me!). Wow!

I am very excited by this - knowing that people are actually reading my writing is really lovely. Thank you.

I received this comment on the Vogue Forums from She Wore It Well today:

'You exude happiness in everyone single photo!! I wish I was half as happy and content as you. Awesome!!!'

That is so nice :)

Please stop by and say hello on the comments form. I'd love to get to know you better, like you're getting to know me.

I'm so humbled and wowed by the positive comments I've received and the other bloggers I've 'met' through my blog.

Thank you.

I love Rush.

It's Thursday night and I have just remembered that I cannot wait until Rush returns to TV.

I also remembered that I haven't told the world outside my Facebook and Twitter accounts and my 'real life' about my love for Rush. Ok then, it seems I may have told the world.

I love Rush.

It's filmed in Melbourne.

It has witty dialogue.

Hot boys in police uniforms.

Action scenes.

Rodger Corser.

Callan Mulvey, Callan Mulvey, CALLAN MULVEY!

What's not to like?

Here is how much I love Rush.
















I love Rush.

Please note:

The above pictures were taken at Southern Cross Station, the Channel 10 studios in Melbourne, and the Rush premiere at Hoyts Melbourne Central.

I had a Rush theme birthday party thingy. Friends came over and we watched Rush.

The above pictures were also taken in moments of extreme silliness and idol worship on my part. Even the ones where Callan Mulvey wasn't actually there in real life.

The end.

A sore day but a good day!

Today my pain had not passed like I predicted it would last night. My legs hurt. My arms hurt. My body hurt. And my face hurt but only a little bit. This was all due to getting cold at the gym. As I said, the pilates movements didn't make me sore. I have no muscular soreness or tiredness. Everything that is sore is my skin. It's burning, agitated, inflamed, panicked, cold, hot, tight. It makes it so difficult to explain to people sometimes.

This morning I had my regular check up with the dermatology team at the Royal Melbourne Hospital. A big shout out to them - they are fantastic! There I have a team of about five regular dermatologists who are there year in, year out, and then registrars that rotate each year. I also have a dermatology geneticist who has provided me with a great insight into my condition. Fortunately for me, the head of the dermatology team is the best in Australia, and I get pretty good attention from him and the rest of the team.

When I have a check up, they rarely 'treat' me unless I am sick and need to be admitted to hospital. Generally they just prescribe me authorities for the creams and tablets I need, ask me how I am coping with life, and get numerous other dermatology student doctors, visiting doctors and specialists from other departments to come to look at me. Sometimes it feels like I am a zoo exhibit with so many onlookers, but these days I am asked whether I want onlookers before I get them. I have said no on occasions when I've not felt well enough to discuss my WHOLE MEDICAL HISTORY (how is telling them about the day I was born going to benefit the present day's appointment? I have asked them!).

Today it was good to go to the hospital feeling sore and sad (because of the soreness) so I could talk it through with the team. It's always good to have some reassurance from someone that they're there if I get too unwell, and of course someone who understands the pain.

Quite often if I see a new GP or registrar in the emergency ward, my skin condition is more of a novelty interest for them, and they focus on that rather the skin issue rather than my sore throat, or in the case of the emergency ward, they may not understand the severity of it, or be shocked by the severity of it! I guess it's so rare that the doctors less experienced in dermatology want to learn as much as they can from me, or put me in the too hard basket.

The dermatology team also focus on the whole of my medical care, and refer me to other specialist departments at the Royal Melbourne such as the eye specialist, ear nose and throat, surgeon and genetic counselors. If I need urgent medical attention they are there for me when I call the hospital. All this care for a public patient is wonderful. I never begrudge paying my Medicare levy or Medicare levy surcharge!

Even though I was really sore today, I left the hospital with a (small) chocolate pastry (the Royal Melbourne Hospital cafeteria ROCKS!) feeling really good about myself. It was really good to have a sounding board. And one of the doctors reiterated how 'amazing' I am to cope with this condition and lead such a full life.

Work was pretty fun too, which meant my soreness didn't worsen. I work with a great group of people and my work is very rewarding and friendly which I love. (I have also found it hard to switch back to the PC keyboard at work since buying my MacBook Pro!)

After work I wanted to rest up and elevate my legs, so didn't feel like cooking. I bought dinner, which is rare for me to get takeaway on a weeknight.

I bought sashimi (I adore raw salmon, not so much cooked salmon) and rare beef from Sushi Sushi, and prepared a very quick salad of blanched cauliflower, asparagus and broccolini, grapes, salad greens, the carrot from the sashimi and cherry tomatoes, with a dressing of lime juice, chili, sesame and sugar (inspired by Faux Fuschia). It was delicious, and very healthy. I loved the tang of the dressing on the salad paired with the sashimi. I didn't rate the rare beef though, and wouldn't recommend it - too bland, even with soy sauce on it.

Here is a photo of my dinner. It may be a bit bright and plastic looking because of the flash?



It was very yummy!

This post features a picture of my thigh. Hotttt.

I went to another Body Balance class tonight. It was my fifth class. I didn't do any classes last week due to camp, and intended to on Sunday but was just too tired from the hen's night. I thought it'd be hard getting into it tonight, but I surprised myself and found I could do the moves just as well (or as poorly!) as the last time.

I pushed myself harder in tonight's class. I tried to last longer at the poses, tried to hold steadier. And I succeeded in lasting longer and holding steadier, and in doing so, I felt the moves were more effective on my muscles and posture.

When I stood on one leg, facing forward with both arms out, I was smiling as hard as I was working my bum muscles. For me, doing some of these poses and feeling happy to have achieved them must be a little bit like when a baby learns to walk - there is a huge sense of pride and achievement. They're only little steps that I'm taking, but it's making me feel so good. I felt more confident with my balance tonight. And there was someone who fell on her forehead, and that someone wasn't me! I'm definitely making progress.

The instructors are so friendly and encouraging, and so are the other participants that I've met so far. There's no pretentiousness or competitiveness, and the positive environment makes me want to return to classes.

There is one thing that causes me pain though, and it's not the actual pilates moves. It's the relaxation time afterward. My body is nice and warm doing pilates. Then when I stop, I get so cold and my skin gets a bit 'panicked' - it's a bit inflamed on my arms and legs, my movement is restricted, and I'm shivering. The thing with this skin condition is that it means I don't regulate my temperature well. So when it's a pleasant summertime temperature, I often feel quite cold inside, but hot to the touch. And on a 40 degree day, I can't cool down and my heart beats really fast and I feel pretty yucky. Tonight I put my hoodie and socks on during relaxation time, but it didn't help. I'm still cold and sore. I'm not as bendy as when I was doing the pilates moves. I'm going to crawl into bed and put my electric blanket on. I know this feeling will pass, but it's frustrating to think that the actual hard work of the pilates moves didn't hurt me as much as this cold feeling does.

If there's anyone who can give me tips about keeping warm after exercise that'd be great.

:)

This is a sexy picture of my thigh.

Operation Beautiful

Starting from tomorrow, in my quest for wellbeing and wholeness this year, I am going to participate in Operation Beautiful.

http://operationbeautiful.com/

This is a wonderful message written on the sand by Anne, posted at the Operation Beautiful website.

I am going to write positive affirmations on post it notes and stick them on surfaces I pass.

To remind random people of their beauty, inside and out.

Who else has been inspired to take this challenge?

Doodle 4 Google - Happy Australia Day

How beautiful is this?! It was designed by a 12 year old school girl, Jessie Du, for the Doodle 4 Google Australia Day competition.



(Image from Doodle 4 Google)

There was some controversy surrounding the editing of the original image to remove the Aboriginal flag due to copyright.

Either way, I think it is so clever and beautiful, and I enjoyed Googling today.

Happy Australia Day!

Me and my Dad

The other day I spoke to my Dad on the phone, and he made me laugh. I'm very close to my parents and we speak pretty much every day.

He said 'I was listening to Triple J and heard your friends are touring'.

I asked who.

'Angus and Julia Stone', he said.

He referred to them as my friends as I've been to so many of their shows and met them and was taken back stage by them in 2008.



(Above is me with Angus and Julia at the East Brunswick Club in 2008)

'I know they're touring, I am going to their show in March', I said.

'I know', he said.

'Why are you listening to Triple J?', I asked him.

I can't recall his exact answer but he said that he didn't mind it. I was suprised, given the only 'modern day' music that I like and he likes too is Crowded House. And maybe INXS, or 'Inksess' as he once called them, on community radio!

Actually a few years ago I did buy him Sleepy Jackson's Lovers album, which he said he liked, and he also liked Steve Poltz.

I like a lot of the music from his day - The Kinks, The Hollies, Simon and Garfunkle, Fleetwood Mac, The Beatles, The Beachboys and The Byrds. A few years back we went to see Bob Dylan play at Rod Laver Arena. I thought it was going to be great, and I felt very cool to be there with Dad, but honestly, it was the most boring night ever. Bob only played one song I knew. Boring.

Anyhow, this conversation, and the gifts that my Mum brought down to me on Friday, got me thinking about how much I appreciate and treasure the gifts my Dad has bought me. I have to preface this by saying I love every gift I receive, but there's something very special about a gift from Dad.

He's not much of a shopper in department stores. I get my love for shopping from Mum, too.

Dad loves Tasmania, and has been there three times in 2009. Many of the gifts he's bought me have been hand crafted from Tasmania.

I don't want to be one of those bloggers to just post pictures of their possessions, but I really want to share some of my favourite things Dad's given me. They are all really unique, and I get use out of them.



This is my favourite piece of jewellery ever. It's hand made with purple glass and gold. Even though I don't wear gold, I adore this piece, and when I wear it I get a lot of compliments. It's made by a Tasmanian artist and I've since bought a pendant quite similar, though the colours in the pendant graduate to something that looks like a sunset.



This is a leather pouch from Beechworth. Dad gave me this when I was about eight. Mum has one too, but her's is brown. I keep my silver jewellery in it. I loe the greeny blue of the leather.



This is a little bracelet made of shells, by an Indigenous Australian artist from Tasmania. It's so delicate.




This is a small pouch, 'upcycled' by a Tasmanian artist. It's made from a blanket and a shell for the button. I am not sure of the details of artist that made the pouch aside from her first name. Inside the pouch is a tiny necklace that is unfortunately too small to photograph properly. The necklace is made from enamel by an artist called Wendy Wells.



These are all of the beautiful things together, on a plate.



And this is me and my Dad. We are at Penguin beach in Tasmania. He's pretty awesome!

Australia Day breakfast

Happy Australia Day! Aside from the sometimes relentless heat, I am so happy to live in Australia, and thankful that we are still the lucky country, full of opportunities for everyone. I really hope we as a nation continue to progress with multiculturalism - racism seems too prominent in recent years.

Today I am staying home and pottering around the house and getting it in order before I return to work tomorrow. I'll be listening to the Hottest 100 - which I didn't realise starts at 12:00 pm this year. Later on I will crank up my indoor barbequeue that my parents bought me for Christmas - will have some lamb chops, sweet potato, capsicum and eggplant.

Cooking is a huge part of my life - I've certainly inherited this love from my Mum - and I realise I haven't actually blogged about cooking much yet. So I will.

I have just finished a delicious breakfast that I cooked myself. Breakfast (excluding cereal and eggs that aren't scrambled) is often my favourite meal of the day. I love salmon and avocado with scrambled eggs, bircher muesli, toast topped with honey and cream cheese and peaches, porridge with banana and brown sugar....

On workdays in the warmer months I make a smoothie with banana, and add berries, mango, peaches or whatever other fruits I have, and I put yoghurt and bran in with the milk. In winter I have porridge. I have a breakfast meeting with my managers once a week - we take it in turns to bring in breakfast. I love these days - it makes the meetings informal and I look forward to planning what to cook the day before.

I enjoy making breakfast but I also love going out to cafes. Yesterday I had corn cakes with bacon and roast tomato and aoli from a local cafe. Sunday I had bacon, egg and cheese crepes served with spinach and a thick, custardy hot chocolate to drink from Fraus.

Today I got up at the leisurely time of 9:45 am and showered and put on some washing, then cooked breakfast.

I have a book called Marie Claire Breakfast - I sometimes refer to the recipes, but generally I just make up recipes as I go along.


Chocolatey French toast with banana and peach and maple syrup.

I used three slices of the end of my loaf of bread (Edwards rye with soy and linseed - gluten and yeast free)
Two eggs
About a quarter of a cup of full cream milk
Two tablespoons of white sugar

Beat eggs and milk and sugar in a square container, and soak bread for about five minutes.

Heat pan with a teaspoon of butter.

When butter is bubbling, place eggy bread and egg mixture in the pan.

I topped one piece of bread with some small pieces of Green and Black Maya Gold chocolate (his is dark chocolate with orange and spices).

Cook one one side until golden, then flip bread and egg mixture over.

Serve on a plate with one cut peach and one sliced banana, and drizzle with maple syrup.



Please note - I didn't actually eat all of this at once - I have saved a slice of French toast for later, but I did eat all the fruit.

It was delicious!