Thursday, December 25

Merry Christmas to one and all


Another Christmas has just about passed. Soon the New Year will be here and time to start again. It never ceases to amaze how so much anticipation is built into the event and then in a not much more than a heartbeat it has been and gone.

On the whole I love Christmas. I love the way that families and strangers alike can come together and forget about the rest of the world. I love the way that troubles can be put aside and differences shared.

What I don't love though is the way that sometimes it becomes all about the presents and doing what is perceived as the right thing. The question always beckons of course what is the right thing? Naturally it varies between individuals.

For some Christmas is all about giving. Giving the biggest and best present. Better than the year before and better than what anyone else will give. There are some that give just for the sake of giving. It is selfless, they ask for nothing in return. They are few and far between though. Even the majority of those that give to charities are doing so because they get the reward of feeling better about themselves.

Anyway this was not intended to be cynical look at the festive season as I really had a magical day. It was however also very long and perhaps it is tired eyes that are giving me a jaded perspective.

So as an exciting game of Guitar Hero World Tour is calling my name I wish you all the very best for the festive season. May it be full of Fairy Wishes and Butterfly Kisses.

Thursday, December 4

Pretty Picture

This is a red collared lorikeet. They can often been seen around where I live and are often confused with the rainbow lorrikeet. It is only upon close inspection that it is possible to notice the difference between the two. The colours are similar yet different.

For me though the easiest way to know that this is a collared rather than a rainbow is that rainbow lorikeets do not live in the wild where I live.

As I write this post the date is actually 31st January. I have decided to update my blog and post all drafts. Apart from the photo and title this post was blank. I have no idea exactly what I planned to say when I first started this post well over a month, maybe even two, but since it was such a pretty photo I thought it should stay

Things to be done

Well it has been 4 days since I last sat to write. In my defense I think that every NaNoWriMo participant was entitled to at least 48 hours with out thinking about word counts, story lines and undeveloped characters. Unfortunately at the end of this time not only I but my youngest child and husband were struck by a terrible flu that kept us inactive for nearly 3 days.

Even the thought of raising my throbbing head from the comfort of my pillow was enough to bring tears to my eyes. Thankfully I am feeling somewhat more human now hence my brief flurry of activity. This is my second post in less than hour! (I could not find an appropriate segue to join the two)

So here is list of things I need to get done
  1. Edit crap out of manuscript. Find title and create story masterpiece
  2. Contact literary agent to source a publisher for said masterpiece
  3. Send off copy to createspace who will print me one free copy of my NaNoWriMo effort
In between all of that I have decided to give myself some new daily writing targets. Since daily doesn't work so well for me I have broken it weekly.
  1. No less than 3 Helium/Youk articles
  2. No less than 5 Rambles/Fairy Garden posts
  3. No less than 20 myLot posts
These should be attainable goals which I should be able to increase once production levels are well established.

Living the Dream

Well I survived NaNoWriMo and achieved a 50,300 word count. Which is not a bad effort I guess. However given that probably half of it will be cut and thrown into the electronic rubbish bin I still have a lot of work in front of me. (Sighs)

Back to the positive side of life though.
Writing every day (well nearly every day) was a fantastic feeling and without being too modest I think there were some incredibly moving parts. I managed to astound even myself on occasion. Naturally I realise there are some parts which need to be... shall we just say... tweaked a little more and I am fairly excited about the process.

I was talking to someone last weekend about what I had achieved. She noted how I seemed so passionate about what I was doing. I must say there could even have been a glint of jealousy in her eye. After she works long hours in the corporate banking industry so she spends most of her time worrying about other peoples money. Not exactly my idea of fun, but each to their own I guess.

For a brief moment while conversing with her I got a glimpse of what it could be like to be living the dream. Being a writer has always been my dream. During November I really was being a writer. Now I just need to keep it up! (easier said than done)

Sunday, November 16

23079



That is the number of words that I have written of my NoMoNo(November Monthly Novel) Which since I am just past the half way mark in time is slightly under half for words. To me time has just become a series of numbers in relation to how many words may be written, still have to be written, and sometimes what I have just written.

Yesterday I managed to write 1600 words in a little under 2 hours. Impressive I thought. It was hand written the old fashioned way so I had guesstimated I had 1000 which I was still happy about as I was certain that I would expand on it in when I typed it out later.

I then spent a further one and a half hours at my dad's using the computer there (my mothers and I would rather not really be using it) and typing it all out. I was feeling super productive and had just about received enough gain to realise this would certainly be worth doing again. When the computer decided to have a temper tantrum and crash. Taking with it my work. I was surprised by how not devestated I was.

You see, since I began writing, I have almost lived in fear of that happening. I thought I had all the necessary precautions. I have auto save activated, a ups and I regularly post on the Internet to have a second copy. When my novel became too big to post I began emailing it to those who showed an interest in wanting to read it. I thought all bases were covered.

And if I hadn't have been using silly word pad on someone else's computer I would have been just fine.

But enough of that as my darling sister re-typed my hand written for me. While I cooked her dinner! So all's well that ends well.

Anyway I will leave you today with a photo I took at Knott's Crossing. One of my favourite places in or near Katherine.

Friday, November 7

I got it wrong!!

So as you may have guessed the novel writing venture has become somewhat of a challenge. At only 5700 words I am somewhat behind on the recommended 10002.

While I was having a little breather I had what some might call an epiphany. I have approached the story from the wrong angle. Part of me wants to jump in and start going on about the changes I want to make right now but then a much louder part says I should provide you with some more random thoughts from my jumbled mind. That way I could save the changes for when it is published.

So here's a few random thoughts

I feel very misunderstood. I constantly query if people will understand what I mean. I am aware of the fact from the moment a thought is put public it becomes subject to interpretation by others. Half the time I don't think I even understand what it is I am trying to say! So you can understand why I question if other people get me.

Generally speaking I feel that a lot of people miss the essence of what I am trying to communicate to them. This is almost always the case in the verbal form as I feel that many people around me fail to hear that alone listen to what I am saying. (ed's note most days are spent with young children).

That all aside I seem to have erected many barriers in my life which prevent me from endless opportunities. Being a woman of the new millennium I am empowered and strong. The only thing holding me back is myself and as of this very moment I have just let go.

No longer will I let fear stop me from living the life I have always dreamed about. I deserve the happy and fruitful life before me. I will share it with all that I can, however if others are not prepared to embrace the hidden joys of life, that is not my fault.

I really need to get on with my novel. I should find a name for it to, perhaps that will help it evolve into something tangible rather than just another wasted idea. I know this post will fall short of the recommended 500 words but at over 370 is good enough for now, I have characters to give life to

Friday, October 31

Great Ideas

In a bid to achieve my novel I have been thinking of ways in which I can stimulate a stream of words from my sometimes stifled brain. Here is what I have so far
  1. Pick a word that will be a theme for your writing session. Find 7 synonyms for the word. Write a few sentances or even a paragraph and use each word in a different yet related context.

  2. Concentrate on details such as
  • sounds and noise
  • sights
  • feelings/emotions
  • colours and textures
  • touch
  • smells and tastes
  • experiences - eg smoke going up her nose as she inhales another drag of her nicotine filled death stick or the gentle breeze brushing through and shifting papers about on the table. An envelope slowly flutters to the ground
Ok so now that I have rewritten it, it does not seem as much as when I scribbled it down earlier, but at least it is a start I guess!

Prior Preparation

As of midnight tonight my life will change for ever (well at least for the next month anyway). I have decided to take on the NaNoWrMo challenge. Which basically means I plan to write at least 50,000 in the space of 30 days. Not just any 50,000 words either, they must string together and form a novel.

Since discovering this wonderful challenge a little over two weeks ago I have been able to think of nothing else. What I haven't been able to do though is decide exactly what type of novel I will write. Naturally the possibilities are endless.

These are my possibilities so far
  1. Teenage romance - I figure this would be fairly easy as I had plenty of romance as a teenager to draw from
  2. A fictional recount of my father's life - he has after all done some pretty cool things and since he was born in 1929 there is again plenty to draw from. Plus it would be nice to have a record of it all. Would certainly need to do some more research though
  3. A daughter dealing with her father's death - this would be based on my imagination though as thankfully my dad is still alive (though quite frankly I do expect him to die any day but then that has been a constant thought for many years and it still hasn't happened)
  4. Mother/Daughter relationship - probably not going to be all that positive, which means my mother would probably get upset if she ever read it.
  5. Five or six random characters and the lives they lead. Somehow they would all interact with each other, with it all coming together in the end. I particularly like this idea as if I am looking like being short on words I can just add another couple of characters
  6. Junior fantasy based fiction. On the upside I would only need very easy language on the downside would also need a very active imagination
So there you have it, less than six hours to kick off and I am still sitting here wondering what it is I will choose to write about. Perhaps some mindless PackRat will help me find the answer!

Tuesday, October 21

The Great Things About Lists

Lists are great! They keep you organised, help you to stay on task and just generally maintain two hands firmly on the ball of life. Lists also have a very personal side to them and you are either a list person or not.

My mother was and to some extent still is a very big list person. While she may not write lists on a regular basis if there is a party to plan or spring cleaning to be done a list is sure to be made. Before I go on any further I must say that I love my mother dearly and would not wish for another, however she has never really been a person I have aspired to be like. The reasons of which I will save for another post (or perhaps even a book). As a result of this I have generally avoided making too many list for fear of someone making the comparison.

As I get older I have realised that lists actually need to be an integral part of my life. Without an adequate supply of lists I have found my self somewhat lost and just floating the the abyss that is my life. While it is hard to admit I think that I am actually the type of person that needs to have a list about all my lists.

So here it is a list of all the lists I need to have in my life
  1. Chores and housework (for myself and family memebers)
  2. Articles that I need to write
  3. Dreams, hopes and ambitions that I have
  4. Habits I wish to change
  5. Monthly, weekly and daily achievements
  6. Books I hope to read
  7. Miscellaneous things that don't fit anywhere else
I know it is not the longest list in the world but I am a big believer in being able to tick everything off. Also the danger with a long list is that it may be overwhelming and intimidating.

So what has brought about my acceptance of my need to have a list? Have a look here.

Monday, October 20

Dreams, hopes, plans and ambitions

As you have probably noticed there has not been much success in my bid to increase the frequency of my writing. I guess you could say there has been a regular activity, but for what I have put out once a week is not really much of an achievement. I feel this is fairly indicative of my life. I have an innate ability to only do what is required and not an iota more.

The irony of this all is that one of my dream career paths it to be a motivational speaker.

I was recently asked if I had my dreams written out. I was quite taken by surprise by it actually, especially when I realised that I did not have my dreams written out. In fact I am not even really sure I could verbally list my current dreams.

As it is not wise to float through life without dreams, ambitions and the like I have complied a few to get me going. Perhaps this is just the motivation that I need!

My dreams, hopes, plans and ambitions
  1. Be the best mother I can and raise beautiful children
  2. Become an accomplished writer
  3. Be an inspiration to others
  4. Maintain an orderly and functioning household
Ok so that is all I have for now but at least it is a start.
You see all I really want out of life is to live a happy life full of love and laughter. I feel blessed to be able to say that I feel I have that now.
Sure life is not perfect and there is the odd occasion when my children drive me to distraction but each and everyday I spend more time laughing and enjoying life than not.

It's funny, looking back to my childhood and teenage years I recall a sense of expectation for my life. Not necessairily from myself but certainly from many around me (parents, teachers, etc). It is fair to say that after the age of 18 I failed to reach any of them!

By all accounts I guess you could say that I was a bit of a goody goody. I got good grades (not great but good) I generally made good choices and good friends so I was never in much trouble (mind you the debating team has more going for it than most know about). Life was just good. (much like now really)

However when I left school went to uni I got a bit lost. There were times when life was good, on occassion it was even great. There were also some really low moments that if I could change I would. If I could go back in time and pin point the precise decision that I could change I would. Mind you I hold no regrets and believe that everything happens for a specific reason so perhaps if the choice to change the past really exisited I would probably leave it like it is. After all it is the past that has made the present all that it is.

But I have digressed. Which makes me think now is a good time to end this post.

Sunday, October 19

Followers Widget


I would just like to draw your attention over to the right of screen to my lovely new followers widget. This great little gadget keeps you updated on all my latest and greatest entries. With just a click of a button you'll always be able to easily find out what my rambles are.

I am very excited to announce that I already have one follower. So a big howdy hi to Bonnie.

The other great thing about being a follower is that it provides fellow bloggers a bit of a free plug so even if you don't want to follow me as such think of it as a great way to get your face seen by more people.

It's been a while since I have had a decent photo to post, hence the noticeable absence of them of late. Thankfully however I have come across one for today.

This is stunning bird was shot in a local park.

Daily Dilemmas

So I would like to introduce a new segment to my Rambles called Daily Dilemmas. The inspiration for this ingenious idea came to me earlier as I was taking out the rubbish. Which I must say is a common time for my brain to do some serious thinking.

Today has been a fairly active day in our household. Mind you it is not a minute to soon. To say I have been lazy of late is somewhat of an understatement. To help paint the picture for you, when I said taking out the rubbish what I actually meant was lugging a total of three medium sized rubbish bags and on heavily overloaded milk crate of trash and recyclables from my house to the other side of the complex to the waste disposal area.

Anyways here is my dilemma for today.

When taking out the rubbish should you

  1. Let it all pile up and make one trip.
  2. Regularly make the journey with smaller piles
Both have their pros and cons.
For example with option one the muscle strength needed to carry out the heavy load is a great workout, however should I drop the load there is a lot to pick up.
With option two and the smaller loads I will be walking a greater distance which in it's own right is a great form of exercise.

Oh decisions, decisions! Can you see my dilemma?

Please feel free to make a suggestion as to which I should choose for the future. What would you do?

Saturday, October 18

A New Friend

I am sure you have all seen the email circulating that goes on about friends for a day, friends for a reason, friends for a season, and all that kind of stuff. Of course you have probably never received it from me and there are a number of reasons for that
  1. Chances are you I don't have your email as we probably haven't had the chance to meet yet
  2. Even if you are one of the few people in the world who actually know me and take the time to read this you know that I am just not one of those lovey dovey kinda gals who sends out junk like that on a regular basis (I must admit that on the odd occasion I have been caught at a weak moment and found myself clicking reply and thanking the kind person who sent it too me)
As a regular reader of my rambles you would be aware that friendship is something that I enter with great trepidation. People have a tendency to drift in and out of my life. I have come to accept that people, friends rather, have a specific purpose to serve. Just as the email states, for some this purpose may last a life time, for others only a season or perhaps even a few years. It all just depends on the purpose they are there to serve.

Sometimes the purpose is for emotional support and guidance. Sometimes it is to inspire and create a better you. Sometimes it is a shoulder to cry and and arms to hug. And sometimes it is just to make you see the world a different way.

Thursday, October 16

I am EXCITED!!!

Oh boy! Oh boy! Oh boy! I am excited. The excitement within me is building up much like the big black clouds that are the wet season.

While chatting with a new friend last night I discovered National Novel Writing Month Basically a group of like minded folk have gotten together and set themselves the challenge of writing a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. Always being one that is up for a challenge (not really) I have signed myself up.

Roll on November 1!

So in the meantime I should practice getting my knuckles to the grindstone! I am figuring the only way this will be a success is if I get myself organised. I have been rather lax in my list department so that is the first of many changes I am going to make.

Tuesday, October 7

Goodbye Mrs Nextdoor

Today I said good bye to my childhood neighbour. Even though I have not seen her for many years I felt it only fitting to attend. After all many of my early memories include Mrs Nextdoor.

Things were different back then. Children were respectful and all adults were referred to as Mr and Mrs. As youngsters we had trouble remembering our neighbour's surname so they were Mr & Mrs Nextdoor. A term which over the years grew great endearment.

Mr Nextdoor died many years ago. Time is not always my friend and the years seem to blur so I can not place an exact number on them but it would be over a decade. He fought a brave battle with the dreaded cancer. For some reason the final time I saw him is one of my most vivid memories.

After his death, Mrs Nextdoor moved with her son Steve, to somewhere smaller. I am not sure why Steve never moved out of home. I remember being facinated by him as a child. Still to this day I have no idea how old he is, only that he is much older than I. My memory of him bears an uncanny resemblence to Jesus. Seeing him today shows that my memory is in tact.

Though he no longer has the beard his whole demeanour and presence still makes me think of an iconic Christ. The tall slender body, long face and flowing hair. While his stature may appear frail there is also an overwhelming sense of strength.

While my mum was never the type to just 'let us hang out at the neighbours', she could not stop my brother and I from climbing the big old wattle so we could spy at them coming home. Or hide behind the cars and whistle, trying not to giggle as they searched for the latest hiding spot.

The Nextdoors were also guaranteed invites to any party that we had. My sister, Mrs Nextdoor and I all shared the same birthday. It just seemed to make the celebration more special.

It is strange that for nearly 15 years these people lived nextdoor to us, we were not by any means strangers to one another. However after they moved we never saw them again. Well that is not completely true. We would occasionally bump into one another at the local super market. Nothing more than idle chit chat and a smile though was ever exchanged.

I would love to write more but there is a storm here fast approaching and given the weak power of late I daren't risk a power failure!

Saturday, September 27

Being on the losing team


So today saw my football team lose the grand final. It is only the second game of the season that we have lost. Of course at the end of the day that means nothing.

Right now it does not matter that for the entire year Geelong has outclassed and outplayed every other single team in the competition. For on the day that counted the most they crumbled like Nanna's cookies.

I was hoping to find a picture of a team sitting down crying their eyes out and while there are many of them of Geelong on the day I am not interested in the associated copywrite issues. So as always I turned to my faithful Free Images site and found this beauty aptly named defeat. Thank you to J Boontje for sharing it

Saturday, September 13

Word Limit


I have just come up with the most brilliant idea ever!!!

I am putting a self imposed word limit of 500 words on all of my posts. The Internet reader has a short attention span and studies have shown that much past 500 the attention has is lost.

The other big plus is that in theory this should mean more posts! For those times when I really feel the need for a long ramble I can split it in half and get twice as much.

The article which prompted this brilliant idea is called The Problem and can viewed right below this post.
The second part will follow shortly but I don't think it will be called The Solution as many may well expect. Stay tuned for further details or better yet subscribe to an RSS Feed and never miss an issue!

Today's photo is one of my first taken with my flash new toy. If you look hard enough you can see a bird. Hopefully it won't be long till I have the whole zoom thing worked out!

The Problem

I think that I am unhappy with the fact I am not writing enough.

This of course is easily blamed on a lack of time. Naturally this is not really the case. Given the amount of time that I spend playing PackRat, I appear to have all the time in the world.

Of course it is easy to find time to play a game. Especially when other time consuming activities may include, cleaning, cooking, washing dishes and just generally living a functional life. A game is fun and enjoyable. Unless your name is Mary Poppins nobody likes domestic duties. Even though I love her dearly I am by no means her clone.

However if I really want to write that much why does the game continue to win me over?

After all, the game requires little to no thought and there is definitely no risk of physical exhaustion. (Mind you after more than 4 hours or so it is recommended that players stretch their legs for 5-10 minutes to regain circulation in the lower limbs and back.)

I have always rather prided myself on my mental capacity and generally I have been keen to use it on a regular basis. However this mind numbing addiction sees to be over taking my life. Sure it is relaxing and modern theology is always encouraging society to take time out and relax.

However I get the feeling that to really earn the right to relax some level of activity is needed, which is where I am falling short. By activity I don't really mean exercise. I mean actually getting up and doing something other than sitting in front of the computer.

I am almost ashamed to admit my addiction. Remembering that it is after all just an online game. There are no winners or loses. There is a leader board amongst friends however I have only looked at it once. When all is said and done, it does not really take a great deal of thought to play the game. I mean you just sit there clicking away. Silently hoping that the next screen will yield the card which us currently your heart's desire. Of course some brain capacity is needed to remember which three cards will make something better. Which can then be traded for perhaps some better. For the most part however my seven year old could play without there being a slither of difference.

Yet I am unable to go more than a few hours without having a 'quick click' through just to see what I might be able to nab.

Now that I have clearly established that a lack of time is not really the issue let's see if I can locate any other underlying causes....

Unfortunately this post has reached it's word limit so I will have to keep you all in suspense while I start a new one

Sunday, September 7

Experiences

Pressing buttons, gaining experience
Image credit
Writing is often based on experience.

At least that is a connection I have always made. When I was younger I remember thinking no need for me to write yet I still have more 'experience' to gain.

I am still of the belief that I have more experiences to go through to enhance my writing ability, however even at the tender age of 30 the reality is I have had plenty of experiences that are worth writing about

So what makes an experience worth writing about I hear you ask. Hard to say really as I ask myself the same thing on a regular basis. Though a great writer can make any even the smallest thing sound exciting. The trick is in finding a way to engage people I guess...

There is no denying that we have 'experiences' everyday. As a life long learner new experiences are a regular occurrence. Really what if all boils down to though is perspective.

My perspective is that every time I met a new person it is the start of a new experience. In fact almost every conversation is the start of a new experience if you let it be. Sometimes it will just be an extension of a similar experience but all in all it is a new one.

So my new experience today involves shopping. Sure, I have been shopping before but today was slightly different. Today I was shopping with lots of money. Today I wasn't shopping for something that was needed. Today I was shopping to fulfill wants!

Hubby wanted a new TV. He is a big fan of keeping up with the Jones's, and they have a big flash TV. So naturally he wanted a bigger flasher TV. I have dreams of becoming an acclaimed photographer so I wanted a new SLR camera. (Why limit myself to writing I say!)

So thanks to the kind reimbursement from the tax man, our family is now the proud owners of a Panasonic 42 inch plasma TV and Sony Digital Twin Lens SLR.

How did this become and experience worth writing about?

Simple really. Everything about the purchase was positive. The sales assistant was friendly and helpful. My husband and I both come from sales backgrounds so we are very dubious purchasers. We always think we are getting ripped off (that is after all what salesmen do) Today however it didn't matter. Greg, our assistant made us feel totally comfortable with it. He was giving us exactly what we wanted.

However it was when we got our new toys home that the fun really began. We discovered that the TV was definitely too big for our existing entertainment unit (we had thought as much though). Not only that but in his rush to set things up hubby neglected to read the instructions which left us thinking we had not got a digital TV which was one of the main reasons we decided to upgrade. (Turns out we just needed to press the right button)

Meanwhile in camera land I have to wait nearly 3 hours before I could take a photo. Why they don't sell these things with a full battery I will never know. I also realised that my existing memory card would not fit and I needed a new carry bag. Thankfully the shop is just down the road!

Even going back was a pleasurable experience but not one I need to go on about much more for fear that your experience here may became tarnished as I head towards boring!

Was your last shopping experience worth writing home about?

Sunday, August 31

Strange Fruit Spheres




Now I know that it is not the world's greatest photo, but it was the best that I can do undr current circumstances.
For those who don't know what they are looking at please let me explain.
These are the performers known as Strange Fruit.
(click the link for more info)
I (along with thousands of others) was fortunate enough to attended the recent performance in Darwin.




Today's Tongue Twister
Say Strange Fruit Spheres for as long as you can as fast as you can

Not only is Strange Fruit Spheres a great tongue twister but it is also an absolutely brilliant visual stimulating group of performers. If they are ever in a town near you I strongly suggest that you go along as they are certainly worth seeing.

I realise that a bit of info about what they do would be handy, or perhaps what the show was actually about, however I am not interested in sharing those details at this particular point in time.

Their performance on four metre high flexible poles will leave you almost breathless as the concept of Freedom within restrictions is played out between your eyes. Accompanied by enjoyable music and magical lights this show leaves the whole family entertained.

Anyway their performance has inspired the artist within me. Actually as the prime cultural season draws to a close here in preparation for the upcoming wet season my creative juices are flowing like the expected rain in a few short months.

At least we are all hoping that the rain will come. Given I live in the tropics chances are pretty high it will, though with all this talk of global warming and climate change perhaps it won't. Of course though given the threat of flood to some areas in recent years hopefully we won't get to much!

It all gets back to that delicate balance in life.

I am constantly amazed at the tangents I take in life. Or rather the tangents my thoughts can scatter around my head. Being aware that a new reader, or someone not accustomed to the method in my madness may have difficulties following me at times, I try to maintain some sort of smooth flow to my concepts but it does not always pan out the way I plan!

Rest assured though that as time goes by and you travel further down this some what elusive twisty turny path known as my life it will all begin to unravel before your eyes.

If this is your first time here, click on some of the labels below and discover more of the crazy antics I go through. Hopefully it will encourage you to return... ...
Better yet sign up to an RSS feed and then you will never miss a post!

If you are a return reader...
Many thanks,
tell your friends and spread the word,
I have much that should be heard

Monday, August 18

Blah Blah Blah

It is hard to believe that deep down I aspire to be a writer. I am mean it is not like I consciously and regularly managed to share any of the many thoughts that whiz between my ears.

There is no doubt about the fact that I am a thinker. I must be, I seem to do so much of it. Not that the majority of people would realise that either as I rarely share these thoughts with a collective body.

So in breaking with tradition here are some recent attempts at putting pen to paper. Please feel free to comment as you see fit. Read and enjoy :)


Sunday 24th August 2008
Ok now for the rest of the world this may not be a startling revelation. For me how it is groundbreaking and explains a great portion of my resistance to the outside world. It is frightening to be the real you for fear of ridicule and personal attack.

For instance as any regular reader will know I am a rather big believer in fairies. I don't however go around telling everyone how great they are as I would never want to be in a situation for someone to be able to use that against me.

How would that be possible I hear you ask? Easy I say. You see people that believe in fairies generally speaking have some pretty far out thoughts. So imagine if I have shared one of these far out thoughts, which in reality could also be brilliant idea bringing benefits to many, and some non believer mean person that had it in for me turned around and said “What would you know you crazy fairy believer?” Now in such a situation there is little that you can reply to that with. Especially if you are a nice mild mannered person such as myself.

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Friday 29th August

Quote of the day
You make me want to be a better person.
The fact of the matter is though I don't want to be a better person. I want to be me

So ideas flow around my head at cyclonic speeds. I know with some it may be a case of in one ear and out the other, that is not the case with me. Ideas float into my brain then seem to get lost somewhere in the system. I seem to start one thing and without doubt my attention is diverted into another direction. As a result I have resigned my life to be a never ending series of starts. I by no means achieve as many finishes as what I have starts in my life. Which of course is not necessarily a bad thing, though there are pitfalls.

I believe life is all about balance. Sounds easy I know but of course in reality it requires a high degree of skill in many areas. Something I don't always have.

The other night it dawned upon me that I am not an around the edges kinda gal. Like when you are colouring in, the centre is nice and easy. You have to be careful but not to careful as there is still room to fix up an imperfections. It is almost relaxing as you have the safety of not being near the edges.

Edges after all can be very dangerous. People can fall off of an edge. We are constantly told to stay away from edges and it is a warning I am generally happy to heed. These days not many people like going out on a limb

I am one of the fortunate people in life in that I do not have to incringe my personal time with the worry of paid employment. There is no angry boss if I am not sitting behind a desk bright eyed and bushy tailed by 9am. The teachers do however appreciate me getting the kids to school before the second bell. Thank god for a great canteen so I don't have to worry about lunches or we would never make it in time.

Sunday, August 17

So Easily Sidetracked!



That is me! Always up for a distraction. Doesn't matter what I am doing I can always find something else that will find my attention.

You know how people say that women, particularly mothers, are some of the worlds best at multitasking? Well I take multitasking to a whole new level. In fact I think it is fair to say that there is never a point in time when I have just one job on at a time.

Take right now for instance. In my bid to conquer the world with my writing this is supposed to be my "Writing Time". Where as the name suggest I spend time writing, and while I am getting a few words down here and there it is not much more than a line or two at a time.

I will no sooner get a good sentence out and I will think 'ooohh I wonder if the flower pot is in the London Market yet?' and then promptly go and find out. You see folks I have an infliction known to some as the Rat Packer's Addiction.

Once again the forces of FaceBook have struck! This time in the form of a card collecting and trade game called Rat Pack. A truly addictive and time consuming game. It has mastered the art of desensitizing the brain to the perfect level of monotony yet still be interesting.

Anyway all this talk of has sent my withdrawal through the roof so I must be off.

I have included a full list of my blogs labels so please have a browse around. I have recently developed the desire to meet lots of new people so please drop me a line and say hi.

Feel free also to sign up for a RSS Feed, I assure you that the current updates will not want to be missed. After being relatively idol now for nearly 6 months I have decided to kick myself into over drive!

Wednesday, July 16

Goals

The following is something that I have had with me for a while. Sharing it here has been on my to-do list for quite some time to it is empowering to finally be getting it done. It was written in May 2007

In the absence of goals and hopes for the future you may well find yourself floating aimlessly through life without ever getting anywhere or achieving anything. Leaving you much like a blank piece of paper being blown away by the wind.

This beautiful quote was penned by yours truly way back in October 2005. A good 18 months prior to today. The next words are as follows Hence I have decided that I will actively attempt to decide on some goals and then work towards achieving the chosen goals" Obviously that never happened.

While much has occurred since then and life has been amazingly enjoyable there has certainly not been any specific goals that I have set and then actively worked towards achieving!

Now as I sit here in 2008, another 12 months on, I can honestly say that not much has still changed! Sure I still think it is important to have goals, and even though I may have managed to set a few, I don't think it is fair to say I really embraced the notion in the true sense it was intended!

Live and learn hey?

Well at least that is the theory, I seem to have no dramas with the theory side of anything, it is just the practice that I fall short on






Thursday, July 10

The Internet

The Internet has provided the world with a great many things. Ebay, Facebook, and instant access to a vast array of knowledge and information, to name but a few. Then there is the communication aspect and the ability to interact without intimidation. Which is where my discussion brings me today.

Instant messaging has brought to the world free and instant interaction between people despite what ever distance may or may not keep them apart. Families and loved ones can now stay in touch at the press of a button, while new friends are only a click away.

Virtual worlds now exist where strangers and friends can gather together and escape the harsh realities of life. Fantasies can be created and played out from the safety of a keyboard. Seemingly harmless remarks, jokes and comments can be made, their innuendo and true meaning free to fly around cyberspace and unknown to the outside world.

Endless hours are spent 'chatting' without words actually being said. Husbands, wives and children can all be forgotten as the perils of daily life fades away to be replaced with whatever it is that takes your fancy.

So this brings me to the question "Where is the line in the virtual world and how do you know when you have passed it?" For those who have not quite caught my drift yet I am of course referring to cyber sex or even on a lower level cyber flirting.

It easy enough to do and often occurs without much thought. It seems risk free and is not frowned upon nearly as much as cheating in the real world but does this make it ok? There is no physical contact taking place, no penetration or kisses exchanged only words and feelings

Wednesday, July 2

Gone but not forgotten!

Terrible isn't it?

It is over a week since I last posted. I would like to say that this is because I have been busy finishing the final pages of my soon to be released novel, but unfortunately this is not the case. Come to think of it actually the novel isn't really soon to be released either. Nor is it even near having the final pages written. Oh well!

So what have I been doing I here you ask. I have been wasting time. Yes, sad but very, very true. Any motivation or inspiration that may have existed in me at some point in time has drained away. I have been sucked dry by the mind numbing and highly addictive game of PackRat. It is not even mentally challenging yet I am drawn to much like a bug is drawn to a bright light. In some ways I even think that the effect is the same! None the less I can't seem to tear myself away.

Tuesday, June 24

The Circus


Thanks to some stars shinning over my head (and a sick friend who gave me their ticket) I unexpectedly found myself at the Circus tonight.

The Joseph Ashton Circus has been in town for the past three days, tonight was their last performance and I am so incredibly glad that I was able to go and see them.

Growing up the circus came to town on a fairly regular basis. I loved it then and I loved it last night as well. I remember sitting there looking at those beautiful girls on the trapeze, with their sparkling outfits and dazzling displays. The very next day I would rush outside to my swing in the front garden and relive the act only this time I was the star. Naturally I was limited it what I could perform, but to me I felt just like the lovely ladies I had seen the night before.

Natural instinct and desire sure has a lot to answer for, as the men in tights and their big bulges is my next fond circus memory. Of course their strength and muscles also stands out, but not before those tights!

Circus Joseph Ashton did not disappoint any of my memories. In fact as the opening act begun I could feel the tears welling. Watching these people with their smiles on their faces as they ran around flipping and somersaulting through the air you could see this is what they lived for. They were living a dream that many of us have wished for at one time or another.

The photo today is taken from the Circus Joseph Ashton website and is of Joseph Ashton and his lovely family. All of whom are fantastic performers. The fact that everyone in the show was related just added to my enjoyment. One can only imagine what a close knit family they must be and the bonds they have formed while performing this death defying stunts is are sure to be unbreakable.

If they happen to come by a town near you, I strongly suggest you go. It is money well spent and will help ensure these treasured performers do not become a thing of the past.

For more information on the Ashton Family please click here

Thursday, June 19

Success - or was it?


I sit here tonight very stiff and sore. It has been a long hard day. Sports day down at the school, and while I did not actually participate in any events as such my body feels similar to one that has just run a marathon!

Carrying a two year old for the better part of the day is not really as easy as it sounds. Despite her weighing little over eleven kilos, after a few hours it starts to become a strain. On the upside think how muscular it could make me. (Mental note to carry her on the other side tomorrow to even things out).

Seriously though my left bicep feels like it has been lifting hundred kilo bar bells!

This was the first sports day that I helped organise and being the ever critical analyst that I am I can't help but wonder whether the wider community will view the event as a success. Last year the food was under catered. This year, after ordering extra, we naturally had too much. (Murphy's law if ever I saw it)

In my opinion there are around a thousand things that I could have done better and or improvements that I would make should I ever do it again. So my question is do these possible improvements for future events, detract from whether or not this particular outing could be rightfully deemed a success.

I guess when we start dissecting the term success, we need to consider what we were hoping to achieve. The desired out come for tonight was that the school community be adequately fed while raising much needed funds to lower the cost of the summer swimming program.

With that in mind, I guess it is fair to say that this was successful. We certainly fed a lot of people, even if we did have some left over. However as the money counting does not take place until tomorrow sometime whether we actually made any money in the process is still unknown.
___________________________________________________________________

My photo today comes from squidonius whose work I found on stock.xchng

The link found here is to a poem I wrote a while ago.
Feel very special as it is not often I openly share my poetry. There are a couple of reasons why I choose this tonight. The first is because I started a new poem tonight, (unfortunately it is not finished yet but you will be the first to know when it is published) The second is because of a recent conversation with an old friend.

Wednesday, June 18

Facebook


While the rest of the world may have jumped on the Facebook band wagon some time ago, I, as ever am incredibly behind the times and have only recently opened an account there. My first ever friend from high school convinced me that it was a great way to stay in contact. She also said the same about mySpace until she found FB.

Anyway as she is one of the few people in my life that I have known for more than ten years, I like to stay in touch with her. Rather than stay in our sleepy old town and raise a family like I have, she set off to conquer the world, and is getting closer to achieving this every day. She is currently in PNG doing some fantastic work within local communities, and I love following what she is up to.

However, FB not only gives me the chance to follow her, but also opened up a whole world of people from the past that I had not given a single moments thought to in many a year. Sure I have heard about FB but until I got my account I had no real idea what it was really like.

I was amazed today to find out that they have games. Heaps and heaps and heaps of games. Granted the majority are crap and nothing more than a waste of time, but do you think that I can stay away from them? Noooooo! The main reason my writing has been non existent is because FB games has drained what little of my brain was left. Fingers crossed I can break free and salvage what ever might be left of a writing career.

The thing that disturbs me most about FB is that despite it being some 13 years since I finished highschool, as I scrolled through my friend's friend list I was struck down by the same fears and emotions that plagued me through high school.

Now before I go on any further I should say that for the most part I enjoyed my five years of high school education. I wasn't the coolest kid but I guess I wasn't at the bottom of the food chain either. I was relatively pretty and fairly smart, but one thing I never felt was popular.

I guess the main reason for that was because I wasn't. I was on the debating team, helped the elderly and actually liked learning. I won endless awards and always had my shirt tucked in. I had a select group of friends that stuck by me (for the most part), but on the whole I felt that there were more people laughing at me than with me.

Anyway FB has kindly given me proof that I am still not very popular. After 3 months I still have under 30 friends, the majority of which don't really talk to me! Anyway at least I got a post here. Again my original intentions when I sat down to post were not conveyed, but I guess it will keep for another day.

The photo for today is another one from my own collection. It is of a local sunset. Though it reminds me of dawn.

Today's article is an oldie but a goodie. It is contemplating whether women know what it is they want in life? Click Here

Sunday, June 15

Success at last

Finally I am able to sit here and say that are few changes have taken place. The dishes are almost under control (providing someone does them from dinner tonight). The back veranda is clean and tidy and shows slight hints of organisation. The dog has also been washed, as has his bed and the washing is slowly decreasing. However now it sits on the couch waiting to be folded. Can't win everything I guess.

I am also very proud to report that this is the third consecutive day of posting, so well done to me! The fact that some may claim that there is a lack of substance to what I have written, is noted but at this point I am choosing to ignore it. Being the ever lasting optimist I can find the slightest sign of good in anything. The fact that I have been able to think (and then actually post) of anything is wonderful, I can work on substance later!

Saturday, June 14

Progress at last


I was beginning to think that the dishes were never going to get done. Thankfully I was grossly mistaken and hubby kindly got them out the way for my earlier this evening. Of course he only did the dishes on the promise of food so naturally there are dinner dishes waiting to be done. At least all the three day old dishes are done!

I was able to successfully waste most of the evening playing silly Facebook games. Unfortunately this is not very helpful for writing. I don't understand way my inspirational words never come when I have nothing to do. Instead it is when I have ten other things to do I that I discover my wiseness.

Anyway I was actually off to bed but since this is only day two of the new rules I didn't want to break them already! So the picture I have chosen for today is one from when I was in Katherine recently. As for a link....hmmm..... have a look at this for something a little different

Friday, June 13

A Real Ramble!


I believe that it is fair to say that I have let life get a little to far out of control. As another long day draws to an end I am sorry to report that the cyclonic state of my house which I have earlier discussed remains the same.

Granted certain piles have grown and others reduced, the fact still remains that there are piles of mess all through the place. Like the dishes. They have all been nicely rearranged a few times now. A few have actually made it into the cupboard (hard to believe I know) However wherever you look the kitchen is still full of dishes that need doing! Oh well I guess there is always tomorrow.

Do you know tomorrow? I seem to be forever saying I will do it tomorrow. Only recently I have realised that tomorrow never seem to comes. We(or rather I) seem to spend excessive amounts of time thinking about tomorrow, rather than living for today.

When I first sat down to write this post I titled it "Gaining Control" now however I am thinking it needs to be changed! I seemed to have gotten a little sidetracked along the way......
...... Anyway in a bid to make this site slightly more interesting, I have decided to introduce some new posting rules for myself.
  1. Each post must have an article link
  2. Pictures are mandatory
  3. Posting must occur daily
  4. Post must be entertaining, readable and if possible thought provoking
So in line with rule number one here is a link to my Child Development Lens at Squidoo

The photo, which unfortunately is at the top, actually started it's life as a rainbow above my house. After much experimentation with paint.net that is what I ended up with. Made me feel very creative really!

Thursday, June 12

Insight to my mind

A little over twelve hours from when I awoke this morning I find that not much has really changed. That is not to say everything has remained the same, for it hasn't. Despite my efforts to maintain some degree of order, it appears as if chaos clearly reigns in my home.

After many attempts my lounge room floor still has toys strewn all over it. Much like it was when I first came down stairs. The pile of dirty dishes that adorns my kitchen sink and surrounding bench space has grown slightly. While the kitchen table is now covered with bags of shopping patiently waiting to be put away.

It is fair to say that my life is a shambles.

I know that the term life my seem some excessive to most. Many housewives and mothers struggle with the constant battle to maintain order with their domain. Washing, tidying and general chores are just part and parcel of daily life. Well for me they are my worst nightmare.

Almost everyday it feels like I look around the inside of my four walls only to be greeted with a sight that resembles the aftermath of a cyclone. My life is a day by day kind of existence, so based on this I am justified in saying my life is a shambles.

While I would love to continue sharing right now, my duties as "head chef" are required. I must provide food for the starving massed (aka 2 children) who need their nourishment before bed

Thursday, May 15

A few words


Life is a constant barrage of activity. There is always something that needs to be done yet there rarely seems enough time to get it all done. (My lack of entries here is testament to that)

Some might say that my journey through the ocean of life of late has been rather choppy. It certainly has not been smooth sailing of late. However it was nothing a harden sailor, such as myself, couldn't handle. Just between you and me though I probably could be doing a slightly better job.

I mean sure I have not been a messy bundle curled up on the floor but I certainly haven't been standing strong at the helm directing my boat as needed. I have just left it to steer itself! Which on the whole hasn't been to bad but it is fair to say that my boat has veered slightly of course to say the least.

The good news is that I am slowly clawing my my back and the waters appear to be calming a little. I just need to remember that it is all about perspective really.

Credit for the photo must go to Marco Caliulo His great shots can be found at stock.xchng

Sunday, May 4

Ramble

As we travel through life there are times when we suddenly awake from the daze that is our perception of reality.

Generally this awakening is rather sudden, possibly even considered by some as rude. While that may be so, it is in fact irrelevant, as generally speaking, such reality checks are more than needed if not long overdue!

Recently (today) I was given such a call. I don't really like sharing great personal details so please be with me if it seems sketchy in places. I was informed that people don't like the way I speak. Naturally, I was hurt and instantly became defensive, however imagine my pain when I stopped and heard myself the next time I spoke.

This person was right I had not been speaking very nicely to them. While I felt pressured and uncomfortable to even be in the same room as this person (and others), my current situation prevented me avoiding contact with them. I thought I had been making the best of it, but today I find out that I had been making them less than welcome.

I tried to defend my actions by explaining how I felt.

In case you are interested, I feel very hurt by these people, well one in particular. If our relationship was a business transaction, they have everything to gain, while I only lose. The problem is winners don't care what other's may lose, that's what makes them a winner. I must make sure I am the winner. Oh no wait, this is not a race, there doesn't always need to be winners and losers. We want win-win.

Then when I thought about it some more, I realised with an attitude like mine, I deserved to feel bad. I have been behaving in an unbecoming manner. I haven't really given these people a chance to let them put their cards on the table. A chance to show they may have something to offer in the exchange.

Maybe there is no need be so defensive, perhaps it doesn't really hurt to let people in sometimes.

Further reflection led me to the awareness there are actually a whole range of different people in my life that when I think about it are currently complaining about the way I speak to them. I know that life has been a bit rough for me lately but I really had no idea how poorly I was coping.

The great news is that now I am aware of a need to change I can. So when I have to meet with these people again I will just take a deep breath, let down my guard and show a vulnerable side so that we can all be reminded that I am, lucky everyone else, only human.

I may even find a way to entwining this new attitude with the Quit Club

Thursday, May 1

The Good and The Bad



It is a well known fact of life that with good comes bad and vice versa. I have always been a big believer in the two going together. If there were never any downs then we would never know when the ups are about.

For the most part of my life I travel along in varying levels of up. Without bragging or being conceited I feel that my life is truly blessed. It is full of goodness, love and happiness and I don't really think there is much more I would ask for.

Having said that though, when the downs come, I swear it is the biggest roller coaster dip you have ever been on. I am currently in the process of a down at the moment. Any way the point today is not to whine about how crap I feel my life is at present, but rather illustrate how even simple activities can be full of both good and bad.

  1. It was good that I managed to get some washing done today. It was bad however that a tissue managed to slip in with the dark clothes.
  2. Again it was positive to do the washing (we are all down to our last pair of knickers), however now it all needs to be folded and put away!
Ok so it is not an extensive list yet but at least it is a start!

Credit and thanks for the photo go to LadyAustin who can be found at stock.xchng

Pig Personality Test


So by drawing this pig I was able to gain insight into my personality. Very exciting! Here are the results

Sunday, April 27

Value Your Parents

So today my dad was taken to hospital, nothing serious just one of those things that take you by surprise. (Well not really a surprise as he is a 79 year old with many serious health concerns but anyway...you get my point)

Naturally such an event makes you stop and consider various aspects of your life. Not being really ready to deal with these thoughts just yet I thought I would seek refuge online.

Needing to boost traffic to my parenting site I registered with link referral. The first site I am sent to review today had this beautiful piece a daughter had written to her elderly mother. It was all rather touching, so much so I have been prompted to share it with you.

edited 22/11/12
I am going through and fixing any broken links, which this post had a few of.

Sunday, April 13

Fantastic Site for Children


One of my fellow writer friends has just launched a great new blog full of original children's nursery rhymes. They are hilariously funny and provide a refreshing change from the standard rhymes that currently fill the minds of out little ones.

Have a look and check it out Funny Rhymes

Friday, March 7

Smoking Cat

I wish I could give a credit for this photo but unfortunately I know not the mastermind that created it. A friend of mine sent it to me in a email entitled what happens when computer get bored.

Unfortunately my limited computer knowledge permits me from being able to transfer the image here in it's full glory. In the email the paw actually moved making the cat inhale.

Aside from the sheer coolness of it I wanted to share this due to my recent decision to quit the terrible habit myself. While I have made the decision that I plan to quit I haven't actually put it into action yet. It is however quickly approaching the top of my To-Do List so I imagine that Quit Day is not to far away. I will certainly keep you posted!

~may in every way this be a special day ~

Saturday, March 1

Wind and Kites


The following is a product of a Little Blue Book entry. It is an attempt at creative writing. Not something I do often so please read and enjoy

So here I am again. Time to myself with nothing to do but write. And yet again this freedom of mind leaves the written page blank. Which is such a shame.

I thought that this would be the perfect scenario for writing...

Sitting high up on a balcony. Over looking the sea.

Through the tree tops I can watch the foaming white waves gently crashing about. They never even make it to the shoreline.

I am not contactable and there is no one here to disturb me. The phone is on silent so I won't even hear it ring.

I pause for a moment, taking it all in. Hopefully deep breathes of air and the wind on my face, will bring inspiration...

In the distance I can see a kite surfers kite. There is just enough wind to raise it and hold it in place, but not enough to make it move out of position. The strings holding it in place can not be seen. Neither can the person holding the strings for that matter. It looks like it is just suspended in air. Held by the magic of wind.

This place, this balcony that I am looking out from. I have been here before. It is familiar yet unknown. I know that I have been here before. I remember coming. I don't remember exactly when it was. Some time in the distant past. Ten years or so I imagine, maybe less. I guess it doesn't really matter now.

In fact it is questionable what really matters at the best of times. Life can be such a fickle experience.

Of course love matters. Love always matters. For without love, what is left?

Love is the glue of life, it holds us together. And tears us apart.

There are two kites now. The new one is red. The wind has picked up now as well. It keeps blowing them out of site, behind all of the trees.
I wish I could be blown away. Not that I am unhappy here. I just think it would be a nice feeling. To be picked up and blown around like a fallen leaf. Lifted and carried from one place to the next. Stopping every now and then for the wind to catch her breath.

Even the wind runs out of air sometimes.

Sunday, February 24

Australia smashes into Tri Nation Finals

Australia has again stated it's dominance as a force to be reckoned with in world cricket.

While the Indian team fought a tough battle, they were unable to with stand the Aussie onslaught. With the entire team in form tonight they showed just why they are the number one team in the world.

In a game that went down to the wire, Brett Lee snared the final wicket on the first ball of the last over. Finishing with outstanding results of 5/58 the Australian fast bowl showed just how much he is worth to the game. In light of recent bids at the Indian Premier League auctions a players value can now be seen in monetary terms


Captain Ricky Ponting found himself at the crease a little earlier than planned, with crowd favourite Adam Gilchirst making a quick fire 16 before being given out. The early arrival however gave Ponting plenty of time to reach a total of 124.

Along with Andrew Symonds (59 off 49 balls) and Matthew Hayden (54 off 62) Ponting displayed form not seen much in recent matches among more than a single player.

While it looked like Ponting was there for the duration, the final overs saw India's bowlers break through. Taking a spate of quick wickets. Even if it was a case of too little to late.

Australia finished 50 overs with a total of 7/317. The highest score for this tri nation series. One that has been plagued by rain and all round weak performances.

India's openers started shakily with Sachin Tendulkar falling after only facing three balls. After a few more quick wickets it appeared as if India was without a chance.

However thanks to a strong middle order and some massive baseball style hits, they were able to recover and the win was again within reach of the Indian team. Expensive overs from Michael Clark had the Indians knocking on the door of victory.

In a bid to achieve the big shots necessary to reach the target the Indian batsmen paid the price of taking on the Australian fielders. Eventually losing their final wicket 18 runs short with five balls remaining.

With only two games before the finals Australia is a assured of a place. Their opponents are yet to be decided and are dependent upon upcoming games in the week.

Sri Lanka must win over both India and Australia in order to play in the finals, otherwise India will go through.

Saturday, February 23

Update

I know you must be wondering what has caused the delay in my posting. I assure you, I have a very worth explanation for my absence.

I have had nothing to say. I have tried a few times to sit and share and write but I was unable to create anything but garble so I thought I would spare you the pain.

When I was younger and experienced this, I would ban myself from writing as I thought it was a waste of paper. Being a bit of a greeny I could not fathom the thought I wasting a single sheet with garble, so until my words would be great my pen lay still. (Luckily back then I had a lot of thinking time so it all worked well)

I know that today it is difficult to use such an excuse. The Internet is full of garble at times so why not add mine? Also there are no trees losing their lives to make paper for my garble to be written upon. I am able for it to be sucked up into cyber space and locked away forever, safely stored on my hard drive.

However, I still feel in the interest of public sanity, if I can't find anything decent to write then it is best if I don't write. I also believe this ideology should be made compulsory for all writers! So that is why ladies and gentlemen I have been absent of late. (That and the fact I have been really busy!)


Monday, February 18

Signs are everywhere


Last week, after I was busy mourning my lack of a strong long term friendship club I received an email from an old high school friend!

If that isn't a sign of some sort then I don't know what is.

I have always held some thought that there are greater forces in the world than what most of us are really able to understand. I have never really been able to pin point exactly what they are or how and why they work, but I just know they are generally working in my favour.

I am really appreciative of this sign that was sent to me.

Unfortunately for me though I am not always able to interpret signs that these forces are trying to alert me to.

Take today for example.

I woke this morning from a bad dream about my youngest daughter. She had injured
her elbow. It was not overly serious, just very gruesome to look at. Anyway tonight she fell off of a stool. It was probably about a one meter drop and she landed on slate tiles.

There is no worse sound to a parent than that of their child's head and body against a hard floor. It shakes through to the soul.

Thankfully it appears as if other than a bruise and a bump she should be fine, though thankful is only a small part of how I feel at present. Part of me is angry that I did not see the sign in my dream. Even though the injuries and incidents were different the message was still the same.

Both my dream and reality were avoidable accidents.

I think perhaps I will whip up a quick article on child safety!

Friday, February 15

Friendships


Today proved to be a very interesting day for me. One that I am yet to fully comprehend, understand and translate.

I was invited to lunch by one of my neighbours to celebrate her birthday. She did not mention it to me at the time, but I had a feeling it was for her fortieth. (As it turned out I was right)


When she invited me last week it went a little like this...


Her : If you are not doing anything next week would you like to come to lunch with me for my birthday?

Me : Sure that sounds great

Her : Fantastic, don't take it the wrong way but I don't have many friends here and it would be nice to have a few people with me on the day

Now while some may have been taken aback by this last comment, I was not. I actually replied with "that's ok neither do I and my birthday is coming soon too"

So...

When I arrived at the venue for lunch today I was relieved to find that I had arrived before the guest of honour. However I was horrified to discover that her loving husband had managed to organise her four best friends from interstate to fly up and celebrate with her. Yep, he's a keeper.

Needless to say, unbeknown to my neighbour my presence was not really needed. None the less I stayed. Why I am not sure. I guess self punishment is needed by us all at times. Well, that and the fact it is not like I go out to lunch all the time. I was dressed, hair brushed and there seemed silly to just go home, especially when I was hungry and all.

As it turned out being surrounded by people I didn't know, who hadn't seen each other for years wasn't as bad as I expected. All in all actually, the whole ordeal turned out to be ok. Sure I forgot the present and card and my bankcard wouldn't work and did I mention all the people I didn't know.

They were nice friendly people though, and in the end I managed to transfer some money so I could pay my share without anyone being aware I had difficulties. Not only that there was another lady that lived locally that my neighbour had invited so I wasn't alone in my discomfort amongst all the besties. Actually as it turns out the local lady was a gorgeous fashion designer that I got along with quite well.

However, the entire time I sat there, smiling at their fond memories they shared, pretending to be having a great time with a bunch of complete strangers that weren't really interested in me, I couldn't help but be overcome with jealousy.

These women had been friends for around 20 years. They had shared amazing (and terrible) times together. They had watched each other change and develop. There was not much they did not know about each other. It was amazing to see the bond that they shared.

It was heartbreaking to know I have nothing similar and probably never will.

Why this is I do not know, but for some reason friends just don't stick to me like they do others. Maybe it is me, maybe it is them, I have no idea. All I know is no one ever stays long in RhiannaLand.

Generally speaking I am fine with this agreement. I have never really felt the need to be surrounded by people. I find that most people are not what they seem and while it may seem harsh, not worth the effort.

I believe that I give myself to people openly and honestly yet rarely is it returned. I do acknowledge a special intimate circle of friends, but it is very small in size. Which usually causes me no concern.

People can be cruel and sometimes it is best to limit experiences with them. A belief I have always held without any true justification.

I know how selective I can be. I realise that reasons for limitations on my friendships are self imposed and I blame no one but my self. That doesn't mean I don't get lonely sometimes.

Even though these women all have at least ten years experience on me, I seriously doubt that when I turn forty, my husband will be able to organise an event such as the one I attended today. Nothing against his skills, I just question where he will find the people to invite!

Monday, February 11

Success!

Last week turned out to be one full of success and joy (well at least in RhiannaLand it was). While I revel in the glory of being crowned a Channel Champion at Helium, there are many around me who are suffering through sadness and sorrow.

No I am not talking about the famine and droughts which plague the world, or the atrocity of poverty and war. These global pains are now just taken for granted and no longer need attention. What I am actually referring to is much more local.

Almost everyone I spoke to last week was having a bad week in some form or another. This was particularly true for those in my immediate circles (ie anyone who I wanted to share my joy with)
Thankfully I have discovered a very friendly community who were only to happy to pat my back as needed. I also have no ill feelings to those who were to busy, I know eventually you will get there and that is all that counts!

In particular I have one friend who is being forced to endure an enormous amount sorrow at present and my whole heart goes out to her. I wish I could share magic in her life but for some reason she at times seems immune. In many ways her life has been greatly blessed, but in others , her whole life seems to be nothing more than a series of bad events.

That is not to say that the sun never shines but, if something is able to go awry, then it will.

There is no simplicity or lack of drama in her life. There always seems to be worries and concerns, I wonder how she can possibly cope?

At times I commend her for her resilience. It is just amazing how much one person can subject themselves to or rather be subjected to.

Thursday, February 7

Rainbow Mountain

As I finished my previous post (all of 2 minutes ago) I thought how fitting a photo of a bath tub or plug may be. In fact I thought it such a great idea that I went straight to stock.xchng to try and find one.

However before I even got close to what I was looking for I stumbled across this beautiful shot.

It's beauty left me speechless and compelled me to share it with you.

Our lives can be full of heart ache and sorrow at times, we can easily forget that such beauty can be found.

A big thank you to Christie Thomas for sharing this shot.

Where is the plug?

I am feeling rather drained at present.

The Helium contest I entered recently closed this morning. It is such a roller coaster ride of emotions. Currently I am at the better end of the leader board. While this is promising, the rating system can be rather fickle at times.

Apparently me just thinking it is a fantastic article is simply not enough. My fate lays in the hands of the beloved raters. Of which I am a member, though obviously I am unable to rate my own work.

Back to the point.

After the effort of producing enough quality work to enable me to have any chance of winning the contest, combined with the emotional torture of having my work constantly under rating scrutiny and seeing my points go up and down faster than a yo-yo, I am temporarily out of creative juices!

So I am off to find 'my plug' and refill my bath!

Wednesday, February 6

Featured Writer at Helium

I just received a letter from Helium to congratulate me on my featured article!!!

And sure enough there on their homepage about halfway down is an article I have written about modern women It is an article that I have carried around with me for quite some time (nearly four years) and in some ways very close to my heart.

This is all very symbolic in my mind. I see this is as a huge boost to my writing career. Yes to some this is only small, when you started where I did this can be huge! It is like recognition that yes I do have some ability to mold words into feelings that effect others. Which is just what my inner writer needs.

While it now looks very different from the original, I still have how it started and can clearly remember the night that I wrote it. It was a very important time in my life. I was busily preparing for major change. (Getting married)

At the time I just wrote for the sake of writing. There was something inside me that needed to be released, so I released it.

When I first started writing for Helium, back in August 2007, I tried submitting a version of this article. To my utter devastation it was rejected. I was shattered. Thousands of little bits of me tumbled to the ground.

I questioned why I even bothered with the silly notion of being a writer. Naturally I ceased writing (though not for long). I managed to pick myself up and try again. With another version under my belt I submitted again. To my elation it was accepted.

Now it is a feature! Who would have thought? I guess hard work really does pay off in the end hey?

In case you want the link here it is again

Anyway I just wanted to share my joy and excitement here.

Monday, February 4

Disappointing Game

Australia and India's first match in the Triseries match turned out to be a white wash and I am very disappointed!

Being a huge cricket fan I was all geared up for the big game. The first half of the Indians innings was living up to my every expectation and the excitement was almost overwhelming.

Then the rain came.

Thankfully it went but not for good.

At least it gave me a chance to do some writing! Check out what I wrote for Helium

Sunday, February 3

Dirt and Worms

Meal times are often a battle for many parents. Convincing children to eat a well balanced diet is not always easy but it is not impossible either.

The key to happy eating is to provide children with interesting yet simple meals that are appealing to a child's mind.

Recently as my daughter sat down to eat her spaghetti she termed a new name for this old favorite. It was so ingenious yet simple I have decided to share the recipe here with you.

Worms and DirtIngredients
500 grams premium minced beef
4 slices of diced bacon rashers
2 grated carrots
1 grated zucchini

1 diced onion
2 cloves of garlic grated or crushed
2-3 400 gram tins crushed tomatoes
Grated cheese to serve
Worms (aka Spaghetti pasta) (make sure you leave this nice and long)
Method
Brown mince in large pan, there is no need to add oil
Remove mince from pan and leave to drain any excess fat
Fry onion and bacon in the same pan
Add grated zucchini and carrot, stir well to ensure even cooking
Place meat back in pan and mix in well
Add tinned tomatoes
Leave to simmer on a low heat

Cook pasta according to directions on packet, alternatively I have found you can place pasta in a large microwave container with adequate water and microwave on high for around 15 minutes

Place pasta in bowl and cover with meat sauce. Top with a little grated cheese (optional)
Serve and watch as your children delight in searching through the dirt for their worms!