Adventually.....

as in eventually posting....  a little bit about my 2010....

January.... wow... um Started a New Job with Alzheimer's Australia as an Educator... short lived.... Oh and Sensation... an Ocean of White... ah January, so full of promise!

February... um... new job... working... long distance cold to warm but a little wet in Melb's (I can't really remember...was trying to be a good worker

March... well Thanks, but no thanks... but I'll be flying to Europe mid winter anyway... Goodbye AA... hello unemployment...

April... Easter... Anzac Day Dawn Service at The Shrine... breakfast at Macca's... so very Anzac Day, I guess.... we were quite cold and hungry....

May... Dad's birthday, Mum & Dad's wedding anniversary... maybe I should have found a new job by now... and only a few weeks left of 29... what has Joce achieved so far....?

June... 30!  need I say more?

July... Europe... read July blogs!

August... exactly so, (Actually- I did try and fail to work in a call centre....) SO  unemployed, poor, cold, wet... but there is still a lot to Love about a really wet winter after so many dry ones... and I did get to break up my winter with a very warm month in Europe!

September... belts still tight... scarves still popular... Please Government can you help me with my rent?

October... I Knew as soon as I ask them for money I'd find a job... last week of October... Joce is a permanent part-time employee... Health and Wellness Coordinator of a Camberwell Aged Care Facility to be exact... oh and our home goes up for Auction...

November... home opens (erk)... Auction (passed in)... opens... SOLD!  phew!

December.... so here we are... the last week of Advent is upon us (Advent is the 4 week's leading up to 25th December/Christmas Day (not only Winter/Summer Solstice!)... and TODAY was/is Internation Human Right's Day...

interesting....

xo <>< xo

Song of the week - SOS

No, it's not the song by Abba... though they've been plauging me lately....


There's so much to love about this song, this band, this singer....


I could go on, & on, but I'm going to let the lyrics speak for themselves.  Spearhead roughly play hip-hop, I guess... Not sure that Michael is so easily categorised, but that's my go of the style!  


It makes me want to dance like nobody is watching!

The Sound of Sunshine

I wake up in the morning at six o'clock
They say there may be rain, but the sun is hot
I wish I had some time just to kill today
And I wish I had a dime for every bill I got to pay
Some days you lose, you win and the water's as high as the times you're in
So I jump back in where I learned to swim
Try to keep my head above it the best I can
That's why
CHORUS:
Here I am, just waiting for the storm to pass me by
and that's the sound of sunshine coming down
and that's the sound of sunshine coming down
I saw my friend Bobby, he said 'What's up man, you got a little work or a twenty to lend?'
I opened up my hand, He said, 'I'm glad to see, they can take away my job but not my friends
you see'
CHORUS
That's the sound of the sun goin' down
When the people of the world start to paint the town
A day that's long is a day complete
so kick off ya shoes and relax ya feet
they say tat miracles are never ceasing
and every single soul needs a little releasing
they say that money makes the world go round
but only one thing'll help the sun go down
Sweet, sweet love'll help the sun go down

It's true, it's true, it's true
CHORUS
You're the one I want to be with, when the sun goes down
CHORUS

* and to Mr Franti... I know I haven't asked, but I thank you for letting me publish your song on my blog... I just want you to know that somehow you always seem to sing exactly what I'd like to in a way that I want to shake up to... so I guess that's pretty cool!

Here's to dancing in the sunshine! xo xo

Can't catch me....

No, apparently I'm it!  so watch out...  Grandma Pat had this on her blog & I've been terribly quiet lately so here I go...:


1) What is your biggest pet peeve?

Judgementals & hypocrites... how dare you!

2) If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why? 

Paris... oh my sweet Paris how I long to inhabit your spell binding streets...  but the sun has appeared in Melbourne and so I'm pretty happy right here now! ;)

P
3) Have you ever been searched by the cops? 

 Does breath-testing count?  I have been searched by customs/immigration too - so paranoid since '01.

D

4) What is the one thing on your mind right now? 

 Go SAINTS!!! (AFL grand final replay starts in under 2 hours)

Go

5) What is your favorite song right now? 

“The Sound of Sunshine" or anything else by Michael  Franti... currently on high rotation in my house... I'll introduce him next Wednesday!


6) What talent do you wish you had?

Can I vote for a superpower instead...? Teleporting!

Can

7) What is your favorite drink? 

French Earl Grey... or gin & tonic... or just water (depends how thirsty I am!)

Ea

8) Describe yourself in one word

wound-up ;)

will up-date properly soon... watch this space! xo xo

Stuck in a Moment

Back to a song of the week.... I wanted to post about being in a bit of a rut, and then I thought that this song just captures that completely.  I'm home from my adventures with Mum and Dad in Europe.  It's fairly gloomy and cold (though Spring is making a comeback).  I quit a job where I wasn't making any money anyway and just don't really know what to do with myself.  I want to return to study (writing this time), but that won't start till the end of summer next year (March).  My accomodation is too expensive, but I keep chickening out on talking to my flatmate.  Its a bit of a connundrum and to tell the truth I just don't really feel all that up to it!


But U2 express it even better, you might remember this one.


STUCK IN A MOMENT YOU CAN'T GET OUT OF
I'm not afraid of anything in this world
There's nothing you can throw at me that I haven't already heard
I'm just trying to find a decent melody
A song that I can sing in my own company

I never thought you were a fool
But darling, look at you
You gotta stand up straight, carry your own weight
These tears are going nowhere, baby

You've got to get yourself together
You've got stuck in a moment and now you can't get out of it
Don't say that later will be better now you're stuck in a moment
And you can't get out of it

I will not forsake, the colours that you bring
But the nights you filled with fireworks
They left you with nothing
I am still enchanted by the light you brought to me
I still listen through your ears, and through your eyes I can see

And you are such a fool
To worry like you do
I know it's tough, and you can never get enough
Of what you don't really need now... my oh my

You've got to get yourself together
You've got stuck in a moment and now you can't get out of it
Oh love look at you now
You've got yourself stuck in a moment and now you can't get out of it

I was unconscious, half asleep
The water is warm till you discover how deep...
I wasn't jumping... for me it was a fall
It's a long way down to nothing at all

You've got to get yourself together
You've got stuck in a moment and now you can't get out of it
Don't say that later will be better now
You're stuck in a moment and you can't get out of it

And if the night runs over
And if the day won't last
And if our way should falter
Along the stony pass

And if the night runs over
And if the day won't last
And if your way should falter
Along the stony pass
It's just a moment
This time will pass

Peripatetic in Paris

Last stop on my itinerary was the beautiful Paris.  This city lives up to all your expectations!  Nothing quite compares to that first thrill as you glimpse the Eiffel Tower for the first time....

We were blessed with a cool change and enjoyed (mostly fine) days in the mid-high 20s.  I had a list of must-see sights and we managed to cover them all!  I even got to see the bikes race round the Champs Elysees and ride the TPG in first class style.  It was a quick visit in more sense than one!

First our host took us to Versailles, King Louis XIV's famous castle in the outskirts of Paris.  We were staying in that direction.  My favourite part was where this picture of Mum and I was taken - the famous Hall of Mirrors.  I had also been reading a book that was largely set in Paris (including several visits to Versailles), so it was easy to imagine it in its heyday.

On Saturday we traveled into Paris on the train.  Mum and I took a trip around town on the Red Bus and saw many of the most famous inner-city sites.  Then met up with Dad at a Little tart cafe near Notre Dame.  We also had a look around inside the cathedral after lunch as the line was a bit shorter.  Then we split up again and Dad and I explored Musee d'Orsay, home to many impressionist paintings.  The one below was my favourite, I'm a big Renoir fan, but I also discovered the Edgar Degas didn't only paint dancers!

On Sunday I trooped into Paris on my own after checking out the Sunday market in St Germain En-laye, where we were staying, with my parents and our host.  It was a long wait for the bikes to arrive, but I made some new friends while waiting and it was well worth it!  You could feel the excitement build up as the cavalcade arrived... we even participated in a few mexican-waves around the circuit while we waited!  The picture below is me in the crowd, followed by a shot I took holding the camera above my head.  I had a better view but camera's don't move like eyes....

Monday I was a little weary, but our admission tickets to the Musee d'Orsay also qualified us to visit the Orangerie gallery, so Mum and I went and checked out the enormous Waterlily canvases by Monet (the gallery was built around them!)  There were other impressionist painters represented there too, many by lesser-know artists.  After that we reunited with Dad (who had checked out the Bastille) and went to explore Monmatre.  Monmatre is famous for Sacre Cour on the hill, the Moulin Rouge and was also where much of Amelie was filmed.  The photo below is me outside "Amelie's cafe" better know as Cafe des Deux Moulains.

Tuesday, out last in Paris, took us to Normandy for a much anticipated visit to Monet's Garden in Giverny.  Mum and Dad had been before, so I had heard about it, and seen it many times in his artworks, but visiting it, and his house that has been preserved as it was, is something else.  Mum took so many photos, below are a couple of my favourites.  One day I hope to return with a special friend who has spent many hours in Adelaide Botanic Garden with me.  I could just imagine her soaking it all in, like I did.  

Sadly, now my peripatetic days are over and I'm packing my case to return home tomorrow.  I has been a very special month with my parents, full of memories I will treasure forever.

Rules for Roaming

Now that I have spent the better part of a week exploring Rome... I thought I'd treat my readers to some witty "rules" to follow on your next visit....

• Wear appropriate shoes

When in Rome... you WILL be walking.  The narrow streets are unevenly paved with cobblestones and scooters, motor bikes and even cars can come careering round corners so keep your eyes open.  Also, Romans think nothing of barging into you - you have been warned!

• Guard your personal space on public transport!

The buses and trains can become very crowded... I won't go into detail here, suffice it to say you'll have a much more comfortable journey if you can nab yourself a seat!

• Buy water only once

You should only need to buy one bottle of water (pay no more than 1E).  Once you've drunk that you can refill it all over town at the plentiful water fountains (choose the ones meant for drinking rather than the decorative ones).  Even on our 40 + days the water from these fountains was refrigerated cold and very refreshing.  Also, drink up, the pavements and surrounding buildings radiate heat day and night in peak season.

• Ensure you know how to say "No"

There are salesmen everywhere trying to get you to join their tours, buy their wares or just get your money.  Learn how to say "no" emphatically.  I usually raised my hand in a backing off gesture as well.  It can get a little bit annoying.

• Buy a multi-trip ticket

We bought a 7 day ticket for 16E which allowed unlimited travel on city buses, trams and the metro.  The buses are the best option.  You have to walk for ages and ages to get to your train (especially at Termini station near where we were staying).  For Melbournites... Termini is a bit like Box Hill... all the buses seem to go there! 

• Pre-book your visit to Villa Borghese

There is a great museum at Villa Borghese on the edge of town (Galleria Borghese).  It has a wonderful history and great collection of paintings and sculptures (especially Bernini, who made a significant mark on Rome you will notice).  However, the queues are long and it you don't book beforehand you are unlikely to get in on the day you visit.  Allow plenty of time, you will probably spent 1.5 - 2 hours in the galleria, but the villa is also situated in lovely formal gardens.

• Shop at the Drugstore

The Drugstore doesn't sell drugs.  Conads is just one chain of "drugstores" that sell groceries.  We saved a lot of money buy purchasing fresh fruit and sandwiches or salads to cover two of our daily meals.  Eating out can become very expensive - and don't bother with much of a tip unless the service is really good as most restaurants bill a cover charge up to 5E.

• Know what you want

Mum and I were determined to nab a few bargains (chiefly shoes and clothes), and we did!  However the sales assistants can be quite pushy, trying to sell you additional items, especially jackets, so keep in mind what you want and be firm (or you'll spend a lot more than you intended!).  This month almost all the stores had Saldi (Sales) and up to 60%.  We also found that most of the items we bought were wholly made in Italy, which in nice.  So do not be surprised when you see me in my new clothes to hear me reply "why I bought it in Roma" when you ask where I got it...!

• Curb your enthusiasm

I was disappointed by a few things, so do not build up your travel experience more than necessary.  I found the Vatican overwhelming and more than a little over-the-top, but it was worthwhile.  The queues to get into the Basillica and especially the Sistine Chapel (it was too hot for me to queue up for that one) can be long and you have to wear sleeves or wrap something over your bare shoulders.  Also they charge 16E for entry to the Colloseum and Palatine Hill now (each) and if you join a tour you usually have to pay your entry in addition to the tour charge.  Again, be prepared for long queues... especially for the Colloseum.

Also, I was a little disappointed with the food (especially the gelato).  In Melbourne we are blessed with high quality Italian fare.  Watch out where you eat too, the prices will be heavily inflated nearest the big sites so travel a block or two away to find a cute, authentic experience.

• When in Rome...

you know how it goes.... Do as the Romans do.  We enjoyed our daily siesta.  It was far too hot to venture around town all day so we generally visited the sites in the morning and shopped in the evening.  This meant we achieved what we wanted and didn't get too grumpy and hot.

Lastly, don't be merely an armchair traveler... save up and have your own adventures! Ciao xo

Ups and downs of traveling

Sometimes everything goes peachy... and other times....

When departing Melbourne Airport I forgot to grab a departure card at check-in, so I dutifully returned and when I got there they asked for my boarding pass.  It was taken away and upon return had been upgraded to business!! Well, you can imagine my excitement... I'd never had this privilege before and it was a 14 hour overnight flight to Doha.  I felt like royalty, but just to ensure I didn't get used to the idea too soon... I was assigned what would have to be the worst seat on my leg to Frankfurt.  No window for my window seat (for views of the Mediterranean and Alps) and no ability to recline my seat - most uncomfortable and I strongly recommend you avoid row 27 on all long-haul journeys!!  One could say a rather bi-polar experience, two extremes of the airborne journey.

Then on Thursday, Mum and I went for our swim in the Rhein.  All you have to do really is float as the strong current pushes you along.  It is very popular with locals during the summer.  All was going swimmingly... that is until I left the water and felt very green around the gills.  I gave my poor mum and her friend a scare as I fainted on the stairs!  This is a bad habit of mine... now I am banned from swimming in Perth and Basel!  It will be paddling in the shallows from now on, sadly.


This coming Wednesday brings Bastille Day and I will be attempting a French Classic for our dinner.  Then on Thursday afternoon we head to Rome.  Hopefully no misadventures to be had there!

Ciao for now, Joce xo