Hot in the city...

I made the mistake of checking out the Nightmarket at Queen Vic Markets this evening... the concrete in the city was still radiating the high 30s temp, despite the cool change coming through about midday and it was too crowded, too pricey... just overrated... I escaped to the shops on Franklin St and bought myself a groovy new jacket... my little bliss and me are going shopping Friday... so I'll get her to bring her camera and show off the new wares!

PS Work is improving, were back to fully staffed now, but with renovation work going on many of our rooms are closed so I don't have a full caseload - Bliss, think I might even be able to POETS (though for me its really POETF!!) on Friday

Tschuss <><

Tired AND Thankful

I thought of this title last evening as I was journeying home on the train from work... This last month or so has seen a huge turn around in my activity level, also my stress level, and it being "that time of year" a tendency to be reflective!

You see, in the second half of November, I started a new job!! I went back to my roots and returned to working as an Occupational Therapist. What's even more remarkable is that the job started as a locum position, but now I find myself promoted to permanent part-time! (Big Thanks pt 1)

As many of you know all year I've been praying, wishing and hoping for a great new job that would be just perfect for me (and I acknowledge that no job is ever going to be "perfect" but I guess I'm thinking best fit). So far I've really been enjoying the work, the workplace, the people, and my financial worries are definitely improving... but I'm so tired!

Now for further reflection...

1. I love Christmas.

I love that it’s our remembrance festival for the fact that Our Father sent his much beloved and only son into our world. That this remarkable man Jesus was willing to live a human life... beginning at helpless birth... and ending in a way no man before or since has achieved. (If you don't know about this story... then you've got to read it, it'll knock your socks off!!)

I love the associated festivities... the decorations, and Australian summer, the excesses of yummy food shared with family and friends, the exchanging of gifts (though I haven't done any shopping this year... just can't face it). The gathering to sing carols, and remember what Christmas is all about.

And I love the sense of hope it brings... the acknowledgement that perhaps life isn't always grand, indeed its sometimes disgustingly difficult, BUT I made it through another year, and I can start the next year fresh... or we hope for a better year next year, or just know that our God is faithful.

He put us here, just like he put his son here. He loves us, and wants the best for us. We know we don't deserve his blessings, but because of who he is (and if we're being thankful, and real about our faith) he too is faithful to the promises he made.

Does that make sense? My life and me are far from perfect... but as I look back I see just how much my God has taken care of me, how many wonderful opportunities he's given me, how every day he gives me what I need to get from waking to sleeping. It's not easy, in fact I'm struggling to think of a year in my life that hasn't had its ups or downs... but that is what makes it so interesting!!

I love my life, and I want to live it to the full, but most of all I want to give glory to my God; so I'm tired and I'm thankful... and I'm praying that God will bring me through and that I can give him glory.

too much to blog... too little time....

I feel like a complete reprobate (and have I even spelt that right?)... I haven't blogged since October... and so much in my life has changed since then that I don't know where to begin.... I promise I'll come back on Friday with fresh updates, and may even manage something interesting!  For now... bed, I need sleep.... good night xo

Don't drink coffee...

After 8pm!!!!

So, I was out with friends this evening, and we had dinner at a cute little place on High St in Northcote and then went to a Chocolatier for our dessert.  I was going to eat chocolates, so I decided to have a coffee... BIG MISTAKE!  I don't normally drink coffee anyway, so who was I fooling!!  Luckily I don't have to be anywhere much tomorrow, so I can sleep in, though my housemates have a nasty habit of turning on the TV (next door to my room) early-ish in the morning.  I'm very anti watching telly in the morning, a good habit taught by my dear Mum (thanks Mum, inane morning TV chat shows are the worst, especially when you're still trying to sleep!!!)

Well, after that we went to our musical comedy gig at the NSC.  So love that venue, its my second visit in six days... Once again we skipped the support act.  It was a spoken word artist this time.  I wouldn't have minded catching it, but I was strongly outvoted, hence the coffee mistake!  Should have had a hot chocolate and the lemon tart!

Ahhhh well, we live and well, sometimes learn! ;)

Meme... well I was bored...

1. Where is your cell phone?  somewhere on my bed, I'm ignoring it!!
2. Where is your significant other? in my imagination 
3.Your hair color?  mid-dark brown/auburn
4.Your mother?  Everyone except her says we're alike ;)
5. Your father?  Mum thinks we're very alike! ;)  (I think they're both champs!)
6. Your favorite thing? currently? My bed!
7. Your dream last night? don't remember
8. Your dream/goal?  To live overseas, and be in full-time ministry

9. The room you're in? bedroom

10. Your hobby? writing & singing

11. Your fear?  of being forgotten
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years?  Europe
13. Where were you last night?  Home (in Heidelberg)
14. What you're not?  boring
15. One of your wish-list items?  a new digital camera
16. Where you grew up?  Melbourne & Adelaide
17. The last thing you did?  drank a ginger/pine drink... now I need to do something else!
18. What are you wearing? jeans & a tee
19. Your TV?  I'm discovering the joys of VOD
20. Your pets?  we want chickens & a goat
21. Your computer?  Lifebook (well, that's the brand & it is a bit of a lifeline!)
22. Your mood?  mmm, I'll get back to you on that one
23. Missing someone? my parentals
24. Your car?  I'm still driving my first car around, she's a little blue hatchback and she's called             Betty - we've done a lot of miles together...
25. Something you're not wearing? a bra 
26. Favorite store? David Jones 
27. Your summer? can't wait!
28. Love someone? God 
29. Your favorite color? green
30. When is the last time you laughed?  most of this morning, I was  reading someone's blog!

31. Last time you cried? two nights ago, reading someone's blog!

If you're bored too, why not give it a try... I love quizzes, just can't help myself!

RMOM

Random moments of Mirth... 

Have you ever overheard a snatch of converstation, seen something you didn't expect, or even done something yourself that produced unexpected (and mirthsome) results??

I was inspired by Hippomanic Jen's post on her Appromimately None blog (http://approximatelynone.blogspot.com/2008/10/how-embarrassment.html).  Even just now I heard the news reader on ABC Classic rather loudly clearing his throat, I think he was expecting the grab to go on a few seconds more.  I love hearing news readers guff... or there was a truly embarrassing moment at his wedding reception.  My brother and his new wife were introduced into the room incorrectly (by his brother-in-law's surname) instead of our own, which admittedly is somewhat similar.  

Or for my own, and I never witnessed this, thank God.  When I was in grade 4 I was chosen to play Peter Pan in our school play.  The grade 5s and 6s weren't so keen on this idea, but I proved myself by learning the ENTIRE script, (and miming eveyone else's lines on stage!) Thankfully there doesn't seem to be evidence of that year's play on video.

Then there was the evening my Mum played my Dad... My friend and I had a tradition at the time of spending Saturday in the Adelaide Botanical Gardens, ostensibly to paint, but mainly just to wander around dreaming our adolescent dreams.  Well, Ali came home to our place for dinner and as we're eating Mum casually announces that we met two boys at the gardens that day and had arranged for them to pick us up and take us to Glenelg (Adelaide's version of St Kilda).  Well, Ali and I just looked at eachother and then at Mum, who must of winked or something to get us to play along.  Dad was a little unsure, but mum entoned that she trusted out judgement... ra, ra, ra... anyway, dinner ended and we all went on our separate ways... Dad to the throne room and Mum outside to water the garden... So, Mum sneaks around to the front door and rings the bell.  I have NEVER seen my father get up from the bathroom so quickly before or since!  

There was another time Dad had us in stitches (sorry Dad, but I'm sure you can get me back with a few stories too...) He often would drop in at the Central Market to get something for our dinner, as it was just around the corner from his office.  Well, on this particular Friday evening he was so please with himself because he had scored a WHOLE watermelon, and it was quite big, for $1.  Mum replied quite cooly, "But Darling, where are the saussages for our dinner?"  Dad, of course, had completely forgotten about sausages, so I think we had pizza, oh, and watermelon!!!

What random moments of mirth have you enjoyed recently? Share them, so we can all have a laugh!!

Oh, and here is a little clip I've enjoyed on youtube recently... enjoy! :D

postcard fun...!

You've got to love the bloggosphere... I've just discovered a website devoted to sending postcards around the world (http://www.postcrossing.com/). It's called Postcrossing and if you're like me then you like nothing more than receiving REAL mail in the letterbox. So if you're interested then go take a look and sign up... I'm looking forward to adding some interesting postcards from around the world to my collection!