Song of the week - On the Borderline

This week I turn to a new song... not sure I'll be able to get the lyrics so I'll just share the chorus that I like singing to myself.  Would make a good alarm clock song!  The song is by an Australian Independent Artist, Sally Seltmann, she used to be known as New Buffalo.

Get yourself up, get yourself up,
Get yourself out of it
This is a new day; this is a new day,
This is a new day today
Snapping your fingers, tapping your toes,
You were humming a tune
You know, you know
This is a new day; this is a new day,
This is a new day today

I like the upbeat tune and lyrics and it gets into my head, a pre-requisite for "song of the week" I guess.

I'm not fully enamoured with the current trend of female singers, they seem to share a breathy style that's not really my thing, but works here.  Sounds to me like a break-up song (a favourite category of mine!)  Not that I've had all that many break-ups, but they sure make for a good tune.  A lot of my favourite songs would fit into this category, and as I reflect I think the guys generally moan about their loss, while gals tend for a more optimistic note of moving on... I'm sure that's a grose generalisation, so feel free to prove me wrong!

I too feel a bit like I'm on a borderline... looking ahead to new horizons, not at all sure what is ahead.  There are many changes coming my way, some I look forward to, others, well... change and I have always had a fractious kind of relationship.

Today I'm putting a positive spin on things... getting myself up and remembering that it is a new day today.  How about you...?

Tschuss till next time xoxo

Down time...

Feeling a bit deflated as I begin this week.  I had a great time emerged in costumes for my friend's production of Midsummer Night's Dream for Melbourne's Comedy Festival.  It came on the back of Easter and time with family and friends.  It was all busy and a very new experience for me, so was all consuming.

I also had the opportunity to make some new friends, and you all know how much I enjoy that!  To hang out with like-minded people for a whole week was just bliss.  It reminds me how much of a difference common interests make to a friendship.

I have a few "hard" things to get through this week, so no doubt that's contributing to my cloudy mood.  I'll perk up though, never fear.  Melbourne's experiencing some lovely unseasonably warm weather too, so I'll ensure I make the best of it.

I'll try and find some pics of the production to share with you all, it sure was a hoot!

Ciao for now xo xo

All I Need...

I thought I'd resume my song of the week posts.  I've been thinking a bit lately about what I need (sometimes vs what I want!!) not always mutually exclusive...

Here's the lyrics from Air (a French duo)

All I need is a little time,
To get behind this sun and cast my weight,
All I need is a peace of this mind,
Then I can celebrate.

All in all there's something to give,
All in all there's something to do,
All in all there's something to live,
With you ...

All I need is a little sign,
To get behind this sun and cast this weight of mine,
All I need is the place to find,
And there I'll celebrate.

All in all there's something to give,
All in all there's something to do,
All in all there's something to live,
With you ...

The song is set to a really cute video clip of a young woman waxing lyrical about her boyfriend, I'm sure you'll find it on Youtube...

Now, I'm not saying that I need a man in my life.... I'd sure like one, but that's not the same thing.  In all my years of singleness I feel most happy at the moment.  I'm glad to be putting my tumultuous 20s behind me this year, keen to explore new options for work and things over my next decade.

I could really do with a job at present... Not quite sure what it is about me and work, perhaps a lack of ambition...?

Really all I need is a safe place to rest my head, friends and family to share a little love, and something to do each day that gives me a little joy and meaning.

This week I'm keeping very busy helping a friend out with her production of A Midsummer Night's Dream.  I've a to-do list as long as my arm to complete when the sun comes up so its time for the head to hit the pillow.  I was housesitting for two weeks and now enjoying being back in my own bed.

I'm so thankful to live in a free and democratic country, in a time when I can be on equal footing with my male counterparts, to be able to express and share my faith freely, to sing in the street if I want!  I'm so thankful to live in city that doesn't just tolerate diference but celebrates it.   To live among a people that don't take themselves too seriously and know how to build a bit of fun into their lives (It's Comedy Festival season at present!)

What do you need?

What are you thankful for?

till next time... xo xo 

coming soon....

Sorry I haven't been posting much of late.  I've not only been busy, but just found it difficult to put into words what I've been feeling... or maybe just not wanting to make it public!

I'll post early next week with my adventure in Canberra... it is sure to feature a big queue... always an opportunity for making new aquaintances ;)

Catch you all soon... xo

get me outta here!!!!

This is just too much for a Saturday morning... usually I can read/doze through my flatmate's piano lessons, but that's the LEAST of my narks this morning. 

The upstairs people are renovating their bathroom... basically demolishing it's 3 walls at present.  They did it till I asked them to stop at 9.30 last night and then started at 7.30 this morning... with loud radio accompaniment from 8am!!

I am not happy... maybe I'll get a haircut like this chick next week... less to pull out of headache frustration.

I should be tidying up and doing my chores but I can't stand another minute!  I'm off for a swim and catch up with the siblings... as far from here as I can reasonably get!

Addios!

PS please excuse all the spelling and grammatical errors... I've barely slept and so can hardly think!

Hot in the city

It's been a fairly relentless summer here... I have burnt my left arm and now my right, but at least that eases the pain of sleeping on my side.  Today heat had be dreaming.  I wrote one poem and a few short memoir/stories.  I'm trying to collect up lots of memories of Dad for all the future Grandkids.  He tells the best stories, and I don't want them to miss out.

I can remember the extended family gathered around the lunch table laughing histerically and demanding yet another story of Dad and Dave growing up in Japan.  Not everyone's parents had such an exotic upbringing!  I swear his US history still beats his Aussie!  He could name the USA's fourth president but would be pressed to name our's....  We're just not as proud of our short history in Australia.

I caught a little of a show about John Monash on Saturday afternoon.  He was a major of the ANZAC AIF during WW1.  He championed ANZAC day (which nearly died after the great war as everyone was so war weary) and helped to design our magnificent Shrine of Rememberance.  I walked past it with a friend on Sunday afternoon and had to reflect that it was so fitting.  It is neither a tourist attraction or glorifies war, but is a fitting testament to the sacrifice of our young men (and now women).  War is such a terrible waste (War, huh... what is it good for? Absolutely nothing, sing it again!)  Well, that's not completely true, many of our medical and scientific breakthroughs have come about as a consequence of war.  Even my profession, Occupational Therapy really kicked in as a consequence of rehabilitating the returned soldiers (that's how we got the tag "basket weavers")

Anyway, now I'm just rambling.  It's late, but its too hot to get an early night.  I guess I should at least try through.... I'm facing two straight days of meetings (coke will be required... of the liquid kind, that is!!)

Ciao for now, I'll check in again soon and may even share a little of my writing.  Must get onto Dad to start getting some of his tales down on paper! xo xo 

PS Below is a little pic of the Shrine with the eternal flame in the foreground.

disOrientation!

Today was my first day as an Educator with Alzheimer's Australia.  Now I've nothing but admiration for the way they did our orientation today (there is another new Educator that has started with me), but there's something about orientation that is just so overwhelming.  My new workplace occupies 4 buildings on two sites in metropolitan Melbourne (they have country sites too apparently).  There are about 75 staff, of whom I think we were introduced to at least half, and hundreds of volunteers (there were only a couple of them around today, thank goodness!!)

We were taken on a comprehensive tour, and then shuffled about between various staff to be introduced to the various aspects of the organisation.  Now this is far superior to being stuck in a stuffy room all day listening to dull presentations (I've had too many orientation days like that) where the highlight of the day is fire and emergency training becaucause you get to use a fire extinguisher!

Still, it didn't prevent me feeling like I was suffering information overload by lunchtime!  It didn't help that I tossed and turned through a sweltering night last night (the temperature barely dipped below 30 degrees!).  Tonight promises better as the cool change has swept in.

Today felt good though, despite the information overload!  The staff seems lovely and helpful, and I just got a good vibe about the place.  Plus we have three more days of exclusive orientation and most of the rest of this month is orientation, really, as we look in and the assist with education sessions.  I think my first session as a facilitator is in early February.  I think it helps that the year hasn't really got into full swing as yet, and everyone is nice and relaxed after the Christmas break.  Many people only returned to work this week.

Well, I sure need my beauty sleep and my brain needs unwinding, so I'll sign off for today.  See you soon! Tschuss xo