Childhood Entertainment

Last week I worked a grand total of 3 days and went away for 4 days to Port Stephens.

Kept myself amused on the short 1 hour flight from Albury to Sydney with this wordsearch puzzle.

Brought me back to the days when it kept me very happily occupied. Along with dot-to-dot activities. And coloring books.

Plans

Where has 2010 gone to? One minute I'm celebrating my 25th birthday and the next September is almost over and the last 3 months of the year which usually just whizzes past because one is already mentally preparing for 2011 is coming up.

2010 to me has been full of decisions. Hefty decisions. For good or for bad, I've made up my mind.

I've been looking into courses that I can do when I head back to Melbourne. Thinking of ikebana. Maybe obedience and agility training for Milton. More cake decorating. Maybe a chocolate making course. Woodworking.

I love free time.

Sentimental Motivational Rubbish

As we grow up, we learn that even the one person that wasn't supposed to ever let us down, probably will. You'll have your heart broken and you'll break others' hearts. You'll fight with your best friend or maybe even fall in love with them, and you'll cry because time is flying by. So take too many pictures, laugh too much, forgive freely, and love like you've never been hurt. Life comes with no guarantees, no time outs, no second chances. you just have to live life to the fullest, tell someone what they mean to you and tell someone off, speak out, dance in the pouring rain, hold someone's hand, comfort a friend, fall asleep watching the sun come up, stay up late, be a flirt, and smile until your face hurts. Don't be afraid to take chances or fall in love and most of all, live in the moment because every second you spend angry or upset is a second of happiness you can never get back. 

My housemate abhors sentimental motivation quotes that she feels is just plain cliche, cheesy and frankly, can't believe there are people out there who enjoy reading them.

I'm guilty as charged.

Self Reflection

I realize with horror that I have somehow managed to slip into my old bad habit of whinging, whining and not appreciating what I have and constantly worrying about problems that to be honest, sometimes don't even really exist.

So today, I am reminding myself to:

• Have faith in myself
• Have faith in others
• Accept things that I cannot change with a positive attitude

I Don't Understand

They say that men are from Mars, and women are from Venus.

As I have sat by and watched relationships around me crash and burn spectacularly, usually due to the guy getting cold feet at the last minute - I guess I never will understand.

If you're not sure, don't say or do anything!

I really feel for my friends who have had to go through the pain of being left after all the empty promises.

On The Lookout

I have managed to really busy myself over the past week. As a result, I've been feeling a lot more energetic and just generally more cheerful.

Have therefore concluded that if I perpetually have interesting things to do I do not have time to wallow in any form of destructive behaviour.

Seeing that I have just finished doing a whole lot of cooking, I thought I'd take a break from the kitchen and explore other possible options to keep myself occupied.

Have concluded I don't want to do any form of hobby that involves

• collecting things - what am I supposed to do with said collected items? Hate clutter!
• making things - what am I supposed to do with the finished products?

That leaves me with either things involved with

• food
• physical activity - Exercise? Dance? Meditation?
• artistic expression - Photography? Writing? Music?
• reading

Somehow nothing seems to have struck my fancy. 

Picked up my housemate's flute for about 10 minutes and very quickly got very bored.

Hope some inspiration comes to me soon.

Wisdom

I've been thinking a lot and I've come to conclude that what I need and want most now in my life is wisdom.

I used to be perfectly happy being alone. In fact, I almost welcomed it.

I liked the stillness of the house and the freedom to do whatever I wanted when I wanted without having to worry about what other people thought.

Now I dread it.

One night in Benalla alone and I'm already wishing I headed down with my housemate.

The house is too still. Too quiet. Leaving too much time for crazy thoughts.

I'm lonely.

On the plus side, Melbourne tomorrow. Just have to get through tonight.

My Luck Filled Weekend Part 1

I went to Auckland last weekend.

If there was one word to describe my weekend - it would be... lucky.

To be perfectly fair, if we had more foresight and planning, perhaps we wouldn't need luck. But disorganized we were and thus luck was needed.

Firstly, we didn't decide where we were going to park our car when we went to Auckland. See, the thing is, we go down to Melbourne all the time. Thus everything should be straightforward enough - what's so complicated?

So when we approached the airport...

Housemate: So, where are we going to park the car?
Me: Uh... long term parking I guess? I know it's cheaper if we don't park in the airport but I don't think I can be bothered looking for the alternatives.
Housemate: Yea... so.. outdoor or indoor?
Me: Oh... outdoor will be fine... I mean, what's going to happen, right?

A hailstorm in Melbourne's going to happen, that's what!!!!

Very very happily and fortunately, it didn't hail where my car was. :D



Secondly, we didn't really decide if we were going to rent a car or just take public transport/taxi around Auckland. After much thought we decided that renting a car was probably going to be the best idea. Problem was, we arrived at Auckland at 1 a.m. on a Friday night. There weren't really many options.

Avis: We do have one car left. But it's small.
Us: Small's okay.
Avis: You need to be 25 to rent a car.
Me: Weelll.. I'm 25. (A mere 2-3 weeks after my 25th birthday)
Avis:Oh...another thing. This car has a manual transmission.
Me: ....I can drive manual.....I think...

So we got into the car and I gave myself a refresher course in manual driving in the car park. One may liken it to riding a bicycle - you never forget. Last time I drove a manual car would probably be at least 4-5 years ago.

Did I mention how many steep hills there were in Auckland City?!?!!

Anyway, was very proud of myself. So much so I'm putting this into my 101 list.

No. 80 - Drive in a foreign country.

Sleep

I've been oversleeping for the past few weeks.

I guess when I have nothing to do I just lie in bed and read and before I know it I turn over and go to sleep.

And when I wake up in the morning I think... 'Why bother getting up when there's nothing to really do?"

Anyway, I think I should snap out of it and start doing more productive things with my time instead of just sleeping it away.

Bought a few more toys for my kitchen. Shall start experimenting soon.

Sometimes the easiest things to do are also the hardest.

A classmate of mine is getting married in Auckland, New Zealand next month. Spent the night planning what to do when we are there.

The trip seems to be centered around one very important thing.

Food.

100% Responsibility

My dental assistant brought a book into work today.

How To Get From Where You Are To Where You Want To Be.

Apparently the first thing to do is to take 100% responsibility for your life and realize that wherever you are now, you chose to be.

Very true.

Unwritten

My boss asked me what was I going to do with myself next year.

I said I have absolutely no idea.

It's not that I don't like my life here in Benalla. It is a nice town, the patients are nice, I make a good living, I have good housemates - but where does it all lead to? I feel like it's more a journey than an actual destination. Which means I should continue on my journey.

So many of my friends have found some direction or other. Some have chosen to specialize. Some have chosen to go abroad. Some have chosen to go home. Me - blank.

The truth is, I have never been ambitious. I have never really wanted to be particularly successful in life. Well, not entirely true. In a very distant past I had aspirations to become a dermatologist or something along those lines. But somehow along the way I decided surely there is more to life than aiming for another goal. I want to live now. I guess what I want more than anything is to be happy. And surely that is everybody's ultimate goal in life?

Every day I see elderly patients and hear their stories about their youth, their life - and how now they're at close to the end of it. It's a daily reminder that youth is fleeting and should be cherished and not only that - be made the most of.

So what am I going to do next year? As Natasha Bedingfield says - it's still unwritten.

So Long, Farewell

Was down in Melbourne last weekend. This time, it was to say goodbye to my very dear friend who's going to France to pursue his career in pastry.



Had lunch at the City Wine Shop, which was alright (no. 29/50 in my 101 list). It was such a hot day, and yet I managed to walk all the way from Queensberry Bouverie St, down to Spring and Bourke, to Lygon and Queensberry, to Lygon and Elgin, to Johnston and Brunswick!!!!

No idea how I made it.

Revisited

Music was a huge part of my life when I was growing up. I have plenty of memories in regards to my piano and violin lessons/ practice sessions.

I still remember hating scales. My mom made it more interesting by cutting bits of paper with the key written on them and making me draw them from a cup. Whatever I drew I had to play. Which makes no ridiculous sense now because at the end of it I still had to play every single scale anyway. But I guess it made things a little less mundane.

And I remember how I'd practice the pieces so that I could get a sticker for my hard work. Amazing what a sticker could do when I was 6.

Anyway, ever since I moved to Australia 7 years ago (has it really been almost 7 years??) I have let that part of me slip away. Not having a piano at home was probably the biggest issue. I kept putting it off, telling myself that I'd get one once I get a 'permanent' home.

However, my housemate went to Melbourne and came back with... a keyboard! An extremely exciting development. Played a few tunes and am pleased to say I still know how it works. And it made me realize I miss that part of me.

Now... time to learn the unofficial Bella's Lullaby from Twilight for fun. Always thought it was a simple and haunting melody and it's been stuck in my head for the past 3 months. Have to get it out.

No. 99 - Buy Fresh Flowers For Self

It's a hot Saturday afternoon and I'm back from the week's grocery shop, ready to cook up a storm so that we don't starve next week. Also brought home some flowers for my room.



They're irises and I can't wait for them to bloom!



Anyway, I'm quite pleased with my 101 list progress. I guess the problem is that I've kinda done all the easy stuff, leaving the harder ones. It's all going to be uphill from here.



Here they are fully bloomed in less than 24 hours! Lovely - but I don't think they will last long.

I have a lot that I would like to say, yet I am obviously not free to express it here.

I can't really talk about my work - although it's actually a very interesting topic. But obviously interesting stories are best left untold when one is not anonymous.

I can't really talk about what I'm really feeling - too many people know who I am and I don't wanna appear weak now, do I?

So really - what I blog about is just a tiny part of my life. Probably the most boring part.

Vaguely considering writing a slightly more private blog, which I have done in the past. But that means password protecting it etc and that's just plain hard work.

Hmm... what to do what to do?

No. 43 - Try 50 New Recipes (19/50)

Just a week ago I was complaining that it was still too cold and will summer ever come?

Suddenly it's 34 degrees now and me and Milton are just languishing around the house, longing for cooler weather again.

Where did the days with 20+ go to?! I think we only got 2 of them and suddenly it was just straight up to the 30s. Am I asking for so much when I request for moderation?

Anyway, because of the extreme heat we decided to make a watermelon basket. By we I mean me, except I badgered my guy housemate to do all the initial hard work of getting the shape of the basket right and dicing all the fruit. Oh, and going to the grocery store to get the fruit. Then all I did was decorate the edges and dropped the blueberries in.

In my defense, I have been very sick for the past week, which is why everyone has been extra nice to me. I haven't even had the energy to fully unwrap and show you guys the latest additions to my kitchen and house. I will - later.




Isn't it pretty? I was so proud of it and wished we had a party so that more people could appreciate it. As it is, it's sitting in our refrigerator, where it will stay and keep us busy for the next couple of days.

Just A Little Unwell

Woke up feeling really nauseous and had the chills. Decided to drag myself to work anyway and see how I would go.

After cementing a crown, during which every time I turned from my bracket table to the patient I had lurches of nausea, I decided I had to cancel my patients for the rest of the day and pass out in bed.

Which was what I did.

Still not better - if I stay completely still it's okay, but if I move it's awful.