Canadian Down Under

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Life is a rollercoaster

Up, down. Up, down. Up and down.

And sometimes all in one day!!!

Hmmm, maybe rollercoaster isn't right. Maybe it's more like a seesaw.... Someone once told me (the infamous 'someone') that there are three major areas in your life: home, work and love - and that not all three can be good at the same time.

Can you have a three-way seesaw?? Sorry - that's just a tangent...

I'd like one to be good. No, not just good.. I'd like one to be outstanding!

I don't think that's too much to ask for - so I'm just sitting here waiting on delivery.....

Monday, February 26, 2007

If I had just won an Oscar for best actress

you can bet your ass that I would have milked that opportunity to get closer to George Clooney .

Yeah, it's exciting she won an Oscar, yadda, yadda yadda - but it was presented by the God himself!!! Hmmm, woulda pulled a Robert Benigni on that one.....

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

From my horoscope today:

Try not to wear your heart on your sleeve over the next few weeks; you may
be more sensitive than usual.

If this is true? God help us all.....

Saturday, February 17, 2007

Did you know....

  • in order to pump up bicycle tires, you need to open a valve (It may look like there's no cap on those little thingys on new bikes - but apparently there is!)
  • they don't have butterscotch chips in Australia - which makes making my mother's butterscotch peanut butter squares really difficult
  • coming second in a bake off competition when you really are a shitty cook is surprisingly satisfying
  • working over 30 hours in two days means you have zero guilt on the weekend when you laze about and do nothing
  • having high expectations for friends can sometimes be very disappointing - especially when they choose not to have high expectations for themselves
  • I'm going home in July. I'm already excited about it!
  • my puddy tat is cute when she's not being a monster
  • not everyone can 'power' nap- my mid-afternoon nap turned into a three hour sleep
  • I hate cleaning.
  • I'm blogging so I don't have to clean my flat
  • I'm running out of things to add to my list - so I'm going to have to suck it and pull out the vacuum.

Have a good weekend!

Friday, February 16, 2007

Content

I had a nice evening.

I don't know everything. I don't know what's going to happen. I don't know if anything will happen again, but it doesn't matter.

I'm content. I'm comfortable and I enjoyed my evening.

I hope you've had moments like these.

I hope you (and I) have them again.

Thursday, February 15, 2007

Is this mean?

Monster's been meowing at me forever tonight. So while I was in the kitchen cooking some stuff, I gave her the glass that had remnants of peanut butter in it.

I hoped maybe her mouth might get stuck shut....

You know - I think it worked.

Is that mean?

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Like Mother, Like Monster

This is kind of freaking me out....

Monster has recently taken to hanging out in my shower (she's weird because she likes getting her paws wet...), but that's not the part that's freaking me out. What she's started doing while in there is cleaning my hair out of the drain.

That's what my mother did when she was here.

Beside how gross I think the whole thing is - can't either of them understand it's a rental?!?!?!?!?!?!

Now if only I could teach her how to push a vacuum...

Monday, February 12, 2007

Alpha Female

Ever heard the term before?

Before I came to Australia - I'd never heard it. But since I've arrived, I've been hearing it a lot....and generally in reference to me. I mentioned this to a male friend of mine, saying "Can you believe calling someone an alpha female? Can you believe calling me that??"

His response? "Oh course you're an alpha female. I'm only friends with alpha females."

All in all, all this alpha talk was starting to make me slightly apprehensive, so I decided to look it up. Here's what I got from wikipedia:

In social animals, the alpha male or alpha female is the individual in the community whom the others follow and defer to. Where one male and one female fulfill this role, they are referred to as the alpha pair.
With the exception of the missing alpha male...So far so good. Next it read:

Chimpanzees show deference to the alpha of the community by ritualised gestures such as bowing, allowing the alpha to walk first in a procession, or standing aside when the alpha challenges.

Not so sure I like being compared to chimpanzees....

Canines also show deference to the alpha pair in their pack, by allowing them to be the first to eat and, usually, the only pair to mate; wolves are a good example of this.
Mate? If being alpha means you get to mate - then I'm definitely not alpha..... But wait:

In humans, the alpha female often refers to a woman who is powerful or high on the social ladder
Oh alright......

Monday, February 05, 2007

Two Weeks

It's been two weeks since I've given up Coke. Coca-Cola that it....

And how's it been?

Well, the last two weeks have been hell. But I'm not sure if I can blame it on the Coke.

A few friends are going through some really tough times, with sick or dying parents and talking to them and trying to help has worn me out. Not that I would dream of doing anything different - but it's hard when your friends are hurting and there is absolutely nothing you can do to make it go away. You can only hope that some of your platitudes and your presence is perhaps making it marginally better.

All that emotion coupled with the lack of Coke has created a monster. I've always been sensitive, but I've become hyper-sensitive to the extreme. My feelings are so easily hurt - and even though I really try to talk myself into a rational reaction, it just hasn't worked.

Has something specific happened? Yes, but unfortunately I can't talk about it here. I thought meanness like this died after high school because people outgrew it, but I guess not everybody does.

If Coke could fix this, I'd be right back on the stuff....

Sunday, February 04, 2007

Yeah me!!

Did my first triathlon today in over 8 years.

Despite it being very short (they call it an 'enticer') - I'm exhausted and I've been fighting a migraine all day as a result (neck issues....) which I believe is a battle I might just be losing...

Anyway, I did it. I'm proud of myself because I was much better on the bike than I remember - but absolutely woeful on the run. Not bad for an old doll whose not only broken her arm in the last 6 months, but has also thrown her back out three separate times in the last year...

I'd love to be able to use the above historical injuries as an excuse for my woeful showing - but the truth is, there was no pain in the arm or the back or the neck (well, until now...) I was just to tired to run. But I managed to shuffle my way to the finish line in a fairly respectable manner - giving me plenty of motivation to improve before the next one in March!

Lots has been happening - so sorry for not posting (or answering emails...). I've had visitors - but will write soon.