Canadian Down Under

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Baby Monster

Baby is sick.

She's not eating and she's not biting me.
Something definitely wrong....

The silver lining?
1. Got out of work early.
2. New vet = cute vet.

Time will tell...

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Decision, decsions, decisions...

I don't know what's happened to me, but I've become so indecisive. Too many options perhaps?

So what's keeping me awake at night these days? Well.... nothing actually - I sleep like a baby. Almost like a drugged baby actually... And my weekends are filled with power naps and 'rests' - so yeah, nothing keeps me awake.

Hmmm, come to think of it, I'm probably sleeping too much - but never mind, that's not where I was going today.

Back to decisions and my inability to make any these days. I need some help cause I don't know what to do.

See I'm thinking of buying a new car. (Read - buying a car that's new to me, not 'new') But I can't decide if I should. See - I drive my little shitbox car that's 14 years old and it kinda of suits me - it's a little old Suzuki Vitara (Sidekick for those North Americans reading....) I don't drive to work (or only occasionally) and on weekends I might do city errands or of late I've been doing a lot of day trips.

So what's the problem?

Well, it is getting a little older and probably soon I may need to spend a little money on it in order to keep it in good shape - probably safer if I do the south coast drive later this year. Wouldn't really want it to break down (can you tell I'm talking myself into a new car?)

But truthfully, that's not the real big issue. See my biggest problem is that my little Suzuki doesn't handle bumps very well. And when the car doesn't handle the bumps - neither does my CD player. And do you know how annoying it is that you could be mid-belt, you hit a bump and end up signing at the top of your lungs to no music? Thankfully most drivers in Sydney drive with aircon on and windows up so I never get heard - but then the music skipping makes it hard to sing along - and hey - what's a road trip without singing along to music?

I could just listen to the radio - but Australian radio stations can be a little crappy....

Seems a little excessive to buy a new car just because your CD player skips. But what if I were to buy a new CD player? Would my bumpy car make any player skip? Would I be spending money on an impending money pit?

And should I be thinking of buying a new car when I'm supposedly saving a deposit to buy a house? Where's the priorities?

Could I do both?

Uggh. I can't decide. I just don't have the energy..... Maybe I should just sleep on it.

"maybe I want to look cheap"

A friend of mine loves to write. She actually encouraged me to start this blog oh so many years ago (who could believe I've been writing for years??). Its kind of cool when we catch up because although we met at work - we never talk about it. (Because neither of us really cares about the place...) We talk about life and we often talk about writing. (Mostly hers because she actually is disciplined enough to keep at it regularly...)

Anyway - there's a common interest there - and its funny because a year ago she gave me a journal (I think she decided I needed some encouragement...). Anyway its this cool little notebook which I carry with me. I've written in while I was in Fiji, in Canada and I've been doing some personal writing in it - the stuff only for me, stuff just not appropriate for blogging - as I commute or am out and about.

Anyway - (this is a long-winded story about not much, but bear with me, I'm almost there...) - the cover of this notebook has a woman who's probably a flapper - but it has a saying across the front that says" maybe I want to look cheap" - which kind of cracks me up - however it does seem to attract a lot of attention when I'm writing in public.

A quote from an entry while in Fiji:
"I'm going to have to have a word with Jen about the cover of my book - I forgot about it and having a saying about looking trashy doesn't really seem funny here in Fiji..."

The various pages have different quotes on them - so I've decided I'm going to use them here. So when I have just random thoughts from here on out - I'm going to use the quotes as titles.

You know - this sounded so much better in my head the other day when I first drafted it - but when I re-create it alwasy seems to lose some of that umph from the original version.... Truth is - I'm just not that creative before noon....

Anyway - thanks Jen for making me announce my trashiness rather than letting strangers experience it all on their own..
Being awake is not a good enough reason to write!!

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Voodoo Doctoring...

I love using that phrase.... especially in a bank atmosphere where when I say it they all think I've joined a cult or something..

But more seriously - in the never ending search for help with my back I stumbled across a new type of 'healer'. They call it kinesiology here (note to my Canadian friends - this is different from kinesiology back home which is really sports medicine).

I call it voodoo.

It's all some weird shit about muscle testing (which isn't weird) and talking to your body (which is weird). But hey, the woman I met said she had her back healed after having suffered for over 20 years.

I say - other than losing money - I had nothing to lose by giving it a chance.

Now its similar to chiropractic medicine in a way - but kinesiology believes it can heal you in just a few short sessions - and you don't have to go every two weeks for the rest of your life.

So I went two weeks ago - and you know what? My back hasn't hurt since, my migraines are gone (which was one of the major drivers) and I even feel more positive about everything - I find the pressure and problems at work so much easier to deal with, I've got my sense of humour back and I'm letting sleeping dogs lie. I feel like a new me.

Whether its the mumbo jumbo or the fact that I am finally painfree after almost two years of 24/7 chronic - maybe its just the euphoric high? Whatever. I don't care.

(note - chronic pain is like having a printer next to you at work where you don't notice it humming all day long until it turns off... Someone just turned the printer off..)

Cool huh?


Happy Laura has returned....

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Its all about the boobs

About ten years ago when I still lived in Canada, there was a fashion fad which prompted many a female to wear a certain type of shirt that me and my girlfriends called the "Hello" shirts.

"Hello" was short for "Hello, here are my breasts"

Do I need to explain that more?

Well, just in case - it was this type of shirt that basically pushed together and raised up while barely concealing the finest of the female assets. The "hello" nickname transpired one night when me and one of my best girlfriends were out one night and up to our usual mischief in one of the Toronto bars. This drunk girl pushed her way past us to get to the bar and managed to get the bartenders attention simply due to the prominent display of not so ample assets.

We were both mystified due to the immediate attention - (okay - we were just shitty because she'd jumped the queue) - especially since there really wasn't much to look at.

It was all about the shirt.

I learnt a lot about how to say hello.

Now, those of you who have never met may not know this, but I'm not exactly physically challenged in that department and have spent most of my life minimising the prominence of the girls, rather than emphasing them. And my style in clothes simply confirms thats the goal.

Or so I thought.

Until today.

It was a beautiful day today and I was out and about (had to throw a little Canada into this story...) and enjoying the sunshine. Put a little sunscreen on, some sunnies and decided to get some sun on my shoulders.

Well. Seems it was more than shoulders getting some sun.

I seemed to be the recipient of such kindness today. Just thought the stars were correctly aligned or something. Good table, nice waiter - but I did begin to wonder at one point when the guy at the next table kept looking at me and once stop mid-conversation to stare - despite being with his girlfriend. I thought it was pretty weird and mentioned to one of my friends, who promptly responded with:

"My God girl, you brought the girls along today and are letting them out. What did you expect?"

Oops. Seems without realising it, I've got my own "hello" shirt.... albeit ten years late.

Note to self: in a country of poor service, the service today was absolutely fabulous. Thinking I may have to do some more shopping....

Another hygiene tip....

So this shouldn't be news, but them scented feminie hygiene products don't necessarily have the effect that some consumers think (aka one of my work colleagues...).

It doesn't hide anything.
In fact, it announces it instead.

And it gives me a migraine.
Please give it a rest.

Maybe I should write a book...

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Picking your nose

Its never okay to pick your nose in public or on public transportation.

Even if you're completely alone on the bus/boat/train.

This means you oh girlie guy with the puffy hair and the long girlie fingers who sat beside me on the way home tonight.

One word for you: gross.

Gross

Gross

Trying to pretend you're not picking your nose? Just so doesn't fly....

Gross

Monday, October 13, 2008

It's nice to see you smile again

I can't tell you the number of times that was said to me last week. I didn't really take note at first, but it got a little repetitive...

I guess things must be looking up.

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Reciprocity

A short quote to start this one:


The essentials of friendship are reciprocity and commitment between
individuals who see themselves more or less as equals.


I had something in my head but decided maybe the internet might be more eloquent. Not sure I was right but hey, it took the pressure off coming up with an opening line...


So, why am I talking about reciprocity? Well, friendship is all about give and take. Sometimes you give more, sometimes you take more, but there's a kind of equilibrium that happens in real friendships and it happens all through reciprocity.


My thinking of friendships lately hasn't been in terms of reciprocity but more in terms of deposits and withdrawals. I've been worried about being in overdraft, but I discovered last night that I hadn't looked at friendship in the right light - that it really is about reciprocity and equilibrium.


And it was my turn last night.


Its funny, I was out for dinner and listening to what was going on in my friend's world and made some observation and my friend blurted out "I knew you were the right person to talk to!"

Making my friend feel better made me feel good.

Made me realise that I'd been looking at friendship in the wrong way and worrying about being overdrawn, when really sharing the things in my life with people was more like making a deposit (if I stick to my banking analogy). Friendship is a state where there's rarely total equilibrium - it really is more like a seesaw of give and take. Reciprocity.

Even if it is like a credit line on an account - after last night it seems I've even proven to myself that I'm a good credit risk...

Sunday, October 05, 2008

Manly Jazz Festival

Started at 9 am today.

Me grumpy.

Go for late brunch to discover clocks had changed and miss brunch I'd been salivating over for the last week.... (it was meant to be my consolation prize for having to work on the weekend)

Me grumpier.

Jazz band playing in school across from my building not very good.

Me so grumpy I had to leave Manly...

Saturday, October 04, 2008

Something New

Saw there's a new restaurant opening up just near my place.

Thai.

My favourite.

Now all I need is to find someone who will go with me.....
Suggestions?