BliMey(I)

Middle Bro and I took a trip down to the doctor yesterday - me to get my second Gardasil jab (yup - still hurts!) and him to get the form signed for the gym (see here for preclude).

The doc was happy to sign the form and talked to him a little bit - she initially recommended that for his height he should lose 50kg (his BMI was off the chart), however taking into account his muscle structure, she thought that a minimum of 30 would be good enough, though 40 would be better - and talked to him about breaking it down into smaller goals.

Middle Bro then brought up with the doc that he'd had some blood tests done that he'd never got the results from - seems he got some tests done in 2005. Turns out that everything was all good... with the exception of his liver tests - the figures were lit up in red. She had a bit of a chat to him about safe amounts of alchohol - she said that 6 drinks was the most, drinking a full 7ooml bottle of turkey was a lot over the safe limit, and contributing to his weight - we went into the blood place and a couple of vials were taken for more tests for his liver, as well as iron and hemochromotosis (which we have a family history of).

When we got home I spoke to mumsy and dadsy about it - recommend that he gets back on those home delivered meals - he did good when he was on it before, but thay stopped ordering them and he went back to old habits. He also really needs to curb the alchohol - he can't keep doing what he's doing, in the quantities he's doing it. And I know that we do have a bit of fam history of the social drink (moreso in summer) I don't think it's a good idea he emulates my parents patterns. Not that I think there's a serious problem there, but he's only 21.

In a way, having 50kg to lose could be a bit of an advantage - he will get results quickly and has time to 'learn' how to look after himself. Plus he could do that within a year - how nice would it be to be like a third of the weight you were the same time last year?

And I'm sure that under his 'yep, yep, I know, yep' he has got some idea that this is a big deal (he's walking poor Max every day and is all hyped for a New Year exercise plan), I thought I'd chuck up some info I found....

From here:
If you drink at more than moderate levels, you may be putting yourself at risk for serious problems with your health as well as problems with family, friends, and coworkers...

• Drinking and Driving;
• Interactions With Medications;
• Social and Legal Problems;
• Long-Term Health Problems;
• Alcohol-related liver disease:
• - Alcoholic hepatitis
• - Alcoholic cirrhosis
• - Hepatitis C virus (HCV)
• - Heart disease
• - Cancer
• - Pancreatitis.

From here:

ALT and AST are enzymes made in the liver. They are also known as transaminases. The liver uses these enzymes to metabolize amino acids and to make proteins. When liver cells are damaged or dying, ALT and AST leak into the bloodstream. Many different things can cause liver enzymes to rise above normal levels, including:

* Viral hepatitis
* Excessive alcohol intake/Alcoholic liver disease
* Liver inflammation from medications and certain herbs,
* Auto-immune hepatitis - a condition where a person's immune system mistakes the liver for an invader and attacks it,
* Fatty liver- fat build -up in liver cells, called steatohepatitis when the fatty liver is inflamed
* Inherited liver diseases
* Liver tumors
* Heart failure

GGT and ALP are also called cholestatic liver enzymes. Chloestasis is a term used for partial or full blockage of the bile ducts. Bile ducts bring bile from the liver into the gallbladder and the intestines. Bile is a green fluid produced in liver cells. Bile helps the body to break down fat, process cholesterol and get rid of toxins. If the bile duct is inflamed or damaged, GGT and ALP can get backed up and spill out from the liver into the bloodstream.

ALP metabolizes phosphorus and brings energy to the body. GGT brings oxygen to tissues.

Causes of elevated ALP and GGT levels include:

* Scarring of the bile ducts (called primary biliary cirrhosis),
* Fatty liver (steatosis),
* Alcoholic liver disease,
* Liver inflammation from medications and certain herbs,
* Liver tumors,
* Gallstones or gall bladder problems.

Bilirubin is a yellow fluid produced in the liver when worn-out red blood cells are broken down. Bilirubin can leak out from the liver into the bloodstream if the liver is damaged. When bilirubin builds up, it can cause jaundice - a yellowing of the eyes and skin, dark urine and light colored feces. The causes of abnormal bilirubin levels include:

* Viral hepatitis,
* Blocked bile ducts,
* Other liver diseases,
* Liver scarring (cirrhosis)

From here:

• Alcohol abuse damages the nervous system and destroys brain cells: Different parts of the brain are more sensitive to alcohol than others. Alcohol is a toxin that damages the transmission of nerve impulses in the brain and nervous system. Chronic alcohol abuse causes organic damage that manifests itself both physically, psychologically and in the behavior of people affected. Physically it is manifested through loss of balance, impotence, numbness of the feet and hands, tremor and in blindness. Psychologically and behaviorally by loss of intellectual abilities, impaired ability to learn and in mental confusion. Alcohol abuse causes a condition called delirium tremens in which the person experiences mental confusion, extreme excitement, anxiety, trembling, rapid pulse and hallucinations.
  

• Alcohol abuse causes cirrhosis of the liver: If the damage is severe it is known as cirrhosis. Cirrhosis can lead to liver failure, liver cancer and death.

• Alcohol abuse causes infection and chronic inflammation: Inflammation of the stomach (gastritis) and digestive system leads to ulceration. Perforation of the stomach and intestines is life threatening. Inflammation of the digestive system means that food is not digested or absorbed properly. Inflammation and infections are associated with poor diet, malnutrition, lifestyle changes, accidents and self neglect. Diseases include pneumonia, kidney and urinary tract infections, kidney failure and pancreatitis.

• Alcohol abuse causes malnutrition: Vitamin deficiency is due to an inability to absorb or a lack of various vitamins. Wernicke's disease and Korsakoff's syndrome are characterized as a memory disorders caused by a deficiency of vitamin B1, also called thiamine.

• Alcohol abuse causes Cardiovascular problems: Excessive drinking can lead to high blood pressure, it can damage your heart muscle (cardiomyopathy). Damage to the cardiovascular system can put you at increased risk of heart failure or stroke.

• Alcohol abuse causes sexual problems: Erectile dysfunction is common in men with alcohol problems

• Alcohol abuse can cause Cancer: Alcoholism has been linked to a higher risk of cancer of the esophagus, larynx, colon and the liver.

• Alcohol abuse is linked with diabetes

From here:

The more obese a person is, the more likely he or she is to develop health problems...

• Increased Health Risk of Premature Death
• Increased Health Risk of Heart Disease
• Increased Health Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
• Increased Health Risk of Cancers
• Increased Health Risk of Fatty Liver Disease
• Increased Health Risk of Gallbladder Disease
• Deep Vein Thrombosis
• Increased Health Risk of Arthritis.

...Made a new years resolution yet?

Did you have a good Christmas?!

I did!

Check THIS out:

(Yes, it's all about family but the gifts are still great!)

See who got spoilt!

The buddha is from mumsy and dadsy - he'll be on the coffee table until I can convince The Hun that we need a new dark wood hutch thing to put it on.

The glass bowl is from dadsy's sister - it's shaped lile a sunflower. On top of the box are the (brown mary jane) crocs I got from youngest bro that I LOVE (I am totally embracing my inner dirty hippy) and a candle holder from The Hun's mumsy and dadsy - they also gave me the vegan cookbook with the cake on it at the front and some honey body butter that I love the smell of, but the whole honey-not-vegan thing means I passed it on to mumsy (who's more likely to use it anyway!) but I do feel a bit bad because she went to the effort of finding something not tested on animals...

The piece of paper in front of the box is a note from middle bro who made a donation in my name to our community - the people behind savebabe.com - that was really, Really, REALLY thoughtful! He also got me the two Korjo travel pouches that are on the left there.

Can you see the swede in front of the Oreo's there? That was from Santa - 'apparantly' 24 is too old to be still getting gifts from Santa, so the swede was an indication of his patience tiring... though he also got me the Oreo's, the banana bubblebath, the jacks game, the magnetic tic-tac-toe game, the big (beautiful!) Zoo book in front of the Buddha and Sarah Kramers How it all Vegan book (Santa actually bought one I'd already bought, but he decided mumsy and dadsy could keep it and they could buy me a different one - and as mumsy already has La Dolce Vegan I can jus nick hers if I wanted recipe's from it).

The inside thongs on the right (they're very comfy!) and the Little Britain notebook came from The Hun's sis and I got a beautiful travel notebook from eldest bro and eldest bro's gf for Japan (under the cookbook in the middle) and last but not least I got a NEW iPOD!!! Yup - it's a 30gig black one and it works and everything - from The Hun (awwww!). I've already braced the crowds and bought an iTrip for the car and an aluminium case (this one's NOT going to break! I promise!).

*phew*

Hope you had an awesome day! (There was also lunch at the Gowrie house with my fam and two stops at the Fadden house with The Hun's fam, but we all know nothing terrribly exciting ever actually happens on Christmas day!)

Weighty Issue

Last night we held the second annual Cuzmas at the Conder house. The short of Cuzmas is that the bro's and I were daytime babysat by mumsy's sister (who brought her two kids along) for a lot of our youth and mumsy's other sister brought her two kids along too - so the eight of us were fairly close when we were younger. Last year we thought it might be nice to get the gang together so they all came around and we drank and played Xbox and air hockey.

Cuzmas las night was a bit smaller, with only one of four cuz's attending - the other three being out of state (albeit two of them are only 15 minutes out past Gunghalin) - and he arrived four hours after the bro's turned up. It was aight - we drank a lil, played some poker, ate some pizza and tried out cuz's Wii (from his work - was good fun!).

But that's not what I wanted to write about.

{Deleted by the Author - sorry dudes!}

Middle bro was a lil chubby when he was younger, but over the years has built up a bit - he's an ex rugby player, so he definately doesn't have the same shape as cuz. Middle bro joined the gym a few weeks ago and we did a session together - at the end of it he jumped on the scales and saw a number that I think is roughly 10kg than the highest he's been before - the tone in his voice indicated that he was a lil suprised and a lil dissapointed. He went off the next week to get his gym program - I wasn't able to make it that night, but saw him pop up on MSN and asked him about his program, he replied he didn't get one. Turns out his blood pressure was too high, so they wouldn't give him a program - he needed to see a doctor first. He took his blood pressure himself for a week and I'm gonna book him to see the doc nex week when I go in for my 2nd Gardasil.

My weight has been up and down pretty much since I turned 18 and discovered alchohol and my metabolism caught up with me. Three years ago at this time I was 70 something kg. Two years ago at this time I was 68 kg. Last year at this time I was low 70 something. This time this year (funnily enough) I'm 1kg for every centimetre tall I am over 1 metre. Today Dadsy commented that I must've been eating too many vegan patties - only one other time have either of my parents commented that I've been overweight - they bought me a singlet and pointed out that it was XL and that I was going to look like a big orange pumpkin.

Middle bro has really taken it in his stride - rather than give up or sulk about it he's taken Max for a walk for the last three days (the poor lil fella is absolutely stuffed!) and has asked if I've booked the Dr appt yet. I want 2007 to be the year that he gets himself to a healthy level of fitness and gets the self confidence to get the happiness he deserves.

I have a bridesmaids dress to fit into at the end of March and I have to start ensuring I'm eating correctly - eating vegan isn't good enough if I'm living on carbs and sat fat. I want 2007 to be the year I develop healthy habits that will keep me at a comfortable and sensible weight.

MUGLY UGS!

L - R: Enny, Adam, Nat, TokenWoman and D'Jen

(...please note that my shoulders aren't actually THAT manly, but Adam had his shove on and is pushing me forward...)

Do I know you from the internet?

A post starring D'jen, Adam, TokenWoman, Nat, Deb, Jac and Jade (no link?!) because I don't want to have to keep linking them all the way through - LAZY).

Because I am that sad I am actually paying to write this in an internet cafe. I coulda waited until Wednesday, but somebody voiced their confusion and distaste for the Kanye West post, so I'm doing a bit of community service and pushing it further to the bottom (I guess you have to be THAT uptodate with the celeb goss to appreciate the irony and ignore the obvious nonsensical manner in which I laid it out).

Firstly, can I say, that before last night I had only met one person from the internet - the trip down to Melbourne for the Comedy Revue was to become the first time I would meet someone (and erica was very lovely and someone I do keep in touch with as much as her schedule will allow!). Yesterday afternoon was still scary tho, in that I'd be meeting SEVEN new people.

The ever-so-sweet D'jen had organised to meet people at a pole, but had the forsight to meet me in my hotel foyer - I was nervous and procastinating by doing Sudoku in my underwear when she called to say that she was looking for the hotel entrance as we spoke, so I rushed my stuff together and met her in the foyer.

D'jen is very lovely - and luckily had unwittingly put herself in the position to be the one that everyone recognised - however the tables were to be turned...

We caught the bus down to Southbank and wandered the markets until the inevitable bad weather broke (I refuse to believe that it was her fault!!!) and we settled in at the bar an hour early, purloining the best sneaky pole-watching point with a nerve-calming drink.

Adam arrived early and we watched him for a good ten minutes - praise the Lord it WAS him, though it could have been worse as we never actually approached the dood to ask him if he was an IT Ninja. I'll have you all know that it was KILLING d'jen to sit there watching him look around for people that he might know (not enough to make her call out his name, but enough to make her feel bad as she stalkishly sipped her drink and stared at him..). She had send her number to ppl so that they could contact her if need be, but had neglected to send it to him - so our ESPing of 'JUST CALL' didn't work and it wasn't our lack of brain skills that caused it to fail.

When I got a message from TokenWoman asking if we were there yet - we spotted her instantly, waved like internet stalkers (as was the theme of the night) and rushed down to meet her. We met her and were on our way out to see if it WAS adam when this guy approached us with a 'Hello LAYDEEZ' that had me stop in my tracks, wondering if we'd been balcony stalking the wrong guy (answer: no, we weren't - hooray for instincts!).

We worked out who we all were and headed back in to try and get a table where we ran in to Nat and her husband (who excused himself once he realised it was safe to do so) and we managed outselves a table after some hustle against some young punks (I will totally give the credit to Adam as he was to be the manliest of the night (even tho he wasn't with D'jen and I as she TOTALLY outsted those punks) and found Deb, Jac and Jade near the bar.

SO. Enough with the banter - I shall do it thirteen-thirty-seven Adam-stylez (manly) and wrap you all up.

D'Jen: You are absolutely the lovliest little thing there is. She was friendly, went out of her way to help me by picking me up, ordering a cab, checking I was drinking enough, ensuring I escorted her to the bar, showing me how one should order the long island iced teas and the drinks with the crowns on, getting me home and PAYING MY PART OF THE FARE! My attempts to pervert her were thwarted, but that's okay - it was delightful to meet you!

Adam: Whoah! You are a very funny fellow and also quite delightful. He made sure he expressed his distaste and many things (my drinking of the water, my veggies for my hommus, the afore-mentioned Kanye post) but also expressed his taste for other things (my beatingupness, my man shoulder, my swear words) and was able to hold serious conversation too, which I thought was great (PS - cleavage - room for improvement, but charisma +43).

TokenWoman: Do you mind if I call you delightful too?! She was lovely and friendly and funny and managed to coin a new catchphrase - I swear that ReadMyLipsSperm WILL (fingers crossed!) be the catchphrase of 2007. She has a scar to make a pirate squirm (not really! It's not that bad at all!) and has settled very nicely into her 'new' place - I wish I'd caught up with her (and Rom!) last time I was up too.

Nat: You are De-f()ckin-lightful. Now, I will be honest that I had only seen her via Steph link-bombing but I will be obsessively trawling her archives because she is frickin funny. Get thee to her site now, but she is the object of MY affection and you can't have her (or her chewy yoghurt). I do plan to get me some back dimples tho...

Deb, Jac and Jade: I didn't even really get to speak to!!! This is quite a shame because I'd started going back in their archives so I could get to know them a bit (I hadn't read that much though!) and then they all had to leave. I'm sure that if/when it happens again (and I'm there!) I'll be sure to put on my brave pants and make some convo!

I also do have a pic, but I don't know how to use this cafe comp with my camera and chord (and those yellow faces don't just make themselves!) so I'll update this on Wed night.

Hope to see y'all again when I'm up in Sem1 2007!

Five Night Funness

So!

Here's my plans for the next five nights...

I fly to Brisbane just after lunch tmr and cab it to the hotel. From there I meander my way to Chirmside (thanks to the help of the very d' d'jen) to meet up with a martial arts person who'll take me out to the training hall where I hopefully won't have to use my spiffy new shinpads. Then we'll have a little party (special vegan food for me!) and my 5th Dan senior will then drive me the hour back into Brisbane.

Sat I plan to sleep a lil, shop a lil, and then meet up with miss d'jen at 2:30 - she's done a super lovely job of organising a shindig, so be sure to check in with her for deets (I'm useless!) - and others (adam, T'woman, Deb, Jac, Rom & mebbe GBE I think!) for the evening.

Sunday I plan to loll around in bed and then mebbe leech some internet from a free hotspot, watch DVD's and play some minesweeper on my lappy.

Monday and Tuesday I'm running training for work (eep!) - with Monday night spent on a martial arts phone hookup and more martial arts training on Tuesday night. AND THEN? Fly back to work on Wed mrng.

So, there you have it. As much as it pains me, I will proddly be quite absent from these parts till Wednesday (THO VERY NOT ABSENT TO SOME OF YOU ON SAT!) tho I'm determined to get at least SOME internet in there!

tee tee eff enn!

PoTAYto PoTAHto

Then:

"F*ck dis! (My video) cost a million dollars, Pamela Anderson was in it, I was jumping across canyons and sh*t! If I don't win, the awards show loses credibility. Nothing against you (J&S), but hell man."...

"I haven't seen (the Justice V Simian video). Possibly it could have been quite good but no way better than 'Touch The Sky'.

"That is complete bullsh*t, I paid a million. Obviously it's not all about the money, but the response it got transcended everything, it really made great TV.

"It took a month to film; I stood on a mountain; I flew a heliocopter over Vegas. I did it to be the king of all videos and I wanted to walk home with that award."

He said of the Justice V Simian's win: "That was some spread the love bullshit, 'Oh everyone should have an award'. Please press people print 'Kanye says f*ck that!'...

Now:

"That video that Kanye West put out is the most worthless piece of crap I've ever seen in my life, and he uses my image to catapult himself on the public,"

Headingless post

(Jus a quickie!)

Today is a milestone day! Grab a pen and mark it down - 12/12/06 was the first time I ever tried:

{Insert musical fruit reference here}

Verdict: Hrm. A bit mushy, but I didn't have the urge to just chuck them out - I had them with cruskits and I've been told that next time I should have them with toast.

It was funny tho, as soon as I got someone to open the can for me (I can't open ringpull cans and I have a scar that required three stitches to prove it) I immediately thought of middle bro. Baked beans on toast was a weekend staple for him in my house - Dadsy and middle bro eating them, with Landline on the telly on a Saturday...

I have the feeling it's one of the last things that I just hadn't tried because I didn't want to (OMG MIDLIFE CRISIS?!) - I have come quite some way over the past few years - Soup, dip, white wine, beans, tomato, parsnip.... I think a bowl of wet cereal, porridge and canned spaghetti may be the last 'everyday things I don't eat' that I can think of! However, we don't keep soy milk at home (other than my chocolate poppers!) so that knocks the first two off, and all the canned spaghetti has contained cheese that I've seen, so they won't be coming anytime soon either.

I went almost 25 years without even a TASTE of that badboys!

Almost on holidays

Wahey!

And it's HOT down here.

And smokey - my car has grey ash specks all over it - Canberrans are getting edgy in their seats.

We had a martial arts grading yesterday morning - my 5 little boys did their damndest (I was quite proud!) and the other kids and adults did a good job too. We then headed over for a Christmas bbq in the the hot hot sun for three hours and then headed over to my exhousemates (xhmM) new house (that is just 30 seconds away) and had another bbq to which I BOUGHT a BOTTLE of WINE (PS - went to ANOTHER bbq today - charred flesh is in)!!

Yup - you read that right. It was a Moscato and it was lovely and sweet and I felt like a grownup carrying it in, however that feeling disintegrated a little once I developed a headache after the first of the three cruisers that precluded the one glass of wine. Even though I drank (I swear) 6 glasses of water at the same time AND had some panadol.

BUT The Hun and I won the first game of Pictionary (we usually SUCK as a team) and then xhmM's gf and I won the second game. And then xhmM and I lost the third game - by this time I had a grumpy headache and wasn't liking my new feeling of losing.

This morning we made a start on the Christmas Shopping and this is the FIRST year I'm feeling quite good about it all - The Hun finally worked out something that he wants that I can get without it being money or something that he doesn't really want and will only pretend to like. I've bought Dadsy's present, Mumsy's present, part of Eldest Bro's present, the little presents to go with the Christmas cards for people at work, small little presents to go with the gifts for Mumsy, Dadsy, Eldest Bro, Middle Bro, Youngest Bro and Eldest Bro's gf.

I know what I want to get The Hun, Youngest Bro, the rest of Eldest Bro and the person I drew in the KK thing that Mumsy's side of the family is doing now for Christmas (The Hun and I bought the one for the person he drew today) - I'm mostly sure what I want to get Middle Bro and I'm gonna think some more on a suprise part for The Hun.

Luckily, I'd planned aheaad to take the Swift into the dealer across the other side of town on Wednesday (there was a rattle in the door for like 1000k's that has CONVENIENTLY stopped now but I'm still gonna get em to have a look) so I have flexed Wednesday off so I can pick up the gifts, have lunch with The Hun and sit on the couch watching Little Britain (I just finished reading the book and I've only seen a few episodes).

There are still a few things that will need to be done - I'm SERIOUSLY considering buying a new tree but The Grinch Hun doesn't want me to spend the money when we're saving for Japan. Also - gifts still need to be bought for The Huns Mum, The Huns Dad, The Huns Sis, The Huns Sis' Boyf, The Huns Grandparents and The Huns Gf (I'm hoping for a new mp3 player to replace my ROOTED iPod Buddy - anything 20g or bigger) and he's not yet sure what he wants to get them. While it's nice to be feeling a lil calm about Christmas now (tho still cringing over the fact I sprayed L'Occitane HOUSE spray on my arm thinking it was PERSON spray), it's not so nice to know that The Hun isn't and that I'll be playing the part he has played for the past two Christmas' (putting up with the stressed persons crap and irrational emotional abuse).

Sucks.

BUT.

FIVE SLEEPS TILL I'M IN QLD!

The morning after the night before

*** Disclaimer - this is one of the ones that people that know the real me should proddly steer away from reading***

On the drive back from Sydney, gf1 and I got talking about my veganism. I was explaining that it's difficult for me to know where to draw the line, as I had just started my Gardasil vaccination and I'm on The Pill and hadn't thought about it until it was brought up on a forum the other day, and she was talking about eating plants and other living things, and would vegans take the morning after pill (her younger sister has recently started work at a chemist).

"You wouldn't believe the number of people that come in and ask for it... she says there's quite often five or six people in a day... Maybe because she is girl and she is young they ask her... there is a special form for them to fill out with a special name... at least she is seeing the consequences of what could happen... though I guess they justify that they might not have been pregnant anyway so it's not like they're really killing a living thing...(gf1sExBestFriend) had one..."

And I couldn't not say something.

"I've had it."

"...Oh... When you were with Stoopid ex?"

"Yeah."

"...Well... you weren't ready back then anyway."

"...Yeah...."

Again, another thing I'd never really thought about until it slaps me right in the face.

When I first became 'active' I only used condoms - I have NEVER had unprotected sex -until the time that I was housesitting and experienced a tense 50-something days between periods and decided that enough was enough, and I'd build up the guts to go see the lady doctor (proddly three years after the first time). After I'd already started The Pill, I remember going in to see the doctor on a Thursday or a Friday for a different script and being told that I was to be careful as it would reduce the effectiveness of The Pill. And I remember going to the doctor on the Saturday morning after that to get the morning after pill and being chided for not doing as she had said. It wasn't that I 'couldn't help myself' (as much as I'm sure he'd love to think) but that because I only had one 'level' of protection and that made me very uncomfortable.

I'd never thought of it as an abortion.

I don't know what I'd thought of it as - it had slipped right back in my mind.

It's disheartening to look back and remember the time that I was quite adamant that I would have no issue with abortion. And not quite so far back that I was foolish enough to put myself in a position that there was even a small tiny minute chance of falling pregnant. And not quite so far back before before that that I made a decision so flippantly without even realising until NOW what may actually have been going on.

Not that I wish I had had a baby back then. Not that I regret the decision as such. But that whilst there have been times I've regretted my 'history' (things would be SO much easier now had I waited for The Hun), I've never REALLY realised that I was playing with fire. Until now.

Have you had it?

What did you think at the time?

What do you think now?

Heyyen Heyyent - a roadtrip we have went!

I'm back!

How was your weekend? Proddly better than The Huns, who had a 'boys' weekend planned, but misplanned one vital step - the step where you head out to the car to go to a LAN and then have a boys night in then sleep in and schlep around but you remember to take your car/house keys WITH you (rather than leaving them on the coffee table)... this meant he spent the weekend at his parents with only the clothes on his back, his wallet and his mobile (our real estate agent doesn't do ANYTHING on weekends, it seems...).

We arrived without too much hassle, we hit the shops above the markets (I bought five tops, some summer PJ's and some thongs for me; and some boxers and shorts for The Hun), we sat around, we hit the hotel bar and then we had hotel bar snacks for dinner (the weather was MISERABLE out there and there were no restaraunts in the immediate vicinity. What was the hotel restaraunt offering? Seafood buffet only. Which is no good for the vegan, the (mostly) vegetarian and the buffet hater. Then we sat around again, then slept (and then woke up to gf2 sleeptalk planning soccer - I actually thought she was on the phone and messaging a friend at 6am this morning!).

Today we got up, zipped thru Paddy's Markets and then made it to the DFO where we were for like 5 hours!!! But it was great - I bought two pairs of shows, two pairs of jeans, some black pants and some more singlets for me; and four shirts for The Hun.

I LOVE TO SHOP.

And that was about all!

It was a really good weekend - the first of that sorta thing that I've done in a long time (if ever!).

BUT I'm back to diet and gym tmr - shopping with someone who's taller and a size or two smaller than you, and a friend who looks awesome in an XS is a somewhat humbling experience.

As much as I love my dear new bag, he is not the most practical fella for shopping - he is relegated to 'special occassions'.

I also need a new wallet to go with this new bag (my current wallet is three shades of purple which looks a trite bit ATROCIOUS) but I am not a big fan of all the shiny gold faux snake inside the matching wallet.

I do also have a few things on my mind that I'd like to post about... which would you like to hear about first:
- Morning-after pill ethics;
- Unhealthy weight; or
- 'Healthy' relationship windows.
Also, don't freak out - they're not pressing or necessarily about me here and now, but just some things swimming around in my head (hormones mebbe? I skipped my womanly time of celebration because of the whole room sharing thing)(And as much I wanted to make that red, I couldn't bring myself to do it again!).

(PS - MY BOSS TOLD ME THAT MY 'ATTENDANCE IS TOO HIGH' AND THAT I SHOULD TAKE SOME LEAVE)

(PPS - We passed the house inspection, but we have new 'inspectors' and I get the feeling they're young and trying to prove themselves - out 'garage floor coverings' and 'bathroom exhaust' are 'dusty', our 'toilet roll holder is peeling away from wall' (how is that our fault?!), we need to 'check smoke alarm batteries regularly (they didn't comment about the one that just FELL OFF THE ROOF!) and our yard is 'dry'. B!tches)

Nigh nigh!

Heyyo Heyyo - A road trip we will go!

Wassup?!

Jus poppin in to let you know that I'm about to pack my new Nutrimetics pleather bag and my spiffy new handbag (yes, him) into my beasty lil car for an o'night roadtrip with Gf1 and Gf2 Sydney.

Will hopefully be back with tales of giggles, spending and hilarity (and water polo men built ENTIRELY of muscle...).

Have a lovely w/end chaps!

Looks whats I's gots

Ta-da!

*Droooools*

Now, I may be the least girliest girl, but it seems that sometimes I just can't help myself... Myer had a sale on yesterday and today, and an email in my inbox gave me an extra 7.5% off - once D'Jen let me know they were synthetic I couldn't resist this Guess bag when it was only $90 (normally $140!!!) after I'd drooled over them for so long! The thing is, I love him SOOOO much I don't want to put my stuff in him or take him anywhere.

And the puzzle? The Hun's friend in Japan (who's taking us around next year) sent it to his own parents house for The Hun to pick up - he just never got round to picking it up. We think it's because he knows The Hun HATES puzzles, ESPECIALLY Escher ones, and because he knew I'd tried at least once before but given up (remember this?).

When it's finished, it should look like this:

*fingers crossed*

House Insepction on Friday?

Ugh.

***UPDATE***
*sigh*

Now for the REST of the house...

Uni marks are in!

Accounting for Managers: Credit

Organisational Behaviour: Distinction

WAHOO!!!

And now, off to the twilight fair!

What a monkey

Monkey is my polite term of undearment - "Stop acting like a pack of monkeys" I'll tell my 6yo martial arts students, when what I'm thinking involves more asterisk's's's and ampersands.

Dot Points for the Lazy Day

Oh man, today was the BEST weekend day I've had in a looong time. No commitments, minimal chores, napping, gorging - totally brill!

• I went to a wedding yesterday - it was luvverly! One of the grooms brothers sang 'Ave Maria' solo and I was tearing up. *sighs* This was tempered by the groom dropping the ring AND the pen, and the singing boy forgetting the words at one point.
  

• For this wedding, I got my haircut - my usual girl wasn't in, so I had someone new and got a slightly different fringe - it's looking quite William Sledd and I must say I'm loving it more and more!

• Due to the sheer number and styles but lack of 'style', I wore the 'runner up' in the 'dress me for the races' competition.

• I also bought my first adult shoes - they're bronze and pointy toed and slingbacked to match the dress, but they will be getting much more wear, I herby declare!
  

• I am determined to buy a camera cord tmr so I can update with some better (yellow faced) pictures.

• I hosted my first Nutrimetics party - and it was NOWHERE near as painful as I feared! I'm getting a pedicure/massage kit, an overnight bag and some bronzey glittery powder. This summer will be the summer of the feet. Also - the lady was lovely enough to provide me with a list of products that aren't vegan friendly so I could order them.
  

• I picked up one of these yesterday (Youngest bro ordered one at the same time but I physically went in to get mine after waiting for the call and calling them myself - BOO EzyDvd). So far I've watched two episodes twice each (one without commentary, once with). Reminds me of how I spent my time before moving out of home.

• I also bought TalkMan - it should be pretty helpful overseas, but I wish it taught the reading thing too.

• I think I am turning Nana - gf2 was regaling us with her latest snag and she felt she had to introduce the story with 'you probably won't approve, especially you Enny' and put up with my bright-eyed, hands-over-mouth squealing all the way through her story. That and my 'interest' at one of the wedding guests vomming in the bathroom, continuing to drink, and then take the best man home (after being warned not to and watch him grind all over a few of the other guests (one other in particular)).

• I witnessed THE worst behaviour by an adult I have EVER seen in my life this week - I never would have thought a grown adult public servant (and grandfather nontheless) would behave in such a way that they would be asked to leave a training course due to rudeness. But it happened. And was deserved. And it's everyone elses fault but his - of course.

• The 200sx gets payed for and driven away tmr - all things going according to plan. FINALLY.
  

• Oh! And The Hun is going to be a Godfather! Needless to say, bad Italian accents and jokes are being thrown about our house willy-nilly, but it is all quite exciting and lovely and the such.
  

Flavour of the day

1. When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thing you thought?
"I have Oreo in my teeth". (Please note that this is only because I don't really take a look at myself in the mirror in the morning, this was after morning tea).

2. How much cash do you have on you?
In my wallet? About $40 I think, plus shrappers.

3. What’s a word that rhymes with “DOOR?”
Whore! (Ah MAH mah!)

4. Favorite planet?
Saturn. So pretties!

5. Who is the 4th person on your missed call list on your cell phone?
The Conder house, making it The Hun.

6. What is your favorite ring tone on your phone?
'Scatman' as it means The Hun is calling, and not a wrong number, or a telemarketer, or someone calling about Martial Arts that will ask ten minutes worth of questions and then never turn up.

7. What shirt are you wearing?
This weather is all over the place so I got a martial arts sloppy joe thing.

8. Do you “label” yourself?
I think so - I do seem to spend a lot of time calling myself vegan (there's been a lot of talk about food this week), but I'm also 'Aries', 'Hungry' 'ENFP' and 'Defecto'.

9. Name the brand of the shoes you’re currently wearing?
They're the last pair of animal shoes I 'got' before making 'the switch' - uggies from that shop in Fyshwick - I couldn't just chuck them out so I'm giving them the love they deserve.

10. Bright or Dark Room?
Super Sunny in the daytime, lamplit at night.

11. What do you think about the person who took this survey before you?
I've read this about six times today, so they're all in the blogroll and all lovely and a fantastic read!

12. What does your watch look like?
Omega Constellation - Dadsy got an Omega for his 21st so it's become a bit of a tradition. Spoilt? Yes. Love it? Absolutely.

13. What were you doing at midnight last night?
Sleeping! I'm lame.

14. What did your last text message you received on your cell say?
"Thanks :) it is (##) (#####) st, (#######)... Will c u tom :)" We're taking an ex-Chifley housemate to a wedding tmr and I can NEVER remember her address.

15. Where is your nearest 7-11?
I saw one of these types of shops in the city while I was on training - I didn't know we had any!

16. Whats a word that you say a lot?
Honkies. I use it as a term of endearment.

17. Who told you he/she loved you last?
The Hun, last night after I told him I wanted to set up the Nutrimetics neck wrap and eye stuff on him, and before I tapped him on the forehead and told him to get real (not about the neck wrap - I thought that would be fun!).

18. Last furry thing you touched?
Maxibon the puppy-wup!

19. How many drugs have you done in the last three days?
Three redeyes, three glasses of Pepsi Max, Five pints of diet cordial, two raspberry cruisers and LOTSa junk food. Also some parmesan that the RUDE staff at Barocca (in the city) served me:

We were on training this week and they take you out to lunch each day. From the pre order menu I selected the vegetable risotto with the comment (- Fetta, VEGAN). The secretary double checked it with me, then sent the order through (printed out) to the restaraunt. With our pre order we were served over half an hour after arriving (the group after us sat down, ate and were cleaned up and left before we got our meals - we didn't even get our bread. I got the meal and looked at it, but figured that The Hun's dad had made vegan risotto that looked a lil gluggy, so it might be ok. I ate half a forkful and put it down straight away - it tasted cheesy and all I could smell was cheese and it was stringy when I moved the fork. I asked the waitress if it had any cheese in it and she replied 'if you ordered no fetta, then there is no fetta in it'; I said that I ordered no cheese at all and she replied again with 'if you ordered no fetta, then there is no fetta' and then walked off. I didn't trust her, so I just left it. When the course dude (who had also requested no cheese in his) went to pay the bill, he mentioned that I hadn't eaten mine because it tasted like cheese, the waitress stalked past our table to the kitchen window and said for everyone to hear 'Some lady on table seven reckons she can taste fetta in her risotto but she ordered no fetta and I already told her there's no cheese in it'. After a bit of a discussion with the cook she came back and told me that there was in fact 'just a tiny bit of parmesan in it' (I didn't even know parmesan could DO that stringy mozzarella thing!) and that 'next time I should indicate that I mean no cheese at all, not just fetta - I pointed out to our faxed menu that it very clearly said ' - Fetta, VEGAN, No Animal Products' (the secretary had added the last bit so they were doubley clear). She asked if I wanted them to cook up something else, but I figured that after the long wait we had on preorder there wasn't time to do that, so we left (after I was given a free coffee voucher ('SIF!)

/rant.

20. How many rolls of film do you need developed?
I have an underwater camera that I got from Eldest Bro's gf with some shots left to take on it - I can never work out when I'm going to use it so I forget to take it.

21. Favorite age you have been so far?
23 was pretty good, I think.

22. Your worst enemy?
Fear. Oooh - deep. But it's true when you think about it.

23. What is your current desktop picture?

This one:


I didn't realise how long I've had it on there (I don't spend too much time staring at the desk top) so I've changed it to this one (which is my most common one):


24. What was the last thing you said to someone?
“I woulda thought you'd feel it earlier than that if it was the case”. In response to The Hun musing whether his headache was due to lack of caffeine.

25. If you had to choose between a million bucks or to be able to fly what would it be?
I'd take the money - my fear of flights would stop me from making use of it - with a million I could buy a house and "invest" and other grown up stuff.

26. Do you like someone?
I also like most people.

27. The last song you listened to?
The opening theme from Band of Brothers.

28. What time of day were you born?
6:47pm.

29. Whats your favorite number?
Mine is also 27!

30. Where did you live in 1987?
Gowrie - lived there my entire life until I almost 22.

31. Are you jealous of anyone?
I have THE biggest green eyed monster that sneaks out every so often - It ain't pretty.

32. Is anyone jealous of you?
I would say it's not very likely. At all.

33. Where were you when 9/11 happened?
I just got dropped off after seeing a movie with the stoopid ex (I think it might have been that movie about the two snipers in the war where the guy has sex with the slutty girl in the room with the other soldiers? I didn't like it) and the bro's were in the loungeroom as it had just come on on tv (interupting whatever they were watching) - I remember watching it fairly late that night.

34. What do you do when vending machines steal your money?
Put more money in and get two and then b!tch to everyone I can about it.

35. Do you consider yourself kind?
When fear doesn't stop me, yeah. Often I'm too afraid to offer a hand or tell someone they've left their lights on/groceries behind.

36. If you had to get a tattoo, where would it be?
I've got my tat already, but if I HAD to get another one, it'd be on my foot/feet. I don't know what exactly, and I'm not going to think about it too long because "I'm not allowed" to have any more.

37. If you could be fluent in any other language, what would it be?
At the moment, Japanese. Though French and Italian tie second (Frech is sexy, but The Hun has Italian ancestry, and gf2 speaks it too!

38. Would you move for the person you loved?
Absolutely.

39. Are you touchy feely?
No! I HATE massage and I fumble around with hugs and stuff. Sorry fellas.

40. What’s your life motto?
I guess it would be 'Serenity; Courage; Wisdom; Compassion' (from my tat).

41. Name three things that you have on you at all times?
Nana's necklace, earrings and belly stud.

42. What’s your favourite town/city?
Melbourne so far.

43. What was the last thing you paid for with cash?
Spring Rolls and Vermicelli at Veggie House.

44. When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper and mailed it?
Mail?! Aww man, proddly when me and my cousin used to mail each other letters with the matching stationary kits we were given (what ELSE are you supposed to do with them?!).

45. Can you change the oil on a car?
I can take it to the mechanics.

46. Your first love: what is the last thing you heard about him/her?
That he had met an internet girlfriend from Perth and her dad was paying to fly her over to meet him here. Oh yeah.

47. How far back do you know about your ancestry?
Not that much really - I don't know all that much about Mumsy's side, but Dadsy's Grandma was terrifyingly scary, he had an aunty that was raised as a cousin, and a relative that was killed by a lightning ball that came down the chimney and killed someone, causing another relative to be terrified of EVERYTHING (I think that's where I got it from). There were also some rellies that got lost in the Goldrush and were helped out by some Germans, so they took their surname and passed it on as a middle name (AND THAT'S HOW I GOT MY MIDDLE NAME).

48. The last time you dressed fancy, what did you wear and why did you dress fancy?
Oh y'all know this one - I wore a swirly dress, silver heels and a tiara for the Hens Day.

49. Does anything hurt on your body right now?
My head. But only a little.

50. Have you been burned by love?
Hasn't everyone?

6,556,653,758

This is the worlds population as I write.

That's a whole lot of people.

A whole lot of people doing everyday things, all the time. Cooking, cleaning, bathing; teaching, learning, thinking; laughing, crying, loving.

A whole lot of people are with the one they love - millions and millions. And yet, it's so easy to feel that you are the only one in the world, the only one in your country, the only one in your town, the only one that you know that could possibly love, or be loved, or know the love that you are in now.

But stop and think.

And look at that number again.

You and your love are only two.

There are so many more than you are, so many that have been where you are now (be it long in the past or not long enough gone) and there are so many more that will be there one day.

So stop and think again.

Stop and think.

For what you have now is not so special. It so much less than 'one in a million'. There are so many millions more than you are.

The world is not just for you - it is for millions and millions.
This love is not just for you - it has been had, is being had and will be had by millions and millions.
These words are not just for you - they are for all of us. Those who can not, should not and will not accept it, say it, hear it.

iTunes, youTunes, we all tunes for DEIGHTFUL JEN!

I told d'jen and lulu I was gonna do it, so here's my version of d'jens iPod meme.

Please note that as my iPod buddy is completely ROOTED I've had to use iTunes... which is ALSO completely ROOTED as 'we' (read: The Hun) recently redid the file extensions on all music on my lappy, making them unrecognisable to iTunes - there may be only a limited amount of options for this - so I've linked to youtube and lyrics where I can (sing along if you know em)!

If you reached the top of Mount Everest, you would shout:
"Ants Marching" - Dave Matthews Band.
Fair Call - This is one of my fav yell out loud singing songs, especially the chorus: "Take these chances; Place them in a box until a quiter time; Lights down, you up and die". Could also be seen as an indication that I should relish the moment for later... Also, everything would look reaaaally small from up there (if you could actually see anything other than white!

The next time you stand up in front of a group of people, you'll say:
"How many mics" - The Fugees.
Hrm - this one is harder as I haven't even heard this before - I'm presuming it's one The Hun has on here so that he could get it to his computer. I think it's about rapping wars, so I'm guessing I'll be mad drunk next time I stand up in a front of a group of peeople to be saying "I used to be underrated; Now I take iron, makes my s*** constipated; I'm more concentrated"... One thinks I best control myself while visiting The Hun's parents and grandparents tonight...

Your favorite thing to say when drunk is:
"Try Again" - Aaliyah feat Timbalind.
Perhaps more likely than talking about constipation... Perhaps if I were wanting to dance I would request it, for heavin forbid it suggest I get all up with the boys when drinking. Or maybe it could be seen as me egging people on. Who knows (lyrics)?!

Your message to the world:
"Closing Vamp" - Elvis (Concert - World Tour)
Heh heh - I can't find the sound for this one! If there is anyone out there who knows the World Tour, the music at the end is like his theme song.. da da DAAAAAAAAAAAAAA, da da DAAAAAAAAAAAAA... It always makes me think of what an awesome time they must have had then, so I guess my message is just to enjoy!

When you think of your best friend you think:
"On the floor 2001" - Kickin Hard 5
This is like an intro to a dance CD - like Skitz Mix. I does harp me back to first year of Uni when I'd go out to the city like twice a week with a bunch of my guy friends - they were fantastic times!

Your deepest secret:
"LAMC" - Tool
I haven't actually heard this one before - It starts with a phone call to Los Angeles Municipal Court (lyrics here), so perhaps this has something to do with a trip to LA where I'm going to do something naughty. Or my frustration with those machine answerphone talky things... People try to explain it here.

Your innermost desire:
"Livin La Vida Loca" - Ricky Martin.
OK I ADMIT IT I STILL LIKE THIS SONG AND HE'S HOTTTTTT!!!
P.S - I wish I could dance like the girl in the clip/have someone say that stuff about me/live the crazy life.

Your oldest memory makes you think:
"Lose Control" - Missy Elliot feat Ciara & Fat Man Scoop
How Bizaare! The song lyrics I take part of my blog "about me" from! So mebbe in terms of the blog it's one of the earliest memories (even tho I remember most of the "about me" before I had this one)...? Or mebbe it was me losing control in my nappie...

Somewhere in your wedding vows, you should have included:
"This Life" - Martha Wainwright
Hrm. Now THIS does note bode well. Even if we took just the title, it would insinuate a marriage for now. It gets worse when you look at the lyrics, eg: "I got the gun for my head; And I want to break free instead"; "Be nice to your girl; She knows that you could; Live without her" and "This life is boring; This; This life right now is snoring". GOOD THING I'M NOT ALREADY MARRIED. *phew*

On your deathbed, you'll whisper:
"Sleep to Dream Her" - Dave Matthews Band
Awww - lyrics here. I believe it's about a guy singing about a women he misses (she could be dead?!) who doesn't hold him in high regard as he does her. Which is actually not a very good deathbed song, as that's more of a 'Btw I didn't really love you that much". Damn reading these lyrics.

Your friends say behind your back:
"Go with the flow" - Queens of the Stone Age
The lyrics insinuate they can't get me to stay and can't get me to go away but they hang around anyway. Which I guess could be pretty fair in that I've pretty here and there... I can be very friendly and also very snarky and standoffish. It also It also has a very sex filmclip.

You say behind your friend's back:
"#41" - Dave Matthews Band
(Can you tell I heard DMB?!) . It's a bit of a bittersweet lovesong actually (lyrics) - about being sad in the past and independent and asking why they won't be happy either. Which is guess is true - I've been sad lots in the past, and got some help from some friends and not some help from others (but I never really asked) and I do often hope that my friends do have happiness.

Your opinion of Blogging:
"Joga" - Bjork
The last verse sums it up quite nicely: "All that no-one sees You see, What's inside of me; Every nerve that hurts, You heal, Deep inside of me (oo-oohh); You don't have to speak, I feel".

When you wake up in the morning, you mutter:
"You don't know me" - Harry Connick Jr
(I could only find the Mr Buble version on Youtube)
How sad! Mebbe pre-The Hun? Or mebbe when I have the shits and he accuses me of stealing the doona again...

If you found yourself lost on a desert island, you'd yell:
"Taxi Ride" - Tori Amos
I'd have to be hallucinating to call for a taxi on a deserted island. I've never actually listened to this before (it's not on youtube), but the lyrics seem to indicated I'm pretty p!ssed off being deserted there... "Even a glamorous b!tch can be in need"... I think there's something in there for all of us.

Right now, your feelings are:
"Why's Everybody Always Pickin' on Me' - Bloodhound Gang
Heh heh - pity party! Lyrics here, it's a bit of a joke really. Unless ou guys really ARE always picking on me...?

What's your excuse for reposting this music survey?:
The Love Below (Intro) - Outkast.
YEAH BABY - take that as you will!

Your life's soundtrack:
"Exchange" - Massive Attack
It's pretty laid back and cruisey, a little sad, and lyrics that are a bit of a warning and a guide for life...

The day you fell in love was the day that:
"Sweetest Thing" - Lauryn Hill
She has two songs called the same thing and the one that came up doesn't have a video - it has these lyrics - not these ones (which is also quite nice!) - and is about God (I think).

You Scream During Sex:
"Love Me Tender" - Elvis
ITunes - I keep you OUT of the bedroom for a reason! Seriously though, how sweet is that?! I'm so glad it wasn't like "I want to f()ck you like an animal" or "My Humps"!

Your farewell message to the readers of this music survey:
"Hudson Line" - Mercury Rev.
I have no idea what this is or WHERE it came from, but it does sound like a bit of a farewell song. So farewell!

Qld and bad timing - help me out?

So.

I got the email from the QLD work lady re: dates for training up there. It has to be two consecutive days, and the only times the training rooms were free were a two day slot in December, and two x two day slots in January.

The fact that my boss (if she's still my boss - tho it's irrelevant at this point in time) is on leave for most of January, made December the only real option.

Dates: Monday 18th and Tuesday 19th of December.

Locked in.

I can go earlier or I can stay a bit later, or both, however, before you dictate how long and when I should be up there, these are the other considerations.

Friday 15th December: Branch Christmas Party lunch
Note: I wasn't that excited about this.

Friday 15th December: Social Club Christmas Party
Notte: Unsure if I was that excited about this - last year a girl tried to undo my halter neck top - they're always a bit of let down.

Saturday 16th December/Sunday 17th Decmber: Supposed to be going to coast with the bro's,The Hun, Eldest Bro's gf, and two or three cousins.

Sunday 17th December: Potentially the date of the 'family' Christmas party, where all the rellies get together to celebrate Christmas earlier (was supposed to be Saturday 23rd but Eldest Bro and Eldest Bro's gf got the ok to have a party for her/their friends at my parents house that day).

Tuesday 19th December: Dentists appointment I've had booked in for like 6 months.

It is reasonable to expect that I'd have to be there before the Monday so that I can set up the training stuff, and I don't think I can get in there on weekends.... and I presume the latest I could leave would be the Wednesday. Also, the office is on Queen street (in the 400's), so I'm guessing I'd be located round there somewhere.

All is full of love

(Yes, it's a Bjork reference - so sue me*!)
(*Meant in jovial fashion only, please don't!)

All you people doing 365 days are AWESOME! I'm loving the whole 'OMG - THAT'S what you look like!!!'.

D'Jen, Lulu, Mars - Keep it up!
Anyone else out there doing it? Lemme know! I promise to swap a pic with you (lulu/d'jen - I don't know if I have with you or not - lemme know too!).

Heh, look at me whoring myself out over the internet. Awesome.

I'm also loving that there are a number of people who are doing that NoMoBlo whatever thing, where they post every single day - all the more for me to read!

I mean, seriously - just look around! Bevis' better half has popped out a lovely sprog, I got a CD from Adam's delightful gf, Jane is still doing marvellously, GBE has an interview, I got a podcast dedication on the Desci&Bob show and Susanne is back in the biz!

What is the source for all this delerium?

Is it due to my mini version of The Huns tummy bug that's making me feel thinner and causing the sugar in my So Good to go STAIGHT to my head?!

Is it due to Britney FINALLY dumping K-fag?! (I LOVE YOU BRITNEY!!!)

Is it due to the terrible images from Children of Men being further behind me?

Is it due to news that Lily Allen will ALSO be at BDO?

Or is it the lifting of a weight off my shoulders, a golden lining to my recent stormcloud?

There's been some development - there was another discussion yesterday and I did my very best to try and explain that ALL work has been done on time and well and awesome but she then went on to say there's a mini restructure in the works that will see me pretty much bossless and/but on higher duties for three months, with my 'new' position advertised as a promotion (more money, more recognition, more work, more enrichment, more satisfaction, more career building...).

It was also pointed out that due to the alarming increase in the amount of work I've had to do for some staff in QLD, they're going to fly me up to Brissy to run a training course for two days... soonish.... and I'm HOPING to pad it out a day or two longer...

What do you QLD ppl think?! ;o)

Warts and all

Remember how I told you I visited the doctor about the ovarian cancer vaccine (here)?

Well, I forgot to mention that I went in the other week and got myself the needle. Yessireebob.

When I visited her the time mentioned above, she gave me a script for the Gardasil - even though I practically had to BEG for it and she wasn't all that enthusiastic about it. That same appointment she gave me the slips to get a blood test done for my iron, folate and b12, and when I called in for THOSE results, I was asked to come in to 'chat' about by b12 levels. Seems my b12 was 5 below what it should be, and I was to buy some b12 tablets. AND SHE COULDN'T JUST TELL ME OVER THE PHONE BUT HAD TO CHARGE ME $50 FOR IT! She also took that opportunity to rave about Gardasil as she had been on a few conferences (suss, much?!) and really pressed me into getting the script and doing it - this time I was the one talking about not needing it that much as I'm already in a committed long term relationship etc etc.

But, seeing as Dadasy had offered to cover the $130 charge for the jab, I decided to go through with it.

And it hurt!!!

It's the first time I've reaaally felt a pain in my hand from a needle in the arm, however it may have had something to do with being told that 'this is first time I've administered this... let me go next door and ask Dr so-and-so if he's had any problems when he's done it..... oh - he said he's only given it to his daughters... here we go!'.

And the point of my ramblings (besides talking about ovaries to anxiousify the boys) is that in telling people that I've had the needle done, I've had an almost alaraming number of people tell me a) they haven't heard about it, and that b) they haven't had a pap test.

LAYDEEZ.

PUH-LEASE.

AND GENTZ.

PUH-LEASE.

If you (laydeez) or anyone you know (laydeez and gentz) has NOT had a pap test and are over the age of 18 or have ever been sexually active, PUHLEASE get over yourself and visit the doctor.

You ain't got NOTHIN down there they haven't seen before.

And if you have, then you're damn lucky they're seeing it.

End community service announcement.

At Laaaaaaaaaaaaaarst

*sigh*

Exams are over for the year (1.5 semesters of 6 semesters down!) and I cannot WAIT for Christmas.

Having the two of the squooshed up so close together in the first week of exams is somewhat a double edged sword - paying off a week of headaches, eating total rubbish (and the constipation that comes with it), blatant procrastination and pangs of stomach wrenching guilt for the joy that comes with knowing that it's all over very quickly.

Both exams went fairly well I think (I HOPE!) - I felt very underprepared for both, but got a sense of calm once I was in there and saw the questions. I wrote for a full three hours for the accounting test and didn't use the 2 pages of handwritten notes as much as I thought I would, but I would like to vent at the site of the international student sitting in front of me that was allowed to enter with a page of typed notes. HULLO? It was said in the lectures and the outline and in the lecture notes and in the tutes and in the exam timetable that you were allowed a double sided HAND WRITTEN page of notes! Though I guess I should be just as angry at the 3 or 4 volunteers (?!) that man the exams checking exams and notes, that didn't pull him up on that. I answered 90 - 95 of the 100 points worth.

Org B also went well - I wrote four essays in two and a half hours - as soon as my pen was down, my hand was up to leave. I'm all for double checking and all that, but once you've written an essay in exams, there's no going back on it, so I was hella glad to get outta that hall.

Bah!

So yeah, where was I?

Yeah, uni's over. So here's what I'm looking forward to...

- Sunny weather.

- Weekends.

- Cruisers on weeknights.

- Taking some leave here and there just to bum around.

- Hosting Nutrimetics Party.

- Hosting Tupperware Party.

- Work Christmas Party.

- Team Christmas Party.

- Buying some flat laceless shoes (or maybe two pairs>!)

- Dadsy's birthday.

- Youngest Bro's birthday.

- CHRISTMAS!!!

- Early Christmas party with the rellies.

- Trip to the coast with the brothers and two or three of the cousins (including a trip past Mogo WHICH I LOVE!).

- Going to Sydney for a w/end with gf1 and gf2.

- A wedding.

- A haircut.

- Martial Arts Christmas Party.

- Maybe a trip to QLD to assit in martial arts camp in January of February.

- BIG DAY OUT in Sydney!

- New Years (what ARE we going to do?!).

What are YOU looking forward to over the Summer Season?

(PS - Am considering buying a ticket to see Chris Isaak in Wollongong, but would hafta sit by myself as Mumsy and Dadsy are going but have already bought tix. Thoughts?)

What has these last two days of study leave taught me?

A retrospective insight from a tired and gonky eyed Enny...

1) Studying in The Huns study is more productive than studying on the couch or in bed.

2) The productiveness of the study is more likely to be affected by distractions than you ever thought possible (but at least the groceries were done, food cupboard sorted, 'My Documents' folder was tidied up, etc).

3) I am not human. I am powered by refined carbs, particularly those found in No Name Crinkle Cut Potato Chips, Loaves of white bread with seeds on top and Nuttelex all round, Thins (plain AND crinkle cut), Free-from double choc biscuits, Soy Good Chocolate 'Ice cream', popcorn, diet cordial and Redeye.

4) This unadultered craving for potato chips does not mean I'm pregnant (proven, so you can all relax now).

5) Even the most precaution(istic?) people fear that there is a chance of pregnancy when 'the time of womanly celebration' does not occur within the expected HOUR.

6) I am TOTALLY too easily influenced by things I find on the internet (WILLIAM SLEDD YOU ARE THE HOTTNESS), b!tches.

7) Accounting? Soooo not my strongpoint. How mumsy does it (and how youngest bro wanted to do it) I'll NEVER know. Like how you can you just group things under names that seem to change according to whim, flight and fancy and somehow all balance out?

8) Slowing the internet to 'share' with the ppl who have 'shared' with you, will NOT reduce the amount of time I procrastinate - it will INCREASE it as I wait for the tabs to load.

9) Blogger, Firefox and Gmail need to get their sh!t together so that I can have 3 gmail accounts open in seperate tabs WITHOUT everything wigging out and me almost accidentally posting comments with my 'real' name MORE THAN ONCE IN TWO DAYS.

10) Who procrastinates at 1am the night before an exam?! That would be me.

Ugh.

Update tmr evening - at least the accounting will be over and done with.

Unless I fail.

KNOCK WOOD - HAPPY THOUGHTS, HAPPY THOUGHTS...

Emily Williams - what ARE you wearing?!

*tsk tsk tsk*

How can one NOT be distracted...?

Outlook for study tonight: distracted.

(DIE YOUTHGROUP DIE!!!)

300th POST (not all that) SPECTACULAR (really)!

Here it is! Something different - some participation from The Hun!

I emailed them to him, but he chose to answer them laying on the couch instead - here's my question, his answer, and my online rebuttal.

The first one is eay - What is my favourite colour?
BROWN! Brown.

This is a "joke". I told him last night that I wanted him to answer some questions for me, such as 'What is my favourite colour' and he joked that he'd say brown because I own a lot of brown clothes.

Which I can't deny.

But my favourite colour is purple, hence why my talky parts are done in purple!

OK - What is my favourite thing to eat?
Based on tonights performance I would say Soy Good Icecream.

This is a fair call. I fled the house for ice cream after pushing him around the kitchen for 5 minutes pouting and asking for it - he then said all of a sudden that he'd go out and get it, then preceeded to hide on the front stoop with his carkeys for the count of ten before rushing back into the house proclaiming 'NO! OF COURSE I'M NOT GOING TO GET YOU ICE CREAM!!!'. Everybodies a comedian.

(PS - I also bought him some Magnum's while I was down there!)

What do I do too much of?
Not clean.

Touche.

What do I do not enough of?
Not clean.

Un Touche - surely this double negative means that I DO clean?!
What is my favourite memory of us?
Movieworld *laughs*

Surely I told you guys about this? THE WORST DAY OF OUR COMBINED LIFE?!?!?! Wanna start two world wars in a four day period? Tour the themeparks as someone terrified of all rides (so is just there for the ambience) with someone who insists on pushing you to go said terrifying rides and chuck a SERIES OF THE WORLDS WORST TANTIES. Unfortch I think this means I'll never get to see Disneyland... but at least we're in the place where we can look back on it and laugh now.

What do I want for Christmas?
At last count? There was that jewellery thing you went and saw and said you wanted - what was that thing? What was it? I can't remember.. a bunch of stuff. You want a stereo for the garage.

Hint: White gold letter charms with three diamonds at Zemmels.


What is my plan for the future?
Engaged by 25, married with kids by 30, retire and live off my squillions that I earn.

Good - he's been listening.

What is more likely to happen in the future?
I'll buy you a cubic zirconia when youre 43, after you've had seven children and we're living in a caravan.

All his recent cubic zirconia jokes are starting to worry me...

How did we get together?
You wooed me with PlayStation - Britney Spears Dance thing.

Also true - after a valentines night of drinking and dancing, he came back to the Chifley House where (while gf2 slept in my room) we played lotsa Britneys Dance Beat on the PlayStation (I'm the QUEEN of that game!) and then some other game too... he slept on the floor of the loungeroom, I believe... His copious amounts of tickling me were APPARANTLY 'the moves' - I had to invite him out again the next week for anything to ACTUALLY happen...

What is my favourite photo?
The one with the glasses, isn't it?

Hooray! On our first day of holiday warring (at Seaworld) there were still moments of joy - he was thinking I'd finally go on some rides at Movie World so he relaxed a bit, and we took this photo inside the 3d theatre. It is my favourite.

I included this one just for Lulu - have two yellow heads!

This is filler

.. as The Hun wants to do post 300 LIVE!!!

Y'all know how it is...

You go into uni and find out that you're on 49% (total) for one of your classes, with 40% still to come in, so you can stress a little less.

And then you find out that you're on 10% (total) for the other of your classes, with 80% still to come in, so your stress is back up or mebbe even a lil higher.

And then you go into work that lil bit more relaxed because you realise it's the last week you're gonna have to be absent for most of a Tuesday and a bit of Wednesday.

And then your co worker sends you an email to inform you that your bosses husband is outta town so there should be a party at her house because he never lets her have any fun.

And then you all engage in an afternoon of frantic emailing where you all seem to compete to see who can seem the most convincing that there actually WILL be a party at your bosses house that night.

And then the co worker leaves and both you AND your boss are trying to decide whether or not the co worker is serious.

And then you get home and check your mobile that you left at home and you realise that the co worker went to the effort of smsing you while you were at uni to suggest said house party.

And then you message the co worker to admit that you aren't sure if they were serious about the house party but you're in if it is.

And then quite quickly it's past midnight on a Tuesday and you've drunk almost half a bottle of vodka and you're watching channel E displaying the hottest models of all time and you're having the <3s for Tyler or Tyson someone or other WHO IS TEH HOTTNESS and talking about how your co worker is planning to get engaged in March and no, your cravings for salty potato chips doesn't mean your pregnant and yes you plan to get married and some stage and you're not really sure if you're curious about marijuana or not and perhaps if you dropped the weight and practiced the walk then you too could be a supermodel

And then you have muse time in the shower about how drinking mostly causes you to hear the things that you don't want to hear as well as not hear the things you should hear.

And then you ask - WHAT DO YOU WANT FOR MY 300th POST SPECTACULAR?