Three day weekend.

I don't actually have a three day weekend; I did a 13 hour day yesterday and will be back on Monday.

But I took 5 students on an 8 hour round-trip to see a show. I loved it.

It did NOT feel like work. It was an outing with people I got to know much better and hopefully will have better relationships with.

All I can say is, having the chance to have that day is something I am honoured to have in my job.

And I realised that I am so proud to be called 'Miss'. I realised it yesterday. Like when women say their name is now Mum, my name is Miss. And I must say, I am honoured, and filled with love for the special people I allow to know me as such.

ANZAC Day

I am thankful. I remember. I don't always feel the need to go out to remember and pay homage to those who died. Especially the volunteers and conscriptees in earlier wars.

But living in a small town I have to go out. Our students do a march and they're  in school uniform so we have to go. We look after them all.

It took over an hour for the service to go on. I was so proud of them. We had 20 of them aged 7 or under, 4 at 4, and they sat IN SILENCE for the entire time. Yes, there was lots of squirming and wriggling, but they did so well. Even the 15 year olds made me proud.

We pledged allegiance to Queen Elizabeth II which is kind of odd. But you know what? It kind of made sense. We are still a Commonwealth country and we are commemorating something that happened in service to her. Well, her father anyway.

Then we sang God Save The Queen. I know the lyrics because my grandmother taught us the decades ago because she was telling us about singing it as God save the Cat attack school. It was funny seeing the kids looking confused. But was really funny seeing the adults around standing not singing either.

I did enjoy the day.

Telstra

bites the big one I must say.

Unreliable internet, even in their 'Good' zone or whatever it's called.

Sometimes my internet just doesn't work.

But then again,  neither does my VAST satellite system.

Randomly untunes itself for hours.

And Telstra phone? Sometimes coverage. Sometimes not.

I hate the country.

OK. So I don't hate it, but it's definitely unsatisfactory. When I actually go in to work to use their internet, I laugh because the unreliability of that is known state-wide!

OK. Complaints done.

Thank you for sticking with me, because here goes some positives.

1. I have 7 weeks before I am 30 and I actually have a job with people who I (mostly) like.
2. I have a job where I am fulfilled spiritually most days. Especially when working with the little ones.
3. I cooked enough food last Sunday to still have 6 lunch/dinners stored in my fridge, and enough meat to get me through to at least the middle of May. Which is good since we don't have a butcher.

it's not all bad!

Melbourne

I am back in the good old W. Two weeks holidays just flies doesn't it???

I slept a lot. Read all of the Hunger Games and LOVED every minute of them.

I also went to Melbourne. It was great. I have heaps of pics, but my internet sucks - thanks Telstra - and it's taking over 10 minutes to upload per pic, so sorry, not putting them up. :(


Old Melbourne Goal is always on my Melbourne trips, but I don't know I'll go back. Don't get me wrong, I loved it. I like the idea and have always really liked it. I think I was just too much more aware of the metaphysical aspects of it and with all the darkness and the capital punishments carried out, it just got me totally creeped out.

Then we went to a Fawlty Towers Dining Experience. And I must admit, I went begrudgingly. I wasn't  looking forward to it. I hate the television show and I just think the concept is stupid! But. You know what? I loved it. My jaw was actually hurting from smiling and laughing so hard. And they catered for my dietary requirements.

Then we went to Captain Cook's Cottage. Basically for school. But it was interesting to see again.

We went to the Zoo. Blergh. I enjoyed it, and I was able to meditate in the sun and see animals. I was happy to do it.

We went to dinner, and miscalculated the time. I think I ate an entire serve of lasagne in about 4 minutes!

Then we went to the event we went down to Melbourne for. Symphony of Legends. It was great. Brilliant music. Great atmosphere. Lots of laughs. I didn't know any of the pieces of music, but orchestral music is always good. Great. I tried to test myself and there was a guy by himself that was sitting next to me. Now, I am single and have been for 12 years. I thought it would be a good chance to talk to someone and just try the whole chatting thing. I did. He didn't. It was hilarious. He looked like a rabbit in headlights - such wide eyes - and was monosyllabic. It was pointed out to me that he was a single guy at a computer game symphony spectacular and I was probably the first girl that had spoken to him in ages besides his mum!

On Friday we went the St Patrick's Cathedral. Churches are always so peaceful. I even lit a couple of candles and talked to my angels. I didn't get struck down so my believes are safe!

We then went to the Melbourne Museum. My mind was blown by the VCE assignments that are in the museum. It was insane. That's the standard of some of the work in this country????!??!??! Jaysus!

We then headed home. We got to the airport an hour early and had dinner. And then, you know what? We got to the gate, running, as the boarding closed. Time management is not our forte'.

Except for the accommodation, which was dirty and malfunctioning, the holiday was just what I needed.

Routines

I always thought people who followed routines were kinda boring. They were too set in their ways. Too staid.

Then I naturally came into a routine in my 30th year. Get up, exercise, work, tv, dinner, shower, read, journal, sleep. Repeat.

And i was horrified to begin with but then I started to enjoy knowing what 'came next'. There wasn't a specific time for any of that stuff, but there was an order. An order people! I felt safe.

Then I went on holidays. I am in Melbourne at the moment and my order is all out of whack! Shower in the morning, what?

I know I will be back to normal by the end of the week, but it's disconcerting to realise you're a routine person.

Blogger

Finally having the internet means I can access my blogger reader list and am spending hours updating myself on the happenings in the blogger community over the past 4 months!

Discipline

After my Easter post, I understand that this post might be bizarre. I stand by what I said. I am not re-thinking my faith. That does not mean though, that others' faiths play no part in my life. Yes, most of my friends and family and devout athiests, or at least agnostics. Agnostic is probably the best way of describing it. When I gave the sermon at the UU church I attended a few years back, I said, "I am both polytheistic and monotheistic." And I am. I also think I'm digressing a bit.

The point of this post is to launch the 5 weeks, 5 disciplines, 5 challenges challenge on the Women Living Well website, run by Courtney. Now, with my faith, it may sound (and, actually, it's incredibly to me too) weird that my two favourite blogs are by two deeply devout religious people. Courtney is a Christian Proverbs 31 woman who home-schools and doesn't argue with her husband. If he wants her hair up, or her to loose weight, she does it. ((Shut up those of you I know are screaming!)). But I find so much in what she writes and I really enjoy reading about her experiences. She is so logical, and there is no, what I term 'Christian zealousness' - she wants people to come to Christ in their own way and her blog is there to facilitate that. I'm not coming closer to the Christian Jesus through her blog, but I am coming closer to my own understanding of my interpretation of Jesus and acceptance and removal of my prejudice against Christians through her blog.

The other blog I love and, while not as overt as Women Living Well, is Natalie's Nat the Fat Rat. She's a Morman. And after South Park's Mormon episode and the story of the Golden Plates, I think my prejudice of Mormons was even higher than my prejudice against Christians. But, really, if that's what you believe, all good to you. I believe in reincarnation and I am probably prejudiced against that by other people. I've learnt that all faiths are valid and have logical, open-minded and caring people in them. Anyway, the LDS church must do something right; every Mormon I've ever met or seen pictures of is gorgeous.

But I still need to work on my prejudice against Scientologists!

OK, the tangentbat just hit me on the head. I learnt yet another very geeky word with my bestie the other day. A bat that hits people for going on tangents; I so need one.

The current challenge on Women Living Well is based on Romans and being disciplined in mind, body, spirit, work and time. Holy mackerel do I need some discipline in these areas!

I am going to jump in with both feet and take what I need from the challenge.

I hope that you can join me and discipline yourself.

And give me kudos when it's all done, but NO advice or 'help'.

Easter Monday

Well, what's on my agenda today? These things:

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Helping my Mum clean the house. Not much from me, but I will do what she asks.

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I will have only clean clothes by the end of the day.

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My mother and I are going to go and see the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. Brilliant cast!

And I will not even buy any food!

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My mother will give me a crystal healing and I will get back on track with my eating.

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I will sleep well. The last night on this holiday when I don't have to set me alarm!

What's on your agenda?

Let me know!

Good things about this holiday

1. I have internet on my computer now.
2. I have spent lots of time with family and friends.
3. I've caught up on lots of sleep.
4. Have read and seen Hunger Games. My thoughts are yes! Don't walk, run and read and see it!!!!!


Hunger Games.

There have been many things written about this book and movie. I'm not sure what has been said, 'cause I haven't read any of it.

I really enjoyed it. It made me think. It made me wonder. It made me excited.

Excited. Really really excited.

And I have a new middle name for children.

My theory is this:

I love stories of rebels. People who stand up against the masses and aren't afraid. Or, actually, are petrified, but do it anyway. Now, these names are generally from stories and aren't names that you could actually use for children's first names. I know that' I'm not completely dumb. But I believe you can use them for middle names. Not having one, I'm not sure, but isn't everyone automatically kinda embarrassed by their middle names? I would love to pass the characteristics of these women (and yes, some men) to my children. And I think giving them names that embody everything I want for them is a good (well, at least, not a terrible idea).

So anyway, my list (of 2 that I can think off the top of my head - the proper list is on my other computer 6 hours away) is:

Girls

Elphaba
Katniss

There are more, but I really can't think of them at the moment. And it's not actually something I have to think about for a long time. Being, you know, single and all.

Easier

Would my sugar withdrawals and the intolerances be easier if I had a partner to complain to?

Easter

I get it. I know what it's about. Jesus allowed himself to be matyred for your souls.

I say yours because he didn't die for mine. He died so that people were brought closer to spirit and the light but, since there is no sin, he couldn't erase it. That's not to say that he couldn't do something like that.

He couldn't though. He was a great man. A great teacher. An enlightened man. A man who was extremely close to the light. But he wasn't the son of god. Or god himself.

This is then, my round about way of saying, "Yes, I understand why we get a 4 day weekend," but that I don't believe know the reason.

I do like the image of new life an rebirth that the eggs represent as part of the pagan religion that the Christians corrupted. And I am very happy with the gift giving and the being with friends and family.

And I am very happy that you believe Jesus died for your sins and are very saved and calm by that knowledge.

Have a great Easter!

Holidays

I am on them. Have so much work to do but haven't done any. Oops.

Spent today with my bestie and her hubby (another great friend) and two other besties. And two boys under 2.

So soul refreshing. Look at the feet that were available for tickling and carried him to and fro in the park.

How much more could I love a flesh and blood nephew? Not much more I'd say.

Rodeo

Went to the town's Rodeo yesterday. It was a very long day. But it was enjoyable. Will update more when I get the internet proper.