I'm laying on my couch, watching Monsters Inc. I'm going to go and check on the boy later. He's had somewhat of a skinful today, which contributed to his not feeling too great. He doesn't always cope well with family situations and today was a step too far for him. It's not something that I really truly understand. I'm totally okay with family situations, and enjoy myself a lot. But, different strokes for different folks I guess.
It's been a stressful few weeks here in scientician land. We're starting the move tomorrow to NBs house. I've got a lot to do, but no doubt it'll all get done and go fine. My plants are growing a lot and there are proper flowers on the capsicum plants.
Now, is definitely time though to go and start working out what stuff I need to pack for storage, which stuff to pack for moving with us, and which stuff to pack for selling/giving away/getting rid of. Movie is almost over and I need to get moving. Mind you, maybe getting an early night would be in order.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Monday, December 22, 2008
Stress and itching
I’m itching to buggery. I don’t think this is helped by the fact that I’m wearing linen blend pants. It’s all my own fault really, I haven’t been moisturising properly. I always pay if I don’t keep that up. I have really dry skin that needs a good moisturisation to keep my body from completely itching from head to foot. It’s worse when I’m stressed, and when I’m busy.
At the moment, I have a lot to be stressed about. My thesis, while it continues along and seems to be proceeding okay, needs to be finished by a certain date so I can make that move to Sweden. I have a job lined up, yay!, starting on the 1st of March. I need my thesis to be completed, signed off on, printed and submitted before we leave, hopefully in the last week of February. This, in and of itself, is pretty stressful. But you add to the top of that, we’re moving in a week. We’ve got to be out of the current house by the end of the year. We’re having our final inspection on the 30th (wish us luck) and we need to pack everything up and move out. We’re moving in with my best friend of some 26 or so years, NB. She’s been my friend since I was two years old. We went to the same primary school and then separated to go to different high schools, but remained friends. We hardly ever see each other anymore, but the bonds of best friendhood have been maintained. So, she has graciously offered the boy and myself a place to stay between leaving this house and moving OS. So it’s back to share house living for a little while for us. We visited the house last night, on the walk back from the parentals. So the boy has now seen his new house for the first time. I think we’ll settle in well there, though it apparently gets hot in our bedroom, which for me is always known as Natalie’s room, after NB’s older sister. We’ll see how bad the heat is and if necessary sleep a few nights at the parentals, in their newly installed ‘evaporative cooling’ house.
In any case, everything we own has to be packed up and moved, either with us to the new house, clothes and DVDs I’d say, or put into storage at my parents house, or sold. I’m bringing my gardening endeavours with me, which continue to impress me with their proliferative nature (can you tell I’ve been writing about proliferation of cells etc in my thesis recently?).
Oh yeah, so onto the third thing that is stressing me, though perhaps to a lesser extent. We’re moving to Sweden! In about 2 months! And I have to organise a visa that has the right name on it, which I think should be my married name, though I intend to work under my maiden name for publication purposes etc. I still am waiting for my new passport to be sent to me, I hope it arrives before we move. We need to try and find somewhere to live in our new city. This is apparently going to be really difficult as the Swedish system of flat rental is interesting and complicated and the city we’re moving to, Gothenburg, is really tight, rentally speaking, at the moment. But I’m sure something will work out, it’s going to have to. We just have so much to organise, in particular what to take with us, flights to get us there, and all sorts of things to do with paperwork and the like. I’m trying not to stress about it, but it’s hard. I like to be organised and know what I’m doing.
The fourth and final thing that has been stressing me, and last week was the catalyst for a very shit day, is that my grandfather has been diagnosed with bowel cancer. He’s been having difficulties with that end of his food tube for a while. It was going to be ‘fixed’ last week and when they went in, they found cancer. He’s starting radiation therapy next week and has been told that it’s treatable. But he’s yet to see an oncologist, so I wonder a little about that. We’ll have to wait and see.
I can understand the process of cancer formation, and that, as you get older, it’s almost one of life’s inevitablities. But I want my grandfather to be well, to not be suffering with pain (as he is at the moment) and to continue to have a happy existence with my grandmother and their lovely dog, Monty. But there’s not much I can do about that. So I will have to wait, hope for the best and hope that he uses the pain medication properly so he doesn’t have to suffer pain and discomfort. It will be good to see him, and Oma, on Wednesday, for our traditional German Xmas. This year it’s at my parent’s house.
So, it’s been a stressful couple of weeks for me. I’m hopeful that, with the move over, we can relax a bit more and get back on an even keel. The boy has been delightful in helping me maintain my sanity and I cannot explain how much that means. He’s just delightful.
Back to the salt mines, ie my thesis writing. I wish that writing it was as easy and flowy as writing this blog post (that has been composed in the basement of the biomedical library at Melbourne Uni while on a mental break from working), but alas, no such thing is true.
At the moment, I have a lot to be stressed about. My thesis, while it continues along and seems to be proceeding okay, needs to be finished by a certain date so I can make that move to Sweden. I have a job lined up, yay!, starting on the 1st of March. I need my thesis to be completed, signed off on, printed and submitted before we leave, hopefully in the last week of February. This, in and of itself, is pretty stressful. But you add to the top of that, we’re moving in a week. We’ve got to be out of the current house by the end of the year. We’re having our final inspection on the 30th (wish us luck) and we need to pack everything up and move out. We’re moving in with my best friend of some 26 or so years, NB. She’s been my friend since I was two years old. We went to the same primary school and then separated to go to different high schools, but remained friends. We hardly ever see each other anymore, but the bonds of best friendhood have been maintained. So, she has graciously offered the boy and myself a place to stay between leaving this house and moving OS. So it’s back to share house living for a little while for us. We visited the house last night, on the walk back from the parentals. So the boy has now seen his new house for the first time. I think we’ll settle in well there, though it apparently gets hot in our bedroom, which for me is always known as Natalie’s room, after NB’s older sister. We’ll see how bad the heat is and if necessary sleep a few nights at the parentals, in their newly installed ‘evaporative cooling’ house.
In any case, everything we own has to be packed up and moved, either with us to the new house, clothes and DVDs I’d say, or put into storage at my parents house, or sold. I’m bringing my gardening endeavours with me, which continue to impress me with their proliferative nature (can you tell I’ve been writing about proliferation of cells etc in my thesis recently?).
Oh yeah, so onto the third thing that is stressing me, though perhaps to a lesser extent. We’re moving to Sweden! In about 2 months! And I have to organise a visa that has the right name on it, which I think should be my married name, though I intend to work under my maiden name for publication purposes etc. I still am waiting for my new passport to be sent to me, I hope it arrives before we move. We need to try and find somewhere to live in our new city. This is apparently going to be really difficult as the Swedish system of flat rental is interesting and complicated and the city we’re moving to, Gothenburg, is really tight, rentally speaking, at the moment. But I’m sure something will work out, it’s going to have to. We just have so much to organise, in particular what to take with us, flights to get us there, and all sorts of things to do with paperwork and the like. I’m trying not to stress about it, but it’s hard. I like to be organised and know what I’m doing.
The fourth and final thing that has been stressing me, and last week was the catalyst for a very shit day, is that my grandfather has been diagnosed with bowel cancer. He’s been having difficulties with that end of his food tube for a while. It was going to be ‘fixed’ last week and when they went in, they found cancer. He’s starting radiation therapy next week and has been told that it’s treatable. But he’s yet to see an oncologist, so I wonder a little about that. We’ll have to wait and see.
I can understand the process of cancer formation, and that, as you get older, it’s almost one of life’s inevitablities. But I want my grandfather to be well, to not be suffering with pain (as he is at the moment) and to continue to have a happy existence with my grandmother and their lovely dog, Monty. But there’s not much I can do about that. So I will have to wait, hope for the best and hope that he uses the pain medication properly so he doesn’t have to suffer pain and discomfort. It will be good to see him, and Oma, on Wednesday, for our traditional German Xmas. This year it’s at my parent’s house.
So, it’s been a stressful couple of weeks for me. I’m hopeful that, with the move over, we can relax a bit more and get back on an even keel. The boy has been delightful in helping me maintain my sanity and I cannot explain how much that means. He’s just delightful.
Back to the salt mines, ie my thesis writing. I wish that writing it was as easy and flowy as writing this blog post (that has been composed in the basement of the biomedical library at Melbourne Uni while on a mental break from working), but alas, no such thing is true.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
My famous brother
I'm sitting in the living room. I've just finished writing some figure legends for my last result chapter to be drafted. I've found some mistakes, I'm in the process of fixing them and trying to find some of the data I want to use. In any case, I'm also listening to PBS. My brother is playing live with his band, the Black Jesus Experience. He's the drummer. They are probably what you would call a mix of African hip hop and jazz. It's hard to explain, but I like it. They're also playing the Melbourne leg of the Big Day Out next year and going to Womad (spelling?), the world music festival in Adelaide. He's definitely going places this brother of mine.
Ooh and he was doing his best as a Bradman model earlier in the week. He works for an auction firm that were auctioning off Donald Bradman's baggy green (one of them anyway) and he had to hold it for photos and the news. Apparently some friends saw him on the Channel 10 news.
If you're ever in Collingwood on a Sunday afternoon and want to see my brother in action, head over to The Horn, which is the African cafe that the Black Jesus Experience plays at every week. It's on Johnston Street, just near Smith Street. Then stick around and eat yourself silly on the really tasty Ethiopian food.
Ooh and he was doing his best as a Bradman model earlier in the week. He works for an auction firm that were auctioning off Donald Bradman's baggy green (one of them anyway) and he had to hold it for photos and the news. Apparently some friends saw him on the Channel 10 news.
If you're ever in Collingwood on a Sunday afternoon and want to see my brother in action, head over to The Horn, which is the African cafe that the Black Jesus Experience plays at every week. It's on Johnston Street, just near Smith Street. Then stick around and eat yourself silly on the really tasty Ethiopian food.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Fats Waller
My lovely husband has acquired for me some Fats Waller. I adore it. Should I be allowed to DJ at all again, in a lindy hop context, I will be using some of this.
Lovely stuff.
Lovely stuff.
I made another quilt
I'm in the process of making a cot quilt for a friend of mine's baby. She's due, actually I'm not sure exactly when she's due, but sometime next year. We haven't got a clue about gender, but there is a clue about hair colour. My friend is a redhead and it's a fair chance that she'll produce another one. So with that in mind, I tried to choose colours that would complement a ranga. It's finally up to the quilting stage. I hand sewed the 'squares' together with no pattern in mind, just a whole bunch of different sizes that I hoped would fit together nicely. I had a few holes in there that I had to creatively patch. But I think it's worked out well. So now all that is left is to quilt it, and then bind the edges and she's all ready for the expectant family. They're such lovely people, I hope they like it.
So here's a photo of the sandwiched together quilt. I used a tablecloth that I got from the op-shop as a base, some bamboo batting for the middle and the top that I sewed. Go crafty me.
So here's a photo of the sandwiched together quilt. I used a tablecloth that I got from the op-shop as a base, some bamboo batting for the middle and the top that I sewed. Go crafty me.
Planting up a storm
I recently, well about a month ago or something, planted some food plants to help me keep sane and give me yummy food to eat. I planted a strawberry plant, cos lettuces about 6 capsicum plants, 2 jalapenos, some basil and some of that coriander you buy at the supermarket in a pot. The strawberry started off with no flowers and just one misshapen strawberry that was still white. It's now grown quite a bit, the strawberry is ripening nicely and there are flowers galore on it. The capsicums have started to have flower buds on them, as are the jalapenos, as well as growing a whole heap. The coriander initally looked like it had died and I thought I wasn't likely to get any. But it started to sprout a new sprout and I swear is growing mms overnight. I has a new prong to the sprouting part nearly everytime I look. The basil has grown, but seems to have stalled somewhat and I think needs to be repotted somewhere where it isn't shaded by the lettuce. The lettuce is growing well and we've started eating it in sandwiches and salads and I'm really pleased. Yay! So here are some photos of that, these are the grown up plants. I think I'll pick the strawberry really soon. It looks so tasty. Nom nom nom nom nom.
So here's the newly sprouting coriander:
The buds on the capsicum:
The stawberry is top left, to the right of that is the jalapenos and along the bottom are the capsicums.
Another capsicum plant in the background, lettuce in the middle and basil in the front. It also appears as though something is eating the basil. Perhaps it's time for more snail bait?
So here's the newly sprouting coriander:
The buds on the capsicum:
The stawberry is top left, to the right of that is the jalapenos and along the bottom are the capsicums.
Another capsicum plant in the background, lettuce in the middle and basil in the front. It also appears as though something is eating the basil. Perhaps it's time for more snail bait?
Monday, November 17, 2008
Running is my drug of choice
I never thought that I would enjoy running. All throughout high school, while I danced a lot and was cardivascularly fit, or so I believe, I never was good at running. The school run was a torture. 1.3km or so, around the school. We had to do it for PE, a lot. So I never thought that running would be fun.
I can't remember when I started doing it. Maybe it was about 2 or 3 years ago when I was at the gym and thought that it might make a bit of a difference from cycling. In any case, I started and kinda enjoyed the endorphin kick I got from it.
In recent times, I decided to start the Couch to 5K program again. I had tried it on a treadmill in the gym before and had gotten to about week 3 (of 9) and then due to various different things like stress and illness didn't manage to get any further. Recently I wrote about the next thing to happen to me while trying to run, the ankle spraining. That turned into about 6 weeks of pain. I was on crutches for 2 weeks, not able to walk at all. I had an ultrasound, and an x-ray and a bit of physio. Turns out that torn ligaments really do take a long time to heal. But now I'm done with physio and my ankle is stable and strong. It still aches a little in the evenings if I've done a lot of activity. But it's pretty much healed. So I've started the program again. Last Monday I did a week 1 run again. I was supposed to run again on Wednesday, but due to the 35 degree day, I decided it was just too hot. Thursday was also hot and Friday it rained all day. Though I could have those days mixed up. In any case, no running was done then. But Saturday morning, I was determined. I got up early and did another week 1 run.
Now, the program says to run 3 times each week. But I figured as I had gotten through most of week 1 previously that I could get away with running week 2 today, rather than waiting until Wed. So this evening about 7.30pm I went out and did that run. And it was relatively easy. I was doing intervals of 90 seconds jogging/running with 2 mins of walking and I didn't completely exhaust myself. It was good to feel as though I'd gotten somewhere. A little fitter. So, the plan is as follows, run again on Wed and Friday this week. Get myself to week 3, and then week 4,5,6 etc. Don't get injured again! Fortunately, or unfortunately considering I just bought cross trainers to help support sideways motion of the feet, soccer is not on this season as they couldn't get enough people together for a team.
Okay, enough procrastination, let's write some thesis!
I can't remember when I started doing it. Maybe it was about 2 or 3 years ago when I was at the gym and thought that it might make a bit of a difference from cycling. In any case, I started and kinda enjoyed the endorphin kick I got from it.
In recent times, I decided to start the Couch to 5K program again. I had tried it on a treadmill in the gym before and had gotten to about week 3 (of 9) and then due to various different things like stress and illness didn't manage to get any further. Recently I wrote about the next thing to happen to me while trying to run, the ankle spraining. That turned into about 6 weeks of pain. I was on crutches for 2 weeks, not able to walk at all. I had an ultrasound, and an x-ray and a bit of physio. Turns out that torn ligaments really do take a long time to heal. But now I'm done with physio and my ankle is stable and strong. It still aches a little in the evenings if I've done a lot of activity. But it's pretty much healed. So I've started the program again. Last Monday I did a week 1 run again. I was supposed to run again on Wednesday, but due to the 35 degree day, I decided it was just too hot. Thursday was also hot and Friday it rained all day. Though I could have those days mixed up. In any case, no running was done then. But Saturday morning, I was determined. I got up early and did another week 1 run.
Now, the program says to run 3 times each week. But I figured as I had gotten through most of week 1 previously that I could get away with running week 2 today, rather than waiting until Wed. So this evening about 7.30pm I went out and did that run. And it was relatively easy. I was doing intervals of 90 seconds jogging/running with 2 mins of walking and I didn't completely exhaust myself. It was good to feel as though I'd gotten somewhere. A little fitter. So, the plan is as follows, run again on Wed and Friday this week. Get myself to week 3, and then week 4,5,6 etc. Don't get injured again! Fortunately, or unfortunately considering I just bought cross trainers to help support sideways motion of the feet, soccer is not on this season as they couldn't get enough people together for a team.
Okay, enough procrastination, let's write some thesis!
3 problems with our house
We've had a series of interesting problems arise with our current house. The first was that there was the pipe that took the water from the laundry sink outside. It was broken, before we even moved in, and would leak a lot of water down the side of the house. We were promised a plumber for a long time. This weekend, we finally got one. It only took 3 and a half months. But it was fixed! And in the meantime, while waiting for the plumber to eventuate, the bathroom sink was clogged and draino hadn't fixed the problem. The plumber fixed that too. Huzzah!
The second problem was the possum/s in the roof/wall of our bedroom. We called the real estate agents and after much harassment got them to send out a possum man. They were almost impossible to get hold of and I'm not sure they were convinced that the problem was really all that big. Mind you, they weren't getting woken at 5.30am by the little bastards returning from a night of frolicking.
Anthony, the possum man, came and looked around, found where they were getting in and set up a one-way exit. But we were still having problems, being woken at 5.30am every morning by the returning beast/s, hearing noise in the wall during the day. Anthony suggested that it may not be a possum. It was probably rats. After absorbing this more disgusting news, he put a non-lethal trap in the roof to have a look to see whether it was a possum or a rat. Possums are native and protected by law. So if we had both possums and rats, we'd have to get rid of the possums first, then bait the rats. The trap was set off the first night and whatever it was escaped. This pretty much confirmed rats. So Anthony has now baited them and we should start to find that they don't make any noise anymore. At one level, I cannot wait for them to be gone. We've been sleeping in the spare room because the noise is annoying, and we have a visitor coming this weekend to stay. We'd like to be back in our own room. At a different level, I feel bad for killing the rats in such a horrible way. Rat baits work by the use of an anti-coagulant, meaning their blood is very thin and doesn't clot properly. It also, I believe, includes something to ensure they start bleeding, like glass shards. So the little buggers bleed internally and aren't able to stop it. It sounds like a horrible way to go. Oh well, at least they won't be waking us up anymore.
The third problem is our lawn. The house is a on a really big block. The lawn hasn't been mown since we moved in, in August. Spring has been great for the growth of the grass and it's very high now. The possum man said it was a good idea to get it mown. No-one I know has a mower, so we've had to find someone to do it for us. You would think that would be simple. It is not. I initially called the guy who mows my parent's lawn. He's not doing lawns anymore and instead is doing a much more honourable and possibly more interesting job working with a charity that helps the homeless. The next port of call was one of those chain services, VIP. The guy rang me. He had injured himself in a pretty bad way, that might need surgery. He wasn't able to do our lawn. The third option was a guy I found in the yellowpages from the local area. He came this afternoon to look at the job and apparently will be here to do it 'sometime this week'. So I'm hopeful of this problem being solved too. Mind you, with my experience of the plumber (he called once, promised to call again to sort out a time and then never tried again. We had to call the estate agents to get his number, which should have been the case in the first place), I am skeptical of the mowing dude turning up at a sensible time or at all really. If it gets really bad, and he doesn't turn up, I have plans to be nice to our neighbours and borrowing their mower. They use it enough.
So soon our house should be going well and have little or no problems with it. Mind you, we only have a lease until the 3rd of January, so there won't be a heap of time to enjoy it.
Next post will be about bottling wine, growing herbs and veges and should include pictures of one of those things. But for now, I'm tired and the thesis work has been minimal today. I'm going to go and do some work on the discussion for my 'this worked' chapter of my thesis. I've got a fair idea what I'm going to write, but I have to get it down on paper first and then try and get it into the computer. Don't know why, but it's just how the brain sometimes works.
The second problem was the possum/s in the roof/wall of our bedroom. We called the real estate agents and after much harassment got them to send out a possum man. They were almost impossible to get hold of and I'm not sure they were convinced that the problem was really all that big. Mind you, they weren't getting woken at 5.30am by the little bastards returning from a night of frolicking.
Anthony, the possum man, came and looked around, found where they were getting in and set up a one-way exit. But we were still having problems, being woken at 5.30am every morning by the returning beast/s, hearing noise in the wall during the day. Anthony suggested that it may not be a possum. It was probably rats. After absorbing this more disgusting news, he put a non-lethal trap in the roof to have a look to see whether it was a possum or a rat. Possums are native and protected by law. So if we had both possums and rats, we'd have to get rid of the possums first, then bait the rats. The trap was set off the first night and whatever it was escaped. This pretty much confirmed rats. So Anthony has now baited them and we should start to find that they don't make any noise anymore. At one level, I cannot wait for them to be gone. We've been sleeping in the spare room because the noise is annoying, and we have a visitor coming this weekend to stay. We'd like to be back in our own room. At a different level, I feel bad for killing the rats in such a horrible way. Rat baits work by the use of an anti-coagulant, meaning their blood is very thin and doesn't clot properly. It also, I believe, includes something to ensure they start bleeding, like glass shards. So the little buggers bleed internally and aren't able to stop it. It sounds like a horrible way to go. Oh well, at least they won't be waking us up anymore.
The third problem is our lawn. The house is a on a really big block. The lawn hasn't been mown since we moved in, in August. Spring has been great for the growth of the grass and it's very high now. The possum man said it was a good idea to get it mown. No-one I know has a mower, so we've had to find someone to do it for us. You would think that would be simple. It is not. I initially called the guy who mows my parent's lawn. He's not doing lawns anymore and instead is doing a much more honourable and possibly more interesting job working with a charity that helps the homeless. The next port of call was one of those chain services, VIP. The guy rang me. He had injured himself in a pretty bad way, that might need surgery. He wasn't able to do our lawn. The third option was a guy I found in the yellowpages from the local area. He came this afternoon to look at the job and apparently will be here to do it 'sometime this week'. So I'm hopeful of this problem being solved too. Mind you, with my experience of the plumber (he called once, promised to call again to sort out a time and then never tried again. We had to call the estate agents to get his number, which should have been the case in the first place), I am skeptical of the mowing dude turning up at a sensible time or at all really. If it gets really bad, and he doesn't turn up, I have plans to be nice to our neighbours and borrowing their mower. They use it enough.
So soon our house should be going well and have little or no problems with it. Mind you, we only have a lease until the 3rd of January, so there won't be a heap of time to enjoy it.
Next post will be about bottling wine, growing herbs and veges and should include pictures of one of those things. But for now, I'm tired and the thesis work has been minimal today. I'm going to go and do some work on the discussion for my 'this worked' chapter of my thesis. I've got a fair idea what I'm going to write, but I have to get it down on paper first and then try and get it into the computer. Don't know why, but it's just how the brain sometimes works.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Possum magic
We have a possum in our roof. It woke us up at 5.30am. I am not impressed. I asked the boy to get on to the real estate agents about getting a possum man to come and remove it. I hope that that happens. But who knows? They haven't organised to fix a pipe that has a leak in it, so why help us out with the possum?
In other newses, I was in Canberra on the weekend, visiting, attending a wedding. I got to catch up with some ladies I used to work with. All but one of them was pregnant. I felt a little left out (not really). But it was great to see them all as well as all the other mates I've missed since moving back to Melbourne.
With all the pregnancies going on around me (another friend EE is also pregnant), I've been busy making stuff. Just little presents to give to expectant mothers. So here are some pictures I took earlier of presents taken to Canberra, or being sent to Tassie.
I made some more booties like the green ones for VA, but didn't get time to photograph them.
Anywho, I have just finished making a delightful cake and should go and ice it. I've also made a totally tasty salad to go with the lovely lamb chops I'm marinating for dinner tonight. I'm using my procrastination to good purposes today, I'm being a proper little housewife. As much fun as that is, shoot me if I start calling the boy my hubby. I detest that word.
In other newses, I was in Canberra on the weekend, visiting, attending a wedding. I got to catch up with some ladies I used to work with. All but one of them was pregnant. I felt a little left out (not really). But it was great to see them all as well as all the other mates I've missed since moving back to Melbourne.
With all the pregnancies going on around me (another friend EE is also pregnant), I've been busy making stuff. Just little presents to give to expectant mothers. So here are some pictures I took earlier of presents taken to Canberra, or being sent to Tassie.
I made some more booties like the green ones for VA, but didn't get time to photograph them.
Anywho, I have just finished making a delightful cake and should go and ice it. I've also made a totally tasty salad to go with the lovely lamb chops I'm marinating for dinner tonight. I'm using my procrastination to good purposes today, I'm being a proper little housewife. As much fun as that is, shoot me if I start calling the boy my hubby. I detest that word.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Angry
I don't exactly know why, but today I am angry. There are a number of things that are making me angry.
-I received notice that an application I put in was unsuccessful, and not for content reasons.
-I'm angry because due to injury, I cannot exercise properly and am barely walking, though the barely walking is an improvement on the last two weeks I guess.
-I really want to be closer to finishing the thesis, but it seems like, today at least, it's an insurmountable task that looms over me, not allowing me to do anything else, not allowing me to move on with my life.
-I'm angry because I have to move soon and moving is a bitch and a pain in the arse and I really don't want to have to find somewhere else to live, I'm relatively happy with the place we have.
-I'm angry because I would like some more communication with someone, but am not getting it. Admittedly, I should be trying harder on my end, but they are a little bit scary, so I'm kinda avoiding it. Terrible I know. But it makes me angry that they haven't acknowledged me for quite some time.
So actually, I guess I do know why I'm angry. I'm most angry about thesis stuff, and frustrated that it isn't going faster. If I could exercise, maybe I would be able to vent that frustration and anger. Guess I'm just going to have to make do with screaming a bit and maybe punching something. Wish me luck.
Edited to add the following: fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck.
Consider this my blogging version of screaming.
-I received notice that an application I put in was unsuccessful, and not for content reasons.
-I'm angry because due to injury, I cannot exercise properly and am barely walking, though the barely walking is an improvement on the last two weeks I guess.
-I really want to be closer to finishing the thesis, but it seems like, today at least, it's an insurmountable task that looms over me, not allowing me to do anything else, not allowing me to move on with my life.
-I'm angry because I have to move soon and moving is a bitch and a pain in the arse and I really don't want to have to find somewhere else to live, I'm relatively happy with the place we have.
-I'm angry because I would like some more communication with someone, but am not getting it. Admittedly, I should be trying harder on my end, but they are a little bit scary, so I'm kinda avoiding it. Terrible I know. But it makes me angry that they haven't acknowledged me for quite some time.
So actually, I guess I do know why I'm angry. I'm most angry about thesis stuff, and frustrated that it isn't going faster. If I could exercise, maybe I would be able to vent that frustration and anger. Guess I'm just going to have to make do with screaming a bit and maybe punching something. Wish me luck.
Edited to add the following: fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck.
Consider this my blogging version of screaming.
Monday, October 06, 2008
Injury prone
I don't know that the title of this post is strictly speaking true. I don't know that I am injury prone per se. But I seem to be able to injure myself at inconvenient moments. Like last Thursday. I have been the replacement Kate for my cousin's soccer team. The other Kate is injured, something to do with her knee. So for the last 6 weeks or so, I've been helping out and having heaps of fun, as I have mentioned. Until this last Thursday when it was almost an entirely family affair. My cousin G, his wife C and my other cousin T were all playing and Macca was the non-family exception. All was going great, I was defending like a mo-fo and all of a sudden my right ankle went over and I heard a snap. The snap was not good. I have not walked properly since, in fact until today I've been on crutches or hopping the whole time.
So Thursday night saw me being taken first to the Western Hospital in Footscray, where there was a 4-6hour wait to see a doctor, to the free medical clinic on Bell Street, where I waited about 35 mins to see a doctor who spelled soccer: soccar, and heard : heared. I'm guessing he didn't get his medical degree by being able to spell. In any case, he strapped my ankle, told me to get crutches, gave me a prescription for panadeine forte (woo woo!) and told me to go and get an ultrasound to see if I had any ligament damage. I finally made it home and started making the husband (hehe I still giggle at calling him my husband) do things for me. He made me a lovely dinner, helped me in and out of the shower, and the next morning gave me a piggyback to the toilet and went and got my crutches from the pharmacy. So this Thursday I'm going to the ultrasound place and then back to the doctors to see what needs to be done. I've bribed my physio friend with food to help me learn how best to strap the ankle and today I'm hobbling around the house sans crutches. I fear, however, that the dancing I had planned for tomorrow night will not go ahead, nor the running regimen I had started last week.
But in good news, I got two pairs of glasses for $400 and I've got some crafty things on the go. Should be great. Now I just want to get to an op shop to pick up some quilty type stashes, I forsee quilting in my future, or at the very least patchwork. Next post will have photos, absolutely!
So Thursday night saw me being taken first to the Western Hospital in Footscray, where there was a 4-6hour wait to see a doctor, to the free medical clinic on Bell Street, where I waited about 35 mins to see a doctor who spelled soccer: soccar, and heard : heared. I'm guessing he didn't get his medical degree by being able to spell. In any case, he strapped my ankle, told me to get crutches, gave me a prescription for panadeine forte (woo woo!) and told me to go and get an ultrasound to see if I had any ligament damage. I finally made it home and started making the husband (hehe I still giggle at calling him my husband) do things for me. He made me a lovely dinner, helped me in and out of the shower, and the next morning gave me a piggyback to the toilet and went and got my crutches from the pharmacy. So this Thursday I'm going to the ultrasound place and then back to the doctors to see what needs to be done. I've bribed my physio friend with food to help me learn how best to strap the ankle and today I'm hobbling around the house sans crutches. I fear, however, that the dancing I had planned for tomorrow night will not go ahead, nor the running regimen I had started last week.
But in good news, I got two pairs of glasses for $400 and I've got some crafty things on the go. Should be great. Now I just want to get to an op shop to pick up some quilty type stashes, I forsee quilting in my future, or at the very least patchwork. Next post will have photos, absolutely!
Monday, September 29, 2008
Running and descriptive biology writing
Today has had two themes : running, and descriptive biology writing.
This morning I went for a run. I've started, for about the third time, the couch to 5K program. It's a running program that means in 9 weeks, if you follow it through, you can be running 5kms. It was good fun, and hard work. I'm hopeful that if I stick with it this time it'll help my indoor soccer skills. I've been playing indoor soccer for my cousin's mixed team on a Thursday night (not sure if I've written about it before) and while it's heaps of fun, it really does show up how unfit I am in a cardiovascular sense. We'll ignore all the other kinds of unfit I am for now. The fun bit was checking out a bit of the Yarra trail. It runs all the way from near my parents in Macleod to the city along the Yarra river. I got as far as about Ivanhoe, from Heidelberg, and then turned around and came home. I'm thinking that perhaps as the weeks progress I'll get closer and closer to the city. Though I don't think I'll ever go all the way in, it's about 25kms of winding track. So, theory of the program says I'll be running again on Wednesday. I hope that is true.
The other part of today is descriptive biology writing. I'm having a major mental block at how to write this though. It's for the most successful part of my thesis work that I've done, the prostate gland stuff. It's worked really well, but I'm just not sure how to write it. I know what content has to go in, I know exactly what I did and what I found out in the process. But I cannot for the life of me work out a way to write it in a coherent manner. It's very frustrating. I think I might have to start with dot points and move them around a bit until it flows. There are many ways to approach the writing. In a chronological sense (not in terms of when I did the experiments but the timing of the development of the organ), seems to be the most sensible, but there are other ways that also make sense to me. I really don't know what I'm going to do. I've made thesis figures already for this and they seem to make sense to me. Perhaps I should just describe them and go from there. Gah! It's all a bit brain-hurty.
And one last thing, in recent times, 19th September to be exact, I got married. I'm now Mrs Burgermeister, or am if you believe my boy and facebook. I've changed my licence and medicare card over to the new name and it's all a little strange. I'll be keeping my maiden name for work purposes, publications etc, but for everyday life I'm someone new. I wish this new Kate was good at writing descriptive biology.
This morning I went for a run. I've started, for about the third time, the couch to 5K program. It's a running program that means in 9 weeks, if you follow it through, you can be running 5kms. It was good fun, and hard work. I'm hopeful that if I stick with it this time it'll help my indoor soccer skills. I've been playing indoor soccer for my cousin's mixed team on a Thursday night (not sure if I've written about it before) and while it's heaps of fun, it really does show up how unfit I am in a cardiovascular sense. We'll ignore all the other kinds of unfit I am for now. The fun bit was checking out a bit of the Yarra trail. It runs all the way from near my parents in Macleod to the city along the Yarra river. I got as far as about Ivanhoe, from Heidelberg, and then turned around and came home. I'm thinking that perhaps as the weeks progress I'll get closer and closer to the city. Though I don't think I'll ever go all the way in, it's about 25kms of winding track. So, theory of the program says I'll be running again on Wednesday. I hope that is true.
The other part of today is descriptive biology writing. I'm having a major mental block at how to write this though. It's for the most successful part of my thesis work that I've done, the prostate gland stuff. It's worked really well, but I'm just not sure how to write it. I know what content has to go in, I know exactly what I did and what I found out in the process. But I cannot for the life of me work out a way to write it in a coherent manner. It's very frustrating. I think I might have to start with dot points and move them around a bit until it flows. There are many ways to approach the writing. In a chronological sense (not in terms of when I did the experiments but the timing of the development of the organ), seems to be the most sensible, but there are other ways that also make sense to me. I really don't know what I'm going to do. I've made thesis figures already for this and they seem to make sense to me. Perhaps I should just describe them and go from there. Gah! It's all a bit brain-hurty.
And one last thing, in recent times, 19th September to be exact, I got married. I'm now Mrs Burgermeister, or am if you believe my boy and facebook. I've changed my licence and medicare card over to the new name and it's all a little strange. I'll be keeping my maiden name for work purposes, publications etc, but for everyday life I'm someone new. I wish this new Kate was good at writing descriptive biology.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
two more sleeps to go
In two more sleeps (3 days kinda), I'm getting married. Between now and then I'm getting a manicure, massage and an awesome hairstyle done. I finally can justify getting myself made up all pretty like. Huzzah! I think everything is organised for the day. I have my dress, ring, underwear and relaxed attitude all ready. Just need to get there on time and everything is fine, fine, fine.
The other news of this week is that my discussion for one of my chapters (thesis) is almost done. I hope to finish it today and send it to the supes with a note explaining the whole getting married thing and suggesting we chat next week about it. We haven't been chatting much of late, via email or via phone. I think it's time that changed, and after the wedding seems the best time. Before is just a ridiculous notion, too many other things on the go. He can, I'm sure, wait another couple of days before talking to me. He's managed to go this long without talking to me.
I've also been playing indoor soccer with my cousin's team on Thursday nights. It's been great fun. We're in a mixed team and I'm the replacement Kate. The other Kate from the team has hurt her knee and I've been called in to help out. Last week was probably my best week, I kicked two goals! Yay!
Other things going on are: I've been DJing in Melbourne. Hooray! I have now DJed twice at Carnivale, which is a new dancing night in the Melbourne scene. It's Thursday nights (after soccer for me) at Suede bar in Smith Street. It's been great fun. I love to inflict my musical choices on other people. I can't go this week though, nor to soccer. I'm getting my hair done in the city, then heading to the airport to pick up the boy's Dad and 'stepmum'. I say 'stepmum' because she's only been with his Dad since he's been grown up, so never had a role in raising him. Then it'll be straight home for sleep before getting up really early on Friday to get to the wedding on time.
Anywho, this is a rambling post with little sense, so I should go and bathe and get that discussion finished before my manicure this afternoon.
The other news of this week is that my discussion for one of my chapters (thesis) is almost done. I hope to finish it today and send it to the supes with a note explaining the whole getting married thing and suggesting we chat next week about it. We haven't been chatting much of late, via email or via phone. I think it's time that changed, and after the wedding seems the best time. Before is just a ridiculous notion, too many other things on the go. He can, I'm sure, wait another couple of days before talking to me. He's managed to go this long without talking to me.
I've also been playing indoor soccer with my cousin's team on Thursday nights. It's been great fun. We're in a mixed team and I'm the replacement Kate. The other Kate from the team has hurt her knee and I've been called in to help out. Last week was probably my best week, I kicked two goals! Yay!
Other things going on are: I've been DJing in Melbourne. Hooray! I have now DJed twice at Carnivale, which is a new dancing night in the Melbourne scene. It's Thursday nights (after soccer for me) at Suede bar in Smith Street. It's been great fun. I love to inflict my musical choices on other people. I can't go this week though, nor to soccer. I'm getting my hair done in the city, then heading to the airport to pick up the boy's Dad and 'stepmum'. I say 'stepmum' because she's only been with his Dad since he's been grown up, so never had a role in raising him. Then it'll be straight home for sleep before getting up really early on Friday to get to the wedding on time.
Anywho, this is a rambling post with little sense, so I should go and bathe and get that discussion finished before my manicure this afternoon.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Reasons I like living in Heidelberg
Near to my house, there is a tiny cemetery. It consists of one small house block on a regular street. It's probably about 15 mins walk from my house. I was driving my mum's car back home this afternoon and noticed that there were two rabbits in there. I decided to drop in and take a few photos. The rabbits were obviously someone's pets. I hope they don't get run over, one of them hopped into the road as I was leaving. Enjoy!
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Lessons learned from thesis writing
Here's something I've learned today about thesis writing. No-one gives a crap about your thesis figures. They don't care how long you've spent on them, they really don't appreciate the works of art that they are. Fuckers.
My life is now dominated by thesis, thesis and preparing to move house. Thesis, preparing to move house, and contemplating going to Canberrang (swing festival in Canberra). Thesis, preparing to move house, contemplating Canberrang and getting married. Thesis, preparing to move house, contemplating Canberrang, getting married and moving to Sweden. But mostly thesis, yeah right!
Ah deary me! I am looking forward to being settled in the new house. I'm hoping it brings a lot of writing goodness and I hope that it all falls into place after that.
In other news, I've started watching Dexter on TV. I like it. I get where my friends raving about it last year were coming from. That and Grand Designs have to be my favourite TV shows at the moment.
To tie this up. Lesson learned: no-one else gives a fuck about my thesis, except me, and maybe my supervisor. But we are keen on it for different reasons, and the same ones too I guess. Getting me the hell out of the PhD student land and into gainful employment. Must get back to it. A chapter is almost ready for supes to read.
My life is now dominated by thesis, thesis and preparing to move house. Thesis, preparing to move house, and contemplating going to Canberrang (swing festival in Canberra). Thesis, preparing to move house, contemplating Canberrang and getting married. Thesis, preparing to move house, contemplating Canberrang, getting married and moving to Sweden. But mostly thesis, yeah right!
Ah deary me! I am looking forward to being settled in the new house. I'm hoping it brings a lot of writing goodness and I hope that it all falls into place after that.
In other news, I've started watching Dexter on TV. I like it. I get where my friends raving about it last year were coming from. That and Grand Designs have to be my favourite TV shows at the moment.
To tie this up. Lesson learned: no-one else gives a fuck about my thesis, except me, and maybe my supervisor. But we are keen on it for different reasons, and the same ones too I guess. Getting me the hell out of the PhD student land and into gainful employment. Must get back to it. A chapter is almost ready for supes to read.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Changes
In recent news, the boy has decided that he's 'the man' in our relationship now. This means he makes the important decisions in the relationship. This means, he decides (apparently) which football team we support, Western Bulldogs. I've tried to explain that that isn't how things work with football team support. But he is adamant that he is the Man and that his word is final. I think I'll just let him believe that if it makes him happy.
In other news, we have a house to live in together, yay! It's in Heidelberg, it's 3 bedrooms and it's a 3 month lease. That means we have three months to get my thesis finished, get married and get sorted to move to Sweden. Wish us luck, I think we'll need it.
We're moving in next weekend, so this week will be packing and preparing.
The other news of the last week has been that I have been suffering from what I'm pretty sure, was the flu. I had been feeling pretty poorly since last weekend and on Thursday I was exceptionally unwell. I took my mum to have her foot operated on and then spent the next 6 hours asleep at her house. I also stayed the night and slept most of Friday as well. Fortunately, today I'm finally feeling human and I think that by the time comes to get moving I should be feeling back to normal.
In other news, we have a house to live in together, yay! It's in Heidelberg, it's 3 bedrooms and it's a 3 month lease. That means we have three months to get my thesis finished, get married and get sorted to move to Sweden. Wish us luck, I think we'll need it.
We're moving in next weekend, so this week will be packing and preparing.
The other news of the last week has been that I have been suffering from what I'm pretty sure, was the flu. I had been feeling pretty poorly since last weekend and on Thursday I was exceptionally unwell. I took my mum to have her foot operated on and then spent the next 6 hours asleep at her house. I also stayed the night and slept most of Friday as well. Fortunately, today I'm finally feeling human and I think that by the time comes to get moving I should be feeling back to normal.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Living in Armadale
So, I went for a run/walk thing this morning. Just walked down to the local park, ran around a bit, came home. On the way home I decided to play my favourite Toorak/Armadale/South Yarra game, how many 4 wheel drives. They are ever so prevalent here. To make the point more clear, I counted 104 4 wheel drives on my way home. It took me about 25 mins to walk back from the park. That's a lot of 4wd cars. I excluded all the ones that were obviously work trucks for those many many builders and handymen working on houses around the place. And if the car had dirt on it, and looked as though it had actually been used for off road driving, it was also excluded. 104! Gotta love people with more money than sense, or hate them? I wonder. Anywho, in my travels I also saw three labradors and two friendly cats. The cats were ever so keen to be patted. One tabby and one ginger. That is all, time to work on a project proposal for the Swedish Research Council and do some washing.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Homecoming
I've been back in Melbourne now for 24 hours. Did I mention I was coming back? Yeah, I decided that writing my thesis would be more efficient with my boy near me. The boy is now my fiance, that's the new change as well. We decided to get married soon after my birthday and plans are afoot. We're going to make use of the registry office and have a small, tiny, hard to see wedding.
So what else is news? I'm in Melbourne - tick. I'm getting married - tick. I'm moving to Sweden -tick. I'm writing my thesis -tick. I've been doing very little exercise -tick. I'm feeling a little displaced -tick. But I'm good. Give me a week and we'll be firing on all cylinders.
I'm going to look at an apartment this afternoon in Alphington, wish me luck that it's fabulous and they take us. We need somewhere new to live.
End vague and useless post.
So what else is news? I'm in Melbourne - tick. I'm getting married - tick. I'm moving to Sweden -tick. I'm writing my thesis -tick. I've been doing very little exercise -tick. I'm feeling a little displaced -tick. But I'm good. Give me a week and we'll be firing on all cylinders.
I'm going to look at an apartment this afternoon in Alphington, wish me luck that it's fabulous and they take us. We need somewhere new to live.
End vague and useless post.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Something else, vaguely interesting
I posted a photo of a mug of Max Brenner's hot chocolate quite some time ago. Turns out that it's a popular photo when getting people to check out this blog. I've been wasting some time checking out via sitemeter where people are coming from when finding their way here. This photo is apparently a big reason:
You dirty bunch of bastards. Trust the thing that brings most people here is a picture that could possibly look like minge. Deary deary me. But what else was the internerd invented for but for pictures of minge. I know, boobs and arses too. And probably cock. Can you tell I'm tired? And procrastinating?
You dirty bunch of bastards. Trust the thing that brings most people here is a picture that could possibly look like minge. Deary deary me. But what else was the internerd invented for but for pictures of minge. I know, boobs and arses too. And probably cock. Can you tell I'm tired? And procrastinating?
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