and it passes......

into the annals of history, yes another family Christmas! It went well and no tears or blood was shed and people were almost happy.

Dinner at Sizzlers was great, it was truly a marvel to watch Travis eat, a dear boy, but my god this tall slim lad could put a Green Bay linebacker to shame when it comes to food intake. It truly an awe inspiring sight to see the food he could inhale. Let's just say that we as a family got our money's worth solely due to Travis, he may be banned from Sizzler's restaurants nation wide after this last effort.

I was happy with my presents, it is interesting what various family members buy me for Christmas, the aspect of my personality they choose to focus upon! For example, my sister indulged me with a 1/2 kilo of Ferrero Roche chocolates which i am still working my way through. She knew she was onto a sure winner there

I am currently enjoying the break and relaxing at home catching up on my reading and hopefully a cycle or two before being back at work on Sunday

Ciao for now.......

.......And so it begins.........

the low grade anxiety that starts to pool in the pit of my stomach in the week leading up to Christmas. Will everyone be happy and will she behave, she being my grandmother who I love but sometimes don't like when her behaviour is atrocious and abominable as it was last Christmas. I used to wonder, as a child, why my mother would be so tense and irritable leading up to Christmas though she tried to hide it well. It wasn't until I was an adult woman that my mother filled me in on the conflict that she endured every single year of her married life and onwards. After all I was a clueless cossetted child shielded from all the slings and arrows of life. I think of my childhood as Camelot, it truly was that perfect, I have no memory of sadness or tension or anything until my early teens. My god, was I oblivious or what.

Now as Christmas approaches I begin to tense up and gird my loins to endure the day as best I can. Due to my insistence on having dinner out in an air conditioned restaurant we are going out to Sizzlers on the day itself for lunch, hopefully that will encourage good behaviour and manners from all.

I am expecting some fireworks from family members due to the presents I purchased for assorted family members, now most of them will accept these gifts in the vein of humour and community spirit with which it is intended but some are gonna blow up big time. I have bought presents for all family under the age of 10 but the older ones get the community spirited gifts. I have purchased assorted farm animals, their products and tools from Oxfam in order to assist needy communities to become self sufficient. I am delivering these cards explaining these gifts this weekend so I will know by Monday if I have been expunged from my immediate family or not.

Fingers crossed for me.

A friend of mine put the idea in my head, if you are an adult, you buy the stuff you want for yourself when you want it. People give you stuff they think you want or need but let's face it 8 of 10 times, it's nice but not what you really want or need unless you have clearly specified a specific desire for a specific item. This particular friend of mine is quite outspoken about not wanting gifts for birthdays or Christmas and I am happy to oblige. Except for her 40th birthday last year I bought her 40 scratchies, her birthday is in November, she was scratching scratchies for 40 days until almost January of the next year
and it amused her no end and gave me a giggle or two when i would received the odd text crowing about her winning a few dollars on that particular scratchie.

Talk about the gift that gives!

To all my blog readers, I do wish a lovely festive season celebrated however you wish to and that the upcoming year is full of all the things you wish to accomplish, see and do

Take care and Felice Navidad


Kerri

The beginning or the end.....

of the week! Being Sunday, I never know when this is my week endeth or its beginning. It's been a lovely weekend. On Saturday I met Alexander James Finch, a lovely little lad of some 3.5 weeks age, the new born son of dear friends Kate and Joel. I was the first person outside immediate family told of his impending arrival simply because Kate was bursting to tell and we had lunch that particular day and she knew that I could keep a secret. I love hearing secrets like that, they are wonderful. I may have chosen to not have children myself but I celebrate and adore newborn children of family and friends, they are wonderful gifts to the world. I cuddled Alex and he obligingly slept happily for the whole time whilst in my arms and its a lovely weight to bear and you do the mummy rock automatically and pat their bottom rhythmically, it is automatic for me despite not having born children of my own.



I worked at Chermside with some of my old crew from when I worked there and other staff from 'round the ridges. It's always a good day and I enjoyed myself!



Tomorrow is another day off and I hope to go for a bike ride somewhere if it is not too hot! Of course always the housework to catch up on but that I will do - might make tomorrow night - clean sheet night depends if the weather cooperates

The books I have been reading have been the Stephenie Meyers "Twilight" series, and surprise to me I have thoroughly enjoyed them, they are a terrific read. I can understand why they are so hugely popular, they have romance, action, appealing characters and terrific scenery described, all very atmospheric!
Will start the last one tomorrow and it will be all done until she writes another!

Adieu for now........

Odds 'n Sods

Saw the movie "Australia" the previous Sunday, normally when a movie is hyped to the extent that Australia is, it means that I automatically don't want to see it! Hyper promotion has the reverse effect intended with me, you want me to see that movie that much, fine I won't!
But persuaded by my mate Wayne, I consented to watch it with him, I was most pleasantly surprised I thoroughly enjoyed it! I laughed, got teary, gasped with the audience at various parts. Its a rollicking good flick and definitely worth the numb bum of 3 hours seating.

I bought an iron on Sunday, jesus, who'd have thought there was so much choice and they all do the same freakin' thing, iron clothes and they all required you there to do that. The choice was wide and prices varied crazily, so as usual, I went middle of the road and bought a Russell Hobbs job, which has a light show indicating the temperature of the iron, about 4 pretty colours in all.

Dixie and I had a lovely time with Jo, Roy, Scruff and Casper out at their new abode in Burpengary. Jo and I went out for coffee and I returned some $250 poorer after clothes shopping. Jo is a woman of style and taste and is honest with her opinion and that's great when you are dithering over clothes as I do and she has a good eye and shoved me in the cubicle with an assortment of things, most of which I purchased. Well my summer wardrobe is sadly depleted as most garments are looking shabby and past it, and I have a few garments that will mix and match so extending their usefulness. Another couple of skirts and another pair of sandals and I am good to go for all occasions.

Spent the day doing housework which leaves me with a good sense of achievement because it's noticeable for a time anyway. Then I shopped for the those things you run out of after a few months like loo paper, toilet cleaner and detergent. I buy large packets of loo paper, I have three toilets in my little townhouse and I usually buy 24 roll packs x 3 for each of them and it lasts ages. But now with Pete living in the house he can look after his own loo!! (Pete is my flatmate)

I am a fan of Febreze, with animals in the house and all this rain, things can get a bit whiffy, but a squirt of Febreze sorts it out and leaves it with a pleasant scent until I get the couch cover washed for another time.

I am at Mitchelton Library for four weeks I started last Saturday, it was a lovely introduction, I had forgotten what a pain interfiling and then retrieving CD's & DVD's is but a small price to pay. It's a lovely library in a lovely location, the staff are terrific and the customers seem to really love their library. I know all the staff and feel happy and relaxed to be there for the duration.

Until next time

Oh my lordy lordy.... where did the time go!

It's the 2nd of December and I feel dizzy and somwhat a little fatigued when I think about all the things on my to-do list before the end of the year descends upon us.

I am in my last week at Carindale before sticking on my acting TL hat at Mitchelton for a month from this coming Saturday. I am really looking forward to this stint as a learning curve and opportunity to develop my Team Leader skills. I have been to Mitchelton today to have the "handover" as such and I start on Saturday, yep it means two Saturdays in a row but I will be rewarded as I will be visiting my dear friends after work Jo & Roy who have their beloved furballs Scruff and Casper who both get along with Dixie and I love having Dixie along too and she gets spoiled rotten there and indulged in all sorts of treats. Jo & Roy have moved to their new place and I have yet to visit them in their new abode, hence the locked in visit this weekend. It takes some doing to get a free weekend where we are both available.

In fact all my weekends are booked up until January now with work and other obligations. Karate training ceases next Thursday for a holiday hiatus, one richly deserved for all the staff at AAMA who work tirelessly to bring the best in our training every week and coax us along when we are staggering about.

Mum has her doctors appointment tomorrow to hear how the radium worked or didn't work so a little anxious about that. So fingers crossed a positive upbeat result is on the cards!

Until next time.....

Still thinking...........but now posting

I have been thinking a lot over the last couple of days on what is coming up for me next year. I will be one very busy little bee and will have to be organised and up to speed with everything, otherwise the whole house of cards that represents my life will collapse.

As mentioned earlier in this blog I have enrolled to complete my library qualifications so I can be a librarian on paper as well as in real life! That is expected to take two years and is only part time so the load shouldn't be too onerous.

Another phase of my life is with Karate, I am currently studying and training toward being a black belt in my style of Martial Arts, and am approximately at the 1/2 way mark. Naturally it's getting harder as I progress up the scale and proving to be more challenging. We started sparring last night with gloves and mouthgards - we had previously been doing Tan Gan Ho - which is a modified form of sparring where the top of the head is gently tapped to signify a contact.

Last night we were instructed in kumite sparring, which is the real thing, still very strictly non contact ie you hit the ghi not the person (pulling your punch demonstrating your control) definitely no contact hitting to the face. But of course, yours truly, ducked her head in the wrong direction and got fairly smacked in the left eye, just a little puffiness around the eye the next morning to show for it (I don't bruise very easily). But very mortifying for myself and my partner who hit me, as it is deeply frowned upon to seriously hit your partner.

However I doubt it will be the last time I get whopped in sparring, for when I was dancing, whenever we were learning new techniques, out of the whole class, I was the one reliably guaranteed to go A over T in the most inelegant way possible every time, but I would just get up and dust myself off and repair my dignity and go on with the class.

I think the sign of a successful person is not in their material wealth but in their determination to get up every single time they get knocked down and keep trying!

Quote for the day

You always pass failure on the way to success.
Mickey Rooney (1920 - )

Thinking...................

about stuff!

Another week passes..........

I remember as a child that the year seem to last forever and that Christmas time would never arrive! The year milestones would take forever to arrive, you would have Christmas and then New Year and then you had to wait for Easter and the chocolate! Then my birthday which is in July would inch ever closer, then it too would pass and then it was the Ekka and September holidays and then the oh so slowly approaching Summer Holidays which would include Christmas and all its delights.

Now that I am a grown up of some years now, I feel I would not be surprised if someone told me that we skipped a few months because damn this year has freaking flown past and we are now heading into my least favourite time of the year. I have grown to dislike Christmas because of the family tensions it creates and fosters and bad behaviour of some has ruined it for most. I loathe New Year because it is the only time of year that highlights in BOLD ITALICS that I am a single female in her mid 30's and likely to remain that way until I die alone in my house undiscovered.

Never mind that for 364 days of the year I am happily single and have a rich full life with lots of things to look forward to and be involved in. Just that particular night highlights that little tiny (and it is very miniscule) part of me that goes "Hmm alone again this year!"

So I just grit my teeth and get through the "festive season" and enjoy what parts of it I can and endure the rest and before I know it - it February and then April and then September.

However this New Year I look forward too because 2008 has been a rough year and I am not sorry to say Adieu to it at all. I have much to look forward to in 2009 and am well focused toward that.

I find the quote below to be true one

It's funny how dogs and cats know the inside of folks better than other folks do, isn't it?
Eleanor H. Porter (1868 - 1920), Pollyanna, 1912

Summer Storms...............

I love 'em! Some of my earliest memories are of my Dad and I watching storms, my mother wasn't so fond of them so would ensconce herself in the middle of the family home and wait it out, but my Dad and I would park ourselves depending on the severity of the storm in the best position to see the storm out and marvel at nature's astonishing power. I find them invigorating and exciting and thrilling.

When it is a stinking hot day that only Brisbane seems to specialise in (I know I am being parochial) you just wait for the storm to come to break the heat and humidity!. You scan the sky and looking for the building thunderhead and watch it develop. My teenage years were spent on a mountain on the Sunshine Coast where we were perched on a hill and could see the storm evolve. The dog would start to freak out about six hours before the storm came and ensconce himself behind the washing machine, the dryer, basically any small dark place where he felt safe. His behaviour indicated a doozy of a storm was on its way. My dad and I would sit out on the tank stand and watch it roll in, calmly ignoring my mother's pleas to come in and what are you "freaking insane" etc etc.

I have one standout memory of being with an assortment of cousins and siblings and on the telstra mountain which is what we called the telstra/energex substation at Black Mountain Road, Cooroy, there was a dry electrical storm and we all got the idea to go up there and watch - the views being of the 360 degrees and utterly phenomenal (without parental permission of course) it was sensational, and to increase the risk factor we got out of the car and sat on the bonnet and roof just to boost the excitement factor. I have never seen fork lightning so spectacular nor so close since - as maturity brings with it commonsense! We all survived and enjoyed the spectacle but I suspect we were lucky!

I lived with my grandmother for quite a long time (13 years in total) and she is terrified of storms, unbeknownst to me for many years,was that she had witnessed a child being struck by lightning so that had scarred and scared her silly for the rest of her life. So I would be sticking my head out the windows and marvelling at nature's efforts and she would be shrieking at me and tugging my arm to rescue me from my foolishness!
I watched yesterday's storm from the balcony of Kedron-Wavell RSL sipping a Cointreau, lime and soda (my favourite tipple) and was restored by the spectacle Mother Nature laid upon us.
Now I know that a man died in the storm and damage was done but that is what happens if you are foolish you take the risk and gamble.

Make sure you are properly insured and all can be replaced and don't take foolish risks without expecting to pay the price. Yes I took a foolish risk being on top of a car in a dry electrical storm but that's the fun of being a teenager and completely risk attracted!

C'est la vie...........

A most satisfying day....

Well I am delighted to report that I am officially enrolled in a Graduate Diploma via Edith Cowan University. I am terribly nervous at the prospect of starting to study again, the mental discipline it requires of a world class procrastinator is tortuous. However it is only two years part time so it should be quite manageable and I am probably dramatising the impact I am expecting. The goal being that in two years time I will have qualified as a librarian with a real piece of paper to my name and also qualify for my black belt in Karate and all before I turn 40 - how's me!!! (an unfortunate phrase that my dad uses when he is bragging/boasting and i rather like despite the terrible grammar)

On another note, you may recall from previous trantrums, uh, I mean posts that I was experiencing significant difficulty in downloading a book from the net to a portable audio device, well I can report, that I achieved success at last this morning.

All this activity and I managed a phone call to my mum as well so all in all I was quite chuffed with my level of activity this morning.

Quote of the day for me
If I had to select one quality, one personal characteristic that I regard as being most highly correlated with success, whatever the field, I would pick the trait of persistence. Determination. The will to endure to the end, to get knocked down seventy times and get up off the floor saying, "Here comes number seventy-one!"
Richard M. DeVos
and this one too
Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan "press on" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.
Calvin Coolidge (1872 - 1933)

Am I a simple person.............

I think I am, now before you think that I am denigrating myself or my intelligence - I am not! I say I am a simple person because I like the simple things in life, I enjoy simple pursuits, I prefer simple surroundings. I have always thought it wise to only have enough of what you need and a little of what you want. I have a roof over my head, family and friends who truly mean the definition of what family and friends should. I have my pets who offer what I believe is the purest form of love there is, I know people believe that it is only cupboard love but I disagree!
I have a townhouse which suits me, I have no need of large abodes to say something about me. I have a 9 year old car that has never let me down, yet I hesitate to trade her in because of faithful service. I may toy with the idea of getting a shiny new vehicle but I balk each and every time at the thought of trading my lovely car in. I enjoy mostly solitary pursuits but at the heart of it, they are my true enjoyments in life. I get pleasure out of the clean sheet night! I take pride in a clean and tidy house. I enjoy visiting friends and family if only for a short time but I enjoy it nonetheless.
I suppose in short I am saying that my life - while it seems simple to others on the surface and probably very boring. I am, I believe, very wealthy in the things that count. I am truly happy within myself, and I see, that it is very important to be happy within yourself because external factors are very temporary in their solution in providing happiness. I see myself working for a long time simply because I enjoy my job, I love what it is at the core of the job that I do, I am not saying that I don't get down, or irritated and extremely angry but it is fleeting and it passes. I have friends who are afflicted by that terrible disease Depression and I thank my lucky stars that I am not, and I wish that there will be a cure in the near future for this insidious condition.
I take heart that they are my friends and I can help them by offering love and support whenever and wherever they may be.
I am rambling somewhat but I have just been mulling over during the day while doing the housework and mooching around the place, my place in this world and where i am in my life and the conclusion is that I am happy and blessed with all that I have in my life both material, physical and emotional!

Until we meet again..............

23 things are done & dusted

Happy to report that all 23 things are completed! I will review some of the modules that I skipped through 'cause they didn't really grab me but by and large I know what all the new technologies can do and how to use them. Certainly not fluent don't think I ever will be but I can mooch my way around and figure sh__ 'er I mean stuff out.

Getting paid to play around on this stuff has astounded most of my friends outside of work and consider me a lucky lucky cow to get to this stuff at work. I look forward to really getting a grip on the BCCLS wiki which is starting to make sense and I can really see how it's only gonna grow and become a really useful tool.

Cheers & ciao for now

Pets are mashed..........

I have sat down today determined to finish off the last couple of modules remaining 23 things!

Have had fun mashing the furkids - it was painless and no animals were endangered I promise

Better get back to it.........

Ok now for the link to my Google Online doc - I can see a variety of possibilities for using it but until everyone is on board with the technology and confident using it I am not sure it ever would get used.

http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=df93txn3_2cp5xkwc4&hl=en

There's the link, enjoy the view, Ok onto the last module

See you shortly

My three furballs ..............

From the top down they are Shadow - Maine Coone breed with 3 legs, Dixie - mini fox/chihuahua cross and last but not least Madame Simone - black persian with attitude to spare, she looks totally different today - she has been clipped for the summer so she has a black face, four black socks and her black fluffy tail but the rest of her is a lovely soft gray now. She is still groggy from the anaesthetic and staggering about the place like a little drunk kitty, very funny to watch. I have to get her clipped yearly as she won't let me groom her more than very lightly and a coat like her needs stripping regularly. Due to past trauma (not caused by me) she won't allow too much touching and grooming at all. She is sitting on my lap being very sooky due to still being a little dopey and I am enjoying this as she doesn't normally like this .

Glad you have met my pets.................

Forget the trick, just give me the treat....

First time for everything, I had 3 little ghouls/ghosts/witches knocking on my door last night to celebrate that most American tradition of Halloween - what a crock - I announced that it would have to be a trick because I didn't have any treats unless you counted Dixie's dried liver treats in the house. So I asked what the trick would be - the little monstrous trio just shrugged and said "Dunno" and wandered off to more fruitful pastures. So there was no tricking to be had, they were only interested in the treating! Lazy little so 'n so's

On another tangent all together, I have been more disciplined of late taking Dixie for walks around the burb, since I now have my portable audio device ladened with books and music and even a video (by accident). I decided to turn right rather than the usual left (which confused Dixie no end and took some tugging to encourage her to come with me). I thought I knew my immediate neighbourhood locale quite well, but I came across a delightful little park being used for a small child's birthday party and a nearby little pond, complete with ducks and gorgeous cute fluffy ducklings. All this was only five streets away, so I am resolved to be more curious about my immediate locale and go wandering around checking things out and seeing what other treasures are presently unbeknownst to me.

My next module is Mashups - I am kind of looking at it but avoiding it at the same time, cause I don't understand it and not sure what it means, yes I know that the purpose of 23 things is to edify me on exactly that but I am kind of put off by the name, it just doesn't grab me, it doesn't tell me what it is or does in the name. But I will discipline myself and knuckle down and do the module shortly and am sure to have a couple of further lightbulb "aha" moments when I do.

Until we meet again...............

Only 3 more to go....

and I will have completed my share of 23 things! I have learnt much and still have much to learn, I will revisit some earlier modules to get a more complete understanding of what I have learnt. I was training last night and I asked Shihan about a particular stance that is used frequently and said that I was reviewing my "stance" since I was struggling with it. Shihan was rather pleased with me (rare occasion) as he said that it meant I was thinking about what I was doing and improving because of it.

So it is with 23 things, I have skated through some things that haven't gelled with me thus haven't grabbed my attention but then gone back and had several "lightbulb ahaah" moments when two apparently disparate things have connected and given me a better understanding of the whole concept.

The only thing I have not felt good at is when we are asked how may a technology be used by staff in a professional way. I am not a thinker in that respect - generally have NFI (no f_____g/foggy idea) - I prefer to be told this is the way we are going and this is the technology we are using ie the wiki - now that I know about it, and now that I know how to use it (mostly) well I want to use it like that now, so I propose we get cracking and just start using it NOW - holus bolus - both feet in - deep end jump!

But thats me, once i decide to do something, it's in like flynn,slicker than a rat with a shiny gold tooth!

I've figured out why I've come to a screeching....

halt with 23 things! I am absorbed in reading all the blogs that my talented colleagues have been busily posting! I love reading them and time goes by and before you knowit, your very carefully allocated 23 things time has vanished and real life is a foghorn shrieking for your attention! I got such a buzz when I read library luke's blog and he mentioned a snippet from a posting off my blog. I figure some people are reading it but it is hard to tell so keep the comments going, its a real boon for the old ego!

So I am determined this week to knock over a couple more modules and get moving again with the 23 things learning curve.

I am feeling very relaxed and happy and hopeful about things, I am not sure what has caused this state of being within myself but I am enjoying it immensely. If I could bottle it I would be a billionaress. I talked to my mum on Friday night who was just home from a week's retreat at Heartland with her partner George and sounded happy and relaxed albeit still tired.

I had a great weekend, nothing hugely exciting, other than a delicious lamb roast that my aunt made and invited me over for. I took Dixie for a very long walk and listened to my audio book with delightful happiness. I spent time playing board games, drinking wine and socialising with my friend Sharne an ex-bcc library lander. I fixed my bike seat height so I can cycle with ease up the mean old Scrub Road hill with ease and panache.

All in all - at present life is good and sweet and happy

Aaah the sweetness that is Friday...........

and I don't have to work Saturday..... I think the anticipation of the weekend is better than the weekend itself, it is full of endless possibilities and lots of options filled with potential fun and frivolity! I think about all the things I would love to do and then think about the things I must do and must do's win over love to do. I would love to do brunch but I must do the vaccuuming - I would love to do a drive and go somewhere I haven't been before and visit a place but I must do the laundry - you can see where i am going with this.

The probable weekend will entail - training tomorrow morning, back home to do laundry and vaccuum, visit my cousins and then go babysit other cousins. Home again and then up early to drop flatmate off at the train station and then more assorted things to do, hopefully a bike ride and a Dixie walk (but could possibly squeeze a solo brunch in) and the off to lunch and a board game afternoon at a mates place.

I hope you all have a fabulous weekend.........

Success is so much the sweeter for the sweat...

I have cracked the nut of audio book downloads for MP3 novels and am soo happy! I have been chided for sweating the petty things and not petting sweaty things (does that include men, Kath)
and yes I am normally serene and calm but I do get very frustrated when the simple things should work and don't for no apparent reason! I had an interesting training session with iSkills - Digital Photography management - lots of different cameras, some with cables, some without, some talked to the PC some didn't, so lots of scenarios and takes a lot of managing, luckily for me I had two fabulous colleagues who troubleshot the difficult queries so I could get on with the class. Now the thing I think separates me from other staff is that I don't care if the punters know that I don't know, but am willing to have a crack at it and see what happens. Some people might have thought I was woefully under prepared but I wasn't because I could not be expected to know all models of cameras that would be brought to the class - I just operated on the idea that they are like cars, they all drive in the same way but just have individual idiosyncrancies and let's figure them out together. But I learnt a lot from the class and will take the learnings and approach the next one with an adjusted focus (pardon the camera pun) and see how it goes!

Meanwhile I gotta dog to walk and a book to listen to on my flash little jobbie - its shiny red!

Oh happy days oh happy days...........

I've got side tracked somewhat..........

I have kind of lost steam and progress with 23 things as I have been distracted into trying to download audio books via our providers and have had immense problems, in fact, speaking with a variety of colleagues it would appear that not a single solitary staff member has been successful in this endeavour. When something doesn't work and it should work - I tend to get a bit bull headed about it and keep persisting until I succeed, don't like to be defeated by technology!
Perhaps I should put this aside and keep progressing with 23 things and focus on that for a while but I don't want to - I know that sounds petulant but I get like that when things don't work for no good reason.

I am a bit concerned that when I conduct the iSkills Digital Photography session today that I will need to warn the patrons that it comes with a PG warning - because I fear that if I have any unforseen problems that my potty mouth is gonna erupt without fear or favour and the ears of the innnocent patrons may never be the same again.

My patience with obdurate technology is wearing rice paper thin at present and I am close to seriously doing my nut in a most inappropriate manner and possibly getting the boot in short order!

Stay tuned............

Technology is the pits................

I have just spent the better part of 3 hours dicking around trying to download an audio book, not difficult you would imagine for someone endowed with common sense and nous but noooo..........
This is a service that is freely provided by a public library service but in lip service only, cause it don't work and I fail to see the point in offering something via a library catalogue that seriously does not work. Now, of course, I could have failed by missing a key component but I do not think so. I invite anyone who believes they can help me to be seated at my pc and I will provide nourishment and encouragement to that individual if they succeed where I have failed. A spectacularly successful exercise in frustration and serious irriation, how do our punters feel about it I wonder!!

I did it and I am so chuffed with myself......

I rode to work today to honour my committment to the National Ride to Work day 15th October. I feel marvellous at the moment but time shall tell, by this afternoon it may be a different story and I have the ride home yet to do and a karate session tonight so the energy expenditure will be high today!
That's all for now folks........

Back at it............

As I kill time posting a blog before resuming training tonight at karate, I wonder how I will fare tomorrow when I cycle to work to celebrate National Ride to Work Day 15th October - I enrolled a few months back and thought "yep no worries, I'll be fit enough, will have worked to a plan to achieve this without too much sweat and exhausting involved" and now the day is imminent and I am 7 kilos heavier and lot more unfit due to outside impacting factors and also due to the fact at heart I am a lazy lazy sod and will procrastinate to the ends of the earth before doing any exercise. But nonetheless I have made this committment and I shall see it through - God help me!

I have done a cycle a couple of times to work to suss it out and survived quite nicely but I didn't have to be in a non sweaty state to do it so a towel and soap shall be placed in the basket along with the uniform and handbag so I can shower myself back to my sweet smelling self.

Will let you know how it goes!

Home again Home again...jiggity jig

There ain't no place like it - HOME - your place of retreat from the toils and frustrations of life. I have missed my home, my animals and my bed, Oh god have I missed my bed, my back is going to be awhile forgiving me for the insults I have caused it to suffer. Mum's little house was a burstin' at the seams so I had the choice of floor, couch or share with her. I tried sharing with Mum, but the woman is a bed and cover hog and difficult to share a bed with, the floor is too hard and the couch was too soft! Salvation came in the form of George's house (mum's partner) , George was away and had offered me the house as a retreat and spare bed which after two nights and a crippled back I took him up on. I would take his dog Bonny out for a run on the farm as she was cooped up in a back yard while he was away and being a border collie/kelpie cross, this dog has energy to spare no matter how much ball retrieval you do. She also made good company out at George's place which is off the beaten track a little and she is a good watch dog too.
Back to work and normal routine tomorrow including Karate, Oh boy do I have some work to catch up on in relation to Karate training but no matter I shall get there!
Until next time.........

Back online....

I am typing this new post on Mum's very cute new eec pc laptop my brother Steve bought her for an early birthday present! It is small, typing is of the two fingered pecking variety but effective enough for Mum's requirements. It may seem strange but i have enjoyed being up n the coast being with Mum, although there has been a lot of to'ing and fro'ing to dr's and treatment. Mum has been fairly blessed and not had too rough a time of it, in fact yesterday she was feeling so good she was in the garden laying out mulch despite my scolding, she is a little sore today but mostly OK.
I have been the domestic queen this past week , washing, cleaning and cooking, its been good to be of practical use, i am much better at doing things for people than offering emotional pats on the back although i can do that too in a pinch.
It is now a period of wait and see for a month then back to the radiologist to see what impact the radium has had on the tumours, reduction in size is what is expected and elimination is what is prayed for but no change or increase in size is what is dreaded.
But we can only hope, pray and beseech the entities of belief for a fair go!
I am looking forward to returning to my normal routine tomorrow and seeing my much missed and pined for fur balls, tho i am blessed that my flatmate Peter is so good at taking care of them and not just feeding them but playing, interacting and talking with them!

Going offline for a while..........

I am taking some time off from work to head up to my mum's place while she is having radium treatment as her partner George has to head up to Mt Isa for some family stuff himself and I have promised Mum and George to make myself available whenever needed and I am blessed to work for an organisation that allows me to make that promise and know that I will be able to keep it. However, Mum's more critical need is a blood transfusion which she cannot have at present due to QLD supplies being so low and it is being prioritised for life threatening critical cases, which is understandable. I am begging all eligible people I know to donate a pint this week to help our supplies increase. Mum is struggling to catch her breath, her energy levels are non existent and she is really miserable, it is amazing to see the different that a blood transfusion makes. So if you are reading this and are eligible to donate blood, I beg of you, please take the time to make a donation, the staff at the blood bank really do make you feel special and valued for they the difference your time makes to so many people.
I am going to be offline for a week or so until I return home.

Au revoir............

Getting there............but I might need to revisit

Apparently I have reached the half way mark for this 23 things caper. Although I suspect I have galloped (me gallop, never) through some sessions and will have to revisit them in particular Wikis & RSS feeds, still don't quite have them clearly understood.

Those that know me well, know that I have tendency to charge in and have a go at something, generally missing the finer details until later on in the game. So I have probably raced through some of the sessions, but this works for me as I get an overall picture of what I know and don't know and then I go back and fiddle with the things I don't know but am interested in.

I have to say I am spending more time than ever in front of a pc and my god, can you waste time on it. Trolling through Youtube alone, could consume days of your life you will never get back. I have got my cousin all fired up about Facebook, she sent me a pre-emptory message to get thee over to her place pronto and help her understand what Facebook is about but when I got there she was doing more stuff than I ever have on Facebook, stuff I haven't even bothered with ie posting videos, photos etc etc. So I guess there is something for everyone on Facebook if you care to look.

Weekend, what weekend....

I am working this weekend at Chermside, they were shorthanded for Saturday and offering overtime so I put my hand up, never sneeze at O/T on offer, since the mortgage never quits being hungry for money with the credit card hot on its heels. But it hasn't stopped me having fun, as mentioned in previous post I went to the Pink Floyd Experience, my friends and I appeared to be on the younger end of the demographic, surprised at the age of some of the attendees. Slightly alarmed to see a Nun (in full habit) in interval, but as she passed me I noted with relief, the My Fair Lady program she had clutched in her hands. Not sure what I would have thought had I seen a Pink Floyd experience program in her hands instead.
All in all I enjoyed, we had dinner at Ahmet's turkish restaurant at Southbank that does a roaring trade, no wonder, with the size of the freaking serves, I was hungry but I could only do justice to half of my delicious meal. On to Pink Floyd Experience, which turned out to be a concert featuring all Pink Floyd material, lots of flashing lights, techno trancey music. I recognised about 5 songs, all in all an enjoyable experience.
An early night tonight since I am back at Chermside tomorrow and I put in a good days work for my money earned.
Then I get to go to my auntie's for roast lamb dinner and I would most definitely turn down Tom Cruise for it.

TGIF..............well almost....close enough for me

I am totally and utterly buggered, I should be training tonight to make up for missed classes, but this little duck just couldn't, there was nothing left in the engine tonight! I have never looked forward so much to Friday but I am tonight, I suspect it might be that I am not working Saturday which always make the alternate Friday a lovely prospect when one is not working the following Saturday. I also have a nice prospect to look forward to, I have been invited by a cycling buddy to a PINK FLOYD experience, now I enjoy Pink Floyd as much as the next person but I am not sure what to expect from an experience of Pink Floyd but I shall find out Friday night for certain and get back to you on that. So dinner out, good company, entertainment set, all in all a good night looks certain.

It's getting warm in here............

Well I dressed for summer today, in a nice summer dress and leather sandals and went head onto into the day but forgot to check the legs, yes, whoops, time for the Venus to be dragged into action.
I have a new credit card in the hopes that I can reduce the outstanding bill to nothing in short order. I never intended to have more than one but after refinancing a couple of times and being too lazy and intimidated by banks to close the associated credit card after moving banks I ended up with 3 with a little on each. But no fear, I have organised myself this time and closed them down and rolled the balances over into one account and one bill to pay each month and hopefully the balance will be reduced in due course. I have a friend who deals with banks and mortgages all the time without feeling any emotion, moves banks if they can offer a better deal without hesitation.
I, on the other hand, am utterly intimidated by banks and their staff, will happily pay bills and fees etc but ask for anything, oh no, never do that! I hate phoning banks up, I hate going into them, god forbid, they want to do a needs analysis, I feel like I am standing to be chastised by the school principal. I pay my bills, I live my life happily but there ain't much left at the end of the month so savings are not flash yet I feel backward for not having a slew of investment properties by now and a newer car etc. I take pride that I own everything in my possession including my car and have no "Harvey Norman" debt as I call it. The bank and I regularly tussle for larger portions of ownership of my house, its about 55/45 in their favour, but I will prevail one day and have ownership of my abode.

Of course as we near Christmas, the junk mail is ever increasing, the deals get ever more enticing but though I flirt with the glossy prints highlighting all the pretty shiny new things on offer I steadfastly resist the siren call of "buy now, interest free, take home today, interest free for 36 mths"
That reminds me that I must start getting sorted for Christmas and think about nice things to buy people who by and large I love very much but sometimes drive me to the slippery brink of insanity.
That's all for now Folks........

Adjusting & Adapting...........

This is probably a far more personal post than previous ones, so be warned... My aunt and I did a quick trip up to the Sunshine Coast on Friday night because we had received word about my Mum's condition, she is currently fighting small cell carcinoma and I thought, doing quite nicely. However unbeknownst to me Mum had an appointment with her radiologist to organise her radium treatment and he is a very good doctor and has a lovely manner by all accounts but he don't sugar coat news. He advised mum that the radium will give her time but the cancer will come back guaranteed in her lungs and quite likely hit her brain as well. Since he had been the first medical practitioner since the whole thing has started to be kindly blunt with her, she had a reasonably predictable reaction, got on the phone to her mum, my nan and bawled her eyes out down the phone. So my mum who is the original cock eyed optimist and glass half full kinda gal, had the blinds ripped off and had to face her own mortality which according to the radiologist is a matter of months not necessarily years which is what we had kind of been thinking. But as women do when they gather, when my aunt (mum's sister) and I arrived, there were tears and hugs and more tears but within a half hour there was giggling, laughing and outright howls of laughter. So i felt better for having seen my mum and cuddled and stroked her cute but baldy head and hugged her some more. So there will be quality time spent with mum not quantity time but she will fight the good fight as long as possible but I suspect surrender with good grace if and when the time comes.
So as i adjust and adapt to visualising this new reality with my mum not in the picture, I hope I am as tough and indominitably spirited as my mum is.......

Pffffffftttt, that's the sound I am hearing now in my head

Getting into the swing of 23 things now and I am reaching critical mass with my information intake! I am thinking up funny (read rude) ditty's for Blogs, Wikis and RSS to alleviate my stress! I think I will take a step back and let it digest for a week or so and then do some more of my modules. The biggest thing I am having to adjust to is how RSS and Wiki's will work with libraries and day to day running of them, watching the Youtube explanation is great, makes perfect sense and very easy to understand how it could apply to the benefit of staff in libraries. I am reading all recommended links and I guess I have to leave time for the old lightbulb to ping in my head and then I will have my "Get it, Got it, Good" moment.

I think I will go for a long bike ride on Sunday to clear my head and not think about computers or anything whatsoever to do with them.

Hmm RSS

Ok I have watched the Youtube explanatory video on RSS, but I still don't get it, clearly having a dim moment! I guess it's because I don't understand why you want information constantly streaming in, I would rather seek it out when it suits me, for instance, I subscribed to Library Links and for a while read them religously when the arrive but now find myself dumping them in a folder in G'wise for reading later, which means they don't get read!
But I have set up with Google Reader with the recommended RSS feeds including the Powerhouse Museum one so I guess I can tick myself done with RSS for the moment

Thank heavens that's done...........

Well I did it, I held the inaugural Web 2.0 session at CNL. It went off well, lots of questions and lots of heated debate especially about privacy and who can see what and what you can do about it! Having had my nose tweaked this morning about a particular Facebook conversation, I learned how to ratchet up my privacy levels and be a bit more choosy about who can see what, when and how in my Facebook profile. But you live and learn, now don't you, every day of the week.
It brought to mind that how as a young lass and teenager I was physically incapable of keeping a diary because my mother always told me don't ever write anything down that you don't want to be held against you, so the few times I was given a diary, it remained unwritten in and as pristine as the day it was printed (it also didn't help that I had a very very nosy little brother), so for me to be keeping a blog is quite revolutionary or is that evolutionary, no matter, a blogster I have become, a blogster I shall remain.
I leave you with this....
The true secret of giving advice is, after you have honestly given it, to be perfectly indifferent whether it is taken or not, and never persist in trying to set people right. Hannah Whitall Smith, 1902

Note the pic....I am a clever sausage

Greetings

I have been fooling about on the pc a lot this weekend in between watching for whales and perusing dancing stallions (no, not a male strip show). I have managed to tidy up my photo library on my pc and photos are now in folders and tidily organised, instead of a box or pc equivalent thereof
I have uploaded a pic of moi on my blog and am chuffed at myself for doing so, I am learning some serious shi... er i mean skills on this 23 things capers. Got a few decent pics on the whale watching trip and once you edit out the acres of blue ocean you can actually see real evidence of whales were seen. They were friendly critters, I think they were on a human watching expedition as much as we were on a whale watching cruise.

Now watching the dancing stallions accompanied by flamenco guitarists and flamenco dancers, well that stirred the romance in my soul especially seeing the gorgeous black Friesian stallions, my my they are beeyoootiful! My cousin Shanon and I are determined that before we kick the bucket we shall have ourselves a pair of these beyootiful horses to play with, such luxurious manes , luscious tails and gorgeous confirmation!

I have had a marvellous weekend and am feeling very happy and mellow and quite blessed with all the good things in my life and reading an article on how to be happy, I realise that I have cracked this nut and enjoy happiness on a daily basis.

Until we meet again............

TGIF.........

I have been getting organised for my inaugural training session on Facebook & Youtube next Tuesday. I had a chat with my colleague from CDE Jamie who has already done this session this week and got a few tips and ideas for managing the tsunami of questions that the punters will undoubtedly have. I have printed off a few help screens for those that like to clutch paper in the hopes that all will be revealed within. My fervent hope is that my dear colleagues have grilled the clients as to their mouseability and internet savvy so that we have a forward moving class rather than one that will spin its wheels while some poor punter says with all innocence "Excuse me Miss, but what is a mouse"

My weekend is shaping up to be a busy one, the old adage is a true one, it never rains but pours! Tomorrow I am off to watch whales somewhere in the vicinity of Gold Coast waters, hopefully the sightings will be good and yes I will hang on to the side and not get bowled over if the waves are rough and then sunday I am off to watch the dancing stallions and, no, it is not a male revue show, though that wouldn't go astray as an entertainment option. The dancing stallions are just that and are accompanied by flamenco dancers and guitarists, so it should be a blast.

Monday I feel will be a restful day, with some necessary housecleaning done!

Au revoir for now........

Now I've done it................

Uploaded my pics to Flickr, another damn email to remember, lucky i use the same password for everything, otherwise i think i would be on the road to insanity!
Now I have been taking pics of my pets, well the ones that would cooperate by remaining still for me long enough. My dog Dixie detests the camera, I think I spooked her once long ago with the flash and she has yet to trust me with a camera again, so most pics show her head as far away from the camera as possible. But its been a fun couple of hours mooching around learning how to use Flickr and upload stuff, they really do use the CIG (complete idiots guide) school for teaching now don't they!!

I trained last night and while I was completely knackered afterwards, I felt really good, its amazing how good natural endorphins feel when they are flowing through the body. Something that Shihan said last night has stuck with me, its about being in the moment, when you are playing just play, when you are working just work and when you are resting just rest. If you
are completely in the moment you will get far more out of what you are doing than having your mind ahead to the next thing awaiting your attention. So i am going to try to follow that, instead of having my attention in 3 different directions, just do whatever it is i am doing at that precise moment.

Thought for the day....

Guard well within yourself that treasure, kindness. Know how to give without hesitation, how to lose without regret, how to acquire without meanness.
George Sand (1804 - 1876)

Do what has to ............

Do what has to be done, when it has to be done, to the best of your ability, all of the time! - When you think about these words, they are really a template for how to live a life. I try to keep them in mind for when the urge to procrastinate has me in its grips!
I first heard these words from my karate instructor and they resonated with me as a way to stop procrastinating and get on with things when I don't want to do them,like domestic chores, food shopping, visiting irritating relatives that you do love but sometimes find hard to like and on the list goes. When I start studying next year I suspect domestic chores will develop an irresistible attraction and the house will be immaculate before I summon the discipline to knuckle down to the required study.
I have found studying karate to be a very beneficial thing, not only for the physical disicipline but also the mental and emotional discipline, it forced me to address many of my so called fears and I have felt very empowered by doing this, for example, the idea of storytelling used to horrify me, would rather crawl over broken glass than do it. Now, bring it on, nothing really fazes me, except for the idea of scuba diving, but since I don't have gills, or a need to submerge myself regularly under water, I don't think it will be an issue.
Till next time.............

Now where was I....

Reading through the getting started bit of "23 Things" I came to realise my blog should be more directed at how I feel, what I experience and what I achieve while meandering and/or gallivanting through the process. I am pretty impressed at how determined the BCCLS is that all staff shall have the opportunity to learn and experience 23 things and surprised at the scepticism displayed by some that time won't be allocated to their learning and adamant that it won't be done at their home which is perfectly legitimate and understandable. I guess it is a different way of looking at things and where you might be in your life. But to my mind if you stop learning you stop living. I try always to be open to learning new things and I am blessed to be in a job that allows me to learn new stuff every day and sometimes several times a day.
On another tangent, it has always amused me that i am often consulted by my colleagues to sort out technical woes at work and for some strange reason, I often fluke a solution (and truly that is all that it is, a fluke). If these same colleagues could see me at my home cursing a blue streak at the set top receiver I have had for close to 18 mths and cannot figure out how to install it successfully, they would shriek with hysterics and now I have speakers to my my PC - connected correctly I am positive - that refuse to work, which is causing some consternation since I can't continue my progress at home with 23 things until this dilemma is rectified. I am lucky that the family possesses a few tech-heads that will come to my rescue this week. I leave you with this thought.........
A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort

Bit of this, bit of that, some of the other!

I was feeling very ho hum this morning, took ages to get moving! Thank heavens I was on an RDO, because I don't think I would have posed much value at work, that's for sure!
But I did the housework as required for good hygiene standards and then did the ironing and in the midst of cursing the wretched ironing board upon i was ironing, I realised that it was a donation and I hadn't actually bought it, which prompted the thought that perhaps I should peruse ironing boards and buy one that stays upright and still while one is ironing. This necessitated a trip to Big W, now I can't speak for readers of this blog (oh how few they are) but I love Big W, I have yet to figure out the particulars, but I love the layout of the store, love the range and just love the prices! But still I was rather astonished at the prices of ironing boards given that I had not bought one previously as my current one was a hand me down from my aunty. The one i purchased for a princely sum of $100 will serve me well, as it is very large and wide and very stable and has this cool thingy for the iron itself, and slots very nicely beside the fridge when not in use.
The other domestic issue currently plaguing me is the metal circle doohickeys that sit above the elements in my stove, mine are all rusty and icky and have been disposed off since they are cosmetic and not essential to the workings of the stove but i would like to replace them since the stove looks kinda naked without them, like a house without eaves!
But i did buy nice stainless steel cover for the elements which makes the stove look almost new!

From Reading to Blogging

After a few years of reading many and varied blogs about all manner of topics and occasionally featuring in said blogs, the time has come, thanks to the launch of BCCLS program "23 things" I have been nudged gently into the creation of my very own blog!
I hope that as my blogging skills improve, the blog will prove reasonably interesting to read! Considering the blogs I read daily, the yardstick is set high. In any case I look forward to reading my colleagues blogs regularly and getting to know them on a different level