Skiing on my day off!

Today was my day off and I was lucky enough to have my best friend come over from Meribel to ski and visit me.

It was so surreal having her meeting my colleagues in the hotel and for us to ski together again after last year's ski antics.

Unfortunately Beck  and I accidentally found ourselves on a very very black run (some might say Denzel Washington black) which was okay for me but not so much for Beck who has only ever skied for two weeks before. Ever. 

This black run is renowned throughout the Espace Killy because it is the Men's Olympic downhill ski course. Unfortunately due to it's serious difficulty it is no longer the ski course... am I painting a picture of the difficulty of this piste yet?

It took us about 1.5 hours and at least 10 tumbles for Beck before we reached the bottom. I spent the rest of the afternoon trying to restore Beck's confidence in her skiing ability and will have to hope that the experience wasn't sufficiently disastrous that she no longer wants to ski. As an upside, her blue runs wont't be as challenging anymore.

Tonight is my night off so I a, thinking I am going to have to have a bit of a big one. Last night we had pub trivia which is always fun, though I was well-behaved and didn't drink so it won't be too bad to have a few cheeky ones now. Last night at trivia we had lots of fun and, although we only came fifth, we won best team name, which was a bit of an 'in joke' but it was Quiz Trow - a play on one of the owner's of the bar's names.

Still loving working at my hotel and starting to get very excited for New Year's which is set to be good fun. It is fancy dress again so I am thinking a sailor's outfit couldn't go too far astray.

Christmas in Tignes

I am pleased to say I spent a beautiful, snowy, white Christmas at the hotel despite being away from the family. The hotel's staff all came together like our own little family and enjoyed a nice christmas meal together on Christmas eve before doing the evening's service. We then all partied til about 3am in the underground bar, dressed up and dancing on tables. Lots of fun, but huge headaches for Christmas morning.

Christmas dinner with staff

After doing Christmas morning brekky service the staff all gathered and opened each other's Secret Santa presents with champagne (yes, more drinking) in hand.

Opening our Secret Santa pressies

We all then skied over to Tignes - which was not fun while feeling ridiculously hungover in a claustrophobic gondola - and all enjoyed a lunch paid for by our company.

Skiing on Christmas day

We then served about 70 guests a lovely Christmas meal on Christmas night, before I fell asleep at about 10pm absolutely exhausted from my 4 hours sleep on Christmas eve.

I am having a ball here at the moment and am enjoying all the partying and camaraderie with everyone I work with.

On a side note, I love the quirkiness of France. Every morning and evening I collect bread from a bakery nearby my chalet and my baker is continually stoned. Literally, my baker is baked. He leaves his half-smoked joints on the bench-top as he packages up the baguettes. Crazy, huh!?

Some gossip to update you on

Only three days until Christmas now. I am so excited. I put up the Christmas tree in Chalet Hattiers yesterday and it was the first time I really realised that Christmas is soooooon!

I thought I would fill you in on the last 24 hours. Today is my day off, so last night was a bigger one - we had a pub quiz and my team (the Quiztina Aguileras) came second. There weren't that many people in the bar, but it was still lots of fun. Sarah, who works in the bar, was pouring my drinks with a generous hand of vodka, needless to say I got a bit drunk. 

Eye of the Needle

I met a pretty cool guy called Ollie last night too. We went skiing together today and he took me to this amazing place called the Eye of the Needle. We had to take off our skis to get to it, and climb up this steep snow covered mountain, but it was definitely worth it once we got up to the landmark. We soon discovered kissing isn't possible with goggles on. Quite a worthwhile lesson to learn early on in the season I suppose. 

Week 2 at the Chalet

Some of the guests we skied with!

I have just finished my second week working in the chalet and time is flying by.

Unfortunately I have been pretty sick this past week and have been spending all my time off in bed trying to recuperate. Without too much success in recovering I went to the doctors yesterday and have been dosed up on drugs, so feeling better already which is nice.

Last week I moved over to another chalet - it's a bit fancier - but also more to clean. I work with a gorgeous South African couple and they have such a great taste in music, so despite doing lots of hard work it isn't so bad when we have good music to listen to.

There are quite a few niice (read hot) guests coming through the hotel at the moment which is always fun, but unfortunately seeing as I've been sick I am not going to the Underground (the pub beneath our hotel), so am having to make the most of lying in bed watching films on my computer.

Cannot believe it's only five days until Christmas. Time is traveling so fast! It's a little bit weird to think that i'll be away from the family, but it's nice knowing I have already bought my pressies for everyone. Just a Kris Kringle to go for one of the staff members in the chalet.

Sorry this isn't full of juicy goss, hopefully once I feel better it will be!

xx

First day on the slopes

I am pleased to announce that today I went out on the slopes for the first time in the season. I had such a great time and thoroughly enjoyed skiing with people that challenged me to go faster.

We skied from 11.30 am until about 4 pm before going to Vincent's for a quiet red wine before starting work. We also made a short visit to Loop Bar in Tignes where we all had drinks and refreshed ourselves before it was time to hit the slopes once again. So much fun!

This evening I went up to my chalet and our chefs cooked up the most delicious dinner party for us. We had sausages in a tomato sauce, a beautiful salad, vinaigrette potatoes and a melted camembert. Delish!

Sarah and I tried to  bake a cake for tomorrow's afternoon tea and I'm disappointed to say I kind of screwed it up. It looked good when it went into the oven, but it turns out that the 3 tablespoons of baking powder I put into the mixture were in fact only supposed to be 3 teaspoons. Oops. So the cakes were a massive flop (literally) and I will need to rebake them tomorrow.

I am finding that my days are getting more and more enjoyable the longer that I stay here on my season. Lots of fun and hopefully it only gets better!

Update on life in Tignes

So I have now been working at the hotel for a week and it has gone quite quickly really. I am still getting used to everything though and wish so much that I were skiing. We got our skis and boots today though, so hopefully the lift passes will come soon (perhaps tomorrow?!). Then we will be able to hit the slopes which, to be honest, is the reason I am here.

Work has been difficult. Some of the staff are absolutely hilarious and I am really lucky to share a room with two lovely girls. There have also been some tough times though which make living away from friends and family seem difficult and cause me to question whether I will be able to last five months here.

We have been going down to the bar below our hotel most nights and I really don't want to make too greater habit of drinking every night (as has been done the past two nights) because it is so bad for me and makes me feel awful the next day when I am up and working at 7.30am needing to look bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Must practice self control.

Unfortunately no real man-talent yet... will just have to wait and see. Though some of the guests are pretty sweet and one couple left a bottle of red wine for us when they checked out.

My mum had a numerology reading the other day (which we have both had done before and which are always so spot on) and the reading said that I will soon meet a man and he'll be really perfect for me... certainly an encouraging/ nice thing to hear. So we shall see.

It's quite difficult always trying to be perky and smiley and happy around everyone, particularly when we all live and work and sleep in such close confines. And because I share a bedroom there isn't every really any time alone. Not that I am complaining - my room mates are brilliant - but it's just an adjustment to get used to.

Hopefully I will be able to stick to it and will enjoy myself and have loads of fun, particularly once we are able to begin skiing! Watch this space.

Flying to Geneva: Part 2

It's day two of the waiting game today. Having been put up in a hotel - The Holiday Inn- last night with all food and accommodation included, I was given a 13:20 flight for today.

Because my sleeping patterns are still quite dodgy, I woke at about 5:30 am and thought I would try my luck with a standby flight. Unfortunately all of the morning flights to Geneva are once again cancelled. Here's hoping there will be more luck with the afternoon flights. If not, it will be another night in hotel accommodation.

Later in the day

So in fact my flight for this afternoon has also been cancelled and I have been moved to another hotel with a guy I've become friends with. He is also doing a ski season in Tignes which is cool. We have decided to go into London to look at the Natural History Museum and to get out our laptops to see whether there are alternative ways for us to fly out to Geneva. The problem is that snow is falling both in Geneva and at Heathrow, so the planes just can't leave their airports. In the past two days alone 18 flights to Geneva have been cancelled.

This hotel is a bit more posh than The Holiday Inn. I have a king-size bed which is always nice and the food is delicious. I could definitely get used to this!

Above is one of the photos from my adventure to London!

Flying to Geneva: Part 1

After a week in England spent organising my national insurance number, a doctor's appointment, the opening of a British bank account - each of which containing ridiculous hassles - I am now stuck at Heathrow with my flight having been cancelled to Geneva.

I have been queueing for over an hour already and am only halfway thorugh the line. Quite coincidentally, in front of me in the line is a good school friend, Eliza Bowey, who has just flown in from Sydney and is attempting to get to Ireland.

In the queue are a unique collection of people. An orthodox Jew stands directly in front of me, and in front of him is a woman severely decked out in Prada, Gucci, Louis Vuitton... she is getting pretty worked up about the situation at hand. Several places in front of her stands a skinny buddhist monk wearing crocks and socks. Sexy. As the queue moves forward he insists on kicking his sole item of luggage, a cardboard box from the US Army, rather than picking it up like everyone else around him.

Businessmen stand about on their iPads with laptops open, insistent on making the most of the opportunity to get some work done despite the less-than-ideal conditions.

As the paging service interrupts the silence of the line, travellers change their expressions to ones of utmost concentration. Are they perhaps being called? Could there be a flight for them?

Right now, I pray the afternoon flights will open and a Heathrow sleepover won't be necessary. However, in the event that it is, it will just have to be something to add to my list of experiences.

So I'm not clucky, but...

Definitely don't want a baby anytime soon, especially not since I have been nannying these past few weeks, but this is just too cute. And it is even better because it is Florence + The Machine playing in the background!

My little car

Just a short blog post to let you know that I sold my little car yesterday. It's the end of an era.

My little VW Golf has seen me through my university years. The many drives from Sydney to Bathurst in my sturdy car make me so grateful I listened to my Dad and didn't buy a dodgy $500 car.

Unfortunately though, traveling overseas, I just had to sell it. And with only seven days until I leave, it was great timing too.

Also, tomorrow is my 21st birthday. Amazing. Can't quite believe that milestone is soon upon me.

I will be having a party on Saturday night. Having put the arrangements together with my Mum over the past few months, it will be brilliant to see everyone having fun and meeting each other. I have my uni friends and my school friends and, although they haven't really met each other before, I hope they'll get on well.

Ten days to go.

In ten days' time I will be at Sydney International Airport with my family, kissing them goodbye as I embark on what I hope to be the 'Trip of a Lifetime'.

It's been years in the planning and finally all those dreams are about to be put into motion.

Of course I am excited, but it's starting to sink in that I won't see my immediate family for a really long time - the longest yet for me. When I did my foreign exchange to France in 2005 (I was 15) I found that tough. I'll be away for a lot longer than that!

I will spend my first week staying with my grandparents in Oxfordshire, and visiting friends and relatives, before leaving for Geneva on the 1st December.

From there, a coach ride will take me to Tignes, where I will begin my ski season as a chalet girl working in a lovely hotel.

I really have no clue what to expect once I arrive in Tignes. What will the people I'm working for be like? I literally know nobody. Will we become instant best friends, or will there be conflicts? Will we go out drinking on our first night? ? And if we do, are they going to drink me under the table? If we play 'Never Ever', should I be honest? So many questions.

The unknown can be exciting. For me, it is. But it is also a scenario wherein I have little control. And I like to be in control. I like to know what to expect. I like to be mentally prepared for the situation.

I think that this year away will be good for me. I'll have to go with the flow, take everything as it comes, and lower my expectations so I don't get disappointed when things don't go as I've planned.

Do you have any tips about traveling and backpacking? How would you cope with living away (for me, it will be for five months as a chalet girl) not knowing anyone?

I'm making my final arrangements and beginning to pack. The moment I'm looking forward to is when I am sitting on that plane, with everything sorted, reflecting on my 21st birthday (which will be held two days prior) and looking into the future.

Note: The above photo is from http://startlinemtb.com/index.php?p=1_4_Tignes and is taken of Tignes, where I'll be living and working during my ski season.

Table for 20

Last night I went to my beautiful friend Rosie's 21st birthday party/ farewell.

The event was held in an incredibly gorgeous and sophisticated wine bar and restaurant in Surry Hills, called Tablefor20.

When we arrived, we came across a door that had a small sign on it, requesting we text a number with a secret code to be allowed into the venue. It was all very exclusive and secretive and was a good way to increase my curiosity about what the night had in store for us.

What makes the Table for 20 restaurant so special is that there are two very long benches where the guests are seated and, on a regular evening, the guests won't know each other - it is very similar to a dinner party scenario.

The food is served as a set three course menu, and arrives on large platters spread across the table. Everyone serves themselves and passes the plates around. Very homely, very Italian.

Last night's meal consisted of orecchiette (which means little ears in Italian) with truffles as the entree, for the main we enjoyed a rack of pork on a bed of spinach, with roast vegetables and the most incredible berlotti bean and sesame salad, and for dessert we had a baked lemon ricotta which was delicious. Bottles of rose were also spread along the table for us to enjoy... fitting given the name of the birthday girl is Rosie.

The atmosphere was so intimate and special, with dimmed lights, candles and a guy playing acoustic guitar and singing beautifully in the corner.

As 21sts go, this was definitely one of my favourites! The speeches were excellent, they played a very funny movie they had put together of Crazy In Love, where all the family/ extended family were singing to rosie from across the world.

A gorgeous evening and, what's even better is that Table for 20 gives most of its proceeds to a charity aimed at those living on the streets - the host mentioned that in the past year alone they have raised $300,000 for the charity.

Definitely recommend this restaurant and wine bar.

Image courtesy of: http://foodies-club.com/2009/05/review-table-for-20-may-2009/

I am loving this video clip

Just a quick post because I discovered a new video clip that I am obsessed with.

It's probably going to sound pathetic but I actually get goosebumps when I watch it.

Traveling

Last night I went to my beautiful Auntie's house for dinner. I had been invited to dinner to look at her travel photos from 1982-1983, when she completed a gap year having finished university.

This was quite timely, given I am about to do the same in 26 days (but who's counting?).

It was interesting to see how many countries my Aunt managed to cover during her year away. She started in LA, then moved through Canada, then through Austria, Italy, Brussels, Germany, France, Amsterdam, Israel, Egypt, Singapore... I was so impressed by the vast distances and experiences she managed to achieve in such a short amount of time.

And what was amazing was that, even though 28 years had passed, nothing about her trip seemed dated or old-fashioned. Seeing my Aunt as a 23 year-old young woman was also fascinating. I'd never seen photos of her when she was younger, nor my other Aunt or my Dad, who accompanied her on her trip. The fashions were brilliant and the mannerisms and expressions I still see today were imprinted on their mid-20s faces.

What I gained from last night, poring over the photos, was how life-changing traveling can be, and how momentous a gap year is in one's life. Anything is possible.

I am ridiculously excited to begin my adventure, but can't help noticing the pressure that, in 25 years time, I better have good photos and stories to tell my nieces/ nephews.

Photo courtesy of: http://www.bgsu.edu/departments/greal/llc/spanishwq/Span101_El_Puente/index/backpacker.jpg

They're called Bogans: this is their story.

So I was reading The Sydney Morning Herald on the 18th October and stumbled upon an article titled How to spot a bogan which, after reading, I posted to my FB without much thought. Within no time at all I received a fair bit of feedback. Some friends found it hilarious. They said it was brilliant and made them laugh. Others thought it was rubbish - one friend even suggested I could do a much better job and urged me to make my own version.

So I have. And, before you ask why I would have the faintest idea about what makes a bogan a bogan, remember I lived in Bathurst. For three years no less. The home of the Bathurst 1000 and it's best friend, the rat's tail.

This is my list, feel free to comment/ add your thoughts:

1. Bogans either don't understand or don't appreciate good grammar and verb tenses. Examples include: "I seen 'em", "I been there" or, even better, a combination of multiple tenses in one sentence; "I been walking down the street and he come up and he said."
2. Bogans love utes. Now this one is a bit obvious, perhaps, but the signature of a bogan lies in what's ON the ute. Common ute accessories include mud-flaps, massive f**k-off aerials, bull-bars and seat covers. Sheepskin is always nice. Bogans also insist on having personalised ute stickers fixed to their ute cabin windows. That way, when four red Holden utes drive by in convoy, you know that the first one belongs to Gazza, the second belongs to Bazza, the third belongs to Dazza, and the fourth to Shazza. It's logical.
3. Ratties. What's not to love about a stray clump of really long, dirty hair down the back of a guy who doesn't shower unless it's raining? Yummm.
4. The southern-cross tattoo. Or an Australian flag if the bogan is feeling really adventurous. Come on - it's patriotic.
5. An acquired taste in alcohol. It's like a status symbol. If you're a bogan, you won't be seen dead drinking anything but VB, XXXX and Tooheys New. Once you're suitably maggot, you've gotta move onto the hard stuff. Jim Beam or Bundy Rum, and it's better if it's on tap.
6. Bogans love B and S balls. (That's bachelor and spinsters balls) for those who don't know. They consist of all-inclusive alcohol and food, where everyone drinks all night, finds a swag with the opposite sex (well not necessarily) and mimics the bull in the paddock nearby.
7. Again, probably quite obvious, but it's a crucial part of the image of a bogan. Bogans wear stubbie shorts (usually navy blue). They wear a wife-beater singlet - either navy or white- and top it off with steel-capped Blundstone boots and a flanno (that's a flannelette shirt if you didn't know).
8. Aussie pub rock is always a favourite with bogans. Personally I'm a massive fan too, but classic bogan tunes include: Big N' Rich, anything Jimmy Barnes or Johnnie Farnham, Acca Dacca... you get the picture.
9. The Bathurst 1000. This is also known as Bogan Mecca. V8 Supercars are attractive, but the opportunity for thousands of blokes to gather on a mountain (more like a medium-sized hill) in blue or maroon (depending on whether you're a Ford of a Holden supporter) with a case per day of booze, a tent-city or two, and hundreds of caravans full of dagwood dogs, deep-fried donuts, meat pies and hot chips is heaven. Mmmmm... deep fried food.
10. Quite often, the source of a bogan's news starts with Channel Ten and finishes with A Current Affair or Today Tonight. SBS World News? They've never even heard of it. And following on from that, Pauline Hanson's One Nation and other xenophobic political groups can often find their niche with the bogans of Australia.

Just quietly, I love that Australia has its bogans. It gives the country character. Have I missed any instrinsically bogan traits/ characteristics? Feel free to add them below.

Image sourced from: http://www.smh.com.au/news/drought/you-beaut-ute-brings-hope-and-singlets-galore-to-struggling-town/2007/09/28/1190486569840.html

The Inbetweeners

I have just discovered The Inbetweeners and I love it.

The Inbetweeners is a British sit-com about four teenage boys living in England and attending the local comprehensive high-school.

Will has just moved from a private school and insists on wearing his blazer as well as carrying a briefcase with him. Unsurprisingly, he is bullied and therefore attracts the other mis-fits/ uncool kids, cue: Simon, Neil and Jay.

The Inbetweeners details the foursome's mis-adventures and attempts at picking up girls with a crass and politically incorrect approach, but one that you can't help but laughing at.

Jokes about Neil's dad being gay and Mum-jokes about Will's mother are recurrent and ingenious, and Jay's ability to bull-shit is astounding.

If you liked Summer Heights High or We Can be Heroes, or even Skins you will LOVE The Inbetweeners.

The music in the show is amazing - The Wombats, The Kooks, Calvin Harris, Vampire Weekend and Darwin Deez all feature throughout the series.

Have a look here to view one of the funny snippets from the show, which is currently in its third (and possibly final) season. However, a movie of the show is being filmed at the moment which will be about the boys going on holiday together.

Confession Time.

Okay, I have something to confess. You see, it all started off as an experiment. Online dating. There, I said it.

"How different can that be from social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter?" I wondered.

"Perhaps I should give it a go?," I thought.

Sitting with my little sister, watching television, an Oasis Active ad came onto the TV. "Why don't you make a profile, Missy?" she asked.

Good question.

"It's not like you have a boyfriend or anything," she said. Fair point, but ouch.

So after much giggling, many "I can't actually say THAT's" and lots of backspacing, I finally created a profile and waited for the requests to come in. And come in they did.

After about a million 'no thanks' rejections to the weird and disturbing profiles that kept asking me to add them, I stumbled across a few that were normal. They had jobs, they have passions and interests, and they looked pretty nice in their photos. So I decided I should give them a chance.

At this point I might add that the power that comes with a dating site like Oasis Active is huge. As a girl you can reject all the creeps and freaks and still have millions of requests. You feel so popular and sought-after. I should point out that for some of the guys on online dating sites, it's like buying a ticket in a raffle or making bets on horses; there are more chances of winning if you buy more tickets (or bet on more horses)- consequently they make requests to anything that selects the 'female' gender box.

So my online dating experience began with a few odd characters -which had slipped through my picky and highly selective net- who started asking dodgy questions, sending me their numbers, asking for me to add them on FB etc. I was really pretty uncomfortable with this - I wanted to separate my 'virtual' world from my reality. But then, I started getting asked out on dates. Real-life dates with real-life people. It wasn't just 'ilovetrucks69' or 'clawwarriorking' or 'mrdangle21' (yes, the names are just like that), but these people were real and they wanted to meet me. I freaked out. I didn't quite know how to deal with the idea of going on a date with someone who I hadn't met via a friend or a mutual-interest, or a job or at university. So I said no. No no no no no.

Then, one guy asked me and I said yes. We had only been chatting for about thirty minutes but the conversation flowed and he wasn't stupid. He was smart and interesting. And when he asked for my number because he preferred to speak rather than type from behind a screen, I obliged. We chatted and decided that we should meet and, that night, we did meet up. I'm not quite sure why I suddenly decided I was ready to bite the bullet, but I did it. I met with him and we had a glass of wine at a bar not far from my house, and it was nice. It was normal. No-one in the restaurant would have guessed we'd met on an online dating site. And I certainly wasn't about to scream it out.

So now I have deleted my account. I probably won't ever create another one or, if I did, I would go through a well-known company like E-Harmony, where they match your ideals and your traits, your hopes and aspirations with like-minded people.

I will say, though, that it was an interesting experience. I gave it a go. It didn't end in horror or in disaster, merely in a conclusion that I do not yet need to be on a website like Oasis Active. I still like going out and socialising and meeting people in bars, in clubs etc and not from behind my computer. But, if I do change my mind, at least I'll know how to weed out all the dodgy characters.

Images courtesy of: http://www.datingonline365.com/2009_01_01_archive.html

Not such a fair go.

As the Australian Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Chris Bowen, visits East Timor this week, with hopes of negotiating an offshore processing centre on the Pacific island, he is well aware of the mounting opposition to his government’s immigration policies.

Discussions about the establishment of a new offshore processing centre and overcrowded domestic detention facilities have saturated the media and have infiltrated question time in both the House of Representatives and the Senate since parliament returned in September. Quite rightly so, I might add.

The Australian people are angry that the Gillard government is failing to manage the rising levels of asylum seekers inhabiting domestic detention centres.

As a temporary solution to the situation, Minister Chris Bowen announced on September 17 he would be expanding the Curtin detention centre and adapting the Scherper Airforce Base to meet the growing demands for detention accommodation.

But I can’t help noticing the feeling of déjà vu that hits me as I follow the debate on asylum seekers.

Without too much exaggeration it could be said that our immigration policy has reverted back a decade to a time near the 2001 election (think John Howard and the hysteria that went with the Tampa Crisis).

As the Australian government formulates its proposal for an offshore processing centre in East Timor, now is the time for education about Australia’s responsibilities to asylum seekers, as outlined by the Refugee Convention to which we are a signatory.

The Australian public must understand that under international law, asylum seekers cannot be sent to a third country for processing.

The proposal – as it currently stands - by the Australian government for an East Timorese offshore processing centre is illegal.

The proposal contravenes Article 31 of the Refugee Convention.

According to Article 31, “refugees have the right to seek and enjoy asylum from persecution in another country without having their entry prevented and without being penalised.”

The view of Amnesty International is one with which I sympathise wholeheartedly; “as one of the few countries in the Asia Pacific region to have signed the Refugee Convention, Australia should be leading by example and providing a positive example of how best to protect refugees.”

As Aussies, we like to think of ourselves as a friendly, multicultural and tolerant bunch. We pride ourselves above all on giving everyone a “fair go”.

It should follow, then, that our government’s foreign policies reflect those intrinsic values.

Our nation has a responsibility to refugees.

With increasing levels of Sri Lankan and Afghan asylum seekers making their way to Australia’s shores, our country needs to ensure it is prepared to process asylum seekers efficiently.

In the last 10 months over 4,000 people have been placed in immigration detention; there are now approximately 4,699 people in detention.

According to the Australian Department of Immigration, more than 70 new refugees are entering detention centres each week.

And although the Labor government promised to limit the time spent in detention to less than ninety days, 65 per cent of detainees are currently kept in processing centre for over three months.

The Australian government’s decision to lift the freeze on the processing of Sri Lankan claims in July 2010, and most recently for Afghani refugees on October 1^st, 2010, has been warmly welcomed by some human rights groups and opposition political parties.

The Australian Human Rights Commission published a statement welcoming the action as a “positive step in the treatment of asylum seekers in Australia”.

Amnesty International, however, was quick to point out that “the current issues we are seeing in Australia’s detention facilities are problems of the government’s own making, and the results of short-sighted and ill-considered moves such as this policy”.

I urge the Australian government to look towards a regional framework within the Asia-Pacific region, rather than replicating the failed policies of the Howard government, under its ‘Pacific Solution’.

Now is the time for the Gillard government to step up, and to meet its commitments under the Refugee Convention.

The Australian people should not and must not tolerate our government passing on its responsibilities to smaller, less-equipped regional counterparts, such as East Timor.

Image: http://www.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl=http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200812/r321482_1433497.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/12/09/2441028.htm&usg=__VEybhYg--1HhIzvKrD3h5JdRAbk=&h=630&w=840&sz=97&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=aTnDYUtxMTnREM:&tbnh=144&tbnw=179&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dasylum%2Bseekers%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Den%26biw%3D1267%26bih%3D626%26tbs%3Disch:10%2C342&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=329&vpy=91&dur=116&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=94&ty=112&ei=vsW2TIfXCMOycPvJmaYJ&oei=vsW2TIfXCMOycPvJmaYJ&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=18&ved=1t:429,r:13,s:0&biw=1267&bih=626

533020-news-detainee-riot-20100829.jpg

Uni is finito.

I cannot believe I am writing this, but I have officially finished university and have moved home from Bathurst. It's sad, that's true, but it's also very liberating.

I just finished a week of internship at WIN television in Orange, and managed to get several stories on the TV. I even did a golf story. Yes, that's right, a golf story... and I don't usually go anywhere near sports reporting, so that was a huge thing for me.

Next week it's off to Macquarie Bank for two weeks, then a week at SBS.

I then have five days off with some of my best friends in Noosa - cannot wait.

Don't really know what's in store after that - I've applied to a bejillion ski chalets in France and nothing is permanent yet (please universe, give me a job!)... so it's a waiting game. Who knows, maybe I'll end up working full-time in Sydney for a while?

Ciao for now.xx

City 2 Surf

Today my family and I ran the City 2 Surf, at 14km, it's the largest running event in the world.

This year marked the 40th anniversary of the famous city to Bondi race and, with wonderful weather, it was a fabulous day.

I set myself the goal of running the entire course and I ended up walking for a little bit up Heartbreak Hill, but apart from that, I did manage to accomplish my goal. I don't know my exact time yet, but it was between 80 and 90 minutes.

The blisters on my feet tonight are ridiculous. They are on both feet and hurt so much, but it was well worth it.

The best feeling of the race was sprinting between the 12 and 13km mark down the hill into Bondi, with beautiful views of the water and Calvin Harris blasting in my ears. So much fun! It was also brilliant hearing a rock band playing on the roof of the Sheaf Hotel in Double Bay, and it was very cute to see all the little kids on the sidelines wanting to slap your hand as you ran by.

I have always been a fan of fitness and exercise, so it was special today to know I was surrounded by similarly-minded individuals, not to mention everyone running by encouraged me to keep a quick pace.

I'd definitely recommend the race for next year to anyone and everyone. Even if you just walk it, it's an experience you can't afford to miss.

Plus, the feeling at the end, when you cross the finish line and your legs feel like jelly, the accomplishment is just indescribable.

Images courtesy of: http://cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au

M@sterchef and the apathetic Australians.

I love Masterchef. A lot. To give you some idea of how much I love it, I make my Mum and Dad record it on TiVo while I'm away at uni and then, when I return home, I watch hours upon hours of the TV show and never get bored. I tweet #Masterchef while I watch and loved that #Masterchef was a trending topic worldwide on Twitter. I know the names of all the contestants, know their professions, their cooking specialities. Yep. Told you I was obsessed.

What I didn't realise was that the rest of Australia also felt the same way. Four million Australians - that's just under one fifth of the Aussie population - are set to tune in for the finale which will be screened at 7.30pm Sunday evening.

What I find incredible is that "the great debate" between Abbott and Gillard, which was scheduled to occur at, you guessed it, 7.30pm on Sunday night, has been rescheduled to the earlier 6.30pm timeslot because, when given the choice between the two, most would prefer to watch the Masterchef finale. This way, they can watch both pollies and amateur chefs battle for their lives... sounds like the perfect way to finish one's weekend.

At a deeper level, this shows that Australians are becoming politically apathetic. The future of our country and the discussion of policies which, let's face it, will affect us, just aren't as interesting as a cooking show.

I know I'll be interested to see the audience ratings following Sunday evening. I also know I'll be tuning in to both the Great Debate and to the Masterchef Finale. Which timeslot do you think will win the most viewers?

Oh and, as a side note, I hope Adam wins the finale. I love his delicious Japanese fusion cuisine and he just seems like such a nice guy. Then again, Callum is lovely and is incredibly talented! Really, the winner in all of this is Channel Ten. When other TV channels have to include Masterchef segments in their current affairs programs, you know they're getting desperate.

Photos courtesy of: http://resources2.news.com.au/images/2010/04/11/1225852/460526-masterchef.jpg and masterchef.com.au

Healthy Eating

I have been trying to eat healthily recently. Think lots of vegetables, brown rice, oats and poached eggs for protein.

This is a recipe I would definitely recommend - it is traditionally from provincial France - and it's something I've grown up with.

It has a movie named after it (which is very cute) and most people can't spell it, but it's called Ratatouille, and here's the recipe (serves 4):

Ingredients:

• 4 tomatoes
• 3 tbs olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 red capsicum, diced
• 1 yellow capsicum, diced
• 1 eggplant, diced
• 1 tbs tomato puree
  
• 2 stalks celery sliced
  
• 2 zuchinni sliced
• 2 carrotts diced
  
• 1/2 tbs chopped fresh thyme
• 2 tbs torn fresh basil leaves
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

Method:

• Score a cross in the base of each tomato and plunge into a bowl of boiling water for 20 seconds.
  
• Peel the skin from the tomatoes and discard.
  
• Chop the tomato flesh into medium dice.
  
• Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and add the onion. Cook for 2-3 minutes then add the celery, zucchini, carrots and capsicum and cook for a further 5 minutes. Transfer the onion and capsicum to a plate and set aside.
  
• Add the eggplant to the pan and cook over medium heat for 5-6 minutes. Return the onion and capsicum to the pan and stir in tomato puree. Add thyme and tomatoes.
  
• Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the basil and garlic.
  

Ratatouille is perfect for winter; it is delicious served hot on a bed of brown rice and you could poach some chicken (in a chicken stock) for protein too if you liked.

Photo courtesy of: http://progressives.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/ratatouille.jpg

Quelques films francais...

Over the winter holidays I decided to expose myself to some french films and was not disappointed.

In fact I am rarely disappointed by french films, with their originality, quirkiness and unpredictability.

These are the films I viewed and I'd really heavily recommend checking them out:

1. La Classe (2008)
I loved this movie, which happened to win the Palme D'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, and was also nominated for an Oscar. Having lived in France and attended a french school, I could certainly relate to the storyline; it provides an insight into a teacher and his class of 13-14 year olds who come from a plethora of cultures and backgrounds. It is at times humorous, at times heart-wrenching and always captivating.

2. À la folie... pas du tout (2002)
This title translates to He loves me, he loves me not and stars one of my favourite female actresses, Audrey Tatou. It plays in two parts, each developing an alternative point of view to a series of events. The film has a macabre twist to it, details erotomania, and really forces you to challenge your perceptions of truth.

3. I've Loved You So Long (2008)
Although this wasn't my favourite of the three movies, I still enjoyed it. It tells of a woman, who murdered her child and consequently served fifteen years of prison time, and once released, goes to live with her sister (who has two young children of her own). This is a dark film with heavy themes, but it does make you question the ability of murderers to be rehabilitated into society.

Image courtesy of: http://www.mymovies.it/cinemanews/2008/3607/la_classe_3.jpg

Ski Camp (After)

I promised I would write about ski camp upon return and, because I have been back for at least three weeks, it seems timely to pen my experiences.

To recap, I travelled with year's nine and ten at the school where I work, alongside several staff members and two gap students. We had lots and lots of fun over the five days, with one of the highlights of the trip being snow shoeing. This consisted of fitting tennis racket-esque covers over our shoes and trecking with stocks up snow covered mountains. This was so very rewarding as, at the peak of the mountain, there were the most spectacular views over to adjacent mountain peaks dusted in snow.

Another highlight of the trip was watching the year 10 students put a menu plan together on $200, which had to provide people with a three-course meal, as well as catering for breakfast the next morning. The students not only had to source their ingredients, but to cook for the group also. They did an amazing job, choosing a simple menu of garlic bread as entree, pizza for main, and ice cream with toppings for dessert. The next morning pancakes were on the menu, and the kids were really proud of themselves for accomplishing what they saw to be a rather challenging task. It was also lots of fun getting up at 4.30am with the kids to watch the soccer, and all sitting in a refurbished train carriage, snuggled in our doonas and pjs, cheering on the Aussies!

While the snow wasn't the best, it was still good to have a ski and I skied predominantly with the male teachers on the trip - we were fond of High Noon (because it was the most challenging piste with sufficient snow) but were also fond of coffees at the top of the mountain! The skiing part of the trip really made me excited for my ski season at the end of the year!

A very long drive home at the end of the trip meant that most of the kids had naps, and the teachers joined them in dozing away the six or so hours back to Bathurst. After three stops at McDonalds along the way (either for toilet stops or for food), we finally made it home and it took several days to catch up on the lost sleep from 6am-11pm days jam-packed full of abseiling, rock climbing, orienteering, skiing, snow shoeing and cooking.

I am to leave Scots in late August and I'm grateful to have been able to part with fond memories of skiing and traveling with the students and teachers.

Ski Camp (Before)

I'm off on ski camp today with the school I work for. The above photo is from last year's ski camp with one of my best friends, Beck. I'll be looking after a group of year 10 children, skiing and cross-country skiing as well as orienteering and, for one night, camping out near snow. It's going to be freeeeeezing, but it was so much fun last year, I hope it's just as good this time around.

I'll be sure to write about how it went and any crazy shenanigans (unlikely given it's a school camp) that occurred upon return next week.

An eventful weekend.

The Queen's birthday long weekend was fast-paced and full of fun. A friend from Scots, Claire, came to stay with my family and I, so we made an effort to pack as much into those four days as possible.

Friday evening consisted of a drinks party at my house, mainly for all of my Mum's friends, but there was good food and wine, and we stayed there until about 8.30pm, when we ventured to Neutral Bay to a friend's gathering. The crowd we were with were really nice, though not necessarily people I usually hang out with. They were into alternative music and had lots of tattoos and piercings, but it was fun getting out of my normal social groups and I met some new people.

Saturday Claire and I woke up and went for a run along Manly beach, which was a great start to the day. We then decided we would do something a little bit different, so we drove to Glebe and had a really lovely time walking around Glebe's markets, looking at the amazing stalls with hand-made jewelry and uniquely designed clothing, though there was also lots of bric-a-brac. Gypsy Kings-esque music played as we had our lunch on the grass in the markets, and it was a very cool way to spend our afternoon. We had coffee in a very chic little cafe, and next door to it was the most incredible patisserie I've seen (apart from those in France).

Sunday we walked my dog and, on four hours sleep, we were pretty exhausted. We watched a really great british movie, An Education, which I would thoroughly recommend. We cooked dinner for my family: chilli, garlic and spinach prawn tagliatelle, followed by an apricot crumble. Yum. An early night followed, as we had a very early morning the next day.

Monday morning saw Claire and I waking up at 3.20am so as to travel to Darling Harbour to watch the Socceroos vs. Germany in the 2010 Soccer World Cup. The above photo shows the crowds that were around us! The atmosphere was very exciting and there were 25,000 people there, although it was such a disappointing game and the temperature was extremely cold. We returned home by 7.30am, had a bit of a nap, and then at about midday we went for a beautiful walk from Harbord Diggers to Curl Curl, and back again.

It was a jam-packed weekend but it was lots of fun and I'm glad we were able to explore Sydney a little bit as, generally, when I am home I don't make much effort to get out of my area and explore other places.

The Hills

Only recently, with exams and assessments for the most part out of the picture, I have developed a dangerous addiction to the Hills. It's not quality television, that's for certain, but it is entertaining and highly glamorous.

The Hills provides an insight into the lives of four girls; Heidi Montag, Lauren Conrad, Audrina Patridge and Whitney Port (she's my favourite). The four girls live in Los Angeles, California and work in events, fashion and music PR. They drive Mercedes and BMWs and have their own personal trainers, get their hair done and go shopping as they please. Their lives are interesting, but also very superficial.

I suppose it's fascinating seeing what the lives of the rich and famous are like. Sure, the girls work hard. Lauren and Whitney are interns at Teen Vogue, Audrina works 9-6pm and Heidi works ridiculous hours at night clubs running events. It seems to me like they've been given their amazing jobs either because their parents are 'somebodies', or because of the coverage their companies will receive from being on MTV's reality TV show.

The girls aren't incredibly bright (bar Whitney) and don't have the best work ethic, so you wonder how they are excused when, for example, they allow their friends to crash important nightclub events or they just don't bother showing up when they're supposed to be working.

They have obnoxious boyfriends and their apartments are furnished extravagantly, but you can't help but wonder whether they are completely oblivious to the real world and what it's like to pay bills and to have real problems and responsibilities. For the most part, it's all about feuds between friends and "loyalty" between guys.

But maybe that's the reason it's such compulsive viewing; you can escape your daily life for that of the rich and famous and, after twenty minutes of the Hollywood lifestyle, you can return to your bedroom refreshed and with your dignity in-tact.

I've just finished Season Three and I can assure you, I'll be finished the next season in no time at all.

Photo courtesy of: http://imagineannie.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/the-hills-400a-0822071.jpeg

How I love Snoop Dogg.

I just wanted to express my amusement at Snoop Dogg. I know he's supposed to be very cool, but to me, he's just funny. He composes his own porn music - how talented - but he hasn't got that gangsta feel to him like Usher or Jay Z. Regardless, I love this song, and really enjoyed watching the performance of California Girls at the MTV Awards 2010.

Hunter Escape

Today I was talking with a friend and she proposed that, together with two guy friends, we go away for a weekend to the Hunter Valley. I couldn't say YES fast enough. I love weekends away, particularly in a place as beautiful as the Hunter Valley.

Where else would you want to be in the middle of winter but tasting wine in picturesque vineyards daily, then returning to a crackling log fire and amazing food in the evening? Not to mention the possibility of time to unwind and to get away from the rush of daily life. To relax in your PJs with good company and good vino. It sounds like the perfect way to spend a weekend!

I am also lucky enough to be going away on a ski trip with Year Nine and Year Ten from the school where I live/ work. We will be doing activities including skiing, cross-country skiing, abseiling, BMX riding, orienteering as well as camping IN THE SNOW. But, fortunately, that is only for one night. I went last year and literally froze. I couldn't sleep the entire night we camped out, but hopefully I'll be better prepared this time around.

At the moment I live for travel. I am so excited about the French ski season I'll be doing at the end of this year, and love love love planning the destinations I'll visit after I finish the season: Italy, France, Spain, Greece, England, Holland... the list continues. I have a feeling that perhaps after thirteen years of schooling and then an extra three years of university, I am well and truly over working and need a break before work begins, bills are to be paid and houses are to be saved-up for.

Photo courtesy of: http://lodging.uptake.com/blog/files/2009/01/wine-glasses-fireplace-inn-above-tide.jpg

Some music to listen to.

I've recently acquired Angus & Julia Stone's latest album, Down The Way and it is incredible. Some of the tracks are perfect for chilled, relaxing listening when you're not wanting anything too heavy. Other tracks are catchy, melodic and easy to sing-along to, such as Big Jet Plane.

Another album I am in love with is Florence + The Machine's Lungs. There is not one song I don't like, but my favourites would be You've Got the Love, My Boy Builds Coffins, Dog Days Are Over and I'm Not Calling You a Liar. Quirky though they might be, the vocal talent is undeniable and the lyrics are certainly not what you might be expecting from a band Dizzee Rascall supported at the 2009 Brit Awards.

I'm also loving Band of Horses' most recent album, called Infinite Arms. It's not the familiar Band of Horses style of Cease to Begin, their previous album, but that doesn't mean it isn't good. I'd say it's slightly more mellow than their previous works, and Compliments is my favourite song on the new album.

What music are you loving at the moment?

Image courtesy of: http://djbonline.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/florence.jpg

To iPhone or to iObject?

I recently discovered a chinese contractor, Foxconn, which is responsible for assembling the iPhone has had eight of its staff make attempts (many of which have been successful) to end their lives over the past year.

According to Fairfax Ltd, "[t]he most notable Foxconn suicide came last July when 25-year-old Sun Danyong jumped from his high-rise apartment after being interrogated over a missing iPhone prototype."

IDG News service reports that Foxconn has asked "Chinese police to investigate a case in which an employee reportedly committed suicide after being pressured over the loss of an iPhone prototype."

The report suggests the Chinese former employee was "roughed up" by a Foxconn security official, and that the incident reveals "management shortcomings" at the company.

Additionally, Apple has admitted to using child labour, with Fairfax reporting "at least eleven 15 year-old children were discovered to be working last year in three factories that supply Apple."

Where I feel torn is that I own a Macbook Pro, an iPod and an iPhone, so am I supporting this practice and thus endorsing unsafe working conditions?

Am I morally or ethically obligated to take a stand and refuse to continue supporting Apple until they demand improved working conditions from their contractors? And would my stand even make a difference to Apple? Unfortunately, I think not.

I'll continue typing on my Apple laptop and calling on my Apple iPhone, but at least I'll be aware of the ethical problems associated with the company and perhaps, by blogging, so might others.

Photo courtesy of: http://dotnetslackers.com/Community/blogs/kaushalparik/apple%20iphone.jpg

Dating and relationships in 2010.

I'll admit I've been watching my fair share of every girl's bible: Sex and the City, recently but I'm still more than confused on dating and relationships.

In this day and age, how do men (or boys, for those guys that haven't really 'grown up' yet) want us to behave? Are girls still expected to take on the traditional roles in a relationship; do the washing, shopping, cooking etc while the guy pays the bill?

I'd like to think we've moved on from this, but what about on a date. Does he pay? Is he still obligated to make sure his date gets home okay? Or is that pandering to an old ideal of how men should behave, which is now completely outdated and irrelevant?

I know that I consider respect from a guy to include looking after me - being courteous, considerate, and hopefully a little bit generous- but that's not to say financially I expect him to foot the bill for our relationship... I think we've moved on from way-back-when.

What I'm grappling with most of all is whether men want us to be 'forward' and tell them we like them, 'make the first move,' if you like, or to hold back and give the guy the chance to be proactive? And what if he doesn't make that move? Then what?

My good friend Alex Ristway, who is a self-proclaimed dating expert, believes it's a matter of assessing each individual situation.

"If you are more uncertain than sure, it's probably best to hang back until you know where you stand," she says.

I tend to over-analyse everything. From the composition of each and every text-message I send, to my shampoo choice in the supermarket. In taking on advice such as that of Alex, I might never make a move, because I might never be sure of where I stand - and what if a friendship is ruined by the mis-reading of the situation?

Perhaps I ought to continue watching Sex and the City until I'm sure where I stand ... or I could take a chance and see where it takes me... or maybe I could just wait 'til the guy makes the first move.

Beautiful Bali

I recently spent ten days travelling around Bali with my beautiful family. It was an amazing experience and I thoroughly enjoyed being exposed to the glorious culture that is Bali. The people I encountered were genuinely pleasant, sweet-natured, good-humoured and although it might be a generalisation, they all seemed very content.

I aspire to reach that inner peace and tranquility - I find that burning incense always helps, oh and the massages (which are the equivalent of AUD $6) certainly don't hurt.

I adored creating wood paintings, visiting a traditional Balinese village up in the hills of Ubud, and visiting gorgeous spice farms near Kintomani Volcano. I was enthralled by the Balinese dancing and enchanted by the xylophone style music played for us each morning by a lovely local blind man in our resort.

An additional bonus of the trip was the incredible shopping opportunities. I bought the most ridiculous amount of "stuff" (read 11kgs of extra weight in my suitcase upon return to Australia): custom-made leather boots, six sun dresses, two pairs of leather thongs, three pairs of sunglasses, a fedora hat, 13 DVDs, batik sarongs, facials, six Bintang singlets for friends, mani and pedicures, as well as silver jewellery. I literally took only $300 and struggled to spend it all. I was doing my duty by supporting the local Balinese retail industry after all.

My favourite beaches, if you get the chance to travel to Bali, are Geger Beach and Pedang Pedang - think turquoise water, white white sand, sun beds, beach umbrellas and you're about halfway to imagining the beauty of these places.

Here is the link to the YouTube video I created from our holiday:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdkr6RcoFyc

I'd thoroughly recommend a holiday to Bali - I know there are reasonably priced airfares to the beautiful Indonesian island at the moment... why not make the most of them?!

Image courtesy of: http://www.fortunatur.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Beach-Club-at-Geger-Beach.jpg

Style.

Style is innate and, in my opinion, you either have it or you don't. It is not only about the ability to put an outfit together, it also includes the way you carry yourself and your public conduct. I strive to be stylish, but I don't believe that I am. I don't think I was born with that rare ability to put lots of textures and colours and various styles together all in the one outfit, creating the most sleek and sophisticated ensemble.

There is an incredible blog that I enjoy perusing regularly, which is called The Sartorialist. Essentially, fashion photographer Scott Schuman takes photos of stylishly and uniquely dressed regular individuals and models alike as they go about their daily lives. I look at the individuals in the photos with wistful longing. Of course it doesn't help that the photos all include designer labels that would take a small car to be able to afford.

Here are some of my favourite photos from The Sartorialist:






In my mind, the most stylish people in our lives in 2010 include Cate Blanchett, Anna Wintour, Michelle and Barack Obama and Nicolas Sarkozy. Do you agree, or have I missed a quintessentially stylish individual that MUST be mentioned?

A more than welcome uh-huh moment!

Yesterday I experienced one of those uh-huh moments where it was affirmed that the career I thought I wanted is definitely the right one for me. I've recently been unsure of whether I do want to do journalism as a profession. "Wouldn't you know that by your third year?" I hear you ask. And possibly I should have known whether my university course was right for me, considering it is my final year. However, it's very hard to work that out when you aren't actually in the field using the skills you've learned in class.

That's why yesterday was such a breakthrough for me. As a JRN321 Broadcast assignment, we have to select a story relating to the local area and cover it as a TV news story. I am currently covering the closure of St. Vincent's Private Hospital in Bathurst, which was only announced on Wednesday; a shock to its staff as well as politicians, government agencies and the local community.

I arranged and conducted interviews yesterday with the State Member for Bathurst, Gerard Martin as well as a nurse who will lose her job as a consequence of the closure. I have also organised to talk to the representative for the Senior Citizens of Bathurst, who will comment on the conversion of the hospital into an aged care facility, and what this will mean for Bathurst. Though there are now whispers that the futures of other aged care facilities in the Bathurst area may be at risk- it will be interesting to see her reaction to this news. I got the most incredible buzz out of investigating this news as it was happening and I experienced this feeling also while on work experience with National Nine News.

More than anything, I have enjoyed finding out news before it has broken, interviewing important figures in the community and having the ability to ask the questions we need answered.

I have had my career aspirations confirmed. I definitely don't want anything more than to become a television reporter and, in my final year of my journalism degree, I couldn't have hoped for a better affirmation!

March sans alcohol.

I'm attempting something that I haven't done since last year, but that I think is much needed after the last few months of partying. I missed the 'Feb Fast' train and didn't go alcohol free last month, but I am going to skip drinking for this month. As i'll be going away on a 10 day holiday to Bali in April, I certainly couldn't pass up the opportunity to sip pina coladas on the beach then, so March it is.

Given my posts in the recent past have alluded to my rapidly approaching grandma-hood - in that I have more than predictable Sundays, I feel way too old to go to unibar, and I don't even like Valentine's Day - this next statement is likely to reinforce that I am getting old before my time, but I'll say it anyway.

I cannot handle alcohol like I used to, and i'm only 20.

If I drink (and, granted, I'll have at least four drinks over a night out), I feel sick the whole next day. Doing exercise seems impossible and with all the calories that have been consumed with all those drinks, it adds up fast. So I figure skipping alcohol in March won't just be good for my liver, but it can only be friendly to my body to give it a rest and an acohol detox for one month of the year, particularly given I am going to be in a bikini for 10 days and I want to be able to exercise as much as possible before I board that plane for Denpasar.



Wish me luck... no sav blanc this month!

Sunday night... as predictable as meat and three veg.

I'm just going to put it out there - Sunday night is the most predictable time of the week. I don't even have to think from 5pm onwards on a Sunday. I know it's going to be a roast dinner at dining hall, I know I'm going to go back to my room, have a cup of tea and get myself ready for Uni, I know I'm going to watch 60 Minutes and I'll probably have an early night. I am boring personified.

In saying that, however, there is something comforting in knowing that, if nothing else, Sunday night is the one time in the week that just happens easily. Sure I'm open to being spontaneous, but it's nice to have order. Okay maybe I'm a bit of a control freak.

Is Sunday night as predictable for others as it is for me? I'd guess many people enjoy Sunday sessions at their local watering holes, or go out for a meal with friends, watch a film, or even have a regular family BBQ. For me, that may come once I have a full-time job and need to make the most of any opportunity I have to catch up with friends. For the time being, I'm more than happy with my predictable and boring Sunday evenings!