Things I like...

So - birthday's come and birthday's go. I personally struggle to buy things for people if I don't know what they want and if I think they have, well, pretty much everything.

But i {secretly} love getting presents. I just have this flaw where I don't get over-crazed-excited about what I get... "Oh, a piece of paper - I love it!"... "Oh, a new house - I love it!". Clearly I've never received either of those as actual gifts.

So - since my birthday is coming along soon, I thought I would just give some thoughts on things I would like to get my mits on...

Baby-G White. I've had a secret love for Baby-G watches since I bought my first Girlfriend magazine over a decade ago. They have style, class, and most of all they are fairly durable and can go anywhere. Not to mention look great.

Skullcandy Headphones. How awesome are they? So green, so funky, so foldable, so awesome.

I don't even know if they would fit my uber buff calves, but they look very cool. But warm for winter. But cool. The left ones I cant remember where I saw them... the right are Novo Baldwin's. Still, cool.

Sounds to drive to - I love Foo Fighters, and despite knowing almost all the lyrics on this album, I don't have their music in my collection. This is weird. I have a big range of music, and no Foo Fighters. Weird.

Just some thoughts for now...

Some things just make me sick...

... and the following is going to be open and honest - incase this is unusual. You've had the heads up now.

Deep breath in. Exhale.

The past weekend has left me feeling like there is a part of me that is broken; a component has malfunctioned; I seem to have blown a gasket or a radiator hose or timing belt; a link in the chain of my created self has weakend.

One month ago I got gastro. Well, atleast I thought at the time that it was gastro. It was the full throttle story which, I will spare you the details - not because you can't handle it but because I don't want to share that much of myself with you... I mean, really, you appreciate this moment and thought of mine... oh yes you do...

I also got that dreaded delivery service arriving with my gift that I get without having signed up to any subscription service which comes once a month to the exact date it arrives... and yes that was my lame version way of saying something else. Lame Delivery Service Gift is what it shall be known as here. Elsewhere it is known as many things like Aunt Murtle's Curse or The Crimson Tide. And if by now you STILL don't understand... perhaps you can just miss this post altogether and come again next time you see i've written something because this is clearly too advanced for you... or you are male. No offence either way.

So - tying those two paragraphs together would have an unfortunate situation, you would agree. Lets add another statement to the mix...

This happened again one month later. On the weekend just gone.

Now, that has gone from an unfortunate situation and has been upgraded to a slightly unusual circumstance. Same situation, repeated. Gastro + Lame Delivery Service Gift. Twice. I don't think I can make that same statement any other way to be any clearer.

It was only Saturday, after the events I couldn't stomach to mention that happened on Friday, that the thought really clicked into my head, and the question was posed in my mind... "is this going to happen EVERY time?". I don't know anyone who has this sort of reaction to getting their Lame Delivery Service Gift. I am already one of the small population of receivers who get Lame Delivery Service Gift's who also get migraines with aura's [a visual disturbance which causes me to be visually impaired for a period of time] on the irregular occasion. I also can have extreme pain when receiving the Lame Delivery Service Gift irregularly, too. But, the idea that a couple of days before the delivery date, I get gastro-like Symptoms as a pre-present present... this does not rock my boat {no pun intended, Logos Hopies}...

So - where has this lead me to be right now? I'm going to see a doctor soon and ask a few questions.  Basically, I want to try ways of avoiding this from happening, what could be causing this new reaction, if it will likely happen again, and if I will have to "book in advance" RDO's at work [boo!!!].

It scares me. Just a small bit. Its not fun and I can think of many better ways of spending my rostered days off [RDO's]!!

If you can, if you are able to, but mostly if you want to - please pray for me for this!! I'll very much appreciate your prayers!


**Update**
The Doctor today said that this is all a reaction to the hormone change in the body, it could've been brought on by the chemical change being different [perhaps my body thinks being 26] and that unfortunately, there is basically nothing that can be done to prevent it. She prescribed me some anti-nausea drugs and hydralyte to have with me when I get 'close' to that delivery date. And i have to count and predict when I think the next bout might happen and trial to see if this happens again. And that's it for now. We'll re-asses if it continues to happen for some months... *sigh*

Two Eyes Squared

I have a love of reading a good read. The kind you can't stop yourself from reading when you have a brief moment in your day. I love the bah-ha laugh outloud ones, the crime scene ones, and the ones that make you feel all warm inside. But there is still the favourite read - the personal fly-on-the-wall look into someones [real] life. In the blogsphere, sometimes this starts at the very end of the story and you have to work your way backwards...

Derek K Miller caught my attention by the opening line of his last post on his blog Penmachine:

"Here it is. I'm dead, and this is my last post to my blog."

Of course, nosey-parker me had to actually find out what this all meant. I don't even remember how i got to his page in the first place 6 days ago - but I have been reading backwards ever since. The way he writes is amazing and in its tell-all way its honest, true and relational. And I couldn't imagine what he went through while keeping his charm in his writing.

Infact, after just writing that bit above, I realise I have a bit of a 'thing' for certain blogs dealing with the loss of loved ones. There is a girl I know, "K", who as a newlywed lost her young husband - and to read the daily challenge for her to get through every small step of life captivated my heart and my blog reading. Prior to that, I was addicted to a young mum Lauren in America who blogged of her tale of going through life with a newborn baby, Jack, after her young husband unexpectedly died [well, there's not many tales of a bereavement being expected I guess].

So why do I enjoy [note, the use of the word 'enjoy' does not imply anything other than being captivated] these reads so much? Perhaps for me it is because I have not experienced such a loss that these experiences catch my attention. Perhaps its because I find human behaviour interesting to observe. Perhaps also its because I just care - despite not even knowing most of these people.

What blogs appeal to you - and why? Do you have a similar obsession with reading similar blogs??

I'd be interested to know what others say...

ZIVUXIOPUVOPHDHFGHGGAAAAAAAAARGH!!!!

I wish punching people in the face didn't hurt - however - truly I am glad it does, because it prevents me from punching someone in the face... if that makes sense...

Surely in December last year I mentioned that I was involved in a minor car accident... *checks*... no apparently not. Maybe it was wise it was not mentioned as it was still being dealt with through the insurance people, and I'm sure it wouldn't have helped my cause by being 'discovered' telling-all to the cyber-verse... of you... and you and you...

the short of it was:
December 2, 2010. I was driving, mid afternoon on a thursday, heading to the usual Kids Club [HYPE] meet. Approaching traffic lights, I decided to move from the right hand lane into the left hand lane - no worries. As i was getting closer to the cars ahead of me, the sun came out from behind the trees, I sneezed. my feet came off the pedals, I realised I was still approaching the cars so I went to break and... bang. Imagine my 4WD with bullbar hitting the Ford Territory ahead of me... who then hit the Mazda Bubble ahead of him. Thank GOD no one ended up in the middle of the oncoming traffic, and everyone was mostly okay. I got a sprained ankle, the dude I hit had a sore neck.

It was scary and frightening and I felt terrible for what happened, I even appologised, but it was an accident, and sadly like I've experienced, it really does 'just' happen.

Today, as you are aware, its now the end of April. And here is where my frustration has exposed itself. One of the other parties involved in the accident has now decided to claim medical expenses on my behalf. I don't know why its taken so long, because I expected to be notified about this in the Dec-Jan period. I can't say they are wrong for it only being now that its coming out, but its certainly bad timing. The dude i spoke with today said that it could be just the cost of the doctor visit - up to $300AU. Why anyone is claiming the cost of a doctor visit if there wasn't anything wrong beats me - I also had to see a doctor. Okay, now I'm just getting annoyed and a bit fiesty... Reject that last thought.

I am sorry today is your lucky day that you get an update from me and its utter crap. Lucky you! Want more interesting news that's far from interesting? My work has wonderfully rostered me on the past public holidays because they love me [its true, I actually asked why], and the past public holidays I've managed to get some freak illness. The first one - a month ago - I got this viral-flu going around at the moment. Its like the flu - but so much worse. You can't shake it, you can't take anything for it except to make the symptoms less severe. You just have to wait it out. Straight after that I had a week off - so there goes the money for that month. Then we have our 5-day Easter/ANZAC holiday weekend. Brilliant! I have the first half off minus a couple of hours, then work about 17hrs on PH rates on the Mon-Tues!! Wrong. I get gastro Sunday night. GASTRO. Working Monday or Tuesday did not happen. Followed by today - wednesday - my DAY OFF...

I am so glad God has blessed me with a sense of humour and a money-to-share Dad...  I better have my beggers story ready for when he gets here...

Hey, so you there on the other side of this screen... you have a ripper awesome day. Really! NO, really! Go out, see the sun [if it exists in your part of the world] have an ice-cream and be amused by other people. I'd really love you to do that...!!!

"The less-frustrated... Carola"

Latest, Greatest, Faffiest and stuff...

If you are a facebooker, you may have seen one of my latest status updates depicting the current funk I'm in. For those of you playing at home who have not allowed yourself that great time-water of a blessing, I'll post it here... from Monday...

I walked into the Doctors office and said "Hi. I have a middle ear infection, a throat infection, a sinus infection connecting both the throat and ear infections, a combination of the flu and/or this viral thing going around and... i'm on the mend." He said "My thoughts exactly. That's $25 and you're on your way"

I actually wrote that in all sincerity, minus a few additions to make it a little more interesting to read - however it did seem to come out in a bit of a "Did I tell you the joke about..." kinda way.


So to clarify straight away - i wasn't charged for the visit - score! I checked with the Doc, and even looked at the receptionists as I was leaving expecting them to run me down for not paying for my visit. But i did go in to my appointment and explain my symptoms, my thoughts, he did his big check over and agreed with me, said there was nothing more that he could suggest I do other than what I have already been doing, and to have a couple of days off to rest. I didn't need a sick certificate for those as I was already having 2 days off from work, and he couldn't 'back-pay' sick certificates for the days that have already been taken off, of course.


So then I went and bought a "get better soon" present for myself. Well why not? I finally earn good money, and I could spend it on stuff that means nothing, so how about putting it towards something I actually would love?


I bought myself a very sexy black acoustic guitar, and I'm sure I pretty much instantly felt better than I did before I walked into the music store. I lah-lah-lah-love it.

My next purchase is a bike [tredly, cycle, push bike, bicycle], but I have been saving up for this purchase because of course it would be more expensive to fork out money for all the fiddly stuff like a helmet, bottle, bottle cage, lights, and the bike itself. I went and looked at two bikes on Sunday, the first was more expensive and was like a motorbike without the motor it had that many fang-dangled fancy things. Who needs their handlebars to be able to tilt up and down? Suspension in the seat would be appreciated for the rough spots I'm sure. And suspension on the handlebars too. Disc breaks? Mud guard would be nice for the wetter seasons. Why don't they add a odometer so I know how many kilometres I've travelled between services, and a speedometer to inform me know how fast I'm travelling while I'm speeding down the main roads, because the last thing I'd want is to get pulled over for travelling too fast... on my bike.

To surmise this post, I will conclude that I am about to take on a bit of a road trip with my housemate, Mel next week. She's leaving. On a jet plane. Don't know when she'll be back again. Moving to "the Motherland" for the wedding of Prince Willburger and Kate. Personal Invite by the Queen, or so her farewell invite implied.

Its been a bit full on around here. Hope you are laughing your way to the bank [and imagine how rich we could be if we earned money everytime we laughed!!]...

When I Grow Up...

"When I grow up, I want to be..."

Surely, this is a comment that most of us have heard of or know of, or have even stated outloud ourselves. Well, I am here to tell you that I am still saying it.

I have always changed my mind on what I wanted to do in life, a statement I heard enough times from my mother, but the thing is, I think I don't know what I want to do - ever. Period. Of all my occupations so far in life, I have never aspired to be any of them. Not a student, a bum, a volunteer, a check-out-chick-turned-supermarket-all-rounder, an assistant secretary type thing, a missionary [not another form of being a bum], a bum, and an aged care worker [currently]. And, scarily, most of those occupations lasted less than 2 years [quite a thankful point when I think about those times when I was being a bum].

I am also my own worst enemy. I hate being with out work [and am not currently unemployed if you are thinking you've missed out on some big news - from the part-time blogger that is me, that is], yet when I've been out of work I find inspiration to get my butt into gear scarce for big, long, vast periods of time. On the flip side, when I have a job, like I currently do, I long for the days of carefree nothingness and have plans upon plans of things I could be doing - if only I didn't have a job.

On the flipped-flip-side, there is the loathsome monetary issues. I hate being broke, and hate is a strong, passionate, "barely recoverable" emotion which very much equals to my emotion towards being broke. I superglue-strongly dislike borrowing from others - except my Dad, but that's another story - and I even more super-dooper-glue strongly dislike getting the pitiful government hand out that barely covers my life expenses - including the student fees that often come hand-in-hand with the government hand out times of my life.

Dilemma. Aspire to be a bum and do absolutely everything you want as long as it doesn't require a cost of any sort and be happy to live in squaller because you cannot pay bills, because we know that is the ultimate expectation of a person who does not work [well... usually]. Or, aspire to be someone, somewhere doing something that allows you to do absolutely everything you want as long as you are not taking up work hours or other commitments and live life not having too many worries about, well, pretty much anything.

PS - When I grow up, I want to be happy, doing whatever it is God wants me to do.
Even if it means being a bum for a while.

No Boys in Carpeted Areas

In The Bachelorette Pad, we have a few rules. One of my favourites is that "no boys can go on carpeted areas" within our house. This basically means we cannot have the boys go up the stairs or to our rooms. Which is a pretty good, "well-behaving" rule to have so that we are all well behaved young women!