I've just read "No et moi" ("No and me"), a book about a young girl who doesn't want to accept things as they are, and tries to make a difference in a homeless girl's life.
Where I live, there aren't a lot of visibly homeless people, but there are definitely more people with cardboard signs asking for help. Not very many (maybe three or four?), but I don't remember any about five years ago.
I don't like seeing them on the street, partly because I'd like everyone to have a safe and comfortable home, but also because I feel guilty when I see them, and I don't like feeling guilty!
I think that I should help them, but (being honest here), often I can't be bothered, and I know that really helping them would mean giving lots of time and energy, and I'm not committed to doing that.
When I was at university, I went to a local group that works with homeless people, and asked if I could help with street kids. They wisely said that my skills might be better used somewhere else, so I ended up helping out in their office so that someone else could use the time that I freed up to provide valuable help for Samoan people. THAT was a good way to help.
I still help that organisation by helping a little bit with their second hand bookfair, which is their main fundraiser for the year, but I could do more.
I'd love to think that I could be part of a supportive community welcoming people into their homes when they don't have one, but I'm not even very good at welcoming my friends into my home!
I told myself a few years ago that I would help people begging on the street by giving them the contact details for the Downtown Community Ministry. That's a great idea, but even then I'm sometimes too scared/lazy to do that.
I guess I'm just suffering from middle class guilt, aware of how much it costs to really do something about it, and not sure that I want to pay that price.
Thursday, 14 April 2011
Monday, 11 October 2010
Caught stealing
I was up late last night because I was watching some exciting cycling. And then once I had gone to bed, I then woke up to find Trevor stealing my pillow! I tried to get it back, but he was very determined and I didn't want to wake him up (he was very tired), so I let him have it. I told him about it this morning and he now feels very guilty! I think it is funny, particularly because he doesn't even LIKE my pillow (he likes flat ones and I like puffy ones).
Sunday, 28 February 2010
A Christmas Story from the Parchemina Family
A while ago, my Mum thought that she'd quite like to have a copy of the Edmonds Microwave Cookbook, and then she thought it could be a good Christmas present.
She happened to be in town a little while later, so she bought a copy and then gave it to Dad to give to her for Christmas (I guess that's one way of doing things - I wonder if she wrapped it first?).
She suddenly realised in January, while he was away, that he had forgotten to give it to her. (He did give her other much-appreciated presents, several of which he chose and bought by himself).
The best bit - she has no idea where he's hidden it, so she'll have to wait until he comes back to get it!
And my parents have been married for 37 years :)
She happened to be in town a little while later, so she bought a copy and then gave it to Dad to give to her for Christmas (I guess that's one way of doing things - I wonder if she wrapped it first?).
She suddenly realised in January, while he was away, that he had forgotten to give it to her. (He did give her other much-appreciated presents, several of which he chose and bought by himself).
The best bit - she has no idea where he's hidden it, so she'll have to wait until he comes back to get it!
And my parents have been married for 37 years :)
Monday, 25 January 2010
Something Fantastic
My Mum has multiple myeloma. So does the Hot Awesome Dude, boyfriend of the wonderful blogger Brandy. Some of Brandy's Interweb friends have got together and done something fantastic:
from http://www.kylaroma.com/
Our friend Brandy is a brilliant writer, a wonderful teacher, and a generous friend. And she is in love with a man who has just been diagnosed with multiple myeloma.
We are raising money for the Multiple Myeloma Research Fund in his name. For the price of a cinnamon dolce latte, half-caf, hold the whip, you can be part of an effort to cure a disease that affects approximately 750,000 people worldwide.
http://www.loveharder.org
Every dollar brings us a dollar closer to a cure. And every donation brings a sliver of hope to a girl who needs all the hope she can get.
Love Harder,
Kyla
What You Can Do
* Give. Be part of a worldwide effort to cure a disease that affects approximately 750,000 people worldwide. Every dollar helps.
* Pass it on. Forward this story to five people. Share this blog post. Become our fan on Facebook.
* Love harder. Life is short, love is unbending, and no one knows what could happen next. Tell someone you love them today.
Where Your Money Goes
* The American Institute of Philanthropy recently named The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation one of the best organizations to give to in terms of their accountability and use of resources.
* By working closely with researchers, clinicians and partners in the biotech and pharmaceutical industry, the MMRF has helped bring multiple myeloma patients four new treatments that are extending lives around the globe.
* The MMRF has advanced twenty Phase I and Phase II clinical trials. They need your support to advance these clinical research programs and accelerate the development of better, more effective treatments.
* The MMRF’s Multiple Myeloma Genomics Initiative recently became the first to sequence the multiple myeloma whole genome in its entirety.
* A whopping 98% of your donation to the MMRF will be used immediately to support high-priority multiple myeloma research.
* With diminishing funding for early stage drug development and the next myeloma treatments not expected to be approved until 2011, the MMRF desperately needs your help.
DONATE: http://www.loveharder.org
CONTACT: theloveharderfund@gmail.com
FACEBOOK: http://facebook.loveharder.org
MORE INFO: http://www.themmrf.org
from http://www.kylaroma.com/
Our friend Brandy is a brilliant writer, a wonderful teacher, and a generous friend. And she is in love with a man who has just been diagnosed with multiple myeloma.
We are raising money for the Multiple Myeloma Research Fund in his name. For the price of a cinnamon dolce latte, half-caf, hold the whip, you can be part of an effort to cure a disease that affects approximately 750,000 people worldwide.
http://www.loveharder.org
Every dollar brings us a dollar closer to a cure. And every donation brings a sliver of hope to a girl who needs all the hope she can get.
Love Harder,
Kyla
What You Can Do
* Give. Be part of a worldwide effort to cure a disease that affects approximately 750,000 people worldwide. Every dollar helps.
* Pass it on. Forward this story to five people. Share this blog post. Become our fan on Facebook.
* Love harder. Life is short, love is unbending, and no one knows what could happen next. Tell someone you love them today.
Where Your Money Goes
* The American Institute of Philanthropy recently named The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation one of the best organizations to give to in terms of their accountability and use of resources.
* By working closely with researchers, clinicians and partners in the biotech and pharmaceutical industry, the MMRF has helped bring multiple myeloma patients four new treatments that are extending lives around the globe.
* The MMRF has advanced twenty Phase I and Phase II clinical trials. They need your support to advance these clinical research programs and accelerate the development of better, more effective treatments.
* The MMRF’s Multiple Myeloma Genomics Initiative recently became the first to sequence the multiple myeloma whole genome in its entirety.
* A whopping 98% of your donation to the MMRF will be used immediately to support high-priority multiple myeloma research.
* With diminishing funding for early stage drug development and the next myeloma treatments not expected to be approved until 2011, the MMRF desperately needs your help.
DONATE: http://www.loveharder.org
CONTACT: theloveharderfund@gmail.com
FACEBOOK: http://facebook.loveharder.org
MORE INFO: http://www.themmrf.org
Tuesday, 12 January 2010
Listening
Happy 2010!
I read this today and it just made me laugh. There are bits of the Bible that really ring true and remind me that people can relate to each other even if they live thousands of years apart.
8 And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the LORD.' "
9 Moses reported this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and harsh labor.
Today's New Internation Version (TNIV) © Copyright 2001, 2005 by International Bible Society from Bible Gateway
I laughed because I thought "Yep, even the Israelites at the time of the Exodus didn't listen to God very well" and then I also thought "Yep, when people are worked too hard (such as in sweatshop factories) it's very hard for them to think about anything outside their immediate situation."
And, for something completely different, some time soon I will share a funny story about my Mum & Dad.
Sarah, if you're reading this, I hope everything is going well for you!
I read this today and it just made me laugh. There are bits of the Bible that really ring true and remind me that people can relate to each other even if they live thousands of years apart.
8 And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the LORD.' "
9 Moses reported this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and harsh labor.
Today's New Internation Version (TNIV) © Copyright 2001, 2005 by International Bible Society from Bible Gateway
I laughed because I thought "Yep, even the Israelites at the time of the Exodus didn't listen to God very well" and then I also thought "Yep, when people are worked too hard (such as in sweatshop factories) it's very hard for them to think about anything outside their immediate situation."
And, for something completely different, some time soon I will share a funny story about my Mum & Dad.
Sarah, if you're reading this, I hope everything is going well for you!
Tuesday, 17 November 2009
IUD update
I have had my IUD for almost a year now.
When I got it, I had been on the pill for a few months, started having sex and started using a Mooncup, so it was really hard for me to know what my "normal" period was like and which changes might be due to the IUD.
Anyway, after a year I can report a few things. Firstly, what the information I got described as "spotting" (quite common after the IUD is first put in) is actually a little heavier than spots. I guess most women who have IUDs have had children, and so may be familiar with "spotting", but I wasn't.
My periods before I started messing about with them were quite light, lasted about 4 days and were not usually painful.
My periods definitely got heavier and longer with the IUD, and I would have several days of "has it started?" before it got heavy and sometimes quite painful. I also got quite grumpy and irrational. I was starting to think about giving up on the IUD.
However, I figured that my body was not used to heavy periods and was probably feeling a bit depleted. I started taking a women's multivitamin and that helped a lot with the pain and the general grumpiness - Trevor is very grateful to the makers of multivitamins! When I mentioned the grumpiness, the nurse at Family Planning was quite surprised about that, because of course there is nothing hormonal in my IUD. She did suggest iron pills, but the multivitamins seem to be fine.
My last period was much more like what I used to have - lasted for about 4 days and was not very painful and lighter than it has been for a while. If it stays like this, I will stick with my IUD and get another one when its five years are up. I will also keep taking the women's multivitamins just before and during my period for a while. I might try not taking them some time in the future and see what happens.
Most importantly I suppose, I have not had any pregnancy scares, so it seems to be carrying out its primary function very well.
I will try to write about something else at some stage!
PS The Mooncup has survived overnight hiking and cycle races. I just worry that I'll drop it into a toilet at some point and then a) have lost my expensive investment b) not have anything to deal with my period
but since I've had it for a while it's kind of paid for itself by now.
A friend of mine burnt hers to a crisp while boiling it recently, and almost set fire to her kitchen, so try not to do that!
When I got it, I had been on the pill for a few months, started having sex and started using a Mooncup, so it was really hard for me to know what my "normal" period was like and which changes might be due to the IUD.
Anyway, after a year I can report a few things. Firstly, what the information I got described as "spotting" (quite common after the IUD is first put in) is actually a little heavier than spots. I guess most women who have IUDs have had children, and so may be familiar with "spotting", but I wasn't.
My periods before I started messing about with them were quite light, lasted about 4 days and were not usually painful.
My periods definitely got heavier and longer with the IUD, and I would have several days of "has it started?" before it got heavy and sometimes quite painful. I also got quite grumpy and irrational. I was starting to think about giving up on the IUD.
However, I figured that my body was not used to heavy periods and was probably feeling a bit depleted. I started taking a women's multivitamin and that helped a lot with the pain and the general grumpiness - Trevor is very grateful to the makers of multivitamins! When I mentioned the grumpiness, the nurse at Family Planning was quite surprised about that, because of course there is nothing hormonal in my IUD. She did suggest iron pills, but the multivitamins seem to be fine.
My last period was much more like what I used to have - lasted for about 4 days and was not very painful and lighter than it has been for a while. If it stays like this, I will stick with my IUD and get another one when its five years are up. I will also keep taking the women's multivitamins just before and during my period for a while. I might try not taking them some time in the future and see what happens.
Most importantly I suppose, I have not had any pregnancy scares, so it seems to be carrying out its primary function very well.
I will try to write about something else at some stage!
PS The Mooncup has survived overnight hiking and cycle races. I just worry that I'll drop it into a toilet at some point and then a) have lost my expensive investment b) not have anything to deal with my period
but since I've had it for a while it's kind of paid for itself by now.
A friend of mine burnt hers to a crisp while boiling it recently, and almost set fire to her kitchen, so try not to do that!
Sunday, 14 June 2009
Go ahead, say hello
There is an office building which I walk past most days on my way home from work.
Through the window, I can see a huge poster on the wall that says,
"go ahead, say hello"
I assume that the poor people in that office are telemarketers or some other lucky people who get to talk to people on the phone all day, and who are just waiting to be given permission to say "hello."
Then again, I have a friend who does work in a call centre and who is not allowed to say "bye" - it has to be "goodbye."
If I worked there, I think I would mention that poster in my resignation letter. Or, if it didn't cover a whole wall, perhaps use it as stationery for my resignation letter.
Through the window, I can see a huge poster on the wall that says,
"go ahead, say hello"
I assume that the poor people in that office are telemarketers or some other lucky people who get to talk to people on the phone all day, and who are just waiting to be given permission to say "hello."
Then again, I have a friend who does work in a call centre and who is not allowed to say "bye" - it has to be "goodbye."
If I worked there, I think I would mention that poster in my resignation letter. Or, if it didn't cover a whole wall, perhaps use it as stationery for my resignation letter.
Friday, 20 March 2009
Fashion and Beauty tips from Parchemina, Part 2
Do not wear stockings and suspenders without first checking whether everyone else will know that you are wearing them if you
Note to self: check length of skirt/dress carefully next time
- bend down
- go outside in the wind
Note to self: check length of skirt/dress carefully next time
Thursday, 19 February 2009
So many thoughts, so much sand
I started this blog because I have a lot of things that I think about, and I wanted to put the thoughts down in words, partly for myself and partly for other people to read if they wanted to.
I find myself composing blog posts as I walk home, as I work, when I get up...
But when I try to actually write them, the ideas and words trickle out like a handful of sand between my fingers.
When I'm with a group of people, it can be hard to shut me up (in fact, that is one thing I'm trying to learn - to listen more and talk less), and I think I'm relatively good at expressing myself.
But when it comes to writing, it all just disappears. Frustrating!
I am going to keep trying though.
When I read other people's blogs, I laugh, I think, and I say to myself "It doesn't seem that hard!" But I need to remember that I didn't see all the drafts and I don't know how long those five lines were in production.
Cheers.
I find myself composing blog posts as I walk home, as I work, when I get up...
But when I try to actually write them, the ideas and words trickle out like a handful of sand between my fingers.
When I'm with a group of people, it can be hard to shut me up (in fact, that is one thing I'm trying to learn - to listen more and talk less), and I think I'm relatively good at expressing myself.
But when it comes to writing, it all just disappears. Frustrating!
I am going to keep trying though.
When I read other people's blogs, I laugh, I think, and I say to myself "It doesn't seem that hard!" But I need to remember that I didn't see all the drafts and I don't know how long those five lines were in production.
Cheers.
Monday, 22 December 2008
Shopping
I like shopping. Sometimes.
When I was about 11, I loved spending hours in department stores, looking at clothes, big plastic earrings and shiny belts (yep, it was the eighties).
But now I'm not so sure. I love shoes, I like makeup, I like pretty clothes, but I hesitate.
I try not to buy things that were probably made by people getting treated poorly. I try not to buy things I won't use (although I do have a stupidly large eyeshadow collection for someone who doesn't tend to wear eyeshadow - blue, green, pink, brown, grey, neutral, purple...). I try to look after the environment. I love Fairtrade. I don't want to buy things that are tested on animals. I want things that fit. I want things that are comfortable. I want things that look good. I want things that are easy to use (I bought a hairdryer/hair straightener and have not mastered it). I try not to support companies that have dubious ethical practices. I don't want to buy things that will run out too quickly, but I don't want things to expire before I've used them (see eyeshadow collection).
I would really like someone else to work it all out for me and then just tell me what I want!
And it's hard at Christmas too. I don't want to buy hippy-alternative presents for people who won't like them, but I refuse to go to the $2 shop for my Secret Santa present. If I'm going to buy something someone won't really use, I may as well make it a Fairtrade ornament so at least the people who make it are happy! :)
PS IUD still going well
When I was about 11, I loved spending hours in department stores, looking at clothes, big plastic earrings and shiny belts (yep, it was the eighties).
But now I'm not so sure. I love shoes, I like makeup, I like pretty clothes, but I hesitate.
I try not to buy things that were probably made by people getting treated poorly. I try not to buy things I won't use (although I do have a stupidly large eyeshadow collection for someone who doesn't tend to wear eyeshadow - blue, green, pink, brown, grey, neutral, purple...). I try to look after the environment. I love Fairtrade. I don't want to buy things that are tested on animals. I want things that fit. I want things that are comfortable. I want things that look good. I want things that are easy to use (I bought a hairdryer/hair straightener and have not mastered it). I try not to support companies that have dubious ethical practices. I don't want to buy things that will run out too quickly, but I don't want things to expire before I've used them (see eyeshadow collection).
I would really like someone else to work it all out for me and then just tell me what I want!
And it's hard at Christmas too. I don't want to buy hippy-alternative presents for people who won't like them, but I refuse to go to the $2 shop for my Secret Santa present. If I'm going to buy something someone won't really use, I may as well make it a Fairtrade ornament so at least the people who make it are happy! :)
PS IUD still going well
Friday, 21 November 2008
Contraception Again
Hello again!
I have comments from two different people - that's pretty exciting. Thanks, Sarah and Brandy.
I have just had an IUD put in and I thought I should report for your greater edification.
A helpful person has taken this
picture of one. I think it's slightly smaller in real life!
I was given a helpful advice sheet that said to take a painkiller, have some food and to eat something sweet beforehand, so I did. The painkiller I took was only Disprin, so I doubt that it did much, but I doubt that it made anything worse :) I also had a raspberry leaf tea to help me and my appropriate muscles relax.
The actual putting in really wasn't too bad - I was worried that it would be really painful and I thought it would involve more bleeding (I don't think there was any blood at all). It really was just like period cramps.
However, my body did react to it a bit, meaning my blood pressure dropped, so I had to lie down for a while and they kept checking my pulse and my blood pressure and they even gave me oxygen (and a barley sugar and a sweet tea - but not all at once)! I do have low blood pressure anyway - it's partly a genetic thing. Trevor made me stay at home for the rest of the day (I think I could have gone back to work, but now I get to stay at home and read books and play on the Internet - I'm not complaining!).
It was great having him there with me. In fact, I was really lucky in that I had the Doctor, a nurse and Trevor, so I was well supported, and the nurse was making conversation so it took my mind off the thought of what was going on and the cramping (which, as I said, wasn't actually that bad).
So, all in all, I would say that it has been a little uncomfortable, but that I was well prepared and I'm feeling fine.
I asked if I could stay on my pill for a month or so because I thought it might counteract the potential heavy first period. The Doctor encouraged me to do that and even suggested that I stay on the pill for six weeks, so I'm happy with that.
And married life is good! It's not all about contraception ;) I do enjoy sharing my whole life with Trevor. I do need some "me" time, but it's cool being part of the big and little things in each other's lives - like cleaning our teeth, going to the supermarket, getting a joint bank account, making sure one of us takes some toothpaste when we go on holiday, making sure he eats breakfast, finding out that we need a new duvet because we have different temperature requirements in bed, having sex...
I have comments from two different people - that's pretty exciting. Thanks, Sarah and Brandy.
I have just had an IUD put in and I thought I should report for your greater edification.
A helpful person has taken this
picture of one. I think it's slightly smaller in real life!
I was given a helpful advice sheet that said to take a painkiller, have some food and to eat something sweet beforehand, so I did. The painkiller I took was only Disprin, so I doubt that it did much, but I doubt that it made anything worse :) I also had a raspberry leaf tea to help me and my appropriate muscles relax.
The actual putting in really wasn't too bad - I was worried that it would be really painful and I thought it would involve more bleeding (I don't think there was any blood at all). It really was just like period cramps.
However, my body did react to it a bit, meaning my blood pressure dropped, so I had to lie down for a while and they kept checking my pulse and my blood pressure and they even gave me oxygen (and a barley sugar and a sweet tea - but not all at once)! I do have low blood pressure anyway - it's partly a genetic thing. Trevor made me stay at home for the rest of the day (I think I could have gone back to work, but now I get to stay at home and read books and play on the Internet - I'm not complaining!).
It was great having him there with me. In fact, I was really lucky in that I had the Doctor, a nurse and Trevor, so I was well supported, and the nurse was making conversation so it took my mind off the thought of what was going on and the cramping (which, as I said, wasn't actually that bad).
So, all in all, I would say that it has been a little uncomfortable, but that I was well prepared and I'm feeling fine.
I asked if I could stay on my pill for a month or so because I thought it might counteract the potential heavy first period. The Doctor encouraged me to do that and even suggested that I stay on the pill for six weeks, so I'm happy with that.
And married life is good! It's not all about contraception ;) I do enjoy sharing my whole life with Trevor. I do need some "me" time, but it's cool being part of the big and little things in each other's lives - like cleaning our teeth, going to the supermarket, getting a joint bank account, making sure one of us takes some toothpaste when we go on holiday, making sure he eats breakfast, finding out that we need a new duvet because we have different temperature requirements in bed, having sex...
Monday, 11 February 2008
Parchemina's Tips for Virgin Brides
I find myself in a strange kind of limbo land...
I am 32 and I've never had sex, but I am about to get married and I do plan to have sex after that. So "Trevor" and I have been finding out about contraception. There is something quite amusing about talking to people about contraception as a 32 year old virgin!
As a result of this limbo land experience, I have decided that I will try to talk to more people about contraception so that they know what's available and who are good people to talk to about it. I'm not going to accost random strangers or anything like that, but if there are appropriate people and appropriate conversations, I will share my newfound knowledge.
Trevor and I weren't keen on the idea of going on the Pill, and I particularly wasn't keen on going on it just before we got married, what with the possible mood swings, skin problems and other such things it might cause. But we have been through a very good decision-making time together and have eventually ended up with me on a progestogen only pill. It's going fine so far, but I only started it on Friday!
We first thought that IUDs (intra uterine devices) looked promising, but since I haven't had any children (no immaculate conceptions for me, thankfully!) that's not such a good idea. And I found the pre-exam uncomfortable enough. Plus the fact that the first month is apparently rather uncomfortable - not so good in combination with the month before your wedding!
Another piece of advice that I would like to share with anyone else in my position (I'm sure there are some others out there!) is that it's probably a good thing to check out more than a month before your wedding. I felt too silly to do anything about it earlier, but I think it could have been a good idea. And there were good books in the library once I was brave enough to get them out!
So there we go... I might start a series if I can think of any more useful tips :)
I am 32 and I've never had sex, but I am about to get married and I do plan to have sex after that. So "Trevor" and I have been finding out about contraception. There is something quite amusing about talking to people about contraception as a 32 year old virgin!
As a result of this limbo land experience, I have decided that I will try to talk to more people about contraception so that they know what's available and who are good people to talk to about it. I'm not going to accost random strangers or anything like that, but if there are appropriate people and appropriate conversations, I will share my newfound knowledge.
Trevor and I weren't keen on the idea of going on the Pill, and I particularly wasn't keen on going on it just before we got married, what with the possible mood swings, skin problems and other such things it might cause. But we have been through a very good decision-making time together and have eventually ended up with me on a progestogen only pill. It's going fine so far, but I only started it on Friday!
We first thought that IUDs (intra uterine devices) looked promising, but since I haven't had any children (no immaculate conceptions for me, thankfully!) that's not such a good idea. And I found the pre-exam uncomfortable enough. Plus the fact that the first month is apparently rather uncomfortable - not so good in combination with the month before your wedding!
Another piece of advice that I would like to share with anyone else in my position (I'm sure there are some others out there!) is that it's probably a good thing to check out more than a month before your wedding. I felt too silly to do anything about it earlier, but I think it could have been a good idea. And there were good books in the library once I was brave enough to get them out!
So there we go... I might start a series if I can think of any more useful tips :)
Thursday, 11 October 2007
I am very unmotivated at work today.
But, on a happier note, I am finally getting excited about getting married. I never thought that there would need to be a "finally" about that! It's so much easier to try to understand other people than to try to understand myself.
I suspect it's partly because I saw the wedding as a project and I've never been a big fan of projects. I once even handed in a project entitled "An Unfinished Project."
I'm getting married! :o How did that happen?!
But, on a happier note, I am finally getting excited about getting married. I never thought that there would need to be a "finally" about that! It's so much easier to try to understand other people than to try to understand myself.
I suspect it's partly because I saw the wedding as a project and I've never been a big fan of projects. I once even handed in a project entitled "An Unfinished Project."
I'm getting married! :o How did that happen?!
Friday, 28 September 2007
How will I know?
I am a bit worried that I'm not more excited about getting married. Is it because I'm worried about the money, because I'm a bit stressed about the organisation thing, because when I was single I tried to convince myself that it wasn't that important and I was more succesful than I thought, because I don't want to be the obnoxious woman telling everyone about her fiancé all the time, or because I don't actually want to get married?
I really need to get this sorted before we get much further...
I really need to get this sorted before we get much further...
Sunday, 29 July 2007
Time
I don't know how other people manage their time.
I am often running late for things, having toast for dinner, meaning to get around to doing the dishes, and rushing out the door wishing that I had learnt from the last time I rushed out of the house...
I also have a messy room. Although my Mum just popped in and had a look at my room and said that it was looking better than usual. Yay! (Even at 32, I still care what my mother thinks of my room.)
I have read a few books on time management, being organised, etc, but I normally end up quickly skim reading them the day before they're due back at the library. I mean, which would you rather read, Harry Potter or a time management book? And at least I get them back to the library on time (normally).
I think I do a fairly normal amount of things - work full time, flat with one person, have a boyfriend, see my parents once a week or so, go to church, study one extramural paper, go to an Amnesty International group once a month, go to a couple of Christian groups, watch sport... I wouldn't have thought it was more or less than a lot of people. But somehow, the dishes keep appearing, the piles of paper on the floor keep growing, and I always need to do washing...
The last organising book I read (Time Management for the Overwhelmed, or something similarly realistic) had a helpful suggestion - instead of a diary, it suggested a folder that I could organise in the most helpful way for me. It sounds promising. So I have a section for each day of the week, then a to do list and then things I do monthly.
Maybe this one will be the one for me?
I am often running late for things, having toast for dinner, meaning to get around to doing the dishes, and rushing out the door wishing that I had learnt from the last time I rushed out of the house...
I also have a messy room. Although my Mum just popped in and had a look at my room and said that it was looking better than usual. Yay! (Even at 32, I still care what my mother thinks of my room.)
I have read a few books on time management, being organised, etc, but I normally end up quickly skim reading them the day before they're due back at the library. I mean, which would you rather read, Harry Potter or a time management book? And at least I get them back to the library on time (normally).
I think I do a fairly normal amount of things - work full time, flat with one person, have a boyfriend, see my parents once a week or so, go to church, study one extramural paper, go to an Amnesty International group once a month, go to a couple of Christian groups, watch sport... I wouldn't have thought it was more or less than a lot of people. But somehow, the dishes keep appearing, the piles of paper on the floor keep growing, and I always need to do washing...
The last organising book I read (Time Management for the Overwhelmed, or something similarly realistic) had a helpful suggestion - instead of a diary, it suggested a folder that I could organise in the most helpful way for me. It sounds promising. So I have a section for each day of the week, then a to do list and then things I do monthly.
Maybe this one will be the one for me?
Tuesday, 19 June 2007
Engaging the Mind
Hello Faithful Reader!
(Well, I know at least one person reads this.)
Now that I seem to have finally got over the Doubt about my relationship with my Man - let's call him Trevor, shall we - I am having trouble not trying to rush ahead into the next stage. Or rather, I'm having trouble waiting for it to happen and not living it out in my head before it happens.
You see, Trevor and I have been together for almost two years (Two years! Yes, it's amazing! My previous record was 2 1/2 months and his was even less.) and we're both in our thirties. And we have talked about marriage. On several occasions. Sometimes he's brought it up and sometimes I have.
The problem is that I feel my life is sort of in limbo at the moment until we get married. I don't want to buy things that I won't need when we get married, I don't want to plan too far ahead, blah blah blah... and we're not even engaged! So I expect it will be at least a year - well OK, six months, until any marriage happens.
But the main point I have is that now, whenever we do anything, I find it hard just to enjoy the moment and keep wondering if he's going to propose. Any thoughts about how to just relax?
I have had a cunning method in the past for getting past this kind of problem - I would exaggerate and exaggerate my possible scenario until it was completely ridiculous and made me laugh. Example: I'm sitting at work or in a lecture daydreaming about some guy, start thinking "wouldn't it be great if he emailed/called/talked to me now?" Start daydreaming about that, then catch myself and think, OK, let's imagine he turns up at work... dressed as a gorilla... with the All Black team... singing some obscure pop hit from the 80s that only I remember. That's better.
It's not really working with the whole engagement thing any more though...
I don't have any problem with females proposing to males, but I would like to make myself wait for him to do it. I have ruined surprises before and then felt bad for stealing Trevor's thunder, and I just think it would be so much nicer if he did it rather than me rushing in and doing it all myself.
I will keep you posted, Faithful Reader.
(Well, I know at least one person reads this.)
Now that I seem to have finally got over the Doubt about my relationship with my Man - let's call him Trevor, shall we - I am having trouble not trying to rush ahead into the next stage. Or rather, I'm having trouble waiting for it to happen and not living it out in my head before it happens.
You see, Trevor and I have been together for almost two years (Two years! Yes, it's amazing! My previous record was 2 1/2 months and his was even less.) and we're both in our thirties. And we have talked about marriage. On several occasions. Sometimes he's brought it up and sometimes I have.
The problem is that I feel my life is sort of in limbo at the moment until we get married. I don't want to buy things that I won't need when we get married, I don't want to plan too far ahead, blah blah blah... and we're not even engaged! So I expect it will be at least a year - well OK, six months, until any marriage happens.
But the main point I have is that now, whenever we do anything, I find it hard just to enjoy the moment and keep wondering if he's going to propose. Any thoughts about how to just relax?
I have had a cunning method in the past for getting past this kind of problem - I would exaggerate and exaggerate my possible scenario until it was completely ridiculous and made me laugh. Example: I'm sitting at work or in a lecture daydreaming about some guy, start thinking "wouldn't it be great if he emailed/called/talked to me now?" Start daydreaming about that, then catch myself and think, OK, let's imagine he turns up at work... dressed as a gorilla... with the All Black team... singing some obscure pop hit from the 80s that only I remember. That's better.
It's not really working with the whole engagement thing any more though...
I don't have any problem with females proposing to males, but I would like to make myself wait for him to do it. I have ruined surprises before and then felt bad for stealing Trevor's thunder, and I just think it would be so much nicer if he did it rather than me rushing in and doing it all myself.
I will keep you posted, Faithful Reader.
Thursday, 26 April 2007
Interview Me!
Thanks to Sarah of Pink Cereal and Raspberries for humouring me and interviewing me.
1) What is your proudest moment?
I'm really not sure! I recently remembered the time that I came third in a poetry competition at school. I had recently left the school (it was overseas) and completely forgotten about it when a friend told me I'd won. It didn't hurt that the second prize poem was later shown to have been plagiarised!
Other things I've been proud of:
Managing to hold my goddaughter during church and having her not cry
Finishing a mountain bike race and then doing it faster every year since
Having a kid who I used to lead in Youth Group remember me
2) What's the news on you and the man? Have you found the spark, the sizzle, the lovely level of being happy together?
I think we have found a lovely level of being happy together. There still isn't that "wow" feeling that I thought I'd have of being totally, utterly and completely nuts about him, but I think he is absolutely amazing and I can't quite believe I'm lucky enough to have him. And he loves me and I have a big soppy smile on my face as I type this, so maybe it's just that I'm not admitting how nuts about him I am!
Plus I'm sure enough about him to be thinking about a long future together...
3) If you could move anywhere in the world, but you had to stay there for a year, where would you go and why?
Paris! Because it's a fantastic place anyway but also because I lived there during some of my "formative years" and I always feel that there's a part of me there. And because I'd get to speak French. :)
4) What is your biggest regret?
Being a wimp. I am not confident enough about many things, but mountain biking is a good example. My lack of confidence makes me more likely worry and then make mistakes and then to be less confident and more likely to hesitate and make mistakes and blah blah blah... vicious circle.
5) What are the ten things you would most like to accomplish in the next five years?
To get married (to the man mentioned above!)
To pay off my credit card and keep it paid off
To get involved in Bible translation
To have a tidy room (especially if I'm sharing it!)
To learn another language
To be able to play the guitar well enough to play a few songs without music
To work and live in Paris (more of a dream...)
To visit my best friend overseas
To go to Latin America
To free a prisoner of conscience
To be more present in everyday life and the lives of the people around me
If you would like to play the interview game, here are the rules:
Leave me a comment saying, “Interview me!”
-I will respond by e-mailing you five questions. I get to pick them, and you have to answer them all.
-You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.
-You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
-When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.
1) What is your proudest moment?
I'm really not sure! I recently remembered the time that I came third in a poetry competition at school. I had recently left the school (it was overseas) and completely forgotten about it when a friend told me I'd won. It didn't hurt that the second prize poem was later shown to have been plagiarised!
Other things I've been proud of:
Managing to hold my goddaughter during church and having her not cry
Finishing a mountain bike race and then doing it faster every year since
Having a kid who I used to lead in Youth Group remember me
2) What's the news on you and the man? Have you found the spark, the sizzle, the lovely level of being happy together?
I think we have found a lovely level of being happy together. There still isn't that "wow" feeling that I thought I'd have of being totally, utterly and completely nuts about him, but I think he is absolutely amazing and I can't quite believe I'm lucky enough to have him. And he loves me and I have a big soppy smile on my face as I type this, so maybe it's just that I'm not admitting how nuts about him I am!
Plus I'm sure enough about him to be thinking about a long future together...
3) If you could move anywhere in the world, but you had to stay there for a year, where would you go and why?
Paris! Because it's a fantastic place anyway but also because I lived there during some of my "formative years" and I always feel that there's a part of me there. And because I'd get to speak French. :)
4) What is your biggest regret?
Being a wimp. I am not confident enough about many things, but mountain biking is a good example. My lack of confidence makes me more likely worry and then make mistakes and then to be less confident and more likely to hesitate and make mistakes and blah blah blah... vicious circle.
5) What are the ten things you would most like to accomplish in the next five years?
To get married (to the man mentioned above!)
To pay off my credit card and keep it paid off
To get involved in Bible translation
To have a tidy room (especially if I'm sharing it!)
To learn another language
To be able to play the guitar well enough to play a few songs without music
To work and live in Paris (more of a dream...)
To visit my best friend overseas
To go to Latin America
To free a prisoner of conscience
To be more present in everyday life and the lives of the people around me
If you would like to play the interview game, here are the rules:
Leave me a comment saying, “Interview me!”
-I will respond by e-mailing you five questions. I get to pick them, and you have to answer them all.
-You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.
-You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
-When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.
Tuesday, 6 February 2007
Thinking about Humans
I've been reading a book about the Second World War recently (I do read lighter books, really!) and it makes me wonder - how do we stop ourselves from turning into the worst kind of "animal" (or more accurately, the worst kind of human) when things turn bad?
How do we stop ourselves doing things like what people in Rwanda did to each other during the genocide?
How do we stop ourselves from endangering others so that we can be "safe"?
How do we stop ourselves doing things like what people in Rwanda did to each other during the genocide?
How do we stop ourselves from endangering others so that we can be "safe"?
Friday, 19 January 2007
Butter Fingers
Do not smear yourself with body butter and then expect the dress that you put on to be presentable.
Here endeth the lesson
Here endeth the lesson
Thursday, 11 January 2007
Enough about Me
I recently read a book about the genocide in Rwanda. What happened there was absolutely disgusting, and I decided that the best thing I could do in response was to try to stop similar things happening.
So that's what I'm doing.
From what I've heard, worse things are happening in Sudan - do what you can to stop it.
Sudan Crisis
So that's what I'm doing.
From what I've heard, worse things are happening in Sudan - do what you can to stop it.
Sudan Crisis
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