Yep folks - still haven't gotten back to blogging about Tassie. In my defence I have been working 12-16 hours days and surviving on as little as 3 hours sleep.
So, as I sit here, on my third glass of a rather nice (and excessively cheap) red wine (and these are *large* glasses folks) I feel the urge to partake in some ramblings of the tipsy variety...
In an effort to increase the usable capacity of my PVR I've been force-watching recorded TV. Due to the excessive working hours I've been keeping, there is, fortunately, a large variety of programs saved. Tonight I partook of the most recent Grey's Anatomy.
And by the time I got to the end of it, I found myself bawling. No, not as some unkind people would say by the poor performances or daytime drama soapie story-lines, but by the personal commitments that was this week's themes. About life being the empowerment over death and one's chosen life commitment being the alternative to a hum-drum, depressive, unfulfilling life.
As they say....*spoilers* ahead.
By the end of the episode we have experienced:
The consequences of delaying that expression of commitment - the risk your soul mate has moved on.
A patient reconnected with her culturally distinct (Amish) parents after her best friend makes the sacrifice of letting her go.
Izzie finds a way to make Denny's money bring new hope.
George starts coming to terms with his Father's death and realises it is the people in his life that are important.
Christine accepts that the war is more important than an individual battle.
And Meredith admits to being a virgin in relationships.
This episode was about heart connections.
That even diametrically apposed life views (Amish and shunned) and connect. (First tears...),
That the chief made the right decision - but left it too late. (It's all about timing.),
That Izzie lets Denny go - and just got to *love* Miranda's spunk!
That Derek will be there for Meredith, no matter what. They may not connect, but he'll *be* there, even if he shouts, even if she shouts.
That Christine sees what really matters - she is making the long term commitment, she always was - or she would have walked away long ago. (Second tears...)
That George opens his heart and sees how truly amazing Kelly really is for him. (Outright bawling...)
So I'm sitting there, on the couch, 3rd *large* glass of wine in hand, trying to analyse why I am crying. All those years of Psychology at Uni catching up with me....
Was it the multiple marriage proposals? And nigh on accepting I am never going to get one....
Was it the feeling of affinity to Derek and Meredith's romantic position?
Was it the wine?
Actually - I think the moment that *really* got me, was Burke's proposal. The utter silence for weeks and weeks. The wondering why they were still together. Christina's acceptance of the war over the individual battle but still being able to maintain her own sense of right and justice and integrity. Bourke's proposal was *not* out of the blue. He just simply doesn't operate like that. This was in his mind for a long time. I suspect eventually we will find out just how long.
**** Important Footnotes
This blog post is *NOT* aimed at getting a marriage proposal. Rest easy B.
While marriage is something that will always remain in my life goals - for reasons many will not understand, and possibly a subject of a much later drunken post - I have accepted that the war is more important that an individual battle.
And no, I'm not ashamed of a blog almost entirely based on a Grey's Anatomy episode.
it touched me to the core - and that really should be good enough for you!
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Sometimes I wonder....
Sometimes I wonder whether I'm in the right career... it's not that I don't love the individual parts of my job, the pattern matching of incidents to find underlying commonalities and then tracking it down to the true cause to the satisfaction of all...
the control I have over the processes with the joy of seeing everything running smoothly...
even the interactions with other members of my team - aiming to understand where they are coming from and what they need in order to perform their job...
But it's the strangeness where the boss offers a copy of New Scientist out and I am leaping out of my chair wanting to be the first one, only to find I am the *only* one...
It's having to explain the soulful satisfaction of Kombis as a preference over BMW's...
It's listening to conversations about cultural / religious differences, where it's obvious that they just don't get it....
It's the mini cauldron on my desk filled with crystals that only one person has figured out...
It's the utter dis-belief that this stubborn, assertive, logical, control freak is a knitter...
Yes we embrace diversity. My section could be an ad for Benetton, but that doesn't mean that with diversity comes an automatic understanding and appreciation of the cultural, personal, religious, spiritual values of others.
What is it that gives someone that ability to see the bigger picture, to truly appreciate diversity - not just as a phrase to be worshipped...
Is it something that comes from having experienced discrimination?
Or is an open mind something that just is and cannot be developed?
How do we encourage open minds in others? Is it something that can be nurtured in the young?
Sunday, April 22, 2007
In Other News....
I know, when blogging the FNQ holiday I diverged and posted an other news blog and then never got back to the original - I will try this time to return to the Tassie trip - although it is getting to be a long time between drinks...
Just a quick update on life with A (and occasionally B).
That lump in my right wrist that some may have seen, or at least heard of before, has turned out to be a benign ganglion cyst - that is wrapped around my radial artery and trying to squeeze the life out of it - OK not quite, but every time it expands a little, it causes pain, I believe it is also pressing on the nerve running through there which is causing carpal tunnel syndrome - so still not much knitting in my life :( Not to mention riding or anything that involves bending my wrist or using my thumb to grip. I am coming more and more to appreciate the wonders of this opposable thumb mechanism we have! The upshot is there will be an operation likely later this year, after which I will look like I've slit my wrist, but hopefully the pain and weakness will go and I can return to knitting (and other pursuits) in earnest.
Other news:
B has sold his Brisbane unit, still waiting for settlement to go through, but in the meantime we(I) can actually start looking and discussing what we want to buy together. Woo Hoo! Spreadsheets here I come!
With my recovering energy this year I have been able to start reading again. I am currently into Book 4 of "The Wheel of Time" by Robert Jordan. I have read these before, many years ago, but there were some bad memories associated with it all, so B kindly gave me new copies of 1-9 (and I bought 10 with gift money) for Xmas. You know you're perhaps reading too much though, when you use their swear words, and start wondering what Faile would do in a situation.
Because someone somewhere *had* to go and do it, I did a google and found the quiz:
What Ajah are you?
Other things I've sought out: Visual DNA:
Just a quick update on life with A (and occasionally B).
That lump in my right wrist that some may have seen, or at least heard of before, has turned out to be a benign ganglion cyst - that is wrapped around my radial artery and trying to squeeze the life out of it - OK not quite, but every time it expands a little, it causes pain, I believe it is also pressing on the nerve running through there which is causing carpal tunnel syndrome - so still not much knitting in my life :( Not to mention riding or anything that involves bending my wrist or using my thumb to grip. I am coming more and more to appreciate the wonders of this opposable thumb mechanism we have! The upshot is there will be an operation likely later this year, after which I will look like I've slit my wrist, but hopefully the pain and weakness will go and I can return to knitting (and other pursuits) in earnest.
Other news:
B has sold his Brisbane unit, still waiting for settlement to go through, but in the meantime we(I) can actually start looking and discussing what we want to buy together. Woo Hoo! Spreadsheets here I come!
With my recovering energy this year I have been able to start reading again. I am currently into Book 4 of "The Wheel of Time" by Robert Jordan. I have read these before, many years ago, but there were some bad memories associated with it all, so B kindly gave me new copies of 1-9 (and I bought 10 with gift money) for Xmas. You know you're perhaps reading too much though, when you use their swear words, and start wondering what Faile would do in a situation.
Because someone somewhere *had* to go and do it, I did a google and found the quiz:
What Ajah are you?
Other things I've sought out: Visual DNA:
The Most Amazing Pizza
With the rest day over in Swansea, B rejoined the ride south. I chased up a potential new position back in Melbourne via some *very* dodgy internet connections and then hoofed it down to Triabunna to meet B. We were staying in a caravan park, so I took advantage of the excellent weather and got a load of laundry done and basically wandered around town waiting for B to show up.
3 Hours later and still no B, my mind is now replaying scenes from the first 4 days...
I decided there was nothing constructive I could do - a drive through town looking for him took all of 5 minutes, and thinking it was likely he had gone over to Maria Island, I decided to head down to Orford to check out a gluten-free pizza joint I had heard of.
And glad I was - the pizzas were simply amazing. The base itself was nothing special - quite satisfactory though, but the toppings were devine! The focus seemed to be on specific combinations of one or two items matched with a different cheese. There were blue-vein options, Camembert, cheddar and everything in-between. The base is one size only, small, so they recommend you buy two for a decent meal. Not a problem - meant making the decision on toppings was slightly easier. The pizza place is Scorchers by the River Gallery Café and I highly recommend it! The only really strange thing is that they don't seem to advertise that they do gluten-free pizzas! Although it is completely possible I missed the sign, I did look for one.
After partaking of the amazingly excellent pizzas I returned to the caravan park to find our unit had been broken into! Strangely the only item moved was B's bag, from which his plate and cutlery had been removed. Yes, he had returned late from Maria Island due to a late returning ferry, managed to convince the caravan park owner that he was with me and raced up to get a meal with the bike riders.
The next day was Saturday, and glad I was that I had a car and was less than 2 hours from Hobart. In the morning B set off for Richmond, and I drove south instead aiming for the famous Salamanca Markets!
I did a little sightseeing on my own on the way, taking this panoramic photo of The Thumbs, before arriving at the Salamanca Markets later in the day.
3 Hours later and still no B, my mind is now replaying scenes from the first 4 days...
I decided there was nothing constructive I could do - a drive through town looking for him took all of 5 minutes, and thinking it was likely he had gone over to Maria Island, I decided to head down to Orford to check out a gluten-free pizza joint I had heard of.
And glad I was - the pizzas were simply amazing. The base itself was nothing special - quite satisfactory though, but the toppings were devine! The focus seemed to be on specific combinations of one or two items matched with a different cheese. There were blue-vein options, Camembert, cheddar and everything in-between. The base is one size only, small, so they recommend you buy two for a decent meal. Not a problem - meant making the decision on toppings was slightly easier. The pizza place is Scorchers by the River Gallery Café and I highly recommend it! The only really strange thing is that they don't seem to advertise that they do gluten-free pizzas! Although it is completely possible I missed the sign, I did look for one.
After partaking of the amazingly excellent pizzas I returned to the caravan park to find our unit had been broken into! Strangely the only item moved was B's bag, from which his plate and cutlery had been removed. Yes, he had returned late from Maria Island due to a late returning ferry, managed to convince the caravan park owner that he was with me and raced up to get a meal with the bike riders.
The next day was Saturday, and glad I was that I had a car and was less than 2 hours from Hobart. In the morning B set off for Richmond, and I drove south instead aiming for the famous Salamanca Markets!
I did a little sightseeing on my own on the way, taking this panoramic photo of The Thumbs, before arriving at the Salamanca Markets later in the day.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
In Need of a Manicure
So after 3 days of waiting, B rolls in. But by then I am a wreck! Emotionally exhausted, not coping with the 5 am jump starts from a dark tent, followed by 8 hours of labour and not enough food. Not to mention I am desperately in need of a manicure, my cuticles are torn and bleeding... So regretfully I exit the volunteering life and travel on ahead, while B joins the ride (finally!) and wiles away an easy 81kms down the east coast of Tassie to meet me in Bicheno.
While riding through Elephant Pass, B stopped at the Elephant Pass Pancake Parlour where he noted that they had gluten-free pancakes! He didn't bring me one however..... :( OK it probably would have been cold and squished by the time it got to me....
While in Bicheno we went on a Penguin Hunting Expedition. We saw many, many penguins, up close and personal, one even made a break for it running between my feet. But alas all the photos failed, due to the low lighting, no flash conditions. You'll just have to believe me that they were all exceedingly cute.
The next morning B continued on - riding along the coast, and I hopped a bus to Hobart to hire a car and meet him back up in Swansea where we had a two day stop.
Swansea was also the first place on my list of gluten-free restaurants - The Ugly Duck Out, and I was keen to try it out.
I think I ate every meal there for two days: breakfast, lunch and dinner. And I still hadn't worked my way right through their menu. It was a little pricey and I got gluten-ed once (although the chef did apologise profusely, citing a busy lunch and perhaps not cleaning the grill properly).
On the no-ride day we went around to Coles Bay on the Freycinet Peninsula and took in the Hazards.
While riding through Elephant Pass, B stopped at the Elephant Pass Pancake Parlour where he noted that they had gluten-free pancakes! He didn't bring me one however..... :( OK it probably would have been cold and squished by the time it got to me....
While in Bicheno we went on a Penguin Hunting Expedition. We saw many, many penguins, up close and personal, one even made a break for it running between my feet. But alas all the photos failed, due to the low lighting, no flash conditions. You'll just have to believe me that they were all exceedingly cute.
The next morning B continued on - riding along the coast, and I hopped a bus to Hobart to hire a car and meet him back up in Swansea where we had a two day stop.
Swansea was also the first place on my list of gluten-free restaurants - The Ugly Duck Out, and I was keen to try it out.
I think I ate every meal there for two days: breakfast, lunch and dinner. And I still hadn't worked my way right through their menu. It was a little pricey and I got gluten-ed once (although the chef did apologise profusely, citing a busy lunch and perhaps not cleaning the grill properly).
On the no-ride day we went around to Coles Bay on the Freycinet Peninsula and took in the Hazards.
Saturday, March 10, 2007
It began as the Holiday from Hell...
I arrived in Launceston on time, after a relaxed (and short) flight from Melbourne.
I was there a day early, as a volunteer, to help get things organised and for a special dinner.
Well, they'd lost my form, so they didn't know I was coming on the Friday flight, they didn't have a name badge for me, and the "special dinner" turned out to be rice and steamed vege - you know those frozen tiny cubes of carrot, peas and corn? They weren't ready for a coeliac. they weren't ready for me - so much for feeling like a valued part of the team (and paying extra for food to boot!)
But these things happen, so I met my team members (they didn't know I was coming either), found a tent, and got settled in for the night.
B was catching the boat that night, so I sent him a romantic message and waited for the next day to arrive.
Around 9am the next morning, B sent me an SMS. He'd missed the boat, so was going to be 24 hours behind us and the bike ride was going to be moving on around the coast at 70kms per day. (I'm not sure why it took him 12 hours to send me an SMS to me and admit to me that he'd missed the boat. I can only guess as to his anxiety, and which was worse, missing the boat, or having to tell me that he'd missed the boat?)
The next night the riders arrived at Pipers Brook, and B managed to get on the boat. I took a photo of the sunset he was missing.
I was there a day early, as a volunteer, to help get things organised and for a special dinner.
Well, they'd lost my form, so they didn't know I was coming on the Friday flight, they didn't have a name badge for me, and the "special dinner" turned out to be rice and steamed vege - you know those frozen tiny cubes of carrot, peas and corn? They weren't ready for a coeliac. they weren't ready for me - so much for feeling like a valued part of the team (and paying extra for food to boot!)
But these things happen, so I met my team members (they didn't know I was coming either), found a tent, and got settled in for the night.
B was catching the boat that night, so I sent him a romantic message and waited for the next day to arrive.
Around 9am the next morning, B sent me an SMS. He'd missed the boat, so was going to be 24 hours behind us and the bike ride was going to be moving on around the coast at 70kms per day. (I'm not sure why it took him 12 hours to send me an SMS to me and admit to me that he'd missed the boat. I can only guess as to his anxiety, and which was worse, missing the boat, or having to tell me that he'd missed the boat?)
The next night the riders arrived at Pipers Brook, and B managed to get on the boat. I took a photo of the sunset he was missing.
The next morning, the riders left for Branxholm and B arrived in Devonport.I waited in Scottsdale at lunch for B to roll in, no sign, and no response from my SMS's.
No B at camp that night, and still no contact.
The next morning, the riders left for St Helens.
After 48 hours of not hearing from him, I was fearing the worst, in a terrible state and in at the St Helens Police Station getting them to check hospitals, bus lines etc trying to track him. No-one believed me when I said he was likely to try to ride from Devonport (near on 300km) with his full back pack and end up sleeping by the side of the road.
After assuring the police that he wasn't trying to get away from me, that I wasn't a stalker, they diligently called through hospitals, back packers, bus lines etc, etc, all to no avail.
Just as I was getting ready to quit the ride to catch a bus back to Launceston to hire a car and start driving the roads looking for a dead body, he rides into camp. He had been sending me SMS's, but none of them had been getting through, and he didn't realise.
And yes, he did ride from Devonport to St Helens in two days, with a full backpack and slept by the side of the road in a sleeping bag, 27 kms east of Launceston. He did take the time to do some sight-seeing on the way, and stopped for an echidna experience as well. (Echidna's are my new favourite animal - closely followed by platypus.)
Monday, March 05, 2007
Back from Tassie
I'm back!
Here's a quick summary of the last 3 weeks....
Launceston - arrived 9 Feb
Pipers Brook - camping - B missing
Branxholm - B still missing
St Helens - Filed Missing Persons for B. (B turns up)
Bicheno - Penguins
Swansea - Coles Bay
Triabunna / Orford (Great pizza!)
Sorrel / Richmond - Scottish Festival
Hobart - Cruise Derwent River, Pub Tour (Great Indian!), Bruny Island
Dover - The End of the Road
Huonville - Airwalk, hang gliding, Jet Boat (Great seafood!)
New Norfolk - Gordon Dam, Something Wild
Queenstown - hills!, Great Western Railway
Strahan - Gorden River Cruise, Hells Gates, Sarah Island
Burnie / Stanley - The Nut, Dismal Swamp
Beauty Pt / Launceston - Platypus / Seahorse / Hang Gliding / Penguins (Great pancakes!)
Sheffield - Murals, Cradle Mountain
Devonport - Sail home......
Monday 5 March - back at work.....
Details and photos coming soon.....
Here's a quick summary of the last 3 weeks....
Launceston - arrived 9 Feb
Pipers Brook - camping - B missing
Branxholm - B still missing
St Helens - Filed Missing Persons for B. (B turns up)
Bicheno - Penguins
Swansea - Coles Bay
Triabunna / Orford (Great pizza!)
Sorrel / Richmond - Scottish Festival
Hobart - Cruise Derwent River, Pub Tour (Great Indian!), Bruny Island
Dover - The End of the Road
Huonville - Airwalk, hang gliding, Jet Boat (Great seafood!)
New Norfolk - Gordon Dam, Something Wild
Queenstown - hills!, Great Western Railway
Strahan - Gorden River Cruise, Hells Gates, Sarah Island
Burnie / Stanley - The Nut, Dismal Swamp
Beauty Pt / Launceston - Platypus / Seahorse / Hang Gliding / Penguins (Great pancakes!)
Sheffield - Murals, Cradle Mountain
Devonport - Sail home......
Monday 5 March - back at work.....
Details and photos coming soon.....
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
