Soundtrack to life...

I just had a "Movie Moment".
I've had them before, and wonder if anyone else ever has times when they too felt as if you're looking at life, from a director's point-of-view?

Scene 1: Take 1:
This afternoon I was driving back from visiting my parents in the Redlands and feeling in a 'sentimental, joy de vivre, possibilities-are-endless' sort of mood. On the radio was a song (don't ask me to name it because I can never remember bands or singers) that matched my mood perfectly, and which I imagined as a fitting soundtrack to the scenes passing me by as I drove. Every action of the passerbys, from the kids throwing back their heads with laughter as they fooled around on their bikes to the softball team playing in the park, just fitted so well into this 'soundtrack to life'. The world felt such a calm, free-spirited, joyous place in the three minutes the song set the tone for the muted actions around me. The warm setting sun of a winter's day as it bathed everything in that glorious soft red hue, also added to this surreally beautiful scene. I felt that excitement, you had when young (yes, I'm sooo old now), of the potentially endless opportunities out there to pursue and quite simply, the joy of being alive! Yes, this was the weekend! Time to revel in the freedom! Ah, but wait - it's Sunday afternoon...Doh! Why does that always happen!

Anyway that got me to thinking...what songs would others pick as a good soundtrack to life?

One that I like alot at the moment, which may do the trick, would be Coldplay's "Viva la vida". Although it will be overplayed soon and hence ruined, there's something about those staccato strings and the orchestral accompaniement that is so stirring....



Lyrics Viva La Vida lyrics

Music can be so evocative can't it! Anyone else care to share?

A change is as good as a holiday..

Before:

After:

Have had a few classic reactions to the reversion to my (near) natural colour, after four years as a blonde. The funniest being the people at work who didn't recognise me! They stared at me through the glass into the laboratory where I sit, and I waved back. Still looking perplexed they looked around me and then headed off...to then call me on my extension and see if it was me! Hilarious!

My boss asked me if a change was as good as a holiday....well, we'll have to see. Apparently blondes have more fun, but hopefully that isn't the case - I do miss the blonde, but felt like a serious change - or change for the serious!

Hump Month..

It's like this I feel...

Wednesday = Hump Day of the week, June-July = Hump Months of the year.

The public holidays are over, the only prospect of a decent holiday is 6 months away and I'm in a slump! Hence I've decided that currently it feels like a Wednesday at work, and has done for the past month... You're glad to see it come, but my goodness it seems to go all too slowly when all you're looking forward to is the weekend.

Is it just me? Or is anyone else out there, in the eerie echoing vastness of cyberspace, also feeling sluggish at present?

As Andrew can attest to, I'm having particular trouble getting out of bed each morning at my alloted time of 6.10am. Seemingly with the advent of winter I have chosen to ignore everything apart from the doona, including the alarm clock and Andrew shaking me at regular 5min intervals. Aaaah sweet doona, bringer of warmth and just 5 more minutes slumber..

When I do drag myself to work, missing breakfast and some serious makeup needed to disguise my hideousness, I feel exhausted by 10am. On the positive, I think I've managed to bring my colleagues down with me! At lunch time my small group of 4 coworkers in Operational Science (2 x ento's and 2 x plant path's) sit around the table and just look blankly at our lunches..too lethargic to even bother with trivial conversation on the appalling state of the traffic (always a hot topic!).

So.. now I'm home from work, and exhausted once again. Tonight, as per usual, I'll resort to the computer, the sofa and the TV for entertainment to distract me from the chores that are just tooooo much for my tired body. Then some more computer time before hitting the hay at 11pm...

I tell you, it must be hump month, there can be no other explanation! ;-)

p.s. Bring on the Ekka Show day!

Sweeet!

Last night I had an enticing conversation with Steph Smith. Enticing to my senses, a taste sensation no less, in a single sentence - "There's a new cupcake shop in West End".
Whoa - sensory overload! Did you say CUPCAKES! As in delectable decadence in a small well-decorated package??!!!! Why did I not know about this!!!!!

Thankfully I managed to keep all this internal and played it cool with a casual, "Oh really?". Followed not so cooly with a menacing, "Where!". Steph being a trooper, didn't flinch as I salavated in front of her, and filled me in on all the necessary calorific details.

Which neatly leads me into another topic of culinary delight that we touched on...BAKERIES! Oh the big topics were covered at Murray Henman's 40th celebrations!

So this suitably stirring topic is perfect for a blog me thinks. Steph had a neat list of top 5 bakeries/patisseries of renown which I'll now share...and please feel free to send me your own! I love nothing better than an excuse for coffee and cake, so should you need a dining partner.......my services are available (all for the small price of a sweet treat ;-) ).

Top 5 Bakeries (mix of Steph and mine):

1. Patty Cake place at West End
2. Toowong French Patisserie (Cat and Fiddle Shopping Centre)
3. Balmoral Bakery
4. Flour Power at Highgate Hill
5. Bakery near Ashgrove? (sorry you know my memory!)

Any takers?..................................

Mu'Ooze Magic..

Another great dinner at the local Eritrean restaurant in Moorooka - Mu'Ooze. This time a group dinner to catch up with Andrew and Jane (friends of Andrew M's) who were visiting from Hong Kong.

Andrew, Jane and Murray get serious with an SLR and a bottle of vino.

The share platter for mains - great curries and vegetable dishes all served together on this crepe style bread. Fingers welcomed!

The speciality of the restaurant - freshly roasted and brewed coffee while you watch! The BEST coffee I've had!

Ah good food, good wine and good friends! Bellissimo!

Another week endeth..

Top Five's for the week ending the 22nd June:

1) RDO's - I love government jobs! I get a rostered day off every three week's and boy, does it make the difference! I saved up two and used them to make this a four day weekend. Bliss!

2) Sharing a day off with Andrew for the first time. Today we lazed about in the morning (read sofa time) and then went for a drive up to Mt Glorious which was, wait for it, glorious! Beautiful winter weather meant that we were able to see down into Samford valley and across to Moreton Island clearly from the lookouts. Yet, all this beautiful scenery - and no photos! Yes, you heard right, today I was sans camera. I ditched the digitals (who were under-energized) and instead had to savour the experience with my other senses...which leads me onto lunch, and the Mt Glorious Cafe and Restaurant. I cannot recommend the view from this cottage cafe enough along with terrific fare. All in all, I was inspired to do more day tripping, and, take the SLR on a much-deserved outing in future.

3) Cold Feet - are there any other fans out there of this phenomenally good British TV series? I'm/We're addicted. I made the mistake of buying the whole series' on DVD. 36 x 1hr episodes later.....and hence far too much sofa and less computer action! (ah the mental deprivation!).

4) Workmates - I have such a great workplace. Not only is my boss an utter gem who made me a birthday card - isn't she the sweetest - but the guys whom we work closely with in another section (Nursery Stock) are hilarious fun! The other day I was doing an inspection with Craig from nursery stock, and we were discussing children. He was mentioning the 'presents' he and his wife received from their in-laws - that being a children's cubbyhouse! (they have no children). Hmm, said I. Subtle!

He laughed and said that will be me soon - and I said something along the lines of "I've heard children have been raised by wolves.." (meaning to finish the sentence) and he broke down into fits of laughter. I didn't want to kill the moment with the rest of the sentence, so needless to say he now thinks of my maternal side in terms of rare, medium and well done! .... Anyway, good to see we share a good sense of humour!

(No animals were harmed in the delivery of aforementioned jokes).

5) And what would a week be without another set of inane J & A conversations. An avid reader (thanks Paula) said she "wet herself with laughter last week" so I take that as encouragement enough!

Scene II : A rare dinner at the dining room table -

1) as we begin our meals and with no lead in - A: "Trrific". J: "What?". A: "Trrific". J: "I don't get it?". A: "I'm Adam from Cold Feet". J: "Ah, no, you're Andrew from Moorooka - who alas isn't a cool sexy scot from a British TV series. Can I eat now?".

2) A: "Do we have any garlic?". J: "Yes in a bottle labelled Garlic". A: "Is that the bottle with the labelled rubbed off?" . J: "aaah does it say 'Garlic' "?!

3) A: "So we don't have any Garlic then?" J: "Well did you taste the contents of the jar with the label rubbed off?". A: "No, I think it's Ginger". J: (thinking to herself - Watson strikes again!) "But did you taste it?". A: "Jen while I didn't discover the Garlic, I did discover that we have three different types of Mustard - Seeded, Dijon and ofcourse Hot English. Very impressive!". (Andrew it seems is not only a garlic conniseur but a mad mustard fan too).

4) A: "Stop looking at me like that". J: "Like what?". A: "Your too good with those eyes". J: (what can I say, I've got a knack with my cornea's) "that's just because you can't outstare me!". A: "Okay here goes" (begining his penetrating stare at me above his glasses). J: (staring back with my mesmerising cornea's).

A: "Where are your eyes??, I can't see your eyes". Ah the benefit of a staring competition with a blind man who can't see above his glasses - J: "There right here staring at yours". A: "Are you looking down, I can't see them when you look down (sounding afronted and confused at the same time) , they just look like two moths on your face". Ah romance isn't dead!

Gold for the Morrisons again!

Hope you had an equally enjoyable week!

Sunday shenanigans...

Love.

&
Laughter.

This was my Sunday.





Morning motivational -
We managed to convince one member of our Afghan family, the eldest daughter Roya, along with her husband to come with us to the World Refugee Day celebrations at Annerley. As one of my friends Adele, who also met up with us, mentioned - it was confronting, yet exhilerating, to feel in the minority for once. Murray, Tom and Cathy also rounded out a great group of friends who came to celebrate the diversity and soak up some new cultural experiences with us.
The celebrations were well under way when we arrived, with great performances on the stage including Iranian dancing (the little kids were amazing!), Congo choir and and African rap group called "No pain, no gain". There was a rock climbing wall set-up for the kids (one of which flew up the wall leaving us all gasping), henna painting, stalls and lots of great food! Ofcourse, you may well guess what my main motivation for coming was...













Roya (from our Aghan family), Cathy, Adele, Murray, Andrew and Massoud (Roya's fiancee).

~~~~~~~~

Afternoon delights -

I accompanied two other classy laaadies, Helen and Candice, to Gold Class (ooh la lah) for Sex and the City - mandatory indulgent chick flick viewing. It left you wanting to walk out of the cinema and straight into a shoe store...or atleast sashay out of the lobby surrounded by a great gaggle of gal pals, in search of a walk in wardrobe to overtake. Very deeply disturbing film - who has that much money? - and when do we start a similar awesome foursome ?! (I bags Miranda's role).