I think I need to start a series of blog posts along the lines of 'The Mouse's Various Excuses for not Blogging Regularly, and Instead Letting Drafts Pile Up, Memory Cards Max Out, and Ideas Form and then Dissipate.'
These blog posts would appear every couple of weeks, usually after a long silence on The Mouse Files. In them I would probably begin by complaining that I am very tired, and that I've had assignments due, and then I would appease my conscience by posting some random pictures and then frantically begin eight new posts for the future (I have a lot of posts sitting in Drafts, let me tell you).
But there are always two reasons behind an absence of blog posts on the Files:
1. I've been writing so much for assignments and personal enjoyment, that I just didn't need to vent on Blogger.
2. I've been busy living a life away from the screen. {whoohoo}
This post would not be complete without a random picture to appease my conscience.
Showing posts with label confessions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label confessions. Show all posts
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
The Seventh of February
Today is an important day on the Mouse calendar.
(Mum's birthday)
It's also a special milestone anniversary for a special friend.
(You know who you are, chicken)
These are nice things which roll around on the seventh of February each year.
Last night I was trying with great difficulty to fall asleep. Have you ever had a night like that? Your body is screaming out for rest, your eyes are glued shut, but still your mind won't calm down, your thoughts are racing around your head, and your so worried you won't sleep at all and that you'll be a zombie the next day.
Zombie days. Not good for someone who can't drink coffee or utilise other various stimulants in order to trundle through the day.
After getting up, walking into a wall in the dark, turning on the light (argh, my eyes!), and reading the first novel on hand (World War 1, in the trenches = depressing), I was in a pretty dysfunctional state of mind. I even sneezed so hard that my lip started to bleed. Has THAT ever happened to you?
Then I had a little déjà vu. (How cool is the word déjà vu?)
It wasn't the lip thing. My lip has never started to bleed after a sneeze before in my life.
More like the problem of a sleepless night in February. I déjà vu-ed back to February 2009.
To be precised, the week after the seventh of February 2009.
Also known in Victoria as Black Saturday.
If you live in Victoria I'm sure you know a lot about the bushfires on Black Saturday 2009, so I'm not going to write a whole lot about facts and figures. The rest of you can look that up if your interested.
I remember Black Saturday because it was close. Really close.
It was a day which brought fire, destruction, despair, desperation, and even death... really close. When you live my nice and sheltered little Australian middle-class life you don't expect sudden and horrible death to come really close.
Sleepless nights in February 2009 were a symptom of fear.
Fear for friends near the fires.
Fear for all the local CFA volunteers risking their lives.
Fear that the wind would change again.
Fear that the nearby bush would go up in flames and burn through the suburbs.
Fear because no one really knew what was going on, or what to do, or where the fires were, or where they were going.
It's really hard to process, even now 3 years later.
Last night as I couldn't sleep, I remembered lying awake in 2009, listening to the whirl of my ceiling fan and smelling the smoke, wondering if the wind had changed and was blowing the fire our way.
I remembered the sound of ABC Emergency Radio in the lounge room, remember gathering around to listen to updated warnings. Biting my nails as local suburbs were read out to be on high alert. Freaking out when our own suburb was read out. Trying to get onto the CFA website which kept crashing.
Redoing our fire plan over and over again as situations changed.
That was the one summer we almost moved from our little patch of semi-rural paradise on the fringes of Melbourne.
There are drawbacks to living near the bush, but hello, Victoria is one of the highest risk places for bushfires on earth. We shouldn't be surprised, just prepared. Now we know how terribly wrong things can go.
I'm more of an optimist than a pessimist (unless I'm running on no sleep - then the world is a dysfunctional place, people). So I tend to look for the positives when something bad happens even though it annoys the stuffing out of lots of people (pessimists).
Summer 2009 faded into winter, the fires went out completely, Australia went absolutely nuts helping all the people who had lost everything they owned, the local community hereabouts went nuts supporting families who had lost people they loved.
And it rained.
It rained, it rained, it rained... all through summer 2010 (terrible for beach holidays, but hey).
Events like Black Saturday literally burn memories onto certain days of the year. My déjà vu won't let me forget that.
The seventh of February is also Mum's birthday, and Nonna has just arrived (with Nonno) and she bears gifts of olives, tomato sauce, fried zuchinni flowers for dinner, fresh basil which survived the storm (hallelujah) and a birthday cake. She does things properly. (I go nuts for basil)
I did finally fall asleep last night, because after re-living fearful moments during bushfires, I was then thinking about my Mum.
My Mum is very cool.
She gets all my blog posts delivered to her inbox and then she gives me constructive criticism on my grammar (just kidding, sort of).
I inherited my love for English and writing from my Mum.
So really, without her, I wouldn't be tapping away, spilling my thoughts in a dangerously public arena.
I guess without her I wouldn't even exist right now.
I thank God for my Mum.
And with that, I fell asleep.
Thank you for reading. ;)
(Mum's birthday)
It's also a special milestone anniversary for a special friend.
(You know who you are, chicken)
These are nice things which roll around on the seventh of February each year.
Last night I was trying with great difficulty to fall asleep. Have you ever had a night like that? Your body is screaming out for rest, your eyes are glued shut, but still your mind won't calm down, your thoughts are racing around your head, and your so worried you won't sleep at all and that you'll be a zombie the next day.
Zombie days. Not good for someone who can't drink coffee or utilise other various stimulants in order to trundle through the day.
After getting up, walking into a wall in the dark, turning on the light (argh, my eyes!), and reading the first novel on hand (World War 1, in the trenches = depressing), I was in a pretty dysfunctional state of mind. I even sneezed so hard that my lip started to bleed. Has THAT ever happened to you?
Then I had a little déjà vu. (How cool is the word déjà vu?)
It wasn't the lip thing. My lip has never started to bleed after a sneeze before in my life.
More like the problem of a sleepless night in February. I déjà vu-ed back to February 2009.
To be precised, the week after the seventh of February 2009.
Also known in Victoria as Black Saturday.
If you live in Victoria I'm sure you know a lot about the bushfires on Black Saturday 2009, so I'm not going to write a whole lot about facts and figures. The rest of you can look that up if your interested.
I remember Black Saturday because it was close. Really close.
It was a day which brought fire, destruction, despair, desperation, and even death... really close. When you live my nice and sheltered little Australian middle-class life you don't expect sudden and horrible death to come really close.
Sleepless nights in February 2009 were a symptom of fear.
Fear for friends near the fires.
Fear for all the local CFA volunteers risking their lives.
Fear that the wind would change again.
Fear that the nearby bush would go up in flames and burn through the suburbs.
Fear because no one really knew what was going on, or what to do, or where the fires were, or where they were going.
It's really hard to process, even now 3 years later.
Last night as I couldn't sleep, I remembered lying awake in 2009, listening to the whirl of my ceiling fan and smelling the smoke, wondering if the wind had changed and was blowing the fire our way.
I remembered the sound of ABC Emergency Radio in the lounge room, remember gathering around to listen to updated warnings. Biting my nails as local suburbs were read out to be on high alert. Freaking out when our own suburb was read out. Trying to get onto the CFA website which kept crashing.
Redoing our fire plan over and over again as situations changed.
That was the one summer we almost moved from our little patch of semi-rural paradise on the fringes of Melbourne.
There are drawbacks to living near the bush, but hello, Victoria is one of the highest risk places for bushfires on earth. We shouldn't be surprised, just prepared. Now we know how terribly wrong things can go.
 |
| Photo source: Wikipedia |
I'm more of an optimist than a pessimist (unless I'm running on no sleep - then the world is a dysfunctional place, people). So I tend to look for the positives when something bad happens even though it annoys the stuffing out of lots of people (pessimists).
Summer 2009 faded into winter, the fires went out completely, Australia went absolutely nuts helping all the people who had lost everything they owned, the local community hereabouts went nuts supporting families who had lost people they loved.
And it rained.
It rained, it rained, it rained... all through summer 2010 (terrible for beach holidays, but hey).
Events like Black Saturday literally burn memories onto certain days of the year. My déjà vu won't let me forget that.
The seventh of February is also Mum's birthday, and Nonna has just arrived (with Nonno) and she bears gifts of olives, tomato sauce, fried zuchinni flowers for dinner, fresh basil which survived the storm (hallelujah) and a birthday cake. She does things properly. (I go nuts for basil)
I did finally fall asleep last night, because after re-living fearful moments during bushfires, I was then thinking about my Mum.
My Mum is very cool.
She gets all my blog posts delivered to her inbox and then she gives me constructive criticism on my grammar (just kidding, sort of).
I inherited my love for English and writing from my Mum.
So really, without her, I wouldn't be tapping away, spilling my thoughts in a dangerously public arena.
I guess without her I wouldn't even exist right now.
I thank God for my Mum.
And with that, I fell asleep.
Thank you for reading. ;)
Monday, December 19, 2011
Amnesia [I'm back]
Hi.
It's me!
Wow, it's so nice to be blogging again. Let's jump straight in and talk about amnesia.
Most of what I know about amnesia is gleaned from movies and comic strips (I'm not really excited by medical literature). As far as I understand, one can get amnesia after receiving a hefty blow to the head, often with a blunt instrument. After said blow, the one with the sore head can no longer remember things such as their home address, their last meal, or even their own identity (as illustrated by Garfield in 1987).
The last few weeks have been such a blur. When people ask me what I've been doing lately, I'm pretty sure I must sound like an imbecile:
"Oh, well I've been very busy. Last Friday...I think it was Friday?, I did some baking. Nooooo, that was Monday. Wait! I think Monday was the night I went out to dinner...but hey no, that had to be Tuesday, or maybe that was the week before...um, sorry... what day is it today again?"
*confused look and sheepish smile*
I'd like to propose a different type of amnesia. One which can be brought on by a sudden change in schedule due to the beginning of summer break and the onset of Christmas.
Other symptoms include an aversion to writing anything that could possibly turn into an essay, a tendency to sleep in, guilt while staying up late, and an addiction to Christmas carols.
So... if you see me any time soon and ask me what I've been doing lately, don't be surprised if I pull out a calendar and first check to see which day we are actually at, and then look back to see what I've actually been doing. It's all written down, people.
Holidays + Mouse = chronic short-term amnesia.
One thing I do know:
Christmas is in 6 sleeps and I'm actually excited for no particular reason other than I am feeling extra Christmassy this year!
This is ironic because last year I was calling myself the grinch. Obviously I'm pretty unstable. But more on that later...
I've missed The Mouse Files like I miss salads after a week of deep fried 'food' (teehee) - can't wait to start blogging again, people - stay tuned!
Saturday, October 15, 2011
I love electricity & ciambotta
{Written yesterday evening, October 14th}
I'm very tempted to give a nice long spiel about Things Which We Take For Granted, inspired by my recent experience of a First World Problem (as opposed to Third World problems - which are big).
But that would be really boring and probably very uninspiring. I'm a great believer in the philosophy that you can only really learn something properly until you've experienced it yourself. For example, your father may tell you that the barbecue is hot, so don't you dare touch it. But then you touch it anyway because surely there are different opinions on what 'hot' can mean. 'Hot' is what temperature exactly? 'Hot' as in we need to jump in the pool? 'Hot' as in you feel the heat radiating onto your face? 'Hot' as in adults like to drink their tea hot (I hate tea)?
More like 'hot' you'll burn your finger, and so my little brother did. Touch the barbecue, I mean. And burn his finger too. At least we think he did because he tore off down the garden as soon as it happened and disappeared in the bushes for a while.
This morning I was on the internet at 7:30am because we'd received a little slip of paper in the mail telling us that the power would go off from 8:30am to some late hour. Without thinking about it too heavily, it registered in my mind that no power equals no internet. That's okay, I don't really need 24/7 internet access as long as I check everything in the morning...
I'm very tempted to give a nice long spiel about Things Which We Take For Granted, inspired by my recent experience of a First World Problem (as opposed to Third World problems - which are big).
But that would be really boring and probably very uninspiring. I'm a great believer in the philosophy that you can only really learn something properly until you've experienced it yourself. For example, your father may tell you that the barbecue is hot, so don't you dare touch it. But then you touch it anyway because surely there are different opinions on what 'hot' can mean. 'Hot' is what temperature exactly? 'Hot' as in we need to jump in the pool? 'Hot' as in you feel the heat radiating onto your face? 'Hot' as in adults like to drink their tea hot (I hate tea)?
More like 'hot' you'll burn your finger, and so my little brother did. Touch the barbecue, I mean. And burn his finger too. At least we think he did because he tore off down the garden as soon as it happened and disappeared in the bushes for a while.
This morning I was on the internet at 7:30am because we'd received a little slip of paper in the mail telling us that the power would go off from 8:30am to some late hour. Without thinking about it too heavily, it registered in my mind that no power equals no internet. That's okay, I don't really need 24/7 internet access as long as I check everything in the morning...
Monday, September 26, 2011
Confessions: I love Mondays
Today I have a day off babysitting. That means I can study and write all day in the comfort of my own office chair, on my own laptop, without having to stop and wipe a runny nose, break up a fist fight, or turn the volume down on the TV.
I think I'm going to feel a little forlorn. As I was trying to fall asleep last night (I'm always trying to fall asleep - insomniac - but that can be another post), I was considering a week begun without two little boys. That's the think about babysitting for 4 and 1/2 hours on a Monday. Starts the week of with a bang...literally. The door banging, the toilet seat banging, a little head banging on the steps - subsequent screaming...and the week is rolling. Bring it on.
I was trying to fall asleep, wondering what I should do to start off a week without a round of babysitting, when I remembered one small fact about my current existence. Two little boys are not the only thing I'm babysitting. In fact, humans are not the only thing I'm babysitting.
I think I'm going to feel a little forlorn. As I was trying to fall asleep last night (I'm always trying to fall asleep - insomniac - but that can be another post), I was considering a week begun without two little boys. That's the think about babysitting for 4 and 1/2 hours on a Monday. Starts the week of with a bang...literally. The door banging, the toilet seat banging, a little head banging on the steps - subsequent screaming...and the week is rolling. Bring it on.
I was trying to fall asleep, wondering what I should do to start off a week without a round of babysitting, when I remembered one small fact about my current existence. Two little boys are not the only thing I'm babysitting. In fact, humans are not the only thing I'm babysitting.
Monday, August 8, 2011
Confessions: Play Dough and Pancakes
And who invented pancakes?
Legendary!
Today I babysat two little boys. It's a regular thing, so no nasty shocks or unexpected surprises to share. I always arrive prepared for mud, dirt, slime, food on the floor, food on the furniture, food in my shoes...
smelly nappies...
grubby fingers in my hair...
yelling noises in my ear...
fingerprints on my glasses...
quivering biceps... ["ok, time to walk. Can't you walk now? Please walk! I'm putting you down NOW."]
Ah yes, it is good. Why?
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
When the Door Slams Shut
My Dad has this annoying little ditty/song he sings around the house.It goes
"be careful what you pray for"... *dramatic pause* ...."cos you might just get it." *some sinister boom boom booms*
And I think there's more but that's the only bit I remember.
I have a feeling it's from the old Gospel glory days in the 80s. My parents became Christians then and every now and then it shows. ;)
It's annoying because of the way he sings it, not because he's singing it at me. It's a catchy tune, but when I go to pray I've usually forgotten it.
I believe that God hears and answers every single one of my prayers. I'd have to be pretty dense and thick-headed not to believe it when I see it happen.
I'm not saying I pray for rain and it instantly falls from the sky. Or I pray for my greens to be turned into ice cream and this little divine act happens on the plate. (God preserves my teeth - see, no cavities.)
No, I'm still learning how to pray (that's one of my prayers. 'Teach me how to pray effectively, God!' Is that oxymoron-ish?)
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Confessions: Ital-Anglo Mouse
It has come to my attention that this blog has a bit of an Australian/Italian flavour to it. I think the official term is Anglo-Italian. Or Ital-Anglo? Wog? Anything?
My Nonna features quite a bit and that was entirely unplanned. Maybe my Australian life is more multicultural than I realise.
It comes out at odd moments. Things I think are normal, and then suddenly someone says 'Really? You do/say that?'
I AM pretty Australian though. It's my mum who is the child of the ethnic immigrant (I think that's an official term).
Here are some momentos of my quasi Ital-Anglo normal life..
My Nonna features quite a bit and that was entirely unplanned. Maybe my Australian life is more multicultural than I realise.
It comes out at odd moments. Things I think are normal, and then suddenly someone says 'Really? You do/say that?'
I AM pretty Australian though. It's my mum who is the child of the ethnic immigrant (I think that's an official term).
Here are some momentos of my quasi Ital-Anglo normal life..
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Confessions: I love the circus
Break out the kazoos!
The balloon animals! The red velvet cupcakes! The glitter and confetti!
Streamers, safaris, saffron and sunscreen. Chocolate, chants, chatter and cheese.
I'm celebrating! (can you tell?)
Unfortunately to explain the celebrations I'll have to use the P-word.
P as in...Ppppa... ppppap...ppppape...PAPERS!
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Confessions: I'm still alive
Yes, contrary to my neglectful behaviour when it comes to actually blogging on my blog, I am still on this earth, and even within reach of the computer. I'm even full of lots of juicy blog topics, and dying to start archiving 2011.
So why haven't I been around?
The word 'excuses' gets horrible beaten up and misused, but I must tell you why I've been gone for so long.
I haven't been running for PM (wrong time of year), or writing a novel (I wish!). I haven't been on a pilgrimage, or got a new job.
No, I've just been having fun with friends and family.
It's been that time of year, when we can all sit back and relax after Christmas. Dad's taken time off work, relatives came from overseas, and there are no papers due (yet).
Here are a few micro posts which summarise what I've been up to:
Now the holidays are drawing to a close, and it's time to get back into routine. I'm looking forward to filling 2011 with lots of those 'juicy' posts I've been inspired with these holidays. :D
I hope you're enjoying the variety January brings to a year. I sure have.
So why haven't I been around?
The word 'excuses' gets horrible beaten up and misused, but I must tell you why I've been gone for so long.
I haven't been running for PM (wrong time of year), or writing a novel (I wish!). I haven't been on a pilgrimage, or got a new job.
No, I've just been having fun with friends and family.
 |
| how cool are vintage posters? |
It's been that time of year, when we can all sit back and relax after Christmas. Dad's taken time off work, relatives came from overseas, and there are no papers due (yet).
 |
| taken in the little town of Healesville at the historic train station. |
Here are a few micro posts which summarise what I've been up to:
- Christmas. Which involved a lot of food, wrapping paper, hot weather and a new polka dot dress.
- Family. We were all together again for a while which was nice. Now we're apart again but that's okay because family ties are special. My Grandma had surgery so I was her right hand for the day. More on that later.
- University. Yes, I'm holidays, but I'm also doing a summer subject. I don't really want to talk about it since I'm in denial. Let's just say there are papers and lectures lurking in the dark corners of my mind, while I'm dancing across the sand at the beach.
- Music. I broke out my flute again (I play it once a year in an orchestra which only plays once a year - it's the mouse's only public performance folks.) A little squeaky on those high notes, but I enjoy blowing my little heart out.
- Conference. When lots of families get together and learn about faith, family, and life's journey. Actually it's more than that, but that's just my token blurb :D. I spent the week with a group of children which was a privilege. Hopefully more on that later.
- Movies. One of my dearest companions took me to see the Voyage of the Dawn Treader last week (thank you Naomi!). I think we were the last people in Australia to see it in the theatres! Heh heh, talk about leaving it until the last minute.
- Soundtracks. Of above movie. And more. I think I have a new hobby! I'm accumulating as many as possible and burning disks with random pieces from movies like Oliver Twist, Miss Potter, and Over the Hedge. Some amazing mixes.
- Apricots. They're falling off the trees! Home-grown produce is the best.
- Beach. After a soggy experience at Inverloch, I was soaking up the sun a couple of weeks ago in Frankston. Very summery it was, paddling around little chubby children coated in sunscreen, and walking through seaweed.
- Water, water, everywhere. Lot's of water, for all to share.
Now the holidays are drawing to a close, and it's time to get back into routine. I'm looking forward to filling 2011 with lots of those 'juicy' posts I've been inspired with these holidays. :D
I hope you're enjoying the variety January brings to a year. I sure have.
 |
| Yes, that's me ;) |
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Confessions: I think I'm a grinch
I thought I should write something about Christmas here on my blog. I mean it's only a four days away, and millions of people are already celebrating the Christmas 'season'. The decorations are up in the streets, carols are playing through the stores, cards fill the letterbox, and presents are being wrapped.
To be honest, though, I couldn't really be bothered. There, I've said it. What a grinch.
 |
| Adoration of the Shepherds by Charles Le Brun |
But don't worry! When a person [like me] realises that something has become clichéd, they're on the way to re-discovering it's power and originality! (Seriously. I mean, it's the first step, right?)
So please bear with me as a re-discover what made the Christmas story a world-wide 'best-seller'.
While we're on that subjects, here's something which I found in my inbox this morning - a new Christmas song.
While at the mall a couple of years ago, my then four year old nephew, Spencer, saw kids lined up to see Santa Claus. Having been taught as a toddler that Christmas is the holiday that Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus, he asked his mom, "where's the line to see Jesus"? My sister mentioned this to my dad, who immediately became inspired and jotted words down to a song in just a few minutes.
It's just amazing - listen to it here. There is a gorgeous music video too which already has over 1.5 million views on YouTube!
 |
| Anno Domini Edwin Long 1883 |
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Confessions: Hiding under a rock having fun
It's that time of year again...
Three weeks of Uni left - five assignments to get in. That's my version of 'exam week' because I don't have any exams.
So, I don't have much spare time on my hands. In fact it's the other way around: I don't have enough time on my hands. Unfortunately, that means that I haven't had time to invent a revolutionary machine that I can plug into my clock every night and wind back to gain a few more hours to research academic journals, order library books or write another 1000 words. (That would be very cool - but I just don't have time...sigh)
I do the next best thing, and hide under a rock (not literally). No shopping, no novels, no interior decorating, no cooking, no writing for fun, no photo-editing, no long phone calls with friends...you get the picture? I'm locked in the study, chained to my computer (blogging. Hah, shhhh) I hear your sympathetic groans. But not so fast, you don't have to worry! I'm weird!
Yes. I actually have fun when I'm reading, researching and writing in the world of academia. Confession: I do this during the holidays when I'm bored. I do this on weekends sometimes. I'm a research-aholic. I read research papers by the Australian Institute of Family Studies for fun. I borrow books from the library on the different generations, on feminism, on the decline of religion...fascinating.
So don't feel sorry for me when I disappear under a rock, because I'm secretly having fun. But I do get tired, and my brain begins to bulge with information overload, so I'll always re-emerge sooner or later.
In the meantime - don't expect me to answer your letters or phone calls.
Disclaimer: I came out from under my rock to blog this and fiddle around with my laptop. In the process of doing that, I deleted every single photo I've ever uploaded (don't ask me how I did it) THEY'RE JUST GONE! Hear my screaming. Moral of the story: I should have just stayed under my rock.
Three weeks of Uni left - five assignments to get in. That's my version of 'exam week' because I don't have any exams.
So, I don't have much spare time on my hands. In fact it's the other way around: I don't have enough time on my hands. Unfortunately, that means that I haven't had time to invent a revolutionary machine that I can plug into my clock every night and wind back to gain a few more hours to research academic journals, order library books or write another 1000 words. (That would be very cool - but I just don't have time...sigh)
I do the next best thing, and hide under a rock (not literally). No shopping, no novels, no interior decorating, no cooking, no writing for fun, no photo-editing, no long phone calls with friends...you get the picture? I'm locked in the study, chained to my computer (blogging. Hah, shhhh) I hear your sympathetic groans. But not so fast, you don't have to worry! I'm weird!
Yes. I actually have fun when I'm reading, researching and writing in the world of academia. Confession: I do this during the holidays when I'm bored. I do this on weekends sometimes. I'm a research-aholic. I read research papers by the Australian Institute of Family Studies for fun. I borrow books from the library on the different generations, on feminism, on the decline of religion...fascinating.
So don't feel sorry for me when I disappear under a rock, because I'm secretly having fun. But I do get tired, and my brain begins to bulge with information overload, so I'll always re-emerge sooner or later.
In the meantime - don't expect me to answer your letters or phone calls.
Disclaimer: I came out from under my rock to blog this and fiddle around with my laptop. In the process of doing that, I deleted every single photo I've ever uploaded (don't ask me how I did it) THEY'RE JUST GONE! Hear my screaming. Moral of the story: I should have just stayed under my rock.
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