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Mp3Juice
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Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Sunday, March 28, 2010
How I Became A Yoga Nazi
Welcome to another Blog This! challenge. This time around the challenge goes something like this:
Tell your readers a tale. About something you learned. Be it driving, scuba-diving or maybe another language... riding a bike, learning to read, learning to cook a special meal - make it interesting or funny or shocking!
When I moved to the USA to take up a year long job as a nanny ( to three gorgeous boys – M, T and H ) I’d really thrown myself in at the deep end – my first time travelling overseas, going to the opposite side of the world from all my family and friends, to live with people I’d never met before. I figured if I was completely overhauling my entire life, why not my body aswell? And so, after 7 or 8 weeks of living in the US, I became brave enough to go to my first ever yoga class.
I’d always wanted to try yoga, but I’d never been brave enough before. I’d always thought I was too fat ( I wasn’t ), too unco-ordinated ( I wasn’t ) and too embarrassed ( I wasn’t ) to give it a go. But living in a town where you know hardly anybody has its advantages – it means hardly anyone knows YOU, and that gives you a certain amount of anonymity. So I thought “ Hell, if I mess up too badly or do something too embarrassing, I just wont go back!! “ But I got there, and I stole a spot at the back of the class, and I followed along as best as I could…. And I didn’t stuff up, I didn’t do anything embarrassing, and I loved it! And I’ve loved it ever since.
My first yoga teacher, Cindy, was a tiny, blonde, whirlwind of energy but when it came to yoga she was patient and calm and encouraging. She’d come through class and if you weren’t aligned properly she’d ask if she could help you with your pose. Through this way of teaching I became pretty good at yoga ( if I do say so myself ) – and very obsessed with proper alignment. Cindy would push or prod you in the right direction and eventually I learned when my body wasn’t doing something right and corrected myself. When I came back to Australia the obsession continued and I asked my new yoga teachers to tell me when I wasn’t lined up correctly in a pose.
Now I notice when others in class aren’t aligned right in their poses. I want to walk over and push them and pull them or whisper in their ear “ Pelvis forward, shoulders up, back and down “ – but that would be rude. ( I also want to walk up and bitch-slap the women who talk and giggle to each other through the class but that would be very un-Yogi of me… ). I’ve even considered taking Yoga teacher training but that got thrown on the backburner when I fell pregnant. Its still something I’d love to do down the line though. So, if you're ever in Dub-Vegas taking a yoga class and a small brunette with glasses glares at you from the back right hand corner of the room – that’s me, the Yoga Nazi. I may want to push, pull, prod or punch you, but its only for your own good…..
Tell your readers a tale. About something you learned. Be it driving, scuba-diving or maybe another language... riding a bike, learning to read, learning to cook a special meal - make it interesting or funny or shocking!
When I moved to the USA to take up a year long job as a nanny ( to three gorgeous boys – M, T and H ) I’d really thrown myself in at the deep end – my first time travelling overseas, going to the opposite side of the world from all my family and friends, to live with people I’d never met before. I figured if I was completely overhauling my entire life, why not my body aswell? And so, after 7 or 8 weeks of living in the US, I became brave enough to go to my first ever yoga class.
I’d always wanted to try yoga, but I’d never been brave enough before. I’d always thought I was too fat ( I wasn’t ), too unco-ordinated ( I wasn’t ) and too embarrassed ( I wasn’t ) to give it a go. But living in a town where you know hardly anybody has its advantages – it means hardly anyone knows YOU, and that gives you a certain amount of anonymity. So I thought “ Hell, if I mess up too badly or do something too embarrassing, I just wont go back!! “ But I got there, and I stole a spot at the back of the class, and I followed along as best as I could…. And I didn’t stuff up, I didn’t do anything embarrassing, and I loved it! And I’ve loved it ever since.
My first yoga teacher, Cindy, was a tiny, blonde, whirlwind of energy but when it came to yoga she was patient and calm and encouraging. She’d come through class and if you weren’t aligned properly she’d ask if she could help you with your pose. Through this way of teaching I became pretty good at yoga ( if I do say so myself ) – and very obsessed with proper alignment. Cindy would push or prod you in the right direction and eventually I learned when my body wasn’t doing something right and corrected myself. When I came back to Australia the obsession continued and I asked my new yoga teachers to tell me when I wasn’t lined up correctly in a pose.
Now I notice when others in class aren’t aligned right in their poses. I want to walk over and push them and pull them or whisper in their ear “ Pelvis forward, shoulders up, back and down “ – but that would be rude. ( I also want to walk up and bitch-slap the women who talk and giggle to each other through the class but that would be very un-Yogi of me… ). I’ve even considered taking Yoga teacher training but that got thrown on the backburner when I fell pregnant. Its still something I’d love to do down the line though. So, if you're ever in Dub-Vegas taking a yoga class and a small brunette with glasses glares at you from the back right hand corner of the room – that’s me, the Yoga Nazi. I may want to push, pull, prod or punch you, but its only for your own good…..
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Saving The Earth, One Romantic Dinner At A Time
So – I believe Earth Hour has been completed all over the world for another year. What is Earth Hour you ask? Well, for those of you who haven’t heard of it, Earth Hour is one designated hour, every year, where people across the globes are urged to go without electricity ( I mean, those of us who are lucky enough to have it in the first place ). That means, at the most basic level, turning off your lights but also the tv, computer, radio….anything that uses excess electricity and power, thus creating carbon ( or something. I’m not exactly a diligent greenie ). Turning off your lights, at the very least, is pretty damn easy, so its not like you need to go completely out of your way to do something right by the environment.
So how did I spend Earth Hour 2010 ? I decided, late Friday afternoon, that seeing as the idea was to spend an hour in the no-electricity-dark that I would make Mick and I a three course meal – to be eaten by candlelight of course! That’s right, I spent the time enjoying a cute, romantic dinner – that I cooked! – with my beautiful fiancé and my gorgeous chubby bubby. Actually, not true – the chubby bubby slept right the way through dinner and had the good manners to wait until we were finished before he woke up crying. Mick told me he loved the meal and I have to say, I didn’t do to badly. What did we feast on ?
Entrée: Prawn cocktail with fresh cucumber salad and lime aoli;
Main: Pasta Delicious – penne, chicken and broccoli in a cheese sauce;
Dessert: Raspberry, Peach and White Chocolate Mousse.
It all sounds terribly gourmet, but I promise you they were all very simple meals. Simple – and delicious! So we spent a good 40 minutes eating our meal and chatting over candlelight, laughing at our snoring son and hoping he didn’t think it was bed time for the night already. When he woke up, we spent the last 20ish minutes of the hour in our candlelit bedroom, still chatting whilst I breastfeed the now hungry chubby bubby. Once the lights were allowed to come back on it really was Flynns bedtime so we put him down for the night, watched “ Crocodile Dundee “ on telly and then took our goodselves off to bed. Overall, I cant think of a nicer way to spend an hour with no lights. Raunchier ways, perhaps, but nicer way, no….
So how did I spend Earth Hour 2010 ? I decided, late Friday afternoon, that seeing as the idea was to spend an hour in the no-electricity-dark that I would make Mick and I a three course meal – to be eaten by candlelight of course! That’s right, I spent the time enjoying a cute, romantic dinner – that I cooked! – with my beautiful fiancé and my gorgeous chubby bubby. Actually, not true – the chubby bubby slept right the way through dinner and had the good manners to wait until we were finished before he woke up crying. Mick told me he loved the meal and I have to say, I didn’t do to badly. What did we feast on ?
Entrée: Prawn cocktail with fresh cucumber salad and lime aoli;
Main: Pasta Delicious – penne, chicken and broccoli in a cheese sauce;
Dessert: Raspberry, Peach and White Chocolate Mousse.
It all sounds terribly gourmet, but I promise you they were all very simple meals. Simple – and delicious! So we spent a good 40 minutes eating our meal and chatting over candlelight, laughing at our snoring son and hoping he didn’t think it was bed time for the night already. When he woke up, we spent the last 20ish minutes of the hour in our candlelit bedroom, still chatting whilst I breastfeed the now hungry chubby bubby. Once the lights were allowed to come back on it really was Flynns bedtime so we put him down for the night, watched “ Crocodile Dundee “ on telly and then took our goodselves off to bed. Overall, I cant think of a nicer way to spend an hour with no lights. Raunchier ways, perhaps, but nicer way, no….
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Dear Flynn, Aged 3 Months
Dear Flynny,
Hello my darling – my little bubba boy. Its Mummy! You’re 3 months old now and I cannot believe how quickly the time has gone by ( it’s a cliché I know, but its true ). It feels like just yesterday they were popping you up onto my chest, your skin all soft and wet and me in tears. And now here we are, 3 months later, and you still sometimes have me near tears with how beautiful and clever you are ( very occasionally its because you wont go to sleep… ). In just this past week you have learned to:
a) Pull yourself up to sitting if someone holds your hands to steady you ( you could already go from sitting to standing on someones lap )
b) Reach out and grab things ( your right-handed by the way )
c) And roll from tummy to back ( and almost from back to tummy – you keep getting stuck on your elbow )
All that in just one week! I’m sure one day soon I’ll blink my eyes and you’ll be sitting on your own unaided, or will have got yourself wedged under the coffee table somehow because you crawled off when I wasn’t looking.
You’ve grown into a bit of a cheeky boy – you poke your tongue out when your happy ( that’s my fault for teaching you how ), flirt with all the checkout chicks and old ladies who stop us in the supermarket and smirk at me when your supposed to be falling asleep. I pretend to be grumpy and tell you “ Shut them eyes, Smiley! “ but really you could just stare up at me all day long and I wouldn’t be too mad. I probably wouldn’t mind at all except you really do need to sleep at some point ( and so does Mummy – nanny naps are important ). You think your Poppy S is hilariously funny and your not really scared of B anymore ( even though she made you pee yourself like a scared puppy… ). Both your Grandma and your Nanny show you off at every opportunity and H tells everyone she knows about every single thing you do ( you’re a very cool cousin to have apparently ).
Your daddy and I love you very much. We were kind of nervous when we found out you were coming into being, and we were kind of a little, tiny bit scared when you were born, just because we loved you so much and we were a little unsure how good we’d be at being your parents. But, after 3 months, I know that we’re doing awesome. How do I know? Because you’re awesome – and happy, and healthy, and learning and growing everyday. That means we’re doing something right, even when sometimes Mummy feels like she might have done something wrong. Daddy never feels like that, and he tells Mummy she’s doing great. He’s a good Daddy. Always remember that. Oh, and always remember we love you, love you, love you! ( and that if I ever catch you smoking, I’ll kick you right up the bum ).
Big, big snuggles and kisses,
Your Mumma
Hello my darling – my little bubba boy. Its Mummy! You’re 3 months old now and I cannot believe how quickly the time has gone by ( it’s a cliché I know, but its true ). It feels like just yesterday they were popping you up onto my chest, your skin all soft and wet and me in tears. And now here we are, 3 months later, and you still sometimes have me near tears with how beautiful and clever you are ( very occasionally its because you wont go to sleep… ). In just this past week you have learned to:
a) Pull yourself up to sitting if someone holds your hands to steady you ( you could already go from sitting to standing on someones lap )
b) Reach out and grab things ( your right-handed by the way )
c) And roll from tummy to back ( and almost from back to tummy – you keep getting stuck on your elbow )
All that in just one week! I’m sure one day soon I’ll blink my eyes and you’ll be sitting on your own unaided, or will have got yourself wedged under the coffee table somehow because you crawled off when I wasn’t looking.
You’ve grown into a bit of a cheeky boy – you poke your tongue out when your happy ( that’s my fault for teaching you how ), flirt with all the checkout chicks and old ladies who stop us in the supermarket and smirk at me when your supposed to be falling asleep. I pretend to be grumpy and tell you “ Shut them eyes, Smiley! “ but really you could just stare up at me all day long and I wouldn’t be too mad. I probably wouldn’t mind at all except you really do need to sleep at some point ( and so does Mummy – nanny naps are important ). You think your Poppy S is hilariously funny and your not really scared of B anymore ( even though she made you pee yourself like a scared puppy… ). Both your Grandma and your Nanny show you off at every opportunity and H tells everyone she knows about every single thing you do ( you’re a very cool cousin to have apparently ).
Your daddy and I love you very much. We were kind of nervous when we found out you were coming into being, and we were kind of a little, tiny bit scared when you were born, just because we loved you so much and we were a little unsure how good we’d be at being your parents. But, after 3 months, I know that we’re doing awesome. How do I know? Because you’re awesome – and happy, and healthy, and learning and growing everyday. That means we’re doing something right, even when sometimes Mummy feels like she might have done something wrong. Daddy never feels like that, and he tells Mummy she’s doing great. He’s a good Daddy. Always remember that. Oh, and always remember we love you, love you, love you! ( and that if I ever catch you smoking, I’ll kick you right up the bum ).
Big, big snuggles and kisses,
Your Mumma
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Don't Talkback To Me!
I have a confession to make : I listen to talkback radio. At night. And I’m only 26 yrs old.
And its not even “ shock jock “ stuff. Its just ordinary people ringing in to discuss whatever they want with the radio host and a couple of thousand other people. Don’t judge me ok ? Once upon a time I thought late night talk back radio was extremely daggy – there was no way you’d have me listening to random old women ringing in to flirt with the cheesy host when I could be listening to some Top 40 countdown instead. I’ve always listened to the radio at night on an FM station ( music helps me sleep ) but then when Mick and I started sharing a bed I discovered that he was a talkback fan. Gasp! And here I was thinking he was cool….
But you know what ? I’ve secretly grown to like it. Its like reality tv without the pictures. All kinds of people ring in and they talk about all kinds of things and I get to lie there, like some kind of voyeur, and listen in to their conversations. Sure, mostly its political stuff, or opinions on a social issue or current news story, but its interesting to here other peoples take on things. Its even more interesting when the caller and the host don’t agree and then they get into a petty argument ( don’t we all love a good fight? ) I have to say, though, that its really hard not to lie in my bed and curse out loud when I don’t agree with the caller – you know, like “ You’re freaking kidding! What, aren’t you listening ? That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard! “. Mick has had to roll over once or twice and remind me that a) they cant hear me and b) I’m supposed to be going to sleep….
So – to all the talkback radio callers who entertain me of a nighttime, I salute you! The truckies and shift-workers; the old men and flirty old ladies who prefer the “wireless “ to the tv; and yes, even to those crazy weirdo people who ring in at 3 or 4am when they should be asleep ( I’m awake because I’m breastfeeding – I have an excuse… ), thanks for taking advantage of our freedom of speech and helping me get to sleep at night. P.S That is no way indicative of how boring some of you are sometimes, its just how I roll…..
And its not even “ shock jock “ stuff. Its just ordinary people ringing in to discuss whatever they want with the radio host and a couple of thousand other people. Don’t judge me ok ? Once upon a time I thought late night talk back radio was extremely daggy – there was no way you’d have me listening to random old women ringing in to flirt with the cheesy host when I could be listening to some Top 40 countdown instead. I’ve always listened to the radio at night on an FM station ( music helps me sleep ) but then when Mick and I started sharing a bed I discovered that he was a talkback fan. Gasp! And here I was thinking he was cool….
But you know what ? I’ve secretly grown to like it. Its like reality tv without the pictures. All kinds of people ring in and they talk about all kinds of things and I get to lie there, like some kind of voyeur, and listen in to their conversations. Sure, mostly its political stuff, or opinions on a social issue or current news story, but its interesting to here other peoples take on things. Its even more interesting when the caller and the host don’t agree and then they get into a petty argument ( don’t we all love a good fight? ) I have to say, though, that its really hard not to lie in my bed and curse out loud when I don’t agree with the caller – you know, like “ You’re freaking kidding! What, aren’t you listening ? That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard! “. Mick has had to roll over once or twice and remind me that a) they cant hear me and b) I’m supposed to be going to sleep….
So – to all the talkback radio callers who entertain me of a nighttime, I salute you! The truckies and shift-workers; the old men and flirty old ladies who prefer the “wireless “ to the tv; and yes, even to those crazy weirdo people who ring in at 3 or 4am when they should be asleep ( I’m awake because I’m breastfeeding – I have an excuse… ), thanks for taking advantage of our freedom of speech and helping me get to sleep at night. P.S That is no way indicative of how boring some of you are sometimes, its just how I roll…..
Sunday, March 21, 2010
A View, Askew.....
Time for another Blog This! challenge, this time with a twist - this one is a photo challenge instead of a written task. What kind of photo you ask? The challenge reads:
Take a photo and/or share a photo of your favourite view. Is it from your bed, a holiday a local lookout? Why do you love it?
In the spirit of this challenge i thought of places i've been and photos i've taken previously. Dont get me wrong, i live in a lovely little duplex in a nice little neighbourhood, but the view is nothing to boast of. This, however, is something to write home about:
Take a photo and/or share a photo of your favourite view. Is it from your bed, a holiday a local lookout? Why do you love it?
In the spirit of this challenge i thought of places i've been and photos i've taken previously. Dont get me wrong, i live in a lovely little duplex in a nice little neighbourhood, but the view is nothing to boast of. This, however, is something to write home about:
Pretty huh? Wouldnt you love to wake up to that everyday? Sadly, probably not. Despite what it may look like that is not some castle somewhere in Europe - that, my friends, is the church at Port Arthur, Tasmania, as seen from the window of the Governors office. I chose to use this photo because I really love it and it reminds me of a great trip, despite being taken at a place that has witnessed such horror and tragedy. Port Arthur has such a hard, sad, melancholy aura to it yet it managed to be a place of physical beauty - a contradiction i hope i captured in this photo, and this of the church:
Tough rock used to make a place of prayer and serenity; a gorgeous blue sky prisoners would have only been able to see from the windows of a desolate prison cell.....
Back.... To The Future?
So, cast your minds back to this post, dated October 12, 2009. For those of you who werent around then, or just could not be arsed clicking on the link, the post concerned was about a reading i had with a pyschic. I had seen this particular woman in the past and she had been pretty damn accurate the first time around ( again, go to the link for details... ) so i thought i would visit with her a second time to see if she could get things right twice in a row. I also promised i'd do a post a few months on to see if her predictions came true or not. So, how'd she do?She predicted ( as quoted directly from the previous post ):
* That at some point in the next 6 to 9 months, i will have to make a choice between two ways to travel. Not physical travel, but more like two different paths my life can take. I'll be stressing, but i shouldnt worry: there is no wrong decision, and everything will work out no matter which road i take - could this be whether or not to return to work after maternity leave ?
Ok, so this one isnt exactly resolved yet. I still think that returning to work after maternity leave is what she's talking about, and i still do have that decision to make down the road. At the moment my heart says i really, really, REALLY wanna be a stay-at-home-mum ( SAHM ) with my bubba, but my head and my hip pocket say i probably cant afford to do that. I still need to explore whether returning part-time is an option for me. But hey, like she said, I couldnt make a wrong decision if i tried so its nice to know ( or have a really strong inkling ) that i'll be fine - that i will survive - no matter what road i take.
* This baby is coming early.... in around 9 to 10 weeks ( or 3 or 4 weeks early ) in fact.She also says she feels it will be around Xmas ( great ). In wont be because of complications or an emergency, simply because its just my bubbas time - ok, so this one is very specific, so i guess time will tell.
Like i said, this one was pretty specific - she didnt give me an actual date the baby would arrive on, but she did give me a very specific time frame. And ? Flynn was due on January 11th, 2010. He arrived..... on December 27th, 2009. Fifteen days ( or 2 weeks ) early, and two days after Christmas. I knw what you're thinking - holy guacamole! - and your right: that is spookily accurate.
This lady had previously predicted that i would be married, have had a baby and bought a house before i turned 26 and at the time of my last post, on October 12th 2009, i was pregnant and had bought a house. For those who have since been paying attention, Mick and I got engaged only two weeks after i made that post. So, does this particular woman have crazy pyschic powers or what ? I suppose it depends on what you believe but in my case i can only go on the evidence, and all signs point to YES. With that in mind, the pyschic expo is back in town next weekend - should i go and see, firstly, if she's there and, secondly, whether she lightning can strike thrice ?
* That at some point in the next 6 to 9 months, i will have to make a choice between two ways to travel. Not physical travel, but more like two different paths my life can take. I'll be stressing, but i shouldnt worry: there is no wrong decision, and everything will work out no matter which road i take - could this be whether or not to return to work after maternity leave ?
Ok, so this one isnt exactly resolved yet. I still think that returning to work after maternity leave is what she's talking about, and i still do have that decision to make down the road. At the moment my heart says i really, really, REALLY wanna be a stay-at-home-mum ( SAHM ) with my bubba, but my head and my hip pocket say i probably cant afford to do that. I still need to explore whether returning part-time is an option for me. But hey, like she said, I couldnt make a wrong decision if i tried so its nice to know ( or have a really strong inkling ) that i'll be fine - that i will survive - no matter what road i take.
* This baby is coming early.... in around 9 to 10 weeks ( or 3 or 4 weeks early ) in fact.She also says she feels it will be around Xmas ( great ). In wont be because of complications or an emergency, simply because its just my bubbas time - ok, so this one is very specific, so i guess time will tell.
Like i said, this one was pretty specific - she didnt give me an actual date the baby would arrive on, but she did give me a very specific time frame. And ? Flynn was due on January 11th, 2010. He arrived..... on December 27th, 2009. Fifteen days ( or 2 weeks ) early, and two days after Christmas. I knw what you're thinking - holy guacamole! - and your right: that is spookily accurate.
This lady had previously predicted that i would be married, have had a baby and bought a house before i turned 26 and at the time of my last post, on October 12th 2009, i was pregnant and had bought a house. For those who have since been paying attention, Mick and I got engaged only two weeks after i made that post. So, does this particular woman have crazy pyschic powers or what ? I suppose it depends on what you believe but in my case i can only go on the evidence, and all signs point to YES. With that in mind, the pyschic expo is back in town next weekend - should i go and see, firstly, if she's there and, secondly, whether she lightning can strike thrice ?
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