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You are here: Home / 2011 / Archives for March 2011

Archives for March 2011

Declutter – or not

March 29, 2011 by Jen

Maybe I will tidy up the fridge one day. Day 119/365.

I keep a fairly tidy house and every now and again I have a purge of stuff but the refrigerator seems to be the last to get cleaned up.

In my photo a day project last week I got to the end of the day and realised I hadn’t taken any photos yet so I thought I’d document my fridge.

I realised, like Project 365, it’s a snapshot into my life with photos, invitations to parties, concert tickets and magnets.

I’d like to see photos of other fridges. Post it on your blog and link back here if you like. Are yours as cluttered as mine?

Do you have any questions about any items on my fridge? Notice the Hawaii Five-O knock off?

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Indecision

March 24, 2011 by Jen

Aye, the knees have it. Day 109/365.

It wasn’t long ago that I took this photo. We both had a day off, well I’m having lots of days off, but it was kid free as they were all at school. We took the dog down to the beach, bought some lunch along the way and were sitting down in the sun eating our pasties.

Did I mention it was warmer? The last few days, autumn has well and truly hit here. I’m wearing more clothes, and socks and shoes and I’ve even considered putting the heater on. It’s also been raining quite a bit, although that’s been normal this year too.

I spent the day in front of the computer working yesterday as I’m doing a website for a friend’s clowning business. I haven’t started my own website yet. I get all gung-ho about it then I see a job advertised that I’ll apply for and might get and then what’s the point of a website for me? Perhaps I should have one anyway, to brand me as a person who does a particular thing? This indecision is annoying.

I’ve found this website – Therapy in Transition – which has a section on business and entrepeneurship that I will read. It might give me some pointers.

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Different lifestyle

March 18, 2011 by Jen

In the web. Day 100/365.

When I got my new job back in August I still managed to hold onto working four days a week but because the office hours were longer I was out slightly longer each day and I had to make up some time on my free Fridays.

I did hire a cleaner but they were either very unreliable or when I got a new cleaner I only got them to come in once a fortnight. It was totally worth it and it’s something I’ve now curtailed until finances start getting better.

Despite not having to do so much cleaning I obviously still had the day-to-day stuff to contend with. With that, and finding time to spend with my fella things could feel very rushed and I would often wonder if it would be like this until the lad left school?

Now that I no longer have to go into work four days, or more, a week I’m loving – absolutely loving – the slower pace of things.

I used to get up at 6.30 to take the dog for a walk in the morning and now I get up at 7.30 to get JJ ready for school and when I’ve dropped him off I take Monty for a walk. It’s much more civilised. I note that I’m still going to bed around the same time so the extra hour or so is obviously agreeing with me!

I try to maintain a routine in my day and I notice that watching The Love Boat has crept into my routine. I sometimes set the Tivo so I can start watching it halfway into the show and fast forward through the ads. It’s a chance to have an early lunch or do something like folding the clothes. Oh, and I love the fashions on the show. It’s quite light hearted and I inevitably feel good afterwards.

One other thing I’ve been able to now fit into my day is helping out with things on at the school. The photo above was taken when I went along to the school garden to help out the teacher with JJ’s class that day. There were quite a few other parents there so I didn’t have to do too much.

On the school excursion. Day 114/365.

The other day, I went on an excursion into the city. The kids were all really well behaved and the show that we went to see about water conservation and use was fairly entertaining for the adults as well as the kids.

Next week they’ve got swimming each day and because some of my freelance work has been delayed I’ll be able to help out there too. Although JJ has an ear infection so I’ll have to be careful that it doesn’t reoccur. I must remember to use Aqua Ear after he’s been swimming.

I’ve also now got the time to setup my own ‘business’ website. Someone asked me to describe what services I’ve got available and it would have been good to direct them straight to my website. It looks as though freelance work is the ticket for me at the moment.

Isn’t it funny – this is something I’ve been thinking about for some time. I even have a category called ‘My business‘ on this blog. If I had stayed in paid employment I’m sure it’s something that would never have kicked off but now I’m out of work, I’ve got the time to concentrate on it.

I’ll keep you posted.

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I’ve asked and I’ve received

March 17, 2011 by Jen

In flower. Day 98/365.

A couple of years ago I watched Oprah and saw her interview the woman who wrote ‘The Secret’. I haven’t read the book or seen the movie but I gather that the main premise of The Secret is that if you ask the universe for something and you really believe, it will come to you.

Just as I was finishing up in paid work my Sodastream stopped working. I love soda water especially when it’s hot and whenever I buy bottles from the supermarket I don’t always get through them so it can be a waste – let alone all the plastic bottles. However, when I fizz up my own water I don’t feel quite so bad if I don’t quite get through the bottle. I just add more water and bubble it up.

So, my Sodastream had stopped working and I thought I’d have to bit the bullet and buy a new one. If I’d been working I wouldn’t have thought twice about getting one as they’re not really expensive. But I had to really think if I could get one. I was talking about it to a friend and she said she had one she’d bought from the op shop for $5 and I could have it as already had one. She couldn’t leave it in the op shop for $5 so she bought it.

She’s now given it to me, and with some new Sodastream bottles – it’s working an absolute treat.

Today I asked my friends on Facebook if anyone had a pair of size 8 football shoes as my son’s grown out of his and he’ll need a new pair for the next season coming up.

But a friend commented on my status update saying he didn’t have the boots but he’s got a mountain bike that he’s giving away that would suit a 10-15 year old boy.

I bought the bike my son still has for his third birthday and he’s completely outgrown it so the offer a mountain bike is too good to refuse. Because it is apparently a very good bike we’ve been asked to make a donation to a worthy cause. Unfortunately there’s so much disaster happening lately that it won’t be hard to choose and I won’t be able to donate much because I’m not earning any money at present but I’ve saved myself a bucketload.

Does asking the universe for things you need work for you?

PS: the photo of the flowers above doesn’t really have anything to do with the content of this post but this hasn’t flowered for a couple of years so it was great to see it this year.

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Making the most of it?

March 8, 2011 by Jen

Bar 9 for lunch. Day 99/365.

As I enter week five of unemployment I still hover between feeling positive about my lack of work situation and feeling negative about my lack of work situation.

I had the joy of going to Centrelink last week and I nearly burst into tears when they told me that due to my ‘liquid assets’ I am unable to claim Newstart Allowance for a number of weeks. See my liquid assets aren’t as liquid as having a bunch of accessible cash hanging around in the bank and it annoys me that I’m forced to use up this money that I have to get out of term deposits because I was ‘let go’ from my last job.

I’d had plans of taking three or so months off when I wanted to, to do some travelling or something but now I’m being forced to take some time off because I haven’t got a job. This is why I’m trying to be positive because all too soon I’ll probably be back in the workforce and if I don’t enjoy this time off then what’s the point?

On a positive note I have been promised a contract for 12 hours work to research and write an article for a magazine which I’m looking forward to. I’ve also put in my first ever quote for a copywriting job for a research brochure. That was really hard because I’ve never had to do such a quote before and I didn’t want to over or under quote. I’m still yet to hear about that.

I don’t know if the work from home lifestyle is for me. I think I would go mad if I didn’t have other adults to talk to during the day so I’m trying to plan some catch up time with friends during the day which is working to an extent. (The image at the top was taken when I met a friend for lunch.)

In the meantime I read about job hunting and look at job advertisements. Some useful articles/blogs:

  • They really want to hire you. Some basic tips for how to present yourself.
  • InterviewIQ – job hunting intelligence
  • Avid careerist
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Mourning the end of summer that never really was

March 5, 2011 by Jen

Onkaparinga River at Pt Noarlunga South. Day 97/365.

We spent most of the weekend at The Surfer’s place and went swimming both days. That was during the last few days of our summer and what a strange summer it has been here.

Firstly it didn’t get hot much at all. Unless March comes and bites me in the bum with a heatwave, we usually have a heatwave in January or February but apart from a couple of hot days and hot nights it didn’t really happen at all.

I know Perth and Sydney have had some heatwaves but these passed us by, not that I’m complaining. We’ve also been lucky to miss out on cyclones and floods.

I notice the days getting shorter and the weather getting cooler and I wonder what the heck happened to summer this year. Hopefully next summer for us won’t be as traumatic and we’ll also get some warmer weather, not too hot for too long mind.

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Yes, you can hear me sing.

March 1, 2011 by Jen

A bit of ukulele and banjo. Day 76/365.

The Surfer and I quite often sit down and play the ukuleles and I have a sing along. He can also play the guitar and has recently bought a banjo. I’m a one strum wonder and because of his guitar experience he can pick, and sounds quite good. He’s trying to get me out of my one strum wonder bit and one day I’ll get there.

Anyway, due to us stuffing around on iTunes with our two phones, I found these voice memos on my iTunes. One of them, below, is us playing along to a song called Raining Pleasure by The Triffids, a band from Western Australia. Oh, and it’s me singing.

http://semanticallydriven.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/RainingPleasure.mp3

If you can’t see the little audio player above, then here’s a a link Raining Pleasure.

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