Not my circus, not my monkeys

Welcome back folks! Or, welcome back, me? Either way, hello again. If you remember me, I love you. If you don’t, I understand. I haven’t posted in the longest time. But, it is a new year and with it brings a new me. That’s what happens, right? The switching of calendars has this odd effect of bringing you a new lease on life that is unachievable throughout the rest of the year?

Bollocks.

This isn’t the trade window (you’re welcome, sports fans). We can change anything, anytime. And I choose to change my blogging habits, for one. I swear, it’s a complete coincidence that this comes in the first month of the new year.

The second ‘change’ is not a completely sudden change, but one that I have progressed towards over the last couple of years. My new years resolution when I started this blog two years ago was to become more selfish. It was necessary for me, and now this year my new motto comes from a Polish proverb.

Nie moj cyrk, nie moje malpy.

Translated to: ‘Not my circus, not my monkeys.’

I had potential stress at work the other day. But then I remembered: not my circus, not my monkeys.

And it is handy beyond just the working life. Now my life belongs solely to me.

So, what shall I do with my OWN life? Well, I have decided to quit my job and sell most of my things (my music collection will remain forever mine) and head around the world, working as I go. Yep, I’m going on an epic adventure! And, indefinitely. Whatever may happen, shall happen. I have no ties, expectations, or plans. Just the world and me. I may return in tatters begging for my old job in six weeks, or six decades, I just don’t know, and that’s part of the beauty of it. But for now, I shall endeavour to return to the blogging life, for I really miss it, and even moreso, the community.

So, buckle in, get ready for some love and laughter and plenty of me, and if all goes well, a seriously daunting adventure worth strapping in for.

P.S. Looking forward to catching up with you all now I’m back!

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The Year That Was

Okay, so it seems every man and his dog has done a blog post recap of their year that was 2013. As a bonafide nonconformist, I decided I was not going to do the same. That was until I read slapthesunshine’s Rewind of the Past Year. Her post was magnificent. And very inspiring. Makes me want to get my ass in gear this year. She did SO much traveling and experiencing of everything life has to offer. I was completely inspired to do my own recap. See what I managed to experience and accomplish for myself this year.

Oh, and as if her post wasn’t already dreamy enough, about halfway down she had even included a little GIF of Sophia Bush. I could not help but fall in love with everything presented on that page after that, so now here we are. My recap is happening.

Honestly 2013 was pretty wicked to me.

There were ups and downs, but it would be weird if there weren’t. Most of it was positives though.

The down that comes to mind was my relationship breakup in May. That’s never a heaping of fun. But I’ll tell you what, I have learned a lot from it and essentially it enabled me to rediscover who I am and what I’m supposed to be doing with this life. So that was important, it turns out. And sadly that was never going to happen being where I was.

Too right, Sophia.

But that was what kinda kicked me into gear and had me decide to take a leap at that pipe dream.

So I tore up my teaching registration just like that and applied for mid-year intake into that Professional Writing and Editing course. I got in. And so far I have loved it.

That was probably the biggest thing that happened this year for me. I began my third degree. Let’s hope this is it now. Let’s hope I don’t need a fourth. Let’s hope I can make a living once this one’s obtained. A living I want to make.

What else did I do? Oh, I went on a boy’s trip to Sydney for a week. That was in October. See, everything good happened in the second half of the year. And that trip had a thousand experiences within it.

I think I only attended one gig this year. Damn, I need to start getting some funds together. I refuse to do that little gigging again in any of the rest of my years. I saw Cosmo Jarvis this year. And that was because one of my brothers organised it. That was a cool gig. Good fun. Wait… was Aloe Blacc this year? Or last year? There’s something wrong with my memory. Well, maybe two gigs this year. I can’t quite work that one out. May have been last year though. Don’t lock it in.

Oh, I got to see my Chicago Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup! That was awesome. That was in June, is that first half or second? Maybe that was the turning point. I’m a big fan. Possibly the biggest in the Southern Hemisphere. Surely not that big a thing to claim. Nah, not at all. So I was proper ecstatic.

Also hockey related, I attended the USA/Canada ice hockey exhibition match here in Melbourne. It was okay. A bit gimmicky. Or so I thought. Still a great night though, and we hit up the Casino afterwards. Long night from what I remember. And I think I have a photo with Cookie Monster playing the bagpipes. Yeah, that happened.

Okay, so couldn’t find bagpiping Cookie Monster, but here’s us with guitarist Mario!

I also visited the zoo and almost stole adopted a baby lemur.

 

And now I’m just drawing a whole heap of blanks. I studied, played a lot of indoor soccer, reffed a lot of indoor soccer, had a lot of BBQ’s and generally a very sociable year which was great, plenty of great nights out, lots of good nights in, a ton of sweet trips to the beach-house and made some wonderful blogging buddies right here. Thanks to all of you for a magnificent year, and let’s all have a great one again this year! Booyah!

Can I Have A Holiday Holiday Now?

That isn’t a typo up there in the title. I need a holiday from the Holidays.

I did quite some tripping about over the Holiday period. I made two trips to my grandparents’ house in the countryside. Visited my uncle out that way down the coast as well. That was all fantastic. I had Christmas with family and ate and drank far too much. But that’s okay because that’s the idea. I spent a week at the beach house after that. That was relaxing. I swam on the 30+ Celsius days and wrote on the evenings on the cooler days. I started my novel while down there. That was one of my New Years resolutions. I don’t usually make physical resolutions. Usually it’s something a bit philosophical. This year I made one of each. The physical one was “to write” (and finish!) my first novel. And the philosophical one was “to explore“.

I have already begun both. So, “yay”, “go me”, and all that.

I have two announcements!

The first is called Tessa.

Tess was rescued from the animal aid dog shelter that’s out in the sticks towards where my grandparents live. She’s mum’s dog, but I helped find her and sat in the back of the car patting her and helping her feel at ease for the 3 hour drive home with us randoms… so I’m attached. Apparently she is too. I’m told she laid down at the front gate waiting for me to come back after I left mum’s house that evening. She’s a cutie. We don’t know what breed though. The people at the shelter thought she was a Toy Keeshond cross. We’re still guessing.

The second announcement is coming up in a second post. It deserves its own…

So for now, I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all! May 2014 treat you all spectacularly.

Moving Off The Grid

I mentioned earlier, we have to move house.

I am currently renting with a friend. It’s been awesome living together. We’re the best of mates. It is the end of an era. An era that has spanned some five years.

But, they’re selling the house we’re in.

Now, he’s moving in with his girlfriend.

Gah, bloody girlfriends! Who needs them? What a nuisance.

So, I am heading out into the big, wide World alone. Uh-oh! It’s scary. It really is.

I found an option. What do you guys think? Reckon I could get internet access out there?

My Weekend Schedule

Oh my, I have a busy weekend ahead.

Friday night will consist of reffing some junior indoor soccer. I love that. They are great kids. Last week they all told me I was the best ref ever. So, naturally, that makes them my best friends.

After the reffing gig, I am heading off to a Christmas party run by a friend. Well, a friend and her housemates. I think it’s a big one. I’m just tagging along. I like Christmas; I like friends; I like festivities; why not party for the sake of them all?

Saturday I am spending for lunch at my dad’s house. My brother and his girlfriend are going too, so that’s good. She hasn’t met our dad yet, so I’m helping with moral support. I don’t see dad an awful lot. There’s mixed feelings there. I’m in a good mood tonight though, so I won’t share them.

Sunday is a ‘Welcome Home’ party for a friend who has been studying in the USA for the last couple years. He’s returned! It will be great to catch up and party in his honour.

So, yeah, a reasonably busy weekend awaits. And all the while, I have to apply for gigs and find a new house. We’re getting turfed out of ours, because they’re selling the joint. As if the Christmas holidays weren’t hectic enough already!!

Self-Indulgence Is Underrated

Well that was the most self-indulgent meal I’ve ever cooked for myself. I think.

I do go through waves of really valuing and hence acting on feelings of indulgence. I am feeling particularly self-indulgent tonight.

I sit here now with what I just prepared: Steak with avocado, garlic prawns, and a side of pasta salad with a glass of wine. And it didn’t take as long as I thought it would.

Maybe I did it wrong.

Tastes like I did it right.

Nice work, surf and turf. It’s almost as much fun to say as it is to eat. “Surf and turf”.

How do you like to indulge?

One Down, Two To Go (and then a typical ramble)

So, I really feel like posting in this here blog today, particularly since I have not done so much lately. But, I was really struggling to find what I wanted to share. I still have nothing overly interesting coming through these fingers, so I am just going to share with you my study schedule for next year. Boring, I know. Apologies. Slow news day week here in EJ-Land.

I am now enrolled in all my next-year subjects, so I thought maybe I can talk about that a little.

For those new to the blog… heavens, why??

Haha. I kid.

Kind of…

Anyway, for those new to the blog, long story short – I bailed on my teaching career and enrolled mid-this-year into a Professional Writing and Editing course. I still have next year and the one after before I’m fully qualified and informed. One year down, two to go.

For those old to the blog, I’m terribly sorry about banging on about that.

So, next year, I am officially enrolled in; ‘Editing Practice’, ‘Writing Fiction – Story and Structure’, ‘Writing Non-fiction – Research and Readership’, ‘Copyediting and Proofreading’, ‘Building a Strong Narrative’ and ‘Writing for the Print Media’.

Which is all great for me, because I’m completely undecided on what to focus on in my final year. So, having a massive range like that next year will (hopefully) enable me to make an executive decision on my major. This semester I completed Desktop Publishing and Corporate Writing. Not the official subject titles, but effectively what they were on about.

So, options galore. And if you know me, you know I have a love/hate relationship with options.

Quick fact: I am extremely adaptable. Extremely.

You could give me no options. Just say, “You’re doing your major in Fiction Writing for Children,” and I’d be fine. Given the options actually available I’d never choose that. But, you get my point. I make do with whatever’s available and am happy to do so. Always.

With options however, my head gets overloaded. Not even my head. I’m not using my head. I stopped using my head earlier this year. It was like a mid-year new years resolution. (My actual New Years Resolution was to be more selfish. An interesting one, I know. Made sense for me. I’m happier now.) So no more head either. My instinct and intuition are sharper than my head. And they take ‘me’ into account.

But, as I was saying, options just befuddle me. I love Editing, I love writing Fiction, I love writing Non-Fiction, I love writing for Media, and I surprisingly really enjoyed the Corporate Writing deal this year. I found I was very good at it. Maybe I go with what I end up being best at? Who knows. I surely don’t. Not yet. I can’t decide. Too many good options I think I’d be happy with.

Although if I went with what I’m ‘best’ at, I may end up with Publishing, because I got a High Distinction (90) for that one. A Distinction (78) for the Corporate one. I’m already more confident with this stuff. Such a difference when you know it’s ‘you’. My other two Degrees were splattered with Credits and Passes for the most part. But, they had exams. Oh, god… exams. The bane of my existence. Give me a portfolio-based assessment any day.

And this is the first time in my ENTIRE schooling that I have been involved in something more portfolio based. It’s wonderful! My instinct has always leaned me towards creativity, but sadly that head I was using for 28 years wanted to lean towards the academics. ‘Cause I was good at them, too. It was all Science and Maths at school. That’s what the ‘smart’ or ‘successful’ kids did. Ha! What a load of bollocks. Took me far too long to see through that bullshit. And I thought I was ‘aware’. Well, I guess I am moreso now. Just took the right culmination of life experiences.

Although, it’s not that I wasn’t particularly aware at that point. I just think I failed to take an active interest in my own life. I, like many, have always been great at giving advice, or assisting others towards positive self-discovery, but until recently absolutely failed to deliver that for myself.

But if you’ve been following this blog this year, you know that has changed. And I am very thankful for it.

I am also very thankful to you guys for trudging through this bollocks. I should really sit down with a plan before I write here. This is the result of improvisation. Again, so many apologies.

I might do a music one next. That’s long overdue.

Thanks for enduring that. I love you all!

I Return With Answers!

I am back!

I know, I use that phrase a lot. Or at least I have done in the last few months. I can’t tell if my random hiatuses are going to get better or worse at this point. I was happy blaming college, but then that ended for the year and I thought I’d have time to do this blogging thing. Then, I don’t know, I needed a rest, from everything.

But for now, I return. And I am (maybe) just in time to answer some questions posed by Suzie over at her blog. She has been encouraging anyone who wishes to answer 7 questions over the last week, because she likes getting to know her blogging buddies. Isn’t that sweet? I love the idea! So, naturally, I want to participate. Here are my answers…

1. Why have you chosen your blog name?

Because it’s very ‘me’. Two of my favourite words that just happen to sum up not only who I am, but what this blog essentially delivers: Whimsy and eclecticism.

2. When you have an hour of free-time, what do you do?

Blog? Okay, I guess I can’t claim that as truth, knowing that I have had many hours free the last couple weeks. I like to write, or socialise. If I can’t find someone to converse with, I’ll sit down to converse with myself or a page.

3. If you could choose to stay a certain age forever, what would it be?

Um… that’s tricky. I was leaning towards younger, as to avoid responsibility, but I like knowing what I know now and assume I’ll be more aware and/or wiser in the future. I may not have reached my ideal age yet. I’m not sure. I am getting fed up with how easy I injure myself playing sport now though. I miss that youthful, sturdy body I once had.

4. If you could learn to do something, what would it be?

I wouldn’t mind learning how to cook really, really well. That’d be neat.There’s many things I could list here, but that comes to mind almost instantly.

5. What would be the first thing you would buy if you won the lottery?

A monkey. I mean, why not?

Actually, if we’re being serious, I suppose it depends on how much I’m winning. Enough for a party with friends? Enough for my desired Kombi? Enough to travel the World? Enough to follow Dave Matthews Band on tour? Enough for a house at the beach? Enough to start my own business? Those things.

The party first.

Then a monkey.

6. What is the thing that makes you absolutely unique?

Perhaps my perception. It’s difficult to answer, because uniqueness cannot be dialed down to one factor. It is the unique combination of all traits and such. But I think my perception of the World around me is very unique.

7. What is your favourite blog?

You mean blogs, plural, right?

A couple faves include:

The Girl Who Blogs

Words Become Superfluous

Awakening To Awareness

Suzie81’s Blog

I’m Just Super Saiyan

But there are sooooo many good ones I’m aware of, and many more I probably aren’t. Explore the blogosphere, it is inhabited by so many amazing people!

Embrace it!

So, I just read some article about 20 things to do to truly embrace your 20’s.

I figured I’ve done a fair bit. Surely I have most of that list covered.

I’d done about 5. Well, that was depressing.

And they weren’t the fun five, either.

But then I found two more similar articles. I had about 15 in each of those covered. That cheered me up a little.

And then I found a list of the 8 biggest life mistakes you can make in your twenties. And I had made all of them.

But in the last year, I have also done the opposite to all of them. Perhaps even rectified all of the ones I made early.

So, perhaps I have finally begun to embrace, well… life. And my twenties, thankfully while I’m still in them. And it points to positive signs for the future.

I had a friend say the other day, “Wow, you have achieved so much already.”

Well, maybe, I guess, in list form of experiences. But not as far as my true desires are concerned. I still have much, MUCH to achieve.

But I think I’m headed there now.

Better late than never, right?

What’s In A Name?

In a fit of poetic oddity, I realised the four words that best describe me (or at least 4 of my favourite words) spell out my given name.

Eclectic

Whimsical

Empathetic

Nurturing

What would your name look like in this form?