Good fortune - 29th March 2012

Life is like a box of chocolates

As Forrest Gump so eloquently put it, "Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get." This adequately sums up my day. It started out well enough, took a hellish turn mid morning and stayed that way until good fortune smiled on me when I least expected it. Exhausting!   
I almost caused a crash on the way home tonight by not seeing another car coming through the roundabout. I was too busy replaying the day in my head and obsessing over everything that went wrong. My inability to let go of things I can't change almost cost me my car, and maybe more. 
How ironic that an hour before I'd been joking about struggling to find something positive to blog about today. 
I think the universe may be taking my desire to find some perspective in my life a little too seriously. "Let's teach her for being an ungrateful little shit," I may have heard ringing in my ears post almost crash. Tonight I'm just so bloody grateful to be alive and not squashed in my car. Lesson learned.

Dance like nobody is watching - 28th Feb 2012

Today I was pulling dance moves like the one above on the inside. Launching this blog to the world today was both terrifying and exciting. Terrifying before I pressed sent and exciting afterwards because people have been so encouraging. I am grateful to have such incredible friends to give me confidence and honest feedback. Thank you. 
In a rather poetic moment, I looked out the office window this afternoon to see a guy on his balcony dancing exactly like the lady above. He was clearly as high as a kite in the middle of a disco biscuit party in his own head. God love him. I really wish I was brave enough to dance like nobody is watching. It looks so liberating.

Date night - 27th Feb 2012

A movie theatre all to ourselves

Coupon sites are the new gyms. You see a great offer, get all excited, sign up, then life gets in the way and you don't get around to using them. 
This is exactly how James and I ended up at the movies tonight. A month ago we found movie tickets for $7.95. Bargin. Such a bargain in fact I contemplated buying multiples. Thankfully common sense prevailed, because three days before they expired we still hadn't made it to one movie.
Determined not waste our money, tonight became date night. And it was fantastic. Two hours in a dark room with Mark Wahlberg (and James). Monday's don't get much better than this. 
The coupon site should have promoted that as part of the deal. I would definitely have purchased more tickets I wouldn't have used had they pitched the Wahlberg angle. By the way, Contraband is also a great movie. Highly recommend it. 

Dreamers and realists - 26th Feb 2012

Modern Family lessons from Cam

I certainly didn't expect the inspiration for today’s' post to come from the character of Cam in Modern Family. But I guess that is the beauty of this blog - I'm finding perspective in the places I least expected. It shows what happens when you become more alert in your own life.

I am a self confessed realist. My theory has always been to look at the worst case scenario first and plan around it. If you plan for it, it's unlikely to happen and life then usually surprises on the upside. In the Modern Family scenario I am a Claire, Mitchell and Jay. 

James, on the other hand, is a Cam, Phil and Gloria. He is a dreamer and I envy him for that. Life doesn't seem to come with so many restrictions for the dreamers. I long to see the positive in every situation and truly believe that "everything will be ok", rather than poring over all possible outcomes.

There was a scene in tonight's episode, which reminded me why realists and dreamers need each other. “The dreamers need the realists to keep them from soaring to close to the sun. And the realists...well, without the dreamers, they might not ever get off the ground". It's the perfect balance.

There is no point in me wishing to be something I can't. I'm just not programmed that way. Instead, I am grateful to have someone who is my perfect counterbalance, and me him. 

Wine time - 25th Feb 2012

Pure pleasure in bottles

At the time I thought it as a crazy idea. Having 12 bottles of wine delivered every few months felt excessive. Two rounds in and it's still excessive, but I am deriving far more pleasure from it than I expected. James arrived home with the latest batch today and the smile on his face was worth the price alone. I love the way he always sees the fun in life. While I see a figure on the credit card, James sees hours of enjoyment drinking this wine, reading about which food goes best with each bottle and deciding on a favourite.  The Minister for Finance (me) thanks the Minister for Fun (James) for today's lesson in perspective. Relax more and enjoy life's pleasures, minus the guilt.

Happy Friday - 24th Feb 2012

A perfect Friday night dinner

A pizza, a glass of wine and the night to myself. Heaven. 

Sometimes there is nothing quite as satisfying as your own company and the ability to sit quietly and download your brain. James is catching a late flight back from Melbourne, so I've taken the liberty of ordering a pizza, pouring myself a wine and watching as mush shit TV as I can while I have the chance. It's the perfect wind down after a crazy busy week. Now I'm ready for the weekend.

Catching the view - 23rd Feb 2012

A brilliant view - thanks to John Burgher for the pic

The one benefit of traffic congestion is the opportunity to take in the view around me. Several times a week I am lucky enough to drive to work. I say lucky because despite the gridlock, it’s much better than waiting for late trains filed with irritating and smelly passengers. But I digress.

Today as I sat on the road above Circular Quay I was able to take in this fantastic view. While I not a fan of cruise ships (too many middle aged people wearing matching outfits for a start), you can't deny their sheer size is impressive to see up close. Once again, seeing Sydney Harbour in all her sunny glory has made me appreciate my life in this city a little more. It seems slowing down, if even it is forced, really does allow you to take in the beauty of life around you. Beauty I would normally whiz past in my hurry to somewhere else. 

Note: Thanks to my friend John Burgher for taking this great pic and letting me use it. I figured taking a pic from the car again was stretching my luck.

Small mercies - 22nd Feb 2012

A clear run over the bridge - breaking point avoided

It was one of those days where I should have just rolled over and gone back to bed. I'm never at my best in the morning. Pre-10am just doesn't agree with me. But this morning was a particular struggle. 

I woke to the sound of what I thought was heavy rain. As I walked out of the bedroom, the lounge room was bathed in sunlight. No rain, just the TV on a static screen at full volume. It turns out our darling puppy, now cuddled up in his bed with the Foxtel remote, had turned on the TV while chewing the remote, paying particular attention to the volume button. 

I plan my morning to the last second, which allows for maximum sleep. The flaw in the plan is there is no time for any deviation. BOOM - big deviation of 10 minutes required today searching for missing dog-chewed remote. It was finally located under the lounge. 

Running late and feeling particularly stressed I then showed why I should never perform domestic chores. I managed to burn my stomach on the iron whilst ironing my work shirt. And no, I wasn't wearing it at the time. I am just a struggler.

The one saving grace in my morning was a clear run across the bridge with the least amount of traffic I have ever seen. I snapped this pic above to capture my excitement at the prospect of making it to work on time. I did realise mid pic that this probably wasn’t my smart move while driving. A rear ender would really have topped the morning off. Today I am grateful for my stupidity not making my day worse! 

Adding colour into my life - 21st Feb 2012

Perking up in pink

Today I tested out the theory that colour can influence your mood. I purchased this top on the weekend in what, at the time, I was unsure was a moment of stupidity or a masterstroke. You see it is pink, very very fushia pink. 

My initial concern was looking like an extra out of Legally Blonde. I tried on the safer option, a lovely non-offensive dark blue, but it just didn't rock my world. It felt safe and I needed some zing...a little pick me up. 

So today was the test. Can wearing a particular colour influence your mood? The answer in my case is a resounding yes!

Despite several incidents that would normally leave me fuming (I admit I was still a little mad), I felt a hell of a lot more upbeat and positive all day. I know it sounds insane, but wearing a bright colour resulted in a little more zing buzzing around my world. I will definitely now be increasing the amount of colour on my wardrobe.

A little bit of Frenchie - 20th Feb 2012

My guilty pleasure

Thank god I'm not subscribing to a no carbs regime (although I probably should). If I were, this 'purveyor of fine bread' above would be my downfall. This is Frenchie (my name not theirs) - the sandwich shop near work where I buy my lunch most days. 

Today Frenchie delivered the simplest of pleasures. The most amazing warm baguette filled with prosciutto and gruyère. For a few minutes I closed my eyes and was back in France, traveling around in our camper van eating baguettes for lunch without a care in the world. My day-to-day life may have moved on from the glory days but it doesn't mean I can't go back and take a little pleasure, every now and then.

  

Glorious Sydney - 19th Feb 2012

James and the puppies in the harbour

Where else in the world can you find this on your doorstep? If Sydney were a foreign city I visited on my travels, she would wow me and woo me like no other - even Paris. But there is something about the fact this is my own back yard that makes it less exotic. I am definitely guilty of taking Sydney and all her beauty for granted. 

Taking the dogs for a swim in the harbour this afternoon gave me a chance to stop, look around and take in the view. I've decided to start treating Sydney like I would any other city I jet into. The traveler in me is about to immerse herself in everything Sydney has to offer. James' first suggestion to kick the initiative off - surfing lessons. Holy shit. My obsessive fear of sharks (I also check for them in fresh water) ensures this story is about to get quite funny come lesson day.

The lesson of the red ballet shoes- 18th Feb 2012

Remy, Molly and Kristian blowing out the candles 

All those years ago when I stood next to Remy Van Staveren's mum in an eight-year-olds ballet class (she was the one wearing the glamorous red shoes), I never imagined I'd be watching her blow out the candles on her son's first birthday cake. This is how I spent my Saturday and I couldn't be happier. There is something special about watching your friends achieve their dreams. Seeing my dear friend Molly so happy with her sweet baby and husband made me happy in return. It's nice to see karma reward good people. 

The caterpillar cake

To this day I still remember a valuable lesson that came out of that ballet class all those years ago. Molly was wearing the most amazing ballet slippers I had ever seen. They were red, and to me they were exotic and glamorous. I was wearing pink ballet slippers, the same as everyone else in the room. I spent the entire class wishing I had the red shoes that were different to everyone else. It wasn't until years later that Molly confessed she had been standing next to me wishing she had my pink shoes on so she looked the same as everyone else. So often we don't appreciate what we have, nor do we realise someone else would swap us in an instant because they appreciate it. 

Tug-of-war - 17th Feb 2012

Tug-of-war over James' sock

The puppies continue to provide entertainment and giggles, plus plenty of material for this blog. Cuba can lift the lid on the dirty clothes basket and get things out if we forget to turn it around and face the lid to the wall. Of course, I forgot tonight. I was in the shower and could hear them wrestling like mad. I come out to find them fighting over James' dirty sock straight from the basket. They were mid tug-of-war. The highlight was Cuba dragging little Rocco around the floor as he gallantly held on to his end of the sock. I laughed long and hard. 

Puppy love - 16th Feb 2012

Cuba and Rocco sharing a kiss

OMG I love puppies. They are just so cute and cuddly. I'm constantly resisting the desire to hug Rocco so much I may squeeze the life out of him. There has been hours of fun in watching Cuba and Rocco wrestle and chase each other endlessly.  Tonight they finished their mad chasing session with some kissing. Seriously too cute.

Seeing the world through new glasses - 15th Feb 2012

My lunch break view

It only takes a small change to see the world in a different light. In my case today it was simply a matter of putting a new pair of sunglasses on. I've managed to lose my favourite sunnies. Well maybe not lost; they have just been 'Patriced'. This is the term used in our house to describe things I misplace. Typically the disappear for short-to-medium period and usually reappear in obvious places I swear I've checked multiple times.

Anyway, the latest incident forced me to wear my spare sunglasses today. They are lovely and expensive, just not as comfortable as my favourites, which are akin to an old pair of jeans. So I shouldn’t have been surprised that the lenses produced fantastic tones. As soon as I put them on, everything was bathed in deep vibrant colour. The trees were greener, the water in the harbour was a deeper darker blue and the sky was a perfect summer blue. For the length of my lunch break, the world around me looked richer and brighter. That in itself is something to celebrate. Not to mention the reminder it provided that life can always look better from a slightly different view.

The Perfect Valentine - 14th Feb 2012

My wonderful husband

Today I am thankful for the brilliant husband I share my life with. We'd decided not to go all out for Valentine’s Day. We are both so flat out with work, all we wanted from today was to spend the evening together watching a couple of downloaded episodes of our favourite show. Sounds boring, but the opportunity to chill in each other’s company in a big deal in our house these day!
To my great surprise, I arrived home to find my very own Jamie Oliver had whipped up a yummy surprise dinner. He'd even gone to a special Italian deli to get fresh ingredients and made a stop via my favourite cup cake shop. After all of these year, he can still make me smile in an instant. What a brilliant Valentines. Thank you James. Big kisses. 

Time poor - 13th Feb 2012

I reached a new low today. I applied the second half of my makeup routine in the car as I drove to work in peak hour traffic. Weirdly, it felt worse than the mornings I'm so late I do it on the train.

Now there are multiple things wrong with this situation. The first is the element of danger to myself and other drivers - I'm clearly not giving the bumper bar in front my full attention as I coat my lashes with mascara. Second is the fact I think it is somehow less pathetic to only apply the decorative parts of my makeup routine on public or private transport (apparently foundation must be applied in private however eye shadow is fair game). But most alarmingly, why am I so time poor that there are not enough minutes in my morning to ensure I leave the house in a fit state to greet the world?

"Just get out of bed earlier," I hear you so. A logical solution yes, but a practical one, no. My personal catch phrase has long been "I don't do mornings". The answer needs to come from a more dramatic change in my lifestyle. I need to achieve some work life balance. That means doing more than getting home late, eating, showering, watching TV to zone out my brain, before falling asleep and starting it all over again.

I have no idea how, but I am embarking on a mission to achieve some balance between the two competing elements in my life - my career and personal life. The latter can no longer be a second priority. I'm looking for two positives to come out of this change: the ability to relax and switch off once I leave the office and having enough energy to get up when my alarm goes off each morning and have time to actually get ready before I leave the house. Is that really too much to ask?

Water baby - 12th Feb 2012

Our water baby loving the beach

Today was another perfect day with my visiting family. The weather gods were kind and Payten got her one true wish for the weekend - to go to the beach. It was great to watch her enjoying the sand and the waves, two things she can't find in the counrty. It was also fantastic to spend the weekend with mum, dad and Danielle. It felt like Christmas. A simple pleasure was showing them part of our everyday Sydney life, and just being together.

Lions, tigers and bears at the zoo - 11th Feb 2012

Payten and the Silverback at the Zoo

Today I watched the world through the eyes of a child, and what a glorious world it is. We caught a train, crossed the harbour on a ferry, explored the enclosures at the zoo, saw lions and tigers and bears, then capped the day off with sharks at the aquarium. But what was the highlight for my four-year-old niece? It was walking up the big stairs going into the zoo and eating a red iceblock she had spotted some other kids enjoying earlier in the day.

It was a great lesson for me as a grown up. We spend so much time doing extravagant things and looking for experiences with a big wow factor. But sometimes the greatest joy comes from the simplest things in life. They cost nothing but make our souls smile.

There is nothing like family to keep you grounded - 10th Feb 2012

My darling sister Danielle

There is zero change of anyone in our family getting a big head even if one of us were to win an Oscar - and that is a great thing. Tonight my mum, dad, sister and niece arrived for the weekend. We had a great BBQ for dinner and hours of catch up chat. It was absolutely lovely.

While sitting on the lounge chatting to my sister she glanced at my feet, stopped mid sentence and said, "Patrice you really need to get your feet fixed." God it made me laugh. Here was me thinking the protruding bones on my feet were not that obvious and my desire for surgery was slightly vain and melodramatic. The rest of the world tells you what you want to hear. Your family tell you what you need to hear – the truth. I love that.  

My technology wardrobe malfunction - 9th Feb 2012

The headshot accidently shared with the world

Oh the embarrassment! Today I experienced the technology equivalent of a wardrobe malfunction. I accidently uploaded a pic of myself from Instagram to Facebook as I was trying to work out how to use the app. I had absolutely no intention of sharing this pic with the world, but via my sheer lack of tech skills I managed to send it to every person I know in the social media universe. I felt like a grandma learning how to text. Now I know how Janet felt - exposed and embarrassed (although at least it was only my face and not my nipple).

Today’s lesson in perspective – learn at laugh at yourself because as a techno dummy writing a daily blog there are bound to be plenty of them and the world will be laughing with me. 

The wonders of chemicals- 8th Feb 2012

Until today, I've never understood the epidemic that is prescription drug addition. I just didn't get it. Class A drugs, yes, I see the appeal - illegal, slightly glamorous and true party aids. But popping pills from a medicine bottle has always baffled me. Where is the attraction?  

Today, I discover the answer. I now totally, totally get it! The story goes like this. I had a small non-eventful surgery procedure today. Due to my 'control' issues I was not thrilled to be parting in general anesthetic (it's like being on a plane - everything totally out of my hands). So the lovely Doctor gave me something to 'help me feel more relaxed' along with my anesthetic. I awoke to find myself in a lovely floaty haze that lasted all day. That shit was amazing. James was 40 minutes late collecting me and I wasn’t even phased. Normally I’d be calling him after five minutes asking where the hell he is. Instead, I casually waited another 30 minutes before putting in an 'are you coming soon' call. Anyone who knows me will appreciate this is nothing short of abnormal behaviour.

I’ve never felt so chilled and relaxed in my life. And, I now have a whole new perspective on the ease with which one could become addicted to prescription drugs. They may not have the glamour, but my god, they have the impact. I could really do with a bit more of THAT feeling in my daily life. 

Dog versus master - 7th Feb 2012

Rocco at Puppy School

Tonight we were like the second time parents laughing at all the new, over anxious parents with no idea. The only difference is the babies were puppies, not kids.
James and I have started puppy school with Rocco. Our theory was he needs to interact with other dogs (apart from Cuba) and we could do with some tips on how to ensure our two dogs get along and how to train a new puppy while another dog is wrestling him. What we didn't expect was the hilarious carry-on of eastern suburbs puppy owners.
There was the elderly couple who cradled their big Labrador in their arms, rocking him like a baby whenever he whimpered (funny, but very sweet). Then there was the typical annoying family complete with pushy mum, uninterested dad and three kids. Their dog was out of control, as the was the mother.
We sat there like two smug second timers, laughing at the chaos and shaking our heads at everyone with no idea. I even whipped out a “You need to put your dog on the lead" to one afore mentioned clueless idiot. Today's lesson, take heart in the fact there is always someone out there who is stupider than you! 

4 sleeps until Friday - 6th Feb 2012

Mum and I sipping drinks at Carols in the Domain

It feels like a long way till the end of the week on a Monday morning. But the good news is there are only four sleeps left until I get to see my favourite person in the world - my mum. She is coming to visit this weekend (with Dad, my sister and niece in tow) and I can't wait! There are not enough words in the universe to describe how much I love this woman. She is the most compassionate, caring, understanding person I've ever met, with a wicked sense of humour and a wild streak to boot.
There are two things Mum has always said to me for as long as I can remember, "You can do anything you put your mind to" and "I'm always proud of you". What better advice and support could a daughter ask for. Today I am grateful for my amazing mum and I can't wait to see her in four sleeps!