little red book

Had a discussion last week with a friend of how I am not one of those people who sets life goals, how I tend to look at 6-12months in advance but no further. Well. Then of course I found a little red notebook I had forgotten about... on the first page in uppercase I have printed LIFE GOALS. Hmm. And have scribbled notes under the headings financial, career, relationshiops, spiritual and health.

Think I wrote these down about 6-8 months ago when I was at a low point, in an attempt to find some direction to my life, and no doubt spurred by something I'd read. It is encouraging that I have actually made some progress in most of those categories. Certainly the satisfaction of planning ahead and seeing your goals achieved is nice, but I can't help thinking defensively, what if they fail? (Read: what if I fail?). Pessimistic, I know, but it is a safe and predictable place in my mind. Besides, I always thought it was restrictive to plan too far ahead, like it might blind you to other opportunities. But maybe there is some value to some higher-level goals at least.

On another note, I went through another phase of anxiety last week, similar to how I felt around this time. Wonder if there is a pattern emerging. Will stay tuned. Think I might be beginning to understand myself better now. :)

Hell's Belles and Holyspokes!

...it wasn't too bad actually! We only did the 6hr event, which equated to just over and hour (average) on the bike for each of us. We managed 10 1/2 laps in the time on the ~7km course, not bad considering our lack of preparation for the event! :) No lubricant required (Thanks Dave - Helen had thought of it) I did invest in some decent shorts though! We placed 26th out of the 27 teams that entered... but full of enthusiasm for doing it again next year!! I want my own bike now, but am holding out to buy it on my return to Adelaide, so I have a set of wheels to get around on while I'm there. Fastest of our team clocked a lap around the 24min mark; I was happy with my 36min and 34min laps considering my lack of experience, aerobic fitness etc! The hardouts were aiming for about 15min - sorry to the guys I slowed up in the no-overtaking section

Wild Wellington

Silly me has agreed to participate in the Wild Wellington MTB relay. Argh, must have been softened up by beer when I agreed to do this! Our team is Hell's Belles and Holyspokes (named in honour of illustrious team captain and motivator!) - should be a good name for dressups. Ten days to go and me not having sat on a bicycle for in excess of 2 years... and on lovely flat Adelaide bitumen at that! Will have to borrow a bike and remind myself what one is. It's funny but I know far more about a car than I do about a bicycle!

Personality profile.... apparently....

Did one of those silly 5min quizes that promise to tell you what job best suits you. My results:

Professional: Sales Executive; Sales & Marketing Manager; General Manager; Politician; Distribution Manager; Doctor; Management Consultant; Recuitment Manager

Skilled: Recruiter; Professional Sportsperson; Political Advisor

...can you really see me as a polly? A professionaly sportsperson? HA I wish! I dunno about the sales/marketing things either... I'm far too honest to be successful! Nice for them to throw Dr in there too!

Reminds me: should re-read my psychometric test I did a couple years ago, see if any of it rings true now I've been in the job a while....

One word- laksa!

Yum burning hotness! :)

Fly-by-night

Thinking of going to Brisbane on the 8th Nov for a friend's wedding. And I just got back from my Hobart trip, got itchy feet again! Originally thought it would be too expensive, but flights aren't too bad. Be good to get back and see the family for a bit too. So many things to organise...

we get around, we get around....

Some oddbod photos I have floating around.... the strange hotel across from my apartment in Hobart last week; the Wellington bus tunnel (must try and get a picture of it in the wet); and dragon from the wall of Midnight Espresso....

In transit

Mmm dim sim! Hoof & Gristle goodness, splashed with soy sauce! Awesome. :-)

Beer

Beer is good.

Slightly harried

Ah it is October and the weird sense of foreboding I felt on Monday is slowly coming to fruition. A lecture to be written, an annual review to be arranged, and possibly travel overseas? Just to name a few. Ah stress. You would think I would have better time management, but maybe I just work better with that bitter edge of stress? Better than a caffeine hit. And here I am blogging of course, true procastination.

Good deed of the day: stopped my car and herded a dozen paradise ducklings off the road after being scatterd by the postie's bike.

Mess

Hmm need to tidy up. Rosellas outside window remind of of oz.

Unsettled

Weather has turned to custard. Left my dive gear out this morning to dry and now it is wet again. Ah well I guess it will be thoroughly rinsed of salt by the end of it!

Feeling slightly unsettled today.

Keep looking at my clock, which tells it is 4:57pm, then remember silly laptop has not rolled over to daylight savings yet. So I am an hour late to all my appointments, which isn't far off my mindset right now, really...

Rising panic on eve of last day of September... I have an ominous feeling about October. A stressful month for those who have not finished their PhD and need to start making decisions and flight bookings and thinking about the future, as much as they'd rather live in the now.

Sugar free times

For some inexplicable reason I have stopped taking sugar in my coffee (and tea). With the exception of chai tea anyway.

All started around the 7th-8th September after a slightly boozy weekend. Usually this lasts for a day or two before I revert back to my white-with-one routine. But so far, I have not reverted! Once or twice in the last week or two, I've added sugar purely out of habit and it has honestly tasted pretty awful.

I wonder what has happened to my taste buds....?! I used to take TWO sugars!!

Ah well. I still crave caffeine and chocolate... surely it can only mean good things, perhaps I will eventually become a short black?

Why I am not in policy

What policy adviser says:
"....The information management disciplines we are imposing are a simple tool to capture the static or dynamic picture, within the fluid occupancy of the New Model..."

Huh?!

I'm still stuck on the fluid occupancy thing. Is the glass half full or half empty?!

long time no blog

thought I'd have a look to see if they'd deleted this but hey! it's still here! Sweet! so much has happened since I last wrote I'm not even gonna try and update this... besides, i'm pretty sure everyone has stopped looking. which reminds me, i wonder if my mydivinglife blog is still running....?

Thoughts = chemical reactions and electrical signals. well probably anyway. wish I had some control over them. they tend to bowl me over sometimes. then i wonder, are they really emotions? what's the difference? are thoughts somehow logical, while emotions something that are beyond our control? I find it difficult to control either sometimes!!!!

Kaikoura = eating crayfish!!

Went down to Christchurch for Queen's birthday and spent a day on the KAikoura Coast. Ben was keen to hunt for crays and generally provide... I opted to stay onshore and make sure the seals didn't steal the car. well, you never know...

Ben, algae-eater extraordinaire, wrestling through kelp to hunt and provide...

Go Green Fins, go!

Hullo, Seal....

Rock pool

Tongariro Crossing April 07

Edit (25-o2-2009): According to my SiteMeter most of my hits are people searching for info on doing the Crossing in April. So, for you peoples who have arrived at my blog because of this, here are some links to help you out :)

http://www.tongarirocrossing.org.nz/ - good site on general info with a forum to post your questions

http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/tracks-and-walks/tongariro-taupo/ruapehu-area/tongariro-alpine-crossing/ - Department of Conservation information on the Crossing, including what weather conditions to expect, what gear to take and how to be prepared. It is not called and "alpine" crossing for nothing. Please respect the mountain and take heed of their advice!

http://www.thetongarirocrossing.co.nz/ - this is the shuttle we used. there are loads of transport options available, these are just one option. Their website has some fairly useful info on it as well.

Accommodation: Of course I'm not going to even try listing all the accommodation options, but the closest places to stay are Whakapapa Village, National Park and Ohakune. Note that these are very small localities and can book out in peak season (especially during the ski season, which runs from around beginning of July to the end of October). There are more options available at Turangi and Taupo, which are still within about an hour or so of the starting point. Handy tip: if you want to soak your tired aching bones afterwards, aim to stay in Taupo ;)

Enjoy!

------------------------------------------------------------------------

On the weekend, Nadene and I went and did the Tongariro Crossing in the middle of the North Is, reputably NZ's best day walk. To say it was challenging would be an understatement for us, but we are so pleased to have done it, even if we couldn't walk the next day...

Bottom of Mt Ngauruhoe, after climbing the Devil's Ladder

Steep! (and a tiny patch of snow)

Note how steep Mt Ngauruhoe is behind me!

Hmm, now do we get down from here....!

AKA Mt Doom. We made it as far as the red rocks near the top before we ran out of time to do reach the summit... :(

Mt Tongariro from Mt Ngauruhoe

Nadene and I, top of Red Crater looking across to Mt Ngauruhoe

Top of Red Crater.

Emerald Lakes.

Nadene by and Emerald Lake

Looking across Central Crater to the Red Crater.

Reaching the last of the climbs.

Yay we made the last bus home!

Back from Oz

Hi all, long time no post I know. Been flat out with work and just got back from a 2 week stint in Oz. Apologies to those I missed out on catching up on!! Flew to Brisbane first where I stayed with the family for the weekend. Timed it so I could attend Kel & Dan's engagement party. It was awesome to see them so happy, and also to catch up with Matene & Mel (and her partner Bear) at the same time. After many Toohey's Olds, we ended back at Kel & Dan's house playing bocce from the light of the moon in their backyard. Somehow I managed to step in dog poo (this was no easy feat - as far as I know they don't even have a dog?!), I can't even manage to be a lady-like for one night!! Thanks to mum for cleaning my heels in the morning (while I was still in bed) and to Matene for bringing the bocce set!

The happy couple.

Marine Biology reunion.

Why does my brother have better hair than me?!

A not-so-dignified Oscar sporting his collar after nasty run in with the fence (?!).

After Brissie I flew on to Adelaide to complete a gruelling 2 weeks of parasite counting. Lizzie kindly let me camp at her place. Honestly, I don't know how I would've got it done without her - many thanks for running around after me, keeping me motivated, helping me out in the lab, keeping me well fed and taking me out diving!! She made sure I was in at uni by 8am every day (except Good Friday when we got in at 9!) and because of that I managed to squeeze 2 dives in with my favourite dive club. It was awesome to go down to Marion Bay on the Yorke Peninsula, camp out with the club (I'd forgotten how much I like camping!) and dive with the NZ fur seals (ironic I was diving with NZ fur seals in Australia...?!).

I really enjoyed being back in Adelaide and catching up with people and generally slotting right back into the university lifestyle. I felt like a real tourist, gawking at the emu's at Innes National Park and the various parrots (rosellas, galahs, lorikeets and corellas) in the parklands on the way to uni! The cute little ringtail possums were a welcome change to the feral brushtails NZ has to deal with. All in all it was an refreshing if hectic visit and I'm looking forward to heading back in the near future, hopefully for the final draft and hand in!

I am a dreamer

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My roots

Kooringal, looking North towards the Sandhills. Photo: J. Riddell

Photo: J. Riddell

... just thought I'd put up some photos of where I spent my childhood, Moreton Is. Unfortunately I can't take any credit for them, but many thanks to Jodie for sending them to me. Will have to get back there someday...