I wasn't sure if I should have panicked

Choosing a play to see at the Fringe when you have a mind boggling choice of about 300 comedy acts to see, rather makes for some difficult decision making.  I almost feel as though I should do only comedy, but isn't the Fringe exactly that, shows that are edgy and on the fringe of society; arts for all, theatre, art, comedy, mime, burlesque, circus, music, but all just a bit quirky?! Would I be turning Adelaide's, no actually (fact)  Australia's largest "arts" festival into that of simply a comedy festival if I didn't attempt to attend shows that were in fact "arts"?! Well in my view yes.

On procuring my copy of the Fringe guide, which could easily be mistaken for a small countries phone book, I propped myself up on the couch, fresh pad of paper and pen handy to peruse the guide from cover to cover.  Several hours later, several pages of much hastily scribbled notes around times and dates, which also involved working out when I could fit in toilet and food breaks, oh and some sleep - possibly - between shows; I realised the list had to be whittled, from tree trunk to matchstick. Humm, dilemmas.

Comedy did feature heavily, both local and international, new and old. I love a good side tweaking giggle fest, and I don't mind to admit it, but I knew culture would have to be added.  A burlesque show - its tasteful, yes really - then some circus - Cantina, some music - Take me back to Paris (somebody please..... no really, its been too long) and of course some theatre. 

Theatre, now that was a hard choice.  I chose a play called Low Level Panic, the introductory lines were as follows;

"“Maybe if I was wearing trousers it wouldn’t have happened.” Mary, Jo and Celia are three women. Their gender defines them. In fact, it consumes them. Join them in their bathroom and try and find the answer to the question: "What does it really mean to be beautiful?""

Sounded interesting, am always fascinated, what does it mean to be beautiful? Seems not many people care, as me & my lovely friend Sap discovered, we were to be given a private tour in this theatrical journey. 
 
A story of two women, with a third annoying flat mate (or rather one who just wants to take a bath!), who you could say is a middle ground. She seems happy, gets a bloke and her issues, if she has any, are made redundant by those of Jo and Mary with their opposed ended views & issues.
 
Mary is at odds with being a woman, after we are taken back in her memory for a recounting of what could have only been a rape, she blames herself for wearing a skirt. She's also feeling like she is trying to look beyond the face to find out the true feelings & emotions of a woman - one on a billboard - to see if there should be some emotional response in being treated like an object. She is hollow inside, an empty shell, removed from herself. She loathes & struggles to simply wear a sexy revealing dress because of what it might mean to others and her quest to find comfort in being herself.
 
Whilst Jo is busy daydreaming and fantasising about the perfect man, car & body, envisioning what her life should look like, while gloomily staring at her scales declaring war on her "fat" body (something she berates further after an evening out, not eating and failing to lose an ounce).  Her issues are with what she is expected to want, without considering getting or giving love, as her fantasies go no where, and she feels she is going no-where too, and not for trying to be something for someone.
 
It wasn't an amazing play, but it wasn't boring or tiring, or badly done.  The acting was superb and it certainly was thought provoking, it made me realise that we've become a world of instant gratification, thus the over kill on comedy (we want it funny and we want it now - fast food).  Theatre is to be seen, mulled over, discussed in depth, and if there is a moral - which there usually is - it will be something you will be thinking of hours and weeks later. I think I might have to sort out my Festival of Arts tickets, more theatre, here I come.... its slow food for the mind.

Quote Me...

"True love is an acceptance of all that is, has been, will be, and will not be..." Anonymous

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Mark, Bella and I would like to wish you all and your families a happy and safe festive season, where ever you are on this beautiful planet

Much love and hugs xx

The Post Office - SUCKS!

Big time. Urgh.  I do the right thing and make beautiful Christmas card greetings, admittedly out of paper and not out out cardboard. So much better for the environment, but alas not for the pocket. 

Lady at the PO (Yes I am going to diss the Messenger...she wasn't a very nice messenger) - "Its not a card, its a letter", while flopping card envelope around and looking up at it under the light.

Me - "Well actually it is, its home made, from paper"

Lady at PO - "Nope its paper, it will be classed as a letter and that is $2.20 each, you cannot use the card only rate of $1.30"

Me - "Urgh I have 45 to send, seriously its a card, its just home made from paper - not card, surely it will cost less to send, save Australia Post money, it weighs less too, environmentally friendly and all that"

Lady at PO - "You can try send them as a card - but they might bill you later for the difference if they think its not a card"

Me - "Ok I will then"... and I did!

Surely, it will cost them more to bill me for each letter - should they pick them out of the billion that are going through at this time of year - then send me the bills seperately for the difference in postage.  Me thinks they are going to not notice, and nor should they who ruled a card MUST be made of a card. Pft.

Headspace or headcase?

Probably both to be fair.  I appear to be only able to concentrate properly on one major hobby or interest at a time, and oddly I am at my most relaxed and at peace when doing this despite the frustrations that rear up suddenly every now and again with me thinking that I actually have twenty odd things that I should be doing.  Then I just go "phah!" - and continue to plod on doing singular item of interest and be blessedly happy and relaxed.

So at the moment, I am not doing terribly much photography wise - though I purchased a shiny glossy photography mag over the weekend for which I have had no time to yet devour - nor am I doing house stuff, or much reading, or much keeping in touch with people.  I am however doing rather well at work and am slowly but surely removing stodgy, stubborn layers of lardons off my body with my excessive walking and exercise routine.  If you haven't guessed it my current, hmmm, lets just call it obsession rather than interest, is that of exercising.

I am reading a book, nothing unusual there, except that since arriving back in Australia I have read a total of 5 books - which is rather rubbish given I used to read one a week, which makes me about 40 books down of my usual tally. Oh and I read 3 of said books in one week on the houseboat!  Though am not reading War and Peace, or anything remotely taxing, but something called Last Night at Chateau Marmont by the chicky who did Devil Wears Prada.

I feel that I am making some progress on doing more than one thing at a time as I have begun arranging Christmas cards, the Christmas tree is up and several presents have been purchased. Humm appears my taking some time out to tend to this rather under nourished blog has made me see that all is not as bad as I first thought and I am getting stuff done. Wow - go me. Phah.

Oh I have just remembered that I finally got around to visiting a long lost friend on the weekend (its only been um 2 years - love you Mel) and I cooked on the weekend too.  I make a very delicious, and very requested, chocolate Tiramisu.  Oh dear, its seems I am now a headcase because I thought I had no headspace... off to write some lists........

Quote Me...

Just in a book I read recently, so its not a direct quote as I cannot remember it all - but along these lines, as requoted by me;

"Beauty is truth, truth is beauty, but that is not really true as the truth is can be ugly and hurtful. Beauty is just that, beautiful.  As for the truth its the reality"

What a busy life!

Me, well not really. Yes and no.  Quite different to living in London - dinners out, birthday drinks, random drinks, random events, bands, quick catch ups, concerts, theatre, birthday dinners, celebrity sightings, opera, ballet, parades; all in any one week and any day of the week. 

Even a run home was an adventure; through St James's park, wave to the Queen at Buckingham palace, up Pall Mall, across Regent street or near Leceister Square, past Oxford street, up Tottenham court road to either Warren street station or if I had the energy just that bit further to Euston station - toot toot. 

Here, well Monday night, Anne is over for a walk and dinner - we're well fed here, Mark has all his tools and has gone cook book crazy.  Then Tuesdays is quiet night, or gym night...though the gym, well lets not talk about the gym, it makes me grumpy . 

Wednesday night can get busy, usually its pub night, or if Dad is home he is over for more of Marks fabulous cookery, and of course my amazing desserts.  Seriously nobody does Tiramisu like me (ummm. ok maybe Cristina....but she is Italian). At the moment its puppy school night.  Thursday is usually quiet, again meant to be gym night, but alas we've usually been up to something.  Fridays, footy night, night with Matt, Emma and Scott or lazy take away night (again this doesn't help my paunch), but lately its been going out to dinner night. 

Saturday nights...zzzzzzzzz, well pretty quiet unusually so, for us....

BUT that will change when the weather is warmer. Fortunately we don't have long to wait, it is July, almost August, September will bring the warmer days and then....well it will be warm right through till at least the end of April.  So I will gloat here now that I will enjoy and do very much enjoy the warm and sunshine that I will be blessed with...for 7 months of the year.  This is to make up for the very different lifestyle that I now lead, by choice and I am glad that I am being kept busy. 

Its only been 4 months back, I am allowed to grieve a little, mainly for those dear that I leave behind, but sadly I was always going to leave them. Boo hoo.  Anyway, as I say, its not bad...its just different.

Quote me...

"No matter what behaviour you are seeking to change, no matter what particular goal or action you are directing your efforts towards, you need to start by developing a strong willingness or wish to do it. You need to generate great enthusiasm."

The Art of Happiness - A handbook for Living, HH Dalai Lama & Howard C Cutler.

Quote me...

"Every single molecule that Charis is taking into her lungs has once been part of someone else's body, of the bodies of many others, going back and back, and then past human beings, all the way to the dinosaurs, all the way to the first planktons. Not to mention vegetation. We are all a part of everybody else, she muses. We are all a part of everything."

The Robber Bride, Margaret Atwood

Sunshine

Just to let you know we still get plenty of it here in Australia.  Just today it was 30 degrees and amazingly bright and beautiful. I found myself wanting to go outside because I was afraid the sunshine would not last. 

It has not clicked in my head that for the last 6 weeks we have had about 3 days where the sun refused to shine, or rather shone tepidly through misty high soft clouds, and only one, just one day, where it wasn't playing peekaboo behind the clouds for most of that time.  That and my sunglasses are permanently perched on my head.  So its probably safe to say the sun is not in a hurry to go away...yet.

However, as I sit in my little chair at my little desk behind my little laptop tapping away I am continuously thinking, "oh my goodness, will I miss out, what if the sunshine stops and its grey" before dragging myself outside just for a little while. You know just in case.

Though thinking about it, about one week back I stopped to notice, whilst in a car park of all places, that the sky is high in Australia.  Sky High.  I just felt naturally small and that the world was so big the sky so wide, open and clean.  I had never realised before how lucky we are that Australia is so large and welcoming, the sky is one of the things that makes it so. 

London I remember feeling small and squashed, it felt like the clouds were ever perched just above my head, close enough to reach.  Though if I could have touched them I would have grabbed the grey grumpy sodden things and stuffed the darn things in the nearest rubbish bin.  England has low lying dense cotton wool like clouds that float past very fast and I spent plenty of time watching them do just that, where as Australian clouds are high floaty wispy that drift lightly and slowly across the sky.  Laid back clouds...laid back peoples, with London being fast and furious, just like the clouds.

No I haven't had anything to drink I really just felt like talking about clouds, and for those who have not been to Australia, I wanted to give a small insight to Australia that you, or rather Australians tend not to notice or take for granted. Just something that makes Australia what it is.  I will endeavour to think of more little things, its the little things of course that make it so wonderful, to share with you.

An Evil Plan

Not really evil, but a plan none the less and it sounded exciting writing it down like that.  I am going to be a photographer on the weekend from now on and maybe one day even more.  Far into the future its....20??...envision a red carpet, blazing lights, a bedazzled and bewitched audience, a black tied announcer, "...and the winner is....Lisa Luyten...Photographer extrordinaire,...Lisa Luyten...."Photographer on the Weekend".  Sigh.

My plans to become a photographer will definitely not eventuate easily, its a long term goal, with a long term vision, and as a great many persons have said before, but even the longest journey begins with the smallest step.  I am but a planner, super organiser and this is how I do things.

My small steps, given that you're only as good as your last photo (and believe me its not a great one) will have to entail me getting the camera out and taken at least 5 photos a day, now that I am not travelling the need to get the camera out (the urge is there, the subject material is not...yet anyway) has slightly deminished.

Right having just written that down, how to make sure I do it and get started with that small goal, and continue properly so I don't feel so lost?  In fact I have other goals that I need to undertake also in regards to the "Photography", but again, how to monitor, what are the goals, how do I start? Oh all the questions... head ...but ...is spinning....

Firstly, lets think of the goals. Goals so far....

1. Take 5 photos a day, but not just anything I need to be testing things, like different lighting, affects of changing the aperture, flash effects, still life, movement, etc

2.  Record the shots and what I was trying to achieve

3.  Read something about photography everyday, one of my magazines maybe, they seem to be gathering dust at the moment, as are my many photography books.

4.  Once a week check out the DVDs that have come with said magazines, to learn about Photoshop - so that is one new Photoshop skill per week, just one tiny thing at a time.

5. Update the filing of my photos and back it all up properly

6. Utilise Lightroom, I have heard good things but fail to use it

7. Understand in my head that my hobbies cannot be paper tole, French, Spanish, reading, writing, and gardening, cake making, following the Amazing Race, as well as Photography (my first love...aside from Mark) - there are not enough hours in the day for even just Photography, so some of those will just have to fade away (for now)

8. Go through and finish up editing my photos from France, Ireland and Egypt - the last holidays whilst living in London.

9. Review photos for those to be printed from the 4 years we spent overseas. Unfortunately this will be a rather massive personal project for which I really will have to go into baby steps mode. Its far to daunting to even think about...might go eat some Fruchocs...oh sorry where was I...

10. Put paid to my promises of family and friends childrens portraits and actually do them - I think Sundays will be portrait days

11. Save up the pennies for a Canon EOS 5D, or even a 7D, as its clear that the move is back away from full format with the much anticipated release of the Canon EOS 1D IV, having reverted to being non-full format (ie not like a 35mm SLR camera), there is no need for me to aim so high.

12. Update photos on both Flickr (for your viewing pleasure) and RedBubble (for your purchasing pleasure)

13. Set up my own photography website (to cover both above eventually).

14. Join Model Mayhem and start doing professional model shoots, but still this will be on Sundays

15. Undertake further training in Photography - Photoshop course or even join just join a group of enthusiasts (who, I am sure will make me feel inadequate, but as I am so competitive, it will give me more drive to be better).

Whew, well its all out there now, I just got it down as fast as I could think of it all, so its a lot and some are long term goals and some are short term, i.e. "can do today" goals. 

Next step, organising these goals into long and short term and getting the long term ones into manageable chunks.  

I feel better that its all out now, and hopefully one day you will here of Lisa "David Bailey" Luyten, but as I progress I will update on here...so add a new goal and that will be to update on here how the former "Tourist on the Weekend" is progressing into becoming "Photographer on the Weekend!"

Quote me...

"Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead."

as spoken by, Louisa May Alcott

Quote me...

"A little too much anger, too often or at the wrong time, can destroy more than you would ever imagine. Above all, mind what you say. 'Behold how much wood is kindled by how small a fire, and the tongue is a fire' - that's the truth."

From "Gilead" by Marilynne Robinson

Personal Space people....get your own!

Riding the tube around London can be traumatic at the best of times, for multiple reasons, such as over crowding, its usually too hot, tourists, people who insist on getting on before others get off, rucksack wielding people, loud headphone music, weird people, people who smell (various combinations of people who are weird, smell, are loud and look funny), and of course summer under-arm nose-stuck-in syndrome. However, most...most... of the above doesn't bother me, but people in MY SPACE does.

I don't require much space and am not greedy about the space, in fact am usually the one willing to dive head first, screaming "pretend your a sardine" onto a rush hour am train. Seated though, now seated is a different story. When you have one of those coveted plushy velvety seats, that is your own 40 square centimetres of commuting heaven - foot area and head space included. Once I get this space and I find I become more territorial than a swan with cygnets!

I am not greedy about it either, as a reader I like to tuck my arms back but inside of the armrests. I willingly give my fellow commuters full armrest usage, are they grateful, mostly yes I would say. I keep my bags under my feet or on my lap.

So when you get the wide legged womb envy men or the squash bits with leg up men, you suddenly lose leg room. Me Peeved - indeed.

Then there are the, just how much more than over the arm rest can I go, you can almost read the thought bubble above their head as their elbows dig deeper into your arm. These people - oh yes women and men, young and old - get my bag pushed ever so politely up to the armrest to redefine the boundary of the armrest. The newspaper encroaching sorts; "ooops", up goes my book right into their paper, no "oh sorry" needed on my behalf, clearly their paper shouldn't have been there. The loud music players, staring them out works a treat, doesn't usually take them too long to work out why I am staring.

Am I insane, nope, just a normal commuter attempting to do so in peace in guidance with polite tube etiquette, that fortunately around 90% of people abide by. I just wish that such un-written etiquette, such common sense, would prevail for that 10% of people who lack, common sense.

Lisa is...

sitting at home a bit bored because I am waiting for Mark to get home from Touch football

glad I went for a run, very exhilarating today, really did not want to go. Though once I had my keys in my shoes and put myself out the front door, I just went. Today was easy and I ran all the way to the very top of Parliament Hill. It was windy as anything and once again people flying...or were the kites flying them...kites at the top - love it!!

still sweating from said run...whew

going to get in some ironing tonight - woo hoo

amazed yet another week has just flown by, where does the time go.

very happy she has a healthy addition to her family; my sister and her hubby just announced the birth of my nephew Eli Christoper Bartholomew, big name, tiny baby (only 7lbs and a bit). I am very much looking forward to meeting him.

glad I booked the Eurostar today, Dad and I will now be trooping up to the top of the Eiffel Tower in September.

thinking its like a wintry day outside, grey dark clouds, threatening rain and the wind is just mad - but is summer and 20 odd degrees...

where is that boy!!

in desperate need of a manicure and a pedicure, the sun shines and I have to hide my feet away

totally addicted to my new book - The Suspicions of Mr Whicher, its a true story, a real Victorian murder mystery that started the fascination with who-dunnit stories...capitvating, gripping stuff...

really could do with a new phone, changed to Vodafone sim only network, but now phone playing up and apparently having a full memory, even after I deleted poop loads of old messages, music and pictures off of it. Oh and I get messages days late - that I definitely blame on the new network.

a self confessed shop-a-holic!! Ah I cannot help it, they things...preeetttty, me Lisa like and want lots. AND every time I say ok I won't shop for a while, something comes up that I just must must have....simply must....

a bit too chubby for size 28 jeans Humph!

sad she missed catching up with lovely Sue....maybe next time

has a new motto - Adelaide is my home, but London is my city. I like.

Blank space

Well I don't know how many of you check this often, but if you do...my apologies. I have been away, with Mark of course, then it was month end at work. I am an Accountant and for those of you who know that and are one yourself, you understand the dreaded - MONTH END... It was one of the busiest ones I have had in a while.

Aside from that I have been being very good, I went for 2 runs this week and its only Friday. Weather looking a bit glum this weekend, which is typical because we are staying in London this weekend, so its not likely I will go again. So maybe I could go to a spin class tomorrow - gosh too hilarious...as if...

We are just about to be heading out to my favourite Japanese restaurant - Okawari - again for my friend Yvey's birthday. It will be good as there will be a few friends there I have not seen in a while, and one who is - boo hoo - moving back to New York. Then tomorrow is set to be a bit chilled, maybe Camden markets and grocery shopping, then I will go out to a dance party with a few friends I used to work with later Saturday night. Looking forward to it, as it seems like an age since I went out for a bit of a boogey! Then Sunday is hopes to visit Eltham Palace....finally! It is in Greenwich and where Henry the eight grew up.

Ok must run...more to come.. plus photos of Copenhagen and Vienna/Salzburg

Is it all too much?

Am i trying to do much with my life? This year alone, I am getting a little stressed out over the things I want to achieve before the days become dark, cold and the fairy lights, sparkle, shopping and festivities of Christmas begins once again. Stressed somedays to the point of tears...humph.

Ahhrrr..just before you read further...this blog was meant to be published last week, but alas had no time. Uncanny! Freaky! Ironic! - right words not sure, but you get my drift.

Its May already, the second end of it too. I have been skiing in France, I have been to Hull, to Derbyshire, to two hens parties, the Churchill Museum and War Rooms, the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition, the London Marathon (not participating), Copenhagen and within the next 3 weeks we have plans to go to Brighton, Vienna & Salzburg. But sadly, to me, it doesn't feel like enough. Last Saturday I wanted to go to Eltham Palace out past Greenwich but I slept till midday (stress does catch up with me occasionally and all i can do is sleep) and it takes nearly 2 hours to get there, so I was disappointed that we had only a lovely day at the Borough Markets instead.

Just an example of a week in the life of Lisa, and you let me know if you think I am doing too much and are stupid to feel that I am lazy and boring if I have a night in, or if I go to bed before 11pm.

Last Sunday - BBQ with Friends to watch the Arsenal vs Chelsea football game

Monday - Doctors appointment, Pilates class then had dinner at home with Mark and catch up on Goks Fashion fix

Tuesday - had drinks with Julie and then off to see "Priscilla Queen of the Desert" Musical

Wednesday - had a Spanish lesson at lunch and then a catch up with the girlys at the Directors bar on Southbank

Thursday - went for a run, then to the gym with Mark

Friday - had friends over to dinner, Mark cooked Risotto (Prawns, Chorizo and Asparagus) and I made poached pears in cider with Chantilly cream!!

Saturday - went to Brighton for the day with friends to see the band Kasabian in the evening

Sunday - sleep in and then late afternoon birthday lunch for lovely Sophie

And that is aside from all the boring must do stuff, like wash dishes, clothes, tidy the flat, clean the shower, sort the mail, blah blah....

It seems to me in my warped brain that I am not doing enough, what else should I be doing - am I not reading enough, blogging enough, uploading enough photos, studying enough (my photograhy books), taking enough photos, should I take up French/Dancing/skating again, going to the gym enough, running enough, spending enough time with friends, seeing enough shows/bands, getting out in London, walking around the parks enough, trying enough restaurants, or the biggie...travelling enough - after all that is why I am here. Enough, enough, enough...enough of that that word already.

At the moment I am trying to work out how I am going to get to travel to Italy this year, then Berlin and Sweden, oh and chuck Budapest in there too. I have said no to going to Paris with a friend in July, because we just cannot afford it. Mark and I have trips lined up right through the end of September, including going to Ireland and Cornwall with Dad.

We are also still trying to work out how to have a summer holiday of about 5 days in either Greece or Croatia, around June/July without it costing the Earth; as I am still paying off Mars. Oh and I am desperate to get to Egypt before I return to Australia, and if I had to choose only one holiday this year....that would be the absolute must do.

To some this may seem very self indulgent and hedonistic already, boardering on the extreme, but I still consider that at the moment I am still living the fantasy that is life in London. I am still on a massive holiday. A holiday that may end with a reality like bump in Feb 2009, but a nice bump, I hope. After all I will be back with my dear family and friends, who by then would have been mildly negleted, as how I see it, by me, for about 4 years.

In general for me this is a topic that I can go on about forever, its my bug bear, my inner demon, my main challenge. I never really know if how I feel is how other people feel, or if they do but then priorities change and they forget they wanted to be super people and do everything, or if they ever felt like that in the first place.

I don't know; I just know that I am getting to figure out more each day the things I cannot do, the things I cannot have, and wanting to do them and have them more then I ever did before. They say you only live once, so go for it and live life to the full, but sometimes it would be nice to believe, as Buddhist do, that you live hundreds of lifetimes over. Then the stress of trying to do everything in one lifetime would certainly disappear.

So where are you really from?

I have had several conversations with various peoples and adding to those conversations vague hazy memories of distant discussions, as well as just general observations of friends and colleagues, so it would seem, that everyone just wants to be an AUSSIE, and they don't want to be English. Lucky us.

Ok there maybe exceptions, but most of us are very proud of the fact that we are Australian. How could not not want to come from a place where the sun practically shines all year round? *sigh*

So some examples and proof.....One colleague pointed out that when he was in Australia, no matter where a person was from either born or via parentage (or grand parentage) they all went "yeah, but I am Australian". It didn't matter where they were from Malta, Spain, Pakistan, Italy or Greece - they were Aussies as far as they were concerned.

Where as what I have discovered here is that in London especially, if your not from here (irrelevant of holding a passport or having been born here) are Jamaican, Pakistani, Nigerian, Polish, Indian, Swedish or whatever - you are not English. In the sense of not wanting to be, at all. No respect for the country that brings such amazing freedoms and or a lifestyle that you may not have otherwise had from where you came.

This I discovered about one of my work colleagues after I thought he meant England had beaten Australia (Australia lost appallingly, a whole other story there....Australian sport has gone down hill since the disappointment at the Olympics) when he went "haha you guys suck we beat you". I went "oh well its the cricket, sometimes England beats us", he said nothing. Then as it happened to be St Georges Day (patron Saint of England) I asked him "well you seem to be pretty patriotic over the cricket, so what day is it today?".

He didn't have a clue - he thought it must have been St Patricks day. We all had a giggle, and said he wasn't very English not knowing St Georges day. Blank faced, he responded "oh no I am not English, I am Pakistani" and then we all clicked that it was Pakistan not England who beat Australia. So despite having been born here, raised here, schooled here, never having been to Pakistan and having obviously and English passport, this boy was very reluctant to claim being English.

Its a bit sad for England *insert me trying to sound British here* really, as they are quite good at letting lots of people in (though making it hard for us Antipodeans who run the place...well everywhere I have ever worked anyway), refugees, all of the EU and making themselves known as very much a multicultural society, the people they provide for shun the thought of being English.

I personally am a little guilty of this, because as much as I love it here and as much as I want all the perks of being English (though this isn't entirely true, as I would be quite happy to be allowed to live and work anywhere in the EU, especially France) so I can both work and travel. At the end of the day - well I am Australian, and no amount of time here is going to change that.

So I guess, from personal experience I contribute to the "not wanting to be English phenomenon", and well why would you want to be....you only get sunshine for, oh about 2 days of the year...

What am I up to right now!!!?

I am.............. chilling out while listening to Jude Jules on BBC Radio 1....

...writing to Jacqui about her poor puddy tat...

wondering why I have a headache, I only had a couple of glasses of wine and its only just before 1am...and I never left the house....

missing my husband very much (he is with the boys in Portugal on Ahmed's stag do...more worried that Ahmed stays out of trouble than him....) I just hope he puts on sunscreen!

still deciding on what to where tonight for Anais's Hen do.....navy glittery dress or plum grecian goddess dress...oh and then what shoes...decisions decisions....

glad Dad is coming to visit, I have started the plans and the days are booked off work, we are going to Cornwall, Liverpool, Ireland and Paris

really needing to ring my best friend...slack oh slack....on my part for sure

glad that I had a lovely evening with Jadey and Shauna eating cheese, hummos, antipasta, and icecream while drinking wine and listening to the top 50 dance tracks...chilled..

happy for Mel & Mark and Merry & Don for their baby news....

looking forward to the London Marathon on Sunday...go Andy!

thinking the credit crunch sucks, lots of people I know out of work, or potentially out of work and my job is being made permanent...fingers crossed when I apply for my own job I actually get it (permanent contract people - I will be home in Feb-10!!! for sure)

wondering if the Trinny and Susanna type spanx suck it in tights will actually work.....have put on my love fat, which is unflattering in a slinky dress!

Oh the horror, I was deemed not fat enough for the fat destroying drug - Alli - ....damn it, apparently a BMI of 26 is healthy! Doh

thinking RIP for the ANZACS!!

very tired and is off to bed....night all!

Once upon a time...in my childhood

There was an Easter Bunny who came along to provide the good little children of the world ADD inducing chocolate eggs and bunnies on the very day that the Christian (most of us!! - no political correctness on my site) world celebrates the re-birth of Jesus.

The children were very happy. Their parents would trawl through supermarkets to purchase said Easter treats, filled with other irrate parents and their ratty children tearing their hair out of choices between the Humpty Dumpty egg, Smartie egg or an Easter Egg train. The said oblivous children are generally in tow and not quite with the whole marketing ploy and the non-existance (whoops to those under 5 or those who were never told) of the Bunny dude himself.

Ah memories, the blissful time where you really had no idea that the Easter bunny was indeed your parents having spent hard earned cash on mountains of overpriced chocolate shapes (that in a block would cost less than a third of the price) and then spending several hours placing them in and around the garden for you to hunt for on Easter morning at about oh 5-6am...

Where has the wonderment gone, I can barely remember, though I certainly remember that I got more than my fair share and more after visiting various aunts, uncles and grandparents. This Easter, I had 2 cadbury creme eggs of my own purchase, about 4 hot cross buns (in February mind you) and even forgot it was easter to the point where we didn't even say HAPPY EASTER.....BUT....

To everyone out there....I have remembered Easter, its a joyful occassion of child grinning delight, of sparkly coloured tin foil covered eggs on the grass, sparkly eggs filling a wicker basket, school holidays, baby bunny rabbits, Easter bonnet parades and grinning chocolate covered faces.

Happy Easter (belated) everyone!!!