Category Archive for "Life in general"

Revisiting my life in Africa

Friday, September 11, 2020 Permalink

One of my University subjects requires me to write a personal essay. All three subjects actually require ‘major’ assignments and I keep changing my mind about them. But drafts of two are now due in mere days, so I figure I need to stop friggin’ procrastinating and worrying that I’ve not chosen the perfect topic and just start writing.

I (eventually) decided my personal essay would be about my time in Africa. Long-time readers of my blog will recall I’ve often pondered the idea of writing some sort of factional account of my 18mths (or so) there in the mid 1990s.

Life lately – July 2020 – checking in

Thursday, July 30, 2020 Permalink

I would like to say I decided it’s time to do a check-in post to keep everyone up-to-date with what’s happening in my life, but in reality I’m procrastinating about other stuff and realise it’s a while since I’ve posted anything. And… when in doubt – do a ‘life lately’ post.

Do something different

Wednesday, July 22, 2020 Permalink

One morning last week I happened upon a Facebook post by Liz Gilbert. I scrolled on and didn’t read it at the time, but the opening phrase stuck with me so I later went back to check on it.

Book review: The Bluffs by Kyle Perry

Thursday, July 9, 2020 Permalink

The Bluffs is the debut novel by Kyle Perry and a lot of reviewers I know have loved this book. So… my thoughts deviate a little from the norm.

Don’t get me wrong. I enjoyed the book. I read it in a sitting and (eventually) turned the pages quickly, keen to learn more.

But it took me a while to get to that point. In fact I almost put it aside (to read later) a few times in the first few chapters.

The structure confused me as did the obvious reference to Picnic at Hanging Rock. I adored Joan Lindsay’s novel but HATED the posthumous final chapter that leapt into the supernatural. So, talk of portals and other realms here almost had me running for the… (ahem) bluffs.

2020: The new normal

Tuesday, July 7, 2020 Permalink

“Oh of course they’d need to leave time after we finish to sanitise the table and chairs for the next booking,” I said to a friend last weekend.

We were going for drinks and I was checking to see if our 2hr booking was for 5.15 or 5.30pm. It was the former, with the next ‘sitting’ at 7.30.

Popular restaurants and cafes have long had ‘sittings’ so they can fit as many as possible in each evening but of course, the term has taken on a whole new meaning during the coronavirus restrictions.

What disturbed me about the conversation with my friend was that it seemed so normal. “Oh yes, the disinfecting!” is like a no-brainer.

June 2020 check-in

Monday, June 29, 2020 Permalink

I’ve got a million posts partially written. About important things. Unimportant things. Feelings. Life. You know… the usual. But for reasons unknown I’m not in the mood to delve deeply today.

Instead, this will be un-insightful and newsy*. So, take a seat and enjoy the ride.

Filtering out negativity. No rain, no rainbows. No good without the bad.

Monday, June 8, 2020 Permalink

Last week I wrote about the overwhelm I was experiencing. I commented on the guilt I felt for being so exhausted when I was in such a position of privilege. Even saying “I want the world to pause so I can get off for a bit,” reeks of middle-aged white-personism.

A lot of messaging suggests we avoid social media, news or negativity… to preserve our own mental health. Our sanity.

It’s been a big year (or three). A lot of bad shit has gone down, some preventable. Some not.

Stop the world… I wanna get off

Wednesday, June 3, 2020 Permalink

There are endless memes around about the fact that 2020 pretty much sucks. About the fact the weeks and months have dragged on interminably despite the first half of the year basically flying by.

I felt a bit of online overwhelm early on, but at the same time it seemed little had changed in my world. I spent much of it at home and probably adjusted to ‘lock-down’ (such as it was here in Australia) better than most.

Sharing some snaps: a reflection of me

Monday, May 18, 2020 Permalink

I’m trying to keep my blogging momentum going. Or get it started. Something like that anyway. I was working on something far more profound but it’s led me in so many circles I decided to stick to Denyse Whelan’s link-up theme today and I’m sharing some snaps. Not just any snaps… some that offer some insight into moi. Kinda.

The first two things I found when tidying my study a while ago. They were part of a heap of stuff my mother had handed me to me (report cards and the like, which I ditched).