Tag Archives: observations

that line in the sand ….

16 Aug

We all have one …. You know, that ‘line in the sand’ that tells us what we think is acceptable, and what is just that ‘bit too far’. While I’m all for self expression, and daring to be a little different… today I saw something, that for me, just crept over that line.

old ladyYou see, I was sitting in a cafe and I noticed this very anglo elderly woman (high end 70’s by my calculations). She was seated with her side to me, but I noticed that she was wearing leopard print lycra tights. I had a little internal giggle and thought to myself ‘good on you’ ….I guess.

BUT when she turned I noticed that she had her nose pierced !! There she was sipping herold lady 2 latte with two sleepers sitting side by side in one very wrinkly nostril…and  I almost choked on my coffee.

I was reminded of the saucepan advert with the elderly woman sporting a tattoo on her arm ~ referring to ‘not-so-good’ decisions….. BUT piercings are so easily  removed (if you want to).. so my guess is that she was perfectly content with her look… again ‘good on her’.

I wonder what her grandchildren think ??….and does it even matter??… I guess!

P1000310The Pump House Restaurant Q station

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moving mountains…

15 Aug

moving day

Making a move anywhere is tricky business. Whether it’s the end of your lease…or a move to your dream home, the idea of packing all of your belongings up and relocating them …just so you can unpack them again …is overwhelming (and makes me tired).

BUT an office shuffle is a whole other beast…office move

Rather than working from a common goal, it’s every man/woman for themselves….and while you all know what’s got to happen, it takes a well planned strategy to bring it to fruition without bloodshed, breakage or personal injury.  Today we did just that … like a well oiled game of musical chairs we relocated 8 people with a few frayed nerves but  minimal fallout.

Like any move, the cull is the best (and worst) part … the time to reminisce (when there really isn’t time) and to decided what is worth keeping and what is now junk. One on my many highlights was my work diary collection. It was hilarious seeing the ‘corporate’ style organiser that was the size of a brick in 1998 (but must have made me look important) … gradually shrinking and eventually giving way to the 2014 ‘one stop shop’ that is a smart phone. The sad part of that is …what will there be to pour over in another 8-10 years when the next move comes …all this history we’re making  will be living ‘in the cloud’ somewhere… with nothing to sit and laugh at. unspooled-cassette-tape-2

I found floppy discs and cassette tapes with reports of old projects…and radio interviews that I did ‘last century’ …..back when I had a voice. …and I found photos, newspaper clippings…. and reports that I wrote dating back to 1992 that made me think … mmm who wrote this? what a good idea ….It sounds like something I once knew.

I’m pleased to say that we all survived  today ….I’m sore and exhausted  ….and barely awake enough to tap fingers on my keyboard.. BUT it was a major achievement  (and I’m actually looking forward to going to work on Monday – just to bask in the newness of change).

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peeking through the window @ North Head, to Sydney Harbour

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canine couture…

12 Aug


canines

Just when I thought I had seen it all when it comes to doggy haute couture

Coming home in the dark tonight, I turned the corner to see 2 men walking their dogs. All 4 ‘walkers’  were sporting high vis vests, complete with reflector strips. … and topped off by the miners lamps  on their heads.

As these four bobbing heads walked toward me shooting forth a blinding beam of brilliant white light….I couldn’t help but wonder what the poor pooches thought about their unusual fashion statement  ? Functional ? – perhaps ….. Glamorous ? – definitely not.

 

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Surry Hills, Sydney

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cubicle life …

8 Aug

So many amusing things encountered in my world today … but one of the most bizarre was a (yet another)  toilet story … I have no idea why my musings often involve the cubicle… perhaps it’s something to do with slowing down and taking notice ???? …but lets not go there.

Anyway, I was working at one of our health centres and trotted off to the staff bathroom. While washing my hands I turned and noticed an A4 sized flyer blu tac’d on the partition beside me  and promising Fresh Air  (kind of amusing in a toilet block) …but bear with me.

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As I looked closer at the notice, I discovered it was a promo for a ‘new’ smoke free policy being launched across the health facility, and advising workers of their rights … Now nothing TOO unusual about that EXCEPT if you note the date at the bottom ….. it was LAST CENTURY!!! …literally !! April 1998.

This harmless sheet of paper has been housed in the four walls of the women’s toilets for 16 years and yet it’s promising that Fresh Air is COMING … I know that there is a lot of red tape and things don’t move quickly  in the Health sector … but seriously ????

I might just run a survey to see who has actually read the notice … I just wonder………

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wiser ? or just older ??

7 Aug

I’m not proud of the fact that I have lost a few points off my licence over the past couple of years…I could make all sorts of excuses, but the fact is had 2 minor offences in 2 major demerit periods ….and the rest is history. I’ve sucked it up and moved on, but the point is, I need to be ever vigilant and super careful  on the road.

So, this morning , while sitting at a standstill in morning peak hour my phone beeped and I reached for it… As soon as I lifted it to glance at the message, I was bombarded with screaming sirens and flashing blue and red lights. I looked around and saw her … a surly looking Police Woman staring straight at me as she was trying to pull out of the sideroad and into the line of traffic.

police

At first I  FROZE….then thought I would vomit, before gradually moving forward and pulling over to the side of the road. I sat waiting for the rule book to be thrown at me… but to my shock, surprise and absolute relief, she accelerated quickly and pull out around me before talking off at breakneck speed.

‘Thank god’ I thought as I sat there for a moment reflecting on what it would mean to lose my licence …The inconvenience and the isolation not to mention the humiliation of having to tell Mr 50Something and the kids (I’m not sure which would be worse).

So the moral of the story is that it’s no good getting older if you don’t get wiser….and I think this was  one very timely warning. This morning was my wake-up call … and from this day forward my phone lives in the back of the car.

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what’s in a label ?

6 Aug

How good is it, when one you score that perfect piece of clothing …. and you’re not even looking ? Not like that endless search for the ‘dream dress’, when you know exactly what you want and can’t find it ……I mean those opportunistic moments when you just ‘see it and have to try it on ‘ … and then you do,  AND it actually fits like a glove!!!

The dilemma begins …….Do I or  Don’t I ? – The voice in your head saying ‘no you don’t NEED another jacket’ ... and the other voice shouts ‘but it’s perfect’.shopping2

So, off I go for a long lunch and a bit more shopping to quell the voices, but I’m compelled to return right on closing time and try it once more. Then it happened.

You all know it ….it’s a familiar scene…the echoes of the shop assistant and other women in the change room all oozing compliments, and ‘you just HAVE to buy it’ ... bla bla bla.

The dilemma remained, and THEN I saw the tag …. it was XS ….. me ? extra small? that’s ridiculous.

But that’s when I realise it’s a ‘curvy girls’ store so I  guess that makes sense …. and bang my decision is made  I NEED to buy it, clearly that label matters.

Oh what complex creatures we are . .. (well dressed …but complex)

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back on the B_I_G issues ….

5 Aug

One would imagine that, being empty-nesters would mean a noticeable reduction in the use of household consumables ….and to a point that is true.

However there is one item that we seem to go through at a phenomenal rate ….perhaps equal (or close to) that of the days of having both kids at home.  While we can’t live without it, we  often resent spending good money  ….just to flush it down the loo!! ..loo paper

Yep you guessed it …the humble toilet paper.

The fact that we are using it up at such a rate, has not escaped my notice…and had me wondering what is going on in the bathroom. BUT then I actually studied a new roll of toilet paper and made a cheeky discovery…

Like so many things I believe that (rather than increase the price) the rolls have been reduced… NOT that you would notice because the rolling is a little ‘looser’ or the cardboard cylinder a little fatter …meaning that the circumference of the roll looks and feels similar….Now that’s sneaky …

I wondered if I was imagining this strange phenomenon…so I ‘googled’ it only to find that the Financial Review is in full agreement with my theory … so  in a practical sense it’s enough to really give you the shits.

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more ornithological observations

27 Jul

Some of you may recall my recent mumblings about the odd behaviour of a bunch of unidentified, and somewhat nondescript birds. There they were, huddled together on the electrical cable high above the middle of the river, presenting me with a  whole lot of unanswered questions… most of which remain unanswered (and forgotten… along with the birds).birds

That is… until today.

This morning as I crossed the river, I looked upstream where the sky was clear, the river still…and there was not a bird in sight. BUT when I looked to my left the fog was settled low on the water and the surface was littered with small dark creatures who appeared to be hiding in the thick of the fog.

Now I don’t know about you, but this makes me wonder what goes on in their tiny bird brains. So, you guessed ….I ‘googled it’ .

I discovered more than I care (or need) to know about bird intelligence… and while I now know that many are capable of counting… I still don’t know what this odd fog dwelling behaviour was all about (when clearly I would have chosen the sunny side of the bridge).

BUT…It’s Sunday night and no doubt the busy week ahead will mean that these big bird issues will soon be forgotten… along with the weekend.

 

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phew… it’s not just me …..

26 Jul

eyebrows are a worry everywhere …see what the fashion pundits are saying

you heard it here first

(I always knew I was a trendsetter… I’m 50 Something but not dead yet)

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going nuts…

21 Jul

Mr 50Something and I have just recently decided to embrace the 5:2 approach to food…. you know the one where you (almost) starve yourself on two days and eat fairly normally on the other five.

But… in reality the starvation days are not actually starvation at all, with a reasonably generous 500cal to play with, so it’s actually quite manageable.

That is … IF you take notice of every single thing that goes in your mouth…and count it.nuts

In recent months I have embraced nuts as a generally good source of protein and hunger killer… but I was horrified today as I nibbled away on my hot fresh roasted hazelnuts, and discovered that a mere 100gms was MORE than my daily food intake (luckily I stopped at around 60gm…after I nearly choked when I saw the numbers….eeek)

Tell me who could possibly stop at 10-15 hot roasted hazelnuts in a day ?

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