Hello, Autumn!

It’s technically still summer as they tacked an extra day onto the month (apparently, it’s the day to propose if you’re a woman)… but I was so cold last night! and it’s still meant to be under 10 again tonight, according to my weather wiget thingy… :\ Good thing the days are still warm…ish.

Apparently, also, I’m off to Woolongong to assist Rish in the collection and payment of a new motorbike. I know it’s red and better than the other one. And also that I’m loaning him money until he sells the ZZR-250. (my airfares to Europe – so need to get cracking on that planning – next week! when I’m at work for more than two and a half days!)

I need a Hello Kitty phone!

Itadakimasu!

Just finished my first Japanese lesson since year 11 (1999)… it’s starting to come back to me! And I’m feeling so tired, but exciteable… kinda like I’m doing somehting new, but at least I know that I can be capable at it if I keep trying!

The tutor was talking about whether we need to get text books or not – she suggested that if we want to know the grammar etc, then texts are the way to go, and if we just want to travel, phrase books are better. But I’m a nerd/ speech pathologist who NEEDS TO KNOW exactly what each little particle is for… then I can manipulate it more :) I want to control my language, not be restricted. Long way off, I know… but yay!

Oyasumi!

Think you can dance?

YOu know how at weddings and other events, the dancefloor can be empty, except for a few little kids bopping away? well, at Jen’s wedding, there were times when there were just four of us out there: Me, Kate (another bridesmaid) and two little brothers. They certainly were showing us the moves:

Reality tv, here I come!

(just wait until the Macarena, Nutbush, Chicken Dance, and the Grease medly pics turn up! *dies*)

Wedding Photos!

More, and full sized, pics over here!

Somebody’s Sister-in-Law

Well, it’s done. My little sister got married, I didn’t cause any deities that may have been out there enough grief to destroy the cathedral over the weekend, and I managed to stay (relatively) sane over the weekend. All things considered, of course.

First question you will have is “PHOTOS!!!?!?!! WHERE ARE THEY?!!?!!” Mine are on my camera which bis on this desk. But Windows 2000 may be my problem. I will have them (probably) this evening, after Rish gets home and I can use his magical new laptop to get them off the camera, and then upload them to my Facebook account. And others will likely start to appear also. If there is good tagging done, I will manage to stumble across these, and will of course steal the good ones :)

It will be easier to do commentary with the photos. :) So I’ll hold off.

Families are great, but sometimes it’s good that they’re a distance away! Who wants some breathing space? :D

Ducks need Whereis.com

I have the song “Ducks don’t need Satellites” (the Kate Miller-Heidke version) running through my head, thinking of the suicidal dusck family I saw crossing Adeleaide Avenue late yesterday afternoon. Just infront of The Lodge, two parent ducks, about to lead their gathering of ducklings out onto one of the main roads of Canberra. Like one of those parental murder-suicide plots?

Anyway. Ducks need to find slightly better places to cross the road. I know I know, maybe the lawns at Parliament House were looking particularly moist and nicer to be at than the Lodge, but the direct route is not always the best.

Other scary things on the road… Today I drove by an overturned car on the Parkway to Tuggeranong… with driver still inside and emergency crews arriving just as I crept past. Ugh.

But petrol’s cheap at the moment…. filled up for 120.5 cpl. Excellent since we’re heading to Newcastle on Friday for “the wedding”… but it might mean more of the crazies in general… *hides*

Publicly De-listed

So I had a great Valentines’ night.

After my post declaring that I had yummy bread waiting for him at home, I saw Rish get through the back door not very long after he posted a reply, requesting that I observe Steak and BJ Day next month.

SO, having successfully gotten Rish, we proceed to eat yummy bread dipped in oil and balsamic vinegar, reast the rest of the veges to have with Wednesday’s leftovers, and decide which of the dozen or so bottle of wine we seem to have collected that we would open and drink. (Settled on a Coonarwarra red, the bottle has since been recycled. But it was good! But like many Aussie wines, VERY strong)…

SPent some time online flirting outrageously with other people over instant messaging… something Rish said made me decide to “remove our relationship status” on facebook… didn’t declare I was single, but the relationship was deleted… Got a few enquiries about that that made me laugh :)

Yes, I did re-relationship him. But only after having to log into his account so I could delete his pending relationship with one of the maths guys. Guys, don’t give your passwords out to people. Especially not me :D

Last night I dreamed that the snakes kept getting out of their tank, and then there were more of them, and then they formed a ball and rolled outside, and noone believed me, and noone would come and help me. Not least Rish. Karma?

I loaf you

I have a yummy crusty loaf of bread, so that Rish and I may eat crusty bread with balsamic vinegar and olive oil on this valentines day. How romantic. *rolls eyes* Now If I can get rid of this headache then I might be able to also drink wine… but that might not be the best of ideas.
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The World is Calling

I love it when little old Australia makes it onto the BBC world news broadcast heh. Aww look what’s happening out in the colonies… aren’t we a republic yet? Hold your horses girl, we just got the sorry done, and you’re pushing for a republic? small steps, we’ll get there one day…

Was relieved to see that the seniors in our ranks found the time in our staff meeting to watch the initial address. When we got in this morning there was talk it might not happen. But how can we be pushing early intervention services for places such as the Koori preschool without taking a small part out of our day for something so big?

Meeting days are interesting… and full of food. I think I’m going to get the upgraded gym memebrship this year and get myself along to a class or two as well as my regular stuff. Feel like I need to pushing :)

I’m finally going to do PECS training. So I’ll feel like I know what I’m talking about ;) I’m going to have to take a weekend out to do it, but I think it’s worth it, especially since I’ll be able to do it locally, and the fee is about half of what it usually is (meaning work will foot the bill rather than about half and then me having to pay to stay in Sydney overnight!)… This means I’ll have to decide whether I want to do another workshop I wanted to do, which is the two days after that (M,T).. and I’d have to pay for that one $400… I have a couple of weeks until the close for earlybird rego, and Im told I can have the time, so I’ll see how poor I’m feelig after I renew at the gym and so on. It’s probably worth it… we’ll see. That one’s on speech disorders while PECS is more disability-focussed… but helpful, very very helpful. So yes, more stuff to ocupy my this term!

Have veges in the oven an rosemary on my fingers… making me hungry! :D

9am

Today’s the day where Australia gets to start to catch up with the rest of the world by officially recognising past injustices that were on so many levels, from 1:1 racial slurs and ill treatment to laws and policies deliberately classing, and treating, the indigenous populations as “Flora and Fauna”. While you can’t address every single thing in a national address, it has at least brought on discussion, brought forward stories (both terrible and great) about how “newer” Australians have treated and interacted with the oldest Australians over 200+ years.

There will be numerous ways to watch and hear the address (including online, but I’ve cut the text of it below… because I can.

Today we honour the Indigenous peoples of this land, the oldest continuing cultures in human history.

We reflect on their past mistreatment.

We reflect in particular on the mistreatment of those who were stolen generations – this blemished chapter in our nation’s history.

The time has now come for the nation to turn a new page in Australia’s history by righting the wrongs of the past and so moving forward with confidence to the future.

We apologise for the laws and policies of successive Parliaments and governments that have inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss on these our fellow Australians.

We apologise especially for the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families, their communities and their country.

For the pain, suffering and hurt of these stolen generations, their descendants and for their families left behind, we say sorry.

To the mothers and the fathers, the brothers and the sisters, for the breaking up of families and communities, we say sorry.

And for the indignity and degradation thus inflicted on a proud people and a proud culture, we say sorry.

We the Parliament of Australia respectfully request that this apology be received in the spirit in which it is offered as part of the healing of the nation.

For the future we take heart; resolving that this new page in the history of our great continent can now be written.

We today take this first step by acknowledging the past and laying claim to a future that embraces all Australians.

A future where this Parliament resolves that the injustices of the past must never, never happen again.

A future where we harness the determination of all Australians, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, to close the gap that lies between us in life expectancy, educational achievement and economic opportunity.

A future where we embrace the possibility of new solutions to enduring problems where old approaches have failed.

A future based on mutual respect, mutual resolve and mutual responsibility.

A future where all Australians, whatever their origins, are truly equal partners, with equal opportunities and with an equal stake in shaping the next chapter in the history of this great country, Australia.

…

It’s amazing to to see the surge of people at the tent embassy, coming into Canberra just for today. May be a once in a lifetime thing, and let’s just hope it means our country can move forward in a positive way, and work towards better health care, better race relations, better political processes… and so on…