After a long weekend roadtrip...

I wish I could curl up here...

Thinking outside the square...

Age doesn't guarantee wisdom...

Visited by mountain gorillas...

Some days ago I was sent a link to a youtube video of one man's extraordinary encounter with mountain gorilla's in Rwanda. It's came in a trail of clips that people forward en masse in a flurry of enthusiasm, many of which I ignore. But this one, given that it starred gorillas in Africa was irresistible.

Many years ago I was fortunate to see the gorillas in Zaire in their own habitat, having trekked into the jungle in search of their daily hangout. It was without doubt one of the highlights of my life. I have a few images of my time there, but nothing that I experienced compares to this...

Computer crash...

Nine words women use...

(1) Fine:
This is the word women use to end an argument when they are right and you need to shut up.

(2) Five Minutes:
If she is getting dressed, this means a half an hour. Five minutes is only five minutes if you have just been given five more minutes to watch the game before helping around the house.

(3) Nothing:
This is the calm before the storm. This means something, and you should be on your toes. Arguments that begin with nothing usually end in fine.

(4) Go Ahead:
This is a dare, not permission. Don't Do It

(5) Loud Sigh:
This is actually a word, but is a non-verbal statement often misunderstood by men. A loud sigh means she thinks you are an idiot and wonders why she is wasting her time standing here and arguing with you about nothing. (Refer back to # 3 for the meaning of nothing.)

(6) That's Okay:
This is one of the most dangerous statements a women can make to a man. That's okay means she wants to think long and hard before deciding how and when you will pay for your mistake.

(7) Thanks:
A woman is thanking you, do not question, or faint. Just say you're welcome. (I want to add in a clause here - This is true, unless she says 'Thanks a lot' - that is PURE sarcasm and she is not thanking you at all. DO NOT say 'you're welcome' . that will bring on a 'whatever').

(8) Whatever:
Is a woman's way of saying...Go to Hell

(9) Don't worry about it, I got it:
Another dangerous statement, meaning this is something that a woman has told a man to do several times, but is now doing it herself. This will later result in a man asking 'What's wrong?' For the woman's response refer to # 3.

Come fly with me, come fly, come fly away...

Feel free to join me on my journey.

Just as a warning though, I think any spare space in my suitcase is already taken!

As an alternative, you can come fly with me on my journey just by sitting down at your computer! I have just bought a little 10 inch netbook, and whilst I am struggling with working a pc and not a mac, it is a little beauty! And I know I bitch and moan about technology when it all goes wrong (when my eyes glaze and I whine until someone comes to my technological rescue), but this is very very cool.

It means I will be in touch throughout the trip (as long as I have internet access of course). It uploads photos direct from my camera memory card, I can log onto the internet wherever there is WiFi and I can make video calls via Skype! I even have a twitter account!*

And of course I WILL be blogging.

So drop by when you can and I'll try to keep you well traveled, all from the comfort of your own home.

* My username is onelittleacorn, though I have yet to use it and I have absolutely no idea how, so I make no promises on this one at all!

There is more to life...

"There is more to life than increasing the speed."
 GHANDI


It's been a busy week here and the long weekend is just a breath away. I do plan to take a bit of a break at some stage...
though in the meantime...

Tonight am off to see Banksy's movie "Exit Through the Giftshop" at ACMI.
On Saturday I hope to head to the Sister's Market in Brunswick.
Sunday I want to head to Camberwell Market.
And Monday? I might get to sleep in! Catch up on some reading. Watch a movie.

And amongst all that, there's sure to be a bit of planning and dreaming about my impending trip to the USA... (more details next week).

I may even get a bit of blogging done (and belatedly return some comments to all my neglected faves)!

Enjoy the weekend everyone.

Feeling a little bit stuck...

And I'm feeling like I'm going nowhere fast.

But before I whinge TOOO much and you leave because you can't stand to hear another whiny post about me not knowing what to do or which direction to turn, I am working on it.

I am doing morning pages again (the main exercise from The Artists Way which I always find effective and stimulating) and I am reading "Finding my own North Star" which I am really starting to get into. Thanks to Kate one of my first blogging friends, for the recommendation, it's definitely relevant.

Funnily enough (in a sad sort of way) as I'm reading each chapter, it's actually all sounding very familiar, confirming I am waaay off track. Oh boy, am I off track! This book could well have been written for me!

Hopefully soon, as well as describing the smog filled life that I am living and confirming that this is not where I want to be, it's going to give me some answers and help me (help myself) to get outta this mess.

Has anyone else read this? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Hang on in there...

It's nearly the weekend...

Easter break...

Wishing you all an eggs-ceptional Easter break. Hope it's eggs-citing and above all your eggs-spectations. Maybe even a little eggs-cessive!

May you be surrounded by eggs-traordinary and eggs-travagant friends and family.

Please eggs-cuse my terrible attempt at humour. It's been an eggs-hausting week (no eggs-aggeration) and my brain is feeling quite scrambled!

Friday funny... Husband Makes Lunches For Work...

For the first time in their 3 year marriage, a wife asked her husband if he would mind making the next day's lunches for them both. Obligingly he agrees.

The next morning, the young wife asks her loving husband, 'Did you make our lunches, honey?'

He replied, 'Yeah babe, they're on the second shelf of the fridge.
Mine's on the left, yours is on the right.'

LOVE IT!!!

*For those non-Australian readers, yes, these are our bank notes. $20 (as you can see) is bright orange, $10 is blue, $5 purple-ish, $50 yellow and $100 green.

Why facebook and employers should never mix...

This was emailed to me today, and I couldn't resist. I just had to share it with you!

Hope you are having a good week. Let's hope it is at least better than this person!

May you and your friends be healthy and happy...

“If you live to be 100,
I hope I live to be 100 minus 1 day,
so I never have to live without you.”

Winnie the Pooh

I'm over worked...

For a couple years I've been blaming it on lack of sleep, not enough sunshine, too much pressure from my job, earwax build-up, poor blood or anything else I could think of. But now I found out the real reason.

I'm tired because I'm overworked.

Here's why:

The population of this country [Australia!] is 20 million.
9 million are retired.
That leaves 11 million to do the work.
There are 7 million in school, which leaves 4 million to do the work.

Of this there are 2 million employed by the federal government, leaving 2 million to do the work.
0.5 Million are in the armed forces preoccupied with finding Osama bin Laden, which leaves 1.5 million to do the work.

Take from the total the 1 million people who work for state and local Governments and that leaves 500,000 people to do the work.

At any given time there are 280,000 people in hospitals, leaving 220,000 people to do the work.

Now, there are 219,998 people in prisons.
That leaves just two people to do the work.

You and me.

And there you are sitting on your arse, at your computer, checking out blogs.
Nice, real nice.

What makes 100 percent?

This is a strictly mathematical viewpoint...it goes like this:

What Makes 100%? What does it mean to give MORE than 100%? Ever wonder about those people who say they are giving more than 100%? We have all been to those meetings where someone wants you to give over 100%. How about achieving 103%? What makes up 100% in life?

Here's a little mathematical formula that might help you answer these questions:

If:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

is represented as:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26.

Then:
H-A-R-D-W-O-R-K
8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98%

and

K-N-O-W-L-E-D-G-E
11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5 = 96%

But,

A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E
1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100%

And,

B-U-L-L-S-H-I-T
2+21+12+12+19+8+9+20 = 103%

AND, look how far ass kissing will take you.

A-S-S-K-I-S-S-I-N-G
1+19+19+11+9+19+19+9+14+7 = 118%

So, one can conclude with mathematical certainty that while Hard work and Knowledge will get you close, and Attitude will get you there, it's the Bullshit and Ass kissing that will put you over the top.

.....

Do you believe someone somewhere in the world had the time to work this out. Incredible!