hedges and brambles

dental work

2011-08-26T08:21:00.002+10:00

I went to the doctor a couple of weeks ago, and had a health management plan drawn up. I was supposed to call (two weeks ago, argh) a nutritionist and an excersise planner but I haven't done that yet. I will call because I desperately need to go, but I know I'll also have to take time off work to attend those meetings, and I just can't afford to go. However, I did go to the dentist. And under this dental plan, I'm getting $3,450 worth of dental care carried out for free. I know, right? A few touch up on old fillings that have fallen out, a couple of new ones (omg, my teeth are so bad) plus a root canal. I go in for that next Tuesday at 1pm. It was supposed to be yesterday, but I had the reminder down for 2pm, and that was an hour too late.

Well, that didn't work

2011-08-22T21:44:00.002+10:00

So much for my big plan of 'one big thing, two little things' per week until the big move. I haven't listened to my Swedish lessons, the money I've made on eBay sales is mostly gone on eBay fees for relisting all the items that didn't sell. eBay says they will refund multiple listing prices when it sells, but I have to pay them all first. I'm kind of regretting trying to sell everything on eBay now. I hate having to spend money to make no money. Is there a free listing/pay commission only website out there? Maybe I'll hold a yard sale or something. But no, they always want bargains, and I remember how much we got ripped off when we had one before moving to Australia.

I don't know what the hell I'm going to do. If I lived in the States, I'm sure craigslist would be a viable option. I have no idea how good the Australia-only section of craigslist is. Maybe I'll check it out. I have to sell some stuff. Well, all of my stuff. I seriously have NO money saved. I'm starting to panic. I can't back out of this. I don't want to back out of this. I can't and I won't. They were saying on the TV about how it's been a month since the terrorist attack in Norway. (Yes, I said terrorist attack. Everyone was saying 'terrorist attack!' until they learned the guy was white and Christian, and then it became a 'mass murder'. Terrorist =/= Muslim. The guy used terror to attempt to spread his message. He's a terrorist. End of.) I can't believe it's been a whole month. What the hell have I done in that month? Nothing. I need someone to keep me motivated. The only problem is I don't have anyone up here, and Mum doesn't want me to move, and isn't really into supporting me, it feels like.

I'm going to print off a big calender and put it on my wall. Mark off the days, with goals I need to reach. Money. Weight. Health. Money.

I have to do this.

Week 1: Big Thing One

2011-08-04T19:58:00.003+10:00

The first big thing for the move, and the first thing for this first week.

Started listing the vast majority of my DVD's for sale on eBay.

Going through them all, I'm loathe to part with some, but I'm rationalizing it away with 'I can buy it again in Sweden, stop being silly!'. There are so many wonderful memories tied in with some of these shows. And yes, I realise how silly that is. I'll finish up the DVD's this weekend, and hopefully start on the books (sob!) next week.

The little thing/s for this week? I need to take some photos. Stay tuned!

The Big Move

2011-08-02T20:55:00.002+10:00

I haven't updated here in a couple of years, but I'm going to use this place to show all plans and preparations I'll be making in the coming months, up to my BIG MOVE from Australia to Sweden!

The expected departure date so far is Friday, 13th of April 2012. I just looked that up. This is either the best day ever to move or the worst.

Things I've done in preparation so far?

1. Give notice at work.
2. Started dividing up properties to either sell/gift/take along.
3. Started looking at rentals etc online to get a rough price range.
4. That's it.

However, considering that I've only been planning on moving to Sweden since last week, I've done a fair bit. I'm going to try to do one big thing, and two small things every week up to the BIG MOVE.

Sweden, here I come!

the eighteenth

2009-04-07T21:14:00.000+10:00

I learnt today that scratching your head relaxes/massages the nerve endings there, which helps you think better, which is why so many people scratch their heads when their thinking; it's a subconsious thing to help them.

the sixteenth & seventeenth

2009-04-06T19:59:00.003+10:00

I posted today, but it ate my post. I didn't post yesterday, so there was nothing to eat.

Have watched seasons 3 & 4 of The Sopranos yesterday and today. Didn't go to work today - missed the bus, mum didn't want to drive me in. I'll go outside, have a smoke, watch a little of season 5, then hit the hay. Gotta get up early tomorrow. Next weeks pay is a three day week. I'm gonna be short so fucking much. This week, God. I wish I could have gone to work today, and tomorrow. That's a $500 week. Four days are $400, three days -- ah, you see the pattern.

Anyway, mum watched all of The Sopranos and she's been cooking Italian for the past couple of weeks, and she borrowed my Godfather DVD's.

the fourteenth & fifteenth

2009-04-04T21:50:00.002+10:00

So, I missed yesterday. Got caught up with a new book, and fell asleep reading. Woke up around 1am and thought, "I promised I would post. I have to go post" and then I thought 'fuck it' and went back to sleep.

On the bus on Friday, the driver started to talk to me. Normally, this isn't a problem, but I was the only one on the bus, so I felt I had to listen and start to talk back. He lived in Sweden for four years, and wants a swedish (read: Carl Larsson) house. I love those houses, and my uncle works in property, so I mentioned that you could possibly buy one flat packed and have it shipped over. Now, we're moving to Sweden; he'll get a wife, I'll get a husband, and things will be fine. He gave me his card. I have to stop talking to people on the bus.

Today, I found out that Fifi, my sister, has a Bebo page. Kinda like MySpace, and she uses horrible 'netspeak' throughout. Some jerk at her school left her a message with a threatening overtone. Made me angry, which was suprising, because I've probably send similar things to her over the years. No punk-ass pre-teen gets to call my sister that.

the thirteenth

2009-04-03T00:05:00.001+10:00

There was a lot of rain today, and we got flooded. At work, one of the guys and I had to sweep out the shed, there was so much water; yelling to be heard over the pounding of water on the steel roof.

One the way home, the bus had to take a detour as the road had been flooded out. I wish the bus would go that way all the time - it's so pretty out that way.

the twelth

2009-04-01T20:54:00.002+10:00

Went back to work today. Had a bit of a hairy moment when my boss asked me if I was still sick. I told him I wouldn't sneeze on him, and he said okay.

Didn't really do anything interesting. Sat outside the little cafe for lunch instead of eating back at my desk, because my boss had a business meeting (tiny office - one room, one long bench/desk that we share = no real privacy). It was nice sitting there. The chair was tiny though, and just made me realise how fat my bum is. :(

Bought a new book for the pile. Also picked up a catalogue for a local storage store. Lots of shelves and other items that look really nice. Cost lots of money too. It'll have to wait. My book pile can exist for a while longer.

the eleventh

2009-03-31T19:57:00.002+10:00

I've been home from work today - looking up all the furniture I can't afford to put into the house that I don't have.

Plus, if I had the money, I couldn't buy it anyway, because it's all in America. Damn JC Penny, Pottery Barn and Anthropologie for having such pretty stuff.

the tenth

2009-03-30T19:59:00.002+10:00

Went to work today, thoroughly sick. Coughed, sneezed, brought up phlegm all day. My boss said he couldn't afford to get sick, so I shouldn't come in tomorrow if I'm still feeling crap. I can't afford to take too many days off work, so tomorrow? Sure. But no matter how sick I am, I'm working the rest of the week.

the ninth

2009-03-29T21:08:00.001+10:00

Have been watching Friends and 30Rock all day today. Also, made fudge. Also also, am sick. Sore throat, lots of phlegm, running/blocked nose. It's so bad.

the eight

2009-03-28T15:02:00.001+10:00

I've been looking at and wishing for a Victorian style home. So many books are available with elevations and floor plans. I want a house with back stairs into the kitchen!

the seventh

2009-03-27T18:28:00.003+10:00

One week, going strong. I ran into a girl sorta-friend that I hadn't seen in about four years today. She told me I had a beautiful laugh, gave me her number, and said we should get together some time. Lunch, drinks, whatever.

I remember when I moved into my first place, she invited me to a party. I didn't go, because it was a pyjama/lingere party, but whenever we saw each other - which was nearly every day as we worked in the same building - she was always friendly.

I think I might actually call her. I need friends, and this could be a start. She was always such a nice girl.

the sixth

2009-03-26T19:17:00.002+10:00

Today, I learnt that Gary's wife had three miscarrages before their daughter was born. She's sixteen now, and today was the first day since she got her learners that she hasn't spent driving.

Greg from NHA came by and discussed the the drain problem with the old guy that seems to think that a leaning fence crushing his pipework doesn't mean we shouldn't have fixed it 8 months ago when we cleared the tree roots out. You know, that crushed pipework caused by the leaning fence that WASN'T LEANING 8 months ago. Sometimes, people are stupid.

Not much else happened - it was just an average work day.

the fifth

2009-03-25T20:31:00.001+10:00

I found out today that you can buy books on iTunes that you can read, instead of having read to you. Life is awesome.

Also, Chicktionary is too much fun.

the fourth

2009-03-24T14:42:00.003+10:00

I spent the early part of the day laying in bed, happy that I didn't have to get up at the butt-crack of dawn to get to work. And, since then, I've pretty much done nothing. My sister Fifi decided she wasn't going to school today, so she stayed home, baked brownies and made a huge mess in the kitchen. I yelled her from her room, yelled her into the kitchen, and yelled her through washing the dishes. It may not be the nicest way, but dammit, if you make a mess, you clean it up. Especially in the kitchen - that's one of the first things I learnt.

the third

2009-03-23T18:32:00.002+10:00

Today, I had work. I enjoy my job - the people I work for/with are awesome. Had a nice little talk with my boss and his second at the end of the day. A little gossip with one of the guys about another of the guys in the morning. Nice chicken/avo/tomato/cheese/sour cream/sweet chilli sauce wrap for lunch (couldn't eat it all - yay!).

No work tomorrow - bossman wants to cut down on expenses during the recession, so the company won't go bust. Everyone is on cut hours.

I bought some cotton balls and witch hazel on the way home, as well as some vaseline. I need to get into a good routine of washing and moisturising every day. I'm 24 and could pass for 28. That's not good. Time to slow it down, if not reverse it a little. I did wash/tone/moisturise this morning, as well as put on some SPF30+. Got to keep it up for a few weeks so it becomes a habit. Even threw on some quick make up. Thank you, Michelle Phan, for your YouTube tutorials. How did I get to 24 and not know how to put on make up properly? Oh yea, lack of role models and money for experimenting. Hooray for independance.

the second

2009-03-22T13:51:00.002+10:00

Weekends are the worst here. My sisters are both young (10-12) and are no fun to me. Babies? Bring 'em on. Late teens/early 20's? Hell yea, talk to me. Right slap bang in the middle? Bo-ring. Mum is sleeping (she works the night shift at the hospital as a nurse), and I don't have a drivers licence. I’m stuck here, and I hate it.

Sure, I could clean, I could read, I could paint or simply walk down to the bus stop and go into town, but that all requires effort. Just like maintaining RL friendships requires effort. I can't be having with that, so I stay at home; I do nothing, and feel bad about it, which makes me lethargic, so I do even less.

My sisters are out today, and mum is sleeping. I'm sitting here, thinking of all the things I could do, while doing nothing.

Well, screw that. I'm off to do some laundry.

the first

2009-03-21T16:42:00.000+10:00

I have kept journals before - both hand written and online - but for the past two years or so, I've stagnated. I feel I have nothing major to share, as if all my smallness and petty squables are unworthy of recording. When I look back though, it's the small things that have made up the majority of my existance, and I have nothing to show as a record of those two years.

I have to modify this. I have to push myself out of my comfort zone. I'm 24 almost 25, and I've done nothing with my life.

I'm going to force myself to update once a day, every day for four weeks. After that, it can be more than once a day, but I can never skip a day. Once a day. Find one small thing to post about, and do it. Make a record and prove to myself that I exist.