soundtrack to summer

I don't often buy cds - i put them in the "treat/non essential" category and because I don't have much money to spend on treats, they don't really get bought.

But I received some itunes vouchers for christmas, and now have a soundtrack to my summer:

1. Bon Iver, For Emma Forever Ago

From the awesome JagJaguwar label - I really only got into them when I heard Bloodbank earlier this year. I didn't end up buying the Bloodbank EP, because I figured I'd get their debut album first. It's stripped back, raw and beautful.

2. Noah and the Whale

Also quite stark and melancholy, much like Bon Iver. I sense a theme here.

3. The Middle East

Fantastic Brisbane band... also.. funnily enough... melancholy, and stark...

I don't know why I love melancholy music, I just do. Especially when it crosses over from melancholy to uplifting all of a sudden.

Still on my wishlist are:

Wilco - Wilco

Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest

Fanfarlo - Reservoir

Swell Season - Strict Joy

Monsters of Folk - Monsters of Folk

Dark was the Night compilation

a little out of sorts

I've completely lost track of time this week. It was Christmas, then I worked two overnight shifts, including on the public holiday, and have felt like i've been in a complete time warp, sleeping int he day, waking in the afternoon, working at night, having no idea what day of the week it is or what's going on around me.

There is only more of this to come, as I'm working over the New Year period, when it will not only change day, but year!

smells

Everyone has favourite smells, but recently I've discovered mine are quite strange. We were chatting away at our work christmas party when I decided to sniff the tinsel on the table, which got a few looks.

What can I say? Metallic platic smells amazing!

So a list of some of my favourite smells:

-real live Christmas tree smell
-the smell of tinsel
-the smell of scotch tape (it has to be Scotch tape, the 3M brand stuff)
-new books
-new electronic eqiupment. I got a new phone the other day, and it smelled really good. But sadly the smell has worn off.
-new car smell (can't be fake bottled "new car smell", has to be real)

and of course like a normal person, I also enjoy cooking smells and freshly cut grass and the smell of rain on pavement etc etc.

What about you? Any strange smell fetishes?

Happy birthday mr blog

It just occurred to me that this blog turned 2 yesterday.

I started it in my last week in orange in Dec 07.

Well, happy birthday dearest bloggy.

And thanks for reading lovelies x

doilies

This is such a simple but beautiful idea for gift wrapping - placing a doily on brown paper with string. Stunning! Oh and the reindeer helps.

via Daydream Lily (who ran the competition where I won tickets to Bright Star! xx)

A little bit of news

I found out not long ago that one of my poems has been shortlisted for the John Marsden Prize for Young Australian Writers, run by express media and judged by their editors and John Marsden himself.

I've been awarded Highly Commended for a poem I wrote after my holiday in Broken Hill, called down the mine. You can read it and the winning entries on their website in a PDF of the poetry 18 - 24 section, along with comments from John.

I  was really shocked my poem was shortlisted - it's one of the first poetry prizes I've entered, and I wasn't expecting any sort of accolade. So to be highly commended is really nice.

I highly recommend reading the winning poem, Once-Loved. It's very dark, but sophisticated and very moving.

Christmas Recipe

Well I was tagged in this Christmas recipe meme by goldy, and it was good timing because I had just spent my last day of holidays making Christmas rocky road for my work colleagues.


Not an original recipe, I found it on Not Quite Nigella (a great food blog - just incase you're living under a rock!)


What makes this rocky road good? Turkish Delight. And macadamias. Together in WHITE CHOCOLATE. Yeah baby.




So here's the recipe:

Christmas Wonderland Rocky Road


Makes 20 pieces

• 500g white chocolate (or milk or dark if you like)
• 175g honey coated macadamias (if not available, just substitute this quantity with regular macadamias)
• 1 1/2 cup mini marshmallows
• 250g Turkish Delight cut into thirds or quarters depending on size
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup of dried cranberries

1. Line a 21×21cms square cake tin with foil.

2. Melt chocolate over a double boiler or in the microwave in a large bowl until melted.

3. Stir in the rest of the ingredients until combined and spoon into foil lined tin.

4. Refrigerate until firm and when set cut into slices using a large, sharp knife.

Yum yum


oh yes, I actually meant to tag some other people too! These were the instructions.
I tag... Aimee and Soph (although I know you're away).

1. Link to the person who ‘tagged’ you.

2. Post the rules on your blog.

3. Post your favourite Christmas recipe – something traditionally festive or something that has become a tradition in your house.

4. Tag four people at the end of your post.

5. Let each person know they have been tagged by commenting on their blog.

6. Let the tagger know the entry is posted on your blog.

7. Post your own Christmas recipe within a week of being tagged to keep this on the move.

Back on the air waves.. sort of

I somehow forgot to write anything about my first few shifts at the ABC.... so here is a little bit of an update.

So far I've just done two shifts - one day shift and one overnight. The day shift was good, but kind of stressful. I was given two stories to do by myself, without any real refresher training. It was like so, you know how to do stuff - go do it! I had to remember how to use the recording equipment in the studio and editing software, which took a few moments, then bang out a copy/grab story. Feedback from the boss was good, but it didn't go to air. It was the day of the State Govt leadership spill, so the bulletins were pretty full.

In the afternoon they sent me down to cover Tony Abbott meeting the Dalai Lama, which was pretty interesting given it was Tony's third day as the Opposition leader. I wasn't expecting to have to front a press conference by myself so soon, but it went ok and I remembered how to use the recorder and managed to collect some audio. I wrote up a story for that and it went to air.

The next night I worked 10 - 6, which thankfully was pretty painless. My stomach was wondering what was going on - I was hungry by about 2am, but didn't really feel like eating anything more than fruit and soup. Apparently this is normal. The main duties on overnight are ringing around the police/firies/ambos and writing any national stories that come off the wires for the hourly bulletins and the next morning.

So yeah, all good. Not working again till Boxing Day... and from then on it's overnights, indefinitely, which is fine because it's a job, and I'm just thankful to have any work really!

Thanks for the feedback

The poll is in...

the results so far are
1. Natural environment (4 votes)
2. Objects and built environment and people (3 votes each).

If you voted for natural environment, can you tell me which one/s you like best?

x

bits of my day

Yesterday I had to take my car in for service, so I had to walk from the mechanics to work. I took my camera along for the journey. Here's what I saw.

chicken politics

Someone (who will remain nameless)**, had me over for lunch on Sunday arvo. It was lovely - we had BBQ chicken on bread with salad and soda water.

But there was one thing which marred the entire affair. When dishing up the chicken, she left entire body parts of it on the carcass because she doesn't like the so-called "dark meat".

Now I understand preference when it comes to eating a roast chicken. I tend to prefer the more moist so-called "dark meat", but I also like it in conjunction with some more dry, but less oily breast meat.

Well, our host had decided for us that we were not to eat the dark meat. THE HORROR! I pointed out her prejudice, and proceeded to take the leg and thigh off the chook, not wanting to waste it. People, in times like these we need to eat the whole animal. It's called waste not-want not.

Now as I say, I understand we all have a preference. But there is something just plain wrong about stopping others enjoying the bits that they like.

So, what say you? Am I right, or is she right? Which bit do you like? And would you feed your guests the bit of chicken you yourself refuse to eat?


**Dear "Someone" - hopefully you can see this is a bit of a joke - i loved the lunch! And hopefully, you can see that I have the better approach. Hee hee

Some research

Hi, I need your help. I'm printing out some photos to sell our our upcoming markets at church, but I'm not sure what people actually like.

So I thought I'd ask my blog readers. So if you're a lurker, please de-lurk and take the survey! I'll be so grateful.

Below are some examples of the categories. Please give me specific feedback of your favourites in the comments field.

Also if there are any photos you've seen on my blog and think I should print out, tell me. Thanks!

Quizzes by Quibblo.com

Natural environment

Objects

Built environment

Animals

People

bedside

This may well be a pictorial representation of my mind. And there are some hiding behind that pile too.

Life: a summary

Loving... the afternoon sun through stained glass in my bedroom
Hating... dust. everywhere. it never leaves!

Grieving... the death of a friend's brother

Rejoicing... in the small things
Working... first proper training shift at the ABC tomorrow
Cooking... a lot of mince, sadly.

Thankful... for work and family

Learning... to stop and ponder

Planning... day at a time at the moment

Feeling... unsure how my body/mind will react to overnight shifts

Looking forward to... Christmas



What about you?