1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before?

Drove on the left side of the road.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I lost where I wrote my 2011 resolutions, so I’m not sure!  If I resolved to get more in shape I’m sorry to say that I failed on that front, though I wouldn’t say I’m really in worse shape either.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Not anyone close to me, but according to facebook there are a LOT of people I know who’ve given birth in the last year.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Thankfully, no.

5. What countries did you visit?

I visited the US over the Christmas/New Years holidays

6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?

A substantial (at least for me) amount of money in my savings account.  Every independent girl should have some savings to be ready for whatever life throws at her!

7. What dates from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

July 5 – the day my 4 year work visa was approved

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Landing a job at one of the most well-known interior design firms in Australia and having that company sponsor a long-term work visa for me.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Picking an apartment that leaks heat like it’s its job (though I do love pretty much everything else about it.)

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

I injured my hand in a bike accident and it didn’t seem like a big deal, but I think I’m going to have it checked out again as my finger still doesn’t feel right.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

The furnishings for the apartment I moved into in May.  Hard to pick which is the best piece though – my sofa is amazing, my bed is the most comfortable in the world, and who can beat the convenience of a washer and dryer?

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

My brother Brian and my parents – my parents bought plane tickets to visit me in 2012 and Brian is also tentatively planning a trip here.  I couldn’t be more excited to be preparing for my first visitors!  I know it’s a long trip and therefore a lot to ask, so I appreciate their willingness to come see me.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

No one close to me.  I will say I was bummed that some friends didn’t make more of an effort to see me when I was home after they talked about how much they wanted it to happen in the months leading up to my visit, but I wouldn’t say I was appalled, just a bit disappointed.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Furniture for my new apartment and plane tickets for my trip to the US.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Being in the US not only for Christmas and New Years (like last year) but for an entire month.  I saw many friends and family and didn’t feel like I was rushing from one location to another so much.  I was counting down to the trip since July, so yeah, you could say I was excited.

16. What song will always remind you of 2011?

Anything off of Adele’s 21 album.  It’s a great album, but was incredibly overplayed in 2011.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

a) happier or sadder? Happier
b) thinner or fatter? Thinner
c) richer or poorer? Poorer

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Saved more money, travelled around Australia more, and probably exercised more.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Wasting time on facebook haha.

20. How did you spend Christmas?

All of my family Christmases were spent at my parents’ house.  It was nice that everyone came to us, but it did mean a lot of cleaning and cooking (mostly for my mom).

21. Did you fall in love in 2010?

Nope.

22. What was your favorite TV program?

True Blood.  Other top shows include Mad Men, Burn Notice, Bones, Offspring, Buffy (yes I know it ended a decade ago, but I only watched it for the first time)

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

No.

24. What was the best book you read?

Nothing that stood out….I read a lot of books though, some good, some bad.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Bruno Mars <3

26. What did you want and get?

To get my work visa.

27. What did you want and not get?

New curtains!

28. What was your favorite film of this year?

Something Borrowed.  It’s also a fantastic book.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I spent the entire week on either side of my birthday going out dancing, drinking, and eating out with friends.  It was lovely – and exhausting.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Having visitors from the US.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?

I don’t know.  Lazily fashionable?

32. What kept you sane?

My family and best friends and my new apartment.  Having my own space to retreat into is amazing.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Alexander Skarsgard.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?

Gay rights (in American politics).  I think it’s crazy that politicians don’t all believe in equal rights for all people.  I think it’s even more crazy how hateful some of them can be regarding those opinions.

35. Who did you miss?

Friends and family in the US….most notably during  big events in their lives.

36. Who was the best new person you met?

Marcela and Natalie – I met them both last January and they are 2 of my closest friends now.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011.

If you try hard enough and want it badly enough, sometimes you get lucky enough to get what you want.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

I watch you grow away from me in photographs
And memories like spies
The salt betrays my eyes again
I started losing sleep and gaining weight
And wishing I was ten again
So I could be your friend again

Turpentine – Brandi Carlisle

So now I’m back in Melbourne and the weather is fittingly depressing.  I think everyone has a hard time adjusting after returning from a holiday, but I suspect it’s even more intense when that holiday included saying goodbye to loved ones without knowing when you will see them again.  So I’ll admit that I’m wallowing in self-pity just a little bit.  I’m also trying to look forward to the year ahead.  It’s 2012 and I’ve got some resolutions to uphold!

I’ve got several resolutions, but the one that will involve the most work will be saving money.  I don’t have much for savings right now and I’d like to become a more fiscally responsible adult, and that starts with having a little savings cushion built up.  So I’ll be spending less to save more both in purchasing less unnecessary items and in that I’ll try to make more things myself (like clothes).  Here is the full list of my resolutions:

_love more

_save more

_do excellent work

_create more

_buy less

_shop smarter

Okay, time to watch yet more television and take a little nap.  Jet lag isn’t keeping me up at night, but it is waking me somewhat early, which I guess will be a bonus when I go back to work on Monday!

So for me the clock is ticking very loudly, both too fast and too slow.

Hurry hurry hurry.  Slow slow slow.  Half of my day is spent feeling one way, half is spent the other.  I’m also getting very excited as the completion of an important project that I did a lot of work on is coming up.  Construction is scheduled to be completed on December 5 and miraculously is even ahead of schedule.  I’ll just get to see it finished before I take off on the 9th.  I may even snap a few photos to share when I’m home.  Then you can see what it is I am so busy doing here!

I haven’t completed any new crafty projects lately to share, but I did purchase a big item – a bed!

the best bed ever

The one I’d been sleeping on was a double size mattress & box set that had seen better days.  I knew it needed replacing, but a bed is a big investment, so I’ve been holding off on doing it.  When my parents decided to make the trip out here in March, I knew I had a deadline.  I went to have a look at some bed frames and mattresses to see what I could afford about a month ago and ended up at the same furniture store that I purchased my sofa (which I love) at.  They cut me a really sweet deal on a frame and mattress.  It was manufactured here in Victoria and delivered a week ago.  And let me tell you. It. Is. Heaven.  Every night I lay down and suddenly it’s morning.  My savings have been stretched a little thin because of it, but I’m sleeping like a dream and even better, I know my parents will.  It’s a lot to ask someone to travel ten thousand miles to spend some time with you, it’s a whole other thing to ask them to sleep on a sub par mattress after making that journey.

And speaking of mattresses, I can’t wait to see my old bed from my last apartment in Ames.  I’m going to curl up on it with my dog and it’ll be like the last 2 years never were.  Isn’t how funny how time moves at seemingly different speeds and can occasionally even feel like it never existed?  I’m looking forward to “going back in time” when I revisit some of my old haunts and old friends.  Just 12 days my friends, 12 days!

That’s easily my favourite line from the movie “Almost Famous.”  It also describes this time of year.  Every week finds me with more things on my calendar.  It’s good because it is helping keep me from focusing all of my thoughts on my upcoming trip….which is a quick way to drive myself insane with anticipation.

This week – set up Christmas tree (check), do drawings for a presentation at work (check), learn to rock climb (Wednesday), holiday party (Thursday), drink with a friend (Friday), coffee with a friend (Saturday), craft afternoon with Annie (Saturday), new bed delivered (sometime this week).

Next week involves a teeth appt, another holiday party, more drawings for work, shopping the online Black Friday sales in the US, and more catching up with friends.  The following week includes a hair cut, dinner to exchange xmas presents with my Aussie girlfriends, more holiday parties, looking for shoes to wear on NYE, and beginning to pack.  Then we’re to the final week before the big trip when I need to buy my last xmas present, book my Amtrak ticket to San Diego, finish packing, and start tracking US weather patterns night and day with hopes of avoiding blizzards.  How fast is the next 24 days going to go?!  So fast!

Any last requests for items to bring back to the US or plans I should be making for while I’m there?

The contents of my grocery bag on Tuesday - so many vegetables!

Apron from Jen - channeling my inner 50's housewife

I’ll be making a very conscious effort to eat more healthily this month, but I won’t be doing it sans carbs, fruit, dairy, and cupcakes any more.  I am going to keep up the new work food habit.  Typically I’d bring a sandwich for lunch and a granola bar for the morning and afternoon – heaps of carbs.  Instead of the granola bars it’s carrots and roasted almonds.  Instead of the sandwich it’ll be grilled chicken wraps.

In other news, it’s definitely summer here!  It was sunny and gorgeous on Saturday, so I headed to St Kilda Beach – along with half the city it seemed!

St Kilda Beach - Saturday, November 5

I slept with all the windows open and don’t think it got colder than 20 degrees (about 68F) last night.  Amazing!  The only thing better will be after my new bed arrives and I can finally wake up without a stiff back.  The new bed is something I’ve wanted for ages, but only committed to purchasing because of the upcoming visit by my parents.  There’s no way they would handle sleeping on my current mattress without a fair bit of aching.

Speaking of visits – mine’s coming up a month from Wednesday.  I had a look at my tickets today and noticed that my first flight has a stopover in Auckland.  Looks like I’ll be spending about 3 1/2 hours in New Zealand while enroute to LAX!

Most Americans start decorating for the Christmas season as soon as Thanksgiving is over, which is usually almost exactly a month before Christmas Day.  Since my holiday begins the moment I leave Australia, I plan to decorate for Christmas a month before I leave – and that’s this week!  I’m close to having finished my Christmas shopping and I’m looking forward to having a tree to put the gifts under.  Maybe I’ll even cut out some paper snowflakes.  They’d be sure to make me smile as I put on my swimmers and head to the beach at the weekend

Beach baby

A friend told me about a diet she went on.  She only managed to stick with it for a week, but she lost 2 kg in that week.  I’m going to try to do it for a month – all of November.  We’ll see how I go.  The reason I’m trying an actual diet rather than just trying to consciously eat less in general, is because I think it’ll make the eating less easier.  If I restrict the things I CAN eat, I’ll be less likely to overeat.  And sticking to a restricted diet for 1 month out of the whole year seems like it should be doable.

So what can I eat?  Not a whole hell of a lot.  Chicken, fish, and vegetables.  No carbs, no dairy, no fruit, and definitely no cupcakes.

How long do you think I’ll last?  I’m really not so sure.

I should also mention I’m not giving up alcohol, but I am restricting it to vodka waters.  Goodbye beer

@ Republica, just off the boardwalk at St Kilda Beach

Go ahead, read this:

http://nymag.com/news/features/my-generation-2011-10/

I know, I know, it’s like seven (online) pages long.  Do it anyways.  Do it especially if you’re over 30 years old and struggling to understand my generation, the millenials as we’ve been dubbed.  This article was interesting to me on several fronts.  It was written in the same manner that I think and often write (albeit a lot more smartly), it had lots of interesting facts and figures, and it helped me understand a little bit about how my upbringing affected my transition from high schooler to job-hunting, self-finding, finally-employed-but-still-soul-searching 26 year old woman.

The parents of the children of my generation told us we could be anyone and do anything.  They never told us that we might not achieve those dreams because not everyone’s dream comes true.  They said that if we worked hard enough, it would.  No one told me that I wasn’t smart enough to be a rocket scientist.  Luckily that wasn’t my dream, but it’s true – I’m not smart enough.  No one told me that working hard and wanting it bad enough is only half the gig.  Being in the right place at the right time or knowing the right people or just plain luck is how people get their breaks the majority of the time.  Naturally, you have to be intelligent enough and skilled enough to actually do the job too.

Something that I’ve caught myself realising and wishing I would have known as a student during the past year or so is that the teachers of the interior design department that I studied in had this same “if you work hard enough, you can have it all” mentality.  They told us that if we sent out enough resumes, got enough good grades, and dressed professionally enough at our interviews, we’d become interior designers.  Ha.  Hahaha.  I believed that wholeheartedly, and you know what?   Not true!  Yes, I studied hard and got good grades.  Yes, I did good work.   Yes, I am a clever person who would be a good employee.  And yes, I can even dress professionally.  But none of that guaranteed me a place in my chosen career.  I lucked out.  I moved around the world and into an economy where I had a better chance, but it still involved a lot of luck.  And I now know that while I have been relatively successful in the two careers I’ve pursued during my adult life, it wasn’t because my mom and dad told me that I could do whatever I wanted.  That’s not to say that how they raised me didn’t have a massive influence in how I turned out – of course it did.  My upbringing gave me the determination, hope, and sense of realism necessary to survive being a 20-something these days.  But it wasn’t what made me a professionally successful adult.

The “you can do anything you want to do” parenting method has given me and my generation-mates several things – hope for the future, a sense of entitlement, and a confusing hangover of disappointment when we realise all our overachieving hasn’t gotten us to where we were promised to be.  Something to ponder all you future/young parents out there.

One big positive thing that this article talks about is the creativity that the current job market has done for youths.  Less money forces creativity in day to day needs.  An uninspiring job promotes creativity outside office hours.  Depressing times create the need for beauty elsewhere, and those disenchanted with the world seek to create that beauty for themselves.

Okay, enough rambling.  Time to take my professionally happy, sometimes creative self to bed.  Hope you all have a good weekend!

This week at a friend’s suggestion, I decided to purchase a bicycle and start getting a little fitter.  And by a little fitter I mean any kind of fitness level at all would be higher than where I’m at right now.  So this morning, I woke up and went for a run.  Nothing terribly long, but for me, any amount of running constitutes a fairly serious workout.  I felt pretty pleased with myself.  I showered and then headed to my local bike shop to purchase a helmet.  Holy crap are helmets expensive!  But it fits fantastically and is reflective – hooray for safety!

Then, at 130pm I caught a train and then a bus to go see a cheap used 10 speed racing bike in Carnegie.  I distrust buses in general, but it did safely deliver me to within 3 blocks of my destination.  Another win for today.

The bike was incredibly ugly, but had been recently serviced, possessed multiple speeds, and was road-ready.  Most importantly, it fit me and it was cheap.  I said yes and prepared to ride home.

It was really hard.  I got about 6 blocks away and remembered how I don’t regularly exercise and yet had consciously decided to go for a run this morning knowing I’d likely be riding a bike 9.5km (about 6 miles) that same afternoon.  I also couldn’t figure out how to change gears…and I didn’t want to stop to sort it out for fear that I wouldn’t be able to get going again, so I just soldiered on in whatever gear I started in.

So at this point I’m about a third of the way home and my legs are getting really tired, but I am feeling confident enough to adjust my messenger bag without stopping.  Big mistake.  I’m riding on a multi-lane city street (did I mention how I’ve never ridden a bike in the city before and was terrified of city traffic?!  Did I also mention I haven’t ridden a bike at all in over 2 years??) and there isn’t a dedicated bike lane, so I’m in the far left lane about 3/4 meter from the curb.  I reach to adjust my messenger bag, lose my balance, and run into the curb.  If that wasn’t bad enough, right next to the curb and just beyond where I hit it, was a large telephone pole.  You know, a big one – over 1/2 meter wide.  I hit it….pretty solidly.  Not my bike really, just me.  I’m not too banged up, just have a little roughed up patch on my arm and one finger on my left hand is pretty swollen.

So there I was, post-crash, standing on the side of the road somewhere outside of Carnegie, wondering if I should get back on my bike.  I had crashed right at the top of a hill, so I decided to get back on and at least ride to the bottom and THEN I’d walk a ways until I felt ready to get back on.  At least that was the plan until I walked a few steps before hopping back on the bike.  Walking was…difficult.  My legs didn’t feel like they were working properly.  I decided it would be smarter to just walk home.

So I walked.  I walked and I made phone calls.  I thought it’d looks a little less strange to be walking my bike on the footpath rather than riding if I had an obvious reason for it (making phonecalls.)  Then I came to a street.  The street was set down below the level of the footpath enough that there was a fairly steep ramp down to the street.  As I walked down it my right calf cramped up.  Cramped enough that I ended up limping across the street (in front of a few cars no less.)  As I got to the other side my other calf started acting up too!  I barely got out of the street before I had to stop and try to massage them because I literally about fell over.  For a little while I couldn’t move my right ankle at all – it was terrifying!  Eventually I could walk again, but I didn’t trust my legs to keep cooperating.  I gave up and called a cab.

Half an hour later a cab finally showed and then another 10 minutes and $16 later I was home and hauling my crappy cheap new bike up 2 flights of stairs, digging the only remaining beer out of my fridge, and curling up on the couch with the solo beer, a blanket, and a movie in an attempt to forget the events of the past few hours.  It almost worked.

Other events of the day include burning pizza (resulting in another meal of cupcakes) and painting over the painting hanging over my couch in the living room.  I also had a strange urge to watch Titanic, caught the end of Home Alone on tv, and ran out of whiskey.

What a day.  Are you laughing yet?

“I think everything in life is art. What you do. How you dress. The way you love someone, and how you talk. Your smile and your personality. What you believe in, and all your dreams. The way you drink your tea. How you decorate your home. Or party. Your grocery list. The food you make. How your writing looks. And the way you feel. Life is art.”

It wasn’t cited, so not sure where it originated, but I love it.   It pretty much sums up how I feel about life.  People’s lives vary so much – rich, poor, fulfilled, empty, surrounded, alone, successful, failing, but we can all find beauty if life if we look for it.  Maybe it’s because I am a single childless woman, and therefore have lots more time on my hands than other people, but I truly delight in the little things.  Here are a few of the things I’ve caught myself appreciating lately….. Realising the intensity of the Australian sun while walking through pools of sun and shadow on my morning walk to work.  Writing a letter in my own mix of print and cursive instead of the all caps that I write in at work.  Picking out a colour scheme for my Christmas gifts’ wrapping paper and ribbons….and wrapping every gift a little differently.  Receiving silly cards for various holidays from my mom and the fact that her handwriting has never changed.  The feel of a chunky oversized sweater over a thin close-fitting tank top. The texture of that first glass of Shiraz.  The fuzzy feeling in your knees after the second.  Being reminded of an ancient crush by an old song and being transported back in time to that moment. Baking cupcakes and cupcakes and more cupcakes. It being warm enough to sleep without pants on.  Successfully navigating 17 hours of time zones to have a glass of wine with my best friend.  Buying myself cheap flowers at the train station.  Curling up and watching a romance on my sofa and having my faith in love being restored by the end of it.  My hardcover daily agenda…writing in it, reading my plans, and looking ahead to big events.  Bubble gum flavoured lip gloss by VS.  Candles.  The texture of the upholstery on my sofa.  Being outdoors.  The feel of a pair of well-fitting jeans.  The precision of my fabric shears.  The view from Colorado’s Rocky Mountains.  Live music.  Live music with friends.  Friends with live music.  A smooth whiskey on the rocks.  Losing myself in a hour or two of dancing after a shot or two of tequila with my girl friends.  The change in my gait when I put on a pair of heels.  A mind-stopping kiss, even if the person it’s with isn’t important.

Life is art and the beautiful thing about art is that it’s different every time and each person sees it differently.  My art is in my details.  If you love me, you’ll accept that I eat too many cupcakes, kiss strangers with abandon, and get overly excited about Christmas shopping and the subsequent present wrapping.  And in return, I’ll accept you and all of the things you delight in, even if they involve guacamole, cheap gin, or rooster-inspired mid-American crafts.

Best thing lately – it’s spring!  The weather is finally shaping up and the daylight savings time change is just around the corner.  I’ve gone on a few runs lately and am hoping to make it a pre-work morning habit as soon as the temperature is is minimum 10 degrees (50F) every morning.  If you know my running history, you’ll know that this is likely wishful thinking, but I’m still going to give it a go!

I’m busy at work, but not insanely so – happy busy.  My team recently split into a few different groups and I’m in one that’s going to be designing some higher end banks, so I’m excited for some of those projects to get going.  Should be good experience and a new challenge from what I’ve been doing lately.

I know this is a little disjointed of a post, but I”m going to switch topics again.  I’m currently watching Bridesmaids – it came out on dvd this week.  I haven’t finished yet, but I think it’s hilarious.  I find it hilarious from the perspective of a single girl with lots of recently engaged and married friends and not a lot of money.  Makes me kind of glad I haven’t been in a wedding in ages.  At the same time this movie makes me miss some of the crazy nights I’ve had with some of those lovely engaged and married friends of mine.

Okay, I’m going to sign off and finish watching this movie.  I arrive stateside in 75 days – trying really hard to not actually follow the daily countdown yet!