You know you are underworked when before lunch you are doing Sudoku puzzles but they are so additive. This is my second phase of addiction to the Sudoku and I think it may be even worse or better than the last.

I am really quite grateful to the Sudoku puzzle because it was in the end the thing that set off the final spiral of events that led me to leave my evil job at the skin cancer clinic. I really hope that does not happen here though as despite the fact that I don’t really have enough to do at the moment I do still really like it.

The great thing about uni holidays is that you can do whatever you like on the weekend and not worry about studying.

You can sleep in, you can go for 7km runs, you can go for walks along the beach or up King Street checking out all the book stores and second hand clothes, you can go to parties, dance clubs, musicals, movies and you can spend heaps and heaps of time with friends and family. It is wonderful.

You can also read books and I am reading a pretty interesting book at the moment too. It is called the “man who feel in love with the moon” by Tom Spanbauer. It is really full on so I am not sure if I would totally reccommend it but it has some interesting things to say about telling stories, sexuality, abuse, indigenous cultures and family. One of my favourite parts in the book is when the protagonist is comparing how white americans (tybos) tell stories and how the indiands tell stories. He says:

“Indian people talk about how the world is. Their stories are about how the wolf got the name wol. How mosquitoes got to be such nasty little things. How elk got antlers, what bears say to bees when they wan the honey, how river sings a song to trees and how trees sing back.
Indian people talk about the mountain – the mountain the morning sun rises behind – how it is the reason that we are acting the way we are. We may think that what we are doing is what we are doing, but really what we are doing is being snagged by the mountain.
What tybos talk about is: gold, money, dollars and dollars but even though that’s what they’re saying that’s not what they’re talking about. What tybos are talking about is hoe they’re going to be – somewhere down the line and around the corner – talking about themselves as though they weren’t living yet. Afraid of being who they are now.”

The stories that we tell are so much part of who we are and how we understand the world and he goes on to discuss that this difference in story telling led to to so much misunderstanding between the indian americans and the white americans and therefore much poverty for the indians. I don’t really know but that seems to be the case here too.

This has also challenged me to talk more about the present. To live more in the present. I know I spend a lot of time thinking about and talking about where I am going and what I will be doing. So much so I don’t notice the present just flying by. Birthdays always remind us of how fast time goes and I want to be flly present for as much of it as I can be.

Hello everyone,

This post is really an invitation to a very exciting event on Saturday night.

At 7.30 we will be having dinner at Blackbirds and then at around 9/9.30 we will be heading to a latin club near by to dance the night away. Well maybe not the whole night but a small proportion of it at least. You can come to one or the other or both. Anyway please come cause it would be good to see everyone and it is also mine and Gemma’s birthday and it is good to have special people around you on your birthday. It would make me happy.

If you can call to let us know you will be there so we can get a big enough (or small enough) table. Otherwise see you there with your dancing shoes.

I went for a walk today, just up to the post office, but the ground was wet and I discovered that my shoes have a whole in them so my socks and feet got all wet too. I have now taken them off but my toes are still really cold. I have turned on the heating but it is making my skin hurt. I am not sure what is worse. Oh what a winger I am.

Last night I helped Helen and Jon make their wedding invites. It was fun, a little tedious at times but I enjoyed it. Made me think about marriage and my dreams were full of romance. I can’t believe I have been married for over a year now. Time does go fast. I was scared, still am sometimes but hopeful and committed. Plus Martin is a gorgeous guy.

We talked about the world. Some were quite worried about the world and where it is going. Struggles for justice and change so often end up becoming struggles for power, fame and wealth. The things we are fighting for now are the same things people were fighting for 40 years ago. I worry about the environment we seem to be running very quickly out of everything but not much seems to be being done. I think I am going to continue to hope anyway.

I am enjoying the rain a lot and I am trying to think about my washing. I like the sound of it on the roof andI like the look of it splattered on the window. I guess that is reason to hope for the world.

Woe betide those who enact unjust laws and draft oppressive legislation, depriving the poor of justice, robbing the weakest of my people of their rights, plundering the widow and despoiling the fatherless.

Martin, Keith, Tom, Jemma and myself went and watched the soccer at the Enmore St theatre. It was so exciting. We were down 1-0 til the last 8 minutes when we scored three goals. The entire crowd was standing and screaming and dancing to the land down under. I have to say I think it would have to be the best sporting moment I have ever been part of.

The orther thing that was cool was that the boys had to wait for the toilet longer than the girls. Another first for me I think.

Ole, Ole, Ole Aussie, Aussie.

We went and saw Les Miserables on Saturday night. It was lots of fun. I love that musical and that (the heading) is my favourite line. A couple of years ago I was obsessed with it and I think that I will become obsessed with it again for a little while.

There has been some other fun this weekend too:
swimming on Saturday morning,
farewelling Joel who has been a very special community member for the last little while,
making Spinach dip which was another obsession a couple of years ago,
getting some new shoes,
lots of food at Rough Edges,
pancakes.

In an effort to not box myself I have decided (at Tom’s urging) to do something a little out of character. I am going to write about the UV light pen thingy in the cereal box and not the rain.

In the cornflakes box Tom found a UV light pen thingy. Jem, Tom and I have had a lot of fun with it in the last five mintues. Tom wrote the word Poo on a piece of paper and we could not see it but then he shon the UV light on it and there it was. Now we have written some secret messages on the walls in our study. We figured that in twenty years people will find those messages and it will send them on a hunt to decode them.

So come young and old and the seek the truth.

It is a “barrio” in Lima, Peru called La Victoria

As much as I was enjoying that photo of Chris everytime I logged on to blogfeed, I think it is time for an updaye for an update. I think I may do a list for the month of May I find them kind of fun.

Firstly it got cold.
Julie, my boss left which is very sad. I really like her and she inspires so much. Not to mention that she wrote I seek your face. I will have to invie her for dinner some time if I am not too shy. I wrote a speech that didn’t come out as well as I would have liked, but others said that it was okay.
Tear had an event where some Chilean musicians played. I have fallen in love with their music. We also spent some time with them in coffee shops late at night speaking Spanish. It was fun and they were great.
After three months in the house we manged to discuus what is community. I discussed the same theme at a team leaders meeting for Rough Edges. Some things that came up: time, vulnerability, a gathering space, giving and taking.
Moved to the Chatswood office for work. I am still loving the job but I have had some difficult volunteers. The Chatswood Office has a window and I think I have decorated it pretty nicely but I do miss Lewisham. It was so close and being the Vinnies State Council it was pretty active too.
My dad went to Germany without telling me. I am a bitn upset about it but hey what can you do.
I did a Spanish presentation on Ollanta Humala, one of the candidtes in the Peruvian elections. It was very interesting. I have to pray for Peru. I really hope that whoever gets in will be honest, intelligent and passionate and help the country.
I saw Candy which was full on but pretty good. Some local scenes which is always fun.
I have hurt my back which is not fun. A mix of not enough exercise, a badly made bed, some tension and not sitting properly at work I guess.
Gary and Frank had an intention to committment party. It was a wonderful party. Up there with our house warming, I reckon. Yay for them.

I like doing that as I said at the beginning it makes me feel like I have a really interesting life and reminds me to be greateful.