|
|
Saturday, September 27th, 2008
| |
2:16 pm - Hmm...
|
Eventually I am going to post an entry (or two) about everything that's been going down with me (not that there's much to tell) and also the trip to Disney World, but lately I've just not felt motivated. I had planned to start a new livejournal once I moved to the States anyhow, but I suppose that's on the backburner now as well. It'll happen one of these days.
current mood:  lazy
|
|
(comment on this)
|
| Wednesday, May 7th, 2008
| |
3:53 pm - So lazy...
|
I am hoping that once we move back to the States I'll update this more often, but for now it's hard enough to come on here and let everyone know something Rob and I decided at least a month ago. We went over our finances and decided that staying here well into October just isn't worth it financially. It all really depends on the green card process, but now we are hoping to be back in U.S. by mid-August.
Speaking of the green card, we lodged our petition last Wednesday, the 30th, and it was approved. Still no word via email as to when the final interview will be, but fingers crossed that it all goes smoothly. I'm estimating somewhere between mid-June and the end of July for the whole process to be wrapped up. And when I say estimating, what I really mean is desperately praying. I don't need any more problems right now, that's for certain.
Last Wednesday was also Rob's birthday, but we celebrated the next day so we could focus completely on him and not worry about the petition. We went to TGIF, where I consumed a delicious Mudslide as well as an Electric Lemonade, and a $17 plate with about 12 chips topped with cheese, sour cream, guacamole, etc - i.e nachos. I cannot even tell you how expensive food is getting here. Apparently the average family monthly grocery bill has gone up by $137, which makes sense to me, since we've had to raise our budget so many times over the last year or so. Anyway, that's off subject. After TGIF we went to see Iron Man, which I enjoyed and Rob loved. It is apparently doing really well in theaters right now, and I'm glad, because it was definitely fun to see.
And that's about it.
current mood:  blah
|
|
(1 comment | comment on this)
|
| Thursday, February 21st, 2008
| |
1:18 pm - Ergh...
|
I've contracted food poisoning, apparently. Been ill for the past few days and it shows no signs of letting up. I don't make enough posts to be missed, probably, but I'm so unused to being away from the computer that I'm letting everyone know that I have no idea when I'll next feel up to dragging myself to check mails, friend's post, etc. Just in case.
:(
current mood:  sick
|
|
(1 comment | comment on this)
|
| Friday, February 15th, 2008
| |
1:51 pm - Valentine's Day and other...
|
It's been about two months since I posted, so I suppose it's time to make sure everyone knows I'm still kicking.
Valentine's Day was yesterday here, and hubby and I had a wonderful day. Rob surprised me in the morning with a romantic card and Roses (not the flowers, but the delicious Australian chocolates they have here--a variety of flavored rose-shaped chocolates), and he told me that the day was all mine and we'd do whatever I liked all day. We already had plans to see a movie (The Mist) and have dinner at Taco Bill's, both my choices, so I decided we'd spend the rest of the day mostly relaxing and playing NES games on our computer. (Yay, Ski or Die! Also, Skate or Die! Both fun.)
I'm beginning to get used to the psuedo-Mexican food here, at least to the point where I've accepted it as it is, so I really enjoyed Taco Bill's combination plate and the Mexican Punch which is really just sweet pink lemonade as far as I can tell. We always order a jug when we go there.
I'm a Stephen King whore, so I absolutely loved the movie (though the CGI was flaky in some places), and I've always liked the concept of the girl and guy seeing a horror movie as being a romantic setting. I know it's cliche, but part of the reason I love the horror genre so much is because I tend to fall for every predictable scare (even in a movie based on a novella I've read not once but twice), and I feel there's nothing more comforting than having my husband there to cling to in the dark.
We ended our day eating my Roses and watching The Daily Show, so really, how could the day have been more perfect?
In other updates, the moving-to-the-U.S. plans are still the same, yadda, yadda, yadda. Nothing ever changes there except that we are constantly looking forward to it and always trying (sometimes unsuccessfully) to save money.
Hermes is now over four months old, still small for his age, adorable, and has ringworm. We took him to the vet for treatment, but in the meantime, he was kind enough to spread it all around the rest of our household as well. Artemis and Apollo had a couple of small patches, but thankfully managed to avoid complete contamination, but unfortunately Rob and I were not so lucky. I broke out in several itchy spots, and Rob has ten fully-formed rings all over his body, including one ring with two smaller rings inside. Hermes is now almost recovered, but the humans in this family are still having to apply anti-fungal cream daily. We think it'll be another month before it's completely gone.
I've been on and off my diet over the last six months, and I did manage to lose about twenty pounds and I'm keeping active so it'll stay off. I'd love to lose 10-15 more pounds, but we'll see how that goes. My body tends to plateau around this weight and is pretty stubborn about going lower. I'm at a healthy BMI, though, so that's a start.
I think that probably concludes the update. As always, I'll conclude with a usually unkept promise that I'll post more often, and add that I do have many, many pictures to post that will eventually end up here!
current mood:  happy
|
|
(5 comments | comment on this)
|
| Thursday, September 27th, 2007
| |
2:44 pm - :(
|
Today has been a nightmare. I was making the bed and Rob was getting ready to leave to post some items and run a bank errand when we heard an awful squealing cat noise from outside. I immediately jumped to the conclusion I always do when I hear something like that--that one of our cats has been hurt, and for once, I was right. Apparently Artemis was chilling under our neighbor's rear tire and the neighbor backed over her tail and possibly part of her hindquarters. We looked around for her, but she had bolted. She limped back to the unit about an hour later and was squalling pitifully in pain, so Rob and I took her to a local vet. Long story short, she's spending a night at the vet's and will possibly be getting x-rays tomorrow, and until then we don't know what's going to happen. Just the night there and the x-rays are going to be $600, we aren't sure what we'll do if other expenses are tacked on. Worse, it's possible that she'll be badly enough injured (the nerves at the base of a cat's tail are extremely central to a lot of her movement and her use of the litter box, and basically they're the ones that are damaged), she might have to be put to sleep. We're just down to waiting and hoping for the best now. -_-
Edit: Tonight the vet called and said that she's doing very well. She still needs x-rays tomorrow and possibly surgery, but so far there hasn't been any downhill movement, so that's good.
|
|
(8 comments | comment on this)
|
| Thursday, August 16th, 2007
| |
5:31 pm - Neeeeeeeeedles...
|
So here in Australia if you're female between the ages of oh-I-don't-know-some-number-in-the-teens and 26, it's almost 100% free to go on down to the clinic and get the new vaccine that helps prevent cervical cancer. I have a Medicare card since I'm a temporary resident (excellent medical system here) and so only had to pay about $20 for the appointment itself (and nothing for the vaccine) in order to get something jabbed into my arm that felt like a three-foot barbed piece of metal.
I tell you, it hurt like a sonofabitch. You know when you're young and you get your first shot and you think, "It's a needle! In my arm! A needle in my arm!" You're thinking that it's got to hurt, right? And yet it's only a little prick (not pleasant, but really nothing at all), and it's over. The shot I was given today (and--grumble, grumble--have to get two more times over the next eight months) felt the way you EXPECT shots to feel when you're a little kid and getting one for the first time.
I'm sort of a pain-baby, though, so I may be exaggerating slightly. It was over within a minute or two and aside from some soreness in my upper left arm, I'm fine now. And it's certainly worth it to remain cervical cancer free!
current mood: sore
current music: "Still Standing" by Elton John
|
|
(1 comment | comment on this)
|
| Wednesday, August 8th, 2007
| |
4:34 pm - Hmm...perhaps I should update.
|
I have to say what I may have said before within this journal and that is that day in and day out I don't actually have an exciting enough life to update daily. If I actually posted an entry every day, my journal would read something like this:
Yesterday I ironed two of Rob's shirts (the blue and the green one) and darned his socks, which turned out better than I thought they would. I did my daily cleaning (dishes, made the bed, vaccuuming, etc.), and I feed the cats. Didn't get to do any writing on my novel because my mom called. Had a very unhealthy portion of Cheezels for dinner.
Which is actually pretty accurate of yesterday. But, my point. I feel guilty not updating more often, but living in a foreign country isn't as exotic as people might think when you only have the money to go out once a week, sometimes not even that. But that might lead me into a rant and I'm in a good mood now, so I'll have none of that!
I actually just wanted to do a quick entry about the little highlights over the past few weeks. We went to see Transformers, which I enjoyed more than I thought I would and now I'm sitting through the old 80s cartoon since Rob owns them all. And we bought me an Ipod shuffle about a week ago which I am absolutely in love with after putting up with my crappy CD player (that I spent a whopping $26 on at Wal-Mart) for the last three years or so.
Beyond that, I've set myself some daily writing goals--1000 words a day on my novel, 500 words a day on whatever short story I'm working on, and keeping up with the editing of my old finished novel that my mom has been typing up and sending me via e-mail since she only has a hard copy and no money to send by mail. It's not much at all, I know. I can churn out about 1,000 words an hour if I really go to it, but I tend to get distracted easily (right now being a good example). Still, I try to sit myself in front of the computer for three hours a day and write to some degree.
It's been roughly a month now since I decided to devote time every day to my writing (I don't believe I said anything about in on here), and it's going well. I've added about 15,000 words to my novel and finished up six short stories. I'm not going for getting published just yet, but soon I'll get up the nerve to send something off.
I'm also starting a (cringe) diet next Monday, to once again try to shed the extra twenty or so pounds I've got hanging on from the last trip home. I don't eat healthy enough at all, and I'd like to get into some better eating habits, but alas, I loves me some fast food, I tell you what. This diet is going to be both for losing weight and eating healthier (I'm basically just trying the old fruits-veggies-rice-crackers-cheese in small portions) type of diet, so hopefully that will go well.
Hmm, this has gotten quite long. How the words fly when I am avoiding my writing! Back to work for me. :)
current mood: cheerful
|
|
(2 comments | comment on this)
|
| Saturday, June 23rd, 2007
| |
8:00 pm - My Telepathy
|
So I decided to attempt to post entries more often, and this will probably give people an idea that I have no life, but something semi-cool happened today that I just wanted to write down so I'd remember myself later if nothing else.
Rob and I were at Myer today picking up a few new work shirts (his old ones are practically rags) and ties since Stocktake Sale is going on and they're practically giving them away. We were browsing the ties, and I asked that I be able to pick one out for him since for some strange reason I enjoy choosing ties for my man. Anyway, we were both going through the selection, me preferring those with a splash or two of color and him leaning more toward the black or silver ones. What followed could have been a scene in a movie. I spotted a dark blue one with light blue flowers and vines on it and pulled it out to show Rob while I murmured, "Wow, this is gorgeous!" At the same time he said, "Hey, I really like this one." We both looked up at exactly the same moment at the tie the other had pulled out for show, and low and behold we are holding identical ties. I have no idea why it charmed me so much, especially since these little moments of telepathy are becoming more and more frequent in our marriage, but considering how many ties were were perusing at the time, it was certainly a bit odd. We exchanged a look of surprise and shared a laugh, and of course, purchased the tie.
current mood: chipper
|
|
(2 comments | comment on this)
|
| Tuesday, June 12th, 2007
| |
11:19 am - So lazy...
|
It has been about half a year since I updated this, so it's probably about time. :P I can't be totally faulted because for at least half of that time I was living in a temporary place that had no internet. I'd like to get better about posting here since it's the only form of diary/journal I'm keeping at the moment and someday when my memory fails I'd like to have something around to help keep my dates straight. So here's a quick overview:
January-Mostly just entertained by Neopets and getting excited/ready/informed about the move to Melbourne.
February through April-Rob and I moved to a temporary and paid-for by the company apartment in the lovely South Yarra of Melbourne and I got to learn how to live in a big city. Four million or more people, by far the largest city I've ever lived in. Scary, but as a plus, I found a place that serves rootbeer. Rootbeer, people, rootbeer! Just down the street too.
May-Mostly just more relocating stress as we tried to find a place to live in Melbourne that we can afford as the company will no longer pay for us. Found a place in Spotswood with a teeny water heater but nice rock walls and reclaimed all of our stuff as well as our kitties from Albury.
June-The most important part of June thus far has been celebrating our one year anniversary. We took a bit of time to think over how the last year has been and both agree that we have been lucky to be immune to the first year blues. We've had some fights (mostly rough times with my homesickness and financial worries, which still plague us), but we've always worked them out and most of the time we're still blissfully happy.
I suppose that'll do for today.
current mood: lethargic
current music: Alfie by Lily Allen
|
|
(2 comments | comment on this)
|
| Monday, January 1st, 2007
| |
1:40 pm - My New Year
|
Like my husband, I haven't made an entry in my livejournal for Christmas, but let's just say that Christmas was great and that the New Year was and has thus been less than great. I spent the first few moments of the new year with a nosebleed and the next few standing outside by myself watching fireworks with my contacts out. Today has started with me losing my Krawk on Neopets (details not needed since it just makes me sounds nerdy). I screwed up and wanted to be nice and ended up losing him for good. Shame on me for wanting to start my year with a good deed. -_-
Anyway, all of this is unimportant in that I've just been feeling down since last night. I really would have liked to be home for the New Year. Don't know why, because I had no problem being away from my family at Christmas, but I felt dismally alone last night watching those fireworks by myself. But I know that I'll get past it eventually, and hopefully I'll be able to visit the U.S. soon and this bout of homesickness will pass.
|
|
(4 comments | comment on this)
|
| Friday, December 15th, 2006
| |
9:18 am - Hmmm...
|
I have not updated my journal in so long, so I suppose I ought to take a few minutes and write something semi-interesting in this box.
Artemis and Apollo are growing so fast. I believe Apollo is going to be one of those huge lazy cats that lounges around the house all day, and I'm really looking forward to that because right now he's taken a liking to climbing almost all the way up the Christmas tree and knocking most of the ornaments off in the process. Artemis won't climb as high as he does (he seems to get closer to the star every day), but she is still pretty lethal to the decorations hanging closer to the bottom.
My life is still very good and running along quite smoothly, although it's looking like getting out of debt won't be as easy as we'd hoped. The kittens' vet costs will equal about $700 in the first two or three months and we've already put $1200 on our new Myer card for the Wii and Rob's new work clothes. But he's working so hard that both purchases seem very necessary.
And I am really enjoying Christmas since my husband got me Stephen King's new book! *hugs* It's really great so far and I have a sneaking suspicion that I'll be finishing it up today.
And that's most of the news for now. Next week we'll be having homemade eggnog (cross your fingers, it's the first time I've ever made it) and making gingerbread houses. Life is pretty sweet sometimes.
current mood: content
|
|
(2 comments | comment on this)
|
| Monday, November 6th, 2006
| |
10:34 am - My Persephone
|
I've spoken this thought aloud only to my husband, but seeing how he found out he was actually in the manager program the same day that Persephone disappeared, I feel like someone struck a deal with the devil and neglected to let me in on it.
I miss my kitty so much. :(
current mood: lonely
|
|
(2 comments | comment on this)
|
| Friday, October 6th, 2006
| |
6:30 am - Whoo Hoo!
|
The letter came today saying I was approved for my temporary residency! That, combined with hubby's possible new promotion and having a kitty around now makes life very, very good for me. :)
current mood: happy
|
|
(6 comments | comment on this)
|
| Friday, September 29th, 2006
| |
9:03 pm - My Crossed Fingers
|
So today I received some exciting news from my husband. From thousands of applicants all over the country, he's one of fifty to have been short-listed for a company program that would ensure a manager position. He still has a phone interview and panel interview to attend, and if he's chosen, our lives officially change for the way, way better.
I'm so proud of him. :)
current mood: hopeful
|
|
(1 comment | comment on this)
|
| Friday, September 22nd, 2006
| |
1:00 pm - My Major Update
|
If I manage to outfox laziness today, this promises to be the mother of all updates, since so many things have happened just lately. But, eh, I guess most of it isn't that important.
First, of all, no word on the temporary residency visa yet, but fingers crossed.
Secondly, as my darling husband posted in his ljivejournal, we have a kitty! He more or less outlined the story (and included pics) in his entry, so for those who don't know about it, talk to ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) wanderingknight. She's settiling in all right now, though we've changed both her litter and her food once each already, and I know that's not great to do. She's a smart cat, though, and hasn't turned her nose up at either.
The biggest thing that has happened to us lately is that yesterday, we went to the Royal Melbourne Show (or "The Show" as it's called here) with my in-laws. It's more or less a gigantic fair, but with a few differences. There were a bunch of livestock/domestic pet exhibits, arts and crafts, and pig racing! The rides were mostly what I've seen before except for one called Cliff Hanger, in which you rode on your stomach in a pose similar to a hang glider. We also rode the Roller Ghoster, which broke halfway through, and were given a refund, free ride tickets, and a trip down a rickety ladder for our trouble. I'd say we were the real winners there. The food was decent (yay chocolate dipped strawberries), I got to squeal like a little girl at all the animals, including some adorable baby Occicats, and we spent more than $100 on show bags. Show bags are basically bags with a variety of items, usually candies and cheap novelties, that a company sells to pimp its image. They are supposedly a good deal, but you really have to look to find one that is. I bought a Carebears one that came with a bag, stationary, watch, and hat. Rob bought one with comics. And all the rest were candy (our cupboard has a huge pile of candy inside that I really ought to get a picture of). Overall, it was fun, but very tiring. I also came home with one hell of a sunburn.
That's mostly it. I've been spending way too much time on Neopets lately, which I've fallen back into surprisingly easily. It really makes me feel like such a nerd. And Taylor Hanson has had yet another child, his third! That's Ezra, Penelope, and their newest, River. Two boys and a girl. But! They're going on tour in just a couple of months (I'll be lucky if they come down my way) and they're releasing their new album sometime next year. Yay!
current mood: relaxed
|
|
(comment on this)
|
| Sunday, September 3rd, 2006
| |
9:05 am - My Lack of Schooling
|
I counted this up the other day and up until this year, I have dutifully gone back to school each and every end of August/beginning of September for eighteen years straight. Everyone I know through email has been more or less writing me about their classes, many lj entries consist of the same, and even on Neopets it's all about "first day of school"! It feels strange to know that I won't be writing any more papers or doing any more homework. Ever. Whoo hoo!
On a side note, tomorrow the husband and I are starting a healthy diet and exercise plan for fifteen weeks in an effort to get into shape, lose some weight, all of that fun stuff. I'm dreading it and looking forward to it at the same time, since I love feeling skinny and healthy, but I don't get along with fruits or vegetables very well. I don't normally consume things that are green in color. Anyway, we'll just see how far it goes and how well we do.
current mood:  weird
|
|
(4 comments | comment on this)
|
| Thursday, August 17th, 2006
| |
4:17 pm - Happy Birthday!
|
|
Just wanted to wish my good friend Seth a happy birthday! You are really growing up, you young thing! ;)
|
|
(2 comments | comment on this)
|
| Saturday, August 5th, 2006
| |
10:53 am - My Interview
|
I must have needed a day off to recover from the emotional stress I put myself through on the day of the interview because it has taken two days to make this post. Truthfully, I meant to put something in here about it beforehand, but meh, laziness.
Anyway, to the point now. August 3rd was the day of my interview (our interview, I suppose, since Rob was required to attend) for my application for residency here in Australia. It meant another trip down to Melbourne (fun) and insane worrying over every little thing on my part (not so fun). The train ride was long, but it passed, we had Pizza Hut for lunch, and the interview went as well as can be expected given how nervous I get. Rob was actually asked to leave, and the caseworker spoke to me alone about his family, my schooling, our plans, etc. I kept saying the dumbest things, but it must have not mattered since he ended by telling us that he believed our relationship to be genuine and that the application will probably be approved between five and six weeks.
I'm not ready to celebrate yet (though my husband is confident), but at least this part of it is behind us. Once I receive a call or a letter granting me temporary residency (I won't get permanent residency for two years since they have to check up on us once more), I'll have reason to break out the booze!
current mood: relieved
|
|
(3 comments | comment on this)
|
| Sunday, July 23rd, 2006
| |
8:52 am - Weddings
|
I am just not a good Hanson fan anymore. Since I've relocated, I haven't checked out the latest Hanson news, and it's been nearly three months. Now, to cut myself a bit of slack, it's mostly because I know Hanson, and when they begin the process of starting a new album (which they are), it's going to be a two to three year wait. But just in case they decided to shake things up, I checked one of my Hanson news sites today and discovered that the youngest, Zac, has gotten married. I wasn't entirely surprised, since I'd heard the rumor floating around before now. What I find funny is that he was married on June 3rd this year, the day after my wedding. After chasing the Hanson brothers for nearly nine years now (and still a devoted fan to their music, at least), it seems quite strange to me to realize that two of them are married, Isaac is engaged, and Taylor is apparently expecting his THIRD child.
Crazy. I remember when we all used to be kids.
current mood: amused
|
|
(comment on this)
|
| Tuesday, July 18th, 2006
| |
12:11 pm - My Best Friend
|
Most people who I'm close to know that I have a bit of a temper, and sometimes I get a bit snappy when I've been gaming (Heroes of Might and Magic IV, to be quite geeky) and things aren't going well, which they weren't today. I was unsuccessfully trying to control a game-caused tantrum about twenty minutes ago by quitting and getting some cleaning done, but generally once I see red, any little thing can annoy the hell out of me.
Anyway, just as I was about to get working on the house and hoping the mood would burn off, there was a knock at the door and a package was delivered. I wasn't too excited, since my husband just ordered a game for himself, and that's what we were expecting, but the name on the parcel was mine, and the beat-up box and messily scrawled writing gave away who it was right off.
My best girlfriend from the States had send me a birthday present. Lots of birthday presents, actually. She sent incense, a money holder with cherries on it, a fish statue, a big banana-split flavored chapstick, a butterfly bracelet, some blue fuzzy socks, and a touching card. I nearly cried. Every single thing she sent shows just how much she knows me (I am a chapstick addict, love the way cherries look, miss my fish Kurt who is currently in her possession, our old friendship ring that I lost sometime back had butterflies on it, and oh yes, I loooooooove fuzzy socks). Beats the hell out of the $25 Penney's card I sent her.
I feel loved.
As an edit, I feel the need to mention that she also sent a CD and a picture of her kitty, Maggie, who is sister to Penny, my cat. Cute!
current music: "Where Everybody Knows Your Name" by Gary Portnoy
|
|
(1 comment | comment on this)
|
|
|
|
|
