Just Nicky

Obviously not tested May 22, 2006

I just went through the annoying process to register to use Centrelink’s online services so that I could update our information for the current financial year and ensure that we get the right family tax benefit, etc. I got to the end, clicked on the “logon” button and it doesn’t work. Aargh!

I’m envisaging some manager running around asking “whotestedthiswas it testedwhywasn’tittested?” while some poor techno drone slaves to get a sorry page up (or is it only the monolith who would do that) and being very happy I don’t do that stuff any more.

Socks May 21, 2006

Jaywalker

Thuja

I’m a little bit deaf today May 18, 2006

Pining for the inner city this morning, I took myself for a wander along Brunswick St. When that wasn’t enough I went for a walk along Bridge Rd. That fixed me.

Time was I could walk out my front door, jump on a tram and go anywhere I liked. I didn’t do it very often, but the point is that I could. These days a trip anywhere requires a car and some thought. Will I drive to the station and catch a train? How long will I have to wait for the train? Too long is pretty much always the answer to that one. Will I be able to park at Laverton? Probably not, so I’ll have to go to Hoppers, which will cost more because it’s zone 2. If I drive the whole way where will I park? How long can I park for? How much is that going to cost me? It was almost enough to do the plan in and keep me at home. But I gritted my teeth and walked out the door.

In Fitzroy I didn’t go into any clothing shops - except for the warehouse one with the Alannah Hill stuff because I like looking at all the pretty things. I didn’t go into many shops at all. At the Brunswick Street Bookstore I bought a couple more books to add to the unshrinking pile of things I want to read - Time for Change, Australia in the 21st Century and Stephanie Dowrick’s Choosing Happiness. I bought the first because it seems like a must read and I think Mark might be interested in it too. The second just seemed to leap into my hand. I saw it and the next thing I knew I was holding it, so I bought it. I have 2 of Stephanie Dowrick’s books which I haven’t managed to read so I’ll be interested to see if I do better with this one.

Richmond is really nothing but clothing shops. I wandered through the Country Road outlet store for old time’s sake. It was my favourite shop when we lived in Fordham Court. I really couldn’t see anything for me now, though. The tshirt type tops I tend to wear are too expensive there, even when reduced. Collared shirts seem too much like something I would wear to work and I really couldn’t see much reason for the pretty skirts. In the end I bought some $5 tank tops and a $12 long sleeved T at Cotton On and felt very virtuous.

Then I stumbled back to the little red car and made my way back to the quiet of the ‘burbs - via Hungry Jacks at Altona Gardens. Shopping always makes me crave junk food.

My first knitalong May 17, 2006

I spied the Sunrise Circle jacket in Interweave Knits a few months ago and put the pattern aside for later - not really expecting to actually knit it for myself.

Then I bought some luscious yarn from The Knittery which was begging to be made into something lovely for me. I started another pattern but got discouraged when I found an error in it and pulled it out. The Sunrise Circle was the next pattern in my little book, so I started on that instead of doing the first one again. I decided to begin with the left front, rather than the back, to make sure I could do it before I got too committed. It’s going well … I think.

Tonight, while clicking my way around, I stumbled on a Knitalong (KAL) for the jacket. For the uninitiated a knitalong occurs when a number of people decide to knit the same pattern & record their efforts on a shared blog. I’ve signed up to give me an incentive to finish it.

Fingers crossed.

The incident of the Foozle in the night May 12, 2006

Finn was awake and chatting at some ungodly hour again last night. At some point he ended up in our bed having ‘cuggles’. These involved lying up against me, fidgeting constantly and muttering something - usually about Thomas - at regular enough intervals to wake me just as I was drifting off to sleep.

After a bit of this I sent Mark off to the spare bed, since he actually had to deal with people today and Finn & I stayed in the big bed, which is to say that Finn took over 90% of the king sized bed, leaving me kind of hanging on the edge. I think we got another couple of hours sleep before he woke again, but I’m really not sure.

Unsurprisingly, a certain boy didn’t really want to go to childcare this morning - I think he’s a bit tired. Well, so am I and I was determined to get him out of the house. I’ll pick him up early this afternoon to ensure we have a long, slow wind down before bed time.

I plan to spend today doing little. There will be no dog walks or astonishing feats of housekeeping. For the most part I’m going to bump the heating up a bit, sit on my bum in front of the telly and knit. If I’m doing really well I’ll get out to the supermarket for some provisions.

All the news that’s fit to print

A decision has been made. A good one.

I’m not going back to work. I’m going to uni.

The more I thought about it the less I wanted to return to office work in June/July. A phone call from my friend Robert telling me about the short-term contract he’s taken at Axa really drove it home. Going back to to doing what I used to do in a corporate environment just seemed like the most soul destroying thing I could imagine. So I thought about it and talked about it with Mark.

Ever since I dropped out of Swinburne 20 odd years ago I’ve wanted to go back and complete a degree. And I’ve tried to study part-time a few times while working full-time, but it’s not something I seem to be able to manage. There’s always a tension between the 2 and the full-time job ends up winning. I kind of promised myself that one day I’d be able to go to uni full-time, never really believing that it would happen.

This is my golden opportunity to do it. Our only debt is our mortgage and it’s not particularly large. Our day to day living expenses are relatively low. Finn isn’t yet at the age where he needs or wants to be involved in expensive activities, or to wear brand name clothes. There will never be a better time to do this. Money will be tight. We will have to be frugal with a capital FRU, but I believe we can do it and I really, really want to give it a go.

I’m doing a couple of subjects by distance ed through Open Universities this year to get back into the habit of thinking, reading and writing in the right paradigm and intend to study on campus next year. Which institution I don’t know. It will depend upon who’ll take me… At the moment I’m planning a BA in Psych, which is what I’ve always wanted to do, but I’ll play it by ear a little and see what piques my interest when I get going. If I’m really lucky I still might be able to get some credit for some of the subjects I did on my last study attempt and that could make the whole thing go much more quickly.

The ultimate aim of this is to move myself into a career that I can take through to retirement and beyond. I don’t believe that I will be ready to do ‘nothing’ when I’m 60 or 65 and I’m pretty sure that whatever pension/superannuation is available won’t be sufficient to keep me going at that stage, so I want to position myself with a skillset that I can keep using, should I need it, well into my wrinkly years.

Mark & I are both a bit anxious about this, but overall I feel really good about it. I can’t wait to get started.

Party photos May 9, 2006

I’ve just uploaded the photos from my Dad’s party here if anyone’s interested.

Extended May 7, 2006

The first egg May 5, 2006

Small & perfect

80

Happy Birthday Dad.