An awesome 8 course degustation with matching wine with two of my oldest friends and two more recent ones... HAPPY NEW YEAR!

An afternoon at the beach with my nieces... my tan has commenced!

I'm turning into a barrel with all these big lunches out and constant access to Christmas chocolate...

A lovely lunch with my old Flinders Uni colleagues; followed by several hours installing anti-virus software on LB's ancient computer which still uses dial-up... my patience was sorely tested on that one.

Feeling very dissatisfied with my so-called career... time to do some major life reassessment methinks!

There's going to need to be a hell of a lot of exercise tomorrow to work off the last two days worth of food...

Must remember to keep up with this whilst in Adelaide... meanwhile a lovely Christmas day was had by all... I even got an ocean swim in after lunch!

Polishing silver whilst hungover in 35 degree heat is not ideal...

Just replied to a text from my mother informing her that "sleep is for the weak" as I was chugging down wine in Myer, where I have somehow spent $170 at the MAC counter. I do believe I am in for one of LB's festive bollockings at 8am tomorrow as I stumble off that plane... provided I actually make the flight.

Mostly packed... still sick... not looking forward to working all day tomorrow, going to a work function tomorrow night and then having to wake up at 4am on Saturday... ah well.

A little bit worse for wear after Christmas catch up drinks with the lovely Bridget...

You know you're in the lead-up to Christmas when Love Actually's on TV.

(You also know that you've seen it too many times when you're reciting key lines along with the characters...)

"I am not getting a cold, I am not getting a cold, I am not getting a cold... it's just hayfever"

Seriously. Of all weeks...

Sunday afternoons in the park with piñatas... fun times.

Christmas shopping almost done... horrendously organised.

Attempts to go to the gym after work were far too easily thwarted by an invitation to Christmas drinks with work colleagues... in other news, my (fifth row from the front) Duran Duran tickets arrived in the mail!

This time next week I'll have finished up at one of my jobs for the year and be getting ready to head to Radders for three weeks... how this year has flown!

Today I saw Bill Cunningham New York... what an inspiring, funny, intelligent and just-plain-lovely man he is. His quote: "If you don't take money, they can't tell you what to do. That's the key to the whole thing" has really made me reflect on my own creative works... in particular my writing.

At a work-related Christmas party full of thirty-somethings, who do I get stuck listening to for over an hour? A sixty-something PR exec who sees fit to inform me it's a "crime against womanhood" that I'm single. F.M.L (sometimes).

It's only money... she says as she racks up more credit card debt...

A gorgeous weekend away with the girls incorporating lots of good food, good wine, laughter, singing, sun and swimming. Perfect!

A perfect day in Venus Bay

This week's Glee featured the song "Red Solo Cup"... I walk into the beach house we're staying at this weekend and what's the first thing I see in the kitchen?

"Stop worrying and start living"... a very useful mantra from my friend Elizabeth.

Christmas cards posted... THAT'S the achievement for today.

"But I don't think of the future, or the past, I feast on the moment. This is the secret of happiness, but only reached now in middle age."

~ Virginia Woolf

Head to bed for an early night before a busy day tomorrow? Yes, I think so.

An afternoon at the design market...

Under Milk Wood... directed by my friend Chris... performed by my friend Glenda... just lovely.

5 hours sleep + 23 hours work within the space of 48 hours makes for one tired bunny.

Eminem fans are a strange bunch... the ones you think will be awful are lovely and the ones you think will be nice are wankers.

A last minute dinner invitation to Stokehouse with my boss and two work colleagues visiting from Sydney made for an unexpectedly fun evening...

Stillness is the only thing in this world that has no form. But then, it is not really a thing, and it is not of this world.

First session back at the gym after a month off with a broken toe followed by flu... think I might be a little sore tomorrow!

Sunday afternoon reading...

The single girl's recycling bin...

Watching "He's Just Not That Into You" makes me think, I am the rule... not the exception.

Yet again what's published bears no resemblance to what I've written... why do I bother?!?!

Today I finally finished reading Patti Smith's 'Just Kids'... one of the most beautiful books I've ever read. Thank you Patti.

I am shutting down all forms of electronic equipment until I finish this damn book... it's been staring out at me from the night-stand for too long now.

Today I bit the bullet and made a post-work trip to Ikea (tip: Ikea on a Monday at 6pm is DEAD - perfect time to go there!), where I finally purchased a decent desk chair. Bye bye antique tapestry chair with five cushions piled up to get the correct height, hello gas lift and lumbar support.

A discussion at a dinner party last night reminded me of this amazing exhibition, which I saw in Edinburgh in 2008... I am so grateful to have seen so many amazing things during my life.

Wearing my pink satin ballet flats in the rain two days running isn't going to do them any favours... in fact, they may be heading for that big shoe shop in the sky sooner than we think.

The #6 tram is full of the most incredibly diverse characters... good and bad.

Today I got organised and borrowed the staple gun from work to re-position the wire on my framed Breakfast at Tiffany's poster... so Audrey's up where she belongs. Finally!

Free tix to a Kings of Leon gig + a chance to treat the biggest fan of theirs I know (Priscilla) + a goodly amount of free booze and food = One. Fun. Night.

Absolutely loving this...

A Year in New York from Andrew Clancy on Vimeo.

(Sincere thanks to the blogger, also discovered today, who brought it to my attention. You rock!)

I am the luckiest girl in the world, with some amazingly generous friends...

In 1996 I thought The English Patient was one of the most beautiful films I'd ever seen... watching it on TV tonight I still think so.

Even when you're not really friend shopping, there are always new friends to be found and old ones to rediscover.

Friday night epic smash on with the Manly massive... so much fun.

Never believe a Spanish waitress who tells you the Patatas Mas Que Bravas "isn't that hot".

Back in Sydney for a few days... feels weird.

Time for bed... a 5am start for a trip to Sydney beckons.

Must learn to prioritise... and learn to say 'no' and not feel guilty when asked to work until 2am.

Off to celebrate G&B's 60th wedding anniversary... and realising that even if I got married tomorrow, I'd probably never reach such a milestone!

After six weeks of procrastination, I've finally bought a telly... hurrah for finally being able to watch Downton Abbey on a big screen.

My cousin Catherine rocks... end of.

Well THAT was a rather grown-up conversation, with my brother, just now... wonders will never cease.

A pyjama day on the sofa watching back-to-back episodes of Downton Abbey is rather good for the soul.

Be it good or bad, let's hope that the mystery is solved by the end of the week.

Those who wish to sing always find a song.
~ Swedish proverb

I do sometimes wonder if I was switched at birth... how I can be so extremely opposite to my mother, baffles me on a daily basis.

South Park's "Broadway Bro Down" + Big Bang Theory's "Good Guy Fluctuation" turn a quiet Friday night at home into a night of raucous laughter.

It's really sad, but boy am I having fun with my new shredder...

Some days I wonder why I bother... pieces I write for work get edited-to-buggery (which makes me question my writing ability); life literally slows me down with a broken toe; it's seven months on and I still haven't heard a peep from my so-called-bestie-and-mother-of-my-godchildren; and I'm finding it really, really, REALLY hard to focus on the applying the Howard Jones principle*.





* Howard Jones: Things Can Only Get Better

Live in living colour, tune me in and turn me on; yes I'm live in living colour, blink your eyes and I'll be gone.

Tomorrow I WILL complete those pesky remaining tasks on the to-do list... or else.

I wish that I could push a button and talk in the past and not the present tense... it was a fine idea at the time, now it's a brilliant mistake.
- Elvis Costello

“Let us choose for ourselves our path in life, and let us try to strew that path with flowers.”
-- Émilie du Châtelet, "Discourse on Happiness,"

"Smash on from afar is still smash on"... love the Salmeister and our astral travelling drinking sessions.

So apparently, my favourite Take That-er is secretly dating my favourite ginger... let's see if they're still together in five years.

Schaubühne Berlin does Ibsen's Hedda Gabler... a revolving, mirrored stage with a Beach Boys soundtrack... AMAZEBALLS.

The world is a book and those who don't travel read only a page.

Best is good, but better is best.

Quote of the night from Patsy: If you haven't got any hope, then it's hopeless...

A night out with the girls... what adventures will we find?

Good friends + good food + good wine = a great evening. ♥

Hurry up summer... tonight I was so over waiting for the washing I did on Tuesday to dry that I took the hairdryer to it.

Wouldn't it be nice if the tax just did itself...

Today this could be the greatest day of our lives, before it all ends, before we run out of time.