Please update your RSS! I miss you! 16 Apr 2012 2:17 PM (12 years ago)

Hello friends! If this blog, a reader's random ramblings... is on your list; if you follow, or have it in your Google reader; then you need to make a change! This blog will no longer be updated. Instead I'm blogging at my new Wordpress site: http://fionareadersrr.wordpress.com/ So please head over there and look for "Meta", underneath which is "Entries RSS". That's where you need to go to make sure that you're subscribed to my blog. Thanks everyone, and I'm sorry for the inconvenience. See you there!

Defecting to Wordpress 31 Mar 2012 11:43 PM (12 years ago)

New Wordpress blog address: http://fionareadersrr.wordpress.com/

I am blessed 26 Mar 2012 5:09 PM (12 years ago)

I am blessed!

I have so much to be thankful for!

Today I had my yearly checkup with my oncologist. My tenth annual check since being diagnosed with breast cancer and undergoing surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The tenth time that I've been scanned and questioned and prodded and poked and proclaimed cancer free.

And this time the doctor said that I don't have to come back anymore.

Let's just sit with that for a moment, shall we? My oncologist says that the risk of me suffering a relapse is so small that I no longer need to be under his care. That's pretty good news, right?

And you know what? I nearly didn't appreciate it.

I left the doctor's office thinking about how I had ticked another thing off my to-do list.

"Attend annual check-up with oncologist. Check!"

And I turned my thoughts to what else I had to accomplish today.

And I allowed myself to feel a bit grumbly about this and that, and even to indulge in a bit of worrying...as mums do.

But then I stopped. And remembered...

What you think about and what you believe matters.

And I believe that I am blessed.

And I choose to focus on my blessings and be thankful.

So join with me in smiling. And thinking about what a wonderful day it is today. And what a wonderful thing it is to be alive in it!

Not really a blog post 18 Mar 2012 12:10 AM (12 years ago)

Still here :)

Just working too much and not finding any time to blog.

Looking forward to next Monday (the 26th) which will be my first day off in a while.

Hopefully I'll write then!

Balance; take two 4 Mar 2012 11:13 PM (12 years ago)

So... The post I wrote yesterday; the one about balance? I'm giving it another shot.

Basically, I'm struggling with going overboard in one area of my life to the detriment of other areas.

Does that ever happen to you?

At the moment I seem to be in my "superwoman" phase; thinking that I can "do it all". And what's worse; thinking that I should do it all.

What's that about?

For some time I was working on loving and nurturing myself; but now that I'm feeling strong I'm working on loving others and giving and contributing to the world at large. For some reason, I can't seem to manage to do both in moderation. I'd love any advice.

I'm going to stop now and publish this post before Blogger has a chance to eat it. I've got more to say, but I'll save it for another day.

Thanks for hanging in there with me dear readers.

Desperately seeking balance 3 Mar 2012 8:29 PM (12 years ago)

So I wrote a whole post, my first in ages, and Blogger ate it. The end. Cranky face.

The Hunger Games, the weather, and feeling tired. 12 Feb 2012 2:27 PM (13 years ago)

Have you read The Hunger Games? I have now!

Josh received the trilogy for Christmas and is working his way through them. Once he'd finished The Hunger Games I grabbed it quick smart and devoured it! Now he's reading the second book Catching Fire, and I'm trying to be patient.

I'm really looking forward to seeing the movie with him when it comes out. It's lovely to have something fun to do together.

I find it incredibly easy to find things that Alana and I like to do together. We regularly spend time on our mutual obsession with all things Vampire Diaries.

So it's particularly nice to find some common ground with Josh.

In other news, the weather has been consistently crap with only small glimpses of sunshine. I do feel that it's affecting my mood and sense of well-being.

To be completely honest, I'm struggling with tiredness at the moment. When I get overly busy and tired I'm in danger of sliding into depression, so I'm making an effort to look after myself. Hence the lack of blogging lately. If I get to the end of a long day and don't really feel like blogging, then I don't. I don't force myself to do things out of a sense of obligation.

So even though I enjoy writing, I'm only going to write when I feel like I have the energy for it, when I feel inspired, or when I feel like I've got something important to say.

Thanks for reading and understanding :)

Hats, juggling and quiet time 30 Jan 2012 4:25 PM (13 years ago)

I wear a lot of hats.

Not literally.

I juggle many different roles, and I'll wager that you do too.

I've struggled over the years with feeling overwhelmed. Now that I'm feeling strong and healthy, I feel myself slipping into the dangerous zone of trying to "do it all".

I'm fortunate enough to have a husband, two children, and a whole slew of extended family. And a dog. I want my family to have whatever love and support that they need and I can provide. I want my household to run smoothly and for my family to be happy and healthy. I want notes to go back to school on the right day, my nieces and nephews' birthdays to be remembered, and everyone to get to the right after school activity on the right day at the right time.

I want my husband to get enough sex so he doesn't get grumpy!

I work two part time jobs, one as a librarian at a university library and the other running a small business providing private mathematics and music tuition. These are both demanding jobs. I enjoy the intellectual challenge, and I want to do well in both.

I have friends. I have hobbies. I have a blog.

I have a lot on my plate. And whichever metaphor you're partial to, I'm just as likely as the next person to be "stretched too thin" or to "burn the candle at both ends".

Because I want to be awesome. I want an awesome life.

I believe that what I need to do to avoid burnout, is to find my centre.

I need to find the essential part of me that defines who I am and sets my priorities.

I'm calling it my spirit, and this year I'm working on nourishing it.

Because if I don't, I'm liable to become just another over-stressed person running about like a chicken with its head cut off, not achieving anything of real value. And that's not awesome.

I believe that I'd really benefit from setting the habit of a morning quiet time in order to set the course of each day. To take some time to be still and quiet and decide what is really important today.

I'm just having trouble actually doing it.

I'd love to hear from anyone with advice on how to put this into practice. Is it really just a matter of having the discipline to set the alarm half an hour earlier? Just gritting your teeth and doing it? And how do you fit it in if you have kids to get off to school or work to get to? Is that where the getting up earlier kicks in? It all sounds so virtuous and mildly depressing. Isn't there an easier way???

Let me know.

The one in which I quote Harry Potter 20 Jan 2012 11:08 PM (13 years ago)

Oh dear.

Apparently I don't blog anymore.

Or update my Facebook status.

Or tweet.

As we say in my house, "Fiona Jones, FAIL!"

For those that don't know, that's a reference to the UK version of Top Gear. The episode in which Jeremy Clarkson keeps failing to qualify for his motorbike license in Vietnam. It's GOLD.

Anyway, my family have quite a lot of funny sayings that we have stolen from various TV shows and movies.

For instance, whenever we're driving in the country and see a cow, either Chris or I will say, "Cow." Then the other will usually reply, "Another cow." Remember Twister?

There's a Harry Potter quote for every occasion. Whenever anyone says, "I'm only joking.", they always continue on to say, "I am Fred."

And I've lost count of the number of times we've needed to say, "Stop, stop, stop. You're going to take someone's eye out!"

How about you? Does your family make use of scriptwriter's talents on a regular basis?

An un-quiet month... 9 Jan 2012 3:14 PM (13 years ago)

About a month ago, I wrote this post about trying to liven up the month of January by doing something new and exciting every day.

It turns out that I needn't have worried about being bored!

We've had appointments galore; doctor, dentist, hairdresser, dog groomer, vet.

We've had a couple of typical Aussie summer BBQ's with family and friends.

We've been to see both the soccer and the cricket.

Between the movies, shopping, ice skating, bowling, pool, beach and play dates that the kids have scheduled; and the fact that I'm starting back at work next week; before I know it January is going to be over.

So, yeah, not so boring after all.

And then we'll be back to school-ing!

And I'm starting to feel busy and overwhelmed instead of relaxed and in holiday mode.

So what exactly was I worried about?

And what am I going to do to ensure that I stay sane and healthy over the summer "break"?

If you're an Aussie mum, how are the school holidays treating you? Is January turning out to be a good month?

Reaching Your Goals in 2012 4 Jan 2012 2:29 PM (13 years ago)

How are those New Year Resolutions going?

Or perhaps you prefer to call them Goals?

I'm focusing on three things for 2012:

My Spiritual Health

My Parenting Skills, Methods and Tools

Making a Positive Difference in the World by Being Loving and Giving

These goals may sound a little bit vague to you, but I know what I mean and I'm taking my time to think through what I really want. The definition of these goals is a work in progress and that's fine with me.

Over the past few days I've come across a few great articles that might help you kick start your New Year:

The Clutterfat Challenge

52 Weeks to Simplify Your Life

12 Questions to Make 2012 Your Best Year Yet

So how about you?

Are you feeling inspired about reaching your goals this year?

What are you reading? 3 Jan 2012 1:43 AM (13 years ago)

What have you been reading?

I've just finished reading The Help by Kathryn Stockett.

It was a Christmas present and I really enjoyed it.

From the author's website:

Three ordinary women are about to take one extraordinary step. Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone. Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken. Minny, Aibileen's best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody's business, but she can't mind her tongue, so she's lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own. Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed.

I can't pretend to be particularly knowledgable about the civil rights movement in the United States, but I did find it interesting to explore these issues from a different perspective.

The characters were sympathetic and I found it easy to become emotionally connected to the story. It was a good read.

I'm currently reading Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne.

It's one of those classics that I've never read. Having received an iPad for Christmas, I decided to take advantage of the fact that apparently its copyright has expired because it is free to download. I've also grabbed War and Peace, Treasure Island and The Time Machine while I'm at it!

Alana and Josh both received books for Christmas that I'm planning on pilfering once they've finished with them!

I'm particularly looking forward to The Hunger Games trilogy, Shiver, Linger and Forever and The Vampire Diaries - Stefan's Diaries series.

How about you? What are you reading?

Begin with a bang! 1 Jan 2012 1:07 AM (13 years ago)

I've started the New Year with a bang, and I'm not talking about the fireworks!

This morning I visited a new church. Well the church isn't new, I've just never been there before.

I'm prioritising my spiritual health during 2012, so I'll be trying a few new things in the process.

Do you attend church regularly? Pray or meditate? What works for you when it comes to the spiritual side of life?

This afternoon we all went to the local public swimming pool. I did half an hour of laps, which seemed particularly hard work today!

This evening I did some prep work for a BBQ we're having at our place tomorrow, marinating steaks and cooking some bits and pieces that I need for some fancy side dishes that I'm making.

And now I'm blogging.

And now I'm tired!

How's the New Year going for you?

Yay for the New Year! 29 Dec 2011 4:07 PM (13 years ago)

This time last year I wrote this post telling you how I feel about New Year's.

I think I did a pretty good job of explaining myself, so I'm directing you there instead of saying it all again.

I love new beginnings!

I'm going to use today and tomorrow to think about what I really want from 2012.

How about you? Are you a fan of the New Year?

Thankful Thursday 28 Dec 2011 3:25 PM (13 years ago)

Today I need a bit of a lift. I'll be honest, I'm feeling a bit out of sorts.

So I'm doing something that I know usually works for me, which is focusing on the positive.

Please go visit Kate says stuff to join in with Thankful Thursday.

Today I'm having trouble looking at the big picture. I'm having trouble finding something profound to say.

But I do have much to be thankful for.

So today I'm thankful for the little things...

I received a Christmas card from a dear friend that I haven't seen in years today. How lovely that she included some photos of her daughter that I have never met. And how wonderful that I will be able to see her in person next year when my family travels to London!

I guess that's not such a little thing after all! That's what I love about taking the time to be thankful. Once you start counting them, blessings multiply!

I have an appointment to have my hair cut and coloured tonight. Isn't it lovely to sit back in the hairdresser's chair and be pampered? I especially love it when they wash your hair and give your head a massage. Bliss!

I have books to read! How delightful to be able to have a little lie down with a good book!

How about you? How are you feeling today? Maybe a little thankfulness would brighten it.

Have you survived Christmas? 26 Dec 2011 12:04 AM (13 years ago)

Just a quick post to say that I hope you've not only survived, but have thrived through Christmas.

I've had a very tiring couple of days.

Tiring, but good.

I've been blessed with time spent with family, special foods, and wonderful presents.

A highlight for me was receiving my new iPad. This is my first attempt at posting from it and it seems to be working ok so far.

A lowlight was dropping a bottle on my foot and breaking my toe. I haven't exactly had time to get it x-rayed or have a doctor look at it, but it's black and blue and swollen and it hurts; so the combined wisdom of myself and family members says it's broken.

I think I need a little lie down now.

How are you guys holding up? Any especially fabulous presents? Any Christmas injuries?

Christmas cards...To send or not to send? 20 Dec 2011 7:46 PM (13 years ago)

I didn't send Christmas cards this year.

Not even Christmas emails.

Here are my reasons:

Feeling too "bah humbug".
Didn't have time.
It's environmentally friendly.
It seems to be going out of fashion because I'm receiving less cards these days.

Yeah, I know, those reasons really suck.

Really, I just didn't think I could see the point.

What do Christmas cards mean to me? To me, it's about making a list of all your family and friends and then acknowledging them with a message of love at Christmas time. And now that I've written that and see it in black and white in front of me, it sounds like a very good idea indeed.

However, the card itself isn't important. Too often Christmas cards are either overpriced and overblown, or cheap and tacky. Though I'll read the cards that I receive and will display them while the Christmas tree is up, I'll usually throw them in the recycling bin once the New Year is here. Harsh? Maybe. But I don't have room in my life to keep every card I've ever received.

Also, the time of year isn't really important. Does that sound sacrilegious? I don't mean that Christmas isn't a special time of year, I just mean that any day is a good day to send family and friends a message of love.

So now I'm going to send off an email of thanks to the girlfriends of mine that sent me Christmas cards, letting them know that I appreciated them and that I'm thinking of them.

And then I'm going to make a plan for making sure that the people I love know that I love them, even though I didn't send them a Christmas card.

How about you? Are you a traditionalist when it comes to Christmas cards? Do you send photos of your kids and letters describing their achievements?

Or perhaps you don't celebrate Christmas and have some different traditions at this time of year?

Giving Thanks 18 Dec 2011 2:41 PM (13 years ago)

There's nothing like an attack of the "bah humbugs" for making me feel spiritually bereft.

This year I have struggled a little to shake off the stress that comes with being a busy mother at Christmas time to discover the underlying joy of the season.

Someone once told me that are lives are like cars that need to keep all four wheels on the road. In our case, our wheels are our physical, emotional, mental and spiritual health. We have to make sure that we are looking after all four wheels in order to stay roadworthy.

Luckily over the past few years I've become quite adept at reading the signs that something is not quite right in my life. I'm better at keeping an eye on the gauges on my dashboard, if you like. So it's good that I'm aware that my spiritual health needs a bit of attention.

So today I'm stopping to give thanks every few minutes. Thanks for all the blessings in my life.

Sometimes, with all the bills to pay, it's easy to forget how rich I am. Today I'm taking the time to remind myself that I have more than I need. I have been blessed with abundance.

How are you going keeping all four wheels safely on the road of life?

Doors, windows and jobs. 16 Dec 2011 1:36 PM (13 years ago)

Have you ever heard the saying "God doesn't close a door without opening a window"?

Of course you have. It's one of the most overused cliches out there.

Right behind "everything happens for a reason".

And these cliches are probably very annoying to people who are going through a hard time.

If you have an eye for the ridiculous, then click here and see what the Bloggess has to say about it.

And while it's fun to be all sarcastic and ironic and cool, this is where I'm going to reveal my Pollyanna tendencies to you all.

Sometimes when it seems that things are going to hell in a handbasket, it is just plain hell.

But I believe that often when things don't seem to be going quite right, another opportunity presents itself which turns out to be just as good, if not better, than your original plans.

This week I had a job interview. For a two year full time contract at the library I've been working at casually this year.

Those of you that have been following this blog for a while know that I have spent all year looking for permanent library work, desperately trying to launch my career.

Prior to completing my Masters in Librarianship, I thought long and hard about my goals and dreams when it came to work. I knew that I wanted to choose something that I'd find stimulating and challenging for the long term.

So, if you've read this far, you probably know what's coming.

I didn't get the job.

But I did get a call from the library manager offering me an extended period of three days a week work during the first half of 2012.

Which actually suits me better.

Of course I'm still actively looking for permanent, rather than casual, work. But three days a week is much more manageable for me right now with Josh still in primary school. And the fact that we are having an overseas holiday in the middle of next year means that it's nice to not be committed to work and needing to ask for leave.

So what do you think about the old cliche? Do you believe in the concept of doors and windows?

Oh how pinteresting! 14 Dec 2011 1:08 PM (13 years ago)

Today I'm linking up with Michelle at The Vintage Apple for "Oh, How Pinteresting Wednesdays". (Even though it's not actually Wednesday anymore - oops!)
If you haven't tried Pinterest, but you love to waste time looking at stuff on the internet, then you really should head there right now and sign up.
Or head over to The Vintage Apple and read Michelle's post and you'll get the drift pretty quickly and see if you think it's something that you'd like to play with.
Confession time: I suck at Pinterest.
I'm really good at trolling through everyone else's "pins" and "liking" them and "repinning" them. I'm great at wasting eons of time. What I'm not so good at is sourcing great images to pin and share with others. I guess what I'm saying is that I don't feel like I contribute much to the experience.
I think I've figured out why I'm not so good at it. It's because I don't really have a goal for my Pinteresting. I don't really know why I'm there.
But guess what?!? I've had a brilliant idea!
I could use Pinterest as a virtual vision board. I could pin pictures that represent things that I want to manifest in my life! Please forgive me if I'm far, far behind and eleventy-billion people have already thought of this, but it's a new idea for me.
And I've thought of it at just the right time, seeing as it's almost the New Year and the perfect time for setting new goals and having visions!
So stay tuned for my Pinterest pinboards to explode with awesomeness!
In the meantime, head on over to The Vintage Apple and check out what everyone else is pinning.

Christmas traditions 13 Dec 2011 12:05 AM (13 years ago)

Last week I posted about feeling un-festive.

But today, I discovered this post by a very good blogging friend of mine, Dillypoo. In which Dillypoo explains that she is a reformed Christmas tragic who now focuses on love for family and friends over Christmas, rather than presents and decorations.

Can I get an AMEN?!?

Dillypoo also linked to this post by another fabulous blogger, Liz. Liz has instituted some special traditions in her house, following the lead of St Nicholas, the real Santa Claus.

Liz ensures that her children give as well as receiving on Christmas Day. And she has limited the gifts that they receive by using this catchy little rhyme:

Something you want,

Something you need,

Something you wear,

Something you read.

I think that this is a pretty good idea. And I'm quite taken with the idea of bring the whole Santa thing back to its origins of giving to the poor.

I think that I may be trying something new next Christmas.

How about you? What Christmas traditions do you follow? How do you deal with Santa and the huge amount of gifts that children get/want/expect these days?

I'd love your feedback.

An ode to virtual friends 11 Dec 2011 4:28 PM (13 years ago)

Look at that! I've managed to attract a couple of new followers!

(I've hardly posted lately, and I can't imagine what has drawn you here, but I think it may be foolish for me to mention that.)

Welcome friends!

(Every now and then I get an email from Twitter letting me know that I have a new follower, and I'm similarly stymied trying to imagine what on earth I have tweeted that makes me appealing.)

Oh dear, none of this is coming out right!

It's just that I haven't been particularly active in the social media world of late. I haven't felt very dynamic or engaged.

What's your favourite social media forum?

Mine would have to be Facebook, for good or for bad, whatever that says about me. I usually check it first thing each morning to see what all my friends and family have been up to and what they've got to say for themselves, and I check in again several times each day if I'm not working. I love it when my news feed is full of photos and links. I like to "like" posts and to share things that I enjoy.

I like a lot of blogger's pages, which means that I always get links to their latest posts on my news feed. I also like local and national news pages, which means I often see the headlines via Facebook before the news bulletin airs. I've also discovered inspirational pages, local businesses and online magazines.

I enjoy the fact that I catch up with friends and family much more regularly than I would if I relied on seeing them face to face.

Some people seem to think that it's a bit tragic to enjoy Facebook and be on it too often.

They think that it means that you don't have much of a real life.

What do you think? Sometimes I feel a bit sheepish about my Facebook "addiction".

But when it comes down to it, I love my virtual friends!

Feeling Un-Festive 7 Dec 2011 4:04 PM (13 years ago)

I'm desperately needing an infusion of Christmas Spirit.

And while I wouldn't say no to alcohol, when I say Christmas Spirit I'm not talking about a few margaritas followed by a bottle of wine.

I'm talking about that warm, fuzzy, good-will-towards-men feeling that I should be getting about now.

Confession time.

My Christmas tree is not up yet and I don't even care.
I bought myself a very expensive present today, and I don't even feel excited about it. Just kind of sick about the amount of money that I spent.

On the positive side of things, I have a job interview next week. And I've applied for two other jobs that I'm waiting to hear about. So although I think that the timing leaves a little bit to be desired, I'm trying to focus on making the best possible case for myself. And fingers crossed, I might have some regular library work next year.

I've also been reminded a lot lately about how very blessed I am.

Christmas or no Christmas, as long as I have my husband and children, I have everything I need.

Lately I been feeling my heart bursting with love and pride every time I look at my family, or even think about them. I may even have been shedding a few happy tears.

So friends, how are you all feeling about the fast approaching Christmas season? Are you bursting with joy? Struggling a little? Have you got an advice for me to help me start to feel festive?

One Interesting Thing for January 6 Dec 2011 1:29 PM (13 years ago)

So, how's December treating you?

We're all busy, busy, busy - right?

When you've got kids, the end of the school year brings with it a whole raft of special activities.

Josh had his gymnastics display. I had photography fail.

This is Josh mid leap during his pirate themed tumbling display. He did awesome flips of all kinds, and this is the best that I can do. FAIL.

Alana had her school presentation assembly.

Alana is the one on the left. Here she is with her besties posing with her certificates.

I've always thought that it is especially bad timing that in Australia, the school year ends just before Christmas.

I'm not sure what the end of the school year is like in other countries, but I imagine that there are recitals and prize-givings and the like, just as we have here. But who needs to be dealing with all these extra events at the same time as they are preparing for Christmas?

It means that December is particularly stressful.

And that January is a wasteland.

Don't get me wrong, I love summer holidays as much as the next person. It's just that January feels particularly empty coming straight after December.

The kids don't have school, and their after school activities are on hiatus for the holidays.

So I've decided on a plan.

I'm going to try to do one interesting thing each day of January and blog about it.

Great plan, right?

If you'd like to make any suggestions for family friendly and budget ideas for me then leave me a comment.

Get creative!

NaNoWriMo - putting a positive spin on an epic fail! 29 Nov 2011 6:26 PM (13 years ago)

Wow! November sure went fast didn't it?

About a week before the start of November I signed up for NaNoWriMo.

National (though it's actually international) Novel Writing Month.

Setting myself the goal of writing a 50 000 word novel in 30 days.

What was I thinking?

Certainly not that I'd get called in to work in the library for 12 of those days.

Certainly not that I'd discover that working 9 am to 5 pm, even only 3 days a week, is hard work when you have a husband, two kids, a dog, a household to run and a part time job running a business from home!

Certainly not that my daughter would have end-of-year ballet concerts to get to, with all the extra rehearsals that entails.

Certainly not that the closer and closer we got to December, the busier and busier life would get.

Now that I think about it, what was I thinking!?!

The idea of NaNoWriMo is to write a novel quick and dirty.

Just get the words down on the page.

No deleting.

Just do it!

As of today, I have written 4 609 words.

So you could call my NaNoWriMo attempt an epic fail!

Or you could say that I gave it a go, made a great start, and can continue writing whenever I want to.

I don't have to limit myself to a November deadline.

Let's think positive, shall we?

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