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Browsing category: Uncategorized

  • May 6, 2011

    Friday Flashback: After Hours

    May is New Zealand Music Month. In honour of it, today I’m posting a song – one of the few I actually put music to – as written in my teens. Oh, the angst! I was emo before emo was born. (Some people like to flashback with old diary entries, or recall what they were doing at the same time a year, two years, or more ago. This is more me.)

    After Hours

    Why do you give me words
    but never as much
    as a hug?
    You’ll give me material things
    but not the feelings
    that’s a different kind of love

    After hours
    when you’re done elsewhere
    you come to me to give you
    what you lack
    what am I?
    the secret other?

    All these little givens that I don’t understand
    and I could never ask
    maybe
    I’m simply
    reading it all wrong

    Why do you walk with me
    bumping hips
    but choose to love someone else
    with your lips?
    what am I?
    the secret other?

    After hours
    when you’re done elsewhere
    you come to me to make up
    the overlap

    All these little givens that I don’t understand
    and I could never ask
    Maybe
    I’m simply
    reading it all wrong

    After hours
    you’ll buy me a drink or two
    but that’s all you do
    I got a sinking feeling
    this is as far as we go

  • May 5, 2011

    April 2011: What we spent

    Ch-ch-ch-changes! I added two new categories this month, and am kicking myself for not doing it earlier! I’m breaking out “bus fares” and “car maintenance” from Vehicle and Transport, which will now just cover petrol, registration and warrant costs. I’ll probably create a motorbike category when T replaces his. Click here for more info on my monthly spending roundups.

    Bus: Pretty on par. I did catch the two-stage bus a couple of times due to the horrendous rain a couple of times, and probably will do more often now we’re coming into winter, which’ll up costs slightly.

    Car maintenance: This was our first warrant in our “new” car and it passed no problem. Woo! It wasn’t all roses though – some asshole swiped the car on the road earlier that week and didn’t stop, smashing the left hand wing mirror. Luckily the garage I booked for the warrant was very near Mazspare, so T was able to pick up a secondhand mirror for $30 before the WOF test.

    Clothes: I love opshopping. About half my wardrobe today has come from the Recycle Boutique. Latest additions: a blazer and a couple of tops, jeans, and a skirt. I also picked up jandals for both of us for our upcoming Raro trip. Can’t go wrong with buy one get one free.

    Debt: Non interest-accruing, his.

    Dining out: I cannot believe we made the $160 threshold! We used a couple of vouchers from my new Entertainment Book, which is probably why. Also, I’m trying to keep a regular stash of things like frozen lasagnes in the freezer for those nights.

    Entertainment: Possibly a new record for us? $65 was for the entertainment book. We spent another $40 at the Easter Show. I bought new guitar strings. And we went bowling for a friend’s birthday.

    Groceries: Um. Yeah. We kinda blew it, huh? We replaced basically all cleaning products/items in the house. And spent $40 at the Mercer Cheese shop. Will have to tighten up this month (came in under budget this week already!)

    Mystery shopping: One expensive evening at a restaurant.

    T fun: Where to start? There was $480 on bike gear (jacket, boots), $120 on a basic skills course (at least we still have those…), and some XBox games. Plus the usual don’t ask, don’t tell allowance.

    Vehicle: $147 for six months of registration. A little on motorbike petrol. A helluva lot on car petrol. (Are we ready for $4 a litre? No, I don’t think we are…)

    Utilities: Lower than usual; now that we’ve been here a year, my power company applied my $150 bond toward my account, so no bill this month and probably not next month either.

    Work expenses: Mainly T. His company subsidises a lot of courses, but not completely. This should, hopefully, be a long-term investment.

    Elsewhere, I saved 31.7 per cent – less than usual as I brought in slightly less and T T brought in quite a bit less. Also, I netted a whopping $15 in extra income ($100, but most of that was reimbursement for one very expensive restaurant meal).

  • May 3, 2011

    Prime time: When are your juices juiciest?

    Brickpit Ring Walk Bicentenial Park

    Image by aussiegall via Flickr

    I’m not a morning person. At all.

    On the other hand, I’m not exactly flush with inspiration at 9pm after a full day (ah, side hustles…).

    For me, I think it’s about being fresh. Being relaxed. To get in that state of mind where everything flows, fed, watered, not overtired. My prime time is probably anywhere between late morning and early evening.

    Inspiration strikes at the strangest times, usually when my mind is relaxed and free to wander. In bed, in those dulcet moment before sleep’s arms steal around you. In the shower, when I’m safely cocooned in a hot waterfall. When I’m power-walking home, disengaging from “work mode” and slowly winding down.

    I firmly believe that you can’t force creativity – the best ideas, for me, at least, have always arrived unbidden. Whether you’re ready to accept them, whether you’ve set yourself up to give them the reception they deserve, is up to you.

    When are you at your peak, and how do you harness it?

  • May 2, 2011

    April goal checkin

    • Save 40 per cent of income. 31 per cent for April.
    • Keep eating out to $160 a month. Yes! Scraped in at $149.
    • Donate to charity every month. Done – a  friend shaved her head for charity, and I also donated a few items of clothing I don’t need anymore.
    • Text one friend a week. I suppose if you count texts to organise meetups, yes?
    • Learn to confidently use full manual settings on my dSLR. No time for photography this month, apart from a 5-minute walk which yielded one interesting shot.
    • Continue running at least once a week. Total fail. We’ve had so much rain lately that I think I’ve only been out twice.

    How did your goals go last month?

  • May 1, 2011

    Royal wedding: How a hater was converted

    I had been dreading April 29. I read as little wedding coverage as possible and seriously considered filtering my Twitter stream on the night. I sighed, moaned and rolled my eyes as the royalists’ anticipation grew and people I knew – embarrassing!– started talking about hosting viewing parties. At least *I* would be getting paid to watch the broadcast, thankyouverymuch.

    Ah, yes, royal wedding duties – there’s nothing quite like covering a live event, across footage, photos, blogging, social media and just good old plain text. But as the crowds swelled and we got our first glimpses into a newly-leafy Westminster Abbey, as the princes emerged in scarlet military uniform, heck, as Elton John arrived…I started to get a little bit of the warm fuzzies. The joy. The tradition. The celebration.

    Even the most jaded of us can appreciate the rarity of a popular good news story that brings people together.

    Well, to be honest, it probably helps that I’m engaged myself…and that I saw in maid-of-honor Pippa’s dress almost exactly what I want for my own gown eventually. Something slim, simple and stunning that speaks for itself. That was probably the moment I was hooked, actually – from the moment she emerged from the car and everyone collectively caught their breath to ask “Who IS that?”

    <via Vogue>

    Annoyingly, crisis-level glitches meant I missed the “first look” between William and Kate, as well as the ring debacle, and had to watch replays later on. I watched almost the entirety of the ceremony, heading home shortly after the couple left the abbey, and tuning in just before bed in time for the kiss/es.

    A few thoughts:

    • Poor Wills. I have knobby knuckles too, so I totally understand the awkward ring-a-ling moment.
    • Not a fan of big dresses at all. But the skirt on Kate’s dress was quite beautiful and not too OTT. Wasn’t impressed by the top half, though.
    • I am more certain than ever that I will have no train, no veil, and will walk down the aisle to…well, I’ll reveal the song later down the track.
    • Those pecks were disappointing. When you’re a royal, you’re public property! Still, I guess there are no written guidelines on “how to conduct your first public married kiss with the whole world watching”.

    Post-nuptials, I’ve also learned that Kate and Wills broke up for a while and that Harry has an on-off relationship with a Chelsy Davy. Which led me to wonder: those kinds of relationships are tough, but how much tougher must it be when one of the members is a royal? Because that adds another whole layer of complication to matters.

    Let’s face it, everything else aside, I bet there’d be a small part of you screaming “But he’s a PRINCE! Don’t let this one go!” To say nothing of family and friends, starry-eyed with dreams of life as a princess eager to live vicariously through you. That must be something that’s hard to give up easily.

  • April 30, 2011

    Link love (Powered by setbacks and rain. Lots of it)

    Ahoy! I neglected to post a link love last week, partly because I didn’t have many to showcase, and partly because I knew most of you wouldn’t read it. You were probably too busy gorging on chocolate, unlike me – I was too disorganised to buy any on time, and I decided in the firesales post-weekend that a) there is simply too much choice and b) I simply prefer a good old block or bar or plain chocolate. Forget those disgusting creme eggs, or the tiny solid thumbnail sized ones (I don’t know what those are made of – offcuts? Among the many things life is too short to put up with, is bad chocolate), or even the big hollow ones if for no other reason that they’re not worth $5.

    It’s been a rough week around here, and it broke my heart when T said our flat doesn’t feel like home. Although when we first moved here, he was keener than I was. But he’s also the spontaneous type who gets super excited about things to start off with. Really, it’s too far away from friends and family for his liking (and dudes, we’re talking maybe a 20-minute drive, as opposed to 5 or 10. Not enough to convince me to budge, seeing as I now have a sub-30min commute as opposed to an hour-long one before).

    But the fact is, crime happens everywhere. Almost everyone I know has a tale of burglary or similar. We were hit multiple times when we lived in a bad street. We’ve been targeted here in our nice neighbourhood (although that time was entirely self-inflicted). A friend in the staunchly middle-class suburb where we’re from just got wiped out entirely (he was uninsured, sigh). Another friend used to hide her laptop and jewellery under her pillow/bed every single morning as part of her routine before leaving the house. I suppose if you want to have nice things in this world, you better be vigilant as there are plenty who will take it away from you in a second.  (and I wouldn’t be surprised if there were organised thieves hitting up neighbourhoods on the long weekend). Aside from finding a house with hard-core electronic gates and a garage (so not within our price range) or – shudder – potentially moving back into an actual  apartment block, assuming one with more than one secure parking spot could be found, there really isn’t any type of dwelling that is inherently safer.

    Anyhoos. For your perusal!

    FOOD

    Eggs, like steak and roast, still elude me. I think the first time I ever had scrambled eggs I was well into my teens (incidentally, I used to work at a caf which did wickedly rich eggs on toast; I don’t know what the secret was though) but for the life of me I can’t make them myself. Luckily, Amber’s tracked down a video guide to making the perfect scramble!

    I’ll have to set aside some time to try Kevin’s latest Moroccan tagine offering.

    Bacon = indulgent. Beans = healthy. Yes? Cate combines the two.

    I do not especially like gelato, but this lemon poppy recipe! Ahhh!

    WORK

    A editor’s guest post on Make a Living Writing presents seven secrets writers need to know.

    Meanwhile, Jasmine walks us through her writer’s resume.

    Some preach the side hustle mantra, others, like Steph, prefer to channel all their energies into their main gig.

    Passive Panda shares a tool to help you follow up on emails and contacts.

    A Lotta Lettuce explains how she learned to like her job.

    Mark blogs about balancing the professional and personal on Twitter.

    MONEY

    Investing Newbie pays tribute to the savings account.

    Thousandaire reckons in some cases, leasing a car isn’t actually a bad call.

    While bringing in more money is theoretically limitless, Karen explains why she’d rather focus on cutting expenses.

    Ooh, a new take on marriage and money! Jenn asks why tying the knot prompts people to combine finances.

    Outsmart the ATM, via Get Rich Slowly.

    Everyday Minimalist has some suggestions on how to get past the mental hurdle of dealing with a “sunk cost”.

    J$ outlines some instances when unautomating finances actually helps.

    LIFE

    I’m loving Kim’s latest Open Letter Friday.

    And Revanche’s two part series on the high costs of parenting fails.

    It’s a rare person who’ll admit to feelings of jealousy, but Neurotic Workaholic opens up about envying others.

    Eye opening as always: a Yes and Yes true story of searching for spirituality.

    Alexis urges us to take the leap now – because dreams change, as I’ve said before.

    Finally, Nicole shares her frankly awesome new manifesto.

  • April 29, 2011

    Resisting travel temptations: Self control and keeping my eye on the goal

    Description: Munich Airport plane handling at ...

    Image via Wikipedia

    Sometimes I forget that other people have weekends off, much less that they share days off with their partner. That weekend trips are an option. Jaunts to other cities, or heck, over the ditch. With so many great deals to Australia of late, it’s a bloody good thing T has stocktake coming up, or I just might have booked us a Gold Coast getaway.

    But I have to remember my big goals. Remember the big travel plans we’re saving for, for a start.

    Yes, Aussie destinations are CHEAP, and can be done in a relatively short span of time – and, most importantly can be done when we’re older. Now is the time to focus on saving like a maniac while we have cheap rent, no mortgage, and are still young enough to stomach the idea of a month-long road trip or backpacking around Europe.

    So. Instead, I have updated my travel bucket list (only for the millionth time!) and I am adding a progress bar to my sidebar to track my travel fund. Eyes on the prize!

  • April 28, 2011

    Doing good, while putting yourself first

    Busker in Ignoreland

    Image by tochis via Flickr

    Why yes, my busking fund is coming along swimmingly, thanks!

    (Background: last month I withdrew cash to stash in my wallet to give to worthy buskers when I come across them, because whenever I walked past a good one I would bemoan the fact that I had nothing to give.)

    I have now donated to a grand total of two buskers. Not many, no. They don’t tend to play at the times when I arrive/leave town, and work is such lately that I don’t really get breaks. Not the kind that entail leaving the office, at least.

    Yet….I feel almost embarrassed, or secretive about the whole process. I don’t exactly carry change in my pocket. So that leaves me to hang around at a distance while I fumble in my wallet, extract some coins, then creep up, drop them into the guitar case, and escape. Or alternatively, stride up furiously without making eye contact, clang em down like a bomb and continue on my way without hardly missing a beat.

    Compare this to the guilt I always used to feel when accosted by street collectors. I just can’t win!

    Which got me thinking (well, that and reading Atlas Shrugged): How do you reconcile altruism in a capitalist world? How do you balance making a living and all that jazz, and making a difference?

    I can’t say I’ve never contemplated trying to move into PR/marketing to make more and have better hours. Yes, I’m playing the game – that game – buying into the dream of working hard, buying a house, starting a family.

    But on the flip side, I often think that I should go and work for a charity. Put my skills to some real good. Sometimes, I think “I have so much. Shouldn’t I go live in Africa and devote my life to my fellow human beings? Who am I to be eating out and dreaming of buying a house when elsewhere women are raped and children go hungry and uneducated?”

    My measly $10 or $20 or $30 – whatever I give away in a given month – seems like such a paltry amount. A selfish, token donation. Of course I could afford to give more. Most of us can. Of course I could give enough to hurt. But I choose not to. I choose to put my personal wellbeing, enjoyment and goals ahead of selflessness.

    Gah. Please tell me I’m not the only one who ever feels like this.

  • April 26, 2011

    It started so well…

    The weekend started off well enough, with $40 of cheese from the famous Mercer Cheese Shop. (Aka, heaven on earth. Cumin seed in cheese? I will never be able to enjoy good old Colby cheese again in the same way). So good, we literally parked around the corner and had to sample each of our six cheeses there and then.

    Later, we headed around to the corner to the Easter show – neither of us have ever been – where I quickly decided I would not be going on any of the rides (jeez – simply watching them in action nearly gave me heart palpitations; I’m a chickenshit), which left T the choice of going it alone, or skipping the whole thing.  (Given the prices, a day at Rainbow’s End is probably better value). Instead, we wandered around the carnival – also a first for both of us – playing silly games…on his first he won me a pink monkey which I carried around for the rest of the evening.

    Monday – Anzac Day – the day of remembrance and paying respect to those who lost their lives in war – somebody stole his bike. It could also have happened late on Sunday night. I kind of hope so. Robbing others on Anzac day seems so…unpalatable. Well, theft in general is pretty rotten, but on this particular day?

    I have a very strong gut instinct. I know when a potential job is not going to work. I know when a car accident is going to be dealt with swiftly, or spiral into a nightmare. I didn’t have major feelings about this bike either way, but after asking “So, is this…the Skyline of bikes?’ and hearing “Yes”, maybe I should have. He simply does not have the kind of luck to take on a project bike at a bargain, risking leaving it uninsured for a few weeks, and not have things go badly wrong. We both know this and should have paid attention to it – logical or not, things had been going perhaps too smoothly until now.

    I’m angry because this was exactly the bike he wanted. Because I’d nagged him to hurry up with the entire process since he bought it, and I feel like maybe, just maybe, if he’d been more organised, it could have been legalled and fully insured by now. As it stood, that was still a week or two away. I’m angry because he worked hard to buy it, and having grown up without much, this was one of the few things he could legitimately call his own. But we’ve been through enough setbacks that by now there really is no point in moping – only getting on with it and forging on. Maybe, as it was such a distinctive bike, it will be recovered. If not, well, we will take the safe route and find one that can be insured on the day of purchase.

    Anyway, to all, what, two of my NZ readers? Should you somehow happen to spot a blue/white/black Honda CBR 250RR (1992) with plate 77UYM, a little rough looking with no side fairings and a few spots of rust – or hear it, as it’s it’s rudely, ridiculously loud, email me.

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