The Final Report

Well Happy New Year… Merry Christmas and all that…it seems that once again I have abandoned my blog, but here I am trying to redeem myself by providing perhaps the last list update ever…the final count…I was just going to add the ones I have now achieved, but I thought that I might just go through the lot and we can all reminisce together…the the ones that are done deals are all in bold and there are links to the ones that I have blogged about, info on the new ones and perhaps I can give even give some lame excuses as to why I couldn’t do everything!

1. Exercise regularly…

Well to put it bluntly no…there were times that I tried, but nothing lasted, no excuses, just laziness

2. Keep up to date with things I have due at uni
Done…nothing was handed in late, and everything passed Woo Hoo

3. Keep up to date with things I have due at ChurchThis one was not so good…the poor pursuit mag died and I missed my grade 6 transition day coz I was in china…opps, sorry grade six kids.

4. Be on time (well at least more often then I am late)

Well I think that I did quite well at this there was only one lecture that I was never on time to, but most other things I was defiantly more on time than I was late, so I think it can be crossed off.

5. Control the amount of chocolate that I eat

I am pretty sure I failed this…I am a chocaholic…can anyone help?

6. Learn Guitar

Well I started…I didn’t get far, but I started and that’s good enough for me.

7. Sing with a Big Band

8. Wash my car (by myself)

9. Sleep in the backyard

I don’t really have a reason for not doing this other than I forgot.

10. Stop pushing the snooze button, and just get up, surely its not that hard

As if it was ever going to happen…this one remains undone

11. Stay with Mick and Helen in Bright

Not this year…Dave did, but not me…Curse you overseas holidays and fun things filling my holiday time!

12. Meet the rest of Dave’s rellies from the big NZ

ahh…not this year…China and Queensland were enough for me, maybe 08?

13. Not let Dave get sick

Well he had his tonsils out in January, but that wasn’t my fault and other than that he remained relatively healthy

14. Have my car valet parked

Still waiting for some one to valet my car

15. Clean out my wardrobe and actually throw stuff out

I did it and the Salvos now have it…woo hoo, oh and now my room has also been cleaned out and thanks to Dave as well coz it looks amazing.

16. Don’t owe anyone money

Sorry Mum, Dad and Dave…it is coming

17. Visit my great grandma at least 4 times

Done, done, done and done…

1. Just a visit.

2. Her 100th birthday party.

3. Her 100th birthday day.
4. Unfortunately in hospital

18. Say no to a job I don’t have time to do, even if I want to do the job

Well this year as much as it hurt I had to let my cell girls go so that they could have someone that could give all the time they needed not just dribs and drabs

19. Allow Dave not to be my slave

20. Have Indian food
21. Be more gracious and tolerant

Well I don’t know about this one, I think I am, but I guess its up to you guys…if you don’t think I am…speak now or forever hold your peace (just on the side…is that peace correct or is it speak now and forever hold your piece of information or is it both and should it be piace)!

22. Try real sushi, you know raw fish and all

23. Order something other than pasta, stir-fry or pizza from a restaurant

Well seeing as I have had had Indian and Japanese this one gets crossed over but I have also had lots of other different dishes, including burgers, steaks and prawns

24. Shell a prawn

Once again done in China…but this one was at a friend of Dad’s house where it was sprung on me, in order to make a good first impression I chose to struggle away at shelling my own prawns rather than getting Dad to do them for me and looking like a bit of a fool

25. Go on holidays with my mum

Well we didn’t travel together, but we were both overseas at the same time and because Dad worked during the Day we got to hang out together a lot so it was a holiday together.

26. Get a CD stacker

It can’t be done, I tried but it can’t be done. Instead I got karen…my GPS

27. Go to a state or country I have never been to

28. Be less judgemental

I am a girl…this one could take time.

29. Save some money

Well considering I still owe money, its pretty hard to save while in debt, so unfortunately this one remains undone

30. Lose a bit of weight

Lets just say with the lack of exercise and the addiction to chocolate I am in big trouble

31. Wear something other than jeans for a whole week

I don’t think I did this, I can’t really remember though…I am pretty sure I didn’t I just can’t seem to get by without my jeans.

32. Drive to one of Dave’s gigs in the city

With the help of Karen I made it all the way to the Rising sun hotel in South Melbourne to hear Dave play.

33. Pull off a parallel park

34. Blog at least once a week

Well it may not have been a new blog every week but for the whole year there were 122 in total for the whole year which makes and average of 2.35 a week.

35. Learn how to rip gaffa tape with my bare hands

36. Go to a concert of someone famous

37. See a musical

38. Go on a boat

Well on my trip to Queensland earlier in the year I went on a few boats, one to the Great Barrier Reef and one to Hamilton Island and Chance bay
39. Go to Luna Park

I only went for a little while, but I went, turns out its not as good as I remembered and there is a real chance you could die on the rides, they are looking very average.

40. Go Fishing

I don’t have a fishing rod…need I say more

41. Watch a V8 Car race in real life as in not on TV

I went to two and they was awesome… Sandown and a win for team Vodafone and then Philip Island for the grand final… I am a rev head and I love it!
42. See the penguins at Philip island

Not done… and it’s a shame, I do love the penguins

43. Meet Craig Lowndes

Well I didn’t meet Craig or Jamie, but I did meet Jason Bright, Mark Winterbottom, and John Bowe and that’s enough for one year.

44. Watch the Sunrise

If watching out the back of the car on the way to the V8s counts…its done

45. Die my hair a weird colour not all of it, but at least some

Not done…I am gutless

46. Drink a bottle of water everyday

This went great guns and then I missed one day and it was all over red rover… what a shame

47. Cook a 3 course meal for my family

Not yet…one day

48. Organise my photos properly

Well they are all in folders and ready to go…but not organised and the ones I wanted to put in albums are all still on the computer

49. Play dark zone

Well it wasn’t called Dark Zone but it’s the same thing and it was actually more fun than I thought it would be.

50. Have a fully non cola/red slurpee

51. Play a board game with Dave (and others to, but just getting Dave to play a board game is the tough bit)

52. Not crash a car

Done… 1 year lots of driving… 0 crashes… Woo Hoo

53. Ride an exercise bike (more than once)

Done I think only twice but its done

54. Ride a real bike (more than once)

Also done…again only twice but its done

55. Do karaoke

I am a karaoke convert…I love it seriously and my only taste of it was Chinese karaoke imagine how much I would love Australian karaoke.
56. Try sarsaparilla

Done and its disgusting!

57. Read 5 books from dad’s library

Done…
Echo Park by Michael Connelly
Angles Flight by Michael Connelly
City of Bones by Michael Connelly
Killing Floor by Lee Child
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

58. Learn to drive a manual

Well it’s a bit like the gitaur I have started but I am not quite there… I can do the gears and clutch just not together!

59. Try a radio controlled car

Thanks to Jess who gave Dusty one for his birthday, this is also done.

60. Go in one of those trampolines with the big nets all the way round

I still want to, but I have to find a friend with one.

61. Enter a radio competition

Not done I chickened out.

62. Try licorish ice cream/gelati

Also done and its disguisting
63. Go to the tip

I didn’t go in but I did drive through so I have been
64. Ride a skateboard

Any one got a skateboard?

65. Write a kids book

Done…its about a fly who just wants a friend and its great even if I say so myself…perhaps I can put it on my blog…or perhaps you will just have to wait till its released to the stores

66. Have a rainbow paddle pop

Done and it was just as good as I remembered

67. Get some tadpoles

I wish

68. Have a dancing lesson

It was a professional Dancing lesson, but I did get taught a dance…for RAWards

69. Score 10 points in a season of basketball

I wish I could score 2points in a season let alone 10

70. Use my Jurlique voucher

Thank you Jurligue voucher for my lovely facial and massage even if it was in the middle of a shopping center!
71. learn 10 songs on guitar

They are basic and pretty crap…but they are songs and I play them on guitar!

72. Go to the museum

Well it wasn’t Melbourne Museum, but it was a museum…it was the Palace museum in China better known as the Forbidden City!
73. Go to the snow

Thanks Lish, Adam and Kitty for a lovely snow trip to Lake mountain…but I think that I am too old to toboggan!
74. Be a parking attendant

I missed my chance at ACC…maybe this year

75. Beat Brad Dupuy at BUZZ (on PS2)

Done and now I have Buzz of my own so I guess I might be able to do it again!

76. Try a strange food that I haven’t even heard of yet

Dragon Fruit and its great… a pink fruit with a white flesh with black seeds…tastes like a cantaloupe and kiwi fruit baby

77. Try to understand what “negative gearing” means for tax purposes

Negative gearing is when your business costs more than what it earns but you get money back in tax.

78. Build something from IKEA (something relatively elaborate)

Well it wasn’t that elaborate but I did build a few things including boxes, files and a lamp.

79. Try some Durian fruit (the one with the odour…)

Not yet…

80. Work out how to check my water and oil and top up my washer bottle

Can do…

81. Work out how to change a tyre

Not yet…but it is probably hindered by the fact that the bolts on my tires are done by machine and not even Dave can move them.

82. Bake some meringues (that actually taste good)

I would like to say I had at least tried but that would be a lie

83. Go to 24 hour K-mart between the hours of 1-3am

Thanks to Pheebs and Kirsten I went to K-mart at 1:00am to print some photos and it was actually really busy…how weird and it was early in the year it wasn’t even like there was a big event coming up
84. Get some boots that fit my mighty calves

85. Drive in a convertible with the roof down

I had a few opportunities but none actually happened

86. Write a letter to a friend I haven’t seen in years

Thanks the to the brilliance of Facebook I was able to chat with people that I haven’t seen or spoke to since primary school.

87. Bake a cake and take it to work

Just like the meringues…I would like to say I tried but that would be lying

88. Wear high-heels, well even just girlier shoes more often

I think I have done this so I am going to cross it off but you better check with Dave

89. Try beef-jerkie

I had some and I let it go to waste…Jake brought me some to try but it went passed its used by date and I wasn’t that game!

90. Go without TV for a week

I didn't plan ahead well enough

91. Drive Dustin’s car

92. Read/listen to my bible everyday

This went great guns just like the water and then I missed one day, coincidently the same day as the water and it was all over red rover… what a shame

93. Watch a sunset on the beach

Dave and I tried and just caught the end of it after racing into St Kilda to see it

94. Stand out in the rain

95. See some fireworks

96. Jump off a pier
Its dangerous you know

97. Not Shave my legs (just emjoi...you thought i was going bush, lol)
Well seeing as my emjoi died I couldn’t keep it up…but I did try

98. Go on a horse and cart ride
Dave?????

99. Visit all the "Emma" streets listed in the melways (part 1, part 2, part 3)

and here are the latest additions...

All except two, one in Leopold and one in Tarneit but they weren’t in Melbourne so I don’t think that they count…but it was fun fun fun

100. Win an award

So there you go that’s what I did in 2007…a total of 62! So heres the question though…there are 38 left…do I just keep going and finish the list even though 2007 is over or do I start a new list for 08? Let me know…vote on my poll!

Exams, Exams, Exams

Today I had my 2nd and final exam for this semester, and I am very grateful they are over...but I realised over this exam period that there are lots of things about exams that fascinate me...here is just a few...

Why do I get soooooo stressed about 2hours, how can so much so much anxiety get crammed in to that small amount of time? Why can I never see that stressing wasn't worth it? Is just because I think I have to be stressed or I am not ready? Do I really honestly believe that all the hardest questions I can possibly think of will be on the exam? Is is just me that is sooooo irrational about exams?

Where do the exam supervisors come from? Do they get paid? What do think about during the exams? Are the worried about what they could have done with all that time? Do they actually care if people cheat? and do they think its weird that they have to follow students to the toilet? Is their worst nightmare a group of students going out to lunch before and having bad chicken meaning a mass toilet trip that they might not be able to control? Do they really like being stuck in a stuffy room handing out tissues?

What is the rule about food, can you or can't you take it in? I always get so confused because some people have food, but I am always to scared to take it in myself, but I tell you what a snack halfway would hit the spot. How do the people with food consume it so quietly? Is there the perfect food to have during an exam? As a nutrition student could having food be considered cheating?

Have you ever noticed all the little exam quirks people have? Why to people line up their pens? How can people only bring in one pen? Why are there people like me who bring hundreds of pens and two of every other kind of stationary? Why does everyone put their water in the same corner of the table? Why do some people take there shoes off?

I don't know...but its just want I thought about during and between my exams, all that matters now is that they are over, and so begins my lovely and long uni break!

Proverbs 24:3-4 "By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures."

God of the Traffic

So I have decided that I need to make my blogs a little more succinct, short and sweet, but still pack that classic punch! So I will try my best, but seeing as I suffer quite badly from verbal diarrhoea I don't know how well I will go!

Anyway, yesterday I had my last day of placement, which was a little sad because I have been loving my placement very much, anyway...short and succinct I remember...this particular morning I had to drive myself because I had to race over to another a seminar I had to go to last night, so as usual I was running late, but then I got stuck at an intersection where I had to turn right and there was lots of traffic coming both ways...so can you kind of picture it? Maybe??...probably not...

Anyway, there were two cars in front of me also trying to make the same turn, but not having much luck...so I had a little chat with the big man, and just asked if he could please let there be a gap in the traffic big enough for all three of us to get through, and do you know what...not very long after that there was a gap and not just 3 of us got through but the car behind me as well...so I said thank you and told him that maybe 4 cars was just showing off, but it reminded me that God loves me enough to give me a gap in the traffic! It seems like something so little and silly, but it meant a lot to me, and it reminded me that I am loved and that He his watching over me and protecting me!

1 Peter 5:7 "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you"

My Dietetic Duty

For many years the heart foundation has done some great work the area of public health awareness, and without them lots more people would be in a lot more trouble then they currently are. But at the moment I have real issues with their policies on "occasional" food ticks...I have been trying to let it die or even just leave it be, but I can't...it makes me soooooo mad!

The thing is, as most of you would know, this year there were 9 meals approved by the heart foundation available for purchase from McDonald's...last week we had a lecture done by the heart foundation about how great the tick was in terms of public nutrition interventions which is all true except for the fact that they have now started putting ticks on "occasional" foods, so foods that you should only eat "occasionally" claiming that it shows consumers the healthier choice in a particular food area, because people will eat these foods anyway, so lets give them a healthier option...well I don't buy it. What kind of attitude is that? Don't change your diet because we've changed your food????

For so many years the heart foundation tick has been great at showing consumers which foods are good for your heart and most of the food that the tick was used on were everyday foods, foods that are good for you to eat on a regular basis. The lecture was taking about the fact that the tick is the only nutritional symbol that didn't cause consumer confusion, but I don't think that that is true anymore!

Putting the tick on foods like McDonald's implies that the meals are good for you...not just that they are better than say Hungry Jacks, but the truth is they are still high in every macronutrient anyway and they are not good for you at all (to McDonald's credit they have worked very hard to get their meal options in the heart foundations requirements, so it is better than lots of other things, but?)...But if you read the fine print the Heart foundation only suggests that you eat those particular meals no more than once a week, but who would know that...no one. But it gets better, you have to eat the meals exactly as they are suggested, you can't even swap the high sugar orange juice for a no sugar diet coke or even water...its just silly, as if water isn't the better choice!

The heart foundation claims that we the general public, thats us, should eat according to the Australian Dietary guidelines...but does anyone outside the health profession have a copy...probably not. We asked this lecturer how the population is supposed to no what the guidelines are, or even just want is considered a "occasional" tick item and an "everyday" tick item...and she told us that its the dietitian's job! But seeing as most dietitian's only see those that are unwell or have a specific nutritional need, not everybody in the population...no one will ever know.

So I figured as a dietitian (well almost) and this is apparently my duty...I would just blog about it...so here you go...

The heart foundation tick is put
on everyday and occasional meals/food items and therefore the items should be consumed accordingly not just because they have the tick!

Talk about confusing...just writing this blog was confusing!

Smoking

Yesterday I had my first day as a student dietitian in a hospital, just for lectures so I didn't have to do anything, except for listen of course, but it was all very new and exciting, I felt very out of place but enjoyed imagining what it would be like to work there, catch the train in and work in the very busy and important looking building that makes St Vincents what it is. I was a little bit disappointed though, as it appears that ALL the good looking doctors work for Seattle Grace, and there are none left for the hospitals in Melbourne!

Anyway, we were in the inwards part of the hospital, so all day we saw people with various diseases and injuries going in and out of the hospital, some just to enjoy the fresh air for a little while, but some to go home with friends and family. While I was there I rediscovered just how much I love to watch people, they are so fascinating, each with a very different story and all doing such weird and wonderful things, but there was one thing that I saw a few times that I just didn't understand, smoking!

Seriously everyone knows smoking is bad for you, and yes its addictive, but if you were in hospital with some sort of severe illness don't you think that the last thing on your mind would be having a ciggy? I just don't understand why patients are even allowed to go out for smokos, it just destroys everything that the doctor is trying to do. The number of people I saw outside the front of the hospital with an IV drip attached to one arm and a cigarette to the other was ridiculous, what made it worse was the number of people I saw two or three times!

I guess what I don't understand is that even though it stuffs up everything in your body, people keep doing it, even when there body is starting crumble and even dying. But it made me think that even though I don't smoke, I still sin, and that is killing me on the inside every time, but I can't stop, maybe that the same thing in my life...I don't know just a thought, but seriously if you smoke...stop, its really not good for you!

Just a thought I had...

Stay tuned.

Altona

Ok, so lets just get these basic facts right, I don’t really like driving and when I do I am not very good at it. Anyway, on Saturday night my driving ability was really stretched…I was going to a 21st and I was the driver for 2 of my uni mates, which was all well and good, but the party was in Altona meadows.

Now being brought up in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, my knowledge of the western suburbs is somewhat limited and distorted. So much so that when I thought of travelling out there I wasn’t sure if I would be safe, if I would have my car stolen or really what would happen… but I was very pleasantly surprised, it was nice and quiet, nothing really that different from my own street, every thing was pretty normal and I was almost shocked! Don’t you think it is funny though, that its so easy to judge and area and a lifestyle before you have even been there or seen it? I know I had, but I was so wrong…mind you, the people at the party kept asking us if we had been mugged yet, or if we remember to lock our doors, because they were obviously aware of what people thought of their home!

Anyway, that wasn’t really the point of the blog, all I really wanted to say that I was sooooooo impressed with my driving skills, because I don’t think I had actually driven myself on most of the roads we used and I had to. And after a little bit of panic I even went through both tunnels! I am amazing I know! Anyway…I pretty much just wanted to say that I am the best and with Karen (my GPS) I can drive anywhere…she has empowered me and the spaceship saab to see more of the world!

Oh and I should also say HAPPY BIRTHDAY Elise…as it was her 21st!

100 blogs of fun!

Wow can you believe it??? This is my 100th blog! I know 100! I am so surprised I had than much stuff worth writing and it’s almost a year since I the blog became into being!

And it's exciting too because this 100th brings the tale of a fantastic day! Today was my last day of uni for semester 1 of my 3rd year, and I tell you what it seems to have flown by, it feels like only yesterday that I met the girls that are the main feature of this blog, but I have known them for 3 years and they still hang out with me, so I must have picked some winners!

Anyway, Wednesdays are normally our long days but with no assignments or tutes we decided that we would use the day to eat at Einstein’s (the on student association restaurant) which we had been talking about doing pretty much since day one! But as our first lecture at 9am was done by 9:30 we had a lot of time to kill before our 3pm lecture. So we decided that we would go to the Emma court in Mt Waverley because it was nice and close and then come back for lunch! So Elise, Claire, Flic and I found Emma Court in Mt. Waverley with the help of Karen (my GPS), which I think was the highlight of Claire's day! Then we went back for lunch, which was quite enjoyable.

But we still had 2 hours so we decided that Karen could get us to another Emma Street in that time so we headed off again, this time out to Ferntree Gully! So that was two streets crossed of my list, but that’s not where the fun stoped we also decided that on the way home we should stop at cold rock and knock no. 62... Try licorish ice cream off the list! Which I can now tell you first hand, tastes very much like licorish and is not recommended to anyone!

But I tell you what today was a really good day, the adventure were very funny, and nothing beats a good meal and ice cream! I am very lucky to have friends like these guys at uni...i probably wouldn't have made it to the end of 1st semester let a lone 1st semester 3rd year without them! They are very fun girls and I love them to bits and I am very much looking forward to carving up the dance floor (or something that vaguely resembles that) on Saturday night! Thanks for keeping me sain girls!

The World is such a funny place!

Mature Age

Okay so most you will know what a “mature age” student is, and for those of you that don’t know, a mature age student is someone that goes to uni not straight out of school, they may have waited 3 years, or 5 years, or 10 years or 20 years, or whatever, but they are normally just beyond that typical student age.

Typically they ask a lot of questions and don’t quite just go with the flow like everyone else. They normally do really well in the classes too, which makes people like me mad.

Anyway, in one of my classes (diet and disease) this year I have a lady that brings a whole new meaning to the words “mature age student”! I think she must be at least in her 70ies if not older. So a little while ago in my class I tried to sneak a photo of her, so sorry its not very clear. But I thought I would just post this blog to say… Good on ya old lady in the front row! You know what though, this week she was even cracking joke with the lecturer...werid!



The world is such a funny place