Life Is Like A Box of Chocolates - For Tigger Atleast

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This is a perfect example of just how good Tigger and I have it at home. Tigger is sixteen years old. He is as much a part of the family as I am. So much so, that he gets FOUR choices as to which cat food he gets each day, plus his bowl of water.
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I kid you not. This is a true story. Mum's view is that she'd rather do this than watch him starve.
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In this regard, I refer back to the photos I have posted of Tigger previously. I can assure you, Tigger has a long way to go before he starves.
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Sydney Never Ceases to Amaze Me

This is a great example of Sydney. Today was a beautiful day, and the new Oriana just happened to arrive into the Harbour this morning, in her full glory. This is a familiar sight in Sydney during the summer months, when cruise ships roll in, one after the other. However, it is only the bigger cruise ships that dock on this side of the Harbour Bridge. For those that fit, they go under the Bridge and "park" elsewhere.

Well, while beauty surrounds me in the day time, sleep isnt coming easy for me at the moment. I think the pre-trip nerves have finally hit home and suddenly I am not the courageous nomad anymore. I'm a scared 25 year old making the biggest change of her life in 3 weeks time.
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The Countdown Begins

Has anyone looked at the countdown clock above recently? Well, I have. And I can categorically say that tonight is the first night in a long time where I dont feel all that confident about what I am doing. My head is pounding, there's too much noise in the house and I'm staring at financial figures that dont seem to be adding up.
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Before, I viewed going away with not much money as a challenge. Tonight, it seems like a stupid idea.
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All of a sudden, I've got a whole lot of debt, and not enough cash. I've been hit with a few bills for which I didnt account, plus a few which were grossly miscalculated. It now means that there is an urgency in finding a job the minute I get to the UK. I have to get to Edinburgh straight away. No bumming around. I'm sorry to all of the friends and family that I am not going to be able to catch up with straight away. I'm going to have to get myself up there, settled, and then I will somehow get back down to see you all.

(Keri, I wont miss your 30th though).

I'm having an early night.

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Mr. Gnome - The Only One With the Tan

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There's nothing worse than coming to the realisation that you are headed to an idyllic beach location without a tan.
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Yes, I am afraid to say, I will be stepping onto the beaches of Thailand with skin the colour of my office walls - white. Very white.
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Oh, and Elle McPhearson I'm not.
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I am one big walking Australian contradication. The truth be known, I hate summer. I cant stand it. There is nothing worse than stepping outside your front door only to feel like you need to have another shower due to the extreme heat and humidity. Hot weather makes me sleepy and cranky. I cant sleep at night, and I spend the rest of the day whinging about having gotten no sleep. There's no point doing my hair (which, if left down, feels like a blanket wrapped around my head), so I tie it back in summer and leave it permanently like that for four months each year.
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So England here I come.
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I can now become beautiful. :) MWAHAHAHAHA

Mr. Gnome Got a Sun Tan

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On New Years Day this year, it was the hottest day in Sydney since 1939.
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It was so hot, Mr. Gnome in our front garden (who wolf whistles whenever you walk past it) got sunburnt.
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True story.

Cuteness

She's growing up very quickly!

Complaining

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Thanks everyone for their supportive comments overnight about the horrid trip to the local restaurant. We did complain but the compaints went unnoticed. In fact, we've found out they have overcharged us!
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And thanks for the nice comments about the photo...even if it wasnt my best!
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Perhaps I shouldnt have bawled my eyes out. But I really wear my heart on my sleeve when it comes to my mum. And I always want to make sure everything is perfect for her. Meh. Ah well.
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Mum and Dad's Birthday Party

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Argh. Tonight my sister and I organised a nice birthday party for my parents' . What a nightmare!! We picked a local restaurant that used to be my parents' favourite. That was about as good as it got. Bad service, bad food, bad staff, and half of our guests ended up with food spilt on them by incompetent staff.
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I ended up in tears. You know, the type of tears that you get when you feel disappointment. My parents dont ask for much. But we take them out for a nice meal, and it ends up a complete disaster!
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Ah well.
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Tis life.
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Peter Costello and His Comments

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I have been asked by one of my readers to discuss one of Australia's prominent politicians' comments made the other day about the integration of Muslims into Australian society. Now, of course I am never one to give up an opportunity to enlighten people about current political events, so here I go.
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The Background:
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In short, on 23 February 2006, Mr. Peter Costello, Australia's current Treasurer (and hopeful candidate of the Prime Minister's position) came out and stated, among other things:
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"Before becoming an Australian you will be asked to subscribe to certain values. If you have strong objection to those values, don't come to Australia."
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Mr. Costello is now suffering what is perceived as a "backlash" because he directed his comments at foreign-born muslims and those who practice Sharia law.
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The Problem
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Mr. Costello's comments come at a time where not only Australia, but the world, is extremely sensitive to the issue of treatment of radical muslims and their practices. Politicians are fearful that by making comments regarding the current problem, they will be seen as racist, insensitive, and inflammatory. We are seeing this in Denmark, and throughout the world regarding the cartoons. We are saw the backlash which arose from the Cronulla riots. The bottom line is that if anyone says anything at all about the muslim community, they are at risk of being branded all sorts of things.
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My View
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While I sometimes have anti-Liberal views on this website, I must admit that the idea behind what Peter Costello said is right. The way in which he said it was wrong.
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I believe that Peter Costello had every right to say what he did, but for the manner in which he did it. Is there a right way of outlining these issues at the moment? Of course not. You are always going to have people miscontruing what you say, particularly during times where the issue is red hot.
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I know exactly where Costello is coming from because I have the ability to look past his words and understand what it is he is actually trying to say. The problem is that his comments have been placed in the context of Muslim Sharia law, rather than any law which is in direct conflict with Australian rule of law.
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When studying law, we learn about a number of things. In particular, we are taught about the foundations of any western society - democracy and the rule of law. It is a difficult concept to study, but once you study it in depth, you learn that these very concepts underpin everything that we do as a society, ranging from our legislation, punishment, public order, and day to day living in a communal environment.

In the same conference that Mr. Costello made these comments, he also stated that:

"Anyone applying for citizenship who rejects the notion of living under a democratic legislature and obeying the laws it makes poses a threat to the rights and liberties of others and should be refused citizenship."
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Now, put aside ANY reference to muslims.
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If someone (ANYONE) from another country who does not agree with another country's (not just Australia's) rule of law and the values under which we live, it is of course in that country's best interests to consider whether or not these people should be allowed citizenship. I am not talking about people who hold different opinions on government, every day living etc (if so, i'd be one of them!). I am talking about those people who do not agree on the VERY FOUNDATIONS OF A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY, such as punishment, legal equality, public order, legislation.
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Conclusion
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My views are completely in line with the views that I held regarding the Cronulla riots. Anyone that does not obey the law, needs to be brought before the law as a consequence of their actions. Regardless of whether they are Muslim, Jewish, Christian, whatever.
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Peter Costello was perhaps foolish to directly refer to the muslim community. However, what he said applies to everyone from the muslim community to the buddhist community, to the jewish community.
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However, we are currently surrounded by people who arent smart enough to read between the lines, but rather, are guided by media and take statements at face value. Hence why Peter Costello is now suffering a "backlash".

Benson Is A Star (My Sister's Dog)

"Did I hear a noise?"
















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"Oh I am soooo bored with this life."












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"Cute? Who, me?"














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Stealing Someone Elses Words Again

I didnt necessarily want to write anything deep tonight... until I came across a comment made by one of my regular readers, Freddy, from www.mentalhopskotch.blogspot.com (and who is also someone I admire greatly). He said:

"I get scared still.

I try not to think about it. Diversions are easy to create, especially when necessary to pull me away from the things I don’t want to face. I’m also pretty good at making it look as if those diversions are necessities. I can create a world around me that moves quickly and keeps me busy. I can create friendships that are close enough, but distant enough as I need them to be. There’s always this invisible space between where I am and a more comfortable place."

I dont think I could have written a better paragraph if I tried.

A Great Post

.
Sorry guys but I've stolen someone else's post for the night. I've exhausted all of my words about President George W. Bush. So I am having to use someone else's for a change.
.
I sit here and I listen to the BBC News that Iraq is on the verge of civil war. It appears that the Shi'ites and the Sunis are ready to kill each other. Meanwhile President BirdBrain sits there with his hands up saying "I urge you all to keep calm."
.
Keep calm? KEEP CALM? Thousands of soldiers have been sent over to fight a war that is not their own. A war which should never have begun in the first place. How many times are we going to have to watch these constant f*ckups before America uses its democratic process to get itself out of the mess its democratic process got itself into in the beginning.

I cant keep calm. But StTropezButler appears to be able to:

"RAGE

I just figured out that I am in a rage. Yes, a rage. I was trying to figure out why my blood pressure has dropped...odd to be in a rage and have your blood pressure drop..but I finally figured out that I am in disconnect mode.Sure I talk the talk. I even walk the walk most of the time. But the truth. I am astounded that we are not, as a country, revolting against this president and his minions who are so TOTALLY AND COMPLETELY ignoring us, the people who "voted" for and "elected" this bunch of assholes.

This joker called the President has the fucking nerve to say that he is going to VETO any legislation regarding the sell off our our ports to the UAE. But oh by the way, "I didn't know about it till the ink was drying on the contract." Hello? Oh, right, this is the same bozo who told Brownie he was doing a heck of a job.

Anyone catch O yesterday. See the tent city that folks are living in and yet across town there are 11,000 trailers sitting empty. FEMA and Homeland Security in action. You have to wonder when even the former head of the RNC and major lobbyist and now governor of Mississippi can't even get things done.

Are we so fucking busy with American Idol and the latest crap about Brangelina that we can't even house our own citizens? It was amazing seeing a school teacher with children living on "welfare" because her town in Mississippi is no where near back to anything resembling normal.So instead we just get more of the assholes on the F word Network worrying about what some celebrity might have to say about The Shooter, while sitting next to a very noxious blonde who would like to see anyone who doesn't agree with her DEAD. There is no irony anymore...REALLY.

Yeah, I'm in a rage, but I'm going through the motions. I'm being calm. My blood pressure isn't high it is low. This is called self control to the nth degree.I'm outta here.

STB"

http://sttropezbutlersays.blogspot.com/

Snooow

At the complete end of the scale, I cant wait to get into the European winter.
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The Alps are calling my name... "kaaaaaate, kaaaaaatttttte"
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And it looks like I *may* be getting a snowboard which will of course need to be shipped over to the UK for me.

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One Love

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Keeping in with the Tropical theme, I may just dowload some Bod Mar-lei onto my Ipod, ready for Thailand.
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Hmm.. I'm regretting only giving myself five days there. I knew this would happen. Oh well. Plenty of time to get there on my way back.
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Cocktails and Dreams

http://www.bahamasgateway.
com/_images/cocktails.jpg


Hmm... I sitting here today thinking about sitting on a thai beach sipping cocktails whilst receiving a thai massage.
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A lot of people have been saying to me "dont wish away the doldrums" because soon they will be gone. I totally agree. Even more so, people have been saying that I shouldnt wish away the time that I have with my family because when the going gets though while I am away, they wont be there. Again, I totally agree.

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However, its really hard to appreciate things when you have got them... I dont know how it feels to miss them. I dont know what it is like to not have my mum and sister's support... because I've always had it...
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Its hard to explain...
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Another of Life's Big Questions

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Hey, why is it that my body is quite warm, yet the tip of my nose is freezing cold.
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Hmmm....I shall sleep on this one I think.
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This Is A Public Service

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Another wise saying from that completely crazy (but lovable) woman - IHaveABoat".
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She stated on her blogsite that it was a "Public Service".
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And now I understand that a lot of blogs are.
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You see, my sister told me yesterday that she thinks I blog too much. Hmmm.. perhaps. But then I told her that I couldnt just stop blogging. I could do it if I wanted to but what would happen to everyone that comes to visit my blog each day?
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As sad as it may be for a loser like me who writes on this online journal each day, I am providing a public service.
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Its my social duty to keep people entertained with everything and anything about my pathetic life.
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Look, things could be a lot worse. I could be a dedicated person who spends every waking hour in chatrooms named after their favourite celebrity - "The Tom Cruise Forum", or "The Mariah Carey Forum" or... some other pathetic excuse for a chat forum.
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I dont need to get a life. I already have one. And it just happens to be sprawled out on these pages.
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Meh. I dont care.
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The Doldrums

Its happened. Finally. I have received my first blog complaint by a reader. Now that I am reaching the masses with my endless dribble as KateOnTheGo, I have a moral responsibility to listen to the complaints and see what I can do about them.
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I have been informed by my very loyal (and much loved) blogmate "I Have A Boat" (or MissManners or IAmACrazyGirl or whatever her choice of name is on the day), that my blog is beginning to look like www.hotmommadrama.blogspot.com (another one of my favourite blogs).
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Its true. Lately, my blog has looked like a blogsite dedicated to celebrities and other nonsensical rubbish. Rather than push people to question their views on things in life, to consider the big world issues, I've been lazy and have been using other people's identities to keep you all amused.
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Well, I am making a committment to my readers to make more of an effort with my entries. You see, lately, I have been in "the Doldrums." This is a boating connotation (seeing I am keeping with "i have a boat's" theme), for all of you who arent aware of The Doldrums. Its when you have a boat, with its sails ready to go, yet there is no wind.
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At the moment, I have no wind.
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Well, okay, maybe that wasnt the best way to put it. Rather, I feel like I have worn myself intellectually out. he he he. Its gotten to a point where I dont have enough wind in my sails to pull myself forward. Dont get me wrong, I am extremely happy each day. I whistle on my way to my temp job. I whistle on my way home. I smell fresh air and each morning, I thank the Lord (and Buddha etc) that I am alive.
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But I am in the Doldrums. I have a destination, I can see it ahead, yet its just a matter of waiting for the wind to pick up so that I can keep going on my journing. In other words, I am waiting for the next couple of weeks to pass me by. There is only three weeks until I leave. Its becoming a nervous wait, I tell you.
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So I wholeheartedly apologise for my blogging laziness and promise to pick up my act.
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But I've added a picture of my gorgeous cat (another celebrity of this site) just for those who need their celebrity fix for the day.
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Good News

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The rumour was wrong (hey, I never said I was a reliable source).

Kylie and Oly arent getting married just yet... allegedly.

So, there's still hope for me.













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Ice Skating - Is It Really A Glamorous Sport?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com
/id/11333510/

http://deseretnews.com
/photos/1006904.jpg

http://www.tribuneindia.com
/2003/20030331/sp6.jpg

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http://www.silverbladetours.com
/images/postcards/kwan98.jpg

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http://www.theoaklandpress.com/
images/photos3.25/6987_256.jpg
.

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http://slam.canoe.ca/SlamSkatingImages/
98worlds_apr4_2.jpg

Daydreaming

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So i've worked out that if the whole travelling lawyer thing doesnt work out, I could be an artist.

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Life According to MaryKate and Ashley Olsen

"We don't really like our photos being taken when we're not working," Ashley said during an exclusive interview yesterday.
"Over the weekend here we had about 20 photographers at the airport and we'd just got off a flight. Then they write a headline like we're miserable and so upset to be here. We couldn't be happier to be here (but) when you're being attacked after a 16-hour plane flight, that's not nice."

You're right. That isnt nice.

So stop trying to dominate the world then.

http://dailytelegraph.news.com.au/story/0,20281,18211102-5001025,00.html
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Going to the Chapel and We're....

Bah. Just when you think your own life is going great, news comes out that Kylie Minogue is the lucky lady that is marrying Olivier Martinez.

The girl deserves to be happy... but cant she have picked some other gorgeous french hunk to marry instead of him? Isnt Gerard Depardieu single at the moment????
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Feeling Loved

I remember once my friend Maria at www.ihaveaboat.blogspot.com blogged about how loved she felt whenever she received a Nigerian scam letter. Having never received one before, numerous questions entered my head.
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Why had I not received a Nigerian scam letter?
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Does my email address give off the impression I am unable to be conned out of my money?
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Why havent they at least tried to con me out of my cash?
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Well, I finally received one.
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----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Friend [ooooh! I am their friend!!!!],

It is with heart full of hope that I write to seek your help in thecontext below.I am Mrs. Mariam Abacha the wife of the former Nigerian Head of State Late General Sani Abacha,whose sudden death occurred on 8th June 1998.

Having got your particulars from the family library [Wow!!! I'm known in Nigeria!], I have no doubt about your capacity and goodwill to assist me in receiving into your custody (for safety) the sum of US$25million Willed and deposited in my favour by my late husband [of course I will look after your money!]. This money is currently kept in a Finance & Securities Company in Europe. As it is legally required, the administration of my late husband property is under the authority of the family Lawyer [well, if they have a lawyer involved, of course it is fully legitimate].

However, the new democratic government has on assumption of office set up a panel of enquiry to probe the financial activities of my late husband (former head of state) with a decision to freeze all his Assets respectively. [bugger!] The investigation team has submitted their report;presently some cashand assets have been frozen and seized.

Fortunately, our family lawyer had secretly protected the personal will of my husband from the notice of investigators and have strictly advised that the willed money be urgently moved into an overseas account of trusted foreign friend without delay, for security reasons [what a great idea!!!!].

The government had earlier placed foreign travel embargo on all our family members and seized all known local and international business outlet belonging to my late husband.The situation has been so terrible that we are virtually living on theassistance of well wishers.

In view of this plight therefore, I expect you to be trustworthy and kind enough to respond to this call [trustworthy and kind? I'm your girl....].I hereby agree to compensate your sincere and candid effort in thisregard with 25% of the fund when finally received by you. The attorney has perfected arrangements with the securities and financefirm to effect complete dislodgment of this money to you within a week of the receipt of your response. They have equally guaranteed 100% risk-free and smooth transfer to you if you so request.Please send down the following information as you respond to this SOSmessage:

1.Your private telephone and fax numbers for prompt access. Do includeyour mobile phone number also.
2.Your full names and address.

As I look forward to your response , may you remain blessed abundantly.

Warmest regards

MRS. MARIAM ABACHA

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Who are they trying to kid?
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Well, apparently there are people throughout the world that are actually falling for these tricks!
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http://www.theepochtimes.com/news/6-2-7/37873.html
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I Love Sydney Australia

Centrepoint Tower looming in the background, and the restored lighthouse of Fort Dennison








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A Gloomy Day in Sydney, Yet Still So Beautiful


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..


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The Famous Opera House

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The Sheer Size of the Harbour Bridge







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A Sydney Ferry Called Charlotte!











Fort Dennison again, but with the Opera House in the Background












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Eskimo Kate

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He he he. I am so ready for the European Winter!

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World Cup 2006

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I like football (soccer..whatever). And I cant think of anywhere better than to be in United Kingdom to watch England embarass themselves yet again by thinking they are going to win, then bombing out in the quarter finals.

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Beckham for President.

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Rock Never Stops

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/4728842.stm

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Never been a fan of the Rolling Stones but how amazing is this? One million people descended on Copacabana Beach for a free Rolling Stones concert.

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It would have been a blast! Hot brazillian men (and..reluctantly, women), sun, partying and the Stones.

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And I am going to make sure I get out there and do amazing stuff like this if and when it happens in Europe!

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Mosquitos

Woohoo! I just won a mosquito net on e-bay for $12.
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I'm happy with that.
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Some may recall from my sojourn to the Cinque Terre, Italy in October last year, when I rented a condo that came inclusive with one mosquito. That one mosquito ended up munching his way around all areas of skin which wasnt covered. My arms, neck, back and face were all bitten by Mr. Mozzie.
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I also appear to be allergic to mozzies, because they come up in massive welt-like lumps, instead of small bites. So, I am determined not to have that happen again in Thailand!
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Lesson learnt indeed!
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I Just Dont Get It

A socialist student group in Australia has decided to become entreprenuers. I'm all for our community getting out there and encouraging ideas of the younger generation but I think on this occasion, people should save their money.

The group is selling "Flag Burning Kits" for AU$5.00. The Kit comes with an Australian flag, a lighter, a fire-lighting cube and Resistance pamphlets.

I suggest we should all just save our money. You can get an Australian flag and a match for much cheaper if you just shop around.

http://smh.com.au/news/National/Socialists-selling-flagburning-kits/2006/02/18/1140151847240.html

Blogs: A Generation Y Phenomenon

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It is interesting listening to different generations and their opinions about blogs.
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I was talking to my mother and auntie today about my blog. They read it, of course, but they find it incredibly strange that I write what I do on these pages. They say that I write "too much". By that, I think that they believe I divulge information about myself that would not ordinarily be put out in the public forum.
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The thing is that I think I am quite reserved here on my blogsite. Compared to a lot of people's blogs, my blog is tame! I always make sure that I keep it tasteful, clean and respectful. I have a rule that I never write on my blog what I would not be prepared to say to someone personally. I understand that I am a reflection of what this blog contains so I always carefully think about what I write here.
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So, is it that I am more willing to provide my views on my own life and current affairs (even though I am one of the tamest blogs out there!), or this a distinct difference between "generations"?
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The Biggest Loser

http://www.realitytvcalendar.com/shows/biggest_loser/logo.jpg

As many of you know, I love being healthy. I love being fit and I love feeling like I am treating my body well. After all, you only get one body in life (and plastic surgery can only take you so far).

.

I must confess - the problem is that since moving back home and having had so much going through my head with travelling so much to get to work, quitting my job, getting ready to go overseas, and now eating mum's home cooked meals, I seem to have dropped the ball a little. And subsequently, have put back on a few kilos.

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*sigh*

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I am watching "The Biggest Loser" on television tonight. I know they have that show in America, but we also have an Australian version. These people are losing four, six, ten kilos at a time. Of course, they are under the close watch of personal trainers, cooks, psychologists etc, but it makes me think that if they can get out and do it at their weight and their predicament, then surely it doesnt take that much for me to get off my as$ and get back to doing the work that I was doing only a couple of months ago at the gym.

.

I need put away the readily available potato chips and get back to the gym.

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I Heart My Sister

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I love my sister very much. She is only three years older than me. But ten times more mature, more sensible, more worldly, more rational, and less selfish.

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She was kind enough to leave a comment on my blog entry about RU-486. So I will leave it to her to explain why I think she is the greatest woman I know:

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"My first baby was stillborn, therefore I know first hand that at 22 weeks, a baby is fully formed and requires a little more lung development, only a few more layers of skin and for their eyes to open in order to stand a strong chance of survival.

.

After my experience, I questioned abortion (understandably), yet still felt it needed to be an option for women (undertaken only, as Rob said, after counselling).I had a very high risk, complicated 2nd pregnancy and at 11 weeks gestation, was advised to strongly consider terminating my pregnancy as a result of worrying genetic test results.

.

Thankfully, we were fortunate enough to beat the odds and bring our little miracle baby into the world perfectly healthy! When I see pictures of my gorgeous Charlotte all over this blog I am awfully glad I trusted my gut instinct, which told me a baby was a gift in any form and to take a few chances and trust in my faith and in fate.It is for this reason I am staying firmly planted on my fence post.

.

At any rate, I certainly don't believe a male politician has any right whatsoever to even hold an opinion in this debate. Maybe, just maybe, you need to carry a life inside you to even know where to begin to form an opinion ... I certainly wouldn't wish a decision to terminate a pregnancy on my worst enemy. "
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Its Almost Like "Selective Hearing"

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Why is it that the United States Government seek the assistance of the United Nations to put pressure on Iran to stop its nuclear development yet it will not follow the requests of the United Nations to close down that horrid place, Guantanamo Bay?
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Selective Hearing.
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Today Is "D" Day

http://friendsforever-ent.com/v-web
/gallery/albums/

It's off to the dentist today for a final "check up" and clean before I leave.

This will ensure that I have no teeth problems overseas.

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Cluedo

.http://www.spieletest.at/pics/cluedo-original3.jpg

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Did Mr. Cheney, shoot Mr. Whitington, with the hunting gun, at the Ranch in Texas?

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Congratulations "Aussie" Dale Begg-Smith

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Well, Australia received its first gold medal at the Torino Winter Olympic Games. No, not but default or accident, but by someone who really is Canadian!

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Our "Aussie" Dale won the Men's Moguls yesterday. That ski event that looks incredibly uncomfortable and probably contributes to the largest number of knee replacements in any other sport in the world.

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Okay, so Dale was born in Canada and moved to Australia a few years ago. But as far as we are concerned, Dale is Australian, and he's won a rare Gold Medal for our country!

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WELL DONE DALE!
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Did I Just Commit Career Suicide?

http://byerly.org/posters/failure.jpg

I do not believe that I have to provide reasons for anything I do to anyone, but I feel that it is necessary to write this post. Not for the readers of this post, not for my critics, not for my supporters. I want to write it for myself. And then after I have written it for myself, it may also assist people in understanding what I have done.

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Words that are kicking around at the moment include "failure", "career suicide", "mistake" and "regret". However, so that there is no misunderstanding, none of these words are on my mind. And will never be.

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I may not necessarily have ever wanted to be a lawyer. I was told that I would never ever be smart enough to do it so I never considered I would enter the profession. But I was provided the opportunity to study it and I like everything I did, I gave it my one hundred per cent. Soon enough, law became my passion. I loved studying it, I loved questioning it and as a result, my marks showed. When I stood up on graduation day and I accepted my Bachelor of Laws with First Class Honours, I believe that it was a reflection on my dedication and passion towards law and everything it stood for.

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While some may not hold the respect for the law profession, I do. And only those that stand before the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New South Wales (or whatever jurisdiction to which they belong) to be admitted into the Solicitors Roll will truly understand what it means to be a lawyer.

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I was lucky enough to have met my mentor at a very young age, someone who was just as passionate about the law as I was. Someone with very strong and admirable ethics, who never took for granted the role that he has in the profession. I was lucky enough to have been given so many opportunities by this mentor and (I hope he agrees) as a result, I was able to become a type of lawyer that was well beyond my three years of experience. I loved my job and tried to put in 100% every single day. No one will ever really know just how much I loved being an industrial relations lawyer.

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Some of you forget (and some of you may not even know), I am only twenty five and a half years of age. Do the math. I was at university at seventeen. I did six straight years of full time study, and for the last three years of that, was often working a full time job as well. I was admitted as a lawyer when I just turned twenty three. I was practicing law when other kids were out popping pills and drinking themselves stupid.

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I'm taking a break from my job, but not my profession. I will always be a lawyer and I always will. I hold immense pride for the position I have in society and I condemn those lawyers out there who are consumed with power and money instead of a sense of fairness.

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So if I hold my job in such high regard, why am I leaving? Because I want to grow up and if I am to survive in this tough profession, I need to go and experience life. I need to go and learn all of the reasons why I shouldnt be consumed by power and money. I want to go and see a different view of fairness, one that isnt seen from a cushy, air conditioned city office. I am too young. I know nothing. I dont know of poverty. I dont know anything about sadness, happiness, struggle or independence... all of these things that I believe will one day help me to pursue my idea of justice.

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I am taking this "break" in order to ensure that when I do come back and resume practicing, I can commit myself unconditionally to the profession, to my clients, and of course, to my employer. Because being a lawyer isnt something you just take for granted. Every day you have to give 100%. People tend to forget the risk that sits over lawyers' heads every time they go to work. If you dont believe us, go and check out the cost of professional indemnity insurance.

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So I challenge anyone who wants to say to me that I have failed myself or failed anyone else by doing what I have done.

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I invite anyone to come and tell me I have committed career suicide by walking out of the fantastic job that I have had to give away in order to do what I plan to do.

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Those that know me well know just how important these next few years are for me.

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And until then, let people tell me I am making a mistake because I certainly am not entertaining that thought. Nor will I when I am standing on the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, or I am holding an orphan in my arms in South America.

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Keep On Singing My Song

I woke up this morning with a smile on my face
And nobody's gonna bring me down today
Been feeling like nothing's been going my way lately
But I decided right here, right now
That my outlook's gonna change
That's why I'm gonna
Say goodbye to all the tears I've cried
Every time somebody hurt my pride
Feeling like they won't let me live my life and
Take the time to look at what is mine
I see, every blessing, so clearly
And I thank God, for what, I got from above
I believe they can take anything from me, but they
Can't succeed in taking my inner peace from me
They can say all they wanna say about me, but I
I'm gonna carry on
I'ma keep on
Singing my song, yeah yeah
I never wanna dwell on the pain again, ooh no no
There's no use in reliving how I hurt back then, oh, oh no
Remembering too well the hell I felt
When I was running out of faith, oh
Every step I'm about to take
Well it's towards a better day
'Cause I'm about to
Say farewell to every single lie
And all the fears I've held too long inside
Every time I felt I couldn't try
All the negativity and strife
Cause too long, I've been, struggling, couldn't go on
But now, I've found, I'm feeling strong and I'm moving on
I believe they can take anything from me, but they
Can't succeed in taking my inner peace from me
Now they can say all they wanna say about me, but I
I'm gonna carry on
I'ma keep on
Singing my song
Every time I tried to be
What they wanted from me
It never came naturally
So I ended up in misery
Was unable to see
All the good around me
Wasting so much energy
On what they thought of me
Than simply just remembering to breathe
I've learned
I'm humanly unable to please
Everyone at the same time
So now I find, my peace of mind
Living one day at a time
In the end I answer to one God
Comes down to one love
Till I get to heaven above
I have made the decision
Never to give in
Till the day I die no matter what
I'm gonna carry on
I'ma keep on, mmm
Singing my song...
Christina Aguilera

The Story of My Life

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As many of you know, today was my last day at the law firm. The farewell was quiet and the party was unassuming. In fact, I sit here tonight after drinks, not feeling all that intoxicated. Rather, I am sitting back, feeling quite nostalgic. I look back on the last few years of my life and I see that it is about to change, as of tomorrow.
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But who have I been?
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I was a middle class girl from the suburbs, about 50 minutes out of the city of Sydney. I was born to two middle class people, mum and dad, who happened to give birth to a child three years prior - Annie. She was practice for when it came time for mum and dad to have me (kidding!). I grew up in the suburbs all of my life in the same neighbourhood with the same friends. I do not highlight any part of my child hood as being particularly significant, simply for the fact that it wasnt.
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I grew up in the same way as any other normal kid.My education was just as normal. I went to the local Primary School, a public school three streets away from my home. I then had the horrible experience of going to a strict Anglican school, a private high school for a whole nine months. My sister managed to last there for six years, but not I. I moved to another school, an all girls catholic private school which really was just a haven of over-sexed, drug taking, non-religious women who struggled like every other teenage girl to find each of their own identity - and failed. To my parents great relief, I managed to finish my schooling all the way to Year 12, and finished my HSC on time, and still remain relatively unscathed from my teenage years.
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I was never the brightest of kids. Mum and Dad can confirm that. But apparently when I was only four years old, Mum and Dad were worried about me. I had problems with my hearing (They say I only had 20% of my hearing at one stage, due to some kind of issue with my adnoids?) and mum and dad were finding that i was spending more and more time alone, playing with tiny little micro machine cars and making car noises to myself. This registered as "autism" to my parents, who freaked out and took me to see the Doctor. Here, the Doctor told my parents not to worry, because whilst I was separating myself from the world, every time I moved a micro machine car around a rock or down the path, my mind was ticking over and over. And to this day, I can assure my parents that that was what was going on.
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When I was four, I had an entire imaginary land of cars and houses and happiness. I wasnt autistic, I was imaginative and wanted to be left alone with my imagination. I guess things never change.I didnt excel at primary school and fell under the shadow of Anna, my best friend of eighteen years. She was the smartest kid in the school and to this day, I still remember being yelled at by my year six teacher for copying Anna's work. I was more interested in getting out and playing and being active.
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High school was quite the same. I didnt even want to be there. At that point, I wanted to skate and that was all that mattered. So, instead of studying, I skated. No one was going to change that. Except, in or around year 11, I began to.... study. I actually began to do homework and enjoy classes. It may have been that, in year 11, you could choose the classes that you wanted to do, rather than be forced to do the classes that were part of the curriculum. I managed to slide into the middle class maths, middle class english and a couple of units of business studies. Here, it became a habit of mine to excel at the average classes. I was coming first in english, first in religion, first in maths, first in food technology and first in business studies. Not because I was brainy, but because I had chosen simple classes.
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I think somewhere along the line, being seen as "brainy" became an identity. Feeding of that identity for the sake of my self esteem, I gave up skating and underaged drinking and worked harder and harder at classes. It then came time to choose what I was going to do at university.
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I always wanted to do forensic science. This was prior to CSI Miami and Profiler. I was just interested in the idea of working in an area which was challenging. Finding answers and proving them to be correct. Notwithstanding this, I went to career advisor in early year 12, who assured me that getting into a B Science or B Psych degree was completely impossible given my average classes and average brain. To be told I couldnt do something only fired me up even more. I wanted to get the highest TER (like a GPA for those americans reading!) I could in order to prove that I could get into anything I wanted.I ended up getting one of the highest TERs in my school and almost 18 TER points ahead of the requirement for a B Science degree.
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But I didnt want that B Science degree. I wanted to do business. I wanted to work with money. My sister had done a B Commerce degree so that seemed like natural progression to go and do something like that. My parents were okay with that, but seemed to think I was wasting "20 TER points" by going into just a B Comm. Admittedly, my parents gave me the idea of going into law, which didnt seem to particularly interesting to me. It seemed hard, overwhelming and way out of my league. Mum and Dad said "Even if you go and try it out for a year, what is the harm of doing it? Combine it with a B Comm and if you dont like law, drop the law and carry on with the Commerce."
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Six years later, I walked away with a B Commerce (Management) degree with a distinction/high distinction average. I also walked away with a Bachelor of Laws with a Business Major. And I stood up there on graduation day with three other people to accept my degree with First Class Honours.
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My Last Day At The Law Firm

Today is my last day at work, as a Sydney lawyer.

Where life will take me as of tomorrow? God only knows!

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Can Things Get Any Worse For the US Government?

http://www.acmeanimation.com/ws7.gif

The War In Iraq...

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Hurricane Katrina...

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The Lewis "Scooter" Libby Saga...

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And now Dick Cheney goes and shoots one of Bush's main supporters during a hunting weekend.

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Can things get any worse for the US Government?

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Valentines Day

Sorry, but I have decided to republish one of my articles which I wrote in December 2005 about relationships. Its so appropriate because it is Valentines Day. And I am sick of hearing single people complaining about being single, and worse still, those that pretend not to care that its Valentines Day but really secretly they feel like crap about it!

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"This Time, Its Personal" - Women's Inability to Cope On Their Own

Its time I lay down a few simple "home truths" to my readers. Its time I get a little personal. I dont like pasting my personal life across the internet via a blog so I tend to avoid talking about the deep stuff. Some find it therapeutic. And are comfortable with that. But for me, when it comes to matters of the heart, I tend to keep it away from the public eye and deal with it in my own time.

But today, its personal.

Its time I get a little frustrated with my gender.

I'm sorry but its time to burn some bras, chant "I am woman, here me roar" and ask the big question:

"Why is it that so many women are unable to cope on their own?"

I know there are ladies reading this who are sitting here convincing themselves that they are, or would be, perfectly fine on their own. I also know that there are women out there who are saying to themselves "i could handle being out of a relationship" or "i am perfectly fine being single." Or "I am single and not looking", or "I've been on my own for ages now, and its time to have a relationship."

Bullsh*t.

Have any of these women been truly alone? Not just "single" or "not in a relationship", but I am talking about taking yourself completely off the market to the point where you could even class yourself as "assexual"?

I am talking about being alone and not lonely.

Why is it that women find it so difficult to be in love and then be out of love? Why do women feel as though they have lost a part of themselves when it happens? Why is it that women find themselves lost or unhappy when they are not being loved, or when they are not "in love"?

Up until June this year, I was that girl. I was the girl that was going out looking for someone to "complete" me. I was out there randomly dating, and when the person didnt really suit, or things didnt kick off, I would feel like my world was caving in. I was in love with the idea of being in love and I will openly admit that I was constantly on the look out for the fairytale. And why wouldnt I have been? I was 24 years old, with a fantastic job, a great smile and an ability to hold a decent conversation with even the local drunk at the pub. I felt like I deserved to be in love. I deserved to find someone to share life with. And when the prospective suitor turned out to be far from my fairytale, I would wallow in self pity and struggle to deal with the idea that I had to go back to the drawing board once again.

I was so in love with the idea of being in love that I forgot one thing - I had no idea about myself.

For so long, I was putting my perceived "happiness" in other people's hands. I was linking being single to "being unhappy". And to be honest, my desperation to find happiness was showing up in most of my relationships. So I decided to take myself completely "off the market". Entirely. I not just said to myself that I wasnt going to date, but I completely removed from my mind the idea that I was to find the fairytale and find it soon. It wasnt something that disappeared over night. But I made conscious decisions to stop going out to clubs and pubs in order to meet people. I stopped looking around on the street and stopped wondering whether it was Mr. Right that was standing on the corner nearby. And most importantly, I let go of the idea that I had truly loved those that I thought I loved in the past. Because all of a sudden it didnt matter.

I look at all of my friends out there who are in relationships or are dating and I see them miserable. I see their emotions being constantly controlled by the actions of another. I see them constantly questioning whether what they are doing is the right thing, whether they are keeping their partner happy, constantly asking for reassurance from them, and falling apart when they find themselves alone. I also see women find strength to break away from unhappy relationships, but then fall back into the relationship just as quick because they "believe" that they are unhappy without that person, no matter how unhappy they are with them. Some even think that the unhappiness is worth it, simply because they have someone.

So many women are simply afraid to be alone because they fear that they will be lonely.

I also see people in love and I see themselves become a part of the other person, rather than be their own person. In other words, they begin to believe that their partner is a supplement, rather than a compliment.

Why are people constantly putting their happiness in other people's hands?

Although it may appear that I am opposed to relationships or being in love, that certainly is not true. I yearn to find a meaningful relationship with someone I truly love. I still hold that idea of the fairytale.

But the difference is that I am going to enter into that relationship with the knowledge that without this person, I would be okay. And that this person I have would compliment me, rather than become a part of me. I will be grateful for the person that comes into my life because he is an addition to my life, rather than have my life and my emotions constantly controlled by the actions and behaviour of another.

I intend to go into that relationship in the future knowing full well that I would be okay being alone. I know so many women that would say that they too could be perfectly fine without a partner, but I really wonder whether or not that would be the case.

This isnt written by someone who is cynical about love.

This is written by someone that is no longer wanting to place her happiness in someone elses hands. Because happiness is too fragile for a lot of people because they havent learnt how to make themselves happy.

And who has the right to control someone else's happiness?

Some Valentines Day Cards

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http://www.meish.org/vd/

Okay... One More Cute Picture

Carb Cravings and Brain Bleeding

http://www.pbs.org/saf/1105/images05/eureka10.jpg

I'm in a bit of a situation.

You see, I gave up having real sugar with my coffee and swapped to "Equal", the artificial sugar.

Now I have been told that artificial sugar makes you crave carbs, and makes your brain bleed.

Time to give up the Equal I think.
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Whose Idea of Justice Is This?

http://www.theage.com.au/ffximage/2005/04/23/scott_rush_wideweb__430x312.jpg

I know that a number of my regular readers are not from Australia, so I will try to explain the situation as best and as accurately as I can through various references.
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The Facts
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Those from Australia will certainly know this subject very well. It is contraversial, current and worst of all, heartbreaking. A person would not be considered human if he or she didnt feel at least a little saddened by this story. On 17 April 2005, four people were arrested at Bali's Ngurah Rai International Airport, on suspicion of drug trafficking. After they were arrested, and stripped, they were carrying more than eight kilograms of heroin, strapped to their bodies with masking tape. A further five people were arrested at other locations for being involved in the operation.
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It has since been alleged that the three men and one woman were employed by the members of the drug operation to act as "drug mules". Having not been informed of the reason why they were being sent to Bali by these people until they arrived, they were then told that if they didnt traffic the heroin back into Australia, their family members would be killed. Afraid, the four young adults felt that they had no option than to carry the drugs.
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Is It A Crime to Be Naive?

One of the young men, Mr. Scott Rush, was a good looking, friendly young man who had somehow gotten caught up in the "wrong crowd". If you believe their stories, Scott had allegedly been informed by his friend that he had just sold his bakery and had some extra money. As a present, Scott and his friend Michael (who was also arrested) would be taken to Bali for a "free holiday". Scott and Michael were naive. No one doubts that they were silly to have believed that it was as simple as a "free holiday". But being "naive" was never a crime.
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Scott's family accidently found out that he had a flight booked for him to Bali when the travel agent telephoned their house for Scott. They were immediately suspicious. Scott had barely any money, and he did not even own a passport. Afraid of what their son had gotten himself involved in, his parents asked their lawyer for assistance. Their lawyer suggested that they inform the Australian Federal Police, in hope that the AFP would stop Scott and his friend Michael from getting on the plane.
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The Involvement of the Australian Federal Police
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After the AFP were informed by Scott's parents about the possibility of suspicious activity, the AFP informed Scott's parents that they would stop Scott from getting on the plane.

However, they didnt stop Scott or Michael. They allowed them to go to Indonesia, be threatened by the traffickers, be forced to strap heroin to their bodies in fear of their lives, and their family's lives. Scott and Michael were arrested, as was Renae Lawrence and Martin Stephens. They had used Scott, Michael, Renae and Martin as their own mules - mules that would leave them to the "bigger fish" of the operation.
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Scott and Renae were sentenced to life in an Indonesian jail today. The Indonesian judges failed to accept that they did not know they were trafficking drugs when they went to Bali. Martin and Michael are to be sentenced tomorrow. Some of the Bali Nine are expected to be sentenced to death by firing squad.
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Criticism of the Australian Federal Police
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Wikipedia explains:
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"Several parents of the accused criticised the Australian Federal Police for allowing the Indonesian police to arrest the nine, rather than allowing them to fly to Australia and arresting them in Sydney. Terry O'Gorman, president of the Australian Council of Civil Liberties, said that that Australian police had unnecessarily exposed the nine to the possibility of the death penalty. "This is despite the fact that the AFP was the primary investigator and that the end point for the alleged crime was Australia," he said. "It is unexplained why the AFP agreed to hand the case over to the Indonesians with such potentially grave consequences for those arrested."
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"...Scott Rush, Renae Lawrence, Martin Stephens and Michael Czugaj all began legal proceedings in Australia against the Australian Federal Police. Lawyers argued the Australian Federal Police had acted illegally by tipping off Indonesian police with information leading to the arrest of the accused in Bali, and also knowingly exposing them to the death penalty. Federal Court judges dismissed the claims in January, 2006 ..."
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This Isnt Fair
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I know that I will have a tough time convincing people that these young adults didnt deserve what they got.
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But I have a heavy heart when I see the pain in Scott's eyes and the regret that he feels for getting involved in this situation. No kid the age of 19 deserves to be living this kind of hell, because he made one stupid decision.
These kids arent the people that the police should be wasting their time trying to punish. These are merely drug mules. They knew no better. If they want to stop the heroin problem in this world, they need to spend their time and money on finding those higher in the hierachy, not ruin the lives of kids just looking for a holiday.
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I am angry that the Australian Federal Police are going to get away with this. When they were tipped off by Scott Rush's parents, they should have taken it upon themselves to lawfully stop those kids from leaving Australia. Instead, they waited for them to do the crime and arrest them. Its like watching someone who is attacking another with a knife, waiting until the victim is dead and then arrest the person for murder.
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What was there for the AFP to gain by doing this?
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A closer relationship with the Indonesian police.... political motivations.... it makes me sick.
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As a result of the actions of the AFP, four young australian adults are committed to spending the rest of their lives in a jail which reflects that of a third world country. Good, you say? Serves them right for getting mixed up in the wrong crowd? Its not as simple as that. It cant be as simple as that. If their stories are correct, then they were just pawns in a huge big game. They were naive. They were threatened with their lives. They were offered free holidays. When you are more or less destitute, with low self esteem and struggling to make ends meet, you are more susceptible to these "opportunities of a life time".
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The AFP should have done the right thing by their citizens and allow these young adults to arrive home on Australian soil and then arrest them, rather than leave them at the mercy of a judicial system which has a strict "death by firing squad" policy for any person caught trafficking drugs. Indonesia thinks they are doing these kids a favour by sparing them of the death penalty, but by leaving them in those cells in Indonesia to rot may as well be the death penalty.
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If you are interested in this sad story, please visit http://www.abc.net.au/austory/default.htm, which aired a special tonight at 9pm on our television.
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Tonight, I go to bed with a heavy heart.
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She's Just SOOOO Cute!

Charlotte is the type of baby that everyone stops to look at her to say "Awww, how cute!"

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