From Little Things...

The other day on Facebook I read an article posted by someone I admire and have known since high school.  I know if she is on her "soap box" about something normally there is good reason.  SO I read the story.  Then I got on my soap box and shared the link.  And then it went quiet.  I guess it wasn't a cute link to a story about a cat or a dog, or a dancing baby - you know the ones, they get 100's of 1000's of like and comments.  This article was about something people don't want to comment on/are too afraid to comment on OR, straight out, they don't care.  And I'd like to think I am surrounded by people in my social media stratosphere that do care..

Here's the story: From Little Things Big Things Grow

it's a delightful story about a company called "Wicked Campers" - who, as the name suggests, rents out camper vans to people travelling around Australia.  Where is the fuss in that  I hear you ask..  The fuss isn't in that - the fuss is in the slogans they have painted on their vans.  One delightful example if below:

Just in case you can't read it, it says: "In every princess there is a little slut who wants to try it just once".

Really?  That is acceptable and not worthy of some outrage?

As the write of the article says:  "When something is wrong and has become normalised it’s the exact moment to speak up."

I think it is time to speak up.

#WickedCampers #PaulaOrbea

Sweet Home Alabama

I am chick flick mad.  You may be surprised to know I love Sci-Fi as well.  Not Star Trek Sci-Fi - more shows like Under The Dome and Arrow (actually, does Arrow count as Sci-fi?  And if I'm really honest I watch it to look at Stephen Amell, I meant who wouldn't?  I always say, Arrow, so bad it is good...).  But I digress...

Back to my love of chick flicks.  I like the fact the story lines are so easy to read.  I like tuning out for 2 hours and not thinking about anything other than what is playing out on the screen in front of me (yes, I know, I know what is going to happen but I don't have to THINK about it). 

Which brings me to one of my favourite movies, that I watched for about the 23rd time on Saturday night, Sweet Home Alabama.  I came to realise a long time ago that I like the movie because of the fact it reminds me of me when I was younger (that and Josh Lucas is damn hot).  I'd left a small town to move to the big smoke (and left behind my first true love, well it had been over for years but you know teenagers, but that's where that similarity ends) and I got a bit ahead of myself..  I wasn't as obnoxious as Melanie (Reece Witherspoon) or at least I don't think I was (there is probably lots of people who will have a different opinion to that though!!) but I didn't go back to my home town and visit my parents or family enough, I didn't call them enough - I wasn't there enough...  I want to reach through the TV and slap her, then I realised I can't because I was I was her when I was in my late teens to my early 20's...

So the moral of this blog is - always be present, always make an effort to see or talk to your parents and family - even if it is just a phone call regularly...  If you live close by, call in - even for 10 minutes, just don't think you'll do it tomorrow.  Tomorrow never comes soon enough.  And, it may be too late.

I Bought a Zoo!

I bought a zoo.  Well, really I didn’t.  I joined a gym. But I bought a zoo sounds so much more exciting.

I bravely went up to the gym that opened just up the road from where I live, paid my joining fee ($9) and agreed to the $10.95 per week for usage of the whole gym 7 days per week.  Even for a non-gym person, how great is that?  $47 a month for using every machine and access to every class.
I digress.

I have joined a gym once in my life.  It was Contours in Mortdale (they have since moved) – a woman’s only circuit gym.  I hated it from day 1.  I hated everything about it.  For a girl who spent most of her early life playing sport, since I broke my hips at age 15 (long story) I have a lack of confidence about my legs holding me up sometimes (again, long story, but when I hip breaks, you collapse quite spectacularly) and this affects my coordination.  Once I am comfortable with a “move” it is not a problem but the first few times trying to master something can be challenging.

Anyway back to my story.  I was completing a circuit when it was time to do some move or rather and I hadn’t done it before.  The instructor yells out to the whole circuit “new girl up the back, can tell, she can’t keep up”.  I was freaking mortified.  I left, mid circuit and never went back.  I never gave them that feedback – hopefully one day someone will show them this blog and they understand why they only had me for 3 weeks (by the way, a circuit gym is rubbish – just rubbish).

Forgive me getting off track.  Again.

Bottom line is I am 42 years old and I was petrified of joining a gym.  I thought it would be full of beautiful people all preening and pomping around.  I was wrong, thankfully.  The majority of people I see every day are just like me.  Phew.

A 5.30am start is not ideal in winter but you know what, I don’t hate it. I will stick this out, finish what is set out to do (lose weight) and who knows, will probably continue to attend that gym.
Thanks Crunch Fitness – you may have taken your sweet time opening but I appreciate it!

 

 

Moving Mountains..

If you have reached this page and this particular blog entry, take the time to watch the follow up story titled “60 Minutes – Kristy Cruise Story” and then go to her blog page called “Moving Mountains” and read her story.

Moving Mountains - Kristy Cruise

60 Minutes - Kristy Cruise Story

Right – watched the clip?  Read her blog overview?  Good – read on. 

I  watched 60 Minutes last Sunday night and cried.  I cried a lot.  I cried those heart wrenching sobs that come from the heart, the ones you didn’t know were there.  I cried tears of joy for Kristy, tears of sadness for the people who would never have known about this procedure had it not of been for Kristy but who probably can’t afford it anyway and tears of despair for people like my mum, who technically doesn’t have MS (and this sounds terrible, but if she did it would be a lot simpler to get our government to help her) but Parkinson’s Disease – which, if you want to split hairs, is likened to MS sometimes (I digress with the part about my mum, but bear with me, there will be a link in a few paragraphs).

I feel my blood pressure rise just thinking about the fact in Moscow, Tel Aviv and Chicago RIGHT NOW there are amazing doctors who are conducting stem cell transplants (HSCT) on 100’s of MS sufferers with such positive results and yet the Australian government says “NO”.  Guess there is too much money to be lost by the pharmaceutical companies if we suddenly had an operation that may mean you don’t need to rely on so much medication if you do have MS.

I’m angry – even 2 days after watching this story I am still damn angry.  What exacerbates this anger is I wonder how many other amazing doctors are using break through surgery to help people suffering from other diseases – such as Parkinson’s Disease (link to my mum).

I know there are no guarantees this would work.  I know there are risks surrounding it.  But I also know that you may as well have an option because you chose to not because the government won’t allow it.

I think I will still be mad in a week.

 

#KristyCruise #MovingMountains #MS

"Disgusting. Frumpy. Gross. Imperfect."

"Disgusting.  Frumpy.  Gross.  Imperfect."

"How would you describe your body in one word? Would you use any of the above adjectives? If you answered yes, you’re not alone. The responses above are real examples of Aussie women describe themselves."

"Lose weight, reduce wrinkles, fight cellulite; we’re constantly told to fight a battle to be someone other than who we are.”

Check out this clip: Body Image Movement Embrace by Taryn Brumfitt.  I have been guilty of this.  I am guilty of this.  I have cried to myself silently, hating what I see, especially as I get older.

I just thought it would be a good thing to share.

The Office

I work in talent acquisition.  Known previously, and to some still, as recruitment.  I have worked with some absolute shocking people over the years.  Thankfully I have also worked with some amazing superstars.

What I have noticed of late is that the shockers are quickly trying to infiltrate my life again.  The shockers fall into a two natural categories:

• Leadership/Management; those who have yelled and screamed their way through management, terrorising everyone in their path.  Generally just offensive human beings
• Colleagues;  I could write for paragraphs but you know the one I mean – THOSE colleagues

How on earth does anyone who has behaved appallingly get off contacting me via the many social media platforms we have these days, like a long lost buddy, asking for help into their next role?

Regardless of how I feel toward them I am professional and courteous in my reply.  This reply today is what I really want to say:  “Where do you get off asking me for help?  I didn’t respect you then and time has not helped my feelings on this matter.”

As if I am going to inflict those type of people on the company I work for now.

Go crawl back under the rock you came out from.

A Non Apology To My Friends With Children....

I read this today:  An Apology to my Childless Friends and I want to scream how sick I am of reading this stuff.  It seems to be never ending these days - childless women v women with children!  Enough - we are all female - we are all human - just because one chose to procreate doesn't mean one is better than the other. 

I find this "funny take on having kids" just down right condescending.  I don't have kids and yet I am not a child hater, I am not evil and I am not dumb.  Don't treat me like the 2 year old you are cleaning up after to try and explain why we don't talk much anymore. 

I understand it is hard to get baby sitters so I am happy to visit. I don't care your house is covered in kids crap, I just want to see you.  What I do care about is us still being friends; limping through the here and now (because apparently we can't be the friends we once were because I am childless and don't get your life, if this clip is anything to go by) and still being friends when the child starts to grow up.

I really do not know why I wrote this - I guess I am just over it.  And blogs like "An apology to my childless friends" just put a bee in my bonnet.

P.S. I was going to call this "Spitting the Dummy"...