With all the Tiger Woods mistresses and Jesse James mistresses coming out and saying that they were duped by the men in question, who had apparently told them that their marriages were not happy and were basically over, I had thought that they were bullshitting and that they were just trying to play victim. I'm not saying that we should see them as victims, at all, and at the end of the day they did sleep with married men.
But I had thought they were bullshitting. Then I remembered that I have had a man attempt to pull the same thing on me. Maybe people shouldn't be calling bullshit so readily.
27 April 2010
26 April 2010
Bye, bye Beijing Bistro.
I woke up this morning to the news that my joint favourite restaurant in Bristol has closed down, and this news has upset me greatly. It's stupid, a little, and I'm maybe, perhaps, exaggerating slightly but Beijing Bistro is amazing - the food is really cheap and you get loads of it but more to the point, I've eaten there so many times and had so much fun. It's where Jeff and I used to go when we first met, it's where I used to meet Lucy, Pippa and Philip for dinner on an almost weekly basis and I went with other friends too. It also had really good sesame prawn toast, which I'm slightly obsessed with and frankly that is the thing that I will miss the most.
Damn you world! Nothing was supposed to change whilst I was away!!!
Also, for the record, El Puerto is my other favourite restaurant and if THAT closes, I'll never come back to Bristol.
Damn you world! Nothing was supposed to change whilst I was away!!!
Also, for the record, El Puerto is my other favourite restaurant and if THAT closes, I'll never come back to Bristol.
25 April 2010
Stupid stupidness of stupidity.
Pretty much ever since I got to Melbourne, I've spent practically all my time with two girls called Alice and Harriet. A lot of that time has been watching TV or chilling out drinking tea or whatever but we get on really well. It's been so nice hanging out with them, even if it's just been going to the cinema or hanging around in their room doing a crossword or all curling up on one of our beds to watch a film or TV.
Well, last night we went out for a lovely dinner at an awesome restaurant opposite Parliament of Victoria and had a wonderful four course feast of deliciousness because today Alice has gone back to England. I'm so, so, so gutted. To compound this, Harriet is going to Adelaide on Wednesday morning so I'll be by myself. It's horrible because even though I know I will meet other people, I kind of don't want to if I'm honest. I've become tragically long in the tooth and lazy and there are so many people at the hostel who just want to get drunk and hook up with each other and I'm tired, to be honest, and can't be bothered getting involved in all that.
So yeah, down day. BUT I think I will have some exciting work related news to convey quite soon. In the immediate, that arsewipe from Oxford has handed his notice in. It's just that there are so many chiefs, not enough indians, and no team spirit. It's not a very big venue and so even when it's busy it's not busy and the second there are a whole bunch of people eating lunch or whatever it becomes a nightmare. People run around like headless chickens achieving nothing and being rude to each other... It's awful but of course I work for Vue de Monde so I have to get on with it because it's one of the best things I can put on my CV in Australia.
Election stuff still a source of fascination - loving it!
Well, last night we went out for a lovely dinner at an awesome restaurant opposite Parliament of Victoria and had a wonderful four course feast of deliciousness because today Alice has gone back to England. I'm so, so, so gutted. To compound this, Harriet is going to Adelaide on Wednesday morning so I'll be by myself. It's horrible because even though I know I will meet other people, I kind of don't want to if I'm honest. I've become tragically long in the tooth and lazy and there are so many people at the hostel who just want to get drunk and hook up with each other and I'm tired, to be honest, and can't be bothered getting involved in all that.
So yeah, down day. BUT I think I will have some exciting work related news to convey quite soon. In the immediate, that arsewipe from Oxford has handed his notice in. It's just that there are so many chiefs, not enough indians, and no team spirit. It's not a very big venue and so even when it's busy it's not busy and the second there are a whole bunch of people eating lunch or whatever it becomes a nightmare. People run around like headless chickens achieving nothing and being rude to each other... It's awful but of course I work for Vue de Monde so I have to get on with it because it's one of the best things I can put on my CV in Australia.
Election stuff still a source of fascination - loving it!
23 April 2010
Things I miss...
Oh my GOD! I miss Tampax Compaq! You can, if you're lucky, get hold of regular Tampax but most of the tampons sold over here are non applicator ones, which I loathe with a passion. I'm actually tempted to beg to have a load of Tampax mailed to me, I hate the tampon culture over here so much.
Also Ariel liqui-tabs and Comfort fabric softener. The washing machines and washing powders/liquids over here are rubbish.
Also Ariel liqui-tabs and Comfort fabric softener. The washing machines and washing powders/liquids over here are rubbish.
17 April 2010
Election frustration, etc...
I should have done this a few days ago but since the debate happened last night, now seems as good a time as any.
Ummmmmmmmmmmmm, OK, firstly, I am amazed that people are stupid enough to start thinking that might be even a remotely good idea to re-elect Labour. Seriously, we have to change and it's not to do with the recession (yes there was a degree of irresponsibility) nor to do with the fact that we've had nonsense like the MPs expense scandal. It's not even particularly to do with those illegal wars the Labour's ex Dear Leader dragged us in to. It's about the fact that they can't get it together to govern. Honestly, when you push all those other things aside we're looking at a collection of 320 or so people that simply can't co-operate or focus on what they need to do without spending too much time trying to get the soundbite or without trying to bring down an admittedly rubbish Prime Minister.
I saw the Conservative manifesto and I liked it. My major issue about government is that it's massive what with all the quangos, etc. Clarkson is right - government does not need to be so big so I'm a big fan of that and actually I'm disappointed that Cameron doesn't make more of it. Whatever about the fact that I'm blue, the point is that the country can save so much money by not wasting it on bureaucrap and YES! Why doesn't every single political party think this is a reasonable suggestion?!
Talking of disappointment, I thought last night's television debate was rubbish. If we're going to be taking a leaf out of the Americans' book, then the debates should be in the same vein. Instead, it was really boring. So, so dull. Cameron and Brown trying to take cheap shots so that's how Clegg did so well, because he was focused on getting his point across. And also whoever presented the ITV debate was rubbish, I feel bound to say. But I guess that might be because ITV is rubbish.
Um, so basically I think the whole election thing is brilliant and actually a hung parliament would be much fun. Also I am going to be honest and say that Cameron has not been particularly impressive as yet. He needs to get much better. True story.
Ummmmmmmmmmmmm, OK, firstly, I am amazed that people are stupid enough to start thinking that might be even a remotely good idea to re-elect Labour. Seriously, we have to change and it's not to do with the recession (yes there was a degree of irresponsibility) nor to do with the fact that we've had nonsense like the MPs expense scandal. It's not even particularly to do with those illegal wars the Labour's ex Dear Leader dragged us in to. It's about the fact that they can't get it together to govern. Honestly, when you push all those other things aside we're looking at a collection of 320 or so people that simply can't co-operate or focus on what they need to do without spending too much time trying to get the soundbite or without trying to bring down an admittedly rubbish Prime Minister.
I saw the Conservative manifesto and I liked it. My major issue about government is that it's massive what with all the quangos, etc. Clarkson is right - government does not need to be so big so I'm a big fan of that and actually I'm disappointed that Cameron doesn't make more of it. Whatever about the fact that I'm blue, the point is that the country can save so much money by not wasting it on bureaucrap and YES! Why doesn't every single political party think this is a reasonable suggestion?!
Talking of disappointment, I thought last night's television debate was rubbish. If we're going to be taking a leaf out of the Americans' book, then the debates should be in the same vein. Instead, it was really boring. So, so dull. Cameron and Brown trying to take cheap shots so that's how Clegg did so well, because he was focused on getting his point across. And also whoever presented the ITV debate was rubbish, I feel bound to say. But I guess that might be because ITV is rubbish.
Um, so basically I think the whole election thing is brilliant and actually a hung parliament would be much fun. Also I am going to be honest and say that Cameron has not been particularly impressive as yet. He needs to get much better. True story.
16 April 2010
Awesome food and comedy fun
Soooooooooooooo, yesterday I was off work and we eventually managed to drag our arses out of the hostel and I went with PokerPlayer, Horserider, Devon and PokerPlayer's room mate. So we'll call him TheRoomate. Anyways, PokerPlayer wanted to buy an iPod so we went up into the CBD and bummed around in Myer and David Jones (think Debenhams and House of Fraser respectively) and looked for the iPod and then we went for dinner and went to a Malaysian BYO (BYO is really common over here, thankfully, and for the record I had a Chardonnay from Adelaide Hills and I was not especially impressed and I think I've decided it's because it might be too warm up there) and we had quite a lot of great food and funny conversation and it was basically my idea of a perfect dinner out.
Then we were on our way back to the hostel and walked past a little poster advertising a comedy gig which was like a gala of different acts all MC'd by a guy called Josh Thomas who Horserider really likes so I suggested we go and a consensus was that might be a good idea. So we went and spent probably the best $15 any of us have ever spent. Every single one of the ten acts, bar one, were pant wettingly hilarious and I laughed like I haven't laughed in ages and just generally it was an absolutely brilliant, brilliant night.
Oh, before that I made a whole bunch of scrummy pancakes for everybody and they were really absolutely perfectly delicious. It was a very happy time in my life.
Tonight I cooked a three course feast of smoked salmon, asparagus and avocado salad followed by lemon chicken and with homemade chocolate mousse and poached fruit for dinner. YUM, YUM, YUM!!!
Other than that, I feel better but my throat is definitely all up and I don't really like my job that much for quite a lot of reasons but that might be because I need to settle in.
Then we were on our way back to the hostel and walked past a little poster advertising a comedy gig which was like a gala of different acts all MC'd by a guy called Josh Thomas who Horserider really likes so I suggested we go and a consensus was that might be a good idea. So we went and spent probably the best $15 any of us have ever spent. Every single one of the ten acts, bar one, were pant wettingly hilarious and I laughed like I haven't laughed in ages and just generally it was an absolutely brilliant, brilliant night.
Oh, before that I made a whole bunch of scrummy pancakes for everybody and they were really absolutely perfectly delicious. It was a very happy time in my life.
Tonight I cooked a three course feast of smoked salmon, asparagus and avocado salad followed by lemon chicken and with homemade chocolate mousse and poached fruit for dinner. YUM, YUM, YUM!!!
Other than that, I feel better but my throat is definitely all up and I don't really like my job that much for quite a lot of reasons but that might be because I need to settle in.
15 April 2010
It's OK, I'm not really mental
Turns out all my anger and rage was ExtremePMS. We're all good, kids.
13 April 2010
Boo to proper illness but other stuff too.
Literally today, I have started to feel ill but it's gotten so bad just over the course of the day. Started with a slightly sore throat and some sneezing this morning and now I'm in bed having taken two paracetemol and I've got a runny nose, my throat is all up, my glands are swollen, I'm stiff through my body and I've got achey ears. As a general rule, I feel like crap and really, really sorry for myself and I have to be up at 6.30 tomorrow morning for work. I am not off until Friday and I have quite a busy week planned so this is not good at all and I really, really need like two days of R and R BUT I am hopefully going to the doctor this week anyway and I hear they're quite good at giving out drugs over here, so I might be in with the luck.
I'm annoyed that I'm ill because now that's all I want to write about but there is a lot that has happened so I am going to try and focus my energies for a short time. Luckily I'm listening to the Spice Girls and Lily Allen so that is helping.
So work, yes work is fine BUT not busy enough for me as a general rule and this is something I need to adjust to because obviously the Winery was busy basically all the time but it's fine. What I absolutely love is the fact that the chefs are all actual proper bona fide chefs rather than cooks and they know a scary amount about food and they make the most amazing dishes and they are creative and all that jazz - basically everything that you want from good chefs. Also they make dishes for us to taste - which is awesome - as well as feed us very well and I'm scared that I'm going to be very fat by the time I leave because we also have a 24 hour pastry kitchen downstairs with all sorts of delicious goodness. Basically food wise, I win. Awesome. Pretty much everyone I work with is really cool with the notable exception of one guy, we'll call him Oxford, and he is an absolute douchebag because he's officious and pompous and he's greasy and reminds me of somebody from a film but I can't remember who and for example the other day I set the restaurant up for dinner and he didn't say anything but followed me around moving absolutely everything by one inch and then wondered why I was irritated. He's just one of those people that was quite clearly bullied at school and has no life nor any friends and so his entire life revolves around being at work and he thinks he's something a bit special when actually he's probably special needs and has few to no people skills. Also, I know that I'm contrary but this is the opinion of everyone with whom I work. Oxford and I had a little run in the other day and they've all come and said to me since that I should ignore him. Which makes me feel better.
I've been in a huge grump since I got here but in a really weird way. I'm not in a bad mood or anything, but I've turned into a properly evil bitch. I'm sick of there being no peace and quiet and there are loads of idiots in my hostel. This came to a head a few days ago when there were some idiots playing football in their room but with the door open and they were listening to their iPod on an iPod dock really loudly. And then some other guys came up and joined them and they proceeded to talk and laugh and generally make noise for ages. So I went over and I said, 'Look guys it's 2am, turn the music down and stop playing football and just generally be quieter.' And they completely ignored me! So I got back up off the sofa again, walked to their room, turned the music down myself and moved the bag out of the way of the door so that the door would swing shut at the same time as saying, 'I've told you once it's 2 in the bloody morning, be quiet.' And they opened the door again, turned the music back up and carried on talking really loudly. So then I lost it. I stormed up to the room, kicked the bag out of the way of the door, 'I've told you twice now, don't you understand it's 2 o'clock in the morning, I've got to be up for work tomorrow, other people are trying to sleep and you need to be quiet.' Then one of them started claiming that I'd not said anything before and was trying to push me out of the way so I pushed him back, went right up to his face and really loudly starting telling him to shut up, that I wasn't putting up with it anymore, that I'd already told them they were risking me going absolutely mental, that I'd been nice, I'd been calm and I'd been tolerant and that they were to Shut. Up.
I know, I know, it's really bad and I know I'm completely irrational but it really does wind me up so much that I lose my temper and I've never allowed myself to get so, so annoyed by that sort of thing before. I don't even mind living in hostels per se, but my head rationalises the irritation. I don't know if part of it is simply being really long in the tooth and genuinely not caring what these people think of me and knowing I don't need or want to be friends with them, particularly. Even the other day I went to the cinema and they have allocated seating and the cinema was pretty full and some guy was sitting in my seat, so I showed him my ticket and said, 'Look dude, you're in my seat,' and he just looked at me with this really annoying grin on his face, so I double checked, he was definitely in my seat and so I said, 'You're definitely in my seat,' and he just looked at me with this weird grin/smirk. I know I could have sat somewhere else but I didn't want to be in a position where I'd have taken somebody else's seat. So in the end I said to him, 'There's no point just looking at me with that stupid grin on your face, get out of my seat.' I'll be fine - I think it might be a hormone thing or it might just be that I'm tired.
Good things, though... I am still really enjoying Melbourne and I've met some really nice people. Last Thursday a couple of girls I've been hanging around with, Alice and Harriet, and I went to Victoria Park Markets and got some fish and some vegetables and I used a recipe from BBC Food and we made a delicious meal and I bought some nice wine and then we went to the bar, where I went off on one dancing around like a lunatic and had a blast and a really good laugh. I've also been to the cinema a couple of times to Crown Casino, which is a huge complex of casino (obviously), a cinema, some bars and some restaurants and is generally quite a bonkers place. Then yesterday Alice and I went to get some sushi and then for a coffee and watched some comedy on Federation Square. So yeah, I'm definitely more 'living' in Melbourne than I was in Sydney.
It's sooooooooooooooooo cold, though! I can't believe it! I've not got a coat so I need to buy one now, which is annoying because it's probably going to be about $100-150 for a decent warm one that will last me the whole winter to be worn every day and I don't have many jumpers so I need to buy some so it's going to be quite expensive just to wrap myself up for the winter, but I'm sure I'll cope.
OK, I think that's everything. I'm about to do some election reading and will probably post about it in a minute. I'm beyond excited about it - it's going to be AWESOME!!!
I'm annoyed that I'm ill because now that's all I want to write about but there is a lot that has happened so I am going to try and focus my energies for a short time. Luckily I'm listening to the Spice Girls and Lily Allen so that is helping.
So work, yes work is fine BUT not busy enough for me as a general rule and this is something I need to adjust to because obviously the Winery was busy basically all the time but it's fine. What I absolutely love is the fact that the chefs are all actual proper bona fide chefs rather than cooks and they know a scary amount about food and they make the most amazing dishes and they are creative and all that jazz - basically everything that you want from good chefs. Also they make dishes for us to taste - which is awesome - as well as feed us very well and I'm scared that I'm going to be very fat by the time I leave because we also have a 24 hour pastry kitchen downstairs with all sorts of delicious goodness. Basically food wise, I win. Awesome. Pretty much everyone I work with is really cool with the notable exception of one guy, we'll call him Oxford, and he is an absolute douchebag because he's officious and pompous and he's greasy and reminds me of somebody from a film but I can't remember who and for example the other day I set the restaurant up for dinner and he didn't say anything but followed me around moving absolutely everything by one inch and then wondered why I was irritated. He's just one of those people that was quite clearly bullied at school and has no life nor any friends and so his entire life revolves around being at work and he thinks he's something a bit special when actually he's probably special needs and has few to no people skills. Also, I know that I'm contrary but this is the opinion of everyone with whom I work. Oxford and I had a little run in the other day and they've all come and said to me since that I should ignore him. Which makes me feel better.
I've been in a huge grump since I got here but in a really weird way. I'm not in a bad mood or anything, but I've turned into a properly evil bitch. I'm sick of there being no peace and quiet and there are loads of idiots in my hostel. This came to a head a few days ago when there were some idiots playing football in their room but with the door open and they were listening to their iPod on an iPod dock really loudly. And then some other guys came up and joined them and they proceeded to talk and laugh and generally make noise for ages. So I went over and I said, 'Look guys it's 2am, turn the music down and stop playing football and just generally be quieter.' And they completely ignored me! So I got back up off the sofa again, walked to their room, turned the music down myself and moved the bag out of the way of the door so that the door would swing shut at the same time as saying, 'I've told you once it's 2 in the bloody morning, be quiet.' And they opened the door again, turned the music back up and carried on talking really loudly. So then I lost it. I stormed up to the room, kicked the bag out of the way of the door, 'I've told you twice now, don't you understand it's 2 o'clock in the morning, I've got to be up for work tomorrow, other people are trying to sleep and you need to be quiet.' Then one of them started claiming that I'd not said anything before and was trying to push me out of the way so I pushed him back, went right up to his face and really loudly starting telling him to shut up, that I wasn't putting up with it anymore, that I'd already told them they were risking me going absolutely mental, that I'd been nice, I'd been calm and I'd been tolerant and that they were to Shut. Up.
I know, I know, it's really bad and I know I'm completely irrational but it really does wind me up so much that I lose my temper and I've never allowed myself to get so, so annoyed by that sort of thing before. I don't even mind living in hostels per se, but my head rationalises the irritation. I don't know if part of it is simply being really long in the tooth and genuinely not caring what these people think of me and knowing I don't need or want to be friends with them, particularly. Even the other day I went to the cinema and they have allocated seating and the cinema was pretty full and some guy was sitting in my seat, so I showed him my ticket and said, 'Look dude, you're in my seat,' and he just looked at me with this really annoying grin on his face, so I double checked, he was definitely in my seat and so I said, 'You're definitely in my seat,' and he just looked at me with this weird grin/smirk. I know I could have sat somewhere else but I didn't want to be in a position where I'd have taken somebody else's seat. So in the end I said to him, 'There's no point just looking at me with that stupid grin on your face, get out of my seat.' I'll be fine - I think it might be a hormone thing or it might just be that I'm tired.
Good things, though... I am still really enjoying Melbourne and I've met some really nice people. Last Thursday a couple of girls I've been hanging around with, Alice and Harriet, and I went to Victoria Park Markets and got some fish and some vegetables and I used a recipe from BBC Food and we made a delicious meal and I bought some nice wine and then we went to the bar, where I went off on one dancing around like a lunatic and had a blast and a really good laugh. I've also been to the cinema a couple of times to Crown Casino, which is a huge complex of casino (obviously), a cinema, some bars and some restaurants and is generally quite a bonkers place. Then yesterday Alice and I went to get some sushi and then for a coffee and watched some comedy on Federation Square. So yeah, I'm definitely more 'living' in Melbourne than I was in Sydney.
It's sooooooooooooooooo cold, though! I can't believe it! I've not got a coat so I need to buy one now, which is annoying because it's probably going to be about $100-150 for a decent warm one that will last me the whole winter to be worn every day and I don't have many jumpers so I need to buy some so it's going to be quite expensive just to wrap myself up for the winter, but I'm sure I'll cope.
OK, I think that's everything. I'm about to do some election reading and will probably post about it in a minute. I'm beyond excited about it - it's going to be AWESOME!!!
2 April 2010
I am in an awesome mood, and not just because I have a job
OK, so I spent FOUR HOURS today on a trial shift but I basically rocked it and the manager said, 'You're exactly the type of person we're looking for - job's yours if you want it.' Very happy about that, obviously. So yeah, that's really good and I start on Sunday, so that's even cooler.
I was on the tram back to the hostel and was looking out of the window and the walk to work is alongside the Domain and the Shrine of Remembrance and various nice statues and fountains in the park next to where I walk, then along South Bank with the view across the city from the south side. So yeah, that was really nice (it's also sunny and clear today, which probably helps). Basically, I really, really love Melbourne. I'm not about to say, 'Oh, I want to live here now,' but equally for the next few months I think I'll be really happy, especially now that I have a job that I genuinely think I'll enjoy.
Other than that, I don't know, I'm just really, really happy at the moment. I think it helps that I've heard from Katy, Carly, Anna and Deb in the last few days (as well as, of course, la famille) and know what's going on with them and I've met some lovely people and yeah, I just feel really happy at the moment and excited about the next few months.
I'm also going to make a confession here - I've started very provisional plans for coming back to Britain. I'm not saying anything else for now but I've started the ball rolling in the last couple of days. No, it's not happening in the next few weeks or anything but I decided that I need to know when I'm coming back so that I can focus on enjoying the time I'm out here as well as give me a bit of direction. Honestly, I kind of hope this hasn't contributed to my general feelings of positivity and optimism but I fear it has.
I was on the tram back to the hostel and was looking out of the window and the walk to work is alongside the Domain and the Shrine of Remembrance and various nice statues and fountains in the park next to where I walk, then along South Bank with the view across the city from the south side. So yeah, that was really nice (it's also sunny and clear today, which probably helps). Basically, I really, really love Melbourne. I'm not about to say, 'Oh, I want to live here now,' but equally for the next few months I think I'll be really happy, especially now that I have a job that I genuinely think I'll enjoy.
Other than that, I don't know, I'm just really, really happy at the moment. I think it helps that I've heard from Katy, Carly, Anna and Deb in the last few days (as well as, of course, la famille) and know what's going on with them and I've met some lovely people and yeah, I just feel really happy at the moment and excited about the next few months.
I'm also going to make a confession here - I've started very provisional plans for coming back to Britain. I'm not saying anything else for now but I've started the ball rolling in the last couple of days. No, it's not happening in the next few weeks or anything but I decided that I need to know when I'm coming back so that I can focus on enjoying the time I'm out here as well as give me a bit of direction. Honestly, I kind of hope this hasn't contributed to my general feelings of positivity and optimism but I fear it has.
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