Continued Musings of a Tiny Mind...

Ever want to stay in your pyjamas? All day? I do. Not because I can't be bothered having a shower. I am lucky enough to have a good baby girl who always naps after her first feed, giving me time to shower, eat and look human again.

No, I'm talking about for comfort. For style. For the ease of not having to change when you go to buy bread and milk at Coles.

You see, I just got myself ANOTHER pair of Peter Alexander pyjama pants. I've become quite addicted this year and have bought a few pairs of pj's from his online store. This particular pair are easily the Most Comfortable pair I have ever owned. Yes, I put it in capitals. They deserve it. They are now officially labeled 'Most Comfortable'. I may have to give them their own special drawer.

I'm being totally serious about this. Many is the time since I received that exciting PA package in the mail that I have thought, why change to go get bread and milk? To go pick Cassidy up from daycare? To go to work? Would anybody notice? Or care? It is only Port Hedland after all. Should I just buck convention and venture out of the house in comfort and style? Not to mention ready to have a nap at the drop of a hat? Or would the shopping centre security make me go buy jeans like people who don't have shoes have to go buy thongs?

So I'm wondering about experimenting and trying it. If I can get up the guts. I'm thinking I could start off at my Mothers Group. Surely they'd understand about staying in your pyjamas all day for comfort. Who knows, maybe I'll start a new trend. I'll keep you posted.

Signing off, The Thrillseeker.

p.s. did I mention these pyjamas are pink and purple zebra striped? Do you think it matters?

p.p.s. and what other clothes go with zebra anyway?

B.. B.. Bling!

As recently mentioned during one of my bitchy musings, I lately had to (HAD to) purchase some bling to replace a small portion of my gold jewellery that was stolen. So here's a picture of the 2 rings I bought; luckily in Karratha they have a Goldmark store. I wasn't interested in a $500 or $600 massive thing and certainly didn't have the funds to buy something like that anyway. I wanted something simple and inexpensive, and set my budget at a couple hundred dollars. To my delight, they were having a sale! So I got both the gold filigree and citrine stone rings for $200. I am very pleased with myself and my purchases - Noice!

D. O. R. O. T. H. Y... Dorothy the Dinosaur... la la LA

On Saturday, I took Cassidy, along with my sister-in-law Jessica and her 2 kids, to see the Dorothy the Dinosaur show at the Matt Dann centre. And I'm not ashamed to say that I think I enjoyed it as much as the kids did! It's great when you know all the songs and can sing along with the kids. I really enjoyed watching Cassidy jump up and down like an madman with the excitement. So here's some cool photos I snapped. Enjoy. Or don't. Let's face it, we're not all Wiggles nuts.

Supersize It!

You know, I really hate living in the pilbara. And it's not just because of the heat. Over the last 12 months, we have had a centipede infestation in our house. Actually, a pest guy told me that they live in little sand mounds outside, so it's not so much infestation, but visitation.

This week, we've had 3 of the bastard things in one week. Last Saturday, there was a small one on the floor of our bedroom. Now, when I say small, I mean, about 5 or 6 centimetres long. Then on Monday night Shane saw one outside under my car in the carport which was massive, about 14 cms long. So he smashed it with a rock.

Then last night, the worst; one in Cassidy's room. She'd gone to bed and was sitting reading with the light on. Shane and I were in the loungeroom, and I'd just put the bottle into Devon's mouth when Cassidy started screaming. Shane opened the hall door and started swearing, so I put Devon down and ran, thinking if Shane's swearing, there's blood, she's fallen and hurt herself. By the time I got round the corner, Shane had picked up Cassidy's toy laptop (the closest thing to hand) and was smashing this centipede. And it was alive. Like I mean, it was lively and trying to run off, and it was fast. It was about 8 or 9 cms long and was as fat as your finger, so gross.

Thank God Cassidy brought our attention to it rather than try and pick it up, which she's done before (to bugs, not centipedes.) I questioned her thoroughly about where it come from and whether she'd touched it, if it had been on her bed or anything and luckily, it had only been on the floor. But this is my biggest fear; that one of these bloody things is going to bite one of my kids, coz that's what happened to me last year.

I was sitting on the lounge with Shane and felt a pinch, like an ant, on my back at my armpit. When I leant forward and looked back at the lounge, a centipede crawled out, about 7 cms long. I immediately rang the hospital and then Health Direct, as I was 7 months pregnant at the time. I was fine though, just a sting like an ant, and no effects for me at all, so I was lucky. I wonder if maybe it just pinched me, rather than bit me? "Get OFF me lady!"

The accompanying photos are an example of another bug we have a lot of. We get these tiny little black bugs and, as Cassidy found out recently, they bite. They have pincers at the front and can give a nasty little nip. This huge bugger was just outside our back door. Shane and I were amazed, we've never seen such a large version of a common bug before. And these photos don't do it justice, I mean, I wouldn't have been surprised if it'd started talking, it was so huge. And don't worry, we didn't kill it, we set it free in the backyard!

So in the last 6 months, I've been bitten by a centipede, have trodden on a snake (a baby brown snake in our backyard), so all I need now is to wrestle a crocodile and I'll have a trifecta! I have to go now, am ringing our pest guy to organise our next annual bug spray. Sigh. I hope he's got extra...

If you don't think you're a very big Thinker, what does that make you?

More Musings of a Tiny Mind...

I have a habit of talking to myself. I was going to write that I have a bad habit of talking to myself, but from what I understand, lots of people do. So I won't say that I'm weird or kooky or insane. Let's just take it for granted that lots of people talk to themselves, whether aloud or in their head, and move on.

I have a running commentary going on in my head about 2 main things. Firstly, what I would say to people who have pissed me off. Driving in my car is a classic example. Why road rage when you can road vent in your head? "Yes Mr Policeman, his car did cut me off. Luckily I am an extremely careful driver and was paying extremely close attention, so when he brazenly pulled out in front of me and I had to slam the brakes on, I cleverly managed to avoid hitting that aged pedestrian and side-swiping that young skateboarder. Yes sir, book him, by all means!"

And secondly, what I would answer when asked questions about myself. For example, if I was being interviewed on The View, or by Molly Meldrum or Parky or someone like that. So. Let me elaborate...

Last year we were broken into and some of the things that were stolen from our bedroom was a handful of all my gold jewellery. This included a tiny bag full of all my labret jewellery (my chin piercing). It had the original post I was pierced with, which is a small one I used when my current larger one gets irritated, and also the coloured gems I could swap around depending on my mood. The awful thing is that this bag has always lived in my purse, but about 2 weeks before the break in I took it out and put it on the dresser near my jewellery as I was scared I would lose my purse and lose the bag. So go figure.

I am obsessed with why oh why they would take a useless bag of jewellery, because basically, unless you also had a labret piercing, this jewellery is useless to them. You couldn't sell it really. I'm also obsessed about checking out the jewellery that strangers wear, as my gold was quite distinctive and I would know it anywhere. A favourite thumb ring had a flaw in it. A very treasured moonstone ring was a one-off item bought from a crystal shop and was to help me through the birth of my daughter. A butterfly shaped gold ring was bought for my birthday by Shane, the only piece of jewellery he has given me. There is no second-hand dealers in town at all, so my jewellery has vanished into thin air. The day after it happened, I walked up and down the ditch next to our house scouring the ground in case they threw it away or dropped anything. All I found was someone else's stolen purse.

I imagine, while driving home, while vacuuming, while in the shower, just what I would say to the kids (we're sure it was kids; they stole smokes, cans of coke and crap DVDs too) if I ever met them. The other day it was just one line. I would look them in the eye and say "Do you realise just how much heartache you have caused me?"

I try not to think about this theft too much as I get instantly upset and teary. And yes, we do have contents insurance, and yes, I do have the receipts for a lot of the jewellery and items stolen. But... the contents insurance was taken out by my mother-in-law as it is her house and she cannot find the papers. She hasn't been able to find them for 4 months now. I don't know if she's even bothered to look. Apparently she found them once but then she lost them again. Never mind that none of her stuff was stolen, it was mostly my things that were taken. My Ipod. My gold jewellery. My daughters portable DVD player worth $3o0. And some crappy DVDs of Shane's that cost $6 each. My mother-in-law said it doesn't matter because you have 3 months to claim for stolen items. Then she said she doesn't think her contents insurance covers burglary. Ridiculous. So yes, I get teary. Shane won't mention the break-in to me as I bite his head off about his mother's apparent lack of interest in replacing my belongings. Okay, breathe. And move on.

On a lighter note, I often run through what I would respond with in answer to questions about me. Totally selfish right? Like, if Ellen said, so I loved your latest movie, where did you get the inspiration from? Or, tell me about your favourite pair of jeans? Why do you love the Foo Fighters? Who should star in the next Jane Austen movie? How would you cook an omelette?

I narrate quite in depth, involved, hellishly long and hilarious answers as to why that lipgloss is my favourite and where I got it, or why I believe that Monica Lewinski is a tart and shouldn't wear a beret. I am always incredibly witty and delightful in my replies. I get great satisfaction from knowing that someone wants to know how and why I tick, even if it is only imaginary. I find myself extremely fascinating, so why shouldn't others?

The weirdest and wonderfullest answers can be given when no-one is listening. Well, I'm sure Devon is listening when I elaborate my answers out loud, but bless her, she hasn't complained about the noise yet.

Pack up your troubles in your old kit bag and ...

Devon is not 7 weeks old yet and already she is holding her head up constantly, looks around, smiles at us all and burps like a 55 year old man after a good steak. Advanced? I'll say! Takes after her mother...

Let Me Rock You Chakra Khan

I want to make this post about Reiki. But instead of copying what is written in a book or on a website to explain exactly what this is, I'm going to write about my experience with it and how it changed my life. In fact, I would say it saved me.

A lot of people don't know this but I am a trained Reiki Master. This means I have been trained in all 3 levels of Reiki and can perform Reiki on myself and other people. I also use the symbols to protect my friends, family and belongings and to assist in situations that need healing. But I'm jumping ahead...

To begin at the beginning, I saw a psychic years ago who recommended Reiki to me to help calm me and help me grow, but I didn't know anything about it. I was going through a particularly bad break-up and felt so lost and miserable. So I decided to take action and do something to help myself, with Ani's encouragement. I scoured Nova Magazine looking for classes and found one being taught in 2 weekends in Fremantle that cost $200. However, the first day I turned up, it had been cancelled. Hindsight is everything; of course I later realised this was a Godsend and obviously meant to happen, because Reiki is definitely NOT something that can be learnt in a few days or even weeks.

Through her advert in the Nova, I found my salvation and her name is Gail. Gail has been a Reiki Master for years and was teaching classes out of a room in her backyard on Saturday afternoons. The classes were $20 each to cover her costs and each week my class of 6 received notes to add to our Reiki file. These included beautiful colour printed affirmations and typed notes with details about that weeks class, whether it be on chakras, hand positions or the symbol we were being attuned to. We started classes at the end of February 2004 and each level took about 10 weeks. Our last class was the week before Christmas that same year, a total of 10 months, so it was very involved and very thorough. I was very nervous going to the first class, as you would be, but I was immediately fascinated with Reiki.

What is Reiki? My training notes say: Reiki is the Japanese word for Universal Life Force Energy. It is an ancient wisdom which awakens an innate power within you. Everything in the universe is made from unconditional love. It is the glue that holds everything together. This amazing energy is in every cell of your body and sustains body, mind and spirit. It is your divine right to use this energy to heal yourself and gain whatever nourishment you require. Reiki is a specific vibration designed to enhance and support our inborn healing system. The amount (of energy) drawn from the universe is determined by the needs of the person receiving it.

Now, I know I put myself across as a bit of a hippie, but to be perfectly honest, I remember sitting in this class and hearing and reading this and I was thinking, Oh come on. It sounded like poppycock. Gail explained she concentrated and drew energy down from the universe through her crown chakra and then passed that energy onto others through her hands. Hippie mumbo jumbo right? So, to help demonstrate, Gail got all her Reiki Masters, trained by her, to give us a Reiki healing. We lay down on the massage tables and they began the healing, starting by standing at our heads and placing their hands on our temples. I remember feeling the warmth of Jen's hands and just... blissful relaxing. It's very hard to understand so of course I would recommend anyone get a Reiki healing when possible to just experience it. I remember feeling so... good, so calm, relaxed and at peace. It's like a massage but without the hands moving on your body. They are placed at certain points, none of them intrusive and just left there, while the Reiki giver sends you energy and healing. And I felt it; I felt revived and refreshed. After doing Reiki for so long now, I can tell when I'm receiving it; it's like a warm blanket being drawn over your body.

I won't go on and on about how fantastic Reiki is and how you, Dear Reader, should try it. Let's just have it known that I know Reiki worked for me in fantastic ways and that I totally believe in being able to receive energies from other people. You know when you're stressed and you run your hands through your hair, or cover your eyes, or drag them over your face? These are all ways in which we are physically trying to clear negative energy and the stress from our bodies. Running your hands through your hair is trying to clear the negatives you are feeling from your crown chakra, on the top of your head. And then you know those people who just... drain you. You feel exhausted after talking to them because of their negativity. These are people who suck your energy to boost their own. And the flip side are those people you love to be around because you feel so good after talking to them, so comfortable in their presence and boosted by them. These people are giving out their good energy, letting it radiate towards others and you are getting the benefits of it.

I'm going to do posts now and then on Reiki affirmations, chakras, colour therapy and the other million things I learned. I hope you find it interesting and get something from it, as I did.

I know Reiki worked for me. Not only did I get over the bad relationship, I felt better about myself, I liked myself more, I became extremely confident about myself and I even lost weight. And a week after my last class, I flew to Hedland for the Xmas holidays to see my parents and I met Shane. The rest, as they say, is history...

Pictures of you...

I have mentioned before that I'm a scrapbooker. I want to whisper it, it sounds a bit daggy and housewifey doesn't it? But I love it! It gives me the chance to be creative, I love working with gorgeous colours and embellishing the pictures I take. And of course I get to take heaps of pictures of my kids, Shane, Saxon, anyone really! and sort them into colourful layouts.

It's a shame these photos don't do my layouts real justice. They're so colourful but it's hard to tell here.

The difference between my very first layouts and the ones I do nowadays, like Devon's new album above, is vast. You can see in the early ones how I've just stuck things on with sticky tape and used whatever products I had handy or whatever KMart sold. Now, hours go into organising and embellishing things just right, including ordering supplies online. Let alone the money I spend on buying it all. If I'd spent the same amount on my education, I'd be a brain surgeon by now! Sheesh!

Watch the fangs, darl...