Warm activities for a cold Saturday afternoon

The weather has been becoming much colder here of late, which is fair enough since winter officially starts on Monday. And what better way to spend a brisk Saturday afternoon than to get baking? This is just a plain cake I made from a recipe off the Internet but it came up pretty well I think (though I haven't eaten any yet...) For dinner, I'm thinking of making a beef pie. I'll let you know how that one goes. Enjoy your weekend :)

I know it's not fashionable but...part III

I love the tv show Inspector Rex. Never seen it? Perhaps you know it as Kommissar Rex. I've been watching it for quite a few years now on our multicultural TV station here, SBS. It's filmed in Vienna and tells the story of an unusually clever police dog called Rex. Some amazing things have happened on Rex - too amazing to relate here, you've gotta watch it! - but it all always works out in the end and that's more that half the reason I love it so. Maybe I'm a big softie, maybe I'm a bit of a dork but I love a neat, all-strings-tied-up, heartwarming ending to a story and Rex does this very, very well every week. I also watch it because it's filmed in Vienna and this is a city I love, love, love. I've been there twice over the last ten years and hopefully I'll be going back there soon. If you're wondering why I love Vienna, check out this site http://merisi.blogspot.com/ and if you want a very good and detailed low-down on all things Rex, go here http://wurst-semmel.blogspot.com/

I know it's not fashionable but...part II

I love postcards. Especially old postcards. Perhaps it gets back to perspectives again but the older the postcard, the more unusual and interesting the angle, it seems to me. Whenever you receive a postcard now, it seems to be of the biggest landmark, the most notable thing. And, of course, you don't really receive postcards very often anymore, do you, because it seems that when people go on holidays now, they tend to send you an email, or a text, or a photo freshly snapped with their digital camera or sometimes, they even keep a blog of their travels, describing their journey to you day by day (ahem). But old postcards, yes. Sure, there's the kitsch appeal. I get that and I love it. But there's also the endearing obscurity about some of the views presented: "This is the little corner of our world which we like the best, and so we are passing it on to you to take away and remember."

I know it's not fashionable but...

Of late - and perhaps it is simply a matter of getting older - I have been increasingly unconcerned by what is fashionable. This is not to say that I have reached an age at which I don't care what I look like (does anyone really ever reach that age?), rather I am feeling more certain of what I like, less concerned about where that fits into the big scheme of popular culture and more content with how I look - in fact, who I am - in general.

One thing I do like which is definitely not fashionable is folk costume. I know, but hear me out. First, I should point out, I don't like folk costume for any peculiar or off-colour nationalistic reasons. Given my studies (see the pic in yesterday's post to give you a clue), I am more than well aware of what a disastrous and ugly path that is. No. I like folk costume for the intricate and original patterns formed in the embroidery, the careful hand-stitching which holds it all together and the eye for detail with which the garment has obviously been made. It wasn't something that popped off a production line. Someone made it. It has a history. It symbolises something of its environment, its culture. It means something. It's not disposable. It's like my love of travel, by looking at an item of folk costume, you can enjoy something that is different to who you are and what surrounds you. You'll see what I mean when you have a look at the Norwegian jacket above.

What do you like (or even love!) that's not fashionable?

One door closes...

Perceptions are a funny thing. And if I had a dollar for every time I'd been distrustful of my own reading of a situation, I'd be...well, I'd have a bit of money. But today I am firm in my opinion. It's a pretty significant day for me. I taught my last tutorials. I am no longer teaching and, in many ways, this signifies the end of my almost-decade-long pursuit of an academic career. I won't bore you with the whys and why-nots of this pursuit or with my view on the current state of academia. But, this year, I just realised that enough was enough. It wasn't going to happen and it was time to look at the whole career/job/profession/what-am-I-doing question from a new perspective. It is sad in a sense that things haven't panned out as I thought they would. But I also feel just a little bit excited. Out on my own. Gotta work it out. No more grand plan to plod along with. If it's going to be, it's up to me, as they say.

A colleague accused me today of having a 'defeatist' attitude, of being negative for 'letting go of my dream'. I was suprised how two such different perspectives could be read into the same situation. Am I being defeatist? From my perspective, I gave it damn good shot. But now, a new perspective is in order. Wish me luck :)

Above some impressions as I 'left the building' for the last time. Like all universities, stairs, stairs, nothing but stairs...but look closely: an exit! And a shelf from a section of the library I got to know very well (and very happily) while writing my thesis.

Blue Bird of Happiness

One of my favourite pastimes for many, many years has been to go to opportunity shops (charity shops, thrift stores). I think I may've mentioned this in my previous blog on quilting. I am currently in the process of trying to turn this hobby into a business, but I'll tell you a little more about that when it's a little more on its feet. For now, simply behold the joy of op-shopping! I just happened to be walking past one of my local op-shops and saw this little fella in the front window. And only $3! The op-shop didn't open for another hour so I went home, had lunch and then came back and quequed up (yeah, I know - but other people were queueing too), waiting for the doors to open. When they did, in I dashed and snapped him up. All their very best goodies were obviously in the front window, because by the time I left five minutes later, it was empty. He is made of Granna Glass, from Norway, for those of you who like to know these things (like me!) and he certainly cheered up a rather grey and damp Monday.

Sundays

Sometimes routines can be nice. Many a Sunday my fellow traveler in the Yellow Wood and I have gone into the City, had lunch at our favourite Malaysian restaurant, looked through our favourite bookshop for a good hour, had a coffee and a doughnut for afternoon tea and driven home again. We don't do it every weekend, we couldn't do it every weekend but we do it often enough for it to be a nice, comforting way to spend some time together, reconnect and re-energise before the week begins again. We did it again today and the trees above are some that we see on our way from the car to the restaurant. I found a lovely book of Norwegian recipes in the bookshop too, so be prepared for some offerings from that soon...

Hope you've all had a lovely weekend :)