Hi everyone!!!

Sorry it has been ages and ages since I have written. Life is busy busy busy. Basically I have been working my bum off to save up all my pennies for the busiest year of my life.

This is my last year of nursing (I am suppose to know tons and I feel like I know NOTHING!!!). In April I turn 21!!!! In April I am to going to Melbourne to see my cousin's wedding and to catch up with friends who I have neglected for years (poor Margie was up recently and I didn't have a chance to even see her). In July Chris and Kristin are getting married (So excited!!! And I am a bridesmaid - double excited!!! And tons of international visitors and future family members are flying over - triple excited!!!) I may also do a bit of travelling and tourist stuff while the international visitors are over here. In October I am going to PNG to visit my sister (finally meet four nieces and nephrews that I have never meet - one is being born in Feb!!!). In November I graduate!!!!!! In December I am flying to USA for a month (have a white Christmas for once in my lifetime!!!) And in January or February I will hopefully start my New Grad Program at the SAN (fingers crossed!!!)

The things mentioned above are all reasons for why I have worked Christmas Day, New Years Day, just finised working a 26hr weekend, have taken on more cleaning work, am trying to get work in the SAN as well as my current work AND why I am so bloody tired!!!! :p

But amazingly enough I wouldn't change any of it (ok, so I will NEVER again work a 26hr weekend - that was just stupid!!!). I am really enjoying working so much and saving up so much and getting to know my job like the back of my hand (do you know how cool it is to help out other staff at my work - take on extra work and still finish on time when once upon a time I would finish 1/2hr late with JUST my work to do!! I love finishing on time!!) My family is nearby too. This is awesome. Chris has a job at my work doing maintenance/cleaning which majority of the time he enjoys. It is really cool having him work there. Everyone loves him and when they realise I am related to the wonderful CHRIS, it opens up so much subjects of conversation. And then they realise he is engaged to Kristin and well, more conversations etc. Amazing. I have been workign there for a bit over a year and Chris already has more friends than me. :) But that's ok. I don't really mind ... much. :p

My mum is currently in the city studying a six month course in one month. It is on how to teach english as a second language to adults and it is super intense. But that's my mum. She loves the work. Same with my dad ... he is researching all this stuff on Hebrews for his doctorate which he wants finished by the end of this year. Dude!!! My parents!!! :)

I just finished watching American Beauty. That movie is brilliant. Distrubing but brilliant. Kevin Spacy is great in it and every time I watch it ... I think about if I am HAPPY. And tonight, it was great to say yes to that question. :)

I can't believe school will be starting again in a month's time. And Avondale will be up and running in 7 weeks time. Where are the holidays going? :( Oh, that's right ... they never came as I worked from day one. :) But I will be going up to Nth QLD to visit my grandma who I haven't seen for 2yrs for a long weekend once school starts (great timing, huh? It is just when my parents will be there - kill two birds with one stone thing!)

Oh, yeah, and we have a car. It is a Mazda 121, purple, has 4doors, is manual, air cond, CD player, has the smallest car engine in the world and is adorable. Now, I just have to learn how to drive. :) But a CAR!!! My wildest dreams have just come true!!! Well, some of them anyway. :p

All in all, life is good. Busy, sometimes very tired, sometimes long, but happy and good.

Hope your hols are going great too

Love and miss ya,

Sharona

Hi everyone!! :)

A lot has been happening: hanging with my family, reading, working, Christmas + New Year, life. And one day soon I will tell you all about it. But right now I want to share with you an extremely moving forward I received from my good friend Lorinda in high school. Thanks Rin. :)

~~THE AWAKENING~~

A time comes in your life when you finally get it...
when, in the midst of all your fears and insanity,
you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere
the voice inside your head cries out - ENOUGH!

Enough fighting and crying or struggling to hold on.
And, like a child quieting down after a tantrum,
your sobs begin to subside, you shudder once or twice,
you blink back your tears and begin to look at the world
through new eyes.

~~ This is your awakening ~~

You realize it's time to stop hoping and waiting for something to
change. or for happiness, safety and security to come galloping over
the next horizon. You come to terms with the fact that neither of you
is Prince Charming or Cinderella and that in the real world there aren't
always fairy tale endings (or beginnings for that matter) and that any
guarantee of "happily ever after" must begin with you...and in the
process a sense of serenity is born of acceptance.

You awaken to the fact that you are not perfect and that not
everyone will always love, appreciate or approve of who or what you
are ... and that's OK. They are entitled to their own views and
opinions.

And you learn the importance of loving and championing yourself...and
in the process a sense of new found confidence is born of
self-approval.

You stop complaining and blaming other people for the things they did
to you (or didn't do for you) and you learn that the only thing you can
really count on is the unexpected.

You learn that people don't always say what they mean or mean what they
say and that not everyone will always be there for you and that it's not
always about you.

So, you learn to stand on your own and to take care of yourself... and
in the process a sense of safety and security is born of self-reliance.

You stop judging and pointing fingers and you begin to accept people as
they are and to overlook their shortcomings and human frailties...and
in the process a sense of peace and contentment is born of forgiveness.

You realize that much of the way you view yourself, and the world
 around  you, is as a result of all the messages and opinions that have been
ingrained into your psyche.

And you begin to sift through all the junk you've been fed about  how
you should behave, how you should look, how much you should weigh, what
you should wear, what you should do for a living, how much money you
should make, what you should drive, how and where you should live, who
you should marry, the importance of having and raising children, and
what you  owe your parents, family, and friends.

You learn to open up to new worlds and different points of view. And
you begin reassessing and redefining who you are and what you really
stand for. You learn the difference between wanting and needing and you
begin to discard the doctrines and values you've outgrown, or should never
have bought into to begin with ... and in the process you learn to go
with your instincts.

You learn that it is truly in giving that we receive.  And that there
is power and glory in creating and contributing and you stop maneuvering
through life merely as a "consumer" looking for your next fix. You
learn that principles such as honesty and integrity are not the
outdated ideals of a bygone era but the  mortar that holds together the
foundation upon which you  must build a life.

You learn that you don't know everything, it's not your job to save
the world and that you can't teach a pig to sing.

You learn to distinguish between guilt and responsibility and  the
importance of setting boundaries and learning to say NO.

You learn that the only cross to bear is the one you choose to carry
and that martyrs get burned at the stake.

Then you learn about love. How to love, how much to give in love, when
to stop giving and when to walk away. You learn to look at
relationships as they really are and not as you would have them be.

You stop trying to control people, situations and outcomes.
And you learn that alone does not mean lonely.

You also stop working so hard at putting your feelings aside,
smoothing things over and ignoring your needs. You learn that feelings
of entitlement are perfectly OK....and that it is your  right to want
things and to ask for the things you want .. and  that sometimes it is
necessary to make demands.

You come to the realization that you deserve to be treated with love,
kindness, sensitivity and respect and you won't settle for less.

And you learn that your body really is your temple. And you begin to
care for it and treat it with respect. You begin to eat a balanced
diet, drink more water, and take more time to exercise. You learn that
being tired fuels doubt, fear, and uncertainty and so you take more time to
rest. And, just as food fuels the body, laughter fuels our soul.

So you take more time to laugh and to play. You learn that, for the
most part, you get in life what you believe you deserve...and that
much of life truly is a self-fulfilling prophecy.

You learn that anything worth achieving is worth working for and that
wishing for something to happen is different than working toward making
it happen. More importantly, you learn that in order to achieve
success you need direction, discipline and perseverance.

You also learn that no one can do it all alone...and that it's OK  to
risk asking for help. You learn the only thing you must truly fear is
the greatest robber baron of all: FEAR itself.

You learn to step right into and through your fears because you  know
that whatever happens you can handle it and to give in to fear is to
give away the right to live life on your own terms.

And you learn to fight for your life and not to squander it living under
a cloud of impending doom. You learn that life isn't always fair, you
don't always get what you think you deserve and that sometimes bad things
happen to unsuspecting, good people.

On these occasions you learn not to personalize things. You learn that
God/ess isn't punishing you or failing to answer your prayers. It's just life
happening.

And you learn to deal with 'control' in its most primal state - the ego.

You learn that negative feelings such as anger, envy and resentment
must be understood and redirected or they will suffocate the life out of you
and poison the universe that surrounds you. You learn to admit when you are
wrong and  to build bridges instead of walls.

You learn to be thankful and to take comfort in many of the simple
things we take for granted, things that millions of people upon the
earth can only dream about: a full refrigerator, clean running water, a
soft warm bed, a long hot shower.

Slowly, you begin to take responsibility for yourself by yourself  and you
make yourself a promise to never betray yourself and to never, ever
settle for less than your heart's desire.

And you hang a wind chime outside your window so you can listen to the
wind. And you make it a point to keep smiling, to keep trusting, and to
stay open to every wonderful possibility.

Finally, with courage in your heart and God empowering your life, You
take a stand, you take a deep breath, and you begin to design the life
you want to live as best you can.

Well, my folks are here and Chris is graduating. Oh, boy, time flys ... esp. when you are having fun. :)

This weekend is go go go with all the grad programs etc. and everyone in my family is just so tired - Chris has been pretty sick lately, Mum + Dad had to get up at 3:30am to fly down here and I have finished my clinilca for the year (no more having to get up at unearthly hrs to go to some hospital to be igored by RNs!!!!). So, yeah, we just want to sleep. :(

But everything is going well. Mel is here for the weekend also so that is cool. She is a sub Blue Nurse b/c neither Kel nor Kylie Anne nor Becky could make it. :D

And Oni is here!!! Yipee!!! I have to catch up with her hopefully soon because she flys out late Sunday/early Monday :( Actually, I should go do that now. :)

Just letting you know that I may be off the blog radar for a while since my folks are in town. So, no, I have not forgotten ... just taking a break. :)

Miss ya,

Shaz

MY PARENTS ARRIVE IN 3 NIGHTS SLEEP!!! THIS IS BETTER THAN SANTA ... BECAUSE IT IS TRUE!!!!

I AM SO EXCITED!!!!!

:D

Man, doing clinical is really killing me. I am so tired. I got up around 4:45am this morning so I could be at clinical to see an ECT - Electroconvulsive therapy. It was cool and everything but there was a huge lack of communication between staff and well, it was just stupid. A little thing went wrong but combined with lack of sleep, I was relatively POed. And since the staff and clients on my ward were both crappy, the day was not that great. :(

But on the whole, I am really loving my clinical. I am at a mental clinic and on the drug and alcohol ward. It is great - really interesting. :) The clients are like Days of our Lives with drugs, booze, women, hooking up, drug dealers, hookers, the lot. I am loving it. :D

Having really been up to much else recently. I am just recovering from my last visit to Avondale. That was the craziest weekend in the world. :p But now, I am just recovering from it and learning to listen to my body when it says to sleep or turn off the TV etc. :) Getting there ... slowly.

I am reading a book called Fiesta by Ernest Hemingway (I know, I know - I saw it in the library and thought: why not?). Dad told me that he actually comminted suicide ... and I can see why ... if I couldn't write I would too. It is terrible. I am really not enjoying it. Strangest book but I WILL finish it. :)

I got photos from the JAC today. And some are really cute. Actually, most are really good. I just wish I had taken more digital photos so I could put some more up here. Oh well.

My parents will be here so soon - just over a week. :D :D

And Chris is graduating. DUDE!!! My brother is growing up. <tear>

Anyway, don'/t have much news - just need sleep,

Miss ya

Shaz

I just watched Tears of the Sun. I am still crying. You know how there are just some movies that get to you? Well, Tears of the Sun is that movie for me. I am not what you would label a passionate activist. I believe in human rights and justice but … I am … I don’t know what I am … lazy? …. busy? …. comfortable?

Well, here are some things from Tears of the Sun that forced me not to be comfortable; even to the state of tears being shed over and over again.

1) A priest + 2 nuns refusing to evacuate out of Africa (which is in the middle of a huge conflict) because their sick still need them … later they were killed

2) Hardened soldiers returning to assist refugees in finding safety

3) A soldier and a civilian being shot and the soldier crawling so he could cover her body with his so the rebel soldiers that were rushing past would not hurt her body

4) Rebel soldiers cutting off the breasts of nursing mothers so they can not feed their babies and so the babies die of starvation and the mother die from pain and loss of blood

5) Rescue soldiers killing the rebel soldiers who did cut off the breasts of nursing mothers, even though they knew they were breaking the rules of engagement

6) A Dr giving a mother who had her breasts cut off an overdose of morphine so she could die in peace rather than bleed to death

7) Refugees fighting along side rescue soldiers to help each other get away alive

8) Families meeting up after huge amounts of time apart

9) Rescue soldiers sticking together and covering each other when they know they can be killed by the rescue air fire that is raining down on them

10) Hardened soldiers sharing their food supplies with refugees

11) A young girl pulling back in fear when a rescue soldier tries to help her up the path

12) The love that the refugees have for the doctor who refused to leave them behind

13) Rescue soldiers entering a village where genocide is occurring and rescuing the people there even though they are not ordered to; their good conscience is their motivation

14) The hopelessness of a civilian man so that he assists the enemy soldiers so they will not hurt his family that they have in captive

15) The fact that all of this happens everyday and no-one does anything about it

16) The fact that CNN etc display this to the rest of the world and the world nods and goes that is terrible but oh, I am too comfortable paying off my mortgage, getting my children through college, having my midlife crisis, saving for a car, visiting friends, going to the movies, anything to forget that I am not doing all I can to achieve what is right and just for other people in the human race

I want to do something. I must. I do realise that Tears of the Sun is just another Hollywood movie. I also know that even though the story line may be different; the same terrible things happen everyday. It is just that we choose to turn a blind eye.

People are dying; women are being raped, lives and families are being ruined. Stop being comfortable. Stop turning a blind eye. Contact the UNHCR, Amnesty International, World Peace, anything. Just do something to help your fellow humans. I beg you. I beg me.

Oh, I had to laugh when I saw Brandon last comment on my last blog: After exams I should be unproductive for a while. :D If only I had known this advice or listened to this advice when I finished my exams. :)  Let me tell you about my weekend. :)

On Friday after my exam, Yolanda, Kylie Anne and myself decided we had the right to perve on Orlando Bloom in Elizabethtown so we took ourselves off to the movies. Kylie, Chris and i were going to Cooranbong for the wekend but we had 15mins between the end of the moive and the train leaving. Pleaty of time, right? Wrong! The movie started late and finished late. So off we ran (me with 2.5L of fake wine in a Coles bag over my shoulder) from the shops to Yo's car to grab out luggage and then to the st in the space of 5mins! So, fake wine, handbags, small suitcases, sleeping bags. We are sore and buggered when we meet up with Chris (I think one of the first words I spoke to my beloved brother who I hadn't seen for a couple of days was swear words and a snappy attitude - poor bugger) and we go through the ticket machine. Then, CRAP!, I realise, I don't have my concession card with me. Yo has it as I gave it to her to buy my movie ticket and it was never returned in the fun of the moive and the run for ht etrain. Well, thankfully the train was 1/2hr late (yes, we run all that way for NOTHING!) so I ran back to the shops to find Yo. If you have been in Hornsby Shops then you realise that this was a desperate attempt - Yo could be anywhere and she was. I couldn't find her. So then I ran back to the train st. and asked the train attedants bout it. The train ride to Morriset is known for being checked constatnly for correct tickets etc. and I wanted to see if I could get a mark on my ticket etc to avoid a fine. Nope, I had to buy a new ticket!! And guess what? I didn't have enough money because I didn't grab my change off Yo either. Time to beg from Kylie! Thank the Lord for Kylie! So I broght a new ticket and got on the train. I was feed up, tried, crappy and snappy. Definiately not a good look. :)

And then, we sat near a lady who liked to spit. I believe she had some kind of disorder but her and her carer were quite interesting and kinda disturbing. :)

Arrived in Morriset (without being checked - yeah, I didn't have to buy a ticket afterall!!) and Nan came and picked us up. I had told Nan that Kylie would be with us but she must have forgetted because she didn't realise taht she was with us until we were basically home. Kinda embarrassing :( So we all had dinner and we then run Kylie up to college.

I planned to be in bed by 8pm and the one place I was certain this owuld happen would be my nan's house. But ... my great uncle was visiting from Mel and well, he likes to talk .. so yeah, sleep by 10pm. And up at 6am because I was sleepin in my nan's room (b/c house was crowded) and she gets up super early.

Church at Memorial and luch with family. Then up to college because of the demand by my grandma to be organised (even tryed getting Chris to convince me to be organised - EXCUSE ME???) She was stressed because of the places I was going, the times I was leaving and the rides I was needing. :) But trying to find people on a Sat afternoon at Avondale is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. :( Anyawy, got enough arra nged that my nan was happy. :)

Got back and we went to my aunty's new restaurant for my Nan's 85th birthday party. It was beautiful. Never seen my aunty's family look so good. :D The food was great, the converstaion was better than in the past and well, I believe Nan had an awesome birthday party. :)

Got back from that and Yo had been waiting for just on 5mins. Great timing. We jumped in her car around midnight to drive to the bach. Kel was having her 20th birthday party at Catherine Bay beach. Great .. except we didn't know where to go. We finally got hold of people who explained it all. Bradon Oliver is such a lifesaver!!!! :D Arrived and had fun setting up and chatting with everyone and trying to sleep on the sand and keep warm and  enjoy the sunrise etc. :) Had a toast and then Yo and i left.

Got back to Nan's around 7am when she was getting up. Crashed and Mum and Dad woke me at 11am by the phone and house being empty. Chatted with them and then crashed again till 2pm where I had a late lunch with Nan and Uncle Roy. Packed up everything and got ready for the JAC. :D

Arrived at Avondale super early (oh well, better than super late like last year) and helped everyone else get ready. Kylie and I went as Black and White lesibian couple. We looked hot but I have to admit that when I saw all the other girls; I found underdressed. My entire outfit was NOT new! except for a small rose. DUDE!! But we still looked good. Jumped on the bus and went to the JAC banquet. :D

It was beautiful. It was at Tony Martin's art gallery and dinner was in a big white tent (which looked somewhat like Big Camp's Hang out Cafe tent). The food was good, the music was good, the entertainment was good, the book was excellent - 100% Jac Team!!

Did get a bit stressed as we still had no idea how we were getting home that nigh in time for early clincla the next day. A guy we were travelling with said for us to trust him - that he would organise everything. Do you have any idea how hard it is for me to trust people? For me not to organise stuff? Esp. when I am that tired? It is very hard. And in the end, we had to stay at Avondale an extra night and leave super early the next morning to arrive in Syd just in time. :D So, yeah, got about 3.5hrs sleep that night. :D And the ride back ... well, let's just say I am glad I was tired because I don't want to know how many laws this guy was breaking getting us back!!

Then I had a day of clinicla at a Drug and Alcohol Rehab place where I had to pinch myself to stay awake! DUDE!!! Findally, I got to sleep. Finally. :D

Now I fill my days with clinical, catching up on sleep and just enjoying the boring life for once! Boring is for me! I RESIGN from being OVERLY SOCIAL!!!! There were a number of times on the weekend that I just didn't cope well and I refuse to place myself in that situation again.

So, now I am going to go and have a perfectly boring afternoon of reading.

Miss ya :D

I think that one word says it all: Finished!

The exams are finished. I am finished. Classes are finished. The week is finished. My energy levels are finished.

But I get to sleep :D That is only just beginning

Have a great weekend

My body wants to kill me. I have been running on empty. I have been having a high intake of caffeine and a low intake of sleep. I have not been eating well. I have been studying all the time. I hate caffeine. I hate exams. I hate the stress and pressure I place upon myself. I hate this week.

But I am nearly done adn I strongly believe that I have passed every subject so far ... even Jenny's (lecturer from hell)!!!

One more to go and then sleep.

Got to go study :)

Hi everyone!!!

Well, my exams have officially started!!! I had spiritual care on Thursday. Kylie Anne and I made up such cool things to remember some great notes and they weren't even in the exam!!! :( But I believe I still passed :D So it is all good. :)

What else has been happening except exams, procrastination and studying? Well, I have been workign a little. I did a shift the other afternoon and I actually finished on time for the first time in history. I twas amazing!!!! I was so excited!!! It was really because I had a lift to take me home and I didn't want to be late at all and I wasn't! Whooa!!! :D And there were no major accidents or anything tlike that!!!  It was great!!! And I got to sleep in my own bed for that night instead of stay at work!!!! My bed!!! Awesome!!!

I got to chat with Kristin this afternnon whihc was awesome as always!! :D But man, I want to her to coe back already!! It is insane how much we all miss her here :( Come back, Kristin!! :(

Um, oh and I discovered something the other day - Dr House is Stuart Little's father!!! When I saw him in Stuart Little the other day I couldn't believe it!!! And then my dodgy memory could vaguely remember being todl this when I first started watching House but I think the real shock came when I saw this bitter, smart ass doctor actually be nice and caring!!! Shocking!!!

Anyway, got no real news except got exams, JAC (thank goodness I have a ticket because they are sold out already!! I hope they do some kind of late minute change with the tickets because so many people are annoyed by it), three weeks of clinical and then my parents will be here. Oh, I miss them too :(

Anyway, hope you have a great Sabbath,

Miss ya,

Shaz

More photos can be found here

Bye

Well, I have my exams coming up soon. Fun all round ... NOT!!! :p And I just seem to really get into the study mood either. Really not good at all. :(

Last night I went to Yolanda's place for the night and I had another driving lesson iwth her mum. The last itme I wen there I stalled like 10times and I drove the car up on the curb. But this time I only stalled twice and I manged to get around two blocks. :D My confidence is improving even though I still get scared of on coming traffice. Nervous nelly definiately. :D

And I have been travelling. Yesterday it took me over 3hrs to get from the SAN to Riuverside. Dude!!! :p Insane!!! I caught 2 buses, 3 or 4 trains and a motorbike (!!!!) to get Yolanda's house!! Her dad came and got me from the train station and I told him I hadn't really gone on a motorbike so he said he wouldn't go fast. Well, I guess he didn't but still, it was scary in a really fun way!! :D I love motorbikes but I am scared of them at the same time. :)

Getting ready for the JAC banquet with Kylie Anne!! Very exciting!! Have to organise accomodation, transport, where we are going to leave our stuff as we are most likely going straight from the JAC banquet to the SAN and just stressing a bit. Ah, well, hopefully, it all works out :p

I have posted a couple of articles on my blue nurse site if you are interested. They aren't movie reviews as such; just random thoughts of mine. I enjoy writing (as you cna tell from long emails and blogs) but I just don't practice my article writing. :(

Anyway, I am sure you can all tell that I don't really have any news ... just killing time instead of studying.

Catch ya next time,

Shaz

P.S. Happy Halloween!!! :p

Hi everyone,

Well, I realise that it has been ages and ages since I have last written a blog. And I am sorry for that. L Believe it or not, I actually miss writing blogs. L Well, I will try and inform you of what I have been up to in the missed time. J

Ok, well, I went to Big Camp at the beginning of the month. It was pretty cool. My experience was kinda weird. Big Camp was not at all the way I remembered it from being 9 or something. Quite different. There was 16 of us staying in 3 big tents. It was pretty cool staying in Watson Hall (what we called our tent) J Kylie and I tent hopped for the first couple of nights until we found a minister who was really good. Pr Sam discussed the 10 commandments and he was very open with his feelings and with his connection with the audience. It was very cool. I got to have some really cool experiences – learning ultimate Frisbee (coolest game ever invented), 500 and other random card games (I don’t’ think I have ever played so many card games), went running along the bench and climbing rocks (felt like I was kinda fit even), saw whales far away in the distance, and just didn’t have to worry about working or getting up super early. It was nice to just get away from the business of my life. I have to admit that I did miss a number of my close friends who were not there esp. Kristin who had just left for the states a week or two previous. L But all up, Big Camp was a cool experience and I am glad that I went. J

As soon as I got back, I got sick. L Hugged my bed for a few days except to go to class. L Feeling pretty terrible but it is all good now. It was kinda of worrying because a couple of days after I got back from Big Camp I had to do a tutorial for our hardest teacher and I wasn’t ready and was sick. L But in the end it worked out and my partner got a better mark than we expected. J

From then on, I had a tutorial and/or assignment or both every week so I was pretty busy with those things. But now they are all finished. It is awesome not to have any more assignments and to actually get some back. I feel like I really need to put a fair bit of effort into my exams because I am not overly happy with my marks. I have to admit that I am slightly competitive with myself. I am fine with anything except a fail because I know we will end up with a Bachelor of Nursing which doesn’t state anything about our marks for tuts etc. but I like to get above my normal mark so I am going to put in some extra effort with the exams which start in less than a week L

During the past couple of weeks, I did a weekend of night duties. It kinda took it out of me even though I really enjoy it. I enjoy being with the residents and I managed to have a late glass of ‘wine’ with a gentleman who was in some pain and couldn’t sleep. Oh, the older men who are sweet talkers are so cute J They make the job fun. Also got to have a good chat with one of the ladies who organises a lot of the activities at the lodge and is such a social butterfly. I want to be just like her when I am her age. J

But talking about the elderly, I found out that one of my favourite gentlemen passed away last Sunday. I clean for him and his wife and he was so sweet – always asking about my family and giving me lollies and just so sweet. And now he is gone. L He died of the same stuff as my grandpa but it took my grandpa about 10yrs to pass away – it only took this guy about two weeks. L It was still a real shock to find out he had passed away when I went to clean again. I hope his wife will be okay. She says she is ok except sad and a bit lonely. She feels like he is just away at hospital or asleep or something. Hopefully she will pull through. J

It is such a pity that such a wonderful man passed away. It means one less nice guy gone. I was rudely introduced to a rude, thinks he is always right, and arrogant guy in my class. There were eight of us in a tutorial group and we had to present a tut to the class. So we booked ourselves for a meeting … but half the group turned up. Most of the people there were quite quiet so I took leadership. This guy interrupted me, talked over me, told me my ideas were dodgy, and was just rude. I gave up after a while – like, ok, if you want to be the leader, then fine. It isn’t life and death – it is just a tut. He had a completely different way of leadering than me but that was ok. J But the thing that really got up my nose was that throughout our meeting, I had been writing up the tut outline and changing what I had written when this guy changed his mind etc. And then he just said, ok, someone needs to write the tut outline and asked the guy next to me to write it. I was exactly opposite him and he could see I was writing the outline!! Most frustrating. Afterwards, I was talking to a g/f and she reckoned that when she did a tut with him last year, he was just like that and he didn’t know his bit of the tut at all and she did (he got asked a question and she knew that answer and it wasn’t even her part). So I was starting to think that this guy doesn’t think too highly of chicks. I was kinda in shock, partly because this guy is over 40, married, has a kid and is a teacher; and partly because I had never come across someone who was so rude to me because I was younger and female. Quite shocking. Anyway, we finally got the whole group together for a meeting and everyone said I was leader. I tried giving the meeting over to the guy but he just keep saying I was the leader. I was so pissed. I didn’t lead the last meeting. I feel he was only saying that because the new, younger people liked me and have always said that I am the leader. Idiot. Anyway, so I was pissed and just snapped out what we had done in the previous meeting. To which the new people said the idea was dodgy (making me look like a loser) and changed the whole tut outline (it is not even like I would have done the tut the first way if I had my way!). So basically, that first meeting was not needed at all and was very frustrating. But I did find out that the guy is not just against chicks; he seems cut at certain other cultures. I got chatting with another girl and her guyfriend and her have both been rudely treated by this guy. So together, we started a secret committee against this guy (don’t worry, all we do is say that we don’t like him and eat chocolate!!) Still, the whole thing was frustrating. L

Kylie and I went to Avondale last weekend. It was fun. We hadn’t been there for quite a while. But thankfully we came up because it was Taylor’s surprise birthday (which we were suppose to get invitations to yet somehow there was miscommunications between people). Anyway, it was an awesome party with tons of food, photos and games. I then got to walk home through Boys Walk. I love that walk late at night. It is so pretty. And I have gone down there with a number of different people and I have yet to have a bad walk J

Also got to hang out with a couple of first years who I don’t know too well but everyone in my social group seems to really like J And got to make a number of international calls. J Got to chat to Kristin, Becky, my American folks (hee hee), Michelle and Brandon!!!! It was awesome J

Last night I was watching 30 days which is a show about being something different for 30days to either make an impact on someone else or see if you could do it etc. Anyway, last night a woman decided to binge drink to show her daughter the dangers of binge drinking and see if she would stop. It was most frustrating. I mean, who in their right mind would try and get the message through to their daughter like that. In my opinion she should have discussed the dangers of drinking with her daughter years ago but since she didn’t and her daughter is doing it now, she should kick her out, cut off her money supply etc. until she gives the drinking a bit of a rest. Ok, honestly, I don’t really know what I would have done in her situation but using the motto of “if you can’t beat them, join them” is just stupid in my opinion. L

Anyway, today was my last day of classes and all I have left for the year is 4 exams, one drug test, and three weeks of clinical with an assignment due roughly every week of clinical. So, yeah, I am far from finished. But still, one section is done and that feels good. J

Anyway, I can’t stay and chat anymore because I got to go to work J Sometimes I don’t like it but I need the MONEY!!! GIVE ME THE MONEY!!!

Miss ya tons,

Sharona

P.S. “All sunshine and no rain makes a desert” – quote from the local primary school bulletin board

Ok, so what have I been up to? Great question. And one that the answer has been a long time coming. Sorry everyone. Just been a bit busy.

Ok, here goes:

Mel has had a friend from Sweden staying over for a little while. She has been in my room as I am still housesitting with Yolanda. She is very nice and I still can’t believe that she is traveling around the world for three months BY HERSELF!!!!! Very cool but I don’t think I could ever do it. I mean, it would be nice to get away from everyone for a while but I think I would be a bit scared of bad stuff happening to me. Good ya, girl!!

Housesitting has been going well. I actually haven’t seen Yolanda that much at all. It is crazy. From the moment we started till now, the week I am moving out, I haven’t really hung out with her at all. Strange but oh well. It is very nice to be in a house. When I first got there I complained to myself about all the things I didn’t like: dodgy lighting in the kitchen, only one heater in a freezy house, a truly insane cat etc. etc. etc. But now I have had a talk to myself and realised that I love being there. I am in a real house – every room is close to the other, I have my very own kitchen, a living, breathing pet (even if s/he is crazy) and I can play my music louder than I would be able to in the dorm rooms with their ultra thin walls (you know the ones – you can even hear people sneeze on the other side of them ones). I think I may miss this house when I move out. L

I have just finished a week long clinical at Royal North Shore Public Hospital in the Spinal Unit. I found it really interesting. It was great having long-term patients (you can really get to know the patients) who were not demented (no offence to the wonderful elderly folk I usually work with) and being able to do more for a patient than just give them their medicine and take their blood pressure. Some patients needed help with everything and they couldn’t feel in certain places so you could be rough and it would be okay as long as you don’t cause damage. By the time I finished my week I had made some friends amongst the patients – some real sweet older men (wink wink). Actually one of my patients tried picking me up. He kept on about going out on a date and getting married etc. etc. The fact that he was 51 and I was 20 didn’t discourage him at all. I tried everything I could to discourage him and he just kept on being flirty and telling me all the wonderful things about himself. So finally, I tried the only other thing I could think of: doing some serious flirting!!! I made some comment when he started stating how wonderful a catch he was: “Oh, stop, no more. I can’t handle anymore. This is starting to look really good. I mean it, seriously. No more!” When he asked me what I meant by that I just replied that he was a smart man and that I was sure he could figure it out :p When I came back into the room a few minutes later he had gotten all serious and said “You do realise that I was just having a go, right? Just pulling ya leg, right?” Hee hee!!! That was fun. Oh course, I wasn’t sure what I would do if that didn’t work but I am super glad it did. J But it is official – one of my patients has tried to pick me up!!! Didn’t actually think it would happen :p

I am super excited about Big Camp. Five days to go!!!! Yeah, babe!!! Kylie Anne and myself have to take a 7hr train trip up to camp which is going to be so much fun!!! NOT!!! But you know what one my mates said when I was contemplating it: Oh, well, it does sound like a Shaz thing to do! Dude!!! I wasn’t quite sure how to take that. But I actually don’t mind taking the train that much. It is shorter than a 12hr bus trip to Mel. J

And since it is just Kylie and myself I will get to do something that I have wanted to do for a while (just because I am crazy, not because it is anything against Kylie Anne): some friends of my had to take a 3 DAY TRAIN TRIP TO PERTH once and one of them constantly said the other: entertain me! entertain me!! ENTERTAIN ME!!!! J I can’t wait to do that! :P

I watched Girl with a Pearl Earring the other day. Interesting movie. Some things were really sutle. I still have no idea if the painter actually did sleep with the maid. I think I will just have read the book. :p

Talking about books: I checked out Thornleigh church the other day. No too bad. The sermon was interesting: on the 3D/4D dimensions of Time and Space. Ok, I am not really a science friction buff but I was interested by this stuff. And I found out that H. G. Wells wrote The Invisible Man, The Time Machine, and War of the Worlds!!! Ok, ok, I realise everyone else knows this but let me just tell you that my general knowledge of stuff is shocking. Everyone else in my family is aware of all this stuff but not me, I am a bit of a slow learner. The reason why this discovery was even more exciting was because I had actually heard of all this stuff separately and had never connected the dots before. :p I told you I was a slow learner. Anyway, now, I am going to borrow some stuff from Chris in the soon future and be reading the famous H. G. Wells. :p Isn’t it amazing what you get out of church?

Actually talking about church: I caught the last 20mins of First Church a couple of weeks ago and in retrospect I wished I had gone to the whole thing (But as House says: Of course, everyone has perfect 20-20 hindsight, don’t they?) but anyway, on to my point: The speaker showed some footage of a ex-army man with his extremely sick, stuck in a wheelchair for his life, can’t talk, can’t do anything for himself, son. The son had heard about a trianthon and wanted to run in it. If you looked at him your first reaction would be hell no!! Mine was. But the father said: ok, if you really want to do this, you can. And the father pushed/pulled him. The father would swim while tugging the son behind in a lifeboat, then transfer him to a seat on the front of a bike and then later push him in a special wheelchair while he run behind. I don’t know if it was the opera, the footage or the fact I was extremely tired at the time but I was crying by the end of it. And all the speaker had to say was: our father is just like that: he will push us because nothing is impossible with his help. J I thought that was just great. :p

Anyway, I need to get going. I have a bus to catch. I will catch u up on the rest of my life a bit later,

Miss ya,

Shaz

What I have been up to in a nutshell:

1. Housesitting and living at the Res - living out a bag is so much fun - NOT!!!

2. Going to Avondale and shocking everyone wiht my hair - Whooo!! it was fun as. I hadn't really told anyone there that I was dying my hair so it was a bit of a shock to the system. For those who don't know I dyed it dark brown - almost black. Interesting enough, my folks still haen't told me what they think :)

3. Talking to my folks on the phone

4. Getting ready for Kristin to leave :( I got to be the official photographer on the weekend at Avondale

5. Meeting Mel's friend from Sweden called Ida

6. Hanging out with Lionie from Qld for a little while - went to Paddy's (brought an awesome chinese dress and top), rode on the Mono rail, almost got picked up by Canadians, had a girls night, went to the movies and saw Red Eye (my first scary movie at the movies - we were basically in each other's laps by the end of the movie)

7. Getting my nails done - First time ever!! Kinda exciting!!! :D

8. Work

9. Getting ready for Big Camp - trying to organise transport for Kylie, Chris and I is a tad stressful - our worse option is going by train for 7hrs :(

10. Going to Cultural Night - oh baby!! some super hot bodies at that. Oh, did I just say that outloud? :p

11. Kel is coming to visit in the middle of the week. Yipeee!!!

12. Doing a lot of clinical with kids - preschool, primary school, early learning centres, and more - not so sure I want to work with kids. :p

13. Talking to Becky on the phone (someone was drunk - everyone was so sure about it) because she just turned 21!!! Happy birthday, becky!!!

14. Heard that Matt Odgers got engaged and moved to Mel. Dude!! Didn't even know he had a g/f - and she asked him too!!! Cool, huh?

15. Organising student dean stuff - meetings, photos, etc. Fun, interesting but I just don't have much time at the moment

16. Doing assignments - just did one on Asperger's Disease - a type of autism :P

17. Chatted with my friend in Canberra for a little while which was funky!! :)

18.Dressed up and went out on the town with Lionie - it was fun but cold and it was so late by the time we actually got into the city that we just had Maccas. But we got to take some really cool photos. I will be putting some great photos up soon. :D

19. And needing to go to bed now because I need to be up in 6hrs and I am still tired from Friday night from when I got 4hrs sleep. :)

Miss ya all,

Shaz

Hey, I have been away for a couple of days so I am quite tired and I should be sleeping. do you think I am? Well, no!!! I am instead, trying to put up photos from the Res banquet taht I wen to on the weekend - I love Richard for arranging us to go. Go Richard!!!! :D

I have work tomorrow as well. Oh well, I am having fun now, that is for sure. :D

Ok, so what have I been up to? Well, the Res ball, talking to Brandon for 4HRS!!! (there is a hell of a story to tell you about some time later about how difficult it was to actually have this conversation with him!!! I strongly believe I am cursed!!), working, housesitting, and just trying to stay sane (ok, stop being insane!) :D

Ok, I will tell u bout how difficult it was to get hold of Brandon:

1. Am housesitting and realise that I have left his no. at the Res

2. Call Becky to see if she has it and she doesn't answer

3. Call Kristin's family to get the no. of Union College Girls' dorm to look for Michelle (Brandon's g/f)

4. Realise I have forgotten her last name and have to try and describe someone who I have never met in person to the receptionist when there are at least 8 Michelles on campus

5. Get put through to one Michelle and get the room mate who knows who i want

6. Get put through to the right Michelle and enjoyed talking to her. Would have talked longer but I was on a misson

7. Get Brandon's mobile no from Michell

8. Call Brandon and leave abusive message on phone because he doesn't pick up

9. Call Michelle back and get Brandon's house number

10. Call and get the answering machine! Leave semi-abusive message

11. Give up till the next night

12. Go to pay phone and call Brandon's house no. and get put through to Brandon and the phone cuts out

13. Call again and in moving to get comfortable on the bench next to phone hang up on Brandon

14. Call him again and are in the process of explaining to Brandon what had happened when the phone cut out

15. Get the direct number the dorm phone next to me from the night receptionist and call Brandon and give him the number and then the phone cuts out

16. Wait .... and wait some more

17. Brandon calls my mobile which I thankfully have with me and I correct the number that he has

18. He calls me

19. After roughly 1hr of talk the phone cuts out and he rings back

20. We talk for roughly 4hrs all up and by the end of the night I am convinced that there is some greater spiritual being out there that is out to get me!! Why? I don't know .... but I want it DEAD!!!

Ok, I need to go to bed now. So the photos can be find here

Miss ya,

Shaz

Ok, well I offically started housesitting with Yo last night but I am not going back for another couple of nights. Are we fighting already, you ask? No!!! Has many terrible things gone so very wrong? Yes, but I still want to go back. The reason why I am not going back so soon is because of work and res obligations. I know, pretty boring, huh? But it is true. I doubt Yo and I will have tons of problems because we will hardly ever see each other - so much for big cooking nights etc. :D Ah, in case you are wondering, the terrible things that have gone wrong are we lost the cat and ruined the TV within 1/2hr of being at the house. Thankfully the cat come back and we, with the neighbours fixed the TV. No problem. :D It is a bit chilly but that is ok. :) No problem, dude!!

Ah, it is good to just stop for a little while and hang out iwht me. :) I have been staying up late working on assignments (schizophrenia is actually a very interesting mental disorder to study), going to class, visiting with Chris, working (I have another flat to clean very fortnight - yipee!!! This lady is really nice too!), getting ready for the Masquerade at college (if stupid student services agrees - it is like they don't want want extra people to come - not that nurses are really extras - I do live in a res that is provided by the college and ASFA supports me on this!!! Sorry, forgot that this is not soapbox time), shopping (yah, the other day I had such wonderful retail theropy - I don't normally do that but I was pissed off about something so I went shopping - brought DVDs and jewerelly!!! Ah, it was great!!), trying to be a good student dean (did I mention I am a student dean now? There are a couple now. Before our new dean, Heather arrived we only had three student deans; now there is four. One for each level!! :D It is fun but sometimes timeconsuming), trying to get a drama (group) happening (Kristin and I want to put on a play sometime. It iwll be open for everyone - students, res people, outdoors, lectorers, hospital employees, everyone, and we will do it to raise money for the res or bring up morale aroudn the place or soemthing. We have ANSA's approval and the Res approval and I would love to the SAH's backing as well - got ot work on that. And our chaplain wants us to do skits at next yr's Week of Scriptural Emphasis too. Hopefully this all works out. Fingers crossed), and just keeping busy. :D It has been fun ... but I am so tired now. :D

I have the next 2 weeks off which is good. I will be going up to Cooranbong to say goodbye to my Nan before she takes off to Russia for a while. Very cool. I will also work a fair bit if I can. :) And get employment at the hospital which I have been putting off but really need to do. I need to. I just have to. It is scary thus why I have to face this fear. I am also doing paperwork that is a moutain high in my room and just chill a bit. :D Hopefully I have a nice break. Hopefully. :D

Anyway, I need sleep. It is late. I miss you all,

Shaz 

I was on the phone to a good mate the other day and we started talking about race, skin colour, social justice etc. And I discovered that we had very different opinions on these matters. And if we weren't such good friends I reckon we could have had a big fight there and then. Thank goodness it was only a small debate with "we will just have to agree to disagree" at the end. :)

But it got me thinking: how often do we fight for something we think is importance and actually end up getting distracted by the fight? We have to be right; the other person can't dare be right; they are the enemy; they are the ones who support the opposition to what I believe in and because of that they should expect distain, dislike and even utter hatred from me.

Ok, I know this situation doesn't normally come up in everyday situations (at least, I hope not) but on the big scale of things I think it does. You know, the wars. How often do we dislike people from a country that our country is at war with just because they believe something different from us and a miniority of the people from that country are taking that belief to the extreme and creating utter mayhem with it. Not everyone does so we shouldn't right everyone off as if they do.

Could we just make friendships with anyone and everyone who comes across our path? Could we make friendship ties strong enough that if they believe something different from us we are able to say "let's agree to disagree" without fighting or hating? Could we at least try?