The Stray Kitten

This month, Virgin Australia started daily flights to Hong Kong from Melbourne.  So we decided to hop on a plane, and visit the land of fashion and skyscrapers!  I am usually a psychotic planner when it comes to holidays, but this time, I had no clue what to expect or where to go. When we arrived 9 hours later, there was a kerfuffle about which hotel we were at.  There are lots of hotel chains with very similar names.  I blamed my husband for changing our booking at the last minute, but luckily for him, they eventually found our reservation and we could finally get some sleep! The hotels were very grand with modern facilities and gold everywhere.  Every second shop was a watch or jewellery store.  I wondered how many Rolexes they actually sold to warrant having so many of them!  The area we stayed in was known as Kowloon, and was close to the TST promenade where the skyline can be viewed in all it's glory.  However, the harbour reeked of sewage and was next to a very busy highw

A few days ago, I had an event to go to, but because I was so bloated from the surgery, I couldn't wear my usual bodycon style dresses.  I opted for a floral romper that I bought from Hello Molly.  It looked lovely on, but my legs were letting the team down.  They were pasty and stubbly with small nicks and cuts- delightful!  Normally I'd put on a pair of pantyhose and be done with it, but I had planned to wear open-toed shoes.  Time was running out, so I had a look for toeless stockings online that could be delivered quickly.  Woolies express didn't do toeless stockings, but I did stumble upon Bondi Sands tanning foam, which was on special. The last time I had used a home tanning product was well over 10 years ago.  I couldn't seem to get it right back then, even with those gradual tanning moisturisers.  I decided to buy the mit that Bondi Sands recommend to apply the foam.  I began by exfoliating my body with exfoliating gloves.  Then I applied a little moisturiser

On Thursday I had my first surgery experience ever- a laparoscopy.  My doctor already knew that there were some endometriosis cysts on my ovaries, but unfortunately even an ultrasound doesn't give the full story.  A laparoscopy involves making an incision to insert a tiny camera in order to properly diagnose the disease.  From there, decisions can be made about how to remove cysts and whatever else is floating around. I was extremely nervous while waiting for my turn to be operated on.  I also consented to being part of a study which may lead to endometriosis being diagnosed earlier without such surgery.  Yes, please!  I was so relieved when I saw my doctor, and don't remember much after that point. When I woke up, I was told about their findings, and what action had been taken.  Apparently, there was lot more endometriosis than what they had expected.  It was on both of my ovaries, and had spread to my bowel.  Four incisions had to be made, and I was to stay overnight for

It's amazing how much pain women will put up with.  That's why diseases such as endometriosis often go untreated for many years until they cause other health complications.  About 10 years ago, I suffered from chronic nausea.  I was pretty sure that wasn't normal, and had to have lots of time off school.  It stopped me from sleeping, which made me exhausted and cranky most of the time.  After having a variety of medical tests, the doctor concluded that my condition was 'psychological'. I found that one way I could ease my 'queasiness' was to drink carbonated soft-drinks.  Of course this was just a quick-fix, and the feeling returned after a short time.  I accepted the condition as part of my life, and even dismissed it myself as 'anxiety'.  After my 31st birthday, my husband and I decided it was time to start a family.  For whatever reason, it wasn't happening.  I thought that the people around me were right in saying that I was "too old&q

Today I went and got eyelash extensions for the first time.  I had been thinking about getting them done for a while.  My natural lashes are ok, but I could never get the hang of falsies, and wanted to look a bit more glam with less makeup.  I saw an ad for models, so I decided to take the risk and go for it.  How bad could it be?  The technician told me that it would take 2.5 hours.  Mind you, I can barely stand the time it takes to get a manicure, let alone have someone fidget with my sensitive eyes for that long. When I arrived, the technician had a look at my natural lashes.  I had been told by makeup artists that my lashes had gaps in them, but she said they looked thick and healthy.  She asked me what kind of look I wanted, and I told her that falsies usually looked terrible on me, so I'd like something more natural. I lay on a bed, closed my eyes, and expected a little discomfort.  We were chatting away, when suddenly I felt a burning sensation in both my eyes.  I let th

Back in July, I took the plunge and finally enrolled in a Dj course- something that had been on my new year's resolution list for many years.  Why?  Well, I've always been pretty obsessed with music.  It didn't matter what genre, I loved it all.  And still do.  In the last 20 (!) years, I've been crazy about house music.  I had idolised superstar djs, and it was my secret dream to become one. I was super excited when it came time for my first lesson.  It was one-on-one, and my teacher was a former dj.  I was also very nervous, as I'm uncoordinated at the best of times, and feared that although I loved music very much, I wouldn't get the 'techie' aspects of it.  The lesson went on for 1.5 hours, and involved some theory and practical drills, and then it was time to practice.  When I was left alone with the decks, I totally freaked out!  I didn't want to touch any of the knobs and buttons for fear of the awful sound that might come out. The followi

They say in life you only get what you have the courage to ask for.  But should you really have to *ask* your family and friends to support you?  I am of the opinion that if you have to ask for support, you haven't got it- people either believe in you, or they don't!  I used to keep my plans and dreams to myself to avoid looking silly incase things didn't work out.  However, there is something to be said for making your goals public.  It is true that you should only be accountable to the one person that matters- yourself.  But proving the naysayers wrong might just be the kick that you need to start making steps towards whatever it is that you want to do. My current creative project is Djing.  I've always loved music, making playlists, and sharing my love of music with others.  It would be great if I could take this passion and make a career out of it.  I will blog more about my dj experience in another post, but the point I am making here is that people literally lau