Sunday, September 30, 2007

A first dance song...

Anyone got a suggestion or two for an "alternative" wedding song? Anyone who knows me I am not into stereotypically mushy ones or whatever so don't suggest James Blunt's "Beautiful" or a Michael Bauble song.

I have had some great suggestions so far from Depeche Mode (Somebody) through to Lamb (Gorecki). Got an amazing song you think might fit the bill?

This wedding dance is awesome... had me in stitches...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPmYbP0F4Zw

This one came in a close second... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYhlm9GTAQ0


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Saturday, September 29, 2007

Vanilla bean cupcakes.

You asked for it...

Vanilla Bean Cupcakes
also known locally as “these cupcakes are amazing!”

What makes a great cupcake?

250g softened butter
1¼ cups caster sugar (superfine)
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
4 eggs
2¼ cups plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup milk

How do I get them all golden and not gooey?

Preheat your oven to 160 degrees (Celsius)
Cream butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy
Gradually add eggs one at a time
Sift flour and baking powder.
Beat until combined
Fold through the milk
Divide between cupcake tins
Bake for 15-20 mins or until cooked (soft and bouncy but not hard)

My favourite icing of the moment…

Dark Chocolate Sour Cream

200g dark chocolate chopped up
1/3 cup sour cream

Combine chocolate and sour cream in a small saucepan
Heat over low heat – don’t be tempted to speed things up with heat as you will burn the chocolate.
Whisk until combined and everything is smooth.
Remove from heat and let cool a little.
Swirl over your cupcakes…


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Friday, September 28, 2007

Wedding plans.

The date is set: 7 Feb 2009
The church is booked: Sherwood Uniting Church
The venue is booked: Victoria Park Golf Club - Alabaster Room

Now I just have to sit and wait....


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Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Facebook rant...

So I finally succumbed to this FaceBook phenomenon and joined. I was getting strange looks whenever I asked people so what is this FaceBook thing anyway??? Then just recently in the newspaper there has been discussion about prisoners accessing FaceBook and other online social networking sites.

So I got my butt online and had a little snoop around.

It really is a strange little world. I located girls I went to school with in grade nine, but it really doesn’t tell you if they are still as nasty as they were then.

On thing that scared me a little was that most people around my age – be that people I went to school with or university – were all holding up their newest little baby in their photo. I think the song goes “time keeps on slipping”. Ahhhh… that wondrous item in most thirty-something female’s wardrobe - a biological clock.

So I have located friends I haven’t seen in a while, but am I likely to strike up that “long lost friendship” again? Frankly – don’t expect an awful lot from my FaceBook. If you mean something to me I would have already sent you an email or text every now and then to remind you of my existence. Acknowledged - I may well not be the best at communicating – heck look at how often I update my blog – but I do send out the sporadic email to those I care about.

I read a funny article recently about FaceBook recently written by a grad student at University of Kansas and I loved these quotes:

“When I was in an undergraduate, we didn’t have FaceBook. We had to talk to people in real life. It worked pretty well, but we sort of had the feeling we were missing out. It was always so annoying when I would meet a perfect stranger and they wouldn’t know my favourite movie, or even my “about me.” Can you imagine?”

“In my day you went to a party to meet new friends. Today if you are at a party and don’t put any pictures of it on FaceBook, did you go to that party? Does it even exist as far as FaceBook is concerned? No, it does not, and you are a liar.”
Something I learnt very fast - apparently a FaceBook poke is used to find a sex partner or to flirt when you have nothing better to say – this is something they need to explain to you when signing up. I thought it was an annoying game my sisters used to inflict on me as a child.

So now I have worked out what FaceBook is can anyone tell me about Bebo?


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Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Ramblings...

So I thought I had better give everyone an update as to where I have been for little while…

Work is giving me the irrits at the moment as it is becoming routine, boring and not in the least bit challenging. Time for a change me thinks. So I have been applying for a few jobs and have an interview for one on Friday. If I get it this one will be a bit of a different move for me. It is a Program Coordinator role in the Department of Education, Training and Arts (DETA) looking at skills formation strategies and community consultation. So think participatory community appraisals on a grand scale and you will have it just about there.

The funny part is that I currently work with my sister in the Dept of Primary Industries (DPI). She works for DETA but her project is located within DPI so she is housed in my work unit. Should I get the job at DETA I will be working for her work unit so we will still be working together! Got it? Confused? Don’t worry everyone else in the department gets us confused anyway – ever worked with two sisters in the one work unit?

My boss is really encouraging – her comment this afternoon of “look after yourself because the DPI certainly won’t” was certainly very supportive. Huh? Oh well… fingers crossed one of these jobs comes through for me soon.

Although I will admit I will miss some of the conferences I go to as part of this job. Who can complain about a conference in the Bunya Mountains where – should you tire of the business sessions – there were 10 massage and beauty therapists brought in for free massages and facials. I did partake of an hour massage when all the talk got a little bit too much to handle. That conference was hilarious – beading, hat making and tai chi workshops every afternoon to chill out.

Overall life is passing me by in a real flurry of activity. A few things have had to give recently including Nia. I simply cannot put 100% of myself into everything and this is one thing that I cannot commit myself to. Zonta has been a real learning journey recently – being the President has made me reassess how I manage people and take a step back. I have actually had to let other people do work while I sit back and watch. For those who know my control freak tendencies you know how hard this has been for me!

I have a recent beautiful arrival of a new niece – Holly Marie Cox. She was an eager beaver to get out and came along 6-7 weeks early. However she weighed in at a very comfortable 5 pounds 10 ounces – can you imagine how big she would have been at full term? She is completely adorable – and I am sooooo not biased in the least.

Oh before I forget – MARK THE DATE! My wedding will be held on Saturday 7 February 2009. A little earlier than planned and not all that far away. We have just about booked a venue – the Victoria Park Golf Club is the current favourite. We are looking at the Alabaster Room. We like it primarily because it has a lounge area for the kids to play and sleep in while we eat and somewhere to chill out after the meal.


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A photo project

I was sent this in an email yesterday and I was completely inspired. It is the most amazing photo project in which a couple have taken a single passport style of photo every year on the same date since 1976 - the year I was born. Diego and Susy share there passing of time here: The Arrow of Time.

Whenever I think about it I can't help but be amazed that one single photo, capturing one second of time each year has such a dramatic impact.

Amazing stuff yet so simple.

PS: How many sleeps until Andrew and Anth get to see Erik and Leah? Jealousy factor is sky high. Love you all very much and can't wait to see the pictures of two of my favourite families together.


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