Say it aint so

Isn't it odd how one person can say just a few words and it completely rattles you, grates on you, annoys you, while another person can say something (even the same words) and it comforts you, makes you smile.

Why is that?

Is it intention? Perception? Or just chemistry?

Everybody needs good neighbours

A few months ago, I wrote on the things I love about living in an inner suburb of Sydney, see here.
The past few weeks, I've really noticed what a great community I live in. It's not the stereotypical inner-city life, sure we had a murder here the other week, sure there's graffiti, sure people are often rushing around, but it's also friendly, caring and tight-knit. It's kind of what I imagine living in a country town is like, except with a grittier edge and good coffee!

I live in a cul-de-sac and we know all our neighbours. The girls and I go to the park across the road from our house and we know everyone there by name. Sometimes we walk past people in the street I'm sure I've never seen before and they call out: "Hi Corinne, hi Lil-lil, hi Goosey! Hope to see you at the park later!"

Sure there are a few little things that are different to most whitebread areas, such as my girls often have unusual conversations with an Italian nonna who speaks only in her native tongue and the girls reply in English. They seem to understand each other and always end their conversations with a big hug. There's also the fact that a few of their park playmates have two mums, but that's nothing new for our area. I think it gives us the best of all worlds.

Everyone looks out for one another, which is lovely. When Lil-lil was a newborn we had to drive her round for hours to get her to sleep, our lovely neighbours, with whom we share a wall, sat out and minded a car space for us [hey, it's the inner west, no-one has off-street parking!]. Our girls get birthday presents, Christmas presents and Easter presents from them. We've even been known to share a glass of wine over the back fence.

All of our local shopkeepers know us and the girls by name. One local dress shop even calls me to let me know when they've got new stock. They know how we like our coffee. Every time I walk up to the shops I always run into people I know and stop for a chat.

So when I hear people say: "People are too self-involved these days. There's no sense of community." I think, well they haven't been to my suburb.

We may not have neighbours return from the dead, we don't have affairs with each other and I don't know of any shady business deals happening down at the pub, but I think we could give Ramsay Street a run for its money. We even have a friendly labrador that plays a starring role in our drama.

Do you live in a friendly community? Or do you tend keep to yourself?

Thrown a curve ball

I've recently discovered the series Mad Men (I know I'm a little slow on the uptake). I love it! While Skip is away for work I throw it in the DVD player and escape to '60s New York and the advertising world. It's my little indulgence and escape from reality. The storylines are great and the costumes completely gorgeous (seriously, why can't women and men dress like that anymore?).

One part that intrigues me and thrills me is that the women look like real women (ie not Hollywood stick figures). They're curvy, soft and gorgeous and there's not a Madonna-style sinewy arm in sight. It's fairly obvious that Ally McBeal's creator David E Kelly has nothing to do with this show. In the series' first episode even the strippers at a bachelor party have shapely thighs and soft tummies.

It's fairly sad that this fact is even worthy of a whole blog post, that it's so unusual to see women that aren't a size 0 on TV. While doing a little bit of net surfing, I discovered that the stars were told not to diet and even some of the slimmer actresses were made to pad up to create more curves.

Well, whatever, if you get a chance check out this little show.

The dangling carrot

 

Well today is time for a little Corinne philosophy. Scary, I know. I've been prompted to write today because recently I've talked to so many people who have said things like: "When I get that new car, I'll be happy.", "When I get this great job, everything will be perfect.", "When I'm lose xkg, things will be so much better."; "When I find Mr/Miss Right everything will fall into place."

Do you know what I've discovered? While all these things may enrich your life, they aren't the keys to happiness.

Let me start from the beginning, when I discovered this idea. I remember thinking while doing my HSC (final year of high school) that once it was over, life would be so much easier. I thought I'd be arriving at the summit of Everest. Then I got to uni and realised that behind my HSC mountain was, in fact, another bigger mountain. As I've gone on in life, I've discovered that life is a series of mountains we climb, often getting bigger each time. It's like there's a dangling carrot, pulling us over the next hurdle.

I found this thought extremely depressing – life was just one hurdle after another. I then realised I had to change my perception. These things weren't hurdles they were just new hills on the walk of life. Instead of solely looking at the top of the next hill, you need to also take in the scenery around you and appreciate the journey. If you don't it's just going to be one hill after another.

There have been studies that have shown that after winning the lottery people will experience a period of increased happiness, but will then return to whatever the level of happiness they were in their life beforehand. I think this can apply to achieving anything in life.

It makes me sad to see people wishing their lives away. Waiting for a moment that will bring them this gift of happiness. The pressure they put upon it is huge and I doubt that once they achieve it they will be any happier long term. I don't believe there is any one thing that will offer true happiness, I believe you have to make it yourself, whatever your situation.

I have people say to me that I'm very lucky to have a nice husband and two lovely children. And I am, but I think I could still be happy if they hadn't come into my life. Being married is hard work, it's not a fairy tale romance which brings happily ever after. Being a mum is VERY hard work. While I love my kids with all my heart, there are plenty of moments where being a parent is plain boring, disgusting and exhausting. So it's not like I woke up one morning and found myself awash in happiness. I have to look beyond the poo, the snot, the vomit. Beyond the nagging, the arguments and the monotony. I'm sure if my life was different I would have to do the same thing.

I think the key is looking at what you've got right now – this very minute – and appreciate it.  If you can't do that, then nothing will ever make you happy. We all have our struggles, life can be hard, disappointing and boring. But it can also be miraculous and wonderful. You've just go to look for it. Everyone has things in their life that make it special, don't wish them away.

So instead of focusing on that dangling carrot, take a look around and see the wonder that is already in your life. I'm not saying don't strive for a better life, just enjoy the beauty of the hill you're on now and it will make the next one all the more exquisite.

Image: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/ 

Snoozy time

Usually at this time of day I have some lunch and write my blog. The kids are having a rest and blogging is my time out. Today, however, I'm wrecked. I feel about 100. My poor, sweet eldest has suspected pneumonia and I sat up with her for most of the night trying to keep her comfortable. Skip had to go away early this morning for work for a few days. It never rains, it pours!

So I'm going to take the opportunity while my two are comfortably snoring away, to put my feet up and stare at a trashy mag and perhaps drift off myself.

See you tomorrow. x

Shamless plug

I'm not one for plugging things on my blog, but this is a little different. Since I started blogging I found BabyMac, she's hilarious, lovely and has access to a kick-arse farm. We've bonded over kids who don't sleep, finding purpose in life and all thing pork. Not only is Beth a mighty talented lady, but she has a talented hubby too.

So talented, in fact, that he has a TV show starting tonight. Yep, a real, live TV show, like on the telly and everything.  It's called I ROCK. My hubby made a TV show with his mates on the handycam that featured a lot of phone pranks on their friends, I suspect that I ROCK will be better (sorry, Skip).

It's a comedy about an indie rock band and has been filmed in Newtown and the Annandale Hotel (one of my fave places to see bands as a youngster). So, support a new Aussie show and a bloggy friend by watching I ROCK tonight - ABC2 @ 9pm.

And in the beginning

The delightful Heather from Travelling with 4 Kids has tagged me and asked that I repost my first blog post. It was a bit of a laugh re-reading it. I really had no idea what a blog was, truly no idea (though I don't know if I'm that much more knowledgeable now).

Seeing as I'm getting a little soppy, I'd like to say that blogging has been a saviour to my sanity. It's certainly improved my life in many ways. I've got to 'meet' a range of interesting and diverse people. It's let me look outside my four walls without having to leave them. All in all it's been a wonderful experience, so thank you to all of you who read my little ramblings. So here goes, my very first ever blog post back in July last year.

And so it begins...

Well I have to say I never thought I'd be the type of person to write a blog. After all, bloggers are egomaniacs who need to have the rest of the world read their every thought, every minute they have them, aren't they? Like those people who go on Big Brother or any other reality show. People who crave the limelight, people who need their 15 minutes of fame every 15 minutes... And yet here I am.

I kept a diary as a lass. A couple actually. Just messy scrawl about the people I went to school with, who I liked that week and who I hated. I kept it hidden away it the back of drawer under a pile of cassettes so it would never see the light of day - so now writing my musings for all and sundry to read it just a little bit uncomfortable. Thinking about it now, I don't know why those diaries had to be 'hidden away'.

I really have no idea what or who I am going to write about. It's probably going to complete crap, but hey, there may just be some moments of gold. If nothing else it will be a keepsake of memories for my two girls.

Yes, the Lil-lil and Goosey are 2.5 and 1 years old. They make me ecstatic and make me crazy, but life is a whole lot fuller with them around.

So a lot of posts will be about my adventures with them. My thoughts on the world. Delicious meals I've eaten and wines I've drunk. Plus other random musings.

I put the little pic in above to show how Lil-lil and Goosey make my day. I hope it makes you warm and fuzzy inside too.

To keep the love going, I'll tag some of my fave blogs and ask them to do the same:

1) Beth from BabyMac
2) Pink Patent Mary Janes
3) Eleanor from From a Brookside
4) Quixotic Life
5) Megs from A Box of Tricks

Cheers!