First Post

As if I don't have enough to do in life, someone has dared me to start a blog. Why? Who knows! For some reason, my banal ravings in various email groups and forums about my rather ordinary life seem to appeal to some people. I haven't met many of these people in person, so I can't vouch for their sanity.

What will I (can I) rave about in my blog? My life is nothing extraordinary. I'm certainly no Mother Teresa or Bill Gates. Don't make squillions, don't save millions. But, at the same time, I refuse to hand my minutes, hours, days, weeks and years over to the idiot box that adorns the corner of most lounge rooms (and bedrooms, and dining rooms, and kitchens).

What do I do with all those minutes, hours, days etc? I'm not really sure. I do know I often don't have enough of them. Let's take day as an example:

Got up (always a good way to start the day). Read through my various email groups. I belong to a group for quilters; a group for Covenant Players (a theatre company I was once part of); a forum for people with Menieres (a horrid inner ear disorder that I work hard to master and tame); a forum for external students at Murdoch Uni (in Perth) and individual forums for each class I'm taking this semester. That all pretty much tells you what's important in my life!

Once I've read my email I always complete the Engima Device puzzles for the day (http://wordzap.com/enigma/). I love words.

I finished my morning internet habit and my breakfast (Carmen's museli - best stuff on the planet!). Had a shower etc etc. Went shopping for some bits and bobs for an upcoming trip. Visited with a friend. Made The Girl some new pyjamas. We're going to Melbourne - where it is still cold. We live where it is already hot. There are no winter clothes to be bought anywhere in town; or at least anywhere that I'm prepared to drive to (ie there's nothing at the local Big W). Hence, the PJ sewing. I also listened to a lecture about environmental resource impacts. Got some lunch (okay, so I cheated and bought meat pies from the bakery on the way home). Organised dinner (okay, so I cheated again, and bought kranskies from Adams. Adams - the small goods deli to end all small goods delis).

Somewhere in my ordinary day I also watched a couple of episodes of MASH. I love MASH. We own the whole 11 series on DVD. Most days we watch at least one episode. It's funny without being stupid; its serious without being morbid. It's just so very easy to watch. I also like Northern Exposure (that's the one with moose wandering down the main street in the credits); Red Dwarf (the British version) and Babylon 5. I don't like TV programs that've come out in the last 10 years or so - because I've never seen them.

You may have picked up (from the above) that my ordinary life involves university. I'm four exams away from a Bachelor of Science. This time next year I will have that magic bit of paper in my hot little hands. In fact, by this time next year, I plan to have that bit of paper in a frame on the wall. I started studying when the Girl was one, she's nearly 10. I'm really looking forward to FINISHING!

Why am I studying? Now, that's a very good question. And if you've read this far I guess you want to know the answer. Well, I'm not sure of the answer. I actually started studying a Bachelor of Asian Studies, majoring in Indonesian. I had to choose a 2nd major; and somehow, over time, that second major has actually become my main degree. I will graduate with a Bachelor of Science majoring in Environmental Management. The "how" is a long story. The "why" is really an unknown quantity. I'm good at the science. My GPA is almost 3.5 (out of 4; or 6.1 if you work on a 7 scale). I'm actually quite surprised by how well I've done - 'cause I was hopeless at science in school. I barely passed year 12 at all, and I failed chemistry. What I'm going to do with the qualification, in the long term, I don't know. What I would like to do is something useful. My original idea was to live in Indonesia, work in areas like sanitation, water, sustainable farming, ecotourism. Things that make a real impact on the quality of people's day-to-day lives.

I believe, however, my focus at the moment has to be on my studies. I actually don't have a lot of mental energy left over at the end of each day. When I've finished my studies, the next step will be revealed. I'm pretty curious as to the next step.

In the fashion of all good blogs, I've written a lot of dribble. It's getting towards pumpkin hour, which my dribble will get worse if I don't stop now.