It's great to be back, it really is. There was a background level of stress living in Sydney which I didn't even realise until we came home. But it's not all fruit trees and lattes here either.
There are a few things that I've found hard coming back. One is that you have to work to re-establish friendships. Of course our dear friends are still dear friends. But because we haven't been part of each others daily lives for the last three years it takes effort to get that ease of regular contact back again. Perhaps it's also the stage of life we're at with many of our friends now having kids, or more kids, and busier jobs. We know they love us still, it's just harder for both of us now.
I guess this is mostly a church one, but coming back you can also find things difficult with new people. Because everything is familiar to me, I can walk in like I own the place and really put off someone who doesn't know me. It's easy to come across as arrogant or presumptuous when you know somewhere so well but haven't been around for a while.
There's a subtler sense of isolation moving back than moving somewhere new. Because it's unexpected it can creep up on you. I wasn't really prepared for that. But I think now that I've realised it, I'll be much more easily able to deal with it.
Brrrr
Right about now in Sydney I'd be relieved that the weather was finally starting to cool down. This morning, here in Hobart, I'm having difficulty typing because my fingers are stiff from putting out the washing on a cold and windy morning. Last night I dug out the thermals when we were watching tv. We just switched over to our winter weight doona. But I'm still holding out... I refuse to use the heater until it's April!
When They Grow Up...
Following on from yesterday's post, one of the things that I'm really thankful I've done over the last 10 years is get married and start a family. I wonder if in years to come, missing out on that will be something our generation grieves and grapples with. What about Gen Y, growing up at a time where relationships are not really valued? It's not nearly as painful to say "I wish I'd applied myself" as it could be to say "I wish I'd committed".
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[edit: as I was hanging the clothes out I was thinking about that last line and how for some the greatest sadness may be "I wish I'd found someone who would commit". I just wanted to add that because I'm not trying to be smug here or have a go]
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[edit: as I was hanging the clothes out I was thinking about that last line and how for some the greatest sadness may be "I wish I'd found someone who would commit". I just wanted to add that because I'm not trying to be smug here or have a go]
When I Grow Up...
You know that feeling of unlimited potential that you have when you're young? It has an expiry date. I realised many years ago that I would probably never be a gymnast. But there are other things which I'm still having difficulty accepting I'll never be naturally awesome at.
I came across the website of a girl I was at school with. She takes awesome photos. I didn't know her very well, but I don't think she was into it back then. Not only did it bring up all those feelings of 'what have I been doing with myself for the last 10 years' It also made me realise: I will never be that good. Not naturally anyway.
Now, do I write a paragraph with a positive, up-beat ending explaining how I'm going to be mature and work hard at all the things I'd love to be better at? Or do I leave it hanging? I'm not sure...
What do you wish you could be better at?
I came across the website of a girl I was at school with. She takes awesome photos. I didn't know her very well, but I don't think she was into it back then. Not only did it bring up all those feelings of 'what have I been doing with myself for the last 10 years' It also made me realise: I will never be that good. Not naturally anyway.
Now, do I write a paragraph with a positive, up-beat ending explaining how I'm going to be mature and work hard at all the things I'd love to be better at? Or do I leave it hanging? I'm not sure...
What do you wish you could be better at?
5 Baby Things I've found Really Helpful
(dear reader, feel free to ignore... this is merely theraputic self-expression!)
I loooove to give advice... but I know it's usually the last thing new parents want to hear. I'm trying to be good and keep a lid on it- I really am! But sometimes you gotta blow off a little steam I figured this was the best place to do it. So, here are 5 things we found most helpful with a new baby:
- Sling: ours was a homemade hug-a-bub style wrap. In the newborn stage Maisy would sleep twice as long wrapped up in it. Nick went out for walks and I would get some sleep. It was fantastic.
- White Noise: www.simplynoise.com was our friend until 3 1/2 months (when we progressed to lullabies) Babies love white noise.
- The Happiest Baby on the Block DVD: the settling techniques in here were extremely helpful.
- Sleep Right, Sleep Tight: book on controlled comforting. We started doing their program in Feb. Within a few days Maisy was responding really well. Now she settles herself to sleep around 70% of the time with no crying whatsoever. I can't stand either of the extremes and found this a good middle-ground approach.
- Baby Bee-Hinds: I wanted to do cloth nappies, but terry flats were just crap. I ended up buying these online on special ($27 each) when she was 5 months old and they've been awesome. I just wish I'd bought them earlier!
Phew, thanks for indulging me. All better now :)
I loooove to give advice... but I know it's usually the last thing new parents want to hear. I'm trying to be good and keep a lid on it- I really am! But sometimes you gotta blow off a little steam I figured this was the best place to do it. So, here are 5 things we found most helpful with a new baby:
- Sling: ours was a homemade hug-a-bub style wrap. In the newborn stage Maisy would sleep twice as long wrapped up in it. Nick went out for walks and I would get some sleep. It was fantastic.
- White Noise: www.simplynoise.com was our friend until 3 1/2 months (when we progressed to lullabies) Babies love white noise.
- The Happiest Baby on the Block DVD: the settling techniques in here were extremely helpful.
- Sleep Right, Sleep Tight: book on controlled comforting. We started doing their program in Feb. Within a few days Maisy was responding really well. Now she settles herself to sleep around 70% of the time with no crying whatsoever. I can't stand either of the extremes and found this a good middle-ground approach.
- Baby Bee-Hinds: I wanted to do cloth nappies, but terry flats were just crap. I ended up buying these online on special ($27 each) when she was 5 months old and they've been awesome. I just wish I'd bought them earlier!
Phew, thanks for indulging me. All better now :)
Graduation
Today is graduation day for those of us who did the 4minus1 degree at Moore and I can't be there. I've never really cared about graduation before. I didn't go to the graduation for my Arts degree. I wasn't really interested. But I'd really love to be at this one.
The whole degree took so much effort that I'd like to actually be able to stand up, shake the hand and take the certificate. This one actually feels like an achievement.
Far more than that though, I'd love the chance to be hanging with my Sydney friends, to catch up, drink some coffee, eat some food and enjoy the time. Overall I'm glad to be finished but I really miss the friendship, conversations and stimulation of the college atmosphere.
Oh well, hope everyone who can make it has a great time. We'll do our best to visit sometime this year.
The whole degree took so much effort that I'd like to actually be able to stand up, shake the hand and take the certificate. This one actually feels like an achievement.
Far more than that though, I'd love the chance to be hanging with my Sydney friends, to catch up, drink some coffee, eat some food and enjoy the time. Overall I'm glad to be finished but I really miss the friendship, conversations and stimulation of the college atmosphere.
Oh well, hope everyone who can make it has a great time. We'll do our best to visit sometime this year.
It was worth it
As many of you would know, I found college pretty punishing. The whole environment didn't agree with me. I'd say that our three years at college were the hardest years of my life so far.
So it's been great to be out and back in Tassie. Not on holiday but actually home. Finished.
But as we settle into life here all I can see is the great benefit of the whole college experience. The way I've been taught to think, the info that's lodged in my brain, the discipline it's instilled. I'm loving actually being involved in a local church again and in almost everything we do I can see that college has helped me to approach it better. Now I can appreciate what was mostly just painful at the time and I can say 'it was totally worth it'. I'm still glad I've finished but I can appreciate now what a great thing it has been.
Also, as I've read the Bible lately I've been reminded about why I was suffering. It's for the sake of the future church in Glenorchy. It doesn't exist yet but we've been preparing for it. It's a bit embarrassing that I didn't see it that clearly as I was going through college. It might have made me whinge less.
So it's been great to be out and back in Tassie. Not on holiday but actually home. Finished.
But as we settle into life here all I can see is the great benefit of the whole college experience. The way I've been taught to think, the info that's lodged in my brain, the discipline it's instilled. I'm loving actually being involved in a local church again and in almost everything we do I can see that college has helped me to approach it better. Now I can appreciate what was mostly just painful at the time and I can say 'it was totally worth it'. I'm still glad I've finished but I can appreciate now what a great thing it has been.
Also, as I've read the Bible lately I've been reminded about why I was suffering. It's for the sake of the future church in Glenorchy. It doesn't exist yet but we've been preparing for it. It's a bit embarrassing that I didn't see it that clearly as I was going through college. It might have made me whinge less.
Things I have learned so far living the Northern Suburbs
These aren't like, profound reflections or anything... just everyday stuff.
- I have the wrong haircut. Women in the 20-30 age range do not wear a bob. Womens' hair is almost always long, though sometimes you see it very short.
- You should mow your lawn. Regularly. Otherwise you'll get a letter from the real estate agent. Perhaps this applies elsewhere too... I've just never had a lawn before.
- It's normal to have kids when you're young. And kids are great.
- If you don't want to feel out of place wear make-up when you go to Northgate. It doesn't matter if you're wearing trackies and uggies, wear make-up. And if like me, you have the wrong haircut, tie it back.
- It's nice. Different culture, sure, but it's not scary or crummy or rank. There are heaps of good things about this place and people love living here and are really proud of it. And we are too.
- I have the wrong haircut. Women in the 20-30 age range do not wear a bob. Womens' hair is almost always long, though sometimes you see it very short.
- You should mow your lawn. Regularly. Otherwise you'll get a letter from the real estate agent. Perhaps this applies elsewhere too... I've just never had a lawn before.
- It's normal to have kids when you're young. And kids are great.
- If you don't want to feel out of place wear make-up when you go to Northgate. It doesn't matter if you're wearing trackies and uggies, wear make-up. And if like me, you have the wrong haircut, tie it back.
- It's nice. Different culture, sure, but it's not scary or crummy or rank. There are heaps of good things about this place and people love living here and are really proud of it. And we are too.
just blog it.
I want to blog. I like to blog. I'd like to keep blogging... but it just ain't happening!
This week has been crazy hectic. I've been producing the newsletter for Vision 100 and juggling that and Maisy has kept me very busy!
Nick's been learning coffee this week at work. On Monday morning he did some training and since then he's been doing the take-away shots at the Liverpool St store. It is incredbly busy! It's one of those sink or swim, immersive learning experiences. Coffee by immersion. Anyway, he's enjoying it. The guys there are great to work with and he's feeling pretty good about it. And he comes home smelling of coffee :)
This week Maisy's started doing "mamamama" and "dadadadaDA" (the last one goes up to squeal pitch). It's hard to pinpoint exactly when they're words and when they're just noises, but they're definitely being associated with us some of the time at least! And she gets very excited when I tell her "Daddy's home!"
Ok, am fighting for the keyboard... will sign off.
This week has been crazy hectic. I've been producing the newsletter for Vision 100 and juggling that and Maisy has kept me very busy!
Nick's been learning coffee this week at work. On Monday morning he did some training and since then he's been doing the take-away shots at the Liverpool St store. It is incredbly busy! It's one of those sink or swim, immersive learning experiences. Coffee by immersion. Anyway, he's enjoying it. The guys there are great to work with and he's feeling pretty good about it. And he comes home smelling of coffee :)
This week Maisy's started doing "mamamama" and "dadadadaDA" (the last one goes up to squeal pitch). It's hard to pinpoint exactly when they're words and when they're just noises, but they're definitely being associated with us some of the time at least! And she gets very excited when I tell her "Daddy's home!"
Ok, am fighting for the keyboard... will sign off.
