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Happy Friday, everyone! In keeping with Mamamia tradition, it’s time to reflect on your week – the good, the bad and the in-between. There are no “rules” – just join in and tell us about your highs and lows. Remember that no problem is too big or too small!
Remember that if you want a chance to host best and worst, email info@mamamia.com.au with your full name, headshot and a short bio (include any links to your blog/Twitter etc), and we’ll take it from there.
Introducing Renza…
Best: – Collective nouns – especially a ‘blessing’ of unicorns. (The unicorn is the mascot of the diabetes online community.)
- Blueberry jam, which this week I’ve used in a crostata (Italian jam tart), cupcakes and slathered on toast.
- Playing Uno with my daughter. I tell myself it helps with her counting. Really, I’m competitive and like to win – which is happening less and less!
- Keeping Melbourne’s gorgeous and golden Autumn at bay with scarves and boots.
Worst: This week I celebrated marked 14 years of living with type 1 diabetes. That’s 14 years of living with a chronic health condition that doesn’t take a holiday, and no one seems to have a clue about. That’s 14 years of answering the question ‘Should you be eating that?’ (see: blueberry jam crostata above). And that’s 14 years of telling people that type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition, has nothing to do with eating too much sugar as a kid, and cannot be prevented.
Renza Scibilia is mum to a beautiful 7 year-old daughter, wife to a jazz musician and guitar collector and works at a diabetes organisation. She blogs about living well with diabetes here and tweets @RenzaS.
What were your best and worst moments this week?
Comments
273 Comments so far
best: survived a massive week of placement, work, study and dawn service.
best-ish: reconnecting with my ex. We always go to the dawn service together. It was nice hanging out. I needed some hugs and he was more than obliging. It felt so good to be close to someone that is familiar. I really needed it.
OMM: where is this going? We both love hanging out and we get along so well but I’m not sure I want to date him again. Time will tell. Need to protect my heart, and his, I’ve already broken it before.
OMM: exam study, I don’t care about the ovarian cycle!! ARGH! boring!! But I need to pass so better get my butt into gear and get studying!
Love to all MMers.
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Worst: Coming down with a throat infection during my only 3 days without the kids until next school holidays.
Best: Enjoying doing things for me instead of mum me.
I’ve been writing articles for Kiki&Tea, http://kikiandtea.com/2012/04/what-i-learnt-from-becoming-suddenly-single/, writing posts in my outfit blog http://ccurves.blogspot.com.au/ and my op shopping blog, http://onceyouop.blogspot.com/ and I went to a singing workshop which was fantastic.
All of these things have given me a little buzz of happiness. Writing and singing were things I’ve enjoyed since I was a child, I don’t know why it took me so long to get back to them.
OMM: A friend who is reacting negatively to all the new things I’m trying. Why can’t she just be happy for me?
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Good for you! What you are doing is so fantastic! Putting yourself out there and having fun! I hope you continue to do so and continue enjoying it! It’s what life is all about! I read your article about becoming a single parent and was so moved, you are a very strong person who I admire greatly. xo
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Thank you Kathy, you’re lovely!
xx
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Best: finally got a new car this week!! Had my old car for 8 years and after far too many crazy noises and lots of unrepaired damaged (I forgot to pay my insurance one year so never bothered with it again – it’s just a car!!!! – is my view) so cue a new car that is bigger, safer and far more ‘mumzy’ than I could have imagined! Yay!
Best 2: having a fab time with hubby and son. Hubby seems to have been abducted by aliens and is being unbelievably considerate, loving and really understanding. Enjoying it while it lasts! Son is so adorable and I love being his mum and watching him grow and develop every day!
Best 3: new tenant in investment property which means I can finally stop covering the mortgage payments and start positive gearing again! Yay! Hoping the psycho neighbour goes easy on this family….
Worst: no worsts!
OMM: my mother. I feel like she is over-stepping the boundary as grandma! She wants my son to stay over her place all the time and when we are there she won’t let anyone else hold him for longer than a few minutes before she wants him back. At first I thought it was lovely and was so grateful and lucky that she is really helpful and wants to be so involved but then came the comments like “he wants to come back to his mummy…. Oops I meant nanny haha” (while I’m holding him) and “he loves his nanny more than anyone else in the world” and then today she says to a friend of hers “oh if H was a girl he would have been named Isabella, I love Isabella!” before I stepped in and said “actually it would have been Stella or Grace, I don’t like Isabella”. I just don’t know how to deal with her possessiveness! Plus her depression doesn’t help – I don’t want to make things worse for her but at the same time I can’t just put up with it anymore! Am I over reacting? Is this normal grandma behaviour? Any tips would be greatly appreciated!!
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I don’t have practical advice other than you have to right to feel how ever you feel. And, you’re the mum, he is you child, you decide what is best for him. Maybe try and talk to her about when its not happening (ie see her without him and talk about it.) It is tricky with depression involved, i have similar problems in my family. How much do you let people with depression ‘get away with’? You want to be gentle on them but still hold them to a certain standard.
Hope that helped a little,
good luck
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Best: finally got around to having a pap smear was 4 months over due for one and it was over and done with in 20seconds. So another thing ticked off the to -do list. The doctor was lovely too so I felt comfortable. It was funny as she asked how my day was and I said ‘ good and school went back today’ and she laughed and said no wonder I have done about 10 pap smears today!’
Worst: Hubby’s work stress, he is doing about 4 peoples jobs and because of the way his pay is structured he earns less, so he is actually back to what he was on 4 years ago, sucks.. I know plenty of people have lost jobs so I feel fortunate we have an income, but its also hard to put in 150% when you are not getting what you are worth either. His stress is rubbing off on me
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My biggest worst this week is realising that at the age of 22, I have no real friends. Was bullied in high school so I got no friends there, at Uni I thought I had met the best group of friends and then got ousted by the queen bee.
Don’t know what is wrong with me, starting to feel like there is something wrong with me.
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Are we the same person? I am 24 and don’t have any, either. We can be mates!
I was bullied at school and lost any shred of confidence I could have had.
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Any pointers on how to overcome it?
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Anonymous, there’s nothing wrong with you, so many people are in the same boat or have been in the past (me included!). For me, it was the realisation that in order to have friends, I need to put myself out there more than I had (which was really hard because I lacked self confidence). I did that by saying yes to anything I was invited to, even if I thought I probably wouldn’t enjoy it (I usually did) and by opening up to people a bit more, inviting them out places and events, and being a bit vulnerable. It helped me to realise that you make friends by being a friend, being friendly – and that meant sometimes being the one to make the effort and putting yourself out there – people really appreciate it, especially other people who haven’t got as many mates or are a bit shy. It wasn’t (and isn’t) always easy, but it definitely has become less of a struggle than it was 5 years ago. And I have made several good friends along the way! Good luck xx
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Firstly, love to both of you. Don’t get down on yourselves – it doesn’t mean you’re a bad person or anything, it just means you haven’t mastered the art of friendship yet.
1) put yourself out there. Get involved in lots of activities where you meet similar-minded people. For example, writing groups, book clubs, etc – places where you are forced to interact in a small group.
2) follow up on potential friendships. Go out on a limb and ask the person for coffee – they won’t think you’re weird, they’ll think you’re friendly.
3) Do things for people. If there is someone in your life you value, add value to their lives so they value you. Be thoughtful and kind eg help them move house, pick them up when their car breaks down, etc. It’s those kinds of acts of service that make people value you and notice your kindness.
4) Be positive. See the good in every situation, see the excitement and opportunity in every moment. Don’t complain about things or make excuses for yourself. You want people to feel uplifted after spending time with you, not dragged down.
I’m certainly no guru, but those are the things that work for me. Sometimes it just takes time to meet the right people xx
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There’s nothing wrong with you. This kind of stuff happens to most of us and quite often we all go through periods of not having really close friends. situations change, people move away, different stages of life, moving, growing in different directions.
Usually I have found that at uni or in some type of group there will be one or two people who I think I’d like to be friends with. Have a look around and see who has the same interests, style as you then ask them if they’d like to have a coffee. I’m sure you’ll get a good response but if not, don’t take it personally, sometimes people are going thru their own stuff.
Reach out to people, identify those you would like to be friends with and i’m sure you’ll soon have friends. And just tell yourself, which is what I do, that this is temporary, it will change. Good luck.
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So it seems I also wrote my worst for the week too early – yesterday afternoon one of my best friends from high school left a post on her Facebook page that was basically her suicide note….
I can’t begin to explain what it felt like to read that and know that something bad was going to happen but there wasn’t much I could do about it.
I called her and sent her texts but nothing…I commented on her post but no reply. I contacted all our friends trying to get numbers of people she was living with. Then found someone who knew her address and they called the police.
All this played out in my workplace.
I was emotional, upset and frantic.
Thank goodness by the time I got home the police had found her and she was okay, but ever since I have been on this emotional rollercoaster and I just don’t know how to feel or what to do.
It has shaken me to the core and I don’t know how to get past it….
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Oh Chachi that is so traumatising….you might need to talk to someone. Can i suggest you call lifeline for a chat and a debrief?
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Well done for taking action and making sure she got help. Take care of yourself, I hope you have family or other friends to debrief with, or take your mind off things, depending on what your coping style is.
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You should be proud of yourself that you just literally saved a life, you listened and you cared
well done!!
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There were a couple of worst moments this week, which I wrote about as a comment on the Open Post.
My best things this week – being judged as a finalist in the Sydney Writer’s Centre Best Australian Blogs competition. Completely blown away – there were 1024 entrants!! And being featured on Mamamia’s wardrobe week. And seeing a favourite singer play a gig last night.
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Congrats Carly – that’s huge!!!
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Thanks so much! Very proud.
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I’ll do this in reverse order….
Worst moment: taking my husband to hospital with chest pains
Best moment: finding out it is most likely just a one off bout of gastritis and is definitely not heart problems
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Worst: I did not do good parenting yesterday. My 3 year old was horrendously difficult all day but instead of remembering I was the grown-up I screamed until I had a sore throat, and drank wine at 3.30 in the afternoon.
My computer died and I thought I had lost all the family photos from the last 5 years. Hooray for my step son who is a genius and could fix it.
Best: Playing snap with my previously hideous but now lovely son and my 17 year old stepson. Watching my son rake the autum leaves with his Dad.
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Oh, you gave me a good laugh, although I’m sure you didn’t mean to! So glad I’m not the only one who forgets she’s the grown up….
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Me too!
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When my eldest boy was 2 I used to spend all day walking around the house repeating ‘You’re the grown up. You’re the grown up.’
I have a lovely 10 year old now. (And he’d better be an awesome teenager after putting me through the terrible twos from hell!!
)
Hang in there!
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Best: Anzac Day – my grandfather at 92 still marches in the Sydney Anzac Day march and this year three of my kids (the 4th at 12wks wasn’t up for it) raced out in the middle of the march to meet him and march the rest of the march with him. They were thrilled. And even better they were filmed running out to him for the ABC TV news and made it to the Ch 7 news for it too!! It is the most precious footage for us as it’s his last march.
Worst: My Miss 4 tripping on a pillow and headbutting a bedside table in the motel room right at bedtime the day before Anzac Day (after a day of travelling on every mode of transport since 6am – car, plane, bus, train) and ending up in an ambulance to RPA for observation for 4hrs with a split eyebrow that is now glued up and getting blacker by the day and made for some memorable Anzac Day photos!
OMM: Saying goodbye to Granddad and seeing he and my Mum saying goodbye to each other and not knowing if it’s the last time they’ll do it. Granddad’s had a few falls, he’s 92, Nanna died last year so he’s on his own and we only saw him at New Years but he’s aged so much in 4 months
OMM #2: my sister’s husband. Total. Tool. I have never seen someone show such disrespect to an older person or a war veteran before – wishing him a ‘happy’ Anzac Day, telling him he wished he could march (despite Anzac Day being the first day he’d made our granddad), smuggling stubbies in the bottom of his 8wk old daughter’s pram to the Anzac Day march and trying to drink in the street during the march … it went on and on and on for 3 days. Flabbergasted and disgusted. Plus he chose to go to a bar for a beer on his own rather than say goodbye to granddad. And didn’t thank my parents who had paid he and my sister’s fares to get to Sydney and their accommodation and all their meals.
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BEST: I overcame my major helicopter mum tendencies and let my 16 year old travel two hours away on the train to Sydney to see the Dragons/Roosters rugby league. And….he came home unscathed!!! Without any encounters from the Sydney train system’s notorious derros and gangs!
EXTRA BEST: I turn 50 on Monday, had cocktails with my girlfriends last weekend, so this weekend will be spent with the family celebrating this mega-milestone. I even got a card from our local MP – hahahaha – then I had the disquieting realisation that my DOB is on the nation’s database accessible by her…okay….
And double extra best – there is no worst this week!
Happy weekend everyone
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Good for you, it’s hard to give your kids the independence they need when you’re anxious all the time about it.
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Best: Cleaning out a box from 10 years ago when I had a different job and lived in a different city. Total time capsule – found loads of thank you letters and farewell cards. Lovely!
Best 2: Laughing with my Year 12 English class on a Friday afternoon and watching them grasp new concepts, learn, grow and shine. Love, love, love my job!!
No worst
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Best: Going shoe shopping with my 4 year old. She wants snake skin ballet flats like mummy!
Worst: having to tell my hubbie that he really needs to lose weight. He has type 2 diabetes and heart disease in his family and he is very overweight. He has lost weight in the past but never maintains a healthy lifestyle so ends up bigger than he ever was each time. He also has sleep apnoea (sp?) so sleeps with a machine which doesn’t make for good snuggling opportunities! I have tried many ways of supporting him and even just not saying anything but finally felt I had to tell him how concerned I am about him not looking after his health. I don’t want to be a widow…
OMM: I don’t want to go back to work full time yet but finding it near impossible to find meaningful part time work in my profession. So frustrating, I can be great at my job whether I am there 2,3,4 or 5 days in the week
So I have decided to do a bit of post grad study in the meantime to further my professional development and keep my mind challenged. Let’s hope I manage the juggle when I have assignments etc!
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BEST: It’s friday! so happy to have my sister home from thailand after hearing about the possible tsuanmi threats (that never even happened). made me so much more appreciative of our relationship and how much i love her.
WORST: seeing my mum suffer both financially and physically. she’s overweight, has been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes bcos of her weight. ive given up trying to help her (this sounds really bad) but after years of trying to motivate her to come for a walk with me, etc. she just does not care. for a while, she did change her diet and walk the dog often bcos of the diabetes diagnosis, but now shes completely stopped and eats whatever. and she complains about her body aching and gets sick all the time. NO WONDER! being overweight and smoking (with diabetes!) will do that to you.really saddens me. and shes so broke its not funny. but will still go to the club and buy stupid unnecessary things! uuggghhhh……
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Same position with my dad :/ I’ve told him I want him to be around to see grandchildren but he just eats so much crap! It’s like talking to a brick wall, he’s in complete denial about it and absolutely refuses to change his disgusting eating habits. Love him, but hate what he does to the rest of us and himself. Maybe you and I should swap and see if we have more success with the other’s relative??
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bit late to the post – been crazy at work today!
Best: My loving husband for taking care of me earlier in the week as i was sick due to my monthlies lots of cuddles and kisses it made me feel better much quicker!
Best 2: started reading the third and final book in the Dragon Tattoo series and im hooked and dont really want it to end!!
Worst: being sick (see best)
Happy Weekend to all!
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best: after 2 false starts at uni and what seems like a lifetime in retail i have FINALLY figured out where i belong and what i want to do with my life. thanks to Paula Joye for the internship – so so grateful
no worsts!
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Lucky you!
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worst:last wk my younger son was sick with Herpangina ( a viral infection cause high fever and mouth ulcer),now the elder one too they are only 15 months and 3.5 yrs,they can’t eat/drink properly,also sleep deprived.Too exhausted.
Best:Had my Root canal finished…
OMM: Hope my boys get better soon and I could get a good nights sleep
happy weekends everyone.
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Best: Reading “The Happiness Project” at the moment and am planning to start one of my own in May. Inspired! Also, kind of tied into my worst, am thinking about the future and planning on attempting to get a couple of work experience stints for a week or two in Melbourne and Sydney next year. Going to make plans for one in Brisbane in the second half of this year but need to get some more money and leave saved after Europe in June before I can do anything else.
Worst: Being utterly bored at work because of the monotony of it, but stressed because my boss is on holidays and left me with lots to get done. Also having not enough team members means that when people can’t work or are sick, I’m having to spend heaps of time juggling and pleading to be able to replace. Argh.
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Every now and then a song comes on in shuffle mode that swipes you sideways… it happened this morning on the way to work. The song? “I still call Australia home…”.
So that’s my best and my worst. It’s my best because home will always be there. There’s always somewhere to go. It’s my worst because I’m homesick. I love London. I do. I just think maybe it might be time to think about coming home.
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Best – CXWorks class at the gym. Amazing. It was so intense but I felt fantastic at the end!
Worst- Feeling like I’m not smart enough for my course. Also, money issues. Work just cancelled 2 shifts on me and I’m really struggling as it is!
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Ooh, I’ve always wondered what the CXWorks class is like… is it an abs type one? Would it be doable for someone who hasn’t been working out solidly lately?
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Yes! Do it for sure. I found it really motivating because it was just so intense. It’s abs, arms and butt. You don’t have time to think about the pain because it’s so fast paced! Enjoy!
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Instead of sounding like my usual misery guts (!!) I am really g good today! My client confirmed my appointment and I start immediately! Yay.
Off to the local nursing home tomorrow with my girls (puppy dogs) …..we just love visiting. The seniors are so amazing and it breaks up their day a bit. My girls love it too, they are just so lovely with the seniors who adore them.
Have a great weekend all.
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Put it out to the universe, Louisec! Tell it what you want and you’ll get it. We’re all rooting for you! Go Girl!
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Awwwww thank you so much!
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Visiting a nursing home with dogs is such a fantastic idea! I had never even thought of that. We have two 1 year old maltese shihtzus and once they are a bit more trained I am so doing this! My great grandma was in a nursing home for the last 10 years of her life and i remember how dull and boring it was for people like her who had all their mind but their body was failing them. Good on you for bringing a little bit of joy into their day!
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It’s a great thing to do and the residents really love it. But we love it too. I had the most interesting conversations with them, they are so interesting. And many of them, sadly, miss having pets. It’s such a shame that so many nursing homes don’t allow pets, it would make a huge difference if they did.
I’m also helping out a group who place greyhounds in nursing homes. Greys are the most placid, loving dogs, they are total lounge lizards and very affectionate. They are very clean and easy to look after hence they are perfect for nursing homes. We call it “Greys for Greys”.
And these poor beautiful dogs are killed in the masses every week and abandoned. Yet they are one of the most brilliant dog breeds of all.
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Worst: the awful jigsaw puzzle piecing itself together in my head that my little boy is probably on the Asperger’s spectrum. And that my husband probably is too.
Best: that they hug me, and cuddle me, and tell me they love me and make me laugh. Even though they both drive me crazy at times.
That I finally understand why my husband behaves as he does and says what he does. His brain is wired differently.
I feel relieved, heartbroken for my son and how hard his life may be, but so glad that I finally understand.
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explosion, one good thing is that with a twin to help him, protect him, understand him and love him, you son has an inbuilt advantage. Early intervention is doing fabulous work and this wasn’t around when your husband was growing up. I’m really thinking of you. Please keep us updated with your journey.
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Thankyou. It’s nice to be able to share, albeit anonomously!
You are right about the ‘twin thing’. I look at how much he has learnt already by having a twin…I think his social skills would be a lot weaker if he didn’t have a model. They spend so much time playing together and he is constantly learning by watching someone he trusts.
His twin is delightful and thoughtful and loves to help. I think we’ll all be ok. The difference that this realisation has already made is huge…mainly because I’m not running around like a mad woman anymore… I just get it now.
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Best: It’s the weekend
Best 2: My nana arrives on Sunday! I can’t wait to see her again!
Worst: i don’t want to go to my best friend’s birthday. Awful I know but i hate where she’s going and most of the people she’s invited. I thought I’d be able to get away with it by just going to pre drinks but she’s not even having those. Have to suck it up!
Worst 2: I’m not coping at work. I’ve made a series of complaints to HR and have gotten nothing back from them. Not sure what my next step is to be. I don’t want to leave because I actually do enjoy my job, I just hate that this situation which was only meant to be temporary has been going on for the last 6 months
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I agree with you regarding the party. Mine I just a friend but its her 21st and if I don’t go I’ll be hated on forever. I don’t like any of the people going or dont know them. Including my x bf and the girl he cheated on me with. Plus I’ll be turning up alone. Do I go? Hmmm I hope you figure out what your going to do since I have no idea! Plus I have anotherfriends 21st the same night. Oh man.
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best …so proud of my children at this moment,we’ve been through a lot together,the odds have been against us,but they proved the universe wrong. worst…..in pain
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Best: Going to Hunter valley this weekend, I am so excited! So ready for wine, good food and company.
Worst: My body is tired, thanks to a 10 day stretch of work. I’m sure this trip is all I need to recover:)
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Have fun!
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Thanks Lucy:)
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Worst: Accidently put my man’s passport through the washing, 2 days before he was due to fly overseas
Best: Passport office being able to get a new one within 48hours!
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The passport office is amazing! So efficient.
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Best: I got an amazing internship at the UN this week-yay!! I leave for Europe in July and have a leave of absence from work until December-so happy. Also finally finished unpacking my new room and am going away this weekend. Great week.
Worst: No time for worst this week!
OMM: How lucky and grateful I am. Love to the Universe, big time. Also, loving hearing people’s “bests”-so much fertility, love and travel! How fantastic!
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Wow congrats!
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That is absolutely awesome. Go you
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Thank you!
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Congratulations! That is incredibly exciting. Can’t wait to hear about your adventures at the UN!
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OMM: How do you know when you’re in love? I think I am, but I’m just not entirely sure. Sometimes I feel it, then other times I just … don’t. Aren’t you meant to feel it all the time, particularly in the “honeymoon period”, so to speak? And I can’t separate all the other contingencies in my life from my man, so I’m not sure if that’s impacting on it either. There’s a lot on the side going on, so maybe that’s distracting me from really just letting myself fall? I just don’t know what it’s meant to feel like.
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Just go with the flow for now. If you’re still together in a year and you still have doubts, you’re not in love!
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Best: Walked to Anzac Day Dawn service with eldest daughter, and the service was great, with lots of people present.
Worst: Domestic duties at home – again!
OMM: I should be heading down to the library, or making dinner, or knitting, but I might just sit still for a bit…
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‘I might just sit still for a bit’…..oh freemel, I just love this….:)))
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Best: After years of trying to conceive, 1 year of fertility drugs, but only our 2nd IVF cycle, I got to have a 7-week ultrasound and see my baby’s heartbeat. Pure magic
Worst: Who cares – I’m pregnant!
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Congratulations! What fantastic news
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Big big congrats!
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Big hugs and hearty congratulations xxx
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Wonderful news – congratulations!
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Best news ever. Comgrats!!!!!!!
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Such amazing news, u must be so so excited!! I hope u are feeling well
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That’s wonderful, congratulations!
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BEST~ had a baby girl YAAAAY…in 1 hour 15 minutes!!
WORST~ WHO CARES!!! I HAD A BABY YAAAAAAY
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Holy hell that is fast! Mum always said I was in a rush (2 hours) but I think you just set a land speed record. Congrats
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It was insane!! And i was expecting it to go forever cos my first took about 30 hours!!’
Teflon coated baby
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Congrats!
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Wow. Huge happy congratulations xxxxxxx Pics soon I hope
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Aww Thanks Lana,
I did a blog post about the crazy quick birth that was like a bungee jumping trip for her and some pic’s are on the blog if u wanna look at her fat cheeks
her name is Minty and she is delicious!!
http://littlepaperlane.com.au/blog/
I have been nonstop instagramming though, my name is littlepaperlane if u wanna have a little looksie
such a good week
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Best: It’s my birthday on the weekend!
Worst: Turning 29 and realising I have only one year left until the big 3-0. I really thought (hoped? wished?) that I would be married with babies by now…
OMM: I split up with my ex of 6 years a couple of months back. At the time we both decided it was the right thing to do, but in the intervening time he has changed his mind. Cue phone calls, text messages, suicidal ideation, saying he had taken pills, other emotional blackmail, sending flowers, gifts, and showing up on my doorstep (all from him). He even left a message on my work phone today. I thought we could be friends when we ended it, but I have since realised that I really cannot have anything to do with him, for his own good and for mine. I forwarded the suicide messages to his mum and told (asked?) her to deal with it, and I haven’t spoken to him or texted him since. He lives interstate, and I am really dreading him showing up at my place this weekend because it is my birthday. As a result I am staying at a friend’s house tonight, and have planned to be out most of the weekend, and will stay at my mum’s place Saturday if he is around. I don’t want to be a prisoner in my home, and I don’t want to have to be out all weekend, but I really don’t want to see with him. I just wish he would get the message.
In other news, I went on an online dating website and have had two first dates, and one second date, but I just haven’t felt the ‘zing’ I am hoping for. It has still been very fun though!
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….had a similar situation with an ex (sux!!!) Not 100% sure how but if he does turn up/ threaten suicide you can have him hospitalised (i’m guessing you call cops and they’l take it from there) ….Good luck! The next one will be better!
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Happy Birthday!
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Has this kind of behaviour ever been prevalent previously? Sounds very worrying, for you and him. Did his mother reply to the texts? Is he close to her?
Maybe instead of calling the police (who are not great at this type of thing) you could ring a local hospital and ask about the service available and who you should call? And call an ambulance instead of police. Would be really terrible if he do anything so better to be prepared just in case so that you know you did all that you possible could.
REally hope you have a good bday despite all this. xxxx
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The police will usually rock up with the ambulance in a situation like this if the person needs help but is unwilling to go.
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This week has been a mixed week.
It’s the first week back at school for Term 2, which means I’m home alone (I’m a first year teacher out in country NSW), which is hard. I miss my family and friends.
And you can laugh, but I just got back on Saturday from 8 days in Singapore where I was seeing WICKED (again) which was as amazing as always (I saw it 4 times in Australia and 3 times in Singapore… it’s very addictive) and it’s finished now and I miss it (I love WICKED. And it was warm in Singapore. It’s not here). Plus, I was there with one of my closest friends and we got to meet and really talk with the incredibly lovely cast, so it was the best holiday I’ve ever had.
So, it took me until Wednesday to get back in the right space of mind (I was on Singapore time for a while there).
But I’ve discovered having a day off in the middle of the week is a great thing! And I’ve got a friend and my sister coming to visit for the weekend which will be awesome.
And I’ve gotten some lovely reviews for my latest fanfiction, which helps when the kids are in moods and don’t want to work.
But all in all, can’t complain!
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Best: My boyfriend’s 30th birthday was this week. I had worked really hard for weeks to make sure he had a special day (I’d organised 30 presents for 30 years and we had dinner at Rockpool and stayed the night in Melbourne) and he was so surprised. All I wanted was for him to have an amazing day and to feel completely loved and he assured me he did
Worst: I feel really disconnected from my family. None of them make any effort and I just can’t really be bothered with any of them at the moment.
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Best: Sounds lame, but FINALLY teaching my puppy that you sit for pats. I’m sick of being jumped all over, so it’s amazing that I’ve got it through her head.
Worst 1: I am SO behind on Uni. Working 2 jobs is taking it’s toll on me. I feel like I’m running around like a mad thing.
Worst 2: I feel pretty alone. The guy that I am best friends with, but sort of always felt like there was more than that has moved to London. He left on Tuesday, it just feels bizarre. Then I have a guy flirting with me at work, I don’t know if it’s just his personality, or whether I need to approach him about it.
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read “what you dogs trying to tell you” Martin McKenna…. Best dog book!
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Best: going back to country for the weekend for grandpa’s 92nd birthday.
Worst: stress heads at uni making everyone else feel awful. stress is contagious i swear.
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Have already posted but forgot a very important best:
Offspring is back on. Love love loving every bit of it.
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I would just like to add to my best bits of the week with something that just happened – I just interviewed Christine Anu for work and she was just as amazing and sweet as I had hoped! Growing up “My Island Home’ was my favourite song to sing in choir.
It is such a nice feeling when someone you have idolised for so long turns out to be just as cool as you had hoped. It’s horrible though when they turn out to be a giant douche-bag! Luckily not this time
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I saw her in a play last year and she was awesome! I also loved My Island Home… and Party…
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She was really nice and so passionate about music and performing!
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She was one of the nicest contestants on excess baggage.
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Best: buying a new pair of the impossible to find jeans that fit perfectly and look great too (well I think so
)
Worst: After years of being desperate to be called for Jury Duty, finally getting the letter in the mail…and I have to apply for exclusion. Because of my childrens ages I qualify because I dont work so I dont have care in place for them and I dont have anyone who could look after them before school, after school and during the school holidays if I had to attend. Big bummer but practically it was my only solution.
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Hi Lu, I felt the same, I always really wanted to do it…and then I got in to uni to study law and I was called up. The dates clashed with my first few weeks and so I had to decline. And now it’ll never happen
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Don’t lose hope! I know people who have been called 2 or 3 times, very bizarre.
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I had to do it. It was a massive pain.
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Best:
* Getting back into school day rhythms – as lovely as it was to just hang out with my favourite girl and my hubby, it’s nice to have some me time. The dog is loving it too – he gets an hour-long walk every day
* The beautiful changing of the leaves, winter soups, curries, curling up in front of the fire! Yay!
Worst:
* My Mum and other half have never gotten on. And I’ve made peace with that. But I’ve been receiving phone calls from her, listing all the things that she finds wrong with him, how she wouldn’t blame me if I had an affair with another man, and that I’d be better off, living closer to home with a nicer man.
It’s gotten to the point where it doesn’t matter what I say, how loudly I yell, how many times I slam the phone down, how much I try to reason with her, or how often I ask her to stop. She just won’t stop.
I think I’ve given up.
If I felt unhappy in my relationship, I wouldn’t have stayed with him for nine years, had a child with him, saved for and bought a house with him or married him.
I’d like to think that I could stay with my parents if my marriage ended, but I am happy, haven’t voiced any concerns or decided that a good old bitch about my husband is in order!
I’m sick to death of it all and wish she could be happy for me.
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Not that it helps, but my mother is exactly the same. About half of our conversations start with “Why does your DH do “, particularly foods he does/n’t eat…
P
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Worst:
*Waking up an two hours later than I should on a work day, after being kept up all night by an extremely painful hip injury. By extension, the judgmental expressions on my co-workers faces, as if being this exhausted can be helped. Wondering if I should withdraw my offer of continued help on their c-book, due to the lack of support and basic kindness.
*Finding out my dearest has two more weeks of the late shift after being told it would rotate next week. Dirty, dirty liars.
* Dodgy real estate agents and bond issues.
Best:
*Last day of this job. No longer have to be subjected to a nepotistic environment.
*Seeing Avengers Gold Class on the weekend, after saving up for it.
* Snuggling with my man after he surprised me by getting home early. KFC, True Lies and comfy arms around my waist as Arnold tries to get a horse to jump the building.
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I’m off to see the Avengers tonight! Everyone in my office keeps raving about it!
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Enjoy! Rate it out of five for me!
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Best:
It’s only 4.5 weeks till hubby and I are off to the US for a week ON OUR OWN!!!!! So excited, Vegas for 4 nights and San Fran for 3 nights. Shopping, eating out, sleeping in and whatever we want to do. Can’t wait for some me and him time, we have 2 kids (4.5 and 2.5) so we haven’t had an actual conversation in approx 4.5 years. Time to reconnect
Worst:
How much I am going to miss my babies while we are away. My parents are staying at our house for the week to mind the kids so they will be happy (they looooove their nan and pa) but my 4 yr old son is already getting sad that we are going and I know I will ache for them.
OMM
All the stuff I have to organise before we go, money, packing, repacking to allow for purchases, etc….
Can anyone confirm? My friend said that you can claim back US sales tax at the airport but all the googling I’ve done says otherwise. Anyone know?
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Don;t know much about the sales tax but do know that you are going to have a ball. Enjoy every minute
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What does OMM mean please
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On My Mind
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I was wondering the same – thanks for asking!!
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We claimed the sales tax back on our 2006 trip, but forgot about it on our 2010 trip, so I don’t know if this is still available.
There’s also something about claiming back GST on stuff (cameras, etc) you purchase for your trip? I don’t know any details because I’ve never done it, and perhaps I am even making it all up and just thought I’d heard it??
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You can! Although you have to have the items you bought (plus receipts) in your hand luggage and buy them within a certain time frame of going overseas. It’s worth looking into
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You can’t get a refund on sales tax paid in the states, but you can take advantage of the TRS (Tourist Refund Scheme) through Australian Customs.
See link: http://www.customs.gov.au/site/page4646.asp
Ps: I was a Customs officer in another life so take this hot tip: Make sure you follow the guidelines and make sure you leave enough time to line up and board your plane!
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i think you can claim tax back, but only on items over a certain amount of $ …a few hundred from memeory….
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Best: Found out my summer job starts on the 15th May so I am ditching my awful marking job! Yay!
Best 2: Playing in a pops orchestra (paid gig!) this summer!
Best 3: An Aussie friend from a community band back in Perth has been on exchange doing her Bachelor of Music in Oregon and is stopping to see us on her way home!
Worst: Kind of wish I was going with her…miss a lot of stuff (family, friends, home, dog, etc).
OMM: My sister just broke up with her boyfriend (not entirely a bad thing, but she’s still a little down) and she messaged me to tell me how smart my dog was (my parents are looking after the dog, so I Skype her regularly!
) as she hadn’t left her side since the breakup. I always thought she was pretty sensitive, but I thought it was just coz she was attached to me…apparently she guards my (9mo) nephew’s door when he naps at my parents’ house as well!
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Dogs are so amazing aren’t they? They are just the best & yours sounds really wonderful.
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Best – wonderful husband who has been such a gem during a rough week. Best 2 – booked a holiday and leaving in a few weeks. Yay!
Best 3 – quick trip to the shops this morning results in new sass & bide purchase.
Worse – IVF stuff – blah blah blah. So. over. it. But refusing to give up and best doctor ever says no need to give up either.
OMM – the cool weather coming means the “tights aren’t pants” debate will fire up soon!
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Best: I am have had the best week of my life. Met the boy of my dreams last Friday night, first date on Saturday night, met his parents on Tuesday night, he came bowling with me and my sister and her boyfriend on Wednesday night, spent all day with him yesterday. Its perfect. Does love at first sight really exist and can it be this easy when you’ve found the right one? Is that why its so easy?
Worst: Feeling as if being a lawyer is not what I want to do. I’ve completed five years out of a six year arts/law degree and really cannot bring myself to study or even hand in assignments. I’ve hit a wall and feel as if I would get more out of being a primary school teacher. Should I just get it done and bite the bullet.. Doesn’t help how my boss and I had a bit of a barney on Tuesday which has made me want to leave.. Such a first world problem, not worth worrying about. Any advice MMers?
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Study is so much different to real life, as I’m sure you’re aware. I say complete the year – you are so close, it would be a shame not to make 5 years of your life count for nothing!
You could go a couple of ways – either get a graduate job (I know they are available in most fields – sometimes they are 1 yr contracts which means you could get a ‘taster’ of the job) or look into getting a Graduate Diploma of Education. If you already have a degree, only 1 more year will get you qualified to teach. With degrees in law, arts and ed, the possibilities are extensive!
I did a GradDipEd after my Bachelor – best thing I ever did. What started as, ‘I’m never going to earn money as a musician in the short term, better back it up with teaching,’ has turned into my passion. After teaching today, I said to my husband (also a teacher) that we do a lot of things in our lives, but teaching is one of the few things that I do and think, “Damn, I am good at this!”
Good luck with the guy! Sometimes, you meet someone and it feels easy to relate to them – it’s not an accident! It can be a false sense of security sometimes, because it’s easy to think you don’t have to work so hard. Congratulations!
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I have an arts degree already so hopefully the next year and a half of my law degree will go really really really quickly. Fat chance though.
With the guy, he said within days of knowing me that he saw a guy at Uni and when asked about his weekend said that he thought he had met his future wife. I have read Zoe’s book Textbook Romance and have tried hard to stick to it but sometimes with feelings like this, you really really will drive guys away playing by rules.
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Maybe you are reflecting on your fight with your boss more than the actual degree. Don’t make any rash decisions.
And enjoy your new man – sounds heavenly
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He is heavenly Lana.. Is it meant to feel this good
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Get your degree done- you’re almost there and you’ll regret it if you don’t. I know at least 3 or 4 people who have law degree and don’t ‘use’ it. 2 of them are lecturers and love it
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Re: your best…Did you post about this earlier in the week? I remember reading it and thinking wow…what a lucky girl, and you gave me hope! I split up with my ex a few months ago and have been on a few different dates and I just haven’t had that spark with anyone. I am really looking forward to feeling what you are…one day I hope!
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Sam, yes I did post on the open post but this is really my best best best thing
I was in a really hard relationship for 3.5 years and we broke up at the beginning of last year. It really took a toll and it was constantly going back to him and constantly being hurt over and over. I took the time (as Zoe has said in her book) to just try and get myself in the right mindset before meeting anyone else. Just going out and partying and keeping myself busy.
I went on about five dates and yes, they were all meatheads. Yes they paid, yes they picked me up in their flashy cars – but nothing, nada – some only wanted me for fun (which I wasn’t up for) and some were just not guys that I would go out with.
This guy is a breath of fresh air and it feels different. It feels natural. There are no games, no rubbish (granted I’ve only known him for a week). Have faith sweetheart, you’ll find that lucky person and when you do – you’ll be so happy.
Have you got rid of all contact with your ex? Sometimes that prohibits you from meeting someone else.
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Hi Pocket,
Thanks for your reply. I posted up higher about what is going down with my ex…not pretty really. I just want him to be out of my life! Thank you for giving me faith
How did you meet, do you mind me asking?
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We both happen to be of the same nationality and went to a cruise dedicated to it. I didn’t want to go that night actually. Was with my sister and her bf then saw some law school friends and they were harping on to guys at the bar at how great I was. Turns out he was checking me out. One of my friends goes up to him and he asked me to go outside on the boat and that’s what I did.
Four hours chatting and we didn’t even get time to spend with our own friends 
You need to get the ex out of your life sweetheart, only way to make way for the new person that is going to sweep you off your feet!!
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Yes, I think it is possible to fall in love at first sight. My advice (from this old 53 year old who’s been married twice but has found her soulmate at last!) – which is advice that I’m heeding too right now – is to go along for the ride and enjoy every heady moment, just don’t make decisions (like marriage etc) until you’ve been together for a year or two. The honeymoon period does wear off and that’s when you need to really evaluate your mutual feelings, rather than now when everything’s so perfect.
Re the law degree – stick with it!!! You’ve come so far you may as well complete it just so you haven’t wasted so many years on it. How I wish I’d done a uni degree – to be dumped at 50 with no career and having to reinvent yourself is NOT easy. You may be laying foundations now that help you many years ahead.
Good luck – I hope he really is the man of your dreams – and there’s no reason why he shouldn’t be, good things do happen to good people!!
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Thanks, Jane
Good advice – I’m going to stick with it. I’ve just missed a lot of assessment tasks and handing them in due to having a bit of anxiety over the whole Uni situation.
And as for the man, he is perfect – and a wise woman once told me that when it is with the right person, it is easy!
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Sounds like exhaustion to me. Are there any particular areas of law that interest you ie; criminal, entertainment, etc ? Maybe if you found that you may feel excited again. And lawyers can work in all different types of companies – technology, internet, mining, government etc etc too, not just law firms so there’s lots of options. Be a shame to not keep going this far.
Great news re the man. x
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It is a bit of exhaustion to be honest. Just don’t know how to go about it to get motivation back!! I really want to get into a big property company and deal with retail shopping centres from the legal side or family law!!
He is a gem!
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Best: Finally losts and losts of assignments (and I even got good marks! WIN!), spending time with my wonderful man, working lots and achieving lots.
BEST BEST: 6 weeks until Europe!
Worst: My boyfriend went back to work on the rigs for three weeks yesterday (usually it’s only two weeks). The countdown is on!
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Worst: Guy that I’ve been into for months hooked up with some girl over the weekend. Wish I’d had the balls to just ask him out myself earlier, but have been too afraid of rejection and ruining our friendship… feeling really lonely and that I’ll never find anyone that understands me.
Also, stressing about uni assessments!
Best: Chelsea winning their champions league semi!! Possibly one of the greatest moments of my life!! (Just wish the press would give us more credit). And discovering that wearing a football jersey to uni leads to some much wanted male attention. Why did I not realise this was the easiest way to pick up guys before???
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Take a gamble – just ask him out for a drink or coffee. Got nothing to lose – worst scenario is he can say No and best is he can say Yes!! Best of luck!
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Best: just got married and loving it! hubby and I would love to have a baby and this week my period came late, checked the stick and saw two lines. I was so happy, and scared, and excited.
worst: finding out just after our wedding, fearing the judgements from friends and family who warned us not to start a family as we are both “young” and newly wedded.. not sure to jump up and down with joy or quietly announce it slowly *sighs*
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YAYYYY!!!!!!!! THAT IS SO EXCITING!
it’s your decision, you’re nice and young so you’ll have more energy to keep up with it, less complications, thus baby is coming into a stable home – where are the bad bits in this? 
obviously I can’t talk because I’m 20, but that’s my opinion. so excited for you.
stuff friends and family judging you – if they judge you they’re not good friends anyway! A baby is a joyous occasion
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Thank you for supporting me! My partner and I are 26 and 31, but amongst families and friends our age, it seems everyone feels we are not experienced in life (careers, travel) to settle down properly. I don’t feel as if I will be missing out on wild moon parties or anything similar to that. I don’t get it. Today I’ve been reflecting, surely you can work travel and have a career while raising children? Having children really can’t be the end?
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Its not the end, But it does slow things down…. Everything will take a bit longer to achieve… my girl is 12 months old and its taken me quite some time to get my head around the fact that things dont happen as quick as I want them to like uni, I can only do one subject per semester as opposed to two or three. But that does not really worry me too much.
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you’re welcome! wow when you said young I thought you meant my age! mate what even is their problem. I think your wild moon party days are behind you hehe. Course you can, my parents have, we’ve lived overseas and travelled together
I think people also forget that you have the rest of your life to see the entire world – your kids are out of home in 20-25 years, then cos you’re a young mama you’ll be 50 and ready to go trekking through south american rain forests etc 
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Congratulations! Don’t worry what others think – if the time is right for you, then it’s the right time.
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Congratulations. Having a baby is joyous and a miracle. Don’t worry about how people “judge” you just because you are newly wedded. Announce it the way you want to announce. If you want to jump for joy then you should.
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Having a baby young while newly married is NOT something that anyone has a right to judge you on! I fell pregnant on our honeymoon, at 23, had my first child before I was 24. Yes it was tough, as motherhood can be, but not because we were young or newly married. Because we had a baby!
If you want to jump up and down, take out a full page advert in the paper, or make yourself a t-shirt saying your expecting, then DO IT! This is your time!
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Haha ! This made me laugh, thank you. Also thank you all for reminding me of what is most important right now. Very grateful I shared this news with this community
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Concentrate on your best – because it is AWESOME
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Congrats!!
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Congratulations! don’t worry about them, they have no right to say anything except good things. You know you’re doing the right thing & that’s all that matters.
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What wonderful news! u just enjoy every second of it! The one thing you will have to get used to when it comes to pregnancy and babies, is every human on earth has an opinion on what they thinks is “right”. If u and your partner are happy thats all that matters!!
Take care and enjoy xx
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Renza I feel you…every diaversary I always feel down in the dumps. You kind of deal with it through the year, but when March 7 hits I’m one huge ball of angry, teary frustration. Type 1 diabetes sucks balls, and no-one gets that you’re living with a serious auto-immune disease. just cos it’s invisible does not mean its not there! You inspire me, I can’t wait to have a gorgeous child of my own. pregnancy with type 1 looks like a struggle, but it’ll be worth it
YAY for someone with Type 1 doing the best and worst!
best: FINISHED MY TWO HUGE UNI ESSAYS! YES! feel fantastic! have a girls night planned tomorrow night to celebrate the end of this assessment heavy week, drinks and fun times ahead, can’t wait!
worst:
- had to skip my weekly dance classes to finish them – my own fault though, next time LOOK at the due dates georgie!
- My levels have been up at 10-14mmol all week, when last week they were between 6-9. what is going on diabetes?! had a bad hypo at work and got really embarrassed, I’m still new there
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April 27, 2012 at 12:36 pm RenzaS
Hi Georgie and thanks for your comments. Raising awareness about type 1 diabetes is a personal (and professional) passion, so I was thrilled to be able to do some advocacy in this week’s Best & Worst. A huge thanks to the Mamamia team for allowing me to host this week.
Sorry to hear about the at-work hypo. Not fun at all. Hope you get some answers about those elevated numbers. As I keep saying about type 1, it’s hard to be ‘compliant’ (hate that word) when there isn’t a rule book to follow, the goal posts keep shifting and somedays (most days??) there’s just no rhyme nor reason for why things happen. Hope your weekend is better. (And well done getting your essays in!)
R
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Best:
Enjoying the people I work with
Going to an event tonight that is going to be fun and meaningful
Worst:
Had a bit of a panic attack, what am I doing with my life moment during the night. Seriously freaked me out. Generally occuring as I know 3 people off to Europe very soon… and a change is as good as a holiday. Perhaps the cheaper option; a new hair cut and colour!
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