I got a message from the parent of a student who goes to a school I did a talk at during book week who said "I inspired her son to come home and write a story" and jesus christ has that made my day/week/year. I don't get them that often, but every time I get a message from a parent saying something like that it just means so much knowing there is a kid out there writing his own story now.
I heard some time back that the news media have a rule of thumb - for every person that rings them up about an issue, there are 10 more that want to but don't. For every person that writes a letter, there are a hundred more that want to but don't. So I assume that a message would be somewhere between the two? So there's probably a lot more people out there that appreciate your work.
I sure hope so. Even if I don't know about it, as long as it's encouraging reading and writing in kids, that's all the matters. Getting these messages certainly makes my day though.
Ugh. 3/4 burners on my electric stovetop are fried, cooked, dead. 2 haven't worked since they installed this stovetop 3 years ago, but being a renter I put up with it. Now the other one is dead, probably because I've been using it to boil water since my kettle died.
Now I have to put in a maintainence request and I just have no spoons for any of this shite
Yep, under minimum standards a cooktop needs at LEAST 2 working burners. Write them a nice email, request that this be serviced within 14 days as its an urgent repair. Breach 'em if they don't.
Just wanted to add that if they fall under the urgent repairs category, you don't need to wait 14 days. There doesn't seem to be a set time period from what I can find, but urgent repairs must be responded to and repaired "immediately". If the landlord ignores your request, you can pay for it yourself (if less than $2500), then bill them and they'll have 1 week to pay you back. If you can't afford that cost upfront, apparently you can contact consumer affairs, although I don't actually know what they'll do.
Hopefully it doesnt come back again. My dad wasn't quite as negligent/abusive as yours but I used to wake up in a cold sweat from nightmares where I was escaping from him, it's an awful feeling.
Maybe it would help to remind yourself, through writing or speaking it out, how much safer and stronger you are now compared to those times? Maybe even stroking your skin or having a little ritual cleansing shower to lock it in somatically.
I find it can be healing to reinforce my current safety in my mind when it's easy to take my current situation for granted (doing so helps prevent my brain from rushing down a new avenue of anxiety because it can't inherently convince itself it's safe and okay).
Just out of the dentist - crown/bridge went well, here's hoping nothing slips underneath the bridge bit. Will be on soft stuff for a bit.
In feline news, both cats are scarfing down the treats they utterly refused a fortnight back. Cats...
Today was a significant improvement over the last few days of yuck and torpor. The next two days are going to be a bit yuck... But at least I have some work travel coming up right after which will be intense, but also invigorating and fun. I get to switch off from my usual tasks which is great.
And next Friday evening I'm off to Perf for a full week! Yee. Cost a pretty penny but my mental health desperately needs restorative aunty time and a break from the intensity. I'm hoping I'll be in a much better place for everything in October...
Alright, time to start packing, planning and cleaning to make up for doing none of it over the weekend 🤪
My wife and I are both longing for a long relaxing holiday together as well. Haven't had a chance since August 2022 when we went to Singapore and Malaysia.
While I was fixing the joints of the old chair I found the original makers brass plaque underneath, Ackmans Ltd , Fitzroy. I looked them up and in the 100+ years of the chairs life it's only moved a few hundred metres.
Read my Year 7 journal today and it made me sad. Oh, sweet summer child. It puts things into perspective though, because in some years from now, I'll feel the same way about myself now.
my sad teenage life
As a young teenager, who had no real friends or deep connections, I was thrown into a class with people who bullied me. I thought I was the problem, when the problem was that I just didn't gel with those people. I desperately wanted the approval of people around me, and couldn't bring myself to leave the only "friend" I had who I knew was a really bad influence on me. She ended up being a bully too. I also grappled with low self-esteem, body image issues and constantly felt like I was never enough. Not smart enough, not pretty enough, etc.
There were so many signs I was dealing with ADHD and potentially autism too. I was constantly losing things, was never focused in class. I had specific rules for journalling, and limited interests. Most of my time was spent wanting to do my work, but doing nothing instead, hyperfixating on people, random special interests that would leave in a week, and the thoughts in my head. The being in my head thing hasn't entirely left, and I'm not sure it ever will. But the self-esteem thing has gotten a tiny bit better. I have awesome friends now. I have more freedom and independence to explore the world.
So now I have another reason to become a teacher or do some kind of wellbeing work. To somehow help kids have a better experience than I did.
Been there. And you’re so conditioned to blame yourself you can’t see that you’re simply surrounded by arseholes. 0/10 ✂️
That’s a noble goal but don’t forget to take care of yourself first (whether that’s ensuring a job with adequate pay or reducing work stressors). If you don’t have your physical and mental health you have nothing.
Found a 25w led bulb that thankfully has a bit of blue in its spectrum. Cut off the diffuser and now have a ghetto grow light. Main grow light is down the bellarine. You can see they're a bit leggy but none have died yet and are putting out their first true leaves. Really need to get them under proper light.
I haven't planted anything so far - I am probably moving so don't want to put too much into the garden just to have to leave it behind! I have been doing a lot of sorting, so I'm redoing the indoor seed raising area in preparation for the future. I'll be getting rid of an old flourescent light and moving to all LEDs, plus I'm upgrading to two heat mats. Hopefully next year I'll have a permanent garden situation so I can put it to good use.
Nice. When I first turned mine on (it's a bit older and has a pink hue instead of the full spectrum people seem to use now) I was shocked how bright it was. Had to convince the neighbours it was for chilli and not pot. Could see it from down the street.. looked like a red light district.
God the last few times I've been forgetting to get new sponges for my hand sponge thing with a handle, for dishwashing. Finally remember last night after a fucking week. Ugh
I'm starting work at 7 everyday next week. Going to set my alarm starting from this week so hopefully I will be acclimatised. Hoping I'm not too sleep deprived, because this week and next week are assignment hell weeks and also hell week (iykyk).
Aside from the big unexpected thing that came up at work, last week went pretty well. This week will be busy in a different way, but if I keep this up I should get through September alright
The most poetic thing would be I get through this month and they're really happy with my performance, then I get another role and leave not long after. We'll have to see how that plays out
After a messup with last week's appointment I finally had my dental implant appointment first thing this morning. I did have to drive to Armadale for it, which sucked because it adds about 30mins travel time and involved driving on tram tracks. Apparently the bone had not regrown enough so instead of the implant I have had a bone graft, and the implant is rescheduled for January. It was a pretty quick procedure, but involves cutting open the gum, filling it with some sort of bone powder and stitching it back up, so it's going to be a bit hurty for a while. Plus the sensation of stitches in the mouth is never nice. As a positive it kicks the costs a bit further down the road, and the bone graft was bulk billed so no extra cost. I've no idea why Medicare pays for some of the dental stuff, but I'm definitely not arguing.
Edit to add: I'm grateful that my insurance has limited ability to roll over unused dental limits into the next year, otherwise the move to January could have pushed the other work I need back a year!
Antihistamines required! Ugh. I forget the name of this horrid sticky weed but it’s getting a good dose of revenge for the murder we committed on it yesterday.
I bought a papaya. I know I've had it in drinks but I don't recall having it straight up. I hope it doesn't taste like cantaloupe. I'll be so disappointed.