Yrae Chronicles

Merry Christmas, my lovelies <3! It would appear I've left myself to another massive life update. Again. I swear to g this will change next year. But we'll get to that. I have a couple of months to catch up here yet.

So. October was the last update, eh? Cool beans. The biggest thing that happened was Gran, the old battle-axe of the family, 98 and a half years old, finally passed on. We've all been halfway-expecting her to make 110, certainly a hundred, but despite that it wasn't a major shock. I mean, how much of a shock can it be at 98 and a half years old? She fell over back in September, on the way back from posting her marriage equality postal survey, and broke her shoulder. From there she went to hospital, and whether consciously or unconsciously, we figure she just decided it was too hard to get better and so just said 'bugger it.' She moved through to respite care, which then became a nursing home, and despite all her medical stuff saying she was about as healthy as your average 80-year-old, she stopped eating and drinking and just faded off. Peacefully, in her sleep, one of her dear sons holding her hand... literally couldn't have asked for better (except that she wanted this like ten years ago, but that's her problem).

I haven't cried. I figured out this is mostly because I can't feel sad for her. Like I say, she was healthy right to the end, still living at home until she'd fallen, pretty much her decision to die anyway, peacefully in her sleep. Everyone dies. I don't think it's possible to die better, so good bloody on 'er, I say. Also, she's been preparing us so well for this. We've always openly joked about her age and death and everything with her, usually with her being the one to bring it up, so yeah. Go Gran. More power to you o7

The marriage postal survey happened! Which was a massive waste of $120 million but it had a MASSIVE turnout of 80% of the voting population, of whom nearly 62% voted yes, the law should be changed to allow same sex couples to marry, and rainbows exploded all over the country. The whole campaigning process was toxic, with the no campaigners basically running nothing but a fear campaign, saying boys will start going to school in dresses and that goddamn argument about the baker not being able to refuse to bake a cake for a gay wedding that just will not die, and 'Safe Schools' coming back and warping kids' minds about what sex and gender is... It was all just so hateful and unresearched and wrong. I was so scared it wasn't going to go through. I'd hoped for more of a landslide, but it was enough for the pollies to recognise that most people DO want this to happen, so yay. Fiiiinally, by the last week before Parliament knocked off for the year, the law was passed and more rainbows exploded across the country, so we'll start seeing our first gay weddings in January, I believe. WOO! 23rd country in the world but we got there in the end.

At work, we've been doing 'Lunch and Learn' sessions, about improving out salesmanship skills. I hate all these things. I've had so many workshops at this place that show me how to be a better salesperson. I am not a salesperson. I am a graphic designer, but we've had absolutely zero upskilling for graphic design. I just learn by doing and observing what's going on with other design around the place. I have one workmate who's a graphic designer, and honestly he's more programmer than designer. How much programming and salesmanship does a graphic designer have to do in an actual graphic design studio? I genuinely have zero idea. What, exactly, is involved in professional web design? Do I have to know the coding or do I just design it and palm it off to a code monkey to make it happen? No idea. Maybe I can figure this out .-.

Anyway, sidetracked. I had a sales win! After seven years of people trying to shoehorn me into a sales role, I actually did a thing. Someone rang up asking first for envelopes, regular DL and DLX for machine inserting. Except that their machine was broken, so they'd have to do it all by hand. 'Oh, we can do that for you :D' says me. 'We could even print all the letters for you, if you haven't done that bit yet.' So in the end we covered their entire 1200-ish mailout, with barcodes and lodgement with Australia Post and everything, when all she asked for was envelopes. I DID A THING YAAAAY it felt good. Sure as hell not something I'll ever want to do for a living, but nice to have a win.

And now we're into Christmas and holidays and all that entails, YESSSSSS. First extended time off since Japan <3 So Alex has come over from Sydney, we've been to disgustingly hipster cafés for breakfast, lunch and dinner, been swimming in Mum and Dad's pool and went to see Thor: Ragnarok again because it's just such a fun, hilarious movie. Lunch and shopping tomorrow, probably the same on Saturday and NYE on Sunday night with the girls. Woo!

Christmas we've done in three parts, owing to the availability of various persons. Last weekend we were down with the Goolwa connection, because Colin and Laura were with Laura's folks for Christmas Day and one of my cousins had gone back home to Darwin. Second was just the five of us (Mum, Dad, me, Colin and Laura) at Mum and Dad's, when we did presents and a relaxed and awesome lunch from Mum. Christmas Day was back down at Goolwa, same people as the previous weekend with a few extras and a few missing. So, disjointed but so, so much amazing food. We stayed down there the night at Dad's brother's beach house with an amazing view down the South Coast.

And now we're here! This year, I had a diary wherein I wrote lists of stuff to do each month, including a bunch of standard stuff that had to happen every month, and it worked out really well. I got a lot of stuff done each month. Next year, I'll add a weekly list, and on it will be LJ post. I work well to lists, so if I have that on there, it'll get done. Maybe I'll miss one here and there, but at least I won't get so behind as I've been doing this year. No specific day, because there'll always be something that comes up and interrupts it. I kinda want to do a journal, too. After Gran's death, I went back through my LJ and a journal I'd kept when I was 14 and it was pretty fascinating to read back on. The journal especially, because I wrote it without the intention of anyone else reading it. We'll see.

For now, I need dinner.

Merry Christmas, my lovely darlings! I love you all dearly <3 <3

Hahahaha fuck off =|

It's currently cold. Yesterday it was 19, after having been nudging 44 on Saturday. That's a 25 degree drop overnight. Today was... meh. Forecast 29, don't think it went above 23. Tomorrow's nice for the last day of work, though!

I think I'm going to do some writing. Of the prose variety. I'm over coding, so very over it .-. I'm challenging myself and learning things through doing it, but god the troubleshooting. I'm ready to write some stuff that mostly does what I tell it to.

I swear, one of my new year's resolutions will be to post more regularly so my entries aren't just filled with dot points. In the meantime, DOT POINT ENTRY!

o So I've been riding to work since the weather started fining up in October, and have only missed maybe three or four days since when it was raining and crap in the morning. Coupla weeks ago I had my first... well I'll call it a crash but really I was going no faster than walking speed and fell over. But yea. Riding between a line of parked cars and a line of cars waiting at the traffic lights, plenty of room, until a ute decides when I'm about a metre from his wing mirror to turn left. I ALMOST made it between the two cars but clipped my handlebar on the mirror and fell over. Bruise on one knee and a scab on the other, but my bike's handlebar kinda bent up at right angles. So I have a new bike now! It's black and green and has freaking SUSPENSION and it's pretty awesome. I love it a lot. Also the metro tickets I haven't been buying for public transport have just about paid for it anyway so yay!

o I WROTE TWO CHAPTERS. I haven't completed a chapter since NOVEMBER LAST YEAR. This is big news and requires CAPS.

o Smells like Teen Spirit is apparently only #2 on this Music Max party rock anthems countdown. Given that Max would like this song to top every countdown they do from love ballads to the big hair countdown*, I'd like to know what beats "here we are now; entertain us" in that. Stay tuned.

o Three weeks of annual leave started today! THIS IS AWESOME AND ALSO REQUIRES CAPS. I haven't had this much solid time off since school.

o Sweet Child of Mine. I disagree with this.

o So far in my Christmas haul of work and my amazing housemate Anna P: Shitloads of chocolate, biscuits and lollies, Swarovski crystal necklace and matching earrings (more on this later), and a bike helmet and riding gloves. Naughty girl bought me TWO presents. If I'd known I would've gotten a selection of cheeses to go with the cheese board. She's too good to me <3

o I got so pissed off with my other housemate on Tuesday night that I decided not to give her her present, so Anna P and I split the box of Haigh's choc chip shortbread biscuits between us last night. Basically, Mum invited them both up for my standard Tuesday dinner in the Hills last week. Sunday, housemate was finally able to say she wouldn't be free. Tuesday night, as Anna P and I were working out logistics via text, I got the message that the said Anna could come a bit later and pick up housemate on the way. 'Nah she told me she wasn't coming' I replied. 'Yes she is, I just talked to her,' says Anna P. 'Damn... woulda been nice if she'd told me.' I say back. Call Mum, who is able to get another piece of salmon out of the freezer cos she's awesome and just has spare pieces of salmon hanging around. As one does. I get up there, apologise profusely, etc and so on. Anna P and housemate arrive, housemate says nothing~ and does nothing~ and carries on the night as if she was expected there the whole time. This all pretty much confirmed my dislike of the girl, but the clincher? As Anna P was praising the salmon and the mango and avocado salsa and the frankly awesome potato wedges and the salmon and how awesome my Mum was... housemate said nothing. She LEFT without saying thank you. SO GLAD SHE'S MOVING OUT YOU HAVE NO IDEA. I have been TRYING all year to like her but omg. I don't care what you think about me, you can dislike me for whatever reason, but my mum? Who has made special concessions for you with SALMON? And you can't even be arsed to say thank you? No. Fuck you. You're not even getting politeness out of me anymore.

o Why is Kiwiland releasing a trailer for The Hobbit a YEAR before it comes out? That's just cruel and unusual punishment.

o 30 degrees on Sunday, oh yeah o/ But drizzling. YAY MUGGY =|

o I get more excited about giving my presents to people than getting them. Bring on Christmas Eve~ with the awesome lunch and the pressie giving~ and then Christmas DAY with the awesome lunch~ and the pressie giving~ and yeah I'm not going to hit my target of 80kg by the end of the year am I? YAY CHRISTMAS.

o The Swarovski crystal sparklies? Boss and Boss Lady have sold the franchise =0 Graphic Designer and Accountant are owners as of January 16, the day I get back from leave. FRIGGING BIG NEWS. Not much will change first up but EEE exciting stuff. Boss will be hanging around for a year, and Boss Lady will be in once a week to do finishing (stapling, collating, hole punching, that kind of thing) but still, BIG CHANGES AFOOT.

o I forgot to bring my tablet up to the Hills tonight. This sucks cos I was going to do my Secret Santa tonight. BALLS. I'll just have to make it particularly awesome over the course of the week. While I'm on LEEEEEAVE omg this is awesome.

o I swear this will be the last giant dot point entry, really.

o Lol LJ wank. I really don't care enough about subject lines to move, what is it, five journals? tpyo, HB, yrae, the Thrai (hah like that gets used anymore but whatever)... four journals. It does amuse me that the people who are getting the most worked up over it have already ditched LJ.

o I made a thing! Which I am clearly announcing at the wrong time but whatever. I'll point back at it in July.

o I bought a commission :D I love that everyone so far has seen Ackerley with fluffy red-brown hair. Hey I might even add them all to bloogum some day wouldn't that be a novel idea?

o Holy crap Dexter. I've been waiting six seasons for that. laksdghalksd want next season now kthxbai.

o THE END.



* If you've heard a better premise for a music countdown, I'd like to hear it.

HAH I'm not the only one who uses Maya to cheat get the perspective right.

...I have so much more exciting stuff to update on than that. I just never feel like actually typing it all out once it's done XD;

o Welcomed cousin back to Australia from the UK! She's only here for Christmas til she goes back again for New Year, aww. Big Christmas-esque lunch with her and family, followed by the most epic game of backyard cricket we've had in YEARS. Mostly we just sorta halfarse it out of tradition. No idea what made it go for an hour this time XD

o You're not the only ones who can do snow in December, bitches. DIDN'T I TELL YOU IT WAS COLD? I THINK I DID.

o Graduation was boring as all hell, I was number 29 of about 300 who walked across the stage of the Convention Centre to accept my degree. It took two hours o/ But then we went out to lunch after, which was lovely~ and tasty~ but not as good as Alphutte, where we WANTED to go but they were full.

o It's supposed to be 34 on Christmas Day. I'm dubious.

o Official move-out date is now officially 15-16 January. It was going to be this weekend, but then engagements cropped up to postpone it. Either way, Anna P's current housemate is moving out first week of January, so I'll move in the second weekend :D

o Work Christmas dinner was last weekend! Man that was fun. Jan got us balloons and we had a balloon animal/hat competition. It was unanimously decided that my 'lion' looked more like a poodle with haemorrhoids.

o We actually won a cricket match! Like, a real one, not backyard cricket! I wish we could've had that match here. Day three of the Perth Test was so much more epic than the day three at Adelaide that we went to =(

I have finished all but one of my Christmas gift piccies :D Just Shanrie's to go, who I will unfortunately have to ask about because I can't even find her story anymore, let alone any references/descriptions of the characters. 'Small girl with brown hair' or 'tall man with black hair' just isn't enough to work from, and taking the GW character route is just cheaping out. So yes. Need me a Shanra *nods*

Wednesday was another beach day due to roughly 40 degree weather :D Watered the garden at her place first, got some cheap iced coffee and ended up at the beach around 4pm when it had started to cool down a bit. The real change came just as we'd finished our fish and chips for dinner, in the form of thunder and lightning that kept going all the way home, too 8D There's one spot on the road where you can see all the way out north of the city, out into the gulf and up to the Hills, and there was lightning everywhere~ it was FABULOUS. Lightning is so much fun <3 Course, temperature dropped about 25 degrees for Thursday, because apparently that's how Adelaide wants to roll this summer.

Tomorrow night I have a 21st to go to.
Sunday is nothing.
Monday I'll have to run by Anna P but hopefully that'll be Christmas shopping with her followed by Gran coming up for dinner. It's quail. I'm not missing that =0
Tuesday go down to Victor with Anna P to see what, if anything, she'd like from Nanna's, and also go to the beach.
Wednesday, come home from Victor, possibly via McLaren Vale for lunch.
Thursday... go back down to Victor, this time with family for Christmas Eve festivities :DD
Friday, Christmas at Goolwa~ <3
Saturday, back to Adelaide for day one of the Boxing Day Test with Anna P~
Sunday, TAKE PLANE TO SYDNEY EEEE.

The coming month or so is looking a bit bloody awesome, yaknow. HEE SUMMER <3

We have a Christmas Tree :D We've had to put it up in the dining room instead of its usual position in the bar room, because it's a) too big to get past and b) too heavy move to get to the cellar. So we'll be having dinner in the dining room for the next month so we can see it properly :D

Pictures will come when it's decorated. Still just a chunk of pine tree in a bucket at the moment.

There, Malaysia photos all resized, numbered and uploaded. Two batches of KL and one of Singapore to babble about, then all... three pictures or however many I took of the Gold Coast trip, and I'm CAUGHT UP on holiday snaps. Just in time for Sydney, as planned X3

Money not yet gone through to Visa, so the online bit of Christmas shopping will have to wait til tomorrow, but the legwork bit of it is DONE~ :DD It's all sitting in a pile in the corner of my room waiting to be wrapped. Also got my jeans, boardies and work pants sitting there. The jeans~ now have a pattern on them based on Riesling's there, done in shiny fabric paint, and since it's going to be low 20s again tomorrow, I'll wear them to take piccies of =3 I really should do a camera cleanout, now I think of it. Finish off holiday snaps first, then I'll do that. Hoi~ >>

I want iced coffee, but we're all out of flavouring =/ Tomorrow this must be rectified.

CRICKET THIS WEEKEND EEEEEE!

I had stuff planned this weekend =( Last night was going to be my town's Christmas Pageant, but that got cancelled due to a huge storm blowing up roughly an hour before it was supposed to start. Hail, torrential rain, thunder and lightning roughly every 30 seconds or so.

Then tonight was going to be Symphony under the Stars--big free outdoor concert at Elder Park put on by the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and always finishing up with the 1812 Overture complete with cannons (and also fireworks). That one cancelled due to insane wind, but I wouldn't've gone even if it wasn't cancelled cos the weather's much the same as yesterday. The hilarious thing? It's actually normally on in March, but this year's was rescheduled to tonight because it was, like, 45 degrees on the night in March. Well, 45 in the day. Mighta dropped to something else stupid like 38 by the evening. YOU GET THE PICTURE.

Just. Frig. Come on, Adelaide, get it together =/ It was 43 last week! ONE DAY of spot on 30 and now we have insane thunderstorms with hail and lightning and the whole lot. Aaksdhglakshklj. If the cricket next weekend gets washed out or it's 40 degrees and therefore not worth going, I'll be SO pissed off.

Wow~ I'm behind in updating on stuff XD; MERRY CHRISTMAS belatedly >> I started drawing something but it's still just not happening, so just know I love you all <3

Chrissy for me was awesome~ <3 Apart from the fact that half the family wasn't in the country, but... yes. Such is life with this family XD;; Joanne in... Europe somewhere, possibly Italy on Christmas Day. Carolyn in New Zealand. Liz in Darwin, which is far enough away that it may as well be another country XD; First Christmas ever where the guy cousins have outnumbered the girls, so that was new.

Weather was... eh. It was warm, but cloudy all day, so by the end of it it was just muggy, and not exactly picturesque. Still, coulda been like today. Or the rest of freaking December. Summer my ARSE.

*ahem*

My family rules, just thought I should reiterate this. I think I came to the realisation of how WEIRD one particular aspect is about two years ago, maybe? In my family, including grandparents, aunts, uncles, EVERYONE... not one divorce. I always thought that was the norm, and pitied everyone who had crap Christmases cos they worried over whether to invite Auntie Thingie because she and Grandpa were not on good terms, stuff like that. There's never anything like that in my family. Sure, we mock Gran for having three topics of conversation (war, death and politics) but really, we love it when everyone turns up.

I seriously love my family. And the way Nanna was talking to me on Christmas Eve about how proud she was of all her grandkids... asdkjghs I'm almost tearing up again now XD;; But yes. Christmas is awesome. I love it sosomuch <3

...And now to get completely materialistic, my haul!

Colin: Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End on DVD. YES it's taken us this long to actually get it, shush.
Mum: An electric toothbrush.
Dad: A BIIIIG box of Lindt chockies and $100. I totally brought the $100 on myself, instead of a thing, cos I honestly had no idea what to ask for. And now I don't know what to spend the $100 on, YAY.
Nanna: $50!
Gran: $50! NOT TALCUM POWDER!
The Foothills Contingent: Prettypretty purple beaded earrings.
The Plains Contingent: More earrings, dangly ones with little silver stars~
The Goolwa Contingent: Box of 12 Derwents. I love Derwents <3 and most of those are the ones I'm always running low on XD;
The Victor Contingent: Smaller box of Lindt Lindors~ <3

I've done well. $200 that I don't know what to do with, and I'd rather it not just get lost in the $1000 of a laptop, that's not special. Obviously no point in spending it on chocolate XD;

Moving on from Christmas, I have a new phone! Cos my old one has effectively kicked the bucket. The battery only lasts a day if I'm lucky and the charger cord has gotten very, very tetchy. Has to be in at exactly the right angle, otherwise it won't charge. So yeah, I now have one of these little thingies for $79 o/ Basic, basic little thing that still does more than my old one. FM radio which is handy, camera, also has basic internet access mostly in the form of email, but my plan (same plan, same sim, same mobile number, nobody panic) will make that ridiculously expensive cos the rest of it is so cheap, so meh. I didn't want one with internet on it anyway. Camera is dodgy but if I want to take REAL photos... then I'll use my camera, strangely enough.

Finally! GWness that I will cut because it's easier than making a new, GW-locked post: ( Read more... )

OKAY I'M DONE.

Spent the afternoon at the Central Market with Mum today =D Had a giant bowl of Korean spicy beef soup with less beef than I was hoping, but it was REALLY REALLY NICE and I didn't let Mum have any >)

I managed to buy her Christmas present without her noticing, too, muha >D First of the Dexter books, so hopefully the first TV series follows it closely enough that it's not an entirely different story. One down, about ten to go, HURRAH.