MOST OF US NEED THE EGGS: JANUARY/FEBRUARY/MARCH/APRIL DIARY

Monday, June 19, 2023

JANUARY/FEBRUARY/MARCH/APRIL DIARY

I am writing this in June, stupefied at how fast this year has gone. As I go through what I have done in these first 4 months, no wonder really!

So, the year starts with me still without a car after my stupid car accident back in October at Port Macquarie. Not having a car was quite freeing in a way, but ultimately you lose a lot of freedom, which doesn't make sense, but what about this crazy life makes sense anyway!

I got it back finally mid-month, just over 3 months without it. I was initially very nervous about driving again, but it didn't take long to get back into shape. Roundabouts still give me a bit of PTSD though.

Work has been insane. In my day-job at Belmont Library, the work still delights and entertains me, however I have taken on a few other bits and pieces to help out, so my dance card is incredibly full. This has been exhausting. During this time I have been helping out with our Collections department, Readers Advisory and Collections (ordering books etc) is my great love and area of expertise, so I enjoy the experience, but it is a lot. I also filled in for my boss for a month or so, and I have been working on my large project, which is a Comic Con type event called Pop Bam: popular culture festival planned for late July.

You can read more about POP BAM here.

And I am back teaching at TAFE, 2 nights a week online. I love this so very much. The actual teaching, and lesson prep comes pretty easily to me, so I don't find it too tiresome. However, the admin can be a killer, and even now I am only getting better at it. I have lovely colleagues who are very helpful and kind. This term I have been teaching copyright, which I thought was going to be pretty dull, but I have found it absolutely fascinating and get to teach it again next term with my other class!

First term was full on - juggling both jobs - and I had moments of oh boy, I have taken on too much (and I had), but by second term, some of the smaller things had fallen away and things were much more manageable, plus the more you do something the easier it becomes. It just means being super organised and only taking on what is important, I am super great at the first, and getting better at the second. And I wouldn't change a thing!

My health has been - touch wood - good, but my menopause has been a big pain in the arse. Menopause (and peri-menopause) is getting more traction these days. As always, it is up to GEN X to push the boundaries, but you do not hear much about this incredibly important rite of passage, until it hits you and even then, not much is said. This needs to be changed, and many of us are talking about our experiences. I felt like my experience has been mild until I started reading up about it more recently. And whilst it is nowhere near as bad as it could be, I realised I had been going through much worse than I had been thinking or saying. Not to whine or need sympathy, it is a fact and you need to be realistic about it! It can be tough, hot sweats (I get them really bad), mood swings, foggy brain, dry skin, and much much more. It is all there, so be nice to your late 40s to 50s ladies, you never know what they are going through!

I have also been having regular osteo and massage visits and this seems to be keeping my osteo arthritis under control...as such...I am always in chronic pain, but for the most part it is very manageable...except for severe weather changes...then it is a huge pain.

And I have made it 5 years clear of cancer, so that is something worth writing about.

Andrew and I continue to go back forth between Sydney and Newcastle most weekends, which is a lot of fun.

We have done a few cool things over these months.

Our friends fostered a heavily pregnant hound in between Christmas and NY, and 12 puppies later they were in a whole lot of beauty...and work. So we went puppy visiting and it was divine!!!