Another gift

another dear friend sent me to make me smile.

The card

The card that came with the gift....my friend knows me well.

Mr Ben & his Bear

Sydney Buses Festivity

Every year in Sydney, Sydney Buses run a competition for the best decorated bus in line with Christmas.

It's rare I end up catching a bus that is decorated so it was kinda cool to ride on this one.

Candy cane striped bars, white frosted emblems on the windows, Christmas stockings, tinsel bordering each window, flashing lights embedded in greenery hanging from the roof, laminated Christmas pictures stuck on any available other surface....full-on!

The only disappointment was that there was no sign of Jesus.

Put to Rest

I've recently been away to the USA and Canada....

While I was in San Francisco, one of my favourite tops died....It is rare that I wear something to 'death' unless it's a pair of my favourite shoes.

This top was by Custo Barcelona and had served me well in hot summers - it was my not too casual, not too dressy, not too skinny/fat top.....a reliable staple that wasn't too plain and not too fancy.

I do feel that maybe I was outgrowing it style-wise - since I couldn't put it away myself maybe it was best that it retired itself, even though I suspect it was from having it laundered in New York....the rip......No matter, at least it 'died' well in a New York laundromat - one of the cities of fashion!

TV angst

Glad I'm not the only one who was experiencing TV purchasing angst!

http://www.sweetfineday.com/2010/05/hey-nice-tv/

This is a blog I regularly read - what's not to love - everyday thoughts, gorgeous kids, baked goods business, foodies...good taste.

Truth & Justice?

Been M-I-A on and off over the past few months....

Been:

• Entrenched at work
• Doing a spot of travelling (HK)
• Falling in and out of unreciprocated 'love' (bummer hey!?)
• Fighting for the truth to be revealed and finding it's a rarity (it doesn't come naturally to most people)
• Feeling like my inate sense of justice is a lonely thing to have
• Reminded that love, truth and justice often means sacrifice
• Realising I smile and moan like Marge Simpson (thanks to my brother)

I'm sure there are more pearls or rocks of wisdom to be revealed, however my bed calls - early start tomorrow morning....

A Hat for Cyril

A bunch of us put in for a new hat for Cyril - to replace the crumpled old beige cap he wears to church. He has been attending Cammeray Anglican Church evening service for years before I started 5 years ago.

CP and I chose the hat and agreed it's not too casual and not too trendy. We didn't go with a full brimmed hat so he can drive in his car (yes, he still drives) with it on.

We are having a party for him this Sunday.

Happy 90th Birthday Cyril!

A colour of friendship

An early birthday surprise from an old time friend...it made my week!  

Feels good to give...

a small token to a caring and thoughtful friend...at the end of what seems like a very unproductive and frustrating day!

A season of learning - Part 2

I've learnt a few things whilst having time off about how I've reacted to retrenchment and the various aspects that result from it....

• Money permeates so many areas of our lives.  It not only affects how we survive in terms of shelter, clothing and food but also how we socialise and in some ways how we are generous with others.  It also can be attached to our status in society...there were times when I was afraid I wouldn't 'fit in' or 'belong' given I live amidst a community that is quite blessed and well off in many ways, if I needed to adjust to a simpler lifestyle long term.
• Retrenchment may be a common statistic but it happens to real people.  There were times when I was reminded that there were 'lots' of other people in the same situation - at times it was a good reminder to realise I wasn't alone in my struggles, but at other times it wasn't great when people unintentionally reduced me to a statistic! Not receiving responses from many job applications does effect your self esteem no matter how hard you do try to remember it isn't something personal.  It's made me evaluate who I am as a person within and not to measure myself so much on my worth in terms of my job or how much money I earn.  It's funny how we can so easily measure ourselves and others on things that really not as important as we think.
• For those who do experience retrenchment, I think it's important to lean on God and family and friends.  Retrenchment is in the top 4 most stressful things that can happen in life - including loss of a loved one, losing your home and divorce.  I was quite proud and didn't want people to think I couldn't handle things on my own.  But in the end it was a great help to be able to feel supported and cared for.
• Prayer support has been so essential in getting me through this time.  Friends prayed for me when I couldn't pray for myself.  I believe it's the answered prayers of many who have sustained me during times I really needed it.

A season of learning...

Well, today marks the one month anniversary of my contract job.  I can't believe it has been a month already.

I've been wanting to write a series on what I have been learning since I was retrenched in December 2008, so I think it's a good time to start the series before more months pass by.

Whilst I chose to take the first 3 months off especially over the Christmas and New Year period, it was always in my mind as to how I would cope emotionally, spiritually and mentally.  I knew if I were to be retrenched it was mainly going to be a season of learning to trust God with different parts of my life, ones that I hadn't covered or delved into more deeply before.

A psychologist once told me some of the most stressful things in life include losing a loved one, illness, not having a home and losing your job.  

For me, losing my job affected me in more ways than I had originally thought - spiritually, mentally, emotionally and physically...the whole lot.

When I've spoken to old colleagues who were also retrenched, the word 'rollercoaster' comes up alot.  That's certainly what it has been for me - a rollercoaster of ups and downs and often times feeling like I have chronic PMS!  

Same Ben, Different Haircut