Just another manic Monday:

Sometimes it's fun to document a day in pictures and just see what happens. Last Monday I decided to do exactly that. I chose Monday because it's my standard 'normal' day each week. No music students, no English students; the goal is study and errands. I attempted to take a photo an hour, but sometimes I forgot or was late. This is the result! Above, about 8am, I think.

After breakfast, I duck next door into my Mum's kitchen to say hi.

Then I'm into homework -- a project analysing the print serial market in Australia, particularly special-interest publications focussed on writing, editing, and publishing. It was a big job, due the following Friday. And you did not really need to know all those boring details.

Final undergrad results are in which means I've officially completed my Bachelor degree. Wahoo!

Snaaaack time!

A phone call from my sister Andrea, who was reading The Hunger Games -- which we desperately needed to discuss with one another, of course.

An errand trip into town with the little bro. Tain took this photo and I think it's pretty cool. I've never really noticed how insistent that row of pedestrian crossing signs is. And look at that Queensland winter sun!

A library study date.

Here, have a photo of a fourteen-year-old eating a ham-and-cheese toastie with his mouth open. Relatedly, how cool is my local library?

Back home again (now sometime around 3 or 4) and back into the books.

I head into the family home to say hi to my sister Lauren, who has unexpectedly dropped by while James goes off fishing.

Abby's pretty excited about hunting down the cat.

At about 6pm, it's a dinner production line!

Spontaneous sister/mother/daughter time (plus Tain) means watching the season final of Downton Abbey together. Abby is amused.

I discover that I can't watch tv guilt-free when I have a hefty critical book review due in a week. I read some Dickens with one eye on the tv and one ear on the conversation.

James returns a little after 7.30.

More study!

And my wee kitchen needs some attention. I usually wash up about 11pm, which is kind of a dreadful habit.

Downtime -- with ugg boots.

Ablutions. I took a self-portrait brushing teeth, but I decided to protect Laura's anti-teeth-brushing sensitivities and post this shot instead.

Bible and bed at 12.40am. 'Night!

What's a Monday look like for you?

* * * * *

Conversations:

Andrea -- :D

Staish -- I'm not cut out to be a plumber, though. There was gagging involved.

Asea -- mesh covers sound super smart!

Carla and Alastair -- I suspect that the reason you've never thought to write a letter to your vanity drain is because you're normal.

Katie -- huzzah indeed!

Domesticwarriorgoddess -- your comment made my day! Thank you for enjoying my weirdness :).

Rebecca Simon -- haha, you're lovely!

Jess Axelby -- HARD TIMES foreverrrrr! I have to confess I'd forgotten how it ended though. I wasn't ready for the sadness :'(.

Meaghan -- I DID gag. *shudder*

Project 52: forty-six and forty-seven (plus bonus!)

The top picture (#46 of my Project 52) is an accurate representation of how my little brother sees life.* The middle picture (#47) is an accurate representation of my life currently, and for the next couple of weeks. And the bottom picture (a bonus!) is an accurate representation of the small furred thing that has been distracting the lot of us since she joined our family on Saturday. Her name is Taxi, she is eight weeks old, and she has single-handedly turned this household of frankly-we're-ambivalent-about-cats-people into -- simply -- cat people.

*When I saw that little scene on my parents' hall table, I cracked up. The soldier is so hardcore there with his military stance and his khaki. Pooh, on the other hand, is thinking, "If I just stand here smiling, this is all going to be just fine."

* * * * *

Conversations:

Andrea -- that comment sounded very Seussian! I'm impressed.

Lauren -- Maybe the blonde hair zigzags generations? You're the zag, and Mum and Abby are the zigs :D.

Domesticwarriorgoddess -- I think grace is a battle for all of us. It's a gift, and it's a struggle. For what it's worth, however, I think you are an excellent embodiment of charis.
Sarah -- yes, His grace is sufficient. Always good to be reminded of that. xx

Staish -- you are a beloved "anyway" in my world. Love you. PS. I love your "epitaph" question. That one'll take some serious mulling.

Elizabeth Simard -- You are precious. I almost sobbed writing it so we're even.

Project 52: thirty-three

-- it's the little things.

* * * * *

Conversations:

Katie -- agreed! Although striking a balance is always my challenge. Often, if I start chores in the morning, I'll just keep on doing odd jobs all day because I've gotten into that Betty Homemaker zone and have trouble switching off and getting into other work. I think I figure I'm already hot and sweaty and my hair is falling in my face, so why not? But a little bit of everything really works so much better!

Un -- and I have you to thank for that ;). One day we'll opshop it up together once more.

Lauren -- let's plan an opshop crawl -- and garage saleing! I'm not sure if I can do this Saturday but we should do something SOON.

Sarah -- it's very rare that I'll ever get everything crossed off my to-do list in the one day. Then again, if I don't make a to-do list in the first place, I don't get anything done.

Staish -- yes! Photo walk!

Project 52: thirty

Because nothing says New Year's Eve like a chubby Australian baby sitting on a picnic rug eating sunscreen, am I right?

Project 52: twenty-nine

Christmas dinner in the Carey household.

(I entirely forgot about uploading any of my Project 52 pictures, so here they are now, belatedly)

* * * * *

Conversations:

Maddy -- and the same to you! Yes, it was definitely a lovely time with everyone -- so much laughing!

Carla and Alastair -- you are so right. On an episode of Gilmore Girls last night, Luke said something about how Lorelai was happy but she still seemed a bit sad. "Haven't you ever been around a woman?" was Lorelai's reply. I think growing up is kind of similar.

Katie -- as I hope for you :).

Thelittlebluefishy -- and the same to you! Your profile pic is super cute :).

Staish -- let's understand more, together!

Brenda -- if we could only shift the end of the year to a time less busy than the end of the year! ;)

Jessica -- yay! I'm glad it got to you safely.

Un -- :)

Project 52: twenty-six

-- hello, Christmas!

* * * * *

Conversations:

Katie -- I usually run from discussing anything slightly controversial on my blog, but it's a great exercise for articulating passionate topics while trying to steer clear of purely emotive arguments. And as you said, it feels more practical than signing an email petition.

Lauren -- haha! I'd be tongue-tied if ever I came face to face with a PM (current or former). Remember George Fitzgarden? ;)

Laura Elizabeth -- anxiously awaiting hair pictures and updates!! How does it feel to be so hair-light? PS. From what I know, they changed the title to Good Christian Belles in the US, but we Australians are obviously more edgy ;).

Marie -- :)

Rebecca Simon -- that's the frustrating thing, isn't it? Those who rant and rave and basically throw public tantrums don't do anything for their cause, but people who graciously defend their point of view definitely deserve respect.

Daniel S -- thanks for your comment; was good to hear from you! I am still searching to find the middle ground on the choice argument. On the one hand, I think it is impossible to demand that people live according to Christian morality when they don't worship or respect the God who crafted that morality (for example, if Australia somehow became a Muslim state, Christians would resent being compelled to follow Islamic law). However, I have heard just as compelling argument that if we truly love people, then we will only desire the best for them, and if we are Christians, we obviously believe that best is God's standard for society and family.

Anonymous -- thanks for pointing out the typo, anon. I fixed it -- just for you.

Harriet Coombe wrote: Just wanted to let you know that the media (of which I am unfortunately a part!) has got the immunisation story wrong. The media has been deliberately omitting the fact that if you are a conscientious objector (and actually sign a form to say you are) you will still get the family tax benefit. This is good to know, Harri! Thanks for sharing this info. I included it here so that others may benefit from your insight.

Meaghan -- I like you.

[short + sweet] living life

Mary Oliver wrote the “instructions for living a life:” Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it...

I like taking photos, I like writing, and I like telling people about things that I find. I like telling stories on blogs, because truthfully, it’s the best way I know how to.

Here.

[lately] my saturday; picture-an-hour

It was the first Saturday in many that wasn't planned out with people, events, and things-to-be-done. I even took the entire weekend off study, and had a sleep-in. So good.

10.30 -- Tumblr and reading in bed.

11:30 -- brunch! Grilled ham and cheese.

12:30 -- work for a writing project due at the end of the week.

1:30 -- my room gets some required attention.

2:30 -- hitting the road.

3:30 -- enjoying coffee with these beautiful belles.

4:30 (actually, more like 5) -- heading home.

5:30 -- amazing sunset reflected in the window.

6:30 -- dinner with my family.

7:30 -- Doctor Who time!
(I didn't finish watching this ep; too creepy!)

8:30 -- hanging out with Mum.

9:30 -- still chilling; also lurking.
(hi Hayley!)

10:30 -- the great Australian snack,
followed by exercising and organising.

12:30 (yeah, I skipped an hour) -- ablutions.

1:30 -- devotions and bed
(too late, I know! I'm working on that).

What did your weekend look like?

* * * * *

Conversations:

BushMaid -- his tour might be finished now. I'm not sure. I hope for your sake it's not!

[lately] skate park

I don't know if I've ever told the story here about how I met my incredible friend Anastasia. The short version is: we met online. But not only does that sound weird and possibly a bit creepy, it also fails to tell the full story. Basically, we were both part of a LiveJournal community dedicated to keeping handwritten journals. Staish's pages were amazing, sprinkled with prayer poems and beautiful handwriting, and (yes, this part is possibly a bit creepy) I kept coming back to her posts when I needed fresh inspiration for my own journalling. It was evident she was in love with Jesus and exuded creativity.

From there, we became actual LiveJournal buddies and then MySpace pals (back in the day, hey?). We were commenting back and forth on MySpace one day when I informed Staish I'd be moving from WA to Queensland. 'Where in Queensland?' she commented back. 'Brisbane,' I said. 'Dude, I live in Brisbane!' was Staish's reply. Then I realised my mistake and amended it: 'Actually, it's [little suburb south of the city]'. The next reply from Staish: 'I LIVE THERE!' Sure enough, in what can only be a God thing, Anastasia lived five minutes down the road from my family's new home in Queensland. Crazy, crazy stuff.

We talked about meeting up and then one morning I found a package in my letterbox with a map to Staish's church -- attached, with ribbons, to a block of chocolate. Then followed incredibly awkward trepidation pre in-person meet-up followed by amazed and bewildered joy as we realised we could be Real Life Friends in even greater measure than online buddies.

It continues to amaze me that God could randomly introduce such a spectacular person in such a neat way. Now, I experience withdrawals if I don't get catch up with Staish once a week. We talk about books and God and her present and always husband and my future one. We watch movies and do craft and gush over Moleskines and laugh at awkward things and both love art and teenage fiction. Anastasia is a blessing in my life and I'm so so pleased God introduced us.

And I guess I got a little carried away because that was really meant to be an intro to our afternoon expedition taking pictures at the skate park near Staish's house. Never mind: people are always the real story, right?

* * * * *

Conversations:

Caitlin -- I'm making handwritten notes of all the posts I want to write ;)

Katie -- I don't think I realised how easy wireless makes things until here I have it again and it's bliss!

Laura Elizabeth -- good observation skilz! I was definitely being photobombed in my own house. Tain was proud of his ability to make it in the shot (again and again!). Also, I am an intense nerd so I loved that your comment included homework for me. My definition of RALIOISM is: the state of fustration which occurs when your attempts at a picture are repeatedly thwarted by photobombing attacks.

Un -- I'm back!

Carla -- internet, I love thee!

Samantha R -- I missed being more caught up on everyone's worlds. Really looking forward to being better at staying in touch. xx