Science v Art

Today's post is dedicated to International Pi Day. The one day of the year I embrace my Mathsy genes (and my love of pie).

Yes I am pretty sure I have Maths genes and I am pretty sure in my case they are very well hidden. My Mum's official title is "Post Graduate Research Fellow". In actual terms she does statistics for some medical research. It is what she did her PhD thesis on, but that is all I can tell you about it. I do actually own a copy of her thesis and it sits very proudly on my bookshelf, but in all honestly the only bit I understand is the dedication (which I helped write) and the acknowledgments which from memory I proofed. Dad lectures in Maths at uni and has a partially written PhD  floating around (I really have no idea what his is on). Sister #2 (who is three years younger then me) just finished her Maths degree. Mum and Dad were mature aged students so I feel there is some excuse for them, but I am not so sure about my sister! It is bit odd being in a family where being half way through a law degree is a bit of a let down ;)**

Law, I feel, is one of those subject areas which clearly divides those who are science students at heart compared to those who are arts students at heart. You can pretty much tell this, but which subjects they like. Hard and fast statue based classes = science. Lots of discretion = arts. Just in my humble opinion, but it really seems to be the way it works. This is backed up by (a) what they are doing in their other degree; or (b) what they did in their first degree; or (c) what their favourite subjects were at high school; or (d) all of the above.

In high school my TEE (tertiary entry subjects) were a fifty-fifty split. But the subjects I aced were History and English Literature. The double Maths was mostly because my parents assured me they would be easy marks (see how naive I was?!). It wasn't, just for the record.

To this day I still don't know what fish breathe out and why (in my head it should be Hydrogen and I can't work out why not? This has been confusing me for seventeen years now). And don't ever get me started on imaginary numbers (I know they are the square root of negative one but I am sorry you just can't make up something to make things work I don't care often Mum assures me you can). Admittedly this is probably more proof that I need to get a life then anything else!!!

But in my home we like to celebrate all sorts of things! And I do like to prove to my parents I am expanding my children to all sorts of things not just artsy stuff***.  So Happy International Pi Day everyone!!!

Our International Pi Day dinner. Homemade (aka heated) with love! We did also discuss 'Pi' as opposed to 'Pie'.



** Just in case anyone is worried about my self-esteem, this is a joke! They are all very proud of me.
*** Not that they are against artsy stuff. They are the ones who taught me to love reading and history!

V Day

All the posts have made me laugh today. It has just been one of those times that I am reminded I am a historian. Every time I read 'V day' my first thought is 'VE day' and worse, every time I read 'VD' my first thought is venereal disease. Now I sound like I am totally insane, you need to read my next paragraph (or two if you want the extended version).

Short version: I did my Honours thesis on the repeal of the Contagious Diseases Acts in England in the late nineteenth century. A lot of the readings used VD as an abbreviation for venereal disease.

Extended version: Why was that my Honours topic? I wanted my History thesis to sound sort of legalish (because my other major was Legal Studies). I  also wanted a particular supervisor who specialised in women's history in Europe. With the benefit of hindsight I should have scratched the legal component! Although I finished (despite Aimee arriving in the middle) and the BA (Hons) does look pretty after my name on the odd occasion I get to use it so I won't regret not thinking of an awesome topic too much.

In other news, I had a truly lovely birthday. The girls made me breakfast in bed. Work got cake for morning tea. One of my friends came around for dinner. And my boss is taking our team out to lunch tomorrow! I have also got non-stop messages all day. Having your birthday on Valentine's Day when you are in a relationship may not have major benefits, but when you are single you are still bombarded with love :)

Hope you have all had a lovely day and have reflected on all the important relationships in life. 'Love' just doesn't mean romance :)

It is all about compromise ...

I constantly get the "I don't know how you do it" comments. Work, children, study etc and I am on my own, I guess it is not that surprising. The hard bit is knowing what to say. I don't want to whinge. I do happen to love my life even though it is insane, but to shrug and go it is easy is (a) not true; and (b) feels a little rude. Mostly I just laugh and say "not doing housework helps". Which is true(ish) and at least I can say it with a smile.

But it is about compromise. For example, I had an exam so minimal housework and no washing folded for two weeks. Partly because I fold clothes when I watch tv and I haven't watched any tv for what feels like ages. Partly because I have been too tired/stressed/busy to care. And admittedly partly because I don't really like housework, but this time I did have a legitimate excuse.


What can I say?! Life happens. Nothing in the laundry (that basket is from today).




The clothes are clean and I am sure foraging is good for the girls. Going back to basic instincts and all that. Compromises :) Now can everyone please keep their fingers crossed that I passed the exam!!! And I am off to watch tv and fold clothes :)

And the week is over! Pretty much exactly as I am writing.

As I was still up studying (aka cramming. Yes I know I should have done more earlier and got a few good night's sleep before the exam, but you know how it is ....)

Note to self: Crying at the girls' school is on the list of things I have been banned from doing as a parent. * I am much, much better at tipping when I listen to the girls! Although it does concern me a little how good Reanna and Erin are. We will not be doing a family footy tipping competition any time soon! * Judging from the number of text messages I have received this morning, I think Reanna is worried I am going to miss her - or forget about her. * Today I am thankful for cold and flu tablets, a quiet day at work, back-up plans and text messages. * I am still Thankful for cold and flu tablets, a quiet day at work, back-up plans and text messages ... but now I am also thankful for Penny for starting a new Thankful group and for realising there was a bug in my drink before I started drinking it! * I ♥ rainbows, cushions, on-line shopping, super patient friends, my bed, creating happy childhood memories, my stripy purple witch socks, boots, wishing on stars, my bug mug and M&Ms. * This morning's wake-up greeting: "Mummy, will Reanna be on her morning walk now?". * The not-being-able-to-string-a-sentence-together effect may have an impact on numerous parts of my life. * Today I am Thankful for a job I love, the ability to be happy, microwaves, mobile phones, Daddy-dinners, friends who cook for me and long over due visits. * Argh! Enrolled for next semester. Still not exactly sure how I am going to work this one. * Curiouser and curiouser. * I am a little annoyed at Justin Beiber for tainting the phrase "never say never". * I am pretty sure if you catch a cold from a man that it makes it a man-cold. The whinging seems to be catching too. * Some things are nice ways to wake up, no matter what time of day or night. Some things are not nice ways to wake up, no matter what time of day or night. Some things it depends on the time. * I am hoping Reanna is having a fantabulous birthday even though she is spending it so, so far away from me! It is hard to believe this time 12 years ago I spent the day in labour ... today I am spending the day curled up in bed being sick and feeling sorry for myself. For some reason it just all feels a little ironic. * Aimee quote of the week: "It's Reanna's birthday today. This means we can get icecream without her!!!". * Today I am Thankful for cold and flu tablets, wonderful teachers, my beautiful daughters, clean drinking water, my couch and mobile phones. * There is nothing like long, drawn-out methods of torture. * I either just made a very, very good decision or a very, very bad one. * Reanna home from camp. Exhausted, but very happy!! She had a wonderful time and says thank you to everyone who sent her birthday messages. Currently she on the phone to someone she just spent a whole week with! It doesn't take long for things to return to normal :) * Apparently early mornings on weekends are all Aimee's fault. * ‎*sings* Freo, way to go (then mumbles the rest) * The girls' highlights of the day: icecream, a phone call from Daddy and the train ride home. Erin did also point out going to the football is fun regardless. My highlight: Erin in the second saying "I am not tipping Fremantle next week" in a "I am not angry, I am just very disappointed in you tone". Lesson of the day: How to be a gracious loser. And supporting your team regardless of the performance! * Fabulous 24 hours or so! So much fun, but now so very much tiredness. * Just to prove me wrong .... we all slept for 10.5 hours last night and Aimee was the last one awake this morning. * I think that I am going to spend all day (between studying obviously) facebook stalking Lela and liking all the pages she likes. Just a feeling I am getting based on the last hour ....... * Exam time (definition) when you realise you have somehow managed to not learn anything in the last three months. Although,in my case, I did learn that spies in the UK have their own union, the Ombudsman is a person and that the back of the chairs in the lecture theatre are really, really hard. * Today I am Thankful for getting a good night's sleep, a (comparatively) free and accessible education, Chef Reanna, post it notes, computers, cold and flu tablets, open book exams, children who can entertain themselves and the ability to multitask. * I am excited my next pyjama day will be for dvd watching and lounging on the couch purposes not for study purposes. * Changing my profile picture because Aimee was a little insulted that I had a picture of me and Reanna up rather then a picture of me and her. Diva baby much? * I probably should be Thankful that Boris is keeping me company while I am up studying, but funnily enough I am not! :oP

I am very much loving my picture of the week this week!



That is my darling baby asleep in a costume (made out of a box) at the end of a party. One of the things I will blog more about later!

I am sure I have said this before, but I update my status a lot! And sadly I am deliberately doing it less now I know I am uploading them here. It makes me smile though, and allegedly other people enjoy reading them. I can't see myself stopping any time soon ;)

PS So excited! Despite the time it says on the blog, I pushed the publish button at exactly midnight according to my computer clock. This wasn't actually deliberate but it made me happy. You know what they say .... small things amuse small minds :)

So much to say!

I haven't forgotten about this blog! I have so much to say. It has been Reanna's birthday. So I have to blog a post on her. I actually got halfway through this and then something went wrong. I don't know what, my computer skills are not that good. We have had some other fun stuff on too that I would like to share.

However a cold most of last week drained any spare energy and I have my exam next on Tuesday so I know doing a decent post is really just procrastinating and I am trying very, very hard not do to that. Only one exam this semester though! So, as of Tuesday evening I am on holidays from uni at least :)

Stay tuned for the promised posts. But here is a photo to keep you wondering .... (and to remind to what I was planning to write about).



Argh! My picture is sideways. I will fix this later when I work out how. For the minute it can stay as it is while I get back to the books.

PS Haha. I didn't look at the blog before I wrote this! I had forgotten I had done a whingy post about exams and being sick! Oops. I didn't mean to repeat myself! That said ... I am not going to change it ;)

Hmmm ... what happened to March?!

Ok ... so I may have missed March! And in all honesty I am not quite sure what happened to it. How did we get to April the FOURTH month of the year so quickly??

March for me was full of emotional ups and downs. The end of February was our wedding anniversary and strangely my ex took me out for it. I do realise this is very odd but it was a nice night and I am happy we are at the point we can do this. Then at beginning of March was year since he moved out and the 11 year anniversary of my brother's death. This still makes me sad, but I am ok with this. I never want to be at the point where it doesn't. March was also full of stuff with the girls, work (and I love my new position by the way), uni, friends, family and all the other things that fill up my world.

Now we are in April! Easter was great (admittedly it is my favourite time of year) and I had an amazing time with my cousins who came to visit me from South Australia.

I have also made a big decision. To withdraw from the unit I was enrolled in this semester. Stopping uni, even for a few months is a big thing for me. I am scared I will never go back, I am scared of being a "failure" and I am scared it will have long term consequences. It will show on my transcript as being "withdrawn" and this will be there forever. All this aside I think it was a good decision though. I was behind in everything and nowhere near finishing my assignment the day after it was due. So a lesson in humility, a lesson in time-management and a lesson in learning to say it is ok that I can not do everything all of the time! I am now excited about a week and a half at home with my babies (and various extras) with no uni to worry about and about having four months to concentrate on my house before going back next semester. Hopefully with an organised house and a rested mind. I will also mention here I have friends who mean the world to me! And validated my decision without a thought, without a hesitation and really helped me feel happy that I made it.

Finally, just to add to my list of things that just make me happy: Easter; hot cross buns; finding a car park right where you need one; chocolate; friends who know what you need even when you won't admit it.

PS I have no idea why these last two paragraphs aren't being shown seperately. It is going to annoy me forever but I will just have to live with it!