Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
tumultuous times
The move is over, and we love the new apartment. But it was not easy (is still not easy) to get here and to get through these days.
Mateus' grandfather passed away last week. Which is absolutely horrible. He was one of the most important people in his life, and this has been the worst time in Mateus' life. It would have to be the worst thing to happen, and to be so far away from his family is painful. The news came through the day before we moved, hence the fact that its not been easy.
I don't know what to say, other than the fact that it is the most painful thing to see someone loose everything and not be able to help them... I am supporting him in every which way I can, and that support is well needed and appreciated, yet still... I wish I could do more.
It is horrible to see the person you love walking around in this state... absolutely and completely.
Thus, I will be a little silent for a while...... right now, I am the rock.
Monday, March 31, 2008
living in limbo

lim.bo n. pl. lim·bos
An intermediate place or state.
That is me at the moment... I am living in an intermediate place... half way between home and home.
We move this Wednesday... which meant we spent all day yesterday packing and have already cleaned most of the house. Everything that we own is in bags or boxes lying around the apartment, or dismantled on the balcony ready for moving.
I don't really like this state of living... feels like I'm not actually anywhere. I mean, I am there, but at the same time, I am not.
Also, being sick doesn't help... Sick all last week with the flu.. lost my voice again... Heh.. Its beginning to be a regular occurrence when I get sick with a cold/flu that I loose my voice! Which is strange, I mean, I don't talk all THAT much... Anyway, its fun to be all husky... ;) Personally, I wish my voice would stay that way. But, I am getting better... its almost gone now. I will be happy once I am better again... can start to LIVE again... rather than wandering around in this drugged up sick state of mind.
Few more days, and it should be all smooth sailing again... HURRAH!
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
throw stones
perfect
Sunday, March 16, 2008
parklife
We're now going to be residents of the Parklands Apartments at Roma Street!! Definitely a lifestyle change... The apartments are right in the parklands, and you have to go into the Roma Street Park to get there... very swish!
The apartment has great views too, overlooking the park...
Two bedrooms, two bathrooms.. big balcony. The complex has a pool, gym, bbq area and the works... plus being right in the park its so close to all the bbq areas in the park itself and everything.

We move in on the 2nd of April, which gives us some time to get everything together, and is actually good timing considering we have to move out of here on the 4th of April. At least we won't be paying double rent!
We're going to do everything above board this time too, ie. we've already told them there will be 4 of us living there... so its all good!
Very exciting... a very good change to make.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
hopeful again
We've decided enough is enough, and are leaving our bitchy building managers behind! We had problems from the start at our apartment, with the managers being incredibly rude and uncooperative and everything has just boiled over this week, so we're breaking our lease.
Long story, but we applied to put Ivan on our lease, to live in the second bedroom, and they turned him down. But at that time, Ivan was already living with us... so we agreed that we would just be a little illegal and keep him in the apartment. Anyway, all was good, we were just sharing the keys between us... Then, we had our first inspection.
Oh boy... I have NEVER had an inspection that bad in my life. The guys did a FANTASTIC job cleaning the apartment before the inspection, we tidied everything away, made sure everything was really clean, only to receive a letter in our mailbox saying:
1. Carpets need to be vacuumed regularly to prevent damage.
2. Shower screens need to be cleaned to prevent soap scum build-up.
3. Marks on living room carpet and main bedroom need to be removed.
4. Hard floor in ensuite needs to be cleaned.
5. Bath in ensuite needs to be cleaned.
6. Benches in kitchen need to be wiped down.
My answer to these 6 points were as follows:
1. WHAT?! The carpets are vacuumed regularly, its the moulting rug that is the problem.
2. Fair call, they are pretty soapy at the moment, but I will clean it.
3. What marks in the bedroom? That stain was there from when we moved in!!
4. So, I moult a lot and there was some hair in the corners.. big deal...
5. Again, stained from previous tenants!
6. WHAT WHAT WHAT?!?!?!?! HOW DARE YOU?!?!?!?!
Ahem... They should be glad they weren't around when I got that letter... far out.. the expletives that came out of my mouth.... GRARH! We live there for crying out loud, and the place was clean and very obviously we are not damaging the apartment at all!
The next paragraph on the letter is a very fair call though... "We believe you have a third tenant living in your apartment and this person should be removed from the premises".
Yes... our bad, we actually have 2 extras.. but SHUSH!!
Anyway, we try to think of damage control and we decide that I will go down to the managers on Monday morning, and tell them that there is someone staying with us, who is Mateus' "cousin" and he is just staying as our guest for a few weeks. We understand that we can't have a third person living there unless we put them on the lease, but he isn't living there etc. etc.
Right, then, on Sunday, the bitchy managers actually run into Ivan when he is taking the rubbish out. And they ask him to pass on the message that I need to see them about him living there because he is not allowed.
This infuriated all of us no end because how dare they assume that he is living there, and how can they just walk up to someone and say that. No who are you? Do you have friends here? Are you living in these apartments etc. I mean, he could have been a friend that was over at our apartment for the afternoon and was being nice and taking our rubbish out!
So, Mateus and I go to see them on Monday.. and we walk in, and we explain that we understand that we can't have a third person, he is Mateus' cousin etc. etc. etc. They will not listen, and will not come to a compromise. So, after arguing with them about having guests stay with us, we say fine, if you won't accept someone staying with us, we are leaving. Whats the procedure for breaking the lease?
They give us the forms, we go upstairs and we bring them back down, signed, sealed, delivered!
So, we are leaving in three weeks! YIKES!
House/Apartment hunting again... We have already put in one application, and the managers there are really nice and were very impressed with our application. They have even done all the reference checks! No word yet... Guess they are trying to get hold of the owners... We'll hear tomorrow morning if not this afternoon...
We're also looking at some houses, as opposed to apartments, in the city area too. Much better because we will have our own space and no managers breathing down our necks.
So... anyway... moving again!! Hah...
Oh, the funniest thing about the whole situation is the fact that we stood up to these managers, and this morning, I got a call from them, kissing my @ss... Apparently they had discussed it with the owners of our apartment, and we would be able to come to some agreement to have the third person in there now... HAHAHAHAHA! If we want to stay we can just go in and talk to them about it... Yeah, we said we'll think about it, and let them know.
NOT LIKELY!
I mean, yeah, we'll think about it... but only as a last chance.
Hehehe... Feels good to have them chasing us for a change... ;)
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
buzz
I (finally) taught my first ever lesson!! And it went smashingly! At least I think it did... ;) I felt like it did, and after talking to other teachers around here, if you feel like the students had a good lesson and you walk out of it feeling like it was a good lesson, it generally is, you know when its not. So, I am super psyched!
Look at me, I'm a teacher! Hahaha!
I taught a Conversation English lesson for an hour, and had a full class of 12 students! There were more that wanted to come in, but I had to close the door on them... Heh... I think that had a little to do with the fact that everyone here at work had been super excited themselves about me teaching and told every student to come along... So nice! Its really great to have all this support... Especially from Mateus; he has been the one that has pushed me that extra little bit to finish this off, and I am so glad he did... And its really great to have all this support and excitement from everyone around me too... Even the students here are excited for me!
Really really happy with it... plus, you get this weird teaching buzz: you realise that you can teach, and the students are enjoying your lesson, and you are too, and its kinda fun. Mind you, I did have a great bunch of students that were really outgoing and I was teaching a conversation class, which isn't anything hard... but, its still fantastic!
Now, what should I teach next week?! Hmm.. off to work on my lesson plan!
Thursday, February 28, 2008
giggle inside
10 things that make me sparkly;
1. - getting any kind of mail, email or mail, and reading new blog posts etc. from everyone.
2. - seeing my niece's smile... ;) videos and pics of my niece...
3. - cuddles and sweet kisses
4. - chocolate sprinkle on the top of cappucinos :p yum
5. - the light after a storm or rain... when the sun is all yellow and golden...
6. - treats such as clothes, shoes, books, dvds, music, games
7. - smelling luscious (karma perfume, lush soap etc)
8. - seeing bats fly around at night, and swallows swooping during the days...
9. - laughing so hard my stomach hurts
10. - the wind blowing in my hair...
and an extra one because I love it so much 11. - the woosh and super speed you feel when a plane takes off... :D Makes me smile everytime...
but there are so many more... *hug*

Monday, February 18, 2008
midsummer nights dream
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Monday, January 21, 2008
ridiculous office jargon
We have ignored the request for the past week, and now we are actually starting to freak out about this 20 minute talk... we're planning all sorts of evil plots to get out of it... such as fleeing to South Africa, I get to be the stow-away, reading out fairy tales, my fellow partner is a fan of Sleeping Beauty, I was thinking of reading a little golden book.. hehe... Baking scones and feeding that to them instead of talking..etc. etc.
Anyway, as a very helpful gesture, my boss decided to send through an explanation of what he expects from us, and some guidelines... Check it out:
Ideally, any strategy will enable e-business mindshare, integrate transparent infrastructures and exploit best-of-breed web services in a fully brick-and-click value-added communities optimization environment. Through recontextualising vertical vortals, intuitive pictorial media and implementing other out of the box action items, it will empower a 24/365 uber-mindshare matrix.
The implemented functionality should retarget frictionless schemas through innovative intuitive models in such a way as to redefine impactful users and rescale current educational dot-com paradigms. It must continue to e-enable proactive paradigms and, ideally, expedite cross-platform ubiquitous marketing channels through meshing extensible infomediaries.
I hope that clarifies what we're after.
Cheers
*ahem*
After receiving this email, I then proceeded to wallop him around the head, and sent back a reply:
after ringing it through a thesaurus! Bloody weasel words!!! The translation of Ian’s ridiculously incomprehensible email…… still freakin’ hard to understand…
Hi Liz and Linds
Since Linds is struggling to find anything to do on a slow enrolment day, here are some further guidelines to consider on your website presentation:
Ideally, any strategy will enable electronic business (e-business) development of consumer awareness (mindshare), put together (integrate) clear (transparent) communications (infrastructures) and use (exploit) the best product of (best-of-breed) web services in a fully both offline and online (brick-and-click) value-added community (communities optimization environment). Through redefining (recontextualising) websites that provide gateways to information (vertical vortals), sensitive (intuitive) graphic (pictorial) media and implementing other out of the box action items, it will give power to (empower) a 24 hour a day, 365 days a year (24/365) ultimate development of consumer awareness (uber-mindshare) mold (matrix).
The implemented functionality should retarget smooth (frictionless) foundations (schemas) through original (innovative) instinctive (intuitive) models in such a way as to redefine influential (impactful) users and rescale current educational dot-com examples (paradigms). It must continue to electronically enable (e-enable) hands-on (proactive) examples (paradigms) and, ideally, speed up (expedite) cross-platform ever-present (ubiquitous) marketing channels through interconnecting (meshing) flexible (extensible) middle-men (infomediaries).
Thanks so much Ian! Your fantastic explanation has helped us a lot…
*gulp*
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
letter for tiger
The phone is finally working... had slight issues getting it connected, and almost had to get a technician to come out and check the cable, but then it fixed itself.. love it when things fix themselves.... :) And I just got an email from my new internet provider... Internet is connected too! I will run home tonight and connect it all up. (Its not like I haven't been disconnected anyway, with this free wireless I found, but I think my connection will be a lot quicker than the wireless one we are currently using).
OH! More news... I handed in an introductory letter to Pam (my schools director of studies) to start my trainee teaching here!!! Finally, I am going to get that going... I have 7 hours of teaching to complete, 2 hours of observation and around 20 hours of preparation... (how they mark that I do not know. Preparation time.. that means me preparing lessons... I'll just kind of whip them up... hehe...) Anyway, it will be scary, and I hope I can teach well... I'm already asking other teachers for advice! So, good luck to me!
Saturday, December 29, 2007
settled
I am moved, I am living somewhere new... Its really fantastic here. The new apartment is almost all set up... we still would like to get a few things such as shelves, and little tables etc. But the rest of it is all set up. Its so good. I am really relieved that its all finally done and dusted. I no longer have to worry about moving, or cleaning, or anything... so good. These past 2 days have been so great, just because I don't have that moving thing in the back of the mind.
Mateus and I are really loving it. It finally feels like we have somewhere thats our own, and can be ourselves completely without having to worry about timing or anything. Its really really good. We can actually relax and just be...
I am loving being so central to everything, its proving very very convenient. Just thinking that I don't have to catch a train home is bliss!
I even had my hair done today to celebrate! Again, finally... Feels much better being shorter and darker...
So things are settled, and I am feeling 100% better. Just have to shake this slight cold...
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
stressed i must be
Anyway... things are better now. The blisters have stopped growing.. and now I have what looks like a vampire bite on my neck. Just two dots... I like 'em... hehe... I vant to suck your blood!!! >:) muwahahahahah (do you like my evil laugh?)
I have started packing my house... its going well. Just have to pack the kitchen things, and some other random stuff that accumulates around the house. And clean... *groan* Might actually get a start on that tonight... cleaning the windows, maybe attempting to scrub the mould out of my shower... scrubbing the scum of the shower recess wall thing.. what is that called? Shower screen? Whatever... It will not be pretty... hehe.
Have even started Christmas shopping! Woo-hoo! Ahmm... for all those family members that are overseas... your presents will be late. SORRY!!! The rest are coming along nicely... ;)
So, things are coming along much better. I plan to be all packed up and ready for a quick move next week. Well, Christmas first... then come back to move on the Thursday. Thank you for all that have said they would help... tis much appreciated!! *hugs* I will make it up to you one day!!!! You just name it!!
I also have discovered some new music... I know I have been posting a few videos lately. Its what I've been doing at work lately... (We're pretty quiet at the moment, and I'm looking forward to having a week off. So I spend my days doing little bits of work interspersed with checking my email for the 157th time, checking blogs, checking flickr sites and checking facebook... haha, and finding favourites on etsy too... ;)). Anyway, my new discovery... heh... I love the film clip, and actually, the lyrics are really appropriate for what I went through in my recent breakup.. but anyway.. Bat for Lashes. My new discovery. Do a search sometime, I think you'd like her... :)
And now, the film clip: (P.S: I want my own bizarre bicycle posse!)
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Monday, December 10, 2007
anticipation
Its terrible.
I can't move in to my new place until the 24th of December. Yes... incredible timing. I was thinking I could move on the 24th, in the morning, and then go home for Christmas in the afternoon, or maybe just skip Christmas this year... but then I slapped myself around the head. Stupid! As if I could miss Christmas! So, I have now thought better, and decided to go home for Christmas and move afterwards... around the 27th or something. Just a little frustrating that I have to wait a month after I've been accepted for an apartment before I can actually move into it!
Gar...
Anticipating a bit of revenge from my boss too.. hehe. Its our work Christmas party this Friday. And I did upload some hilarious shots of him walking around with a tie on his head for his birthday onto facebook. Hahah. Incredibly funny, although I believe I may have signed my own death warrant with that... hehe.. chuckle chuckle. It was worth it.
I don't really like living in this state of anticipation. I don't want to think about things too much, cause then I get all caught up in it and worked up. But at the same time, I know that if i don't start packing soon, I will end up in a little bit of a flurry when I do actually have to move. But, that will be okay, as long as I can get the whole moving and Christmas being at the same time.
Christmas shopping is a nightmare. I went out to get a secret santa present today for work and found myself glaring and muttering at the crowds. Arg... they are too slow. I need to get in and out, not wander through and look at things.. mutter mutter. Haha... When I have time to wander I will, but not when I have to get something quick on my lunch break...
Why are we waiting, slowly dehydrating... :)
Friday, November 30, 2007
movin' on up
Into the city. Actually, bit funny, into George's new apartment building! Heheh. Yes, there shall be much mischief! ;)
Yes, I have decided to move into the city. Moving into a two bedroom apartment which I will share. It's going to be great... As soon as I actually move. At the moment, it is a little exxy with all the bond and everything. But after I get in there, I will be making a huge saving with rent! Which I am REALLY looking forward to. At the moment we can't move in until the 21st of December, which is not the best time to be moving. But, we may be able to move in earlier if the current tenants will move out earlier. *hope*
Its going to be so good. I will be living around 5 minutes from work, and paying less rent, not paying for transport anymore... and yeah, right in the city, same building as George, which means I'll be a better sister... heheh ;)
My current landlords have been great about me moving, saying that I need not find a new tenant as they need the space for family visitors. They have also said just to tell them when I find a place and that is that. Sweet!
I think a move will be a good change for me. I realised that I have been living in the same place for 2 years already!! More than two years... thats the longest I've been in a place other than home home. I didn't even realise it had been so long... Definitely a good change.
Bit apprehensive about the move, mainly the packing. Not sure where to start. It has been a while since I moved, it all seems a little daunting. Like the cleaning... arg.. two years of accumulated dust I will need to get rid of... All I can say is, do not look under my bed... hahah!
It will be a big relief once I have actually settled... Cannot wait for that day.
*daydream*
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
hide me
You know those days when you wake up and you can't stand yourself? Thats today... When you wake up in the morning to take a shower and realise that you feel disgusting today. You try not to think about it though, especially the fact that you feel flabby. Getting dressed is horrible. You can't think of anything that will look good. When you do finally decide on something, you put it on and then rip it off because it makes you feel worse and after digging through your cupboard you realise that you have nothing to wear that will alleviate this problem. GAR! Fine, so you throw on a shirt that covers yourself as best you can and try to assure yourself that it looks good. Then you look at yourself in the mirror and you look at your hair and realise that you need a haircut, your hair needs a colour and it has decided its not going to cooperate. You also don't look normal. Your face has meta morphed overnight to become something ugly and unrecognisable. But you swallow it all, you suck it up and you step out into the day trying to make out that you feel great. You look fabulous! HAH! What a joke, and you know it.
So you spend the day, trying to throw yourself into other things. Concentrate on other things, work, life, study, anything... Just don't think about it. But it is there, simmering away. Everytime you go past a shop window you see your reflection and can't help but cringe...
That is my day today... oh joy. This is of course worsened by the fact that I have only had 2 hours sleep and am starting to get a cold... oh j-o-y!
I've realised that this feeling is worse because my clothes are getting tatty... this skirt is fading fast, so are my shoes... I need a haircut and I know it, but at the moment, I have no time and funds are reserved for other needs. No new clothes, no new shoes, no haircut, no relief from this feeling. You have to battle it out...
Don't look at me today, I am not the best...
Monday, November 05, 2007
we should be letting go
Went to see this funky little band last night, called Fat Freddy's Drop. They're from Un-Zud (New Zealand). So much fun. Made me realise how much I have missed going out like that, rather than to clubs... Clubs are so overrated. Live music is so much better!
So, I have made a vow to go out and see more bands...less pop.
Its part of the changes I am making... the evolution of Liz. ;) heh
What else is changing? Well, small things... my hair for instance. It's got a new part. Very exciting I know... Apparently it makes a huge difference, from all the comments I've had about it. Which is nice.
Wardrobe evolution... that is a slow one, due to the fact that fashion these days is terrible and nothing like the things I would like to wear. But its all good... getting some assistance with that one and my confidence levels... ;) heheh
In the back of my mind is a relocation. Thinking of moving... My place is great, but I'm a little over it... That one is on the back of the line though. Its a big change, and as much as I would like to move, at the same time, my place is easy.
There is also someone else in my life too... He's great...
Things are very good... Fantastic I would even say! Definitely an improvement!
