One of Life's Only Sureties - Taxes

I was talking to somebody the other day and they had an interesting point of view on Australia's Tax System.

He said that the system doesn't make sense to him - if you do the right thing, and work very hard, the Government takes heaps of your money. If you do the wrong thing, the Government rewards you by giving you money for free (the dole).

In the same way, if you do the right thing, and work hard during your life, and put money into your superannuation, the Government won't care, and taxes you on it. If you do the wrong thing, and don't save for your future, the Government will reward you by providing a pension.

Food for thought huh?

Clumsiness

About a week ago at work, I was walking out to my car, and there were a bunch of people crowded around.

It turned out that one of our IT guys had fallen over the wire cable gate to our staff car park and was seriously injured.

Cristian is okay, he broke both (!!!) bones in his lower leg, and has had to have an operation, but work is being very understanding, and he's all health covered up. But he can't drive to work, and his wife doesn't have a license and they have a small child.

It made me think about all the terrible accidents I've had, and I've had many:.

• Dislocated my elbow joint. Elbow hung out of joint (causing excruciating pain) for about 8 hours in a Sydney hospital before they could operate on it. Did they knock me out when they were manipulating my joint back into place? No - they gave me a drug that gave me temporary amnesia, however, as I get older, I can remember more about this fantastic time, including a fat nurse sitting on my legs to stop me from trying to jump off the table and run away, and seeing my parents crying in the window to the observation room adjacent to the theatre.

• Swallowed a bobby pin. Another great time. Don't ask how I managed to swallow it, but apparently, as it can puncture the bowel, the bobby pin had to come out the same way it went in. I was knocked out for this operation, but they ripped the bobby pin back up sideways and scratched all down my oesophagus. I still can't eat very fast because of the scarring. The bobby pin in my stomach made for some very interesting xrays though.

• Ripped half of my big toe apart. At the Kalgoorlie town fair. Let's just say there was an incident with a dodgem car. My entire toe nail fell off and the nail bed was very damaged. Then the nurse put the wrong dressing on it and the wirey dressing had to be ripped off to where it had become embedded in the raw, tender skin underneath the nail. Took about a year to get back to normal.

• Broke my ankle. I was wearing high heels, and stepped down a 5cm high step at work and rolled my ankle. I had managed to convince my mother to let me drive to an adjoining town from Kalgoorlie (about 60km away) and stay there the night so I could attend a friends 18th (FREEDOM). So I was convinced my ankle was just sprained, I was fine, let me go already. My boss insisted on taking me to the hospital where it was revealed I'd broken the damn thing. No 18th for me. And as I'd recently got my P plates, even more painful was that there was no driving for me. And as I was doing a lot of house sitting at the time, I had to live back at home with the folks which meant complete and total freedom fail. Also, the hospital set the cast on my ankle wrong - so my foot was at an angle to my leg instead of 90degrees on. This meant it healed improperly. Now I'm like an old lady - my ankle can feel when there's rain coming. Also, as I was a contract worker, there wasn't even a workers comp payment for it - expensive medical bills meant having to go back to work the day after you've broken your ankle = super awesome times

And there's many more smaller ones. So there you go. I'm a clumsy clumsy girl. Touch wood the next few years are my non-clumsy years.

In the meantime, I'll keep hoping Cristian comes back to work so I can give him a big hug and tell him how much I hope his poor leg heals fast!

Recipe: Potato Salad

Ingredients:

550g potatoes
5 rashers bacon
3/4 cup of mayo
3 eggs, hard boiled and chopped into 8 pieces
3 spring onions, chopped
salt

1. Cut potatoes into four and boil until soft. Remove skin if you want.
2. Fry cut up bacon until browned and crispy (the trick is not to remove the rind)
3. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl
4. Serve! Will feed about 4 as a side dish

There is nothing I love more in summer than cooking up some steak and serving it with this. It's tasty, nice and easy

Quote of the Week: Kings of Leon

"You know that I could use somebody

Someone like you and all you know

and how you speak

Countless lovers under cover of the street"

9 Things I Like About Right Now (Homebody Themed)

1. Coming home from work during daylight savings and watering the vegie patch
2. Sitting on my favourite seat on the couch and catching up on my shows after I've done the chores on a Saturday
3. Cuddle times in the morning and then going back to sleep before my alarm goes off
4. Wearing my cleaning thongs and cleaning up a storm
5. The feeling of crisp dry washing that has dried in the sun
6. Watching a scary movie with the new sound system turned up high with the sub pumping - makes it so much scarier!
7. Cooking steak and salad for dinner
8. Wandering around Bunnings on a Sunday, looking at cupboard handles and taps
9. Waking up late on a Saturday morning, and the wind is blowing the bathroom door softly open and shut

New Years Resolutions

This year for my New Years Resolution, I vowed to try and stop judging others.

Now it is November, I guess its time to reflect on how I did. I can honestly say that I tried my best, and got halfway there. Which is an achievement for me!

It's a hard thing to do, when it has been part of your habits forever.

I have noticed other people judging, and then broadcasting their judgements very loudly. For me to notice it, I must have improved and been conscious of me not doing the same thing.

I have achieved a lot this year, but my new years resolution has been my largest achievement, and I'm very pleased with it.

Now: to next years new years resolution - I think I might work on my temper!

Proof that Perth Customer Service is crap-ola

Monday's experience at the dry-cleaner

As background, this happened on THIS Monday, which was the day before the Melbourne Cup.  It was 12.30pm, I was the only person in the dry cleaning store, and they didn't look particularly busy.

----------------------------------------

Me: Hi, (big smile) I would like to have these 2 ball gowns dry cleaned please!

Dry-cleaning lady (DCL): (In frantic tone) When do you need it by!?!?!?

Me: Well, I guess as soon as possible, I was hoping to drop this black one back to my friend, she lent it to me to wear, so I'd like to get it back to her sometime this week.

DCL: WHAT YOUR FRIEND IS GOING TO MELBOURNE!?!?!?!?!?!

Me: What?  Huh?  No my friend isn't going to Melbourne!

DCL: WHEN IS SHE GOING TO MELBOURNE????

Me: NO she's NOT going to MELBOURNE

DCL: Oh okay. (crosses arms across chest).

Me: (Not really knowing what to do, in total shock, takes dresses out of bag, lays them out on counter)

DCL: (inspects dresses) okay LOVE well I'll put them through for you, usually it doesn't take as long as there doesn't seem to be any stains on them.

Me: (still in shock at the bizarreness) Uh okay

DCL: (Walks over to register/computer thing and starts tapping away) Okay DARL you'll need to present this receipt when you pick the dresses up.  Okay see you later

Me: Okay can you let me know how many days you think it will take?

DCL: A COUPLE OF DAYS LOVE I SAID A COUPLE OF DAYS OKAY?!?!?!?!?!

Me: Okay, sorry, I must not have heard you say that.  I guess I'll see you then.

DCL: OKAY BYE (Big audible sigh as I walk out of the shop)

----------------------------------------

So uh I still don't really know WHY she treated me with pure hatred...And the dry cleaning was pretty expensive to boot.

In her defense, I guess she's probably underpaid and not fulfilling her life's dreams by working in a dry cleaning store, but I was so shocked that  I could hardly speak after leaving the store.

I just hope I get the dresses back and she didn't slash them to bits as soon as I left!