You know you're broke when...

....the discovery of a Borders gift card from Christmas fills you with joy because you realize you can use it at the Borders cafe and eat something other than Craisins and stale tortilla chips for lunch.

I understood when I decided to go to graduate school for poetry, as opposed to law or business, that I was committing to a life of financial struggle. Even published "successful" authors have to teach to support themselves (which is fine with me, I love teaching) and book advances are not as lucrative as they used to be. When I went to my five-year college reunion last June and told my fellow classmates that I was starting an MFA program in Creative Writing, most people responded in awe: "Wow, that's so brave!"

I guess it is brave...certainly, my life is more suspenseful than when I worked a regular job and received bi-weekly paychecks. Freelance writing is tough in terms of cash flow-- sometimes you get paid promptly. Ok, sometimes is a little generous. I just got paid last month for a story that ran in Time Out NY in September.

And you can't control when you'll be working -- for instance, I have a pretty sweet gig writing 700-word articles for an internal Smithsonian publication called The Torch. They pay well and it's the government, so the direct deposit does usually come in on time, but things can still go haywire. Like last month, when the person I was supposed to interview for a profile decided to leave the country for three weeks without telling me. I couldn't make my deadline and the story is now indefinitely postponed. Which means $500 less in my bank account, which means readjusting my lifestyle and becoming a Lady Who Lunches at Borders.

I am not implying that I deserve sympathy. I love what I do and I love being in school. Paying off my loans won't be a picnic, but I have a couple of years before I have to worry about that. And poverty does breed creativity -- this past weekend, when my brother (also a broke student) was in town, I found a number of free activities for us: Sam Adams brewery tour and tasting, the Freedom Trail, a friend of a friend's open bar birthday party. We did a lot of drinking and sightseeing and I sent him home on the Fung Wah bus properly hung over, like a good big sister.

I have friends and I have my health, so I guess in George Bailey terms, I'm the richest (wo)man in Bedford Falls. My birthday is coming up -- March 1 -- and I hate getting cash. But I do accept hugs, cards, home-cooked meals and cocktails. I mean, what kind of writer would I be if I didn't have a drinking problem?

p.s. I'll be at the Borders in Copley Square if you want to visit me.

yellow and white on the outside

been dreaming of a sunny warm yellow house with white trim, or a white house with bright warm sunny yellow door and black trim.

Country Home Ideas

Skeppsholmen

The famed Monkey Cottage

Country Living

Country Living

Taken from Flickr user: lumierefl

Have a great weekend! We're hidden away in our home due to the 45 degree heatwave here in Melbourne, Australia!

What are you dreaming of today?

The worst part about being on Facebook

Clearly, there are many annoying things about Facebook, everyone's favorite time-wasting blessing-and-curse, but this has got to be the worst:

I recently went through a break-up and was torn about changing my Facebook status, out of fear of receiving questions and frowny-face emoticons from my 700+ friends. For about a week, my ex and I just didn't change anything. Then I discovered a privacy setting that allows you to change your relationship status without blasting it on your feed. So I erased my status altogether so I was not listed as single or in a relationship or, my personal favorite, "It's complicated with..." (isn't it always?)

However, my discretion proved to be moot yesterday, when my ex changed his status to single and allowed it to go out on his feed. Which of course invoked an onslaught of sympathy and encouragements on his wall to get out there and "pet the pussy" as soon as possible. Classy.

It's not so much that I'm annoyed with my ex -- after all, anything you can do to hasten the getting-over-someone process is a good thing -- I'm annoyed that we live in a world where you have to think about these things at all. I'm annoyed that as we were making the heartbreakingly personal and difficult decision to stop seeing each other, we actually had to discuss The Changing of the Facebook Status.

I've learned my lesson -- I'm never touching that shit again. No one on Facebook will ever know whether I'm single, in a relationship, engaged, married, divorced, cheating, rebounding, prostituting myself etc. If you want to know my "status," you're just going to have to ASK ME. Just like in olden times.

So thankful for...

Going into 2009 things are changing for us again as a family. Can't talk about it too much here, since nothing's concrete. We might be moving interstate, across the world... or staying put...


But I wanted to take a moment to blog about the small things that I take for granted...

1. I'm so glad the rubbish collector comes. I know this is fairly duh in the twenty-first century, but it's great that someone comes and carts away our unwanted trash. The used tissues, the shopping dockets, nappies, garden, kitchen and bathroom refuse... all gone, every week. Gives me great pleasure pushing back to the courtyard my just-emptied rubbish and recycle bins every Wed morning!

2. Until now, we've always lived in spaces that were far too small... lacked space and storage. I'm so thankful for our new home, that it has the space to contain us... my until-now disliked lounge sets don't dwarf the room now. They are not the prettiest but they are darn comfortable. And because we now have a large living area, they don't dominate the space!

3. This is the first time we enjoy a large enough master bedroom that we could very comfortably (with space to boot!) add Hannah's cot whilst we wanted to keep an eye over her nasty bout of eczema (violent scratching and mulching up of limbs). Although she is now back in her own room, I do miss hearing her breathe in sleep.



4. I've always wanted fresh cut flowers in my home. And of course, I've always wanted roses. Real bunches from the florists were always a luxury that had to give way to milk or nappies or towards the train tickets to work. My yearnings eventually gave way to some faux roses. (Which, let me assure you, are now eBay-gone!) Now in our own home, the previous owners had left us about 15 rose plants! I enjoy now fresh cut roses from my own bushes!

5. Growing up, the extent of recycling meant reusing single-side printed paper (which I still do till today for EVERYTHING we print. I get my sister to collect unwanted printed paper from her work for me to use!). I'm so thankful that today, I have a bin that collects tin, glass and paper products that I know gets recycled, instead of filling wastelands.

6. My pink Kitchenaid Mixer. Not because it's a kitchen status symbol or because it's pretty, but because we have been blessed enough to be able to afford all the other way-more-essentials for the kitchen... that we can then get me a Kitchenaid mixer.

7. Funnily enough, I'm thankful for weeds. (Before you write me off as an idiot, let me explain.) I don't like living above ground level. I was attracted to this home because it was single level. I like living on the ground level, not first floor, or second floor or WAY-LESS penthouse level, despite the untold luxuries of that status. I don't like stairs, even. Floating stairs (you know the modern ones without apparent support for the steps?) they terrify me. I think it stems from having lived in a rickety, badly maintained occupation-era double storey house in Malaysia for many years. So having a weed problem signifies I am able to live on ground level!

What are your seven simple, yet oft-taken for granted thankful items about your living space? If you do decide to blog about them, please let me know!

London Home: I love so bad!

Daisy Pink Cupcake posted shots of an AWESOME London home.
Man, I wish I were given that freedom around here :)







Hop over to her blog to see more shots!

HealthAngle: Share Your Story

I'm trying to help generate content for a website that a friend created called HealthAngle. The purpose of the site is to give people a place to read real stories about medical procedures, and write/vent about stuff they've experienced to guide others. For instance, last summer I had to get a CT scan (as part of the Frances kidney stone saga) and it would have been nice to know what to expect beyond the Wikipedia explanation of the test.

So if you've had surgery or any kind medical/dental procedure in the last year or so, I encourage you to write about it on this site. It only takes a few minutes and your full name won't be included, just a first name (and you don't have to use your real one if you're feeling creative). They are looking for write-ups on EVERYTHING, from totally routine stuff (teeth cleanings) to more unusual things (spinal taps, lobotomies). Well, maybe if you got a lobotomy, your assessment of the experience wouldn't be that helpful. I'm just saying.

Anyway, click here to start writing. It's for a good cause and the more people that contribute, the more the site can do what it was designed to do....so get to it!

In conversation with... me.

Finally reading through my building (but still VERY modest) pile of magazines*, I went through Elle Decoration UK October 2008.

I particularly enjoy reading witty "10 questions about some famous person" and enjoyed reading in that issue an interview with Arik Levy, designer for Living Divani, Molteni and Baleri Italia... so I thought I'd give the questions he was asked a go myself!
(This is not an exercise in self-promoting etc, but just to have some fun with myself!)

And besides... it's Saturday.



Tell me five words to describe yourself?
Comfortable. Efficient. Colour. Linen. Eclectic.

What words do you most overuse?
Hannah!!!!!!!??!?!?!?!?

What's your idea of a perfect day?
Left alone at home on an overcast 20°C with a car, left to potter around, to read, to have a long shower, to do a little gardening, to bake to some good music.

Do you have any regrets?
Only two weeks ago I read How to Live Without Regret by Charles Stanley and was so encouraged by it. Stanley clarifies that regret is rooted in unresolved guilt. I.e. regret is without forgiveness. (Forgiving yourself and the other person) One of the most important questions about regret is "Was there something more I could have done?"
In the light of the above, yes... I regret I did not say enough "I love yous" and "Thank yous" and "Sorry's" when I could have.

What's the quality you most admire in a man?
Strength of character and body without violence, strength enough to apologise, strength enough to love and strength enough to be sad.

If you could be any other nationality what would it be?
Free.

Are you religious?
Not in the traditional sense, but I am a Christian, living and breathing.

What is your favourite snack?
Green mango pickle (Chinese style)

What do you think you'd taste like?
Chicken.

What talent would you most like to possess?
To be able to make money to be able to give money.

If you were a vegetable, what would you be?
A cucumber: versatile in all sorts of dishes, a source of relaxation and a "cooling" agent.

And if you were an animal?
A dolphin: they are around water (which I love!) all the time, they smile perpetually and they're extremely clever.

What was your dream job as a child?
Newscaster. I loved that their job was to read aloud. (I've grown up to hate that now heheheh)

What do you consider to be your greatest achievement?
Hannah.

How do you define style?
Mature yet child-like outlook on life, quietly confident about yourself and what/who you believe in, and an ability to hone your home to reflect that quiet, confident space inside you.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I'd love to be able to handle +25°C days better.

Do you have a motto?
Just get it done!

What would you do if you ruled the world?
Make beautiful furniture CHEAPER!



*Speaking of magazines I'm very very very disappointed that Domino Magazine is closing its doors due to the tough times in the USA economy :( I really enjoyed reading the issues... one of my absolute favourites!