Sorry I've been MIA

Hello readers,

Yes another apology  I know you're used to it. I've been MIA as I've been juggling study, work and a new girlfriend! Yes you have read that correctly, I'm off the market, I'm seeing someone. Now I like to keep my private life exactly that. Private. But I will say that this woman is awesome, and I'm really happy to be sharing part of myself with her right now.

The holiday's are approaching, which means time with family, eating too much, and drinking more than you usually would. But, you only get one go at life, so why not live a little. (Sorry for the cliché!)

I'm writing, though not enough. I'm in the process of editing the Young Adult novel I wrote for NanoWriMo in 2009. The plan is to cut it into short 10,000 word novella's which I hope to get onto Kindle and other e-readers. The first one is free, after that I'll charge you lot a $1.00 :P

Speaking of writing, I have just come across the blog / writing of a girl called Lucie. You can check out her blog by clicking on THIS LINK.   She is an exceptional writer from the small snippet I just read titled Jet. So go and check her out, and tell her I said hello :)

That's all I've got.

Sal :)

Rudeness

No matter where you go, or what you do, you'll always encounter rude people. People who think the world really does revolve around them.

I had a few 'rude' people at work today. (I work at a Library) One incident was far too long to post here. The other was short and sharp.


Patron walks in ‘Give me a computer for an hour’.
Me: I start to explain that I can only offer him 1/2 an hour (on a Saturday as it's our busiest time - didn't get that part out) and he cuts me off with.

Patron: 'WHY' in super aggressive tone.
Me: Because you’re rude and it’s Saturday! Computer number 7 thanks.
Patron: Grunts.
Me: Smiling ‘thanks’.

Is there a cure to rudeness?

That's all I've got.

Only took me five years

So about two weeks ago, I decided to become one with the tech world and get an iPhone. I already own an ipod touch 2nd generation  (which my mum now owns) and a 4th generation. However the price of iPhone plans have been too high for me to get one, until recently.

For $45.00 a month I get $450.00 of calls and 2 gig of data.

I've also added the $8.00 per month of insurance. So rounded up approx $55.00 a month I have an iPhone.

It arrived today the day after they announced the iPhone 5 but anyway!

I like it, I think Suri is hilarious and hopefully they will update it so she can assist 'Australian's with where to eat in the future.

Whilst embracing my inner geek, I'm about to go and make my first phone call on it.

That's all I've got.

Goal setting

I was driving to work late last week and had time to think. I’ve got a writing degree, two young adult novels in draft form, and a 25 + page kindle book of poetry and prose…. Yet here I am, still not published. This came on the back of me clearing out a bookshelf of older books I own to donate to a books sale work is having next month. As I was sorting out my bookshelf, I came across approximately 10 books I’ve bought but am yet to read.

So I’ve decided to set myself some goals.

Firstly – I plan to make time to read. At this moment in my life, I juggle work and uni. So the ‘reading’ I do is either work or study related. However, I love reading, and I need to make time each week to read, even if it’s simply ten minutes in bed, just before I turn off the light three times a week.

The same goes for my writing. I have a journal that my mum bought me for my birthday, it’s a beautiful leather bound journal which I physically write in (yes that thing where we put pen to paper!). However I’ve not put an entry into it since the 1^st  of June 2012 (I just opened it and checked the date). This makes me sad, and also creates a little disappointment in myself. I do so many things that take ‘ten minutes’ such as watching something on TV – I NEED to take ten minutes to write each day.

So my goals for the next four weeks are as follows:

1)   Juggle work and Uni

2)   Write in my journal and on here.

3)   Read for at least ten minutes three times a week. 

If I can achieve two and three (one is locked in, there’s no budging there!) I feel that I will have achieved something, and also put a bit of work / study / life balance back into my life.

Also this year I won’t be participating in NANOWRIMO as a writer. I plan to use the 30 days to edit and tidy one of my Young Adult novels. I also need to find someone who will be my second pair of eyes for my prose and poetry pieces I want to put onto Kindle to launch my e-reader self-published career. A second set of eyes are always needed, to pick up typo’s and punctuation errors, as most of you know my punctuation skills are atrocious.

Anyone reading this who thinks they are a suitable candidate for my second pair of eyes. Please leave a message in the comment.

That’s all I’ve got.

Rwaaarrrrrr

Rrrwwwaaararrarrrrr  *sound of my frustration* Why is it, that the most amazing ideas come to us when we're not in a position to write / record them down?

I've had a few 'moments' over the past week where I thought 'Sal.... (yes third person references - break out the head doctors!) this would make a great entry on your blog.....

Now it's time to write and I can't remember ANY of the things I wanted to write about.

So I'll just write this one, telling you all about the uber amazing ideas I had... and you'll have to trust me that I had them, and eventually they will come back to me when I have a piece of paper or a device to record my ideas into audio form, to be played back at a later date......

and I've forgotten my train of thought now, as I was totally checking out the neighbour...

OH yes that's one of the points....

Spring kicked off in Australia on Saturday (1st of Sept for those who are wondering) and it was bitterly cold... I tweeted that spring has sprung, and so had my jumper, trackpants and heater!  Today however (7th of September) it's HOT we're talking 34c where I live. It's blowing a gale from the west which equals HOT wind (I'm on the east coast of Australia, and to the west of me is desert, thus hot air blowing from the west). Anyway, I'm sitting here in shorts and a t-shirt, with the window open and the fan on, checking out my attractive neighbour, she's far too young for me though... but hey there's no harm in window shopping.


That's all I've got.

Food Blog

OMG  This :)  http://mcconkiemenu.blogspot.com.au/2011/04/strawberry-mango-salsa.html

If this link isn't working - this is what 'THIS' is

Strawberry Mango Salsa

3/4 Cup Strawberries, finely diced
3/4 Cup Mangos, finely diced
1/4 Cup Red Onion, finely chopped
6 Basil Leaves, finely chopped
1 TBSP Fresh Lemon Juice
1/4 tsp. Sea Salt
1/4 tsp. Black Pepper

Combine all ingredients and allow to sit in the refrigerator for a few hours, covered.


I didn't have basil, so I used fresh mint instead.... Uber good!

I know a food blog is rare (I think this is my first! What a way to loose your food blog virginity with this gem of a recipe!)


Enjoy

The post I promised

I had planed to write / post a blog about my faith in humanity being restored today.  However, today's plans went a little off center when I a) pulled my right scapula muscle, and b) went back to the hospital later in the afternoon with my mum who had what they seem to think is a gall bladder issue. She was in a lot of pain, ash grey and looking *very* unwell. Anyone who has had gall baldder issues will know the pain is intense!

She's off to get a scan tomorrow, which I'll take her too after I finish work at 1pm.

Hopefully, I'll be able to post the blog I had intended on posting today sometime this week.

Until then, I *do* hope to make a more regular update on here.
Thanks for sticking with me.


That's all I've got.

I owe you an update

Yes I'm alive, and typing this entry on my iPod touch in the safari client! So I hope this works as the little app died and then I had to sell part of my liver to rechange passwords etc to log into my blog account. Basically I have the day off tomorrow so I will endevour to write a real update from a computer that had a keyboard that isn't a touch pad Damn I hope this saves / posts! That's all I've got.

A breath of fresh air.

I follow a tweeter called Bryon Bache and today I found out that he has a blog. (Link at the end of the post)   I really enjoyed Byron’s blog for the freedom in which he writes. It’s something that I hope I am able to do here. I just write, thus the name of this blog ‘just my thoughts’  In  Byron’s blog today he admitted to being a Phil Collins fan. This made me smile. I too enjoy Phil Collins. 

So in the spirit of truth telling….. So I’ll admit…. I don’t mind Sir Cliff Richard!  Yes…. You read correctly. I am a fan of Sir Cliff Richard.  You see when I was young and desperate to cover my gayness. I did what most people who are locked in the closet do (Well when I say most. I mean myself and one other friend who I knew was gay) You get yourself someone famous of the opposite sex, admire them a lot and then people say the following things

Oh nah – She’s not a lezzo she’s mad on (Insert celebrity name here) – that BLOKE! 

Now there’s always been ‘rumours’ floating around about Cliff’s sexuality – Is he gay? Straight?  Just not fussed about it all? I don’t know who he shags, of if he does! I just know I don’t want to shag him. 

However, as a cover for a young lesbian Cliff was my ‘beard’ (Google it) and in most part it worked. Recently an old school friend discovered I was gay and one of the things she uttered was…  But you were so into Cliff Richard! I just assumed you liked men.  My response… He was an awesome cover. 

See that’s  the thing about celebrity crush’s being an excellent cover  for gay women such as myself is that it’s a one way street. I can admire and ‘swoon’ over them, all I like, as  there’s no ‘other’ side of the story, whereas if you have a ‘friend’ who states they will be your ‘beard’ it can turn a little tricky. Like them getting a ‘real’ girlfriend and thus leaving you stranded without  cover.

So there you have it – Today I’ve found a new blog I will frequent – and I’ve come out over Sir Cliff. For those who don’t know who Cliff is – I’ll throw up a pic of him from the days when I was young! 

Plus I recommend checking out Byron’s blog. You can look at it here http://byronbache.com/

That’s all I’ve got.

Who am I?

I’m Sal – Just Sal

Some people ask why I don’t blog under my ‘real name’? The answer to that is I kind of do…..  My name is actually Sally…. So ‘Sal’ is a shortened preferred title for me. However, I know what they are referring to, why I don’t post under my ‘real name’ aka my surname.

I thought about it recently – about blogging under my real name, after all I am a writer. I want to eventually be published under my real name, so why not blog under it.

I guess blogging as ‘Justsal’  (Along with tweeting) allows me express my views autonomously. (Note the spelling… autonomous – NOT anonymous! Two completely different meanings there) I’m not anonymous. I don’t ‘hide’ behind the internet spouting thoughts on stuff with the protection of anonymity. I am happy to say anything I post on here to someone’s face. Most of the things I post have generally occurred with someone as a conversation, or the posts are literally ‘just my thoughts’ on a variety of things.

I love to write and this is one of a few outlets that allows me to write independently. I’m not bringing attention onto my family name this way, not allowing what I write here to be used as ammunition against someone I love. What it comes down to is that. I don’t want my family to be judged on my thoughts and ideas. THAT is why I don’t use my surname in my blog.

When the time comes to reveal my ‘real name’ then I will – mostly so you will all buy my book :P In the meantime, I’m happy to blog under my first name Sal NOT Sally!

Sorry if I’ve disappointed any of you for not revealing the ‘real me'.

That’s all I’ve got.

BEDA 2012 Posts 9 - 19

I know I've been MIA - but there's been a lot of 'stuff' going on in my life in the past 10 days. A member of my family passed away, along with a friend of mine - so a double blow :(

I got a day's placement at the local Uni Library as part of my course / assessment requirement. It was #####RAD I really *really* feel I've put the right foot forward in relation to a career as a Librarian.

Then of course there's the interview for the job here next week (everything crossed for that)

So I do appologise for the lack of BEDA - but sometimes life gets in the way of blogging.

That's all I've got.

I hope you are all safe and well. If you have someone in your life, be it a significant other half, a friend or a family member. Remember to let them know they are important to you - as sometimes people are here one minute and gone the next. Don't be left with regrets of 'I should have told them I loved them more often' TELL them now!

BEDA 2012 Post 8

Happy Chocolate day! + Happy Easter to my religious readers.

I spent the day at my uncles place - it was his 50th birthday celebrations....

I consumed a lot of champagne.... napped on the couch and am still under the influence. His girlfriend is a *BIG* drinker.... I am a lightweight compared to her - however I think '80+ year old aunt' gave her a run for her money!

Anyway - I've consumed chocolate, alcohol, chocolate, alcohol, oh and pig on a spit, like a full on 'animal' on a big metal pole that rotated and stuff (Can you tell I've never seen a pig on a spit in 'real life' before!)

I'm now suffering from a self induced headache from eating my body weight in chocolate and also consuming the same amount in liquid via Champagne.

So this really is 'all I've got'

BEDA 2012 Post 7

Hello Readers,

Today I played 'I am alive' on PS I parted with my $$ for the full game as the demo was #RAD. I'm really enjoying it - though a couple of negatives about it....

The 'items' scattered about could be highlighted better - it's the same colour as the sunlight and you kinda miss stuff.
More options to save would be cool
The ability to increase stamina etc would be awesome also (that might happen, I've not got that far into the game yet)

Other than that I had a relaxed day.

That's all I've got.

BEDA 2012 Post 6

Happy stake a man to a cross day! I'm sure that's politically incorrect!

I'll try again..... Happy 'Eat fish day' :) Meh (feed my fish while you're here please!)

What did I do with my public holiday i hear you ask..... I can hear you!

• I watched the latest episode of The Big Bang Theory and laughed out loud a lot

• I read a book of my choice which had NOTHING to do with Uni

• I played the demo for 'I am Alive' on PS3 and have decided to back up my PS3 - buy some credit and purchase the game - Yep it's THAT good!

Other than that.... I cooked salmon spaghetti for dinner, ate chocolate and spent time with my dog.... He took up 1/3 of the bed whilst I played play station and snored!!!!

My plug a site for today is Wendy Morrell. She's a writer from New Zealand and another IF friend... I have a lot of those they are less maintenance :P

Anyway check out Wendy's blog by clicking HERE

That's all I've got.

Beda 2012 Post 5

Hello Bloggers.

I was to have lunch with some friends today but the one friend I wanted to see wasn't able to make it - so I skipped it. I did let them know though as I'm not rude.

So any 'news' I could have posted about that is now non existent.

Instead I had a Uni free day... I gamed, watched TV, did some work out in the garden and generally enjoyed the absence from University work.

I plan on having a couple of days Uni free - otherwise I'll end up in a place where the walls a padded......

So before the white truck arrives.  Here is my 'plug' site for today. It's Heath Carney. An uber amazing photographer and generally nice man he's an IF friend.... that's 'Internet Friend' I've never met Heath in the flesh, but his witty comments and sense of humour on Twitter keep me amused.

You can check out Heath's site HERE

That's all I've got. 

BEDA 2012 Post 4

Firstly to any of my readers in Texas - I hope you and your friends and family are safe and well - I saw footage of the twisters you got... Holy shit!

A very short blog today - my brain is mush from punching out an essay for Uni. So all my brain power went into that.

Sorry.....

My 'plug' a blog for today is Davo - he's a unique man.... with an awesome sense of humour. Check out his musing on the world HERE

Day four down.... Bring on five and a longer blog as I don't have an assignment due until after Easter :)

That's all I've got. 

BEDA 2012 Post 03

I GOT AN INTERVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I applied for a Library job... and I managed an interview - it's not until the end of the month (Easter and Anzac day makes April a busy (read lots of public holiday's month) BUT I got an interview.... so I am so happy right now.

Currently finishing off an essay on why we still need to teach cataloguing in the 21st century. It's due tomorrow. I'm happy with what I've got thus far - will sleep on it and then finish and submit it tomorrow.

I didn't get a plug in for a fellow blogger yesterday as I ended up doing a quick blog post from my ipod in bed via Safari as the 'blog app' I d/loaded didn't work...


Anyway today's plug is a lovely man called Todd. He's just lovely. You can see this for yourself by clicking on the link to his site HERE

Day three = awesome happy Sal.  Bring on day four.

That's all I've got.

BEDA 2012 Post 02

I'm writing this is safari on my iPod so I'll keep it short in case it won't work.

Submitted my report on collection development this afternoon. So one less thing to worry about.

I'm writing it in bed. Will fix tomorrow

Day two down. Bring on day three.

That's all I've got.

*fixed it via PC*

BEDA 2012 Post 01

BEDA Blog every day in April……

No this is not an April fool’s joke – I *really* am going to take part in BEDA in 2012. I’ve not done this since… *Checks blog history* 2009 the year I completed Nanowrimo for the first time. Perhaps that’s a sign.

 Anyway…… Today is day one of BEDA – I’ve spent my Sunday writing a report for an assignment on Collection Development Policies *Queue Library Nerd theme song* (I’m not sure they have one.. so perhaps I’ll have to get someone to create a library nerd theme song.) Anyway it’s due tomorrow – it’s still a shambles and makes no sense… and I’m just going to have a ‘stab’ and hope it’s right – worst case scenario… I fail…

 My BEDA’s will hopefully contain stuff about my day, what I’ve been doing and small segments that I find interesting to share… Oh wait… isn’t that what blogs are supposed to be? Meh…. Enjoy the writing.

I also plan to try and whore out I mean ‘plug’ others blogs each day. So staying true to my lesbian blood lines… Today’s blog plug is Lizzy the Lezzy. Check out what she has to offer by clicking the linking thing HERE

Day one down, bring on day two.

That’s all I’ve got.

Adjusting to situations

Hello Readers...... It is Sunday - for those who have followed me for some time, you know I am a creature of habit on a Sunday. I get the Sunday paper, a little 'cake' come home and read aforementioned paper, eat the little cake, whilst drinking tea and generally 'take it easy' (isn't that what Sunday is for?)

Today is different. As migraine sufferer I know what it's like to get / endure migraines. This morning my mum had one. She's never experienced one before so it was quite a frightening experience for her. The pain combined with the vomiting, combined with the eyesight loss.

The traditional role of 'care giver' was reversed. (This isn't the first time I've been there for my mum - I was there for her as she fought breast cancer, helping her to get by on a daily basis. From showering and getting dressed, to measuring out the 'bag' attached the the drain re her lymph glands!)

Anyway re her headache. I drugged her up and put her to bed in a dark room, with the air-con on and a dark wet cloth over her eyes. Took the phone off the hook and did my best to make her comfortable.

As I write this it's about 2pm and she's feeling better thankfully.

So today, instead of having a 'little cake' and a read of the paper - I assisted my mum, by doing her laundry, washing up, cooking of lunch, preparation for dinner. The 'usual' things I do anyway as I'm an adult as I wash my own clothes, do the dishes and cook. However my mum was most thankful for my assistance today. I think it was probably the drugs I pumped into her. All the same it's nice to have someone say thank you once in a while.

As for the rest of my day. I've been head down arse up reading Uni work, writing notes on what I have read and looking at what the hell I have to complete to be on track for this week. Oh and making my fathers lunch! Cause well..... yeah we won't go there.

 There's a huge storm brewing, so I'm now off to take the washing in off the line.

 That's all I've got.

Stock and life assessment

Today at work (I work at a library as a volunteer. Yes that means I don’t get paid for my time! Do I care? No I don’t, as it’s a foot in the door. I approached the local library at the end of last year when I was looking at post-grad courses in librarian studies. At the time I was kind of ‘bold’ and hit the librarian up for some volunteer work – behind the scenes stuff – not just your run of the mill volunteer (i.e re-stacking books onto shelves)   So at the beginning of 2012 – I started at the library – I’m really enjoying it. Plus I’m getting to do a lot of behind the scenes stuff, such as debit letters, re-allocation of stock.

A few weeks back I did some ‘stock assessment’ which is where you look at dormant stock (books that haven’t been borrowed in a while) My task was to find the books from the list we created through a database search, and pull them from the shelves to be ‘assessed’. When I did it about a month ago – the following day I had thighs of pain, caused from the ‘squatting’ down and back up to get the book. (The ‘right way to bend’ – I’m sure you know what I mean)

I did some more of this ‘stock assessment’ / removal of inactive books today. – Two and a half hours straight! To say that I’ve got sore legs would be a slight understatement (I’m thinking  ‘buns of steel’ this time!)  Who needs expensive gyms when you can do 500+ squats of your ‘arse to the floor’ pretty much then stand back up, and repeat the procedure? (Did I mention I did this for 2.5 hours!)

Anyway – on a totally different topic. It’s my birthday tomorrow. I’ll be *cough* 25… (that is a total lie) I’m not sure just when I’m ‘supposed’ to feel old (‘m sure my legs will let me know that tomorrow!) While my body ages my mind I feel I just can’t put enough information into. Is that normal? Are we as human’s always looking to gain more information, to learn something new.

Back to the library, I sat in on ‘story time’ this morning with the young kids (ages 3-4) while they all sat and listened intently as the picture book was read. There was an elderly lady looking a little lost – so I left the group and asked her if she needed some help finding something. She said no she was waiting on her grand-daughter (Then pointed her out to me) I told her she was welcome to come and sit at the back with the adults – offering her the seat I had been sitting on. Afterwards she came and spoke to me and thanked me for offering to include her. I thanked the lady, and said to her that kids are like sponges they just soak everything up in their little worlds,  if only we could go back, knowing what we know now. She smiled at me and said – now that would be wonderful.

I often talk about ‘going back’ as though I’ve got this obsession in the past, I don’t – though I’m a time travel geek / fan girl. In reality – if I was to ‘go back’ and change something, then I wouldn’t be the person that I am today. Sometimes I’m not happy with myself, but there are others out there with bigger issues / battles than I face.

So as I turn another year older….. I’ll make sure I do my best to try and make ME happy, along with those who make my life nice.

That’s all I’ve got.

How do our brains work?

Why is it exactly that at approximately 3am is when the best ‘idea’s come to me – when I’m in bed, comfortable and not in a place to write the idea’s down? Is that my brain being an arsehat? Or is it just a point, when I seem to be the most creative? (Can you tell I took notes at 3am) I did take notes – or actually I downloaded an app to allow me to record my voice on my ipod. So instead of ‘writing’ my ideas – I just spoke them into this app, it saved what I said, and I’m now re-playing it back to myself. (I am actually quoting myself here!) At 3am I thought of all these amazing blog ideas, thing to make people want to come to my site and read what I have to say, but then I roll over, and I’m back into the ZZzzzzz… I can’t remember what I thought when I woke up. Random thought: I was driving today. Did you know that trying to spit out a mint (I won’t name the brand) that has gone a bit ‘off’ out your window whilst doing 100Km/ph causes the mint to fly out, and back into the car, landing on your lap!!!! Would have been easier and less messy to spit it into my hand, and place it out the window. (It’s a MINT – it’s going to biodegrade – Getting in early for all the hippies who want to have an Environment rant!) That’s all I’ve got.

Library

Hello Readers, I start my job placement at the local library tomorrow :) I'm really looking forward to it. I'm still plugging on through those 28 books, but I am getting there. Summer has finally arrived in Australia - it's hot. I hope to post a few updates re my work placement in the next few weeks. That's all I've got right now - my life is pretty quiet. Sal :)

Will a postgraduate send me over the edge?

Hello dedicated readers, Happy New Year. I’ve completed my undergrad and I’m about to embark on a post-grad in information management and librarian studies. One of the four classes I’m taking in first semester has a list of books in which we have to choose two of the three genres of EACH genre and read. So for science fiction I’ve gone with Young Adult genre author Victor Kelleher’s Parklands (Just finished it) and Joanne DuPrau’s ‘The city of ember’ (Not stared it yet). The entire list will be a total of 28 books. I like to read, but when the pressure is on to get that many books read in the amount of time a semester is, plus the readings etc involved in the rest of the class, along with the other three subjects. I’m sitting here thinking. WTF have I gone and signed up for? Will this make me or break me? I’m being a more positive thinker in 2012 and I am going to say it will make me, it will create information and skills within me, to allow me to undertake a job within the librarian / research environment which I hope to enjoy doing. So therefore it will be nice to end all my studies and gain a job I actually ‘like’ and have worked towards and in my ‘free’ time I’ll work on that other career goal of becoming a published Author. So readers – what do you have planned for 2012? That’s all I’ve got. Sal