Just found this site that I'm thinking of signing up to: http://www.goodreads.com/ I think it has a good premise and I'm one of those people who wants to list the books they've read but always forgets to and I'm always seeing new books I'd like to read but am always losing the bits of paper I've written them down on so this seems like it's the site for me!

Today I did my first paid babysitting job. It was with people I didn't know whom I mentioned a few posts ago - that they wanted a sitter but by the time I replied they'd already found one but were still interested in me because I lived close.

So the lady calls today saying can I come round a.s.a.p until about 2.30 and I say o.k. I ended up staying from about 11 to about 2 and I got $45. I did alright coping.

So yeah that was my adventure for today!

I've finally worked up the courage to do something with the clay I bought ages ago (I don't want to waste it or just open it without really knowing what I want to do because it's air dray and dries quickly so it's not stuff you can mess about with for a long time) but now I need to buy more stuff. I need some cookie cutters (though I've just realised I have some from a plasticine kit - I'll have to dig those out to see what I have) and I need some pastels to colour the clay (it's white). I thought you had to do it with paints (which I have ) but it's less messy to do with pastels. I might also want to buy some moulds and a cutter oh and glue. I need to make a list.

Going on holidays soon (in a couple of weeks soon, not tomorrow soon). Not 100% keen but then I never am, really. With my mum, my sister and her partner and her 2 kids. About 7 and a half hours drive. Everyone is taking turns at being in the kids car. There's not much to do where we're going (if you don't like the beach) and the beach and I are not friends. I do not like getting sand in my crack or the sting of salty water. Dogs are going in kennels, mouse is going... somewhere. A lady from mums work said she'd look after it but I might ask my younger sister if she will (we're not leaving the dogs alone with her because she might go out all the time and they'll need to be let out for a wee). I think one of my dogs has a bit of an ear infection - I'll have to buy some ear canker stuff. It's not bothering him but it's all waxy.

Read a book called 'Poltergeist' by Kat Richardson. Was alright. I always say that things were alright without describing how 'alright' I thought something was. It was a bit boring with some stuff the author crapped on about. All the talk of the ferret was quite unnecessary and there was some stuff that she went right into that didn't make much sense. I thought the book was a bit creepy, though I doubt it would freak out anyone else. Poltergiests are just scary to me and especially the idea that we can make the phenomenon happen (it's not that we can make it happen but that we could unconciously make it happen and think it was a poltergeist and be scared the crap out of). I don't like thinking about ghosts. They scare me. In this book was the seemingly ever present black friend who has a family that knows about supernatural themes (usually this is someone from New Orleans but this character was from Jamaica and verrrry poor, limited attempts were made at writing in a Jamaican accent) and more very poor, limited attempts were made at writing an Irish accent and the Irish character had green eyes and was a witch. So there was a few paranormal story stereotypes. The girl was tall, didn't have enough 'meat' on her, didn't want to have children and had not very good relationships with men. A description I find quite common. It's described as being good for fans of Charlaine Harris (though I thought it was quite a different style to her books).

Finished the book 'Midnight Never Come'. It was pretty alright. Not the most engaging thing I've ever read but good enough to keep my interest all the way through. I think the comparison I read that compared this to Philip Pullman was due to the way the fairy court and human court were linked together like in HDM the world's are all linked together with the 'dust' and they all had the different versions of the same creation story.

Did a good amount of gardening the other day and then our land lord isn't even coming 'til the 30th now! Oh well means I can do some more before he comes. We have an electric lawn mower which means to mow your lawn you have to attach a multitude of extension leads and my mum is always going on about being careful not to run over the cord and then guess who ran over one of the cords?

I've bought my older sisters Xmas present and I have a good idea of what I'm going to get mum. I'm not going to buy for my younger sister and not my older sister either (we've had another falling out and as far as I'm concerned she can get stuffed). Of course I've also bought 50 million presents for my neice and nephew. I just need to get my nephew as Transformers Height chart (I was going to get him a Thomas one from Avon but he'll like Transformers better and they're the same price so it's a win-win situation.)

Have to decide what I want for my Birthday 'cos I'm 21. I want a lot of stuff (which is the norm for me). I really like some Betsey Johnson jewllery so I might get that and there's also some juicy couture cupcake earrings I like. Mums already got me a swatch watch with rabbits on it and a book of Mythology which she bought from bookclub ages ago and which is now on sale - damn you bookclub.

Now I need to go and do houseworky things and ring my psychologist to confirm my appointment. I keep getting up really late (today I got up at like 11.00) I really need to stop doing that. Also I need to get my hair cut because the ends are all icky and split endy and so forth.

I'm messing about on net rather than washing the frankly HUUUGE pile of dishes.

I rang my psychologist today but the phone rang out and there was no message bank so I e-mailed her instead. Go me.

Got a message back about the job. It's already been taking but apparently I live really close and that's a big pro so she says she's going to call me at some stage and then maybe I'll be able to get some work.

Did teeny weeny itty bitty bit of gardening.

My younger sister brought me a present today (but not the money she owes me!). It's a book called 'Squeaking Beauty' and it's a pop-up book of Sleeping Beuty but with mice and it's rhyming. It's quite cute, if not a little silly e.g..
'He was dashing and healthy, increadibly wealthy -
his title: Prince Charmouse the First.
And as she lay snoring, he gazed on, adoring,
then kissed her and lifted the curse.'

I forgot to say I got my book from www.betterworldbooks.com and I do reccomend them though they did put a sticker on the front of the book which was a bit annoying but I was able to remove it. It shipped pretty fast too.

I finsished and returned 'Wee Free Men' and 'Wintersmith', I didn't think 'Wintersmith' was as good as the others. I liked the storyline of Tiffany visiting the different witches and the boffo but I didn't so much find the parts with the 'Wintersmith' very interesting. Mostly I just like the parts where the Nac Mac Feegles say 'Waily, Waily, Waily'!

Just applied for another job. Babysitting. They have kids 6,4 and 1. I don't know if this is a bad idea! Oh well we'll see if they get back to me.

Finished reading the second book of the Sookie Stackhouse series. Can't decide wether I like it or not and if I'll be buying the rest of the books. I might do. They're an easy read for when you can't really be bothered.

Now I'm reading this book that I forget what it's called. I bought it for $6.95 from my bookclub when they had a sale because they said it was for people who enjoyed Phillip Pullam and I loved the HDM trilogy so I snapped this book up. It is alright. It is about a faerie queen at the same time as Queen Elizabeth is queen (I can never remember what number she is - the protestant one that was going to be killed by her sister (both daughters of King Henry the VIII)). The faerie Queen makes it so that Elizabeth is Queen and in doing so makes herself Queen to (I don't really know yet - I'm not that far into the book).

I was reading this book called 'Alma Cogan' which actually is very well written and some of it I read and I'm like wow that's a really good writing - it really pulls you in and is so good at describing that sensation or scenario or whatever but the book itself is not keeping me entertained. I'm not sitting there reading it rather than doing something more important. I might go back to it though.

Today I put on mascara and was surprised I can wear it. I put mascara on once, years ago and it got on my glasses because my eyelashes were too long so in the intervening years my eyelashes have either become shorter, more curled or my glasses sit differently so now I can wear it. I was surprised. I put on my new purple eye shadow/eye liner duo and DOES NOT go on like the picture depicts. Things always look so good in the picture.

I looked at a past journal entry and realised I still have to ring my psychologist. Oops. My bad.

My oldest sister brought over and old computer to my other older sisters house (the one with kids) and my nephew wanted a go at it (he is desperate to have a go on a computer since he's usually not allowed) but it had no mouse so my sister went to buy one and he kept saying about how my sister was going to get a raddit (rabbit). The mouse didn't work anyway - it's an old computer so maybe the mouse port thing has all dust in it or something. I tried numerous times and I couldn't get it to work and my nephew nearly cried because he had waited all this time for the 'raddit' and then he still couldn't play a game on the 'cuter'. It was sad.

My sister had a kids book party plan thing and her friend with a new baby came over - I forgot how small new babies are. I held him. He was small and warm and wriggly. My nephew kept kissing him and my sister thought he'd hurt him in some way because there was a mark on his forhead but it turned out to be chocolate biscuit. My neice who is nearly one and half didn't like the baby and also she's teething some more so she was very clingy.

I've just completely freaked myself out. There was this greyish thing on top of our printer, like a bit of apper or something and I picked it up and it felt really weird and moved and I freaked out and shivered (you know the kind of shiver where people say 'Someone must be walkign over your grave?') because I was like WTF is that and it is a moth. Now that it has nearly made me wee my pants I have let it go outside.

So I've had the EA wii fit game for ages but never used it and I've gained weight and I really need to be using the wii fit so I decided to give it a go. I encountered a few problems.

1.) No more batteries in wii fit. Turns out this was o.k though as you don't need to use the wii fit board.
2.) Leg band thing kept sliding down. Rectified fit by taking off pants!
3.) Kept saying I had nunchuck the wrong way. To make the thing think I had it in the right way I had to put it in the wrong way. Now I think about it I might've got my rights and lefts screwed up.
4.) Forgot to warm up so when I did a few sqaut things my thigh muscles seized up and I had to sort of dance around for a bit.
5.) I just gave up at that point. I'll try again tomorrow.

So then I put my rechargeable wii battery to charge and did normal wii fit but only managed the weight test and the 5 minutes step plus thing before the battery went dead. So now the battery is back on charge.

Now I weigh roughly 91kg - I used to weigh 87 and before that I weighed 83 - oh 83 where art though? For those of you not on the metric scale that means I now weigh about 200 pounds. This is the fattest I've ever been. I need to get my jaw wired shut. Srsly. Another cycle - I'm depressed so I eat. I'm bored so I eat. I'd be less bored/depressed if I did stuff but I'm too anxious/depressed to so I go around in a circle. I'm not looking for any sympathy or weight loss tips or anything (I've heard most of them anyway!) I just wanted to say it.

Just took the dogs to get their hair cut and we'll have to go back to pick them up around 1 o'clock. They should look beautiful. They haven't had a hair cut in a while. This is a new place we've never been to before so I hope they do a good job. They do dog hair dye there! I should get Chrali died all pink when I get my hair died pink so we can be matching :)

Now I have to do house tidying - I've got to fold some washing, hang out some washing, do the dishes, dust, vacumn and do a general tidy. What a thrill.

I got Wee Free Men from the libarary yesterday - I've read A Hat Full of Sky but didn't realise there was a book before it. It makes more sense now! Same as Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents made more sense after seeing Hogfather 'cos then I realised there was more of this made-up universe. That book was quite confusing to me for a few years though I still enjoyed it! I also got out the book Wintersmith to read after I've read Wee Free Men so it's completely in the wrong order but oh well.

I get a phone call (on the land line) and I answer it with a customary 'Hello?' the guy on the other line says 'I hope you're happy now' and hangs up.

A little while later again:
Me: Hello?
Guy: Why don't you just go hang yourself
Me: Who is this?
Guy hangs up.

I call my sister who claims to have not pissed anyone off recently (or not enough to call and threaten her - if the calls were for her) and also it's odd it's on the home phone. I'm less inclined to believe it was random because they called back and seemed malicious against me (who they could've thought was my sister 'cos let's face it - I don't know anyone!)

I'm not at all bothered by it. Just find it strange.

Off to bed now for early start tomorrow.

Cats is coming to Perth! Finally a musical showing in Perth that I want to see (the bastards only showed Rocky Horror and Wicked over east). Only $300 for 4 people in A Reserve. That's not bad, I just need to find three people to come with me!

Did some backyard gardening.
Broke the pitchfork.
A bug tunnelled through my hair. I did not like it.
I disovered a large spider.
Rang my sister and got told off for being too loud by mum (mum has been on night shift)
Shirtless old guy is putting up new fence.
Still have to go to post office.

Everytime I type in my ridiculously long yahoo e-mail (which I also freqently make mistakes in) I wish it would remember my e-mail address. Or I wish I had not created such a ridiculously long/easy to make mistakes in e-mail address.

I did gardening today. Cut some dead branches, pruned the bottlebrush near the driveway so I am not scraped with it everytime I get out of the car and cut back the tree and weeded a bit around the water meter thing which I have been meaning to do for ages after they sent us a letter about it. The dirt around the metre is quite good and had lots of bugs and worms in it and since all the rest of our soil is pretty poor I was concerned I was going to accidentally dig up a dead animal. Thankfully that was not the case. Also did some other front yard weeding. Will do some more tomorrow. I got scratched and very itchy (I am allerigic to grass and plants and come out in a nasty looking rash) and later on when I was pulling my shirt down a ear wig fell onto my hand. I was impressed.

Also on my to do tomorrow list is ring my psychologist and go to the shops and get postpaks and post some Ebay stuff. Ooh and check my lotto (I already checked it online aqnd it said I didn't win but I like to imagine I've read it wrong and that I will magically win lotto if I can get the ticket scanned by the newsagent) I also want to ring my sister and make sure she saves the picture my nephew did for me (it was a Hannah Montana colouring in thing we got from a shopping centre and he coloured it and then handed it to me and said it was Happy Birthday meaning it is a present for me. I assume I can have it now and not have to wait until my birthday!)

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/world/871085/mother-walks-free-after-boyfriend-kills-child - Why the fuck was this child not taken away from these people? The woman should've got charged too. Unless the guy was holding her hostage and physically preventing her from going to the police there was no reason not to go to the police about him abusing the boy. He was only 2 - only a little babs. Two weeks previous the kid was bashed so badly he had a double break in his arm but they just sent him home with the people who were letting this happen.

'"I am entirely satisfied you were a loving mother who cared fully for your child, Except for the blind spot you had about relationships, and in particular the relationship with Mr Davenport," the Daily Mail reported Crown Judge Ouseley as telling the court.'

Bullshit. She did not care fully for her child because she allowed to be systematically abused and ulimately murdered by her partner. He only got 6 years for killing the kid. He got manslaughter. He should've been charged with murder - everyone knows a kid is easier to hurt (or easier to kill) than an adult. He didn't accidentally keep beating the child. He knew the child was getting badly hurt because he would've seen the injuries. It's revolting. There should be a public outcry.

( In which I visit the Art Gallery )

Went to see psychiatrist/OT person today. I don't like them. They annoy me. I don't trust them. Looks like they'll just be sending me back to see my psychologist. Good job I am not paying to see these guys or I'd be really pissed.

In other news I took my nephew to the park by myself today. I will not be doing it again soon. Also I was talking to my sister in the car about his peeing regression (I'm signed up to this baby club thing for her so they send me e-mails relevent to her kids age groups) and I said that they say to get the dad to show the boy how to pee standing up and she told me he already does that and my nephew told me too (he also told me his dad does big wees and he does baby wees). Then when we got to her house I had just been to the toilet when my nephew burts in and says LOOK! and is holding up his willy to wee in the toilet standing up. Needless to say, I was very impressed. After his amazing demonstration I discreetly wiped up this drips of wee on the floor!

My neice today got an Iggle Piggle (of Night Garden fame) she wouldn't let go of it in the toy department. We managed to wrangle it down to a slightly smaller $20 pyjama holder plush rather than the bigger $35 plush. Then I tried to swap the pyjama one for a small $15 one but then she had both and wouldn't relinquish either before finally relinquishing the small one and my sister having to buy the pyjama one. It was pretty cute. She loves it. I put her favourite Dolly (rather imaginatively named 'Dolly' by my sister) in the pyjama holding part which she thought was very funny. She is very cute. She still has a mullet - only the back part of her hair is growing, the front bit is all short. Business at the front, party at the back.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=867201 - the article isn't at all surprising but the name of the reasearcher is - Marcus Squirrell. I think Squirrell is a good last name :)

I know someone with the last name Hunnybun which I also think is an excellent last name.

Unfortunately my last name is a typical slavic name that ends in 'ich' and it's not glitterich or sparkle-princessich or something fun like that. Oh well.

Here they go again with this same old bullshit:
http://today.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=868567 'Kids Sex Games'

Snopes also has an article on this topic:http://www.snopes.com/risque/school/bracelet.asp

I find this so ridiculous that this keeps being brought up. My sister, when she was a teenager (she is now in her mid 30's) used to call these bracelets 'fuck me bands' at school (so this is like 15 or more years ago). She tells the story that one of the girls used to wear many very brittle bands and then scrape past people to try and force them to break (if the band broke, no matter what colour, you would apparently have sex with that person)

When I was at school and these became big again (in 2003/04) no one was talking about this colours game and that was with teenagers. People were wearing them for fashion.

This has been going on for years and years and gets passed around from generation to generation. It'll only go away if we stop talking about it. Just add them the massive list of stuff already banned in schools. End of.

I don't worry about bad luck from broken mirrors or black cats or walking under ladders (though I wouldn't walk under a ladder because it's a bit dangerous). The ones we are most reminded of in my family are not to open umbrellas inside, not to put shoes on the table, not to sing Christmas carols before Christmas and to lift up your feet when you drive over train tracks. Those are things my mother's always said. I'm not particularly superstitious about it - but I still remind others of the superstition if they do the 'bad' thing.

ETA: What superstitions did your family tell you as child (doesn't matter if you believed it or not!)

I just did a spreadsheet of my finances. It is a bit like oops. I've done a plan for this weeks pay, next weeks pay and now I've got to do one for the pay after that. I am owed some money but I didn't include that because I don't know when I'll get that back so I don't want to depend on it (my mum owes me about 100.00 and I know I won't be getting that back this pay!). I also won't be getting my hair dyed pink before our holiday and I may have to tape my eyes shut so I can't see ebay.

Did some more gardening today. Got out most of the black eyed susans from the grass. I did all the easy ones - now there's only the big ones to do. Filled up most of the bin with them. Whilst pulling them up, found out we have prickles in our grass. I hate prickles. I also found grass beetles, spiders, grasshoppers, moths, and ants (one of which bit me so I squished it) I also cleaned out my mouse who was pleased.

Listed some stuff on Ebay. Hope it sells. Started most of it at 0.99 cents - am now wondering if that was a bad idea. Oh well. We need to get rid of stuff (if only to make room for new stuff) and we need some money for our holiday. I need to go halves with mum for putting the dogs in kennels (which cost around $300 for the week) and then I need to save $250 for myself, my mum needs $250 for herself and mum is also saving up about $250 for my sister/her partner/her kids of which she already has most of it saved and I have secreted it in a secret place so she can't spend it (not that secret a place!)

We took my dogs and my sisters kids for a walk 'round a park the other day. It was a bit nerve wracking with only 2 adults vs 2 kids and 2 dogs but it went o.k. When we went to the playground I tied up my stupider dog (he will just toddle off singing his theme song) to the bench and when we left I turned around and saw that my sister hadn't untied him! She'd just said 'Come on Oscar' and he was standing there all confused! Poor thing. I was very proud of both my dogs behaviour - I hardly had to carry Oscar (he is a bit fat and has elbow displaysia) and Charli didn't go off at any dogs. My nephew was also good at riding his bike and stopping and waiting and he asked another kid if he would like some rockmelon ang my neice was good too - at first she whinged a lot because she was in the pram and she wanted to pat the dogs and then when she was walking she kept having tantrums because she wanted to walk Oscar but Oscar was having a big burst of energy and actually walking at normal pace which was too fast for her so she cried :( It was sad but funny. One of Charli's legs was hurting her last night from all the running but it's better today. A good time was had by all (mostly by kids and dogs - a bit stressful for bigger people!) We saw a duck with like 50 million ducklings (maybe more like 10) and I was glad I was not that duck.