This is Australia

Yesterday, I was walking home from the shops and an old guy was walking nearby looking a bit confused. He looked at me and I had a sinking feeling - thinking he was going to ask me directions. He asked me ‘Are you a local?’ Sinking feeling continues…. I say a tentative yes.

But it was OK - he didn’t need directions at all! 

He says ‘Well, I’d be reluctant to admit that if I were you. All these Mohammeds about (? think this is what he said, but I think he meant black skinned people). 

So I said the first thing that popped into my head. I touched his arm in a confidential way and said ‘Well it makes for good food. African restaurants - yum!” and then I walked off. I think I dumfounded him. He certainly dumfounded me.

Morning coffee - everywhere

I think my reflexes are better when I’m still sleepy. I just made coffee and was wiping the bench around my cup - a little too vigorously it seems, and somehow the cup is falling... I am catching it - whether I think that’s a good idea or not - and hot coffee is going in all directions as I juggle the cup.

I am left with an empty warm cup and coffee all over the kitchen and my hands and feet. I moved so fast and the coffee went from the cup so fast that I only have a very mild burn on my hand after catching near boiling water. 

I end up looking at the cup like it’s a miracle and thinking, ‘Well, that could have gone worse’. 

So I made coffee with chai spice the second time round and it was really nice.

What’s your spoonful of sugar to help the medicine go down? Changing your approach...

Very often we can’t change a circumstance that annoys us. We can’t at times make more money, or magically make the washing up disappear. We just want those things to happen, but often there’s not much to be done. 

We can change our feelings and our approach though. Thinking about things from another angle might just change everything. 

Rather than making more money - is there a way to save what you have by cutting spending?

Rather than having a miserable time doing the dishes, or other housework - is there a way to make it less of a chore? Is there anything about the way you do whatever it is, or the time you do it that could change to make the whole experience better? For me - I like a dish liquid that has a pleasant but not strong smell. I like to do the washing up during the day so I’m not as tired. Sometimes music helps if I am tired.

What would help? What’s your spoonful of sugar to help the medicine go down?

People say you should take up opportunities when they knock… That’s crap.

If you are bad at doing commissions it’s worse for your business to accept them. If you don't get them done on time, end up giving the item to the person for free or have such a bad time doing them that it derails your own emotional well-being for years, then commissions aren’t for you. Me. Commissions aren’t for me.… Still have one hanging over my head and then never again.