I caved and bought the Canon 5D Mark 2. I’ve been lusting after it for a while and thought now was as good a time as any, so I made the purchase and tried not to freak out while handing over my credit card.
First pics taken on the new camera! Games night at Chatswood.
I don’t usually care much for Valentine’s Day, but falling on Saturday this year provided the opportunity for me and Alec to spend some quality time together.
We started in Bondi, hoping to go to the bagel store Glick’s. However, Glick’s is closed during the day on Saturdays, so we wandered up the road to this quirky cafe instead for a huge brekkie.
Three Steps Cafe, Bondi. Home of the all-day breakfast as well as a host of other treats.
We then drove down to Bondi Beach even though it was cold and wet. Turned out to be a great idea, as the weather kept all the tourists away – score! I’ve never seen the beach so empty.
Since outdoors was not looking positive for the day, we set off for the Museum of Sydney to see an exhibition called Tails of the City – the story of pets in Sydney. I’ve never been to the museum before – I didn’t even know where it was! It’s a nice little museum on the site of the first Australian parliament house.
A trip to that part of town isn’t complete without stopping at the Lindt Cafe in Martin Place. I always get the same thing – the chocolate milkshake – so opted for the ice chocolate instead ($7). It was exactly the same as the milkshake though, which would have disappointing if I didn’t love the shake so much 🙂
Three Steps Cafe,
113 Bondi Road,
Bondi
Lindt Cafe
53 Martin Place
(Cnr Phillip Street), Sydney
tel (02) 8257 1600
1. I think my purpose in life has something to do with animals. I’m just not sure in what way yet.
2. I’d wanted to be vegetarian for a long time, but didn’t think I could do it. A year and a bit ago I stopped eating meat completely – it was one of the best changes I’ve made in my life and one that I’m the most proud of doing and sticking to. I used to feel guilty every time I ate meat and now I can eat and feel happy.
3. Finding Alec was the most unexpected surprise in my life so far. I never thought I would find someone who was such a perfect match for me.
4. Most of my closest friends are those I’ve known the longest – since the first year of high school or even earlier. I am fiercely loyal to friends but sometimes expect too much back in return.
5. I constantly feel like I never accomplish anything. I have several projects on the way at all times and as a result nothing ever gets finished properly.
6. I want to work at the RSPCA or WIRES but am scared I won’t be able to handle the sadness that would come with the job.
7. I saved the life of our Golden Retriever when I was about 10. She was choking on a stick – I reached into her mouth, down her throat and pulled it out without thinking about it twice. Nowadays I’m not sure if I would do the same, or just stand by and panic.
8. I worry incessantly about things like Am I living my life to the fullest? Have I wasted precious time? I also worry constantly about death – mine, my parents’, my dogs’, Alecs’ and animals all over the world.
9. My dream job would be to be an animal photographer working on National Geographic.
10. I have little empathy for people unless I know them, but an infinite amount for animals.
11. People think I talk way too much. I also have a constant internal monologue always going, so people should count themselves lucky it stays internal, or my talking volume would be tripled.
12. I love chocolate with a reverence that’s not quite right. I love discovering new chocolate cafes everywhere I go and inhaling everything I can on the menu.
13. White chocolate disgusts me. It should not be called chocolate, ok?
14. I love traveling. I dream of the places I haven’t seen yet – most of them have exotic animals I want to see in the wild. Top of my list is Africa and Antarctica so I can see the penguins.
15. My mood swings have prompted Alec to call me the Hulk. A call of “Hulk smash!” when I’m in a crappy mood invariably makes me laugh at myself and get over it.
16. I’ve only lived in Sydney Australia – I really want to live in another country for a period of time but will always want to return to Sydney as it’s where I feel at home and happy.
17. I’m terrified of aging. I’m scared of my body not doing what I want it to do anymore and of becoming physically unable to do all the things I enjoy. This is one reason I throw myself into too many things at once, to make the most of the time I have.
18. When I was younger all I wanted to do was dance. It’s been a life-long passion – dancing myself, plus anything to do with dance – photography, movies, books. I also find myself busting a move or two on the street when I hear bits of a song that I like, or on the train when I’m listening to my iPhone.
19. I’ve recently discovered that I love pole dancing. It makes me feel strong and femanine at the same time.
20.
I need to say a quick thank you to modern medicine here. I was born very short sighted and had trouble with my vision until I was diagnosed at age 11. Until then i didn’t realise that everyone else could see details around them like the leaves on trees. I wore contact lenses from the age of 13 to 27, when my eyes started to reject them. The last two years of wearing contacts irritated my eyes, getting progressively worse, to the stage where I knew I couldn’t wear them any more.
Thankfully, I was a prime candidate for laser eye surgery. It was a quick, very uncomfortable procedure that I had done at the end of 2007, and for the first time in my life I had perfect eye sight without any aids. It was magical. No more itchy, uncomfortable eyes, being able to open my eyes open water, little things that most people take for granted.
Thank you skillful doctors for fixing my eyesight!
We went out west today to celebrate my dad’s birthday. Our original plans of driving down the coast were halted due to the extreme heat. It was about 40 degrees out west and my doggies weren’t coping at all.
On this beyond hot day, Alec and I took a trip to Narrabeen to cool off.
Afterward we meet Matt and Lisa for dinner at Counter Burger, Crows Nest.
We ended the night at Matt and Lisa’s place watching Scrubs.
I feel lucky that I’m healthy. It’s something I don’t think about it a lot, I whinge instead about genetic fails like my short-sightedness or my elastic ankle tendons, but I am actually incredibly lucky that I can see (thanks to laser eye surgery) and hear (well, most things!), have all four limbs working and no problems preventing me from doing anything I want to do. I should remember this more often when I’m having a fat day.
My friends – I’m lucky that I have made some amazing friends over the years and I have friends who have been in my life since I was five.
My dogs bring me tremendous joy and give me unconditional love.
The other most obvious blessing in my life – Alec. I’m thankful several times every day for the joy, peace, love and laughter that he has brought into my life.
I love you brain 🙂
