Sometimes my head goes in directions I never knew were possible…out of character, if you like. Tomorrow I will be an uncle, third time over. It never seems to lose its impact on my mind, each time I seem to appreciate more and more the little person that is joining our family. Seeing my two nephews grow up around us gives me an appreciation for just how much joy they bring to your life. And that...that there…is what always catches me off guard.
It's not that I ever change my stance on 'no children', but it warms me to the idea of having them around me. It's not something I ever thought possible, but until they are you own blood, you just can't imagine the effect they will have on you.
And so tomorrow another one of us will enter the world, to two incredibly loving parents, one of them my big brother. It seems like no time that we were riding around the back yard on our bikes or swimming in the pool. It feels like days ago that he taught me to drive. Cruising around with his friends in their hotted up cars I never even imagines being here in this position now. It really seems like just the other day that we had no responsibility, no cares, just laughs and good times.
So to the next chapter for my brother and his new family. And of course I'm along for the ride.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
A long time between drinks
It's been 18 months since my last post...August 2009 was the last time I logged on here. A pretty poor effort I must say! In spite of my lack of virtual communication, there is indeed much that has happened since back then. My god is there a lot. My last post had me buying a car to carry a dog, whilst being blissfully happy in love. How things change.
But it's not my many and varied stories that made me decide it was time to return to the blog. Today I had a teary phone call from my little sister Cassie who despite every ounce of common sense that exists in her head, continues trying to get a pretty average bloke to fall in love with her. No amount of dishonest behaviour has had any effect on the regard in which she holds him, to her own detriment. Despite the obvious, she continues to expose herself to being hurt.
It was then, talking to her and reinforcing that it takes time to get over someone, that I realised just how far I had come in the last six months. Since I suddenly plunged back into the world of single gay life, I have dropped 15kg, got a new job I never thought I would get, and now consider my life to be so much better than it was in the last first half of last year.
With that overwhelming feeling of empowerment, I started to tell my little sister how good it felt. Then I remembered something my friend Carlo had said to me, "When you look at all you have achieved in the last six months, do you really think you could have done it if you were still with him? Would you have really had the confidence or the conviction to go into an interview and get that job?"
Sometimes we need to learn the lesson ourselves, and when it comes to pulling ourselves out of an emotional hole, there's only so much those who care for you can do...the hard part, and the bit that teaches you the most, has got to come from you. And with that in mind I stopped, let Cassie talk, and let her begin her journey upwards...because there's nothing more satisfying than knowing you have come out the other side and it was all your own work that got you there.
But it's not my many and varied stories that made me decide it was time to return to the blog. Today I had a teary phone call from my little sister Cassie who despite every ounce of common sense that exists in her head, continues trying to get a pretty average bloke to fall in love with her. No amount of dishonest behaviour has had any effect on the regard in which she holds him, to her own detriment. Despite the obvious, she continues to expose herself to being hurt.
It was then, talking to her and reinforcing that it takes time to get over someone, that I realised just how far I had come in the last six months. Since I suddenly plunged back into the world of single gay life, I have dropped 15kg, got a new job I never thought I would get, and now consider my life to be so much better than it was in the last first half of last year.
With that overwhelming feeling of empowerment, I started to tell my little sister how good it felt. Then I remembered something my friend Carlo had said to me, "When you look at all you have achieved in the last six months, do you really think you could have done it if you were still with him? Would you have really had the confidence or the conviction to go into an interview and get that job?"
Sometimes we need to learn the lesson ourselves, and when it comes to pulling ourselves out of an emotional hole, there's only so much those who care for you can do...the hard part, and the bit that teaches you the most, has got to come from you. And with that in mind I stopped, let Cassie talk, and let her begin her journey upwards...because there's nothing more satisfying than knowing you have come out the other side and it was all your own work that got you there.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Today the world lost a good one
Some days you wonder how the world is working. How can there be good, how can there be hope, how can so much bad happen to so many people who do no harm to others. Unfortunately, today is one of those for me.
Today I discovered in the most impersonal of fashions, that what was once a very close friend, has passed away. Not through disease, not through underhanded actions, not whilst causing any harm to anyone. Instead, in the prime of her life, she lost her life in a plane crash paying tribute to people like my grandfather – preparing to walk the Kokoda Trail. And as the realisation sets in that such a positive light in anyone’s life will no longer be, I start to reflect on the time we spent together with a new appreciation.
She was the girl I met on my first day at Uni. With the brightest smile in the room, she was always the one who was last to get the dirty joke. She started and finished everything with 100% effort and was always ready to try something new. She was the one who would never just sit and listen to us ramble on about dreams of travel, but instead put into action our ramblings, realising for a group of us a cruise around the Pacific Islands, a trip to the snow. No matter how big or small, she was always ready to take it and run with it.
She was the first one to dive down a ski run while the rest of contemplated it, regardless of having never done it before. As she disappeared into the fog we all held our breath, hoping she would be alive at the other end.
One by one, we all followed her down…such was the impact she had.
She was the one girl I could race around the roundabouts of Brighton with a serious challenge on my hands. She was the most excited, and proud, to be getting her new car.
She is the girl you just don’t forget, unique in her enthusiasm for life, warm in her innocence and simplicity. Always eager to go beyond, always eager to please, she was destined to be a great mother some day.
I will miss her, and I know anyone who ever came in contact with her would say the same. It will forever be a regret that I wasn’t a great part of her life recently but I take comfort in knowing that she died performing a truly fitting duty as an Aussie, as an adventurer, as a person to admire. As Kel.
You will forever be miseed.
Rest in peace.
xx
Today I discovered in the most impersonal of fashions, that what was once a very close friend, has passed away. Not through disease, not through underhanded actions, not whilst causing any harm to anyone. Instead, in the prime of her life, she lost her life in a plane crash paying tribute to people like my grandfather – preparing to walk the Kokoda Trail. And as the realisation sets in that such a positive light in anyone’s life will no longer be, I start to reflect on the time we spent together with a new appreciation.
She was the girl I met on my first day at Uni. With the brightest smile in the room, she was always the one who was last to get the dirty joke. She started and finished everything with 100% effort and was always ready to try something new. She was the one who would never just sit and listen to us ramble on about dreams of travel, but instead put into action our ramblings, realising for a group of us a cruise around the Pacific Islands, a trip to the snow. No matter how big or small, she was always ready to take it and run with it.
She was the first one to dive down a ski run while the rest of contemplated it, regardless of having never done it before. As she disappeared into the fog we all held our breath, hoping she would be alive at the other end.
One by one, we all followed her down…such was the impact she had.
She was the one girl I could race around the roundabouts of Brighton with a serious challenge on my hands. She was the most excited, and proud, to be getting her new car.
She is the girl you just don’t forget, unique in her enthusiasm for life, warm in her innocence and simplicity. Always eager to go beyond, always eager to please, she was destined to be a great mother some day.
I will miss her, and I know anyone who ever came in contact with her would say the same. It will forever be a regret that I wasn’t a great part of her life recently but I take comfort in knowing that she died performing a truly fitting duty as an Aussie, as an adventurer, as a person to admire. As Kel.
You will forever be miseed.
Rest in peace.
xx
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Bored Relations?
Last Saturday I went with the other half to a very swish restaurant. It had been decided when we went there for our anniversary that we would return - each with a pair of friends, both of which we saw would get along very well indeed. We spent on dinner what some people earn in a month I'm sure, but after nice wine and food, along with great company, we called the night a complete success.
After dinner we pushed on back at one of the couple's places and eventually climbed into a cab early in the morning. We had had a great a night without even the thought of a club. So it got me thinking about how my life has changed.
I started also wondering whether people would think perhaps this had become a little tame for me. No more big benders where I spend more time with dance floor than anyone else, instead dinners at nice restaurants, excursions to wineries, weekends at the holiday house in the snow.
Contemplating not of my next car as a hot convertible, rather a 4wd to hold skis and a dog!?
Is it true: When love strikes, so too does the boringness?
And if yes, how did I end up here, whilst being so happy about it?
After dinner we pushed on back at one of the couple's places and eventually climbed into a cab early in the morning. We had had a great a night without even the thought of a club. So it got me thinking about how my life has changed.
I started also wondering whether people would think perhaps this had become a little tame for me. No more big benders where I spend more time with dance floor than anyone else, instead dinners at nice restaurants, excursions to wineries, weekends at the holiday house in the snow.
Contemplating not of my next car as a hot convertible, rather a 4wd to hold skis and a dog!?
Is it true: When love strikes, so too does the boringness?
And if yes, how did I end up here, whilst being so happy about it?
Saturday, June 20, 2009
The Al Show
I sometimes feel like I am on the Truman show. So many things just seem to happen to me with such large coincidence that I don't believe they aren't orchestrated. Jobs would just come at the right time, money would come into it life...all the stuff that just doesn't seem to happen to other people.
So it seems that prior to the last twelve months or so the viewers of my very own Truman Show had got a little bored. The result was that the producers turned up the heat; love, work and family suddenly got a little bit crazy. The viewers seem to like to see me grappling with a number of things at once. Maybe they wonder when I will break?
Right now however they are cutting me some slack, with the romance shaping up to be something worth seeing! Last night came confirmation of this with a (drunk) friend telling me he thought me and the other half were meant to be together. Usually no-one pays attention to these drunken ramblings but he elaborated with such precision and passion that I couldn't help but pay attention! And so at a time when, once again on cue, I needed reminding someone was there to do it!
Welcome to The Al Show.
So it seems that prior to the last twelve months or so the viewers of my very own Truman Show had got a little bored. The result was that the producers turned up the heat; love, work and family suddenly got a little bit crazy. The viewers seem to like to see me grappling with a number of things at once. Maybe they wonder when I will break?
Right now however they are cutting me some slack, with the romance shaping up to be something worth seeing! Last night came confirmation of this with a (drunk) friend telling me he thought me and the other half were meant to be together. Usually no-one pays attention to these drunken ramblings but he elaborated with such precision and passion that I couldn't help but pay attention! And so at a time when, once again on cue, I needed reminding someone was there to do it!
Welcome to The Al Show.
Friday, June 19, 2009
The path to responsibility
It really has been way too long since I last posted, but seriously I have been so busy. I could give you all the excuses but really it's because the other half was on holiday for a month. Yes that's right, a month of annual leave.
Part of it we spent overseas, some of it he spent here while I went back to work to get a mountain of work underway - one I should get through by August! Some of our time was good, some of it was challenging but needless to say we have come out the other end...and knowing each other a whole lot more about each other; ready to start considering the next chapter of our relationship.
Part of that consideration going on in my head has been forced upon me a bit, as my apartmet is for sale and thus a chapter of my life really is about to come to a close. Most people who know me are fully aware that living where I do is
part of my personality. It has a large effect on how I live my life by virtue of where it is. I chose to live here for two reasons: it's close to my friends, and it's near the clubs I go to! The fact that everything else is so close has helped
to define how I live my life day to day and has become an integral part of why I love living here.
With all if this about to come to a close I have started reflecting on how life has been here, how much fun I have had and how much I really will miss it. The current path says I won't be back here again in this guise, but should that ever change, I know where I can return to really live and have fun. Just knowing that will probably be enough when I move.
Responsibilty here I come...but hey, it's been a damn fun path that got me there!
Al
Part of it we spent overseas, some of it he spent here while I went back to work to get a mountain of work underway - one I should get through by August! Some of our time was good, some of it was challenging but needless to say we have come out the other end...and knowing each other a whole lot more about each other; ready to start considering the next chapter of our relationship.
Part of that consideration going on in my head has been forced upon me a bit, as my apartmet is for sale and thus a chapter of my life really is about to come to a close. Most people who know me are fully aware that living where I do is
part of my personality. It has a large effect on how I live my life by virtue of where it is. I chose to live here for two reasons: it's close to my friends, and it's near the clubs I go to! The fact that everything else is so close has helped
to define how I live my life day to day and has become an integral part of why I love living here.
With all if this about to come to a close I have started reflecting on how life has been here, how much fun I have had and how much I really will miss it. The current path says I won't be back here again in this guise, but should that ever change, I know where I can return to really live and have fun. Just knowing that will probably be enough when I move.
Responsibilty here I come...but hey, it's been a damn fun path that got me there!
Al
Friday, March 27, 2009
Invasion
It's not great to come home to a note stuck to your door, as it usually means something from the body corporate telling us what we should, or more likely shouldn't, be doing.
Tonight I came home rather merry and found a note in my door. Opening it I was confronted by a complete invasion of my personal safety, with the note being from the apartment right next to me informing us that they had been broken into last night. Made worse was the news that it was from the front door...which means we were all potential targets. It's not nice to know that people were comitting this crime just metres from what I usually think of as a place of safety - my 'sanctuary' if you like.
I hope it was a one off, but something tells me once the security is breached it's a known weakness and they might be back.
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