Melina

The lip-synching on Sunrise isn't even good . . .

So, Matt had this thing through work which involved dinner, drinks, speeches and a Brisbane Lion's game last night. And because work people weren't interested, I got to go.

And our seats were two rows in front of a certain Prime Minister of Australia.

I SHOOK K-RUDD's HAND! AND TALKED TO HIM. AND HE DOES BEGIN CONVERSATIONS BY SAYING 'MY NAME'S KEVIN'!

The political geek inside is satiated.

- - -

So, I'm off to school camp tomorrow. Wish me luck and lack of sunburn . . .

Sealed with a kiss

( More photos here )

Matt and his groomsmen

( More wedding photos here )

Still more photos to come!

It's been ages since I posted - real life getting the better of me. So as an apology, I present wedding photos!


All my wedding finery - veil, bag, shoes, bouquet

( More photos here )
More photos in the next post

I'm back in Australia after our honeymoon in New Zealand. The trip was generally fantastic - we went to Auckland, Rotorua, Queenstown, Franz Josef and Christchurch as well as places in between. The most tiring bit was probably the 9 and a half hour bus trip between Christchurch and Queenstown due to poor weather. The best bit was waking up the next morning to a snowy winter landscape.

The wedding was wonderful - there are many photos out there and I will endeavour to bring them to you sooner rather than later.

Now to continue with my plan of doing NOTHING today :)

With 11 days until the wedding things are starting to come together. We're down to the nitty gritty bits of paper craft and confirming everything.

With the rest of my life, lots of nice things have been happening at school, mostly since I finished my report cards. I've got some really good friends there now who are just as nutty as me, and my class continues to be truly awesome (one of the teachers who helps in my room told me yesterday that my classroom always seems so happy)

So all is good and happy. And even though I'm not posting much at the moment, I am reading and thinking of you guys.

I posted a week or two ago about Kiva, now I'm pointing you to my blog about other 'change the world' type things.

Blog address: http://changingthefuture.blogspot.com/
Syndication address: http://syndicated.livejournal.com/futurechange/

I'm currently reading Bill Clinton's book - Giving - and there was an organisation mentioned in it that has stuck with me.

So I went to Kiva and checked it out. Kiva is an organisation that allows people to lend money to support a particular microloan around the world. You get to pick who gets your money, they have an interest free loan they can use to build their business, and you can lend as little at $25 American dollars (When I added a small donation to Kiva itself it worked out at $30.90 Australian).

They have a really high repayment rate, and if loans are not repayed, it's still a low donation to help someone. When you are repayed, you can donate the money again are get it back. I loaned to a furniture painter in Lebanon this morning, and actually finished off the loan for him. Hopefully I'll be able to make some more donations in the future to help more people.

I think I mentioned before that I'm embarking on another year of reading new books (or rereading books I haven't read in years in one case). I'm paper journaling, since I'm expecting my students to do so, but I'm also keeping a record here - with reviews for some of them.

Here's my list so far:

1. From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg *
2. A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
3. Digging to America by Anne Tyler *
4. A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck
5. A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck
6. Mary Anne and the Little Princess by Ann M Martin
7. The Reading Environment by Aidan Chambers
8. Stacey's Secret Friend by Ann M Martin
9. On Tour with the Ballet School Mal Lewis Jones
10. Gemma by Noel Streatfield *
11. Gemma and Sisters by Noel Streatfield *
12. The Secret Life of Mary Anne Spier by Ann M Martin
13. Sisters: Phoebe by Marilyn Kaye
14. Davita's Harp by Chaim Potok *

* = review to come

I've also reread the Drina books I have and some of the Cherubs - but I reread them so often they don't count.

Books to be read:

The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler
The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett
It's Your Time You're Wasting: A Teacher's Tale of Classroom Hell by Frank Chalk

along with a pile of children's classics I want to read before I recommend them to my students

sangerin tagged me for this:

The rules are easy, just post 10 things that recently made you happy! Because it is good. Everyone needs a little happiness once in a while.

1. We're chugging along nicely with the wedding planning. Reception booked, appointment with the minister booked. Photographer being looked at today . . .

2. I'm motivated today - got to be a good thing.

3. The Life Line book fest. All those cheap books. Such a good cause.

4. The birds enjoying themselves outside

5. Gouda cheese. There is nothing better than good cheese.

6. Rewatching West Wing and Firefly - and Matt suggesting we rewatch Firefly

7. Finding a video of Beauty and the Beast at the bookfest, so I can prepare for dancing.

8. Reading and keeping a reading journal (paper) for the first time. I'm trying new books again this year like I did in 2006.

9. I'm making Save The Dates for the wedding, and they look pretty.

10. Like sangerin I'm posting the interest meme as no. 10. Because it's cool and it made me rewrite my interests.

( Behind the cut )

I'm not tagging anyone, but lizbee, piecesofalice and weaverandom should do it . . .

My email (gmail) seems to have been hacked or something - really annoying me. If you have strange emails from me, please dump them.

Just going to change the password and see if there's any change. Otherwise I'll change my email.

I had two huge fillings done today at the dentist, so I'm numb, kinda silly, and not really functioning at my best.

sangerin I will have the beta to you later today when I'm thinking straight again.

Have been away for ages.

Christmas was good but a little strange.

I'm off to pick up and finish paying for my wedding dress this morning.

When I hear the word 'recession' on television, I immediately think 'bagel'

Yes, the West Wing may have warped my mind . . .

Ok, late notice, but I had a really brilliant idea.

My class is studying Window and Belonging by Jeannie Baker at the moment. And I was thinking 'wouldn't it be good to see out different people's windows in tomorrow's class' when the idea hit me.

What if people on LJ could post me a picture from their window?

As in, grab a camera and take a snap. Then post it in the comments. From any window, even your work window. And if it's night, and you have lights outside, that's good too. Or send me a picture in the morning.

Please, please, please send me a picture from your window as soon as possible! (I'm so begging now) And if possible, ask your friends list - the more photos the better

So, yeah. It's 3.50am and I am still awake.

Considering I need to be awake in an hours time and there's a whole pile of costumes still to sew, I don't see sleep in my future any time soon.

What the hell is Delta wearing on Australian Idol. A shiny sleeping bag?

Psst.

I ordered my wedding dress today

It's scary how much money is involved. . .



I had something else to say, but honestly can't think what that was

So, I'm working on concert stuff at the moment, so I didn't get to bed until 1am. That was bad enough.

Then at 3am I was woken by a hysterical smoke alarm. I pretty much ran through the house looking for any source of smoke/fire - but alas there was none. I went back to bed a little confused, actually wondering if the smoke alarm had been in my sleep.

Then, one hour later, the alarm went off again. Still no smoke/fire. And it wouldn't stop beeping.

I'd say the battery needs replacing except for the fact the alarm was only installed about two or three months ago.

I wonder if the kids can teach themselves today?