Lots and lots more reading - am I insane?

They say successful people read at least two books a week. 

2 BOOKS?! WHO READS BOOKS THESE DAYS??!!  Everyone I know is reading blogs, online news, forums etc. 

The most successful and intelligent of us (I do not include myself in this 'us') read 2 books a week.  I wonder if this is an average over a year?  I know there are periods where I won't pick up a brochure, let alone a book.  Surely they can't be reading two books a week, every week.

The challenge I am setting myself over the spring/summer (November after exams through February) is to read an average of 2 books per week and I will share with you some of the things I have been reading - keeping myself accountable.

I am currently reading 'Mindset: the new psychology of success' by Carol Dweck.  The problem I have when I am studying (and with law school generally) is that I don't think I am smart enough - that I haven't got the inherent ability like others or the gift of brilliant memory retention or just talent generally.  What this books is about for me is changing my mindset from wishing I had gifted brilliance, to being happy about challenging myself and learning new things and realising that those things are hard but they can be fun too.  It is helping me remain focussed through my study period and I'm not suprised to learn so far in the book that i'm part 'fixed mindset' and part 'growth mindset'.  I'll elaborate on this in another post when I'm a little further into the book.  But essentially I think I can change my mindset and I'm glad about that.

A request from me to you: please feel free to share/suggest books or audiobooks you would recommend I read over the summer or even books you haven't read but are dying to know what they're like and I'll give you a run-down and review.

I can't wait!

Elle

Why study is bad for me

Need I say more.

2 exams.  One next week and one the following.  Then I get my life back.

I'm looking forward to hanging out with friends (without any time limits) and getting my hair cut... it's ridiculously long and I need something fresh.  It will be 6 weeks until Christmas when it's over and I will be making the most of every moment.

In the meantime -  back to it.

Elle

Crime and Punishment

Good MORNING everyone

I can say morning because it's now past 1am on a weeknight and i'm not asleep.  For those of you who are insomniacs, I see now why you are so wierd!  This is not normal people!!!

Let's talk about normal.  Normal is getting home at a reasonable hour on a weeknight so your respective other half isn't woken up, of if they're still awake (aka me) that they can finally get to sleep at a reasonable hour once you are home.  This is of particular importance if you have say jobs that require your attention the next day, law school and study the entire weekend (or should i say the next 3 weekends straight).  Note. a job to go to the next day would suffice here, a baby, or actually anything remotely respectable would be enough (exceptions include: being a dole bludger).

Considerate is taking one for the team when getting home from a night out on a weeknight at say 10.30pm and doing your other half's washing while they're sound asleep so that they may have clothes for work the next day (even though you're exhausted and would much prefer soaking your tired body (instead of dirty laundry) in a HOT bath).

Following from normal and considerate, there's reasonable.  Reasonable is where my special new theoretical legal training comes in (aka my first year law degree).  There's what's called a 'reasonableness test' in the law in Australia.  It's a fantastically ambiguous notion that ultimately leaves a wide ambit of possibilities for the judge.  Let's just park that notion on the side for a moment.  Let's see if we can apply the 'reasonableness test' here and maybe you can be the judge.

Scenario:

Me skipping yoga after work today (my 1 hour of bliss every week) to cook dinner, clean, do washing and study (ie. for the benefit of our household).  My other half went to work, played tennis and then went out drinking (which let's not forget I encouraged earlier in the night - but I add... this was when I did not suspect it would turn out to be a mid-week massive booze session).

Other half - intoxicated sending text messages with incorrect spelling at 11.30pm informing me that he might be a little later than the previous discussion of midnight we had 4 hours earlier.

My text message response includes the notion of fairness. 

I receive a gushing drunken 'but I love you' *hiccup* phone call immediately after. 

I reiterate that I do but clearly you are too drunk and at this point I can hear my voice getting louder and louder as the music on the other end of the phone gets louder and louder.

I remind him that it's pre-exam time, he is about to go away soon and perhaps sleep deprivation for me really isn't a good idea right now so could he maybe think about coming home soon.

He continues to be annoyingly drunk.  I hang up.  Consider smacking my forehead for thinking it was a good idea to encourage weeknight drinking sessions.

He rings back. 

He stupidly puts me onto this evening's co-conspirator.  I refuse to talk.  Hang up.

I turn off the phone.

I've had enough.

I am reasonable.  To a point.  That point expires when I don't get sleep or there are incredibly important things at stake for me which lack of sleep makes incredibly difficult to do.  I also don't appreciate making sacrifices for others when they don't feel like returning the favour.  Blind love doesn't cut it.

We're a team.

Have some respect.

Be reasonable.

Tomorrow (or today)... or the days following that, I guarantee that you will pay.

Judge Elle (decider of all things reasonable)

ps. enjoy the sound of the hair dryer in about 5 hours time hunney.

Churros and Australian Gourmet Traveller

My sister recently came back from America and now shares my love for churros; those hot beautiful crunchy yet soft cinnamon donuts that I discovered on my trip a few years back. 

There's something fascinating about cooking for us Gen Y kids.  While we have a million choices of places to buy from it seems much more satisfying (and often therapeutic) to make it ourselves... no matter how hard it is to do and how time consuming it might be!

For anyone who is keen on the recipe - i have included it below from this month's Gourmet Traveller.  I am hoping for a subscription to this magazine for Christmas from Santa.  Fingers crossed.

Churros
Serves 6
Cooking Time Prep time 15 mins, cook 15 mins (plus resting)

325 gm plain flour
60 ml (¼ cup) olive oil
For deep-frying: vegetable oil
For dusting: caster sugar

1. Sift flour and a pinch of salt into a heatproof bowl.
2. Combine oil and 450ml water in a saucepan and bring to the boil over medium-high heat. Pour over flour and beat quickly with a wooden spoon to combine.
3. Transfer mixture to an electric mixer fitted with a paddle and beat until a very smooth dough forms (2-3 minutes).
4. Transfer dough to a piping bag fitted with a 2cm star nozzle and push down to remove any air bubbles in bag. Refrigerate to rest and chill (30 minutes). 
5. Heat oil in a deep-fryer or deep-sided frying pan to 180C. Pipe long lengths of mixture (about 15-20cm) into hot oil, creating a swirl, and cut with scissors. Be careful as oil is hot and may spit.
6. Fry churros in batches, turning occasionally with a spider, until golden (3-5 minutes), then remove with a spider and drain on absorbent paper. Toss in a bowl with caster sugar, shaking off excess, and serve immediately.

Once you have made the churros it's time to make the chocolate dipping sauce:

200 ml each heavy (45% milk fat) and pouring cream
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 cinnamon quill
150 gm dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), finely chopped
60 ml Pedro Ximénez  (a sweet dark sherry - i'll be leaving this out)
1 tsp finely grated orange rind

Bring cream, vanilla and cinnamon just to the boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add chocolate, Pedro Ximénez and orange rind and stir over low heat until smooth (2-4 minutes). Serve hot with warm churros.

This recipe is from the October 2009 issue of Australian Gourmet Traveller.

Inspired

I was reviewing all my blogs this morning when I came across Leigh-Ann's probing question and it really gave me cause to think what I would do.

Some would say, save the world from poverty - well aren't you all just Mother Theresa's?! Me, I'd like a life filled with adrenalin and fun - fighter pilot, race car driver or something along those lines.

image courtesy of: http://weheartit.com/entry/868535

What would you do if you knew you could not fail?

ps. Pop over to Freckled Nest and check out some of Leigh-Ann's other pages I love like this one ♥

When tacky just doesn't say it all

People make too many decisions based on how 'it' looks or will look to others. We use certain objects as social guide marks; the car, the house, the wedding, the baby clothes and the holiday house. They indicate our status, wealth, social standing and our taste. 

There is however, a fine line between classy and tacky. A stunning engagement ring is classy.  Using a photo of it as your profile pic on Facebook or Twitter is tacky.  Having a baby is a wonderful thing, posting status updates about contractions, less so.  But let's take this one step further... 

As an observer of all things generational, I make some general comments about where it is most noticeable for Gen Y.  It is the engagement, the hens night, the wedding, the baby shower and then the baby.  These are rites of passage for all of us that are supposed to be spectacular moments in our lives and shared with those we love and who love us.  They are generally classy, stylish and beautiful.  How is it they have turned into such sordid affairs of blow by blow details of bodily functions, penis straws and the like? Has Gen Y completely lost its ability to be classy?

Here is what I am talking about:

Maybe I am being a prude.  Let me know what you think. To penis cake or not to penis cake? perhaps that is the question.

Elle

Quick hit no.4

If you don't ask... you don't get

This is a saying I'm sure you are all quite familiar with.  I am constantly reminded of it when haggling with a JB Hi Fi teenager when purchasing a digital camera or buying white goods from The Good Guys.

Today when attempting to make a holiday booking (for someone other than myself) I asked if they could further discount the trip, for no good reason, just could they. Guess what? They did. It was a HUGE saving.  I'm stoked.

This has made my day - it's the small things that count right?

Moral of the story - there is no harm in asking.  The worst they can say is no.

Elle

Say 'NO' to Polygamy in Australia

My blog today is written in response to an article posted on Sydney Morning Herald online written by Keysar Trad dated October 2, 2009. For those of you who are not familiar with his work, Keysar Trad is a pin-up for young Muslims in Australia and holds a fundamental position as President of the Islamic Friendship Association of Australia. Trad has also been known for his appearances during race conflict interpreting and being the spokesperson for Sheik Taj El-Din Hilaly.

Justice McLellan describes Trad in a recent judgment as dangerous, disgraceful and disingenuous (among other things) and I could not agree more with McLellan J’s assessment of his character.

While I do not want to give more press to his writings, it is important to address the issues Trad raises in an Australian context and the Australian context really is the essential part of this debate. Australia was founded and established as a Christian society. Our values, our communities, our parliament and our laws are all based on a foundation of Christian beliefs. When our Constitution was created it was seen fit (and appropriate) to include the “blessing of Almighty God” and subsequently the Constitution was prayed over by Christian, Alfred Deakin, who later became Prime Minister. This is the foundation of our laws, our lives and our country.

I want to make clear that I do not agree with the blurring of lines between the Church and State, however the reality is that the common law in Australia is based on a Christian view of life (which includes Monogamy and marriage between a man and a woman). I am not religious but share the views by means of personal preference and similarly, I respect the laws of this country which were established on the basis of Christian beliefs. Mr Trad however does not. Mr Trad considers that the laws of this country should encompass an alternative marriage option such as polygamy. While you may raise your eyebrows and say, “so what’s the big deal about alternative marriage options?” I urge you to think about the long term effects of further degradation of the sanctity of marriage in western societies.

Further, I would encourage you to consider the seriousness of what Mr Trad is proposing, which is outrageously sexist and hardly liberating for women. Mr Trad compares the sharing of a husband to be similar to that of sponsoring orphans. I don’t know about you ladies, but I’m not sure the girl down the street wearing the short skirt with the sexy long legs who is 10 years your junior deserves 30 minutes of your husband’s time (which is 30 minutes you have less of him) or that you could compare this to giving 30 dollars to a needy orphan. It is not even remotely analogous. It is distasteful and offensive to all women to expect that we should share our husbands with another wife or multiple wives.

Subsequently, I refute the proposition that marriage in western societies is a failed social experiment and I think you will find that all jokes aside, most people also do not support the notion that men, can or should have multiple girlfriends.  People are fallible and many marriages end in divorce, particularly in Australia, but it does not make the institution of marriage fallible. It is just like saying that because people tell lies the institution of telling the truth has completely failed.

So let’s not dispel the concept of traditional marriage in this country for one which disrespects women, is not lawful or commensurate with the foundations of this country, but rather reinvigorate our values and remind people of what Australia really stands for.

Elle

One of those people

I have been working on a political piece for you which I feel quite strongly about but am finding it difficult to pin down. I will post it soon – I promise. In the meantime I want to share with you something that has been on my mind for a little while now.

As some of you may know, in between university semesters (June/July) this year, I went on my first trip to Europe. I spent quality time with my best friend, a few days in Paris and then jetted off for a cruise around the Dalmatian coast and then spent some romantic time with my man in Italy. It was a 1 month whirlwind of a trip and it was everything I had hoped it would be – minus the post-holiday jitteriness.

Prior to the holiday there had been a few comments from people who insisted that it would change me, that I’d have “post holiday blues”. Much to my surprise I came back and jumped straight back into a routine – no jetlag. I was already 1 week behind in class and so forced myself into the rat race that is my life the moment I stepped off the plane back in Sydney. My other half however didn’t do so well. His sleep patterns were out and the thought of working was just too much. He whinged quite a bit those first few weeks after we got home. Surprisingly, he has now adjusted rather well and I am left wondering whether my post-holiday blues are just setting in.

I did think about this on and off before I left and thought it’s just a holiday, it’s no big deal and I’ve got things to do when I get back so I will be fine, plus I’m just not one of those people. But two months post holiday and every day I wonder if I’m on the right path, if what I’m doing is really what I want and EVERY day it changes which is REALLY annoying. No I mean REALLY REALLY annoying. I need to maintain my focus, it’s only a few weeks till end of semester law exams and right now I should be studying, not blogging about how I’m not even sure if I want to be studying and this is where I begin to focus my blog… thanks Penelope Trunk.

This post-holiday jitteriness is very stereotypical of a Generation Y kid. Being a “Gen Y” kid, I have been given every opportunity in the world, the world is my oyster, blah blah blah. My parents sacrificed a lot so my siblings and I could have the best of everything from computers to tutors to music, dancing and a whole lot more. They took out loans for school fees just so I could get a better education which would hopefully lead me to becoming a “true professional”. So right now I’m busy doing that. I’m getting my second University degree and working full-time. I have a reasonably respectable life… albeit a very busy one.

Here’s my problem. There are too many opportunities. If you’re a baby boomer reading this please don’t get started on how ungrateful we are as a generation. I’m COMPLETELY grateful, which is why I’m doing what I’m doing. HOWEVER, as a Gen Y kid I’ve also been taught to question life, to expect more, to want more and thank you very much now I have too many questions, too many opportunities and not enough answers or focus/direction. I’m now a post-holiday jittery stereotypical ungrateful Gen Y kid.

Only if you know me… that’s the complete opposite of who I am.

Elle

Twenty Questions

1. Show us the inside of something cute

Inside of a puppy paw

2. What's the last homecooking you had?

Spaghetti bolognese

3. What do you miss? (alive)

Being naive

Image: pulsatinglibretto.blogspot.com/2009/09/naive.html

4. What makes you laugh often?

Friend's babies

5. What's your favorite word?

Beautiful

6. What are you trying to quit?

Thinking too much

7. What's your favorite commercial right now?

I love and hate this ad all at the same time.

8. Whose style do you dig?

Reese: so simple and classy

9. Link to a great blog you've discovered lately...

http://nicoleisbetter.com/

10. What's the last craft you made?

I don't really do craft - does wrapping gifts or putting bows on things count?

11. A photo of the last happy mail you got

A bunch of cards I ordered from modernemotive via Etsy.  I got a card for Dad for Father's day, some thank you cards and a card for my boy for our anniversy (pictured above).

12. Something you've got lately?

Dirty Dancing on DVD

13. What are you looking forward to?

A friend's wedding

14. Post a recent snapshot you have taken.

Out the bus window on the way home from school

15. Recent Favorite Movie?

16. Something you're working on right now?

Finding a common theme/purpose/topic/focus for my blog.  See Penelope Trunk's criticism of what i'm doing now - which is blogging without any purpose or defined focus.

17. If a movie were made about you, who would play you?

Kate Walsh and Hillary Swank but it's more just because I like these women as opposed to who would represent me.

18. What gives you goosebumps?

Most of my goosebumps are from the cold wind.  But my other goosebumps are for wonderful things that are special to me - like announcements of friends getting married, having babies, winning promotions etc.

19. Share a new indulgence.

Having my house cleaned once a fortnight

20. What's the meaning of your life?

It is constantly changing and will never remain the same.

Thanks to Frecklednest for this fun 20 questions - check out: http://frecklednest.blogspot.com/2009/09/20q.html

It's the small things

I recently celebrated 10 years of being with my partner... and before you ask... no we're not married.  In that time we've shared a lot of things, seen a lot of things, been to a lot of places and most of all worked really hard.  Sometimes we don't get the chance to work hard at our relationship as we're so busy working on every other aspect of our lives, but it's moments like your anniversaries that give you cause to reflect on what an amazing journey you have been on and to remind each other of the small things.

While most of our favourite memories of being together include a fair few of our holidays, these are also the times where we've been able to spend the most quality time with one another - so that makes sense.  But others are achievements that you feel you may not have completed without the other - jobs, promotions, graduations and generally surviving the tougher times in life.  I struggled terribly to write words in the card that would justify such thanks, but my partner on the other hand who is so frequently short on words when it comes to anniversaries and birthdays made up for it.  It's those few words, in a card after 10 years that made the anniversary something special... the dinner, drinks, movies and chocolates weren't bad either.

What are the small things which you reflect on in your relationships?