October 2006 - A La Solo

A La Solo

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A La Solo - October 2006

Remember your first true love?

Most of the time, I don't think about him.

It's odd how someone who was only present in your life for a matter of weeks can consume your mind for so long afterward. Yesterday I went with friends to the beach and on the way home we stopped at a Strawberry Farm for their famous strawberry icecreams. The only other occasion I had visited this place was with my ex. Strangely, as I had the icecream with my friends I realised just how amazingly delicous it was. I was also surprised to find the cream and strawberries at the bottom of the cone. It was as if I had never tried it before! People say that food tastes better when you are with someone you love - sometimes you love someone so much, eating doesn't even register. The things that do register are the texture of his skin, the curl of his hair in your fingers, the devastating gaze that held you captive until you were forced apart by insignificant things like work, sleep and study.

I try not to think about him...much.

How could I forget?

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October 15th 2006 @ 09:30

Posted By: Rachelle - Category: No Category

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Character Test: Pass

My Housemates

When I first lived alone in my house I was terrified that every little squeak and crack in the night was an axe-wielding phsychopath. Then I got my kittens who are 24hr psychopaths. One night I woke up to hear this: CRASH! CRASH! BANG! CRASH! BANG! I rushed out of bed and saw Iron Chef hurtling into a wall at full sprint with his head firmly wedged inside a tin can. Bunny sat in the living room, his eyes wide with horror. I immediately began to chase him as he bounced off walls and chairs in a mad panic. Finally I caught him and tugged desperately at the tin can. He howled pitifully before it suddenly popped off. He was gasping for breath while I gasped with relief.

So while there is the occasional midnight mishap I still feel much more comforted to know that I can blame every little creak and rattle on my cats

When I visited Jordan I went into the Wadi Rum desert and saw where Lawrence of Arabia lived. After my disturbingly young guide (he was 15 years old) turned off the engine and I ventured up to the small collection of bricks in the midst of the desert I was awestruck by the sheer silence. When I stood on top of a small sandstone outcrop I could see stone mountains sitting atop sand like marooned ships. The massiveness of the landscape somehow amplified the silence. I could hear my own heartbeat when I stood still.

They say that the true test of a man's character is to let him live with only himself. I realised what that really meant in Wadi Rum and even more now after living by myself for over a year. The biggest challenge a person faces in life is not the hectic, stressful, fast-paced days but the time when we must be alone and deal with our inner turmoil of fears and doubts.

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October 13th 2006 @ 08:53

Posted By: Rachelle - Category: No Category

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My Housemates Have Claws

When I came home from work one day and saw a cardboard box on my verandah I thought it was a special delivery. I went closer and suddenly heard a noise coming from inside - it was a box full of kittens! I kept two and named them Fluffy Bunny and Iron Chef (the latter is named after a Japanese cooking show because I found him sitting in my Japanese bowl with extra adorableness).

They are perfect companions. Although I love sharing my house with people, they tend to try and talk to you in the early morning and that can ruin my whole day, whereas a cat in the morning is only interested in the same thing as you - food quickly followed by more sleep. What better harmony than to find a companion who won't raise an eyebrow if you eat chocolate-chip cookies for breakfast or fall sleep after putting on jogging gear?

I love the way my cats will clean themselves before a meal. Its as if every meal is a special occasion that they have to dress up for - even if dinner is fish heads fixed in gelatinous mush served cold and sloppy - they think its worth getting dressed up for.

Tonight I had run out of kibble so I let them share in my premium mince - Bunny, the food fanatic of the two was so delighted he was purring as he ate. He is sitting on my coffee table now, with half-closed eyes, swaying gently as he attempts to hypnotise me into getting more meat for him.

I used to say that I could never live alone and its true - without my cats I would go bananas. But now, I'm grateful to be living by myself. It forces me to focus on my goals, get things done and to go out with friends more often.

If you ever go to a library, find out if they have my favourite book on cats called, "Why Cats Paint" by Heather Busch (1994). Its true, there are feline artists out there and they make a good living out of it too. My favourites are the odd-looking pair who when they have finished whipping up a masterpiece go out to enjoy some horseriding. Yep, that's right, horseriding.

I wish my cats could paint

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October 10th 2006 @ 09:00

Posted By: Rachelle - Category: No Category

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Possibilities and Door Knocks

I haven't cancelled my flights yet. Perhaps, even after losing all will and desire to make the journey happen I am waiting for a miracle.

Then again, opportunity is knocking here and I am knocking over furniture to answer the door! A blind lawyer approached my colleague at work and offerred a freelance research position with his company. I cannot call him yet because he is travelling in Bhutan at the moment as one of his clients is the King of Bhutan! It staggers me that someone could travel alone to Bhutan on business without their most essential sense. He also lectures at the University of Queensland - I recall seeing him catch the bus many a time when I was studying there. He is absolutely, completely blind - he regularly bumps into things and always stops then gives out a discouraged sigh. He sounds as though he is so fed up with not being able to see.
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October 9th 2006 @ 10:13

Posted By: Rachelle - Category: No Category

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Plan...Z

So...now that my nervous breakdown is over and things have shifted back into appropriate perspective (I mean I won't DIE if I don't travel this year will I?) I have come up with another plan. It just so happens that even after cancellation penalties I will have just enough points for 2 free tickets to the land of the Long White Cloud and that I can give one ticket to a family member. The only person who is perfect for the position of travelling companion is my mother. Yes, I know, the same mother who went rigid with culture shock in Nepal and I swore never to go travelling with again. THAT ONE. But believe me, this just might be a plan to surpass all others. For one thing, my mother has never stopped raving about New Zealand since she spent 9 months backpacking around it in her early twenties. She goes on and on about New Zealand ice cream as if it will usher you into gastronomic Nirvana with a single lick. Before you know it, she is holding up dusty 35mm slides of miniscule landscapes and attempting to convey just how happy she was before she got tied down with children...get the picture?

Plus lately, my mother has been getting a bit of the old suburban housewife syndrome. She appeared at my house without warning the other day with a desire to just 'get away from it all'. Considering I could only offer her a coffee table book to peruse and a cup of chai she must have felt, well, desperate.
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October 7th 2006 @ 08:37

Posted By: Rachelle - Category: No Category

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LOST: ME (reward if found)

I was at work when I had a feeling I should go to my locker and check my mobile phone. I had a sudden thought that the orphanage I wanted to volunteer at might return my call. I needed to know they could take me on before I committed to going. Just as I approached my locker my mobile began to ring. It was the orphanage calling! They told me that it was strange that the president had failed to reply to me sooner and that it was impossible to take me on until January. My heart sank. The dream was over. After hanging up, I was confused, everything had gone so smoothly and now the trip was unravelling like a roll of toilet paper into a big, irretrievable and wasteful mess.

To knock the last nail in the coffin my tour company said I had 24 HOURS to book a place on the trek. More disheartening was the fact that only 3 other people were booked into the tour so the chances of finding a friend were limited.
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October 1st 2006 @ 04:42

Posted By: Rachelle - Category: No Category

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