What I Actually Did for Australia Day

This is a sad story.


Not really. But it is a stupid one.


The stupid part being me. As usual. I have a tendency to stuff things up. 


After I wrote my blog post on Tuesday about how much I was looking forward to Australia Day and the great plan I had for it, I was sitting in my room thinking about Australia, and listening to Australian songs and felt a little lonely. So I texted my friend (who I MUST think of a name for) and she invited me over to her flat.


Well.


That turned into 4 vodka cruisers and half a bottle of vodka each, a blackout by yours truly, random Australian flag tattoos all over me, a bird feather in my bathroom, showering fully clothed, vomiting, sleeping on the floor and somehow making it into my bed, my friend undressing me and me subsequently spending the entire next day going from the couch to vomiting in the toilet. 


I have never, but never, been so hungover in my life. I drank water. I threw up. I took Panadol. I threw up (just FYI, that does not taste good). I had plain spaghetti. I threw up. I had cola (see how desperate I was to get something in my stomach? I don't even like soft drink of any kind and I recently gave it up completely). I threw up.  I drank more water. I threw up. 


I had a throbbing headache. I felt so sick, no matter what I did. 


And my dear friend? Well she managed to suffer almost not at all compared to me. 


Just the thought of vodka makes me feel ill. 


But I did feel a bit better by the end of the day and made it down to the foreshore to watch the fireworks and have dinner. Didn't make my dumplings but had a hot chicken, potato salad, pavlova, mars bar slice and chips. Plus the careful sipping of orange juice and some peppermint tea. Yes I drank peppermint tea on the foreshore. I did feel old, but god it tasted good. 


Anyway, feeling much better today thank god. I just took my bike I got for Christmas out its long overdue first ride. I was a little shaky at first but in the end... it was just like riding a bike! 


Cheers


Ashleigh 

My Favourite Day of the Year

YES!

It is Australia Day tomorrow!!

I'm so excited! I absolutely LOVE Australia Day.

I will be having a sleep in, then working on my essay (no rest for the educated), then in the afternoon I'm going to go for a bike ride, then make a pavlova and some chicken dumplings (not strictly Australian, but I figure we're multicultural right?) then a couple of my friends from school and I are going to head down to the South Perth foreshore to hang, listen to the Mix 94.5 Australia Day programme, watch the BP Airshow then my favourite bit, the fireworks!!

I'm going to wear my white dress with Australian flags on it, thongs of course, and Australian flag tattoos!! I will try and remember to take many pictures to show you all my shameless patriotism.

I prefer to spend Australia Day with Australians as opposed to my copious amounts of international friends. Not that I don't love them, I see them more than I do my Australian friends, its just I don't feel like they get it in quite the same way. I don't blame them for this at all, I've been born into and indoctrinated into it my whole life, and they have a different perspective. I am intensely proud of being an Australian and all that it represents, and yes, even if that means I have a bogan accent and I drink too much and sometimes we are all a bit racist with our 'Love it or Leave it' and 'I Grew Here, You Flew Here' attitudes, but I don't think about that stuff on Australia Day. I think about how lucky I am to have grown up in a country that lets people have those sort of attitudes. Google 'why I won't be celebrating Australia Day' and plenty of articles come up spouting why we are a bunch of racist, loud-mouthed, holier-than-thou loutish bogans. Now say if that article had been written about somewhere in the Middle East, or perhaps Russia, North Korea, do you think it would be allowed to be published? Probably not. And Mr Brull would not be allowed to have his photo on the Internet, nor be allowed to say these things.

But we don't live there.

We live in Australia. We can pretty much say what we want, without fear of retribution. We have amazing weather. We have (almost) equal rights (ok, it could be a lot worse). We have a highly educated society. We have low unemployment. We managed to pretty much avoid the GFC. We have a mix of cultures, who are ALL part of making up the mesh of Australia.

In my opinion, I live in an amazing country. I love Australia. I cannot see myself living anywhere but here. For one thing, people from other countries don't tend to understand me when I talk (the bogan accent coming out and all). But I just think, I live in the luckiest country in the world. Why would I leave?

And if you don't think so, well thats ok. But I think it is. And I will celebrate Australia Day proudly. And one of the perks of living here, is that I don't get judged for this, and I won't judge you for not celebrating it.

Summer Studies

Since I suppose this blog should have some university aspects about it, given its name, I thought I would write a post on doing a summer unit. Yes I am supposed to be writing my assignment for said unit right now, but I am putting you, my lovely readers, first. And maybe procrastinating a little. 


So I am doing a summer unit at the moment called Human Resource Economics. Wake up! I'm not going to tell you about the content of the unit, so you shouldn't fall asleep on me. Unless of course, you have a particular interest in the content, in which case email me. I can talk about HR all day long. That is my small consolation when uni gets me down: I, unlike a lot of people, truly love my degree and am passionate about everything I learn in it. I cannot think of a topic that makes more sense than HR and that is more relevant in todays world. 


Basically this unit is a compressed summer unit. Instead of spreading it out over the whole summer break (mid November to mid February) it is completed in only 4 weeks over January. But the same amount of content and assignments are completed in that short space of time as when it is done over a 12 week semester. Hence the compressed part. 


Honestly, over the entire 2 years I have been at uni, I have not struggled with a unit so much. I am one of those very lucky people to whom learning and education comes easily to - I love to read, I like going to class, sometimes I even like assignments! This is, of course, helped by the fact that I love my degree, so learning about it is natural. However, this summer unit is killing me. I don't think it is the content so much, although that is incredibly boring, more that there is SO much to learn and do over such a short space of time, and its summer! Its hot. No one else is at uni. I don't want to be at uni. I need a break. 


People often criticise uni students for the amount of time spent on 'break'. And really, if you look at it from their perspective, we have a LOT of time off. This semester for example, I will only be at uni for 2 days a week - that is a 'full time' load. I myself make fun of the little time I spend at uni all the time. But, I think what a lot of people don't quite understand is the level of stress most uni students operate at. I have abnormally high stress levels, pretty much all the time. And its a different kind of stress and tiredness to someone who is working and has kids. The stress and tiredness that is experienced by a uni student, usually around exam time or during heavy assignment times, is debilitating. Its all mental, and trying to put huge amounts of information into your brain in such a short period of time, and knowing if you fail, it will a) cost a huge amount of money b) cost you a lot of time c) may not let you graduate and d) let down all those people in your life who 'are so proud of you for going to uni and making something of yourself because your so smart and are going to be so successful', well that is painful. 


Anyway, so I haven't really had a break for a while, because I did that internship over December and then went straight into uni in January. I did have a bit of time off over Christmas, but even Christmas is stressful. 


God I am looking forward to Europe in June. Its all The Boyfriend and I can talk about lately... when he's not yelling at me for stressing myself out, which has the negative effect of stressing me out more. 


The only reason I am doing this unit, is so I can fit a minor into my degree. For those who don't know, my degree is currently a Bachelor of Commerce, with majors in Human Resource Management and Psychology. I want to add a minor of Organisational Psychology, but the only way to do that was to put a unit into summer. 


But its not all bad. I only have a 2000 word assignment to write on Pay for Performance from an economic perspective, which I'm struggling with because I'm all about motivating the people. Plus 1 more exam (I had one on Friday) and only 2 classes. We are nearly there people!


Anyway, until next time :)


Ash 

Why Do I Blog?

To be honest?

I'm not really sure. 

It started one night when I was at a party and met this guy, whose blog I had been reading for a while. He was one of the Murdoch Student Experience bloggers and I always thought he was so funny, if a little long winded on occasion. No Lachlan, its not you. Although you are funny and sometimes longwinded. It was Jonathon, writer of Inside a Students Mind. We had a really fun night together, talking and since I may have consumed a bit too much of that dancing juice aka whatever foul concoction I had brewed up that night or bought because it was the cheapest in the liquor store, I got locked onto this idea of him writing about that night. I had such a wonderful time, and I felt we really clicked. No not in that way, The Boyfriend is still alive and kicking, it was just one of those times when you first meet someone then you feel like you've known them forever. 

Anyway, long story short, I wanted to be mentioned in a blog post. Something I hadn't done before.

He refused.

I know. I was shocked too. Generally I am good at convincing people to do things through sheer determination and wearing them down. However, he was stronger than I first anticipated. All night there was this recurring thing 'Jono, put me in your blog post' 'No Ashleigh, I told you, I don't write about people' 'Well, write a post about parties and mention me' '**chuckle and shake head (thinking who is this girl?) Answers still no. Sorry'. 

So basically I got home and passed out, as copious amounts of dancing juice will do that to you. If there are children reading this, dancing juice refers the mixing of apple and orange juice, of course. 

The next day, I was indignant. How dare he refuse to mention the great Ashleigh in his blog. Anyway I gave him the benefit of the doubt, sent him a quick email to remind him that he really should put me in his blog (yes I know your thinking 'Stalker!' and in my defense I don't think I had quite slept off the remaining effects of the dancing juice. 

I eagerly awaited his next post.

It came.

I read it, excited with anticipation of seeing my name on screen. 

It wasn't there.

How dare he? I was so annoyed, I said to myself 'Fine. Jono won't put me in his blog. I'll make my own blog and it will be all about me! Hmph!' 

Anyway, I don't think he cared that much, as I don't think he's ever read this blog. But I feel good.

But I got mentioned in a blog post by Lachlan, writer of Disorderly Accounts of Uni Life, which made my day :). And I have been in a few since. This makes me so happy everytime I see my name on the screen, and I haven't put it there. Someone, who I have never even met, has thought of me, and put me in their blog! Also must give mention to Stephanie over at The Odd Duck, who has mentioned me before as well - happy 21st birthday!!! 

So that is why I started to blog. I continue to blog because its therapeutic, makes me feel important, and its a great procrastination tool. I love the thought of people all over the world (as indicated by my stats) reading me. I love to read others blogs to take a peek into others peoples lives, and its reassuring to think that while none of us have met, and we are all over the world, I can relate to each and every one of you. We have similar stresses and similar things that make us happy - family, friends, coffee etc. 

Especially coffee.

Pictorial Post

Hi guys

Thought I'd show you some of my favourite photos from my life :)

Hope you enjoy!

A school diving trip to the Abrolhos Islands - 2007. We spent a week on this amazing boat and dived on these amazing reefs. Ningaloo Reef is like the Great Barrier Reef - on steroids. 

My friend and I spent the day at Perth Zoo - where I have subsequently decided I am getting married. This spot will be the place for one of my wedding photos :). I can see myself in a beautiful white gown right there. 

My little sister and I just before the reception of my cousins wedding last year. Yes we do look extraordinarily alike. 

The Boyfriend and I at his cousins wedding last year. Look at the big cheesy grin! 

My sister and I on one of our many trips down south as kids. I'm guessing I'm 11ish and Sam would be 7? Maybe

Christmas in Merredin with family. This is the first time I wore makeup when my extremely cool cousin put it on me. 

Right before the Annual Year 12 Father-Daughter dinner. That is the foyer of my boarding house

My friend took me and another friend to an Eagles game for our birthday (friend 1 has a birthday 2 days before mine, and other friend is Eagles mad). We sat in the John Worsfold box and watched the Eagles beat Adelaide - clearly this was a few years ago - 2006 I think? 

True Blue Kangaroo, Blonde Wolf and I went out one night - this is the flat I currently live in. 

This is in New Zealand 2009. I did a Giant Swing where they basically drop you off a bridge and you swing like a pendulum. It was HUGE! I'm so proud I did it though, as it was terrifying. I'm on the platform, trying to psych myself up at this point. 

On the bus to an activity during Year 11 rowing camp. 

Right before my Year 11 Speech night - I won an award for Drama

In the Boarding House in Year 11, right before a river cruise

On the way to a inter-house swimming carnival in Year 11 

Right before the sports dinner in Year 11

My winter uniform at school. I was so proud of wearing that uniform

And finally... my Year 12 Ball. 

So I hope you like the snap shot of my life :)

Love Ashleigh x (Lachlan - for future blog posts mentioning me, please note the correct spelling of my name E-I not I-E :D) 

To Absent Friends

It's just gone 2pm and I'm thinking about all my friends who I didn't get to celebrate New Years Eve with. 


One of the downfalls of living in the village is that you meet wonderful people from other countries and invariably they go home. This has an upside in that you have a social network all over the world but once they leave, you aren't going to see them for a while. 


So to all my absent friends: have a happy and safe new years!


Americans: Bri, Nick, Brittany, Mark
Germans: Steffi, Steve, Eike
Mauritius: Daniel
Reunion Islander: Del 


And many others I'm sure.


Oh last but not least - Flying Monkey. Currently in the U.S on some holiday/work experience/find myself mission. I celebrated with him on Facebook :) 


I love you all


Heres to a wonderful 2011!! Cheers! 


xox 

Ringing in the New Year

Hi everyone


So... how did you ring in the new year? Obviously Americans are yet to do this (world superpower my ass... jjks). 


Drunken Leopard, Horny Frog and Smiling Tiger are currently sharing a flat over summer, just downstairs from me, so I had some pre-drinks there with them. Then Blonde Wolf came to pick up Drunken Leopard and they went to a friends house. I went with Horny Frog and Smiling Tiger a while later and we all met up at the Windsor in South Perth. I had a pretty good night. Drinks, dancing, and these cool bridges I kept crossing. 


But then I found out the Perth Skyworks were cancelled due to extreme fire risk conditions. Pretty sure that doesn't matter as they are being let off from the middle of a river. So I was uber disappointed about that.


Then the Windsor had a very crappy countdown which most of us missed. 


So not the best new year celebration.


BUT


I spent it happy with friends. These friends are my Perth family and are so important to me. I got to see some fireworks albeit crappy ones for like 30 seconds. 


Now bring on 2011!!


I hope you celebrated in just as happy a way to ring in the new year - whatever you did, I hope you were happy doing it : )