I'm still here....

Oh hai.

I have been here, I have been fine, I have been kicking around instagram, but I have not gotten the head of steam to blog. My thoughts have not been able to form themselves into a coherent post. Today, since it's been so long since I've blogged, it's gonna be a bit of a mish mash.

I have handed in my PhD. Many people say "Oh, you must be relieved". Relieved isn't really the word. It is but one part of the research journey.

When I was pregnant, my thoughts were often directed to my future with baby. After the miscarriage, I ploughed a lot of energy into getting the PhD done, then finding something for myself to do in lieu. Friends, I am in the process of being appointed a postdoctoral fellow, part time.

Is this trying to sublimate/cover up my feelings re the m/c? Probably. But I cope with things by changing tack quickly. We fall down, we get up, and we run in a slightly different direction.

The research is hard work. I am already in the process of applying for outside funding, plus getting data together for papers, plus putting abstracts in for conferences. It pays far less than what I can earn. Yet it is something I enjoy, it's a self-actualisation thing. It plays to my nerdier and occasionally misanthropic tendencies (yes I have both).

And, if not now, then when? Gotta take advantage of the opportunities as they arise, am I right?

I am in dire need of another holiday, yes I know it wasn't long ago I was in Spain but that was partly work and when you work over weekends, the need for a holiday comes very quickly.

To this end, we are off to Penang in Oct.

This is a pic of Batu Ferringhi beach. Looks rather idyllic, but apparently absolutely teeming with jellyfish. Might just stick to the pool.

A hundred things to do in Penang, and, from my Malaysian friends, at least 93 of these things involve food. The rest involve hanging out by the pool or other body of water...very much looking forward to going.

Then a conference in Istanbul in November. Better get my finger out and write that paper. Boss has to let me go there if I have a paper in....

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You know that whole thing about summer bodies being made in winter, well, since the PhD has been handed in, I have been giving that a bit more thought, because, you know, bikini and Penang. Hence I have been training like a demon at crossfit.

Yes I know the bad rap that crossfit gets, I know all the crossfit jokes ("If you are a vegan and a crossfitter, which do you talk about first?" etc).

But bloody ell I love it. I have been doing it of a morning and I just feel like a boss (pronounced baaaawwwwwwwssssss) all day. My pull ups are coming along, I am starting to get more confident with jumping on boxes, and I delight in telling my skinny friends that I would be able to deadlift them (last week I did a 60kg x 7 rep). Next, double unders and world domination.

I love that, without any particular running training, I can go out and run fairly comfortably whenever I like. I went for a little trot round the 'tan with my friend this morning, and it was magnificent. Melbourne has got the memo about it being spring soon and is starting to flirt a little. It has been a long, cold winter and errrrybody looked so happy to be out and about.

I cannot help but admire my new guns when I shower. Oh yes I do.

And they play punk rock or thrash metal while you work out, and that gets me in the mood big time.

My burpees are coming along.


I am feeling very confident in my skin, that is probably the best thing.

I have decided that it is also time to stop the snacking while writing. Hence I am drinking lots of herbal tea....

On the hippie vein, I am also doing yoga, to stretch out those enlarging muscles. I always start out like "na can't be arsed with this, too hippy" and finish out like "I feel marvellous". I never thought I'd see the day.


Anyway I can sense some eyes starting to glaze over at this point.

Being the beginning of spring, I am considering doing a wardrobe cull next weekend. If I don't feel fab in it, out it goes. I have stopped asking people how I look in things, because if I don't feel all "bam" in it, I won't wear it. 'Cept for tracky daks, which I am proudly rocking now.

I need to curate a good work/conference/doing talks wardrobe - "sharp and clever with a bit of quirk" is the look I am going for. Anyone got any ideas?

PS - After I wrote my little outburst re Puffer Jackets I found one at Witchery and luffed it sick so I bought it and I still luff it sick.

Turkish Get-Ups. In defence of trakky daks.

Well happy Sunday to you all!

Melbourne weather had gotten the memo regarding Autumnal weather, with sunny days but crisp mornings, interspersed with the odd bit of rain. However, it has obliged us this weekend with some mild mornings. Such mild mornings are very compatible with leaving the house early (ie 7:45 am) of a Saturday to get some exercise done.

As I think I have bored you with mentioned before, I have really been enjoying Crossfit classes. There are a lot of things I can't do in this class. Jumping onto a 20 inch box is very difficult, for example, and a bit hard on my recovering ankle. However, most exercises can be scaled down then gradually increased as your ability gets better. For instance, I started with jumping on 3 weight plates, about 11 inches off the ground. If I have a lot of jumps to do, I use only 2. I relish the improvement.

The other thing I relish is the new physical skill set. I love being able to do pull ups (even though assisted by bands) and olympic-style weight lifting. A new skill that I learned yesterday was the Turkish Get-Up. I did it without any weight in my hand, to get the movements right. Here it is when somebody does it properly

It is harder than it looks, even without a weight. I went ker-splat a few times. Then, after practice, I got the movement and did 3 in a row, each side. I still wobbled a bit but I did it.

Any complex movement that involves moving your body from flat on the ground to upright in a repeated fashion (eg burpees etc) is very good cardio, as well as working just about every other muscle in the body. These kinds of exercises were developed for the military, as these guys had to get super-fit without a lot of space or equipment. They are great even for us mere mortals!

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Some people are very anti-trakky dak, and won't be seen anywhere with them. That is cool. I have been a long-time lover of the soft pant. Yet as I get older, I get vainer, and now I am after a look that is super comfortable yet nearing trendy. I need weekend outfits that take me from brekky out at hipster cafes, for walks and then, as I am now, to sessions of PhD writing and a bit of stretching during breaks.

Currently the sports luxe look is in. Trakky daks are referred to as Joggers, and some have been appropriated as workwear. I have found a couple of great pairs that can look less bogan with a bit of effort. Behold:

The denim Jacket is from Esprit, the kicks are the most expensive item in the outfit and from Frankie4. The trakky daks are Kmart, $15! Photobombing dog, provenance unknown via the Pound.

Well, I had better get back to doing my PhD writing. On Tuesday I am off to Perth for a conference. I get to present some of my research there, and I am very excited about this. I also get to see some of my Perth-dwelling cousins who I've not seen for ages, and meet up with colleagues at the conference.

I hope that your week goes well.

What have you got planned?

Are you pro trakky daks?<

Impulse buy(s)

There is this clothing/accessories/lifestyle shop near where I live, it is called ili (I love it). It is owned by a woman who is a stylist. She stocks lots of Australian brands like Sacha Drake, Mesop, Elk, Walnut, Nicole Fendel etc.

She also stocks a label called nancybird. Nina from Offspring wore a lot of the clothes and Accessories.

I have been there to look around and have a chat with the saleslady a few times, but never felt confident to buy anything. Today, I bought this. It's silk. Look:

Image courtesy of the-dispensary.com.au.

I shall style it with some grey skinny jeans and sandals. Or blue/indigo jeans.
Or with a straight skirt for work.

Also, I have a few weddings coming up. Any good ideas of where to get formal-ish dresses?

I quite like this frock from DeCjuba. It would look good with a gold belt. But it might be a bit bright.

I generally love garments that you can throw on and feel fab. That can be dressed up or down. I bought this from Katies a couple of weeks ago, after I saw it on Sonia Styling.

image via Sonia Styling (who is on my blogroll - she is a babe)


How would you style these? 
Any good buys you wish to talk about? Brag here!

A buy-up, and a cull.

Harro!

What is it about a major financial outlay (like a house) that makes one want to throw caution to the wind and buy clothes?

Or is that just me?

So I have been buying a few bits of couture lately... my excuse is that I am going away soon, and I am starting another job soon, so I need some couture to go with it.

Fine feathers maketh the bird, my crazy aunty used to say.

Here are some of the things I bought recently.

I hate buying suits - they look all wrong on me - the sleeves are too long, some bits too baggy, some bits too tight. I also hate being boxed in, in rigid fabrics. The above jacket from review is a stretchy fabric with thickness between a ponte and a jersey. It looks great open. I am wearing this with a black dress for my talk. Smashing. And comfy.

 I freaking love Witchery jeans. I get my size, I try them on, they fit, and mostly I am happy with the way they look. They sit nicely on my hips and I am not dragging them up every 10 seconds.

I love this shirt - it is plain but looks really good on with a pair of skinny ponte pants, which I also procured from Witchery. It is one of their ovarian cancer research fund shirts, so it's a win-win.

And now, for a pop of colour. This is a good going away dress. I see lots of balmy walks in the European summer evenings...this frock is from Sunny Girl (via the Birdsnest website).


Nowadays, when shopping, I go less for bargains (ok I luff a bargain as much as the next person) and much more for what makes me feel and look good. It is important that I feel flattered in my gear.

My recent shopping purchases (there were more) bought about a big wardrobe cull. I have chucked some things out that were a bit long in the tooth, bagged some things up for charity, and put aside some better things to sell. They are nice clothes, but don't look the best on me. I will be more picky in future.

Ok so I really really should stop shopping now...I figure if I have some nice duds with me overseas I will be less tempted to go shopping....in theory...

So, what is your approach to clothes shopping?
Do you have a go-to brand?
How would you recommend selling some gear/ handbags?

Also, I am thinking of putting back the word verification on my comments - the spam comments are about to drive me mad. Any thoughts?
Any brands you go

Cookin'. My new years' resolution.

I have been cooking like a demon in my new thermomix.

I have made a fig and ginger panforte to cut up and give as presents for friends and colleagues

I also made my first attempt at bread

I plan on actioning a pavlova for Christmas day.
I have also made lots of delicious breakfast smoothies.

I am feeling suitably "smug cow" - this is my culinary pinnacle, other than the megapav of 2012.

~*~

Most years, I make new year resolutions.
Mostly, they are about losing weight or some such.
I had promised myself a nice reward after some arbitrary weight was lost.
One reward was a Diane von Furstenburg dress. Maybe one like this...

And I never made that weight.
And I never got the DvF dress.
And it hung over my head.

It's elusive, that balance between being happy with ourselves, and the quest to be the best version of ourselves that we can be.

It really is a balance. It can't be all about self castigation and deferring pleasure till an arbitrary goal is reached. That will be a set-up for failure, as we all crave gratification.

I must strive, but I must honour myself at the same time, I have realised. More specifically, with regard to my body image, I can work and tighten and get fit but I am coming around to embracing what I was born with.

So my new years' resolution is to continue doing that.

And if I find a DvF dress I like, and I have the cash, I will jolly well buy it.

A few months ago, I caught a look at myself in underwear in the mirror. I thought "I don't know how anyone could find this attractive".

It really was the conscious crystallisation of many years of...well...loathing. That's a strong word but it is probably apt.

I pulled myself up then, thought "that's awful" and "that's enough".

So the other new years' resolution is to recognise and challenge those kind of thoughts.

After all, I see plenty of women who I think "wow, they are gorgeous" - they are only sometimes classically beautiful or a size 8. Usually they are striking, or particularly well turned out, or come across as very confident.

Why can't I make that of myself? Of course I can.

What have you baked lately?
What purchase do you lust after?

Couture Conundrums (A closet of clothes and not a thing to wear....)

Hi There and happy Monday to you.

It has been footy finals fever in Melbourne. All of the experts, myself included, come out of the woodwork. I went to a grand final party at a friend's flat in St. Kilda.

The weather was very Melbourne. The usually calm beaches on Port Philip Bay looked like surf beaches. At this time of the year, Melbs can only do glorious days occasionally.


I had hoped that Freo would win, as I love an underdog, but watching their kicking was rather frustrating.... in the end, the Hawks outplayed them.

And that is as much as I have to say about the footy.

On Friday, I went to the shopping centre to check out what is in fashion. I was prepared to splash some cash. The squally weather notwithstanding, I need to summerify my wardrobe.

I also need to inject a bit of colour - going through my wardrobe, there is a lot of black.

I have come to the conclusion that the shops, especially some of the bigger chains (you, Witchery) do not want my money.

There is lots of stuff for the petites (6-10) and a growing collection for 16 and above (this is great), but all of the in-between 12 to 14 styles run out the door, and I come a bit late to the party. I see lots of stuff I love, but my size has run out. Wahhhh.WHAT'S WRONG WITH MY MONEY, RETAILERS?

One sure way to put me in a bad mood is to take me jeans shopping. I often fly into a rage and sulk. Often my size is sold out. I am not comfortable getting a pair online, because I am scared they won't look right.

What I want at the moment is a pair of summer jeans,  in a nice mid-blue rinse.

Levis the bloom legging

The wearing and marks on the denim are not my cuppa tea. Perhaps the Wrangler ones?

Wrangler Twiggy

I've never tried Wrangler, and I don't know how they would sit.

The ones I really want are at Witchery, but they are sold out online (so I can't give you a picture) and hard to find in my size in store.

I would like a nude wedge (that sounds a bit dirty....) What do you think of these?

They are called Wine. They are from Wittner.

Until I find my perfect pair of jeans, and get my Wine Wedges, I will have to make do with what is in my wardrobe. I have some great pieces, but I struggle to style them nicely...


What should I put with this Binny Maxi (aka Nina) Skirt for a long summer afternoon.... a black singlet? Any other ideas?

What about this Gorman Skirt that I got on special a couple of months ago?

And, the biggest conundrum, what can I wear with these shoes? That don't make my legs look stumpy....Have been just doing skinny black jeans....

Come, style mavens.... do your thing. Nikki and Melissa....can you come play?


Do you have a jeans brand that you swear by? Good for bigbumbigthighsshortlegs?

Stop Press - The Nina Skirt.

In honour of Offspring starting this evening, I have made an internet impulse purchase.
(Bad Cilla. Bad, Bad Cilla).

Behold:

It is the Binny maxi skirt which will be worn by Nina. 

It is not cheap (as Faux Fuschia would say, it is 'spensive) But I'll get a lot of wear out of it, and it will go with many things.

I had better get back to work.

Have a good night tonight, enjoy your Offspring!

ADD: I should really just go around saying "I am gonna buy some really expensive clothes". Because whenever I say I am not gonna buy stuff I just buy stuff. 

Reverse Psychology.

Or whatevs.