"Love is an act of endless forgiveness, a tender look which becomes a habit." - Peter Ustinov

“The key to change... is to let go of fear.” -  Roseanne Cash

So it has been a while since my last post, and a great deal has changed. Change is not always for the worst, in fact (in most cases) change is necessary. It has taken me many boxes of tissues over the past few days, but now I am philosophical. The story behind my tears is not overly long, it is not overly interesting either. I think shock has played a large part in my sadness. Shock that a relationship that I thought would last forever, is no longer feasible.

"You call it madness, but I call it love." - Don Byas

THINGS I'M LOVING (right now):

This seems to be the "in thing" to do at the moment, so I will pop on my fleecy jacket & bleat along in-line with the rest of you. Below is a list (of sorts) of just a few of the many things I am loving right now. I will have left some off the list, some will be higher-ranked than they probably need to be... but I'm in the middle of watching a rather riveting game of basketball (well pretending not to be watching, as I "prove" to my beloved that sport is dull... don't tell him I used the words 'riveting' and 'basketball' in the same sentence, or my point is null)... Come on Breakers!

The grass is always greener...

During my pursuit of happiness I have placed a large emphasis on career. I have spent many days going over the "what ifs" and venting frustration at the lack of opportunity for employment in my town. I have, in the process, forgotten all the negative parts about a media career, and have put it up on a pedestal. Typical. During the last week I have been remembering. I actually hated working in the industry, which is why I left Auckland to come to Taupo. I loathed the egos, fake people and the way all interns/assistants are treated as glorified slaves (in some cases they don't even glorify it- you are their bitch).

Domestic Misadventure

After having a bit of success with my breadmaking effort (I'm not talking 'breadmaker-cheating' either) I figured I should get in the Easter Spirit and bake some Hot Cross Buns. This is despite the fact I still find it a strange 'celebration' to eat bread emblazoned with a sacrificial symbol, but whatever.

Weddings, Wiggles & Weekends...

When I was a small girl, I always dreamed of a big, white, fairytale wedding. I wanted to live in a castle, complete with secret passageways, a moat and a dungeon. It's funny how things change. Don't get me wrong, one day I still want to get married and have my own home, but I'm happy to compromise: Now I would love a small ceremony on the beach in a tropical island somewhere, with bare feet and a few close friends and family (we're planning on Winter 2013). I still have my heart set on a castle, but it's going to be a castle of a different sort. It may not have towering battlements; it may not have a crocodile-infested moat; it may not even have a dungeon... But I am convinced that it will have secret passageways. 

Jumping in puddles & dancing in the rain...

Okay, so after yesterday's D&M I feel I need to inject some more laughter into my blogging. Don't worry, I won't be bombarding you with more dancing llamas (mainly because I still can't get that bloody song out of my head). I think it is time to revisit my past, thus giving you some insight into why I am, well, the way I am! I will try to keep it brief, as I know that I tend to waffle, but - as always - no promises. Here goes.

"A laugh is a smile that bursts" - Mary H. Waldrip

In my blog-addicted frenzy of trying to 'pimp my page' I have accidentally deleted all of my 'comments'. FAIL.

"When you realize how perfect everything is, you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky" - Buddha

Yesterday I had an epiphany. It's not something that came to me in a flash of brilliance. It's not something that jumped out at me while trawling through facebook. It's certainly not something that was incredibly easy to swallow either. It is something that was unknowingly gifted to me by my fiancé, mid-argument.

Men are from Mars, Women are from Earth!

It is a constant source of irritation to me that relationships require effort. Surely it would be a lot easier if they just chugged along by themselves? This whole "compromise" and "train them" lark is simply (in my mind) BS.

I was a really good mum, before I had kids...

I must admit I have stolen this blog topic off another 'Kiwi Mum' blogger, but it was too good not to share. If you haven't already, you should have a look at this website. It pretty much sums up everything I feel right now. Prior to having my son I had all these grand ideas about "what sort of mum I will be". I have included below a checklist, of sorts, to give you a better idea:

I have a dream! (I also have a kick-ass plan, which is so much better than just dreaming...)

Okay, so I'm back aboard the Weight Watchers train again. As my son would say "choo-choo"... I'm not paying for meetings as I have all the books etc, so am giving myself a 2-week-trial to see if I have sufficient motivation to keep from derailing. Day 5 and so far, so good.

Quarter-Year Resolutions

I initially entitled this my 'Bucket List', however it's more a list of "things I want to accomplish by the end of 2011" so I feel the new title is more appropriate. The main reason for this post (especially so soon after my first) is because I am far more likely to do things if they are written down.

An introduction, of sorts...

Okay, here goes.

I suppose it's customary to start with a brief introduction, of sorts. I'm not exactly sure where to begin. I guess this might fluctuate from the past to present quite a bit, but I will try and keep my explanations minimal. I have a tendency to ramble so for this, I apologise in advance.