Lola is going to a Festival

So I have:

3 outfits packed in plastic bags.

Baby wipes, sanitiser and 6 small packets of tissues.

One pair of sparkly black gumboots.

One wide brim, black hat and a pair of faux-Bans.

And no expectations of the next three days.

I think I'm ready for Splendour.

This is Lola's first festival and it was definitely on my list of things to-do this year. So, go me!

See that brave face I'm putting on? In actual fact I'm a little bit afraid. Mostly because I hate crowds and being dirty. So I guess its a good thing I will have to conquer both of those fears in one big weekend.

I will see you Monday and let you know how I go.

It helps.

This is what is getting me through my Tuesday:

The winner is...

And...the Shit Blogger award goes to.... me!

*smattering of judgemental applause*

"Why thank you. I couldn't have achieved this award without the following:

• 3 days away with Year 12 boys talking about their feelings, lives and general emotions on Retreat
• Getting sick with a sore throat and some seriously swollen glands
• General lack of inspiration
• Possible application for leadership position at school
• A lovely boy taking up too much of my brain space
• dyeing my hair back to dark brown. It feels like coming home.
• anticipating Splendour next weekend

I know, I know, you've heard it all before. But I just thought I'd say thank you to you all and I look forward to writing more for you soon."

Music that makes you happy/sad

Today I woke up in a funk.

To cure said funk, all I could think of was to play this.

This time next week I'll be at the Sunshine Coast with about 40 Year 12s for our Retreat. It is a pretty intense experience emotionally for the boys and for us staff supporting them. There is quite a lot of reflection time so I started to wonder what songs I should load onto the 'Retreat' playlist and thought I would open the floor for suggestions.

So, on days when nothing feels right, what do you listen to?

During moments of quiet or still, what would you suggest?

By the way, that link really does make me smile, every time.

Lola plays Team Sports

I come to you red faced from the action zone.*

Tonight allowed me to cross off another item on my Lola List. I joined and played a team sport (ergo the red face). Indoor soccer, despite the warnings I got last term from one of my Year 12s who insisted, "Women's soccer is for dykes."** Charming.

I was one of two girls - you have to have two women on the 'court'*** in a mixed team at all times and it is fair to say watching our game would've been like watching the 13 Gold Chess Team take on The Broncos. Or something equally as far reaching. We lost something like 15-0. I scored an own goal. YAY ME!

If someone made me choose which Spice Girl I would now be, I'd have dibs on Sporty. Hideous outfit but man, she would be able to take them on the court.

Stay tuned to hear how I progress. Our goal for next week is to score a goal. For our own team

* aka my bed, it doesn't really get a lot of action but I just wanted a catchy opener

**apologies on behalf of 17 year-old boys. This was his words verbatim. My jaw dropped appropriately.

***Our grassy field was actually about the size of a volleyball court. It seemed much, much bigger.

Curious and The Circle

This post is inspired by Gala Darling's Curious Tuseday and comes direct from my couch to you as I enjoy staying in my pyjamas, eating Milo and watching The Circle. perhaps my favourite holiday activity.

For my sisters. Kitty.

1. What was your first kiss experience?

It was with my friend Johnny. He was one of my first high school boyfriends and I knew I was going to kiss him because all the couples in Year 8 were starting to kiss. There was far more saliva than I realised, to be honest. I think kissing just gets better, mostly. We stayed friends for all of high school so it must've been the building block for a good friendship.

2. If you could work for — & learn from — anyone, who would it be & why?

I think would like to work for Chris Sarra. He is a particularly awesome, practical teacher/principal/educator. Recently his story was published in my favourite weekend magazine, Qweekend and I've just found that he has his own blog. Chris Sarra's article in a uni textbook inspired me to continue studying to become a teacher.

3. Have you ever taken a Myers-Briggs test? What was your result? Do you think it was accurate?

I have taken these quite a few times and my results generally vary. I am on the cusp of ESFJ and ISFJ.

I would say I am a little more introverted but a lot of what is said about the ESFJ is definitely me!

4. What is your favourite thing about your best friend?

I have a few really good friends but not one best one. I realised in Year 3, when I moved to a new school and people already had best friends that I didn't have one. I got used to it from them and am pretty comfortable being a good friend. I have friends from high school, from work, from uni and with each of them I have different things and people in common so I guess that's what I like about each of them, they take me back to or remind me of a different time in my life.

5. What makes you happiest?

Food. Making food, sharing food. Feeling a sense of accomplishment as well is really important to me. For today, that accomplishment came from hanging out the piles of clothes I washed this morning. Often happiness is organising all the assessment my students have coming up. There is also that wonderful moment of happiness when my students have a light bulb moment and GET what I've told them. That's just magic.

July Book Club

I started trawling the Dymocks Top 100 list for this month's book club. The same book kept popping up and when I saw it sitting on the bookshelf at my grandma's, I took it as a sign that it was to be July's book.

Find it on Amazon, at your local book exchange or at Book Depository. It has been around for a few years now so you won't necessarily have to get it from Borders or Dymocks.

It is:

I've seen teenage boys engrossed in these Matthew Reilly books and figure that is recommendation enough. This book looks different to ones I would normally choose but after reading the first twenty or so pages, I'm already hooked!

Let me know what you think and if you'll be playing along this month!

Lola in Flames

My June Book Club book has come to its end. At least it has for me. The other day, I laid on my bed slowly read the last ten or so pages. You know when you have a really good treat (like the amazing Coco the Burlesque Chocolate I made) and you try to make it last but then it gets a bit stale. I feel like that's what I did with When You are Engulfed in Flames. I waited and drew it out when I should of just read fervently while I was into it.

When You are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris

I have never read a book of 'essays' or short stories like this before. I wondered how I'd go because generally for me to enjoy a book, the characters need to be able to jump out and be real for me to fall for them and want to know more about their lives. Thankfully, David (I just took to calling him by his first name when referring to the book) really captured that.

It is hard to explain to others why I liked the book but I explained it yesterday by saying that he was able to articulate what a montage would be able to communicate in a film - lovely moments of still and poignancy that are generally not recognised in everyday life.

My favourite parts, without spoiling it, were always about David and his partner, Hugh. They always made me outwardly sigh with joy.

Because my memory is so poor, I took to 'dog-earing' the pages I liked the most so I would remember to go back to them.

Some of them are from Old Faithful. David was suffering from a particularly nasty boil on his nether regions and Hugh volunteered to lance it off for him and David remarked that it is likely that he would have to do it again:

"I know you'll do it again if I need you to. We're an aging monogamous couple, and this is all part of the bargain."

The two characters who became my favourites included a French villager/pedophile and Helen, an incredibly foul-mouthed old woman. Both of the characters were written so I felt like I knew exactly who they were and what I would like about each of them. David was able to make both characters incredibly human.

This first book club book is one I would highly recommend, mostly because it is a really easy read. Each story is a different length but the 'chapters' make it conquerable. Thanks to my clever sister, Brodie for the welcome recommendation.

I'd love to hear what you thought of the book if you have read it or what your future book club recommendations would be!

For those playing at home, I'll be posting tomorrow the novel for July. Starting a little late but hey, I'm on holidays, July can wait.

Karli Gillard

Dad thought he was hilarious when he texted me my new name in honour of my new hair colour and our new Prime Minister.

Apologies for the poor lighting - night time + fluorescent bulbs do not equal awesome pictures. Hopefully you can click to enlarge.

What do you think?

A very red scalp.

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

This afternoon I chose to watch The Little Mermaid to celebrate my new colour. So far, I'm a fan. Am hoping my glowing scalp eases up but I think its pretty striking, makes me feel less ashamed of my moon tan as well.

Hi July

Hey there July. What's cracking?

I have a feeling you're going to be a good month. I mean, you've already delivered me a safe trip back home. A four hour drive by myself does not normally go down very well but today was a good trip.

Don't get me wrong, June was good.

There were times when I did feel overwhelmed by work so decided to take these photos to remind me of all the good bits of my job and where I sit every day. See below:

1. This is the JT Hall of Fame/Wall of Shame. Kids like to walk past my desk and say "Oh, so you like the Maroons hey Miss?" Boy, they're not very observant are they?
2. Fun and pretty things. A teaching fairy; photo of the gorgeous Jemima, a colleagues daughter; birthday cards and 'congratulations you're permanent' cards.
3. Tissues and planning. They go hand in hand.
4. My gorgeous Mac and google reader. I like to operate with about three tabs going at once as a general rule.
5. Marking. These were Year 12 film ideas. My desk calendar to keep me organise and lots of pretty stationary.

Coming towards the end of June, and once the majority of the marking was filed, I realised I really did learn heaps about Rugby. Maybe not enough for me to actually play in a women's league next year but enough. In our last game we won 50-0. My captain punched another boy. One of our wingers broke his arm. The 'play' we worked on all season finally worked. It was the best game. I didn't realise under 14 Rugby could be so exciting!

June also allowed me the pleasure of meeting Tim Cahill.

I made the world's most enormous cupcake. I know, it does look like it could be a small cupcake and I really should've put something next to it so you could understand the scale but the top part is one side of the cake and the bottom 'patty cake' part, is A WHOLE NOTHER CAKE. Mental. And amazing.

To finish June in style, Kate and I headed in to GOMA to see the Ron Mueck exhibition. The exhibition of his work is quite shocking and confronting but totally AMAZING. Kate and I were only disappointed that it was a rather small exhibition of work and also that we had to park so far away. Note to self: Southbank gets heaps busy on rainy holi-days.

Outside the Exhibition. Lovely.

It's a girl.

A big man whose eyes will follow you all around the room.

I know, how could July top all the awesome-ness of June?

This is how:

His name is Oscar and he is my new best friend. I may or may not be planning an extravagant dog-napping. He came from a prison and his mum and dad are sniffer dogs. He is purebred and I think I am in love.

Keep it up July.