Today’s Lunch – 8th May 2019

Published May 8, 2019 by helentastic67

Today’s Lunch

Good Mental Health Day

Was in the city yesterday and as I got off the train at Flinders Street station the announcement came over the loudspeaker, “Welcome to Flinders Street station, it’s currently 14 degrees in Melbourne.” and my internal commentary replied “Yes, it is!”

I’m considering my full-length pants already, which is my winter option and it also means no pocket! I miss having pockets!

Need some more calm today, to catch up on some writing. and eating so today’s offering is an Ortolani quiche with a side salad and medicine.

I’m also commiserating I didn’t get into a short course I had applied for that would make me eligible to sit on a board. There were 2000 positions that exist in the corporate sector that could have the potential of me taking the next step toward advocating for people with disabilities. Otherwise, I shall have to keep blogging my brains out. Fine! I can do that too.

Also, I know others have more however! I now have 236 followers, still growing and working out how to get more likes and comments/feedback without selling out. Feeling needy but only because I too have needs.

Cheers

H

Bloody NDIS

Published May 6, 2019 by helentastic67

Bloody NDIS

Part of the issue with disability and the world of funding, before the NDIS and since. Before the NDIS I had a Case Manager (further more referred to as a CM) and since the ‘new’ language, is my CM is called a Service Co-ordinator.

What’s that? You wonder who came up with that and how long it took them.

I recently changed SC (yes, Service Co-ordinator) and my first sit down meeting with her mum was here and mum and I kept using the ‘old’ language of CM. Every time my new SC corrected us. She apologized, but said she would get us in the habit of using the correct term.

I told her that was fine, because I would eventually stab her to death with a fork.

Yes, she laughed.

As has everyone else I’ve suggested it. They know I jest. But brief second their faces drain of blood is totally worth it.

I Am An Empath

Published May 4, 2019 by helentastic67

Sometimes I reblog when someone else covers something so well there is no reason for me to write it myself! Cheers,H

Happy

Published May 3, 2019 by helentastic67

Happy

Sometimes the littlest things make me so very happy. Not everything in my life is all hunky-dory. I’m still trying to encourage family to assist me to buy a clothes dryer and that is a monumental fucking nightmare. So, today on my scooter ride down to lunch, I did a little scooter stalking.

That’s where I scooter behind someone walking rather slowly along the footpath, oblivious to anyone else around them. I just pick my time to open ‘it’ up and overtake them and by the time I get to a major intersection close to where I’m going, I’m waiting at the lights and I spy someone I knew from the DAC (Disability Advisory Committee) opposite me and I give him a big cheesy smile and a wave if there is time.

I sometimes imagine that when I see people, I know who I have a history of friendship with and can have a conversation with a few words and facial expressions. I encountered Young John at this intersection and he called out to me that I was making him late and he would call my mother. So, I imagine to others who think all people on mobility scooters or people with disabilities cry into their cups of tea all the time, can’t smile (sometimes) or laugh or be happy.

Sure, it’s harder, it’s not as often, but when I laugh or smile, it’s contagious.

Catch some happy!

Today’s Lunch 1st May 2019

Published May 1, 2019 by helentastic67

Today’s Lunch

Good Mental Health Day

Today is a great day. Why is this you may ask? Well, I’m paying three bills today, while I could easily give my lovely assistant Girl-Friday (I have this carer Wednesday’s too more recently) the bills and the pre-prepared envelopes of cash for each bill, I love to have the satisfaction of paying my own bills. I still like to go to the post office to pay my bills rather than do it all online. At least the ones I don’t do online, I pay in person and even better, today I’m sending parcels, Noelle, my lovely administrator of this blog and the bringer of the memes that amuse me no end will have her parcel delivered in time for the weekend up in Sydney and another parcel is destined for someone I haven’t seen or heard from for a while, Oscar Dandelion’s Stephanie who is in Norfolk in the U.K. if you are reading this? Get ready.
I’m also posting a little something-something to my friend in Texas because I can’t help myself.

I’ve otherwise been doing some rearranging at home and trying to clear my desk in the study, which is a never-ending battle. So, if I find things that are destined for elsewhere, I prefer to get them there. If you are lucky, next week I’ll include a few pictures of my study.

Meanwhile, today for lunch I’m having half a pork schnitzel baguette with a side salad and medicine also a panachocolate! (When I say it I make it sound like a French Nanny! It’s a chocolate croissant.

.

Such a zombie today!

Cheers

H

Danger – SWEAR WORDS AHEAD

Published April 29, 2019 by helentastic67

Danger – SWEAR WORDS AHEAD

FUCK ME! I know, I know! Inappropriate, but that is the worst thing I think I growl or mutter at people when I’m out in the city getting to an appointment of some sort and negotiating all the ANNOYING people who cut me off or get in my way, they trip me, etc, etc ad nauseum, all while they are too damn preoccupied with their mobile phones.

The “FUCK ME” I deliver to people a I’m carefully making my way about the city is only after I have exhausted every other grumpy less offensive comment.

I did encounter at one point, a guy walking up some steps (there were about ten and I was heading down as he was heading up) and I am completely about to switch the grumpy off to cheeky. He was looking at his phone too as he ascended the steps, as he made it to the top, I felt the need to inform him. “Now, you are just showing off.” He did have to stop a moment and give me all of his attention and I did need to point out that I was being cheeky. But people have NFI (No Fucking Idea) what I do to manage when I’m out and about.

To give you an idea, I make a habit of walking on the side of the street, so I’m going in the direction I need to travel. I walk close to the shop fronts, so my better eyesight (right peripheral) enables me to see people dart out of shops without noticing anybody else and I can slow my pace to not get bowled over. I cross the lights at the lights and someone will always cut across me to stand at my righthand while looking down eyes glued to their phones. That generally gets a growl.

ent

I was off to the city yesterday and in the course of the day I got a taxi (I love Young John) then a train, then a tram, then did way too much walking before doing another train out of the city, then finally a tram home.

By the time I successfully made it home, I had managed 5,000 steps. WINNING. And the whole day I COULD NOT FEEL MY LEFT FOOT.

Career – Part 1

Published April 26, 2019 by helentastic67

Career

It’s such a weird word isn’t it? Today, I thought I’d cover a little of my work history, sort of.

I grew up living in the country, I didn’t grow up on a farm, I was considered a “Townie”.

By the time I was sixteen, I was a full-time student, a part time check-out chick and a “when ever babysitter” I’m not complaining. It was what it was. But I had NO SOCIAL LIFE. None, Zero.

Over Christmas, I picked up seasonal work on a blueberry farm. So, don’t talk to me about blueberries. I don’t get it. You are on your own.

I only picked when there was no work in the shed packing. Let me tell you the difference. While picking, my older sister would give a decent rendition of “I found my thrills on Blueberry Hills”. Good times. But it was hard going.

Packing, while arduous, we started at 6am and went hard until 4pm.There were no guys in the packing shed. It was considered that men distracted the women in the sorting shed. So the “no”is important? Sounds so 1950’s, or is it just me? There was the constant smell of bleach from the cleaning products. It paid better, but was stressful. The best berries went to export somewhere like Germany and at the end of the season we sorted all the berries that was deemed too small, mangled or mouldy out so, it could go to be made into pies or jam. You’re welcome.

Even when I did that job from 6am until 4pm, I would go home, shower, eat something and go to my supermarket job from 5pm to 9pm.

Good thing I was planning to be a poor art student. My two days of cherry picking marred by heatstroke and sleeping under the tree on a bull-ant nest, just because I picked the wrong side of the tree first. What? You heard. There is a right and wrong side of a tree. Yes! You pick the side first that doesn’t get the morning sun, then in the afternoon you pick the side that had the morning sun.

So, while I stayed living in the country another year after completing high school because I didn’t get into what I wanted to go on and do, I got into TAFE art course for a year. It was fairly stock standard course to go do and build on a folio if you didn’t get a course in the city.

I was still doing the full-time study, part-time work and xyz babysitter. Still no social life.

When I moved to Melbourne, it took a little while, but I was eventually introduced to really cool night clubs. Night clubs became my social life.

The first clubs I was introduced to were full on “WOG” clubs (again, don’t take offense, my father is Italian, so I can use that term) Lebanese, Turks, mention of history of guns blazing and drive by’s at the first club I went to Brunswick back in the early 90’s. Also, where I heard the fantastic piece by O’Fortuna in Apotheosis. I think I went out and bought the last twelve-inch vinyl copy to come into the country. Because it heavily sampled them from a well-known classical piece of music, it was banned.

The vibe in the clubs was electric, but then there was some really shifty stuff about wog clubs. The continuous stream of standing around the outside of the dance floor and girls dragging their boyfriends behind them, who would seem, lean in for a cheeky snog.

What! Yes! Outrage!

A guy that was with the people I was with pinched me on the backside so I turned and delivered him a slap. His sister and two friends came up to me all gangster-bitch like to take a piece of me. “I know he’s an asshole, but he’s my brother” so much for sisterhood.

The following week, a friend of his came up to me and told me the “pincher” wanted to buy me a drink, maybe he should have started with that.

I don’t know why I’m still single, but I don’t think it’s because I’m prepared to slap men if they deserve it. My ass was offended.

But that is to say, I digress.

While I studied to be a Visual Merchandiser, that being shop front window displays, shop layouts etc. I didn’t get into that, I didn’t have a folio, I couldn’t drive (to do freelancing) and I wasn’t a guy and gay. So, I couldn’t get a job with Myers.

I know, What? Those gay bitches get everything, so, I had started giving out some passes for the first club I worked for.

When I finished my course and disillusioned about what I really wanted to be doing for the rest of my life. Yeah, like that’s realistic to imagine someone of my age staying in the same job/company/industry for all of my working career.

To be continued…

Today’s Lunch – 24th April 2019

Published April 24, 2019 by helentastic67

Today’s Lunch

Good Mental Health Day

First, a belated Happy Easter.

Last week I had to smash 5 days of ‘Life” into only 4 and as the weekend just gone was Easter it meant public holidays. Yes!!!! I love public holidays! Because it means long lazy weekends of afternoon naps and 3-ish meals a day, cups of tea a plenty and medicine and lots of binging TV. On the flip-side, struggling to do ‘Person’ when the following week resumes.

Monday, I actually got out on hellonwheels to meet my old neighbour Megi, her sister Lucy and their mum. We met for lunch followed by a little scooter around the neighbourhood and a cruise through the supermarket. Once home I set myself up on my balcony to do some writing. Here is my view………

Easter Sunday I had some people over from my floor of the apartment complex. In an effort to not be alone on a weekend people either go to church (hard no!) or spend with family (too busy and too far away) so I invited the people I’ve encountered on my floor. Not everyone but maybe half the apartments. Four people came, one of which was a surprise so that was nice. I had bought a dozen hot cross buns and two of my guests bought stuff so now I’ve got cinnamon donuts and mini chocolate croissants and profiteroles to give away.

So, briefly today my standard punchy/stabby day includes this offering……..

Before another public holiday tomorrow. My body clock is so out of whack right now!

Tears

Published April 22, 2019 by helentastic67

Tears

There are sometimes these days when I have a superpower, I never knew I had. I can make my carers cry. What? I know, it’s not on purpose.

It’s often the best conversations with my carers about all things ‘Helen’ (for want of a better term) the things that have moulded me and made me the person I am today.

This particular day, I told my carer about what it was like in the early 80’s in my family after the death of my fifteen-month-old sister.

She had been born on my eighth birthday and for fifteen months I helped bath her, change nappies, do “mum stuff” and we had one birthday together where we had an Ice Cream cake and we were both sick. We have a photo to commemorate the day. Very understated and in the last month of her life, she was taken to the local hospital in the country town where I grew up. The doctors, I believe misdiagnosed her, but by this stage she had already likely had a stroke. She was flown to Melbourne and within a (hear me flown to Melbourne.) month she was gone. My parents had to make the decision to turn off her life support.

I recall a family visiting us and the father distinctly placed a dining chair in a location, so he could sit with his back to a photo of Linda (that was her name) so he couldn’t see it.

There is an assumption when a child dies, that you should rid your home of all the photos and things that remind you of them, almost as if they had never existed, which seems wrong.

To be clear Linda died from a huge tumor.

After a while, because family and friends just didn’t know how to help or were just too sad, they just decided to stay away.

From nine years old, for a good few years, life was really lonely. I then told my carer a story of a friend of mine in the ABI community who passed away about six years ago.

I had to stop going to the place I would see him, because when my taxi arrived, I would be crying silent tears and the poor driver would not know what to do (poor bastard). I had to stop going, but whenever I return for a rare one off gathering, I sat somewhere I cannot dart my eyes towards the picture of him. I used to get through our gatherings always casting a look in his direction and we seemed communicate so much with our eyes. Anyway, more of him another day as I can feel the tears.

So yes! My superpower is I can make people cry, but it’s usually when my voice breaks a little and in crying.

Next time I want a better super power. Feel free to comment below as to what your super power is or would want it to be.

No cliché, X-ray vision or invisibility please.

Today’s Lunch – 17th April 2019

Published April 17, 2019 by helentastic67

Today’s Lunch

Good Mental Health Day

Had a lovely ladies day planned Monday. Plans changed on the day and things went a little sideways at the start and the end.

However, went down to Flinders on the Mornington Peninsula to visit my older sister to deliver her some goodies, and her and her partners belated birthday gifts. She loves her presents! My sister works at the Mornington Peninsula Chocolatier and Creamery. Here are some photos from my lovely ladies’ day.