Stress Balls Needed!

I feel like I need to go to Bloggers Anonymous Meetings. I don't blog for ages and then I binge blog.

So... hi. I'm blogging because I can, and because television is awful in this country. Awful, it's so bad I keep finding myself flicking over to Celebrity Splash, which I just hate myself for. At heart the idea of watching "celebs" attempt fancy dives is cool because I've always loved diving but the show's so over produced - people don't need to be given an intro, then interviewed on the diving board, then straight after the dive, then after the judging and finally when they go to sit back down. It's so boring. I'm so glad I remembered Fashion Star was on. I'm a sucker for fashion shows. In related news, I love the headpieces Nicole Richie can wear, she looks amazing. I'd look ridiculous.

But no, woman from Express "any woman" is not going to look good in a short, tight strapless denim onesie.

Hmm an ad for Glee, how I used to love you. So very much, I was a true Gleek, had all the albums, DVDs etc, and now it's just so, so bad.

So ranting about tv beside, is hair crimping back? I just saw an ad for what looked like a very expensive, glorified crimping tool. I'd love to know if the 80s are back, I used to rock a flowered fringe and acid wash double denim like no one's business.

I feel like this blog is a bit frantic and scattered, which is a very accurate representation of how my brain is this week. As mentioned yesterday this time next week, I'll be on holiday and my goodness I have eleventy billion things to do both at work and home. A month ago was totally the wrong time to be handed management of a new team and project - especially when it's ended up the volume of the work was greatly underestimated, so all the plans I'd been wanting to get in place before I went and left my poor replacement (my staff member is acting in my role) and I feel totally guilty at leaving her with everything not organised. And then there's the house - it's a state of total disorder and I've got so much to clean. Yet, I can't seem to get motivated to clean it. I seem to have to panic clean/declutter.

I actually had my version of a panic attack this morning - it's like having a colic attack, and is very painful, so I'm deliberately relaxing tonight despite having things to do. I've realised I need to chill. I do feel better, and my head is clearer so I can work out how to handle some things and to accept that some things are just going to have to be left half finished, and only a very few of those will be my responsibility and for those all I can do is apologise and leave it as best as I can.

So, the week ahead is crazy but what a pay off awaits at the end of it! :)

The Reason I Don't Blog Too Often

As you've noticed by now, I'm not really a regular blogger. I want you to know that this is a good thing because trust me I'm sparing you. Otherwise you'd be stuck with the mundane tales of my terribly straightforward life. (A straightforward life I'm very grateful for.)

Eg, the most interesting story of today, is that I, being the master of coordination I am, managed to shut the tip of my finger in the freezer at work while grabbing a lean cuisine - again, evidence that "healthy" food is actually bad for you - and 9 hours later it still hurts. Yup, that's the big news of Courtney's day. I hope you were sitting down.

The other thing stopping me from blogging regularly recently has been work. Most of my life really does revolve around work, which is kind of scary! I'm far from a workaholic but I'm usually thinking about it or spending most of my day. It also has a huge effect on my mood, which has also stopped me blogging a bit, because I've been exhausted from adjusting to the new job and my new role as a manager. I never ever saw myself in a management role as I barely handle managing myself, let alone others. I just never thought I had the personality for it. I think after 6 weeks of it though, I'm beginning to do okay, and I'm realising that I'm more suited to it than I thought. (Still lots to learn and improve though.) It's the first week I'm not coming home exhausted and confused, which means I have a clearer head to blog.

I can furnish you with a general update on how things are rolling along though.

•  The search for a new hairdresser has taken a positive turn. I had a reasonably good experience on Friday. Sure I had to re-trim my fringe, and I didn't love the girl like I've loved other hairdressers, but the colour's nice and it was half the price of my last appointment and is downstairs of my building so terribly convenient. I also got through another appointment without asking the hairdresser to chop my hair off so go me.

• We didn't see The Phantom Menace as planned, but I did see A Few Best Men for a charity screening so I've seen a movie each month as planned. Don't know if I'll get to one in March though. A Few Best Men was reasonably terrible but thankfully not as horrible as I thought it may have been.

• I still don't own a Rubik's Cube.I'll get to that later in the year.

• Ah that whole eating healthy and exercising thing... can you hear the sound of it crashing and burning in the distance? Yeah it did. A combination of my laziness and the way I felt with the job change, eager for comfort food and too tired to exercise. Now I'm sane again, we're trying again. Plus it's 5 and a half weeks to the trip, and I just want to be a bit fitter so I'm starting again. Sort of.

•  My finger really hurts

• I had a moment tonight when I just realised how lucky I am and how happy I am to have made some great friends over the internet. It's really amazing to realise you have friends around the world and can share in their experiences, and laugh and enjoy stuff together etc. Playing Draw Something on my phone with a group of my friends is just highlighting that, playing silly games across the world is a great experience.

• I'm stressing about budgets for the holiday at the moment, it's obsessive. I'm worrying so much. Especially as I'm a bit worried my leave is going to get mucked around as I transfer officially between jobs. Of course I'm not actually worried that we won't be eating, I'm worried about our shopping budget, so it's something shallow that's stopping me sleeping! (I have my eye on a range of Marc Jacobs and Kate Spade handbags...)

That's kind of it at the moment. Things are good.

Have a great rest of your day and/or a fabulous Thursday depending on when you read this. 

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Why Be Succinct When You Can Ramble?

Firstly, a big shout out to my co-author/muse today...my dear kitty.

It's February 27th and my Christmas Tree is still up. I'm obsessive (no, seriously) regarding the "rules" for Christmas decorations. They must come down on Jan 6th, no ifs or buts. No earlier, no later. Except this year I was distracted and forgot to take it down on the 6th, and now I have no idea what to do with it. It's just sitting there "staring at" me, and being used as a giant toothpick by Obi, who for an unknown reason finds it the tastiest thing on the planet. Because I missed that date, I have no idea when to take it down. I think February 29 is probably the best bet, I can pretend it was in deliberate honour of an unusual day.

I think it shows how the new job has changed me quite a bit, I feel like I've become a bit disassociated with things I used to care about, but in an okay way, like I've grown into a next stage or something. The only thing is I can't work out what I care about now, apart from my holidays...and pinterest. All I know is I'm suddenly desperate for a chaise lounge and a yellow designer handbag.

Meanwhile I cannot believe it's March this week. I cannot believe that summer is over on Wednesday. I can't believe how few hot days we had. It's been a weird summer. I can't believe that as of Thursday I can say my holiday is next month, YAY! (It turns out I still care about holidays and handbags.) I can't wait to get back to the States. I can't wait to eat their food, shop there, see their sights, mingle with their great people and hopefully meet a friend or two. There's a few concerns with the approval of my holiday at the moment which is bothering me, as I don't really want to go leave without pay!

The trip planning is going well though, my sister has agreed to house and catsit, which demonstrates that she has a much stronger character than I, as Obi is a tad difficult. I've made my packing list, ordered shoes to fill the identified gaps, worked out what else we need to book before we're go etc. There's no reason we won't be absolutely fine, yet still I worry. I do feel happy having all these lists made. Lists make me feel all ordered.

So we've got things like cars to book, to the airport when we leave, between the airport and the hotel in NYC, to and from LAX to Anaheim, a few tours and dinners to book etc. I'm trying to make sure important things are booked and have a basic structure so we ensure we don't miss something through not realising it wasn't open Mondays etc but not overplanning, so we end up stressing about the fact that we weren't at this sight by 10:17am exactly and the whole day becomes ruined. So, that's where the holiday plans are at the moment, lots of little things to do, but also lots of fun things to keep me occupied like looking through menus of restaurants etc.

As you could tell, today's blog has no actual theme or point, I just felt like talking.

Hope, if you've read it, you're doing well x

If I was to be a Reality TV Star...

Hello Blog Followers...

It's been a busy few weeks as I've moved into the new job and started settling in. (It's taking me a while). I'm also juggling an illness which is slowing me down. Accordingly, I still haven't done that movie list yet (Shock! :p) I'm planning on thinking about it more on the weekend. I know the Top 10.

I'm watching My Kitchen Rules in the background, a show that's less about food and more about karmic justice, which appeals to me immensely. I'm currently chuckling away as a couple who have spent the week unnecessarily sledging other people's dishes and constantly mentioning they'd do things so much better, have taken 3 hours to serve their main course. Ha. It's great tv, with delicious looking food in the background, how could it go wrong?

Which has led me onto today's blog topic - reality tv, and what shows I'd actually love to star on. Note: For me reality tv are the competition shows, where there's challenges and winners, none of this "fly on the wall" Kardashian stuff. (Oh except for Girls of the Playboy Mansion - the Holly, Bridget and Kendra years. I love those girls and their crazy hijinks.)

1) If I had any talent in this area, the number one show would be Project Runway. Goodness how I love this show, and how much would I love to design clothes. I love Heidi, I love Michael Kors' little squeaky voice while he rambles on and Nina Garcia's ability to jump between looking bored and horrified in one swift face movement. Of course my inability to design and sew are secondary concerns, the real reason I couldn't be on Project Runway is that my constant fangirling would lead to Tim Gunn putting a restraining order on me. God I love Tim Gunn. He comes across as so effortlessly awesome.

*courtesy of Wikipedia*

2) The Amazing Race. How awesome would the Amazing Race be? Seeing so much of the world, experiencing all those little culturally specific challenges and interacting with locals etc. It would be incredible. Unfortunately,unless I got the fantastic challenge that the teams got in Patagonia where they had to eat chocolates until they found one with a flag or something (I'd have kept eating even after finding the flag...) as soon as a food challenge came along, I'd be gone. I have very limited food taste or knowledge so would be terribly precious about eating "icky" food. Oh and of course any of the challenges that involved physical strength or agility or speed etc. I'd probably be reasonably decent at the puzzles, if the stress of the need to finish first wasn't an issue.

3) Survivor - oh I'd really pretty much hate Survivor, can't stand beaches because I hate sand, couldn't stand having my precious amenities but Survivor has this - so sign me up.

 *courtesy of Wikipedia*

Oh Jeff, I heart you.

4) The Apprentice. *Practices her best "It's an honor, Mr Trump, Sir" voice* (I have deliberately spelled honour the American way as it's an American show, and in my head I'm saying it with an accent). I actually think I would love the challenges on the Apprentice, they are right up my alley. Organising things, ordering people around, developing weird obsessive needs for billboards made of papier mache and tinsel. Would totally have that down pat. Shame about the whole working as a team player though. I'd probably either be the really meek one who in the Boardroom can't do much more than squeak that everyone played nicely, or the one who demanded to be Project Manager every week and stormed out of the show when the team refused to listen to my incredible idea that Macy's would be thrilled to advertise their new stationery line through two people in mouse costumes attaching banners, King Kong style, to the Empire State Building. I hate when people don't understand true vision.

I've realised I could keep going, but all the shows require me to have talents that I do not (interior design, cooking, singing) etc. I think as much as I'd hate it, I'd be much better on one of those reality fly on a wall tv show. Im sure there's a market for watching a public servant get home from work, sit on her couch, pinning or blogging away...surely... :p

Have a great rest of your week!