Monthly Archives: April 2009

marathon

Posted on April 26, 2009 by | Leave a comment

In the sunshine today 35000 people took to the streets of London in g-strings, sneakers/trainers, shorts, iPODs, fancy dress and t-shirts.

They covered miles and miles to make a marathon distance. It was quite amazing, these people come in all shapes and sizes. And all sorts of levels of fitness. The front runners pound along it is honestly amazing, they hardly look like they are breathing hard. And while this is quite the feat. I am in complete awe of the ‘normal’ people who have run and run over winter, then today they ran and ran some more!

Just so cool to watch – although there is absolutely no way I could ever do it and live……

But well done who all did!

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low maintenance possible in your 30s?

Posted on April 25, 2009 by | Leave a comment

Who would have thought!? Well certainly not me. I have been wondering recently whether I am high maintenance or not. The best definition from urban dictionary is:

high maintenance

1. Requiring much time and many products to keep their appearance at the current level. 2. And/or requiring much attention from others in relationships, romantic or otherwise

Suddenly I seem to be getting waxed, blow dried, turning brunette-blond-brunette-blond, plucked, hairdrying, straightening. I even own lip gloss. I use to be a pony tail seconds out the door…….

To confirm my suspicion, of a certain change in direction evident since turning 30, I have been trawling the web for information, confirmation or otherwise. It turns out there are 100s of 1000s of way to identify your ‘maintenance’ category……….

Well here is the result….. cool huh!

You scored 24 – you’re lovely you are!
Aw bless, we like the sound of you! You’ll happily admit to the occasional moment of madam but in the main you’re grounded and good fun. You won’t let yourself be trampled on but equally you’re not a demanding diva who always puts herself first. A tenner says you’re the life and soul of the party. you’ve got loads of mates and so you should. Good for you. Keep Come for dinner anytime!

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today

Posted on April 24, 2009 by | Leave a comment

Today I saw….

A homeless man collapsed on the ground

People sipping french champagne in the Bentley Showroom

Others queuing for the latest designer at a high street store

A 20 year old in a Porche convertible

At least 30  big issue sellers

Men in uniform guarding a palace

A clock that chimes with a famous bell

This is London

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pizza-tastic

Posted on April 19, 2009 by | Leave a comment

A significant blight on the London foodie scene is the lack of good pizza. Essentially it is pizza hut or Gourmet Pizza Kitchen – grim, grim, grim.

Well, there is now a gorgeous yummy pizza place tucked in the back of Brixton. Called Franco Manca. It is completely chaotic, you have to queue, there is no sitting about over a coffee, it is go-go-go. The food however is yummy yummy and a bargain at about £5.

So what more could you ask for?

An absolute treasure tucked in Brixton.

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the problem with job

Posted on April 18, 2009 by | 3 Comments

I finally figured out the job thing – well not what to do but the crux of the problem. Got to be a positive step forward. Hasn’t it?

The problem with the job is that every activity I do aims to please ‘the boss’ and attempts to comply with the system, whether it is purposeful or makes sense.  In 10 years time it will help a patient, well possibly, if I am lucky – they will be pleased that the hospital ‘new’ build is open. But basically everything feels like it is done with the basic aim of pleasing the system.

This is in direct contrast to the basic aim of a clinician which is to directly  improve a persons life. Now this is not to say that you avoid the system as a clinician – there is a tonne of pleasing the system in a clinicians world but generally you can avoid it or at least balance it with the team that you work with who also suffer the system.

hmmm…. well at least now I know what the problem is….. just need to figure out the solution??

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poverty

Posted on April 11, 2009 by | 3 Comments

I had a really intriguing conversation with some friends who work for Oxfam on Thursday evening. The belief in their chosen cause is inspiring. Irradicating poverty is quite a tall order for any charity. And I do wonder whether it is in any way possible.

For many years philanthropy has been the chosen expression of caring by the affluent governments, businesses and individuals. But really is it effective? 

Money has flowed into Africa for decades and really has it made any difference? I don’t know. Why do we send money to Africa when every night I walk past 30 or so homeless people in an 80 metre stretch. Why is it that massive charities look on a global scale and organisations of a similar size don’t exist to challenge the situation at home? Or is it that human nature is to always create a hierarchy, to sustain a status quo, where some have heaps and others have less.

The trick I guess, and for those who work toward poverty reduction whether on a local or global scale, is to raise the bottom. To ensure every one survives.

However, I am not sure that the answer is a flow of cash from the rich to the poor.

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il divo

Posted on April 11, 2009 by | Leave a comment

Il Divo is an extraordinary film about a living politician Giuilio Andreotti. While it was a pretty, visual film I must confess to have very little idea about the details of the story. There were so many men, the subtitles so fast and moving to different spots on the screen that it was a bit like playing ‘wheres wally?’ when trying to figure out where to gaze next.

My take away is that Italian poitics is inexplicably tied to the Mafia, it is chaotic and just about everyone is a balding man, with some pretty unstylish glasses. My review is not as elequent as the Telegraph but we do agree.

It is an odd film.

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weather

Posted on April 7, 2009 by | Leave a comment

It would seem to me that everyones favourite topic of conversation is the weather.

Can you imagine not talking about the weather in a conversation?

The brits are famous for it. And having lived here for so long I am constantly catching myself starting with “goodness wasn’t the sun terrific today” or sadly what is more common “goodness will this grey NEVER end”

I would like to suggest that it is not only those who inhabit this Island who go on about their weathery surrounds. Just about every Melbournite for the last year starts a conversation with – ‘No rain this week” or “36 again today”. There has been a slight change recently though as they have had a few thnderstorms. Yippee really after the deverstation of the bushfires, and now the conversation is about how much of the rain was caught in the rain water tanks!

None the less it would seem that while the Brits have a rather funny stereotype as weather obsessives it is a shared Commonwealth thing at least!

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