Guess who's not, in fact, dead!

What's this? An update? From me??

...it's exactly as likely as you'd think, seeing how I've Vanishethed for months again, so... not very.

I promised a short break and a Quirk! and then I! dropped off the face of the earth! sadly not literally, that would be exciting! in what is an unfortunate trend for me! 

Since I've been absent for a while without explanation (which, I have to say, is completely in character, I thought I'd answer some questions which no one has asked but you're probably thinking: 

- Um. What have you been doing?

 

I have been sitting at the entrance to the halls of knowledge. Judging people.

(...work. I work in a library.) 

((I do not actually judge people. Usually. Unless you leave a chewed-on toothpick in your book when you return it.))

I recently became a full-time library assistant, after only a year of casual work, which is exciting! I do miss having that time at home, though. xD (Customer service can be... draining. As anyone who's worked customer service will agree.)

- So... what made you return??

 

Overwhelming guilt.

I jest. Overwhelming guilt causes me to freeze up and ignore the problem and never do anything ever. That's... not to say it didn't exist, but it certainly didn't help me to return xD

I'd been meaning to come back for what feels like months now but is somehow only two? but my internal dialogue went something like this: 

"oh no, I missed the first Saturday of the month! I was meant to do a Quirk!"

"...guess I'll have to wait until next month then" ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

why I'm quite happy staying at home (+ a few suggestions)

As a graduated homeschooler and introvert who is living with my family, in an remote-ish area with only a handful of COVID cases, I'm quite enjoying this period of staying at home. I'm doing stuff I like, and I have exactly the right amount of social interaction.

None.

Hang on, that's obviously not true. I'm spending time with my family, and I'm talking to people online, and I've even written a few letters.

Actual face-to-face talking time with non-family members: zero hours for, like, going on four weeks?? and I am fine with that.

(Should I be concerned about myself.)

But there's so much to do! So many ways to spend your time! Such fun to be had! So many people to not talk to! 

Julia from Lit Aflame posted a collab of 124 Things To Do When You're Exiled At Home. And Emily from The Ones That Really Matter put up a great post featuring such suggestions as Jedi training (this won't be affected by social distancing as hugs are probably against the Jedi code), exploring wardrobes, and becoming obsessively attached to a specific piece of jewellery. (I approve.) Read these! There's some great ideas!

I, on the other hand, have a list of ramblings for today's post. I'm sure any suggestions I might make have already been covered (a list of 124 things won't leave many untouched... at least, not many that are easy to think of.) but I'll see if I can add anything to what is, I'm sure, a popular topic.

• • • • • • •

T H I N G S  T O  D O

Reading

uh. obviously. (This gets its own section.)

My quarantine book list includes the following:
✓ The Copper Gauntlet, The Bronze Key, The Silver Mask (Magisterium #2-4), Holly Black and Cassandra Clare
✓ Leave It to Psmith, P.G. Wodehouse
✓ Muse of Nightmares (Strange the Dreamer #2), Laini Taylor
☐ Northanger Abbey, Jane Austen
☐ The Lost Plot (The Invisible Library #4), Genevieve Cogman

this is not a writing post

A small list of beautiful things, because life's been good despite the bad:

• rain. We had rain this month, which broke a long period of dry and filled the dams and creek, so the family hopped into some round molasses troughs and pushed ourselves around using sticks. Brother 2 got into one with Dad, and they ended up standing in a trough on the bottom of the creek bed, submerged up to their chests. Good times.
• green grass. In the paddock, it's thick and it's past our knees, and mowing the yard doesn't feel like such a chore when we take into account that there is grass to mow. 
• also. butterflies. There are small white ones with lacy black bits, and big black ones with lacy white bits, and also some little yellow ones. And there are so many. I have had several genuinely-felt Bilbo moments:
  

• my job! and I'm so blessed to be able to add that to this list. For a year I worked part-time in a job that was not a field I was interested in, and while I felt personally invested in the business (for no particular reason?? except I worked there?), it was immensely draining. But! Last year I was in admin at a library and adored it. And this year I'm a casual library assistant, and I'm enjoying it so much. Obviously part- or full-time work would be more convenient (I have an hour commute), but this does mean that I get to work with all different people in different workplaces!
  
  and I smile at people and help them and make them love the library and feel happy. and that makes me feel happy too.

........

So there's a small post for you, because I was thinking about how good life is. <3

........

I pray you are able to be doing things that make you happy, that bless others, that open your eyes to the wonders of God's creation and His marvelous love for us.

And if you're not? if your job's dragging at your soul and you're having trouble keeping your chin up? My advice (I say, like I am in any way qualified to give advice) is to:

1. keep your eyes open for opportunities. all sorts of opportunities, and things you wouldn't normally do. chase the things that make you feel fulfilled.
2. choose to smile. choose joy. it's hard but choose to rejoice in the blessing of just being alive. and then live. 

(she says, as though she has a habit of living. and not, like, sitting at her laptop all day.)
((I used to but getting a job kind of ended that.))

........

What's something objectively tiny (like butterflies) that has made you feel joyful and blessed? Do you enjoy your work? (whether it's paid or for your family) Is your family still well? Let me know if you would like me to pray for you.


And what are some things you do that make you feel like you're living and not just alive?

Australian Culture (Mostly the Food)

Sometimes I discover something about another country, or the way someone else lives, and it shocks me because I never even thought about the fact that someone could live differently in that regard.

For example, not everyone eats Vegemite. And while I may have been able to accept that, apparently there are countries in which shops don't even sell Vegemite?? My uncle lives in an Asian country, and my grandmother has to ship him big jars of it. The downside of international travel/living.

Recently, someone told me that in Europe, people don't eat pumpkin. I don't know how true this is, but I can't even imagine. No roast pumpkin? No pumpkin scones? Pumpkin fruit cake? Pumpkin is such a common vegetable in my life, the idea that some people don't even consider eating it made me think more about differences in culture.

And I think I'm rambling here, because I was thinking of another post and then decided to go with food and I'm writing posts at 11pm again and why do I do this to myself.

BASICALLY. AUSTRALIAN FOOD TODAY. Because I know a lot of the blogosphere is based in the U.S.A. And I thought I might introduce you to a new culture.

...I know. It isn't as though I don't speak English. (And only English, sadly.) How different could the culture be??

...and that is what I'm arguing against today. Just because Australia is an English-speaking country doesn't mean it can't have a culture different to other English-speaking countries.

And so. many. people. don't know what they're missing. Because we have some good stuff here, mate. Today: the food.