It was the last thing I was expecting today, but well overdue.
You see, I’ve been driving the same car now for EIGHT years. And it’s been a lovely car.I wasn’t complaining. A simple Audi A4 sedan in a pale sparkly colour called champagne. Colour, as we know, is one of the most IMPORTANT things about a car.
BUt last weekend, I got a SIGN. You know, when something happens after a long string of things, and you know a certain relationship has to come to an end. I had driven Ronnie to the local video shop and was parking when I heard a loud CRUNCH. Yep, the concrete parking stopper on the ground had a bout of fisticuffs with my bumper bar and this was the result…
The bumper bar lay on the gravel and there was no way I could piece it back together. Another bill to pay and another job to add to a long list… Big bummer. Big sigh.
But Fletch had been making noises about the end of January being a good time to buy a new car. When I say ‘new’, I mean ‘new’ for us, but second-hand as far as cars go. I hadn’t taken much notice as I thought he was primarily talking about a machine for himself, so I did that nodding thing in the kitchen where the man thinks you’re listening while you dawdle over the stove, pondering your next fantasy holiday in the Greek Islands and only taking half in.
Turns out I had been included in the conversation I hadn’t been listening to. So this morning, I made school lunches and got the kids off to school, went to the gym, then managed a marathon supermarket shop before racing home to work on blogging duties and a certain project with a deadline. So when Fletch called to suggest I meet him in West Melbourne to look at second-hand cars, I wasn’t too excited. I was busy. I thought we’d be looking at cars HE wanted for himself. He mentioned a couple I might be interested in, but I didn’t think it was something we could afford or that they would appeal. But I agreed to join him – just in case. Still not thinking this was a serious shopping mission, I spent more time on the computer than I should have, then realised I had to leave home damn quickly or I’d be late. There was no time to change clothes. I’d have to front up in my old gym gear and no make-up. Never mind, I thought, it’s not about me – who cares what I look like?
And that’s when you should ALWAYS turn around, go back inside and get changed.
The instant I turned up at the glamorous Audi dealership on Kings Street, I felt markedly under-dressed among the schmick looking salesmen in shiny suits and smart businesswomen in high red shoes. Still, Carlo, our salesman, made me feel at home while we waited for Fletch (see – I DID have time to change. HE was late!) and made me a coffee.
As we sipped and waited, he told me with a broad smile, that meeting me had made him a little star-struck. I nearly choked on my coffee. It’s been so long since I read the news, I forget that people might remember who I am or find that at all impressive. Flattered as I was, I immediatley regretted wearing my ten-year-old threadbare exercise gear and no make-up. It’s awful seeing the disappointed looks on people’s faces when they realise what you REALLY look like. But not Carlo. He seemed delighted. Bless him.
Most of all, I liked his sales approach. He showed me a couple of cars and we chatted away but he never went for the hard-line sales pitch. Which I hate. He was charming without being saccharine, and helpful without being obsequious. Just a normal, natural kinda guy. Rare in a salesman. Which is why I vote Carlo best car salesman of the year. And this is what we bought.
It’s a second-hand Audi A4 B8 Multitronic sedan. The detail in the name doesn’t mean much to me as I’m not much of a car buff. I just thought it looked pretty cool.
And it wasn’t that Carlo twisted my arm. He just pointed me in the right direction. What really made up my mind was the headlights.
A bit like sparkly disco eyelashes, don’t you think?
So now I have a new baby. It’s all happened so fast, I’ve barely had time to take it in, but I’m sure the smile on my face will last for some time to come. It’s a bit late for you to get an end-of-January deal now, but if you are in the market for an Audi – second-hand OR new…
Further to last Friday’s blog about The Sisterhood committee organising THE coolest Valentine’s Day party in support of heart research at St Vincents Hospital – I can now bring you the official invitation and booking details. Ta da!
It’s not just for couples. Plenty of singles are coming too – what better party to meet your Valentine?
I’m thrilled it’s going to be held at the hippest venue in Melbourne – THE DECK at The Prince Hotel in St Kilda. What a great space for a party! And after hosting dozens of conventional balls over the years, I’m very much looking forward to a less formal, younger styled event with great entertainment and a DJ.
I’m also very excited that the super talented and gorgeous Melissa Bergland, star of TV series Winners and Losers, will perform for us on the night. Not only a beautiful in person, but super generous. She’s donating her time on the evening which is amazing. Especially given so many celebrities these days seem to want to charge a small fortune to appear at charity gigs, which I just don’t get. Melissa, you are an angel and we can’t wait to hear you perform on the night.
And if you’re still not convinced this is going to be a super special evening, check out our party rules below. Designed to make SURE we keep the vibe up and the party spirit high.
1. No speeches or MC chatting to go longer than five minutes.
2. Limited items in the charity auction. A quick auction is a good auction.
3. LOADS of fabulous finger food and drinks provided with excellent service.
4. Great entertainment and cool music
5. Value packed free goodie bags (one per couple)
6. Lots of dancing
7. No jumping in the pool – potential injuries are not cool
If you’d like to know more about the committee and what we’re trying to achieve, here’s the official blurb:
The Sisterhood – Raising money for St Vincent’s Hospital
So don’t waste time because tickets really are selling fast. Get on line and book now! It’s great value at $100 a ticket which includes food, drinks, entertainment and a gift bag – plus it’s tax deductible!
Looking forward to partying with you on February 14th!
This is just a short blog to say that from now on, I WILL try to write shorter blogs. Fletch read the blog I posted today and informed me that it was too long. That people want concise, ‘pithy’ reads – not long meandering, pieces like the ones I produce.
At the same time he complimented me on writing a ‘great’ blog. Which was very kind. But I don’t think today’s post WAS a ‘great’ blog. It was a trivial piece about New Year’s Resolutions and my nerdy (albeit temporary) obsession with a jigsaw puzzle. Perhaps he used the word ‘great’ in reference to length?
Regardless, this is a short blog to let you know I will indeed attempt to write shorter blogs from now on. With endless joy.
Now coming to the end of January, I look back at how I’ve progressed with my New Year’s Resolutions and I’m feeling pretty good about myself. Some have been tougher than others, and I’ve used the holiday break as an excuse for not fulfilling some – but generally speaking, I’m improving. This blogging caper does help enormously too. It makes you accountable – even in a teeny weeny way.
So let’s do an update and I’ll share what I’ve learned along the way.
RESOLUTION UPDATE
(1) Sugar free challenge (apart from wine) – to stick to the ONE LINE RULE diet. (which is not eating products that contain more than 5% sugar)
Even though I confessed in Sunday’s blog that I finally broke my sugar fast on Saturday night while watching a movie at the Village Gold Class Cinema and devouring a Choc Top, I’m going to stick with this one. People have asked why, and I have to say one of the main reasons is how I FEEL. I feel happier and healthier and have loads more energy than ever before. That’s why this is the BEST of all my New Year’s resolutions. It really HAS made a difference.I’m not absolutely certain if it’s kicking sugar, or just that (touch wood) life is pretty good right now, giving me a more positive outlook, but I have a hunch it’s got more to do with the sugar business.
I also love the up-myself, smug feeling I get when standing in the supermarket queue with all those rows of sugar-laden chocolate bars staring at me, begging me to buy them. ‘Ha!’ I say to them. ‘Don’t even THINK you can tempt me! I KNOW you are evil and I am strong enough to resist you!!’ Juvenile, but fun. Empowering.
Emma the Guru’s recipe for chocolate protein balls has also been a big winner this week. I just LOVE them and they are now my regular afternoon treat. Just one… most days… Plus I managed THREE alcohol free days – a first in many weeks.
More food updates to come, so stay tuned. But I don’t get a tick for this resolution this week because of the Choc Top moment.
(2) Not to play I-Phone Games
Yes, all good here. A big tick this week.
EXCEPT… that I found a new replacement addiction. I did mention it in a previous Blog, but I’m now going to reveal the evidence. It’s quite brave of me really, because I know many will condemn me for being a complete nerd…
I HAVE SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS PUTTING TOGETHER A JIGSAW PUZZLE.
It all started when Veronica asked for a puzzle as one of her Christmas presents. She wanted something more challenging this time, so chose a 2000-piece puzzle. And after Christmas, she invited me to help her put it together. Like most teenagers, she lost interest not far into the game as it proved a tad more challenging than she’d expected…
Except that the rumpus room table was now covered with a barely completed puzzle and I couldn’t bear to pack it away until it had been conquered!
And so the fun began… It became an obsession. I’d start with thinking, ‘I’ll just finish off the parrot’s beak,’ and before I knew it, it was TWO AM!!!
Fletch was becoming quite annoyed. I was neglecting the family and household chores – scurrying away upstairs any moment I could to put this damn thing together. ‘See – the cockatoo is done!’ I’d squeal with delight. He didn’t get it.
Nor was the family pleased I’d covered the floor with pieces. The jigsaw was taking over our lives. But I did love the fact that being up in the rumpus room meant I spent more time with Tom who would be watching sport or playing Play Station with friends while I puzzled away. Every time I fitted a piece, I’d shout ‘YAY’, to which he had to shout back ‘YAY!’ It was a wonderful bonding ritual.
One kind friend suggested my obsession was a reflection of what was happening in my life. That I was figuring stuff out in my head while doing the puzzle and piecing together elements in my life that made sense. I liked that one. I’ll run with that.
I think Fletch was more concerned I was regressing into a second childhood. But wait – I found evidence on the internet that doing jigsaw puzzles is wonderful exercise for the brain and makes people incredibly smart. Which means I am now a genius. Cool.
As I neared the end, one missing piece from the Toucan’s beak was driving me crazy. I knew it HAD to be green and black with a stripe in the middle – surely not that hard to find? But no, many a lengthy search proved fruitless… I worried the makers had stuffed up and sold me a puzzle minus a vital finishing piece…was my mission pointless???
Then, at two-thirty in the morning, I thought I was done, but STILL the piece was missing. The anxiety was torturous. I had to get to bed!! An easel with newspaper underneath to protect the carpet was next to the table. I shoved it aside and shook out the paper – and SWEET JOY – the missing piece spilled on to the carpet in all its glory. Victory. My mission was complete. Ahhh….
It’s an on-going, eternal nightmare, but I get a BIG TICK every week till the end of March. The best thing about this resolution is that it means I try to clear away a little bit off the desk each day. So progress, yes, even though it’s just tiny steps.
(4) To go to the gym at least 3 times a week.
I did it! I actually got to the gym THREE times PLUS I have enlisted the services of a new personal trainer – Ross Sheridan – who I began work with on Friday. And you know what? If I hadn’t made an appointment to meet him on Friday, I doubt I would have made it to the gym. Hence the value of personal trainers. I really do need to be accountable… Still, very up-myself for making it to the gym three times. A big tick.
(5) To NEVER smoke another cigarette again.
The best part about this resolution is that it really belongs in last year’s resolution basket, and I am pleased to report, it’s SO much easier this year than last year. So, if it’s of any help to smokers out there, it DOES get better. I also suffer much less from smoker’s envy in social situations, which is fantastic. Another big tick.
Overall, checking the scorecard – that’s four ticks out of five this week, so I’m pretty happy.
Until next week!
I first met Samuel Johnson last year, after enrolling in the Howard Fine Acting Studio master class. World-renowned teacher Howard Fine was himself visiting Australia to teach this course and it seemed like an incredible opportunity to hone my rather limited acting skills. Sam was assigned as my ‘scene partner’ and knowing his enormous talent from watching him for years on the hit TV show ‘The Secret Life of Us’, I was a tad daunted at the prospect of working with him.
Luckily for me, Sam has an extremely generous spirit, and was patient and encouraging with my lack of expertise. It was an absolute delight working with him and I’ll be forever grateful for his support. Getting up in front of an audience, knowing your performance is to be critiqued shortly afterwards, is terrifying and I was reassured that Sam also found the experience, not only rewarding, but nerve-wracking.
But if you think that sounds challenging, wait till you hear about Sam’s next project. It is truly inspirational.
Tragically, Sam’s sister Connie is dying of breast cancer. In a bid to raise awareness and ONE MILLION DOLLARS for the Garvan Institute to conduct research, Sam is going to set a new world record – riding around Australia on a unicycle. You’d think riding a bike alone would be tough enough – but on such an ungainly contraption? Sam’s aim is to break the Guinness Book of Records world record for the longest distance covered on a unicycle.
The launch is going to be massive and you’re all invited. It’s kicking off just after midday in Federation Square in Melbourne, on Friday, February 15th. Put it in your diary now! Sam wants as many people as possible to turn up, to form a human corridor for him to ride through and cheer him on his way for the start of his epic journey.
It will be a stirring event, with a 40-strong drumming band from Mornington High School beating out their support as well as other entertainment. And while the drums beat louder and louder and the cheering from the crowds reaches a crescendo, Sam will ride off the stage, through the human corridor, to begin a ride that may take the entire year.
Channel Ten’s The Project is also supporting Sam’s ride and will be covering the launch with a feature piece that evening, as well as stories during the course of Sam’s ride. Sam’s thrilled to have the program’s backing, knowing how important it is to raise national awareness for his mission to be a success.
There’ll also be a one-hour program on Network Ten, documenting his ride when he finishes. Sam’s first port of call is Melton, before heading off to Adelaide and then Darwin.
It’s taken a long time for the ride to become a reality. Much planning and sponsorship sourcing has been taking place, ever since Sam and Connie came up with the idea.
‘My sister, Connie, was diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago,’ he said. ‘As often happens, this brought us all closer and we were keen to find a way to turn the negative into a positive. In facing her own mortality, my sister was forced to confront the issue of her legacy. She’s determined to leave a large one. And she’s desperate to prevent even just one other young mother from befalling the same fate.’
Connie has two young boys – Willoughby and Hamilton – aged five and six years old.
‘Not being able to see that through is obviously a cause of great pain and sorrow for her,’ said Sam. ‘In a way, this event we’ve hatched together serves as a way to show the kids the kind of spirit she encompasses. It’s not just something to keep her ‘up’ as she goes down… It’s not just an appeal for every woman in the land to be breast aware. It’s a chance for us to prove together to our families that you can do anything if you put your mind to it. No matter how bad the situation is.’
I was curious as to why Sam chose a unicycle as his form of transport. Turns out he’s already taken a long trip on a unicycle – riding from Sydney to Melbourne to raise money for the children’s cancer charity, Canteen, which helped Connie in her early years. Connie is not only battling breast cancer now – she survived two earlier bouts of cancer when a child. On that ride alone, Sam raised half a million dollars.
‘Obviously, with her diagnosis being so grim, we needed a concept that gave us the best way to remind every mum in the land to be breast aware. One of the best ways we could think of to do that was to go around the country and engage directly with communities.’
For Sam, the unicycle gives him a point of difference and attracts a lot of media interest. ‘I had to find something that hadn’t been done before,’ he said. ‘Otherwise I’m just another charity gig.’
The unicycle itself poses many difficult challenges. It’s much slower than a regular bike, so Sam will be in the saddle for up to EIGHT HOURS A DAY. Sam admits he prefers riding a bicycle but is willing to do it tough if it makes his mission a success. ‘There’s a greater margin for error with a unicycle and it requires an enormous amount of concentration and physical aptitude,’ he said.
A good point, I thought. So what happens when the going gets rough – when he’s faced with rocky dirt roads – and God knows, there are plenty of those circling our sunburnt country. Sam just smiled.’ Well of course they’ll hurt the ball-ios a bit more. And it sounds strange, but you get used to the pain.’
Ouch. Doesn’t sound like fun… I’m just starting to get a sense of how physically testing this journey is actually going to be. Sam though, is well aware of what he’s in for. ‘It’s going to be extremely painful and painfully extreme,’ he said. ‘But I won’t be enduring half of what my sister is going through.’
Sam’s training schedule has been arduous. He’s had to achieve an almost professional level of fitness to be able to conduct the ride over the distance he’s planning. ‘It sounds incredibly simple, but in amongst all the madness of putting my life on hold to organise this event, I’ve got to constantly remind myself that fitness is paramount. I cannot condition my body enough for this task. But I’ve got to be sure that on Day One, I’m the fittest I can be. As well, psychologically it’s going to be an amazing test.’
For this purpose, Sam gave up smoking and drinking several months ago, and says he’s enjoying his fitter lifestyle. Lunching at Riva, there wasn’t a ciggie in sight, nor did a drop of alcohol pass his lips.
I asked Sam if he’d miss acting while taking a year off and would he return to it when the ride was done. ‘Who knows what I’ll want at the end of this crazy thing?’ he said. ‘I imagine I’ll essentially stay the same person. After all, I don’t know how to do anything else, so I don’t know what else I’d go back to. But I can only think of the bike ride right now.’
So is he confident he’ll actually make it around Australia? Does he hold any doubts? ‘Healthy doubt, yes. True doubt – no,’ he said firmly. I believe him.
It’s a delicate question, but I asked Sam if time is of essence – given Connie’s condition. ‘I’d like Connie to be there at the finish line,’ he said.’The fantasy for me is that I cross the finish line in to her arms and she’s crying with pride and she’s still alive. As most people if professional sport will tell you, fairytales rarely happen, and I certainly don’t expect her to be there at the finish line, but we can hope.’
Sam’s hope stems from the fact that Connie has already defied medical predictions for her health. ‘But once she goes downhill, I suspect it will happen within weeks. Should she die while I’m doing the ride, I’d fly back for her funeral then fly straight back to continue on the road an push even harder. We’ve talked about that. Either way, she knows I’ll finish it.’
As I said, Sam’s mission and attitude are truly inspirational. I know I’ll be there cheering him on when he heads off from Federation Square. I’ll hope you’ll join me.
————————————————————————————————
If you’d like to donate to support Sam, visit his website, Love Your Sister at http://loveyoursister.org
And to keep up-to-date with all the news about Sam’s epic journey, check his Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/loveyoursister
