Back to School Blues

It is amazing how quickly those school holidays disappear. Hardly any time for boredom as the days sped away.

However the "I don't want to go back to school" mantra has started - I figure a lot more years of that to come!

Joanne Kee
www.ceressolutions.com.au

Grandeurs of a country club

Hi, so life took me to Ryde Aquatic centre yesterday.

I haven't been there before and it is a mega pumping place, absolutely jam packed with people - mainly kids. Not my idea of a great way to spend time, I seem to have developed a paranoia for public pools, seen too much snot floating along.

Looking for a coffee I stumbled onto the private club, with outdoor landscaped pool area, free internet, newspapers, relaxing lounge, kids creche etc. It reminded me of a country club in a colonial outpost. Extremely genteel. They just needed the golf range (maybe they had it) because all the other stuff was there. However I am just as sure that there kids have snot too, so still not too keen on the pools.


Joanne Kee
www.ceressolutions.com.au

skype

So I ended up being able to talk to my friends in London and Sydney in an online conference call through Skype.

Events have happened that we are scattered between London, New York and Sydney, how great to be able to speak together. Albeit the connection is a bit scratchy at times, but hey, I couldn't possibly afford a Telstra conference call for an hour with that kind of set up.

Apparently MSN is also good for this kind of thing as well.

Joanne Kee
www.ceressolutions.com.au

Old Friends

So its that crazy time of the year when you catch up with old friends, or at least try to get in touch with them, do some shopping.

One of my longest friendships, Rebecca lives overseas and is here for a moment, but has family illness to take any element of relaxation from her holiday. So yesterday I visited amidst box packing, taking a picnic lunch. The bizarre thing is that its more relaxing to see Rebecca overseas than at home.

Another of my friends, who I sadly don't really see anymore is not well and I wonder about our destinies and think how different life might have been if he had chosen a different partner.

Then there is revisiting the stores to take back items bought in the heat of the moment. My daughter must have been on a toy frenzy when she wanted a bratz doll. As when we did our clear out just before Christmas she packed all the old bratz away and they are ready for the next toy world or at least e-bay. At least we have a store credit now for another day.


Joanne Kee
www.ceressolutions.com.au

New Year's Eve

What a great spot to watch the fireworks - New Year's Eve from the forecourt of the Sydney Opera House.

The atmosphere was relaxed, people of so many different cultures enjoying the fireworks.

Also passing out from the wait!

Joanne Kee
www.ceressolutions.com.au

Getting closer to Christmas

Well its getting closer to Christmas and it seems a strange disjointed process this year. We received our letter from Santa and we have all the presents selected for my daugher.

I have also managed to offload some old toys on e-bay. What a drama that is.

Today we went to a fun bycycle track at St Peters, complete with traffic lights, roundabouts, crossings, speed bumps etc. Though it was rather hot, we were expiring from the humidity by the time we finished.

Joanne
www.ceressolutions.com.au

Melbourne

It was great to visit Melbourne for work - to see Short & Sweet, before the opening of our season in Sydney on 16th January at the Newtown Theatre. Such a wealth of talent at the finals. Very inspiring.

The best thing was staying with some friends, getting to hang out, spend some time, chill out. Enjoy the Melbourne seasonal weather, wander the streets and lanes.


Joanne
www.ceressolutions.com.au

Sydney Childrens Choir

Well final year concert for my daughter in the mini whites of the Sydney Children's Choir. This is the backstage shot.

My report back is that it was pretty boring and that Arran's choir had a supporting role. They did look cute, but yes that is the truth.

It was one of the most noisy concerts I have ever been to, lots of background children noises, coughing etc. The coughing was the worst during a solo. However, it was a beautiful concert despite these things. I believe it is being broadcast on ABC 702 on Christmas Eve.

So we have decided to pass on choir for the moment. It has been like pulling teeth trying to motivate Arran for the lessons and rehearsals. Whilst we love to sing and dance at home, we shall keep it there for the moment.

Joanne
www.ceressolutions.com.au

E-bay

Yet another world of codes and unspoken rules. Indeed after having actually sold stuff on e-bay some time ago, going back today it was another layer of offers, ways to spend money and those commissions have certainly gone up a few notches.

I am just wondering what sort of market is there for Barbie/discarded toys, is it worth the effort? Well I'll see in a week or so.

If you happen to be after a Barbie Castle either very large or smaller tabletop verson please have a look on ebay, with a search under Barbie Castles for my two offerings. Seller details Joanne7544.

Joanne Kee
www.ceressolutions.com.au

Unspoken codes

Its been a while since I travelled in peak hour. Having my own business I usually arrange meetings at less frenetic times.

Very strange to be at Town Hall station, going against the tide of office workers was a touch intimidating, paritcularly when you don't know where you need to go. Signage is obviously not done by people who have to find their way.

Also, other codes, the practice of an "honour system" to pay for your coffee, where you help youself to your own change.

All that focussed energy on their way to work, all those crowded people on the train - seems like a foreign country!

Joanne Kee
www.ceressolutions.com.au

Another birthday

This time it was a double eightieth for my Uncle John and Aunt Sunny. Next month is their 45th wedding anniversary, so great to be able to celebrate this with family and friends, looking over beautiful Middle Harbour.


Joanne Kee
www.ceressolutions.com.au

Blast from the past

So we meet up with Robert Bryce-Muir from whom we purchased sculptures whilst living in London. Great to catch up with someone from the past and really quite odd, as we didn't know him that well in England, but it seems that having his artwork around has made us friends.

Joanne Kee
www.ceressolutions.com.au

Women in Jazz

So what is the story with women in Jazz? Just attended a great festival in Wangaratta and was surprised by the absence or minimalist state of women performing. I know there are some out there, and they are good, so I wonder why?

Apart from that what a great place to visit and what a nice festival.

My only complaint was the dodgy drunk crowd and the length of the wait for a taxi on the Saturday night. If you want people not to drink and drive you need to provide a way to get home!

Joanne Kee
www.ceressolutions.com.au

Arias, catching up

Did anyone else out there notice on the Aria awards tonight how many times drinking, getting plastered and partying to excess where mentioned? I know rock n'roll and the pop scene has a reputation but quite interesting to hear how many times this kind of partying was mentioned before what I assume is an impressionable audience who would look up to their rock stars as roll models.

Aside from that, what a busy week. Good to catch up with friends, see movies. Seem to have done a good trade in chick flicks this week with the Devil wears Prada (great frocks, always love a haute couture gown in Paris) and how to lose a guy in 10 days - absolutely excruciating.

Joanne Kee
www.ceressolutions.com.au

Aria awards

Did anyone else out there notice on the Aria awards tonight how many times drinking, getting plastered and partying to excess where mentioned? I know rock n'roll and the pop scene has a reputation but quite interesting to hear how many times this kind of partying was mentioned before what I assume is an impressionable audience who would look up to their rock stars as roll models.

Aside from that, what a busy week. Good to catch up with friends, see movies.

Seem to have done a good trade in chick flicks this week with the Devil wears Prada (great frocks, always love a haute couture gown in Paris) and how to lose a guy in 10 days - absolutely excruciating.


Joanne Kee
www.ceressolutions.com.au

Complaints choir

Friends

Catching up today with my friend Ed who now lives in New York, distance, such tyranny, no chats over dinner or coffee. However in this world of global communications, also how easy to be in touch.

I am trying to encourage Ed to move back to Sydney, although his family is in the US.

I reckon that in this world friends are the people you choose to grow old with, not the ones that you inherit.

Joanne Kee
www.ceressolutions.com.au

A quick weekend away

It doesn't take long these days to escape Sydney and head to the South Coast. 90 minutes gives you time to slot into a different mind space, - look at the cows, sheep and the greenery.

Life definitely has a more relaxed cadence away from the City.

The big question is how to decide the best way to invest my money. Is it property or is it shares?

Is Kiama Downs a good location for the future, is it a sea changers place?

Very much a guessing game for me at the moment.

Oh, the need for a crystal ball!

Joanne Kee
www.ceressolutions.com.au

Rolands Birthday

What a pleasant way to spend a Sydney afternoon celebrating roland's birthday, in the gardens of the Peggy Glanville Hicks' House.

Joanne
www.ceressolutions.com.au

Steve Irwin

Amazing how we can be so moved by a celebrity, so well known, but still a stranger.

The amount of tributes and outpouring of grief, is this a curious modern phenomena?

I know I have certainly been moved and I find this remarkable as I didn't even know the man.
Joanne Kee
www.ceressolutions.com.au