Are you in the right line of work?

I'm certain some people aren't.

Remember the chick who did my laser hair removal? She's definitely in the wrong job.

We once stayed at a country motel on the way to South Australia. I'd booked in advance over the phone and called on the way to let the hosts know we'd be arriving after 8pm. That was too late for them, so I was instructed to go straight to the allocated room where the keys would be left in the door. Keen to get away in the morning, I wandered over to reception which was closed, but had a sign with a number to call the owners - who I quickly worked out lived upstairs.

A woman answered the phone. She was clearly not happy to be woken up at 7am on a Saturday morning - and told me exactly that. They'd had a busy week with sales reps and she really did like a lie-in on a Saturday. How the hell was I supposed to know that?

I explained I just wanted to pay so we could head off. 'I already have your credit card details from the phone booking,' she barked at me. So I suggested we just get in the car and go. And she suggested that given she was now already wide awake she 'might as well' come down and process my card, which she did - grumpily.

By the time I finished, Geoff was in the car in the driveway with kids and luggage ready to head off.
'How'd you go?' he asked.
'I'm not sure that they're cut out for hospitality.'

Similarly, I had a colleague who was receiving yet another bollocking from a client over something that was beyond my colleague's control. Being in open plan,  the whole team was witnessing the painful event as her head sunk further and further down, eventually resting on her desk. But still it went on. Then, like a small flag of surrender, she held up a finger over the partition towards me with a Post-It note stuck on the end....

Stand Up. (For your life apparently)

I felt like I'd strained an abdominal muscle last week, which was odd because I didn't think I had any. Abdominal muscles that is.

But I think I've worked it out....

You may have seen that there's been a bit of bad press lately on sitting down for extended periods of time (namely 60 Minutes and I confess, I did watch it despite my usual rhetoric of it being tabloid TV). It said sitting is as bad for your health as smoking. See? Utter sensationalism.

But the idea that we weren't designed to sit for 10 hours a day at a desk makes lots of sense to me. Luckily, I have a set of drawers next to my desk that are just the right height, so I've been standing. And I think that's what's strained my tummy muscles.

It's a shrine to my MacBook Pro - how sad.

Standing all day is surprisingly easy, although I have noticed there is real joy and relaxation when I do finally flop down. I don't have great posture and wriggle around a lot and stick my bum out and lean and whatever - but at least I'm using a few otherwise unused muscles. And I'm thinking especially my core.

Apparently some people claim to lose weight by standing (60 Minutes again) but as I subscribe to the belief that weight is more to do with what you eat, I'm not counting on it.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Mother/Daughter Bonding

Looking for a bonding activity?

Elle and I did two on the weekend, both extremely successful - until we had yet another big fight! But never the less, here are some ideas to get closer to your kids.

1. Scrubbing the bathroom floor.
Side by side we scrubbed, half and half and with pretty spectacular results I might say.
Yes there were mutterings of 'child labour' and 'peasant's work' but she did persist.

2. Handing out clothes to the homeless on a Sunday night.
Elle and I spent four and a half hours in a mini bus with some socially incompetent fellow volunteers. We did our best to find suitable clothes for those for whom life has not been kind. Elle was hugged - several times - by a woman with enormous, bra-less breasts (she pointed them out to us a few times) and wearing a filth-covered foam neck brace - and still she smiled and remained super friendly. Go Elle!
If you're ever interested, they can always do with a hand....avaloncentre.org.au

I like this photo - I'm just that bit out of focus... perfect!