This one's for my nephew's bedroom wall:

"Preston the Pirate"

That's my nephew in the middle, with his parents either side.

Great, now I have to type in the middle for some reason!

Guess who I had the pleasure to see this morning?  Here's a hint:

Yes!  It was Pseudo!  :-)  He's lovely, even if he is again somewhat involved with his ex.  Let's just see if that works out.  If it doesn't, I'm there!  hehe  That is, if I don't get snapped up first by another eligible man.  Actually, a couple of days ago I was told of an eligible local man by one friend, then last night another friend introduced me to another, & late last night yet another man sent me a 'kiss' on rsvp - so it's raining men!  (I still like Pseudo the best, so far though.)

Oh, & I had to stop myself from drooling when he casually mentioned in conversation today that he has enough equity not to work for seven years if he so chose!  (Sorry if you don't understand, guys, it's a female thing.)

Would you believe, I rang a new hairdressing salon just now to make an appointment, and the person who answered the 'phone guessed who I was by recognising my voice?!  And she knew my daughter's name.  Looking at their "grand opening" newspaper ad, I don't recognise her face nor name, & I don't recall ever having met her!  I realise this is a small town, but this is remarkable!

I wonder how many people recognise me as I do my shopping, because I have my photo (picture) on rsvp.com.au?  Ah well, the things we do for love!

On that first lunch date I mentioned in a previous post, you wouldn't believe the number of people who either spotted me (I saw their looks of recognition) or said "hello" to me while I was sitting with the new potential!  It's like living in a fishbowl.  I've been waiting to hear back from the ex that word reached him that I'd been seen out with a new man.  Nothing yet, even though one of the people who know (friend of the pseudo boyfriend) works with the ex!  Maybe I can breathe a sigh of relief, not that it's any of his business, just that I don't want him  making any snide remarks to me about it.

My first solo art exhibition is currently hanging in a local cafe!  I've had two two person art exhibitions previously, & about ten group exhibitions.

"Smile"

Smile, though your heart is aching

Smile, even though it's breaking

When there are clouds in the sky

You'll get by...

If you smile

With your fear and sorrow

Smile and maybe tomorrow

You'll find that life is still worthwhile

If you just...

Light up your face with gladness

Hide every trace of sadness

Although a tear may be ever so near

That's the time you must keep on trying

Smile, what's the use of crying

You'll find that life is still worthwhile

If you just...

Smile, though your heart is aching

Smile, even though it's breaking

When there are clouds in the sky

You'll get by...

If you smile

Through your fear and sorrow

Smile and maybe tomorrow

You'll find that life is still worthwhile

If you just smile...

That's the time you must keep on trying

Smile, what's the use of crying

You'll find that life is still worthwhile

If you just smile

I don't know how many Australian readers I have, probably not many, but just in case:  if you've just recently separated, have any children under 18, & their father isn't paying any child support, then immediately contact the Child Support Agency to organise child support through them! 

 It'll take about an hour over the 'phone:  131 272.  You'll need to provide your tax file number, Centrelink Reference Number (if you have one), your taxable income for the last financial year (& his), full contact details for both of you, names & dates of birth for the children, & tell them how many nights your children will be staying with him for the next 12 months (I know, you're expected to foresee this), etc etc - however before you commit to giving them a number of nights, find out what the tiers are, eg after 1st July 2008:  0-51 nights is called Nil; 52-127 nights=regular; 176-189=shared; 190-237=shared(?); 238-313=primary; 314-365=sole care (or so I was told after probing today).  Obviously nil or regular will result in more child support for you, than higher tiers, at least in theory.

I didn't entirely panic when my husband, through his solicitor (lawyer) refused to pay child support & spousal maintenance, because I was under the impression that the CSA would pay 'back pay' - but when I finally contacted the CSA today I discovered that they don't!  I have missed out on perhaps several thousand dollars because I was not aware of this!  That's money I need to put food on the table.  :-(

Please benefit from my experience.

 

Cartoon by Dave Walker. Find more cartoons you can freely re-use on your blog at We Blog Cartoons.

From:  http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/03/1 2/2187183.htm" title="http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/03/1 2/2187183.htm" target="_blank"http://www.abc.net.au/news/st...

 "Quarter of US teen girls have STD: report

More than one in four US teenage girls is infected with at least one sexually transmitted disease, and the rate is highest among blacks, the US Centre for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention said.

An estimated 3.2 million US girls ages 14 and 19 - about 26 per cent of that age group - have a sexually transmitted infection such as the human papillomavirus (HPV), chlamydia, genital herpes or trichomoniasis, the CDC said.

Forty-eight per cent of black teenage girls were infected, compared to 20 per cent of whites and 20 per cent of Mexican American girls. The report did not give data on the broader US Hispanic population.

"What we found is alarming," the CDC's Dr Sara Forhan, who led the study, said.

"This means that far too many young women are at risk for the serious health effects of untreated STDs, including infertility and cervical cancer."

Dr John Douglas, director of the CDC's Division of STD Prevention, said a complex mix of factors is to blame for the higher rates among black girls, including the overall higher presence of sexually transmitted diseases, or STDs, in the broader black community.

"Therefore, for any given sex act with any given partner, a person who's not infected has a greater risk of coming into contact with infection and getting infected," Dr Douglas said.

The CDC said the rate of STD infection among US teen girls might be higher than the study indicates because it did not look at syphilis, gonorrhea or HIV infection, but said these generally are uncommon in girls this age.

The CDC said the report, released at a meeting in Chicago, was the first to gauge combined rates of common STDs in female adolescents, giving the best data to date."

- Reuters

I wonder what the figures would be if teenage girls insisted on their sexual partners using condoms?  "If it's not on, it's not on."!

 

I haven't been posting much because what I have to say might bore you, especially because I'm trying not to write:

 a) anything too identifying;

b) anything I don't want locals, or people who know me in real life, to know, just in case they've found my blog.

Estranged husband met his new girlfriend in our capital city last November.  It was rather vile to see his silly grin whenever he read a mobile 'phone (cellphone) text from her.  You see, he was still living here for several weeks after meeting her. 

Meanwhile, I'm still on my lonesome, & wondering if I always will be. 

 Once bitten twice shy, so I'm not interested in getting married again. 

What I would like is someone to go places, do things, have some fun, & pleasant experiences with - someone who likes me a whole lot, preferably.

I would prefer that someone to be taller than me, intelligent, kind, interesting, clean and at least somewhat good looking....and please God let him know how to spell?!

I signed up for a dating site, mainly because I thought it would be fun to choose between mens' pictures & profiles (I do like to choose), but instead I feel despair.  Where are the men who _don't_ have something wrong with them?  Did I hear you say "married already"?

Yes, I am more choosy than most people would think a fat woman has a right to be, but having settled so long with someone who wasn't right for me, & being in my 40s now, is it any wonder?

Maybe I should just resign myself to remaining single (& dateless) for the rest of my life?  The trouble is, I'm a real romantic - plus I do like to have company when I go out to have fun.  I like to have someone to share pleasant experiences with.  I feel such a dork travelling on my own, going places on my own.  It feels like something is missing, like most of the potential of the experience eg.

By the way, most men lose their looks & suddenly age after 40!  It's horrible.  I've seen some men in their 40s (on dating sites) who look like they're in their 60s!  Most physically attractive men are much younger than me.  :-(  It makes me really appreciate the men who do still look good in their 40s, whether that be because they don't smoke & drink too much, do eat their vegetables daily (& don't consume too much junk food), exercise a lot, or just because they have good genes.

Yes, looks are important to me - but personality, character, effort, achievements, ambitions, and the way he feels about me and treats me could possibly make up for lack in that department.