Back at work

It's my first day back at work from annual leave. It really didn't feel like four weeks off at all. I came in early and all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed now that I know I must go to bed before 11pm for my spleen, and I was so uncertain of my roster I was waiting for a third person to turn up and for someone to day "Hey, you're not due back until next week!"

It feels weird today for two reasons:
1. My house mate finally moved in permanently/full-time over the weekend making today the first day at work with her at home. I don't have to worry about my dog escaping, being lonely and bored, or generally getting into trouble. I can be at work and just be at work. The HM (house-mate) works part-time atm and most of her hours are over the weekend.
2. I'm not studying western med. Normally I'd get into work and get straight into the books, always having that persistent looming feeling over my head that I have an ovewhelming amount of study to do. I have TCM study to do, but it doesn't feel in the least bit overwhelming.

Today I've cleared my inbox, organised my TCM study folder, and revised a bit on the 5 phase elements and the timings of the qi moving through the body. I'm happy I can "drop" my western med now as it will make it easier to learn the TCM stuff, although I certainly do use my current understanding of things to make sense of the new stuff, ie 3-5am is the time qi moves to the lungs and this is the time we most frequently see severe respiratory problems in ambulance ie APO.

I also cooked up my herbs and my coworker didn't mind the smell. They didn't taste too bad even after my TCM student practitioner warned me twice how bad they would taste.

Now the countdown begins to my next lot of annual leave - in 12 weeks :D

The BF

So.... I said I'd never talk about my love-life on here, but someone has become a major part of mine and it's hard to keep things separated. I've typed then deleted a number of posts mentioning him which never got published, but today I had to re-jig my schedule to accommodate my BF. Typical. LOL

My darling BF (boyfriend), who is atm in my mind the most wonderful person in the world, lives some distance from me. We have been seeing each other about 7 months now and we've just decided to try and spend our weekends together every week, in sort of a part-time living together arrangement until other arrangements have been made. This does severely impact my study schedule, but for two months I've been trying to get my study all done during the week and it seems to have been working well so far. I've also attended online lectures at his place and studied there as well, and he is so sweet and doesn't mind watching a some revision videos on the couch with me at home. Cute. He totally gets how important medicine is to me and wants to be as supportive as possible and not selfish like so many blokes are.

He is a social worker and works in Child Protection for the Government and is wanting to do post-grad psychology and become a clinical psychologist. He grew up on a farm and has those lovely country good-values and utter brut strength which is so attractive in a man (as well as his pure good-looks). So that is him.

It's all shiny and new and wonderful.

But I digress.

I can either drive or catch the country "fast-train" (in Australia, the fast-train is about 0.30x the speed of the Japanese Shinkansen) to his. Driving is a tiny bit quicker and both probably cost about the same as my car is so economical on fuel. I personally prefer the train because I can study on it, eat and drink, there's a bathroom on board (it's a long trip), and I can even sleep on it if I need to. I find it less exhausting. Remember that I drive long distances for a living!

Anyway, I've had to change my study schedule, but like I said, it is fluid as is life - things are constantly changing.

Also, I'm glad I can talk about my BF now because we are planning to build our sustainable house on his land that he already owns - 5 acres in the bush. The project is moving slowly but we have a long deadline of the end of next year which takes a lot of pressure off. Currently we are up to having it surveyed etc so I am sure I will start another page on here about the progress of the house once we break ground.

And.....lastly, my new housemate is finally sort-of moving in this weekend! Well, she is setting up her room and will be staying here on the weekends I'm away at the BF's, which is two a month. I have to clear out that room (it's currently my guest room. My gym will be the new guest room and the front living room will double as work-out space) today - there's not much in there, just two single beds and extra bed linen etc in the cupboards. She will move in permanently when she sorts out her job and hours etc.

The dog is very excited to have his best friend, my housemate, alternating weekends with his other best friend, my BF.

So, as usual, it's all very exciting! I love my life!