GIFT IDEAS, help?

Ever had that moment where, after much search, you FINALLLY find that special something you really really love? Only for it to get taken away from you by a grubby customer OR because they ran out of your size OR, and even worse, IT BREAKS?

This happened today.

My boyfriend turning 25 has come and gone and to find him the perfect present was harder then finding a peace agreement for Syria. FINALLLLYYYYYY we found THE GIFT..an amazing watch! After firmly instructing the lady serving us to stop telling us how much every watch we look at was, as ‘money wasn’t an issue’, we decided on the most expensive watch in the shop (naturally!).  But, this really didn’t matter… the gift had been found and it left the boy happy, me happy; and gosh, even the lady serving us seemed over the moon (probably mentally purchasing herself a holiday with the commission from the watch sale). As we walk out of the shop it happened, the perfect act of indian givery…. My boyfriend moves his arm up and down in a somewhat aggressive manner and BAM the watch breaks. It just popped off his wrist like it was nobody’s business.

His face DROPPPED. I was in shock. The lady, when we came back into the shop, had a look of serious worry (and almost curiosity as to why we were coming back so soon – was it to purchase more watches? More commission? WRONG!)

So, in an emotional rollercoaster of a day, I went from the ultimate girlfriend with a happy 25yr old who wasn’t sure what to do with his massive smile to.. two upset puppies driving home in the rain listening to bon iver and discussing what could have been; what would have been.

The mission to find the perfect present is BACK ON…. And I’m now accepting only the coolest, most awesome of ideas. If you are a boy (which I know a lot of you are) or a chick with a great sense of present giving (bound to be a few) GIVE ME IDEAAASSSSSS. I will reward you some how,  I swear!

 - the rat. 

and winter is en route….

June has arrived and with that means coats out everybody! It’s time to vacuum seal away your bikinis, shorts and anything reasonably awesome and short that once swayed happily off your bronze shoulders. We are entering the ‘eat extra; feel guilty in your warm sleeping coma’ phase of the year. There are actually some positives from this time of year:

1) my abilty to perpetually drink tea at a rate faster then a salmon swimming upstream to mate is now accepted as normal;

2) ski season is around the corner..and this year i spied veuve clicot making their way down to thredbo (heellllooooooooo thredbo in the last week of july!);

3) hiding under wooollen mitts and thousands of layers makes enjoying an over-indulgent cheese platter (with extra pate) easier;

4) so many days where the perfect excuse for not getting out of bed is ‘its too cold’, rather then umming and ahhing about wanting to get some extra sleep vs tanning vs getting drunk in the sun; and finally…… but of course not lastly,

5) all the usual num nuts who rampage bondi during the summer months, like a fat kid to cake, have all stayed home. Now, walking around is made a lot easier. As are finding a parking spot and a table at a restaurant (except mad pizza - no matter who you know or how you know them, getting a table there at peak hour dinner time is tricky stuff.. if you havent’ booked).

So on that note, I say WELCOME winter! You have been missed (…come back to me in a few weeks and ill no doubt be complaining about my chapped lips, frozen toes at night and snifffling nose from a head cold).. But in the meantime, I look forward to now being able to sleep without sweating and waking up to the peaceful sound of rain on my window (preferably, this could happen on saturdays and sundays…thanks!)

- the rat.

HELP?

As i come to the end of a: 1 year stint in pre-school; a 13 year stint at school; and now a 6 year stint at uni… i’m about to hit the real world and i am bloody nervous about it. Whether its the fact I can call myself a Lawyer soon and therefore actually defend or fight for people or a business for a living OR that i’ll no longer be able to use the excuse ‘i’m at uni, i can’t work full time’ OR ’ sorry, i haven’t yet covered that at uni’ or even worse, ‘my centrelink hasn’t come through yet; so, I can’t afford dinner’ its all making me pretty anxious. 

With leaving my bubble comes the great challenge of navigating the unexpected. And, the only advice i’ve been given so far is ‘don’t worry, just take it as it comes’. WELL, thats NOT going to fit. Im not generally a ‘lets take it as it comes’ type person (although ill preach until i’m blue in the face that I am). I like organisation and planning and lists..  I like having some idea of what is coming up in life and what to expect (its why I ask so many questions!). So, when the opportunity comes to finally leave uni and join the long line of train commuters, saturday morning walkers and sunday night grocery shoppers it makes me all very tingly and nervous. 

SO, i’m after ADVICE - good quality advice on what to expect next? give me some light (albeit ill be happy if its just small candle size light) of what to expect as a grown up… 

This is what i’ve got so far: 

- the daily rat. 

What’s the theme song to your life?

As many of you have already heard, i have a pretty awesome job at a sydney lawfirm. ( if you dont know about it then read this: http://survivelaw.com/index.php/blogs/careers/1117-summer-clerk-diary-isabella-dickson-marque-lawyers ) ANYWAYYY - we have been asked to choose a song which we would describe as our life ‘theme song’. At first, I thought this song would be so easy to find - in fact, this challenge has me in sweats with grey hairs emerging. WHAT SONG DO I CHOOSE??

My current selection includes:

Toto- Africa (www.youtube.com/watch?v=aCca5mPMp9A)

No body wants you when you’re 23 - Blink 123

Al Green - Lets stay together (www.youtube.com/watch?v=COiIC3A0ROM)

Kaskade - Its you, Its me (www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHaxtbxXqIo)

Disclosure- Latch (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93ASUImTedo)

Estelle - 1980 ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0ODOYNAuGM)

WHAT SONG DO I CHOOSE? What should my criteria be? Should it be a song which reminds ME of MY life or what reminds EVERYONE else of ME? questions questions questions…

If you have any hints or suggestions then let me know! URgently needing your help! the-daily-rat@hotmail.com

- the rat

one ring… to rule them all

I am one of those girls obsessed by diamonds and the pending nuptials that ensue from the simple question of ‘Will you marry me?’. I would hope there are many others who share this similar interest, otherwise….this post will appear reprehensibly crass to you all. I can, and proudly that is, admit that one day I would love to be a fanatical wedding planner (perhaps the grass is greener though? If any of our readers are in this stage of their life and want to offload their venting on how amazing/shit it is….feel free to email us at: the-daily-rat@hotmail.com)

Soo, when i found a friend (who is a BOY…and straight) who also shared this love for diamonds, I could straight away confirm that we were going to be friends for life. How often to you meet a guy who is willing to talk cuts, shapes, sizes, clarity, and colours with you…. and not just for 5 minutes - but for hours! The following barage of photos are dedicated to you paz, oh and celia too…for using our conversation as a not so subtle inroad to hinting about what ring you would LOVE when presented with the said question. 

Enjoy….. there are even a few cute proposal methods in there… 

- the Rat. 

These wedding bands have the other persons finger print on them…

Anyway - onto the sparkles!!