Not all that exciting really...

So although I've successfully completed another mission this month (ok, I'm calling it 8.5 hours early but still) this one hasn't left me with any real sense of accomplishment.

I have realised I look at my watch far too often, but at the same time didn't really miss it after the first week: well, at least not as much as I thought. I have missed jewellery though and will revel in the time I get to spend deciding how to accessorise my outfit for work tomorrow.

It has surprised me slightly as I never really considered myself a "girly" girl, but as I've gotten older I've started to appreciate I guess how much accessories can make or break an outfit- who would've thought.

Competition wise I've enjoyed doing the puzzles with hubby, mocking him for his bad spelling and inability to solve 13-letter anagrams, but it has turned reading magazines into a bit of a chore over the past few weeks, as I try to make sure answers are accurate and in the post in a timely manner. Still, I think the practice can continue: at least until I win something over the value of maybe $10k??

On that note though, I simply cannot bring myself to listen to the radio all day to find out if I'm in the running for tickets to Elton's party. The morning crew on that particular station are so dull they're sending me to sleep while I walk, and I just don't have the capacity to listen to it all day.

Looks like if I want a ticket to the Oscars, I'm going to have to earn it: anyone have Clooney's or Streep's number? I've got a movie pitch to run past them ;-)

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Oh crap! Slight flaw in my plan

So, the chances of travelling internationally with a passport in my maiden name is probably pretty slim right?

Bugger.

Not that I've won my tickets to Elton's party as yet but if I do, I'm going to need to get a new passport in record time.

Looks it's off to the post office for me tomorrow: why do I always think of these things at the last minute? I'm supposed to be the organised one!!

Nails are a girl's best friend

In my weeks without wearing accessories of any description I've found myself particularly proud and protective of my fingernails.

In the last 10 days alone they've been purple, light blue, hot pink, French-tipped, 30 scary minutes as yellow, and are currently bright orange.

I was a chronic nailbiter when I was younger, especially during exams. I'd either gnaw on them while trying to solve an equation, try to make them even lengths during a French or German listening test, or pick at them incessantly when I finished an essay and there was still 20 minutes remaining.

It also didnt help that I played netball a lot and always had to have them short.

I don't actually know when or how I stopped biting them, I just remember looking at a photograph from a girls' trip to QLD and going "Crap, I have nails!"

Since then I've fallen back into my old habits possibly a handful of times (over about 6years) but have come to appreciate them for what they are: both a beautiful natural accessory and a device for inflicting pain at the same time.

I think red might be next on the cards

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Party with Elton?? Why yes I think I will

So fresh from MY win via the radio station website, I'm praying that lady luck shines on me again as the same station is offering the BEST prize imaginable.

Tickets to Elton John's pre and post-Oscars party!!!

I'm not kidding. Obviously the prize also includes return airfares for me and a friend to LA and accommodation for four nights, but to be totally honest they could tell me I had to sleep in a moth-infested youth hostel with drunken Dutch tourists and I couldn't give a ^%$*

Can you imagine it? Me, watching and celebrating cinema's night of nights in a glam formal gown mingling with Hollywood elite.

I sure as hell can.

Cross your fingers, pray to God, kneel before Buddha and cast a spell because dammit I want those tickets.

Success...of sorts

Woohoo, praise the lord, pigs are flying....

I finally won something.

19 days into my mission and lady luck has shined upon me, granting tickets to an advance screening of the new movie "A Few Best Men" which I've been looking forward to since I saw the side-splitting trailer a few months ago.

The tickets were won via the radio station I don't normally listen to, but I only had to register online so my "mission within a mission" still isn't complete: but one out of two isn't bad.

The "sort of" bit from today's title come about because although I found the competition and filled out the form online, I entered once in my name and once in hubby's name:

Guess who's name came out as the winner??

I did tell him at the time I'd done it, however there was still shock and confusion on his face when he read out "congratulations you've won..." from his email on the way to work this morning.

So regardless of what he says, I'm still claiming the win as mine.

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In search of instant gratification..

Although I'm thoroughly enjoying the relaxation and brain-exercises that completing competitions is bringing me, it's a tad hard to say how my efforts are changing my life when none of the comps close for another 4 to 5 weeks.

So I made a commitment a short moment ago to find some sort of competition with almost instant results.

The best thing I can think of is calling in for the daily competitions the morning radio show I listen to runs.

But therein lies the problem: I don't want to be heard on the radio. This is completely absurd because I studied broadcast journalism and did a stint reading the news one night a week on the university radio station.

I did think it was more a fear of getting a really easy question wrong with everyone listening on, but then I realised I'm the same playing.bingo: I played in a $5k or so bingo comp once on a cruise, and spent the whole time praying my numbers didn't come up (in answer to the obvious question, the game was being played in the nightclub area and I wanted an excuse to sit and drink cocktails in the middle of the day: apparently being on a cruise wasn't a good enough excuse!)

So this is my goal: to win at least one prize on the radio by the end of the month.

Now just to find a prize worth winning!

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I feel naked...

I haven't really noticed my lack of jewellery or accessories since Jan 1, mostly because I've been lazing about on holidays without much concern about how I look.

Today however was my first day back at work, and I've got to admit I felt really under-dressed without my watch and earrings.

It feels like wearing half a 'power' suit: passable, but you don't look ready to kick some butt.

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Finally! Something hubby sees benefit in!

The last 4.5 days have been spent as a lady of leisure before going back to work tomorrow after the Chrissy break and I've made a sizable dent in my mission to enter competitions.

Based on those entered thus far, I could win a 12-wk body transformation with Michelle from The Biggest Loser, a sum of money ranging from $20 - $2500, countless pieces of kitchen equipment, a couple of holidays, make-up, accessories and more DVDs than my local Video Ezy.

And it's not over yet.

It seems that hubby thinks this is a good use of my spare time and took it upon himself to fill our shopping trolley with not one, not two by five different puzzle books offering prizes totaling over $200k. He told me that although it's my mission to enter the competitions, it doesn't mean I have to be the one to do the puzzles and he settled down with one of the books while watching the cricket.

Mind you he leaves the Sudoku's and Crack-the-codes for me to do. He tells me it's because he knows how much I like them, but in reality it's because they take a little too much brain-work for his liking!

Still, if it wins me a new car or holiday in paradise, I'm not going to be complaining!

Previously on "That's it I'm giving up"...

In the drama and organised chaos that was the final week of 2011 for my family, I forgot to fill everyone in on how my December mission panned out.

In a nutshell, I don't think I'll be becoming a nun or evangelist anytime soon. During my month of experiencing religion, I was welcomed into little communities, each with their own hierarchy and rules which govern how they live their lives. These people looked happy and were extremely social, content in theory beliefs that a higher power was looking out for them.

But the whole time I was among them I wondered whether there was anything else other than their faith which grouped them together?

Would members of the youth group still raise funds to help the less fortunate if the church didn't exist? Would the old women still have somewhere to go for morning tea in their Sunday best if their religion was abolished? Would the ageing veterans give the mo-hawked youths a chance if they didn't witness their charity work first hand?

I'd really like to say 'yes' to all of the above but I'm not sure that I can.

So I can understand the community aspect of religion, but I'm yet to be convinced of the basis for it: isn't being charitable, kind, forgiving and non-murderous simply part of being human? Why is it 'god's will' why can't it just be man-kind's decision to be all of the above?

And yes there are those people who are just generally evil and don't posess any of the above characteristics, but no one can tell me they're like that simply because they don't have god in their life: he/she isn't in mine and to the best of my recollection I've never killed anyone.

The second part of my mission was to give up alcohol, and I can honestly say the only time I missed it was when I was having lunch or dinner with friends. Didn't miss it Xmas day, boxing day or even New Year's Eve: just when I was catching up with the girls.

Actually I suspect my 'Turkey Bowl' injuries from Xmas day would've been significantly worse if I was under the influence!!

I'm also glad that I lasted the month as the first drop of alcohol I did have in January was brewed by my wonderful uncle who left this world far too soon: the 2007 Cherry Beer was great Uncle Pete xx

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Give up diamonds and win a car - good plan!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

A new year has dawned and with it comes a new set of monthly missions. This NYE saw me partaking in a gathering at my brother's house and as the clock neared midnight conversation among the guests turned to what I'll be giving up in January.

To be honest I didn't have a concrete plan in my mind this month like I have previously, and told my fellow revelers that I was open to suggestions as I wasn't feeling overly inspired by any of the 'Vices' on my list as they seemed a little dull. Soon the suggestions were flowing in from giving up underwear, all forms of media, sex, sugar and even the use of cutlery which was the clear favourite of all attendees.

My sister-in-law however was feeling particularly sinister and suggested that I 'take-up' going commando and 'give-up' sex to really drive hubby batty: I'll be honest, I was tempted :-)

It wasn't until the next morning when I was filling my folks in on the above conversation (minus the last part!) that this month's mission was decided as the suggestion of good ol' Mum...

Giving Up: Jewellery
As mentioned this idea came from my Mum as I was getting ready to head out yesterday because I ALWAYS wear a watch. I'm talking everywhere. I didn't wear it during my wedding service and the formal photos but as soon as I hit the reception that gold band was back on my wrist and stayed there like a security blanket.

I also always have earrings in of some form or another, wedding & engagement rings and a ring I got from my parents for my 21st birthday. I usually also have a necklace of some description around my neck and a bracelet on occasion. When I'm at work my accessories can also include fascinators, headbands and beads so I'm throwing these into the mix as well.

Basically for the next 30 days I won't be dressing up any of my outfits with jewellery or accessories of any sort: the only things staying on will be my wedding & engagement rings.

Taking-up: Competitions
When I was in high school, I had a friend whose mother won EVERYTHING. I'm, talking movie passes, cars, holidays and even a year's supply of toilet paper. I often find myself grabbing a That's Life! or Take 5 to pass the time on business trips but never get around to sending the answer sheets off. I also seem to know the "Mystery 5 at 5' on the radio about three days a week but again, never try to call in with the answer.

So I've decided that this is the month I'm going to do it. I'm going to buy both the above mentioned magazines every week to send the answer sheets off, enter on-line competitions that take my fancy, and have even arranged with hubby to do the drive home from work so I can make that 5.15pm phone call to win two Crust pizzas.

Wish me luck!!