Sunday 16 September 2012

40 bits and pieces about me

Turning 40 I thought I'd do something a bit different and share some of my weird and wonderful life experiences with you all. I mean my blog is called the random adventures of my life right!

1) My three earliest memories are sitting on the potty which was on my nans kitchen table eating breakfast, sitting in old fashioned filing bins at my nans work (which incidentally was at Carlton and United Breweries so that's pretty cool) and sitting in the back boot section of my nans car (possibly a VW Buggie type car) playing while she drove down the freeway saying can you see the sheep? I'd always say yes although I don't ever remember seeing a sheep and now wonder if nan made them up.

2)  In high school I studied Greek and still remember how to say apple, thank you and i love you - so I'd pretty much be able to live there.

3) I went to 4 different high schools, Upfield High, Broadmeadows High both in Melbourne, Then Tempe High and Enmore High both in Sydney.

4) I didn't finish high school I dropped out 2 weeks into year 11 due to being homeless.

5) My first job was a check out chic at the local Super K-mart in Enmore in Sydney around 1988.

6) The first time I went to Japan in 1992 I only had $50 in my pocket.

7) I stayed in New Zealand a place in Auckland called Papakura and worked with my friend in the deli of a super markets & for a caterer.

8) I lived in The Philippines for a year in Quezon City Metro Manila and had 6 cats all that I rescued from drowning in the sewers, named Pedro, Fernando, Luigi, Stephano, Hose and Pinky

9) I've owned and managed 7 of my own businesses including, English Tutor, Beautician, Cafe and currently Perfectly Dunn Events party planning/supplies and catering follow me on facebook here.

10) I love sorting and organizing especially wardrobes - in fact its borderline obsessive compulsive.

11) I love tattoos and have many in fact my entire back is covered.

12) Although I worked in bars & clubs in Sydney when I was 18/19 I didn't drink alcohol until I went to Japan - the first sentence that I could say in Japanese was "I want to drink beer"

13) I owned a home that was custom built by Panasonic in Japan (well had an epic mortgage with my partner if you want to call that owned) 
It had many modern conveniences such as a remote control toilet seat warmer located near the bed to warm the seat before use - it also have the full electronic push button bidet system and air dryer, sensor heating under foot in the kitchen, remote control for the bath located in the kitchen that would fill it and keep it warm to my preferred temperature.

14) In The Philippines I had a 24 hour cantina that served alcohol and food-best thing was a big bottle of beer cost just under 6 cents Australian. I also introduced what I feel was the first ever toasted sandwich to the region.

15) When I was living in Japan at aged 22, I was hospitalized for 8 days for drinking too hard my bill was over $10,000 for the stay!

16) Before heading to Japan at 17-18 I worked as an office junior for a big insurance company in North Sydney my wage was so low and after paying rent and bills I'd usually have less than $20 a week left for food and entertainment. I was always so poor I couldn't always afford to eat. I'd often just buy a loaf of bread and I'd have a Vegemite sandwich for every meal for the week. I would always go out though dancing with my friends 4-5 nights a week with zero dollars in my pocket get in for free dance all night drink water (free back then) I had some of the best times!

17) Once in Korea on holiday I wanted to go to a Korean bath house and have a scrub (if you don't know about them read my piece on them here) and I asked a guy on the street for directions and he pointed one out to me... only when i went inside it was not a bath house but a brothel instead how very awkward.

18) During The Philippines presidents impeachment in 2000 Joseph_Estrada I accidentally walked straight into a student riot on my way to McDonald's there were over 10,000 riot police there and many protesters were injured and some died...but some how people got the impression I was with the world press and they cleared a path for me like I was a hero. I managed to walk away unharmed just shaken. 

19) When I was little my first dog was named Paddlefoot and he was a lovely sausage dog that actually smiled when he saw you -he broke his back jumping over a small fence in the yard protecting the veggie garden :( In that veggie garden one year my dad had a bumper crop of pumpkins ....we ate a LOT of pumpkins that season too many! To this day I still cannot stomach pumpkin soup or pumpkin pie.

20) I didn't get my drivers license until I was 30 years old and I never really drove very much - less than 5000km in an entire year- I'm a pretty nervous driver & worst as a passenger. Then all by myself I drove us 3000km across country because my partner had lost his license & needed to start his new job it took me 4 days of 12 hours a day.

21) I was raised for my first 14 years by my dad and thank goodness for that grounding and for good dads. Back then in the 70's I was the only one in my primary school that had a "step mother" I still remember kids asking me if she was evil like in fairytales.

22) My youngest sister when she was 5 and I was 15 caught me in front of the mirror rapping...yes rapping as in singing a gangsta song,,, to cover my embarrassment I told her I was black on the inside and little by little as I get older it would start to show...she believed this true for a good while.

23) In my twenties while living an extremely wealthy lifestyle I had an addiction to brand labels. At the Louis Vuitton store they knew me by name same with many other high end label stores. Once when my dad came over we were shopping and the manager at a store ran out bowing Stacey San and gave us free gifts.

24) I was married in a traditional Shinto style Japanese wedding when I was 25, I wore a kimono valued at $350,000 (no I didn't get the figure wrong you could buy a house for the price of most kimonos - for westerners to understand its like wearing a priceless piece of art like a Picasso)

25) I used to have 2 pet coin turtles called Peggy and Henry they hated each others guts!

26) In my life although I have had some really wonderful friends I've had 5 "bff's" Effie in high school, Danielle in the years after high school before Japan, Karen in Japan & NZ, Wendii in my early 30's and now Dion.... I miss those that I am not so close to anymore I know its a part of life to grow apart but I know I could have done better as a friend the loss is all mine and its huge.

27) I used to find witch craft fascinating I have dabbled in some spells and found they have always ALWAYS worked. I've done card readings for my own self guidance for years now. Once an acquaintance asked me to do a reading for her and to my surprise showed up at my house with a bunch of her friends all thinking I was a psychic or spiritual reader. I remember one of them was a prison guard they all left happy with the readings though.

28) I've always been interested in history especially with King Henry the 8th.

29) A drag queen once kicked me out of Taxi Club a famous gay bar in Sydney in the wee hours of the morning because I was wearing the same outfit...Lesson Leaned!

30) On NYE 1989 or 1990 I witnessed someone jump out of a second story window above the club Tunnel in Kings Cross Sydney (underbelly golden mile was based around this club during this time). He nearly landed on 2 police officers that had just walked outside they took us inside and the owner gave us a stiff drink. I never heard what happened to the person that jumped the sound of their head cracking when it hit the concrete is something I will never forget.

31) I've never been one to shy away from trying food,,, I've eaten some really weird and wonderful things, such as turtle soup with a chaser of turtle blood wine, fish eyes, a shot of alcohol that had a tigers penis marinading in it and bugs many many bugs!

32) I've fought off muggers twice in my life (once at gun point) by basically freaking out and making a lot of noise and each time they have run away. I think that the more unexpected you act the better off you'll be.

33) When I lived with my sister we had pink walkie talkies to stop us texting each other too much from the next room my call name was Mella (as in Malibu Stacey)and hers was Bella (Ballerina Barbie).

34) Once on a trip to Bangkok I got really bad food poisoning on the way home I filled out the customs card that asked if I had been sick in the past 5 days so I checked the YES box and was promptly quarantined and men in full body hazard suits tested me for hours. I just wanted to go home and curl up in bed it was a long long night.

35) All my life I've had a condition called Hyperhidrosis which is excessive sweating centralised in my hands they literally drip with sweat. It was tough in primary school and has meant that I cant do some activities, I panic when I have to shake someones hand its always a real sinking feeling watching them wipe their hand on their pants after it. I steer clear of dancing with partners, no pole dancing classes for me, holding hands, drawings and things like knitting, origami and sewing.

36) I once became a pash parties sex toy consultant so that I could get the consultant discount on their lingerie range. To become a consultant you have to buy a full party kit and give at least 4 parties which I did,, then when I was moving house with my current partner the box containing this kit including some really inappropriate stuff many many vibrators, bondage tape, whips, lubes, anal beads and so on -broke when my father in law picked it up. I wasn't there but he told his son maybe you better pick all that up. I'm still mortified to this day and imagine he must think that we have a crazy kinky sex life!

37) When I worked for Australia Post Complaints Department in the call centre and I can't even begin to tell you the silly things people put through the postage system not just money and precious items. I once had a caller that was looking for the ashes of their dead father they were posting to their sister. A caller that accused the postie of stealing their porn and another that was certain the postie was having an affair with their wife. The general caller was Australian and always very angry which has been the case in all the Australian call centers I've worked for- I don't know what it is but when we call customer service areas the majority of people here turn into CHUMPS. Please remember that humans are at the end of the phone and they haven't personally done anything wrong to you AND they are going to be the person that can most likely help FIX it - quick tip don't burn that bridge!

38) Once in New Caledonia I was bitten by a jelly fish - we flew to this little secluded island lagoon in one of these planes that land on the water....those planes are so scary they jump around in the sky like a roller coaster.

39) I've had some interesting, humorous and sometimes disastrous online dating experiences, including going on a date with a guy with torrets, a man that asked me to have a 3some with him and his sister (don't even get me started on how wrong he was) lots of boring & awkward dates and lots more trial and error relationships of varying depth and length and some just for fun times. But happily I met the man of my dreams online and we have had such a great few years together and are even planning our wedding. So persistence and patience can pay off! 

40) My last entry is to say I have lived a great life so far full of many highs & lows. I've had extremely rich & extremely poor moments, sad times, embarrassing times, but mostly many many happy times. I feel so lucky & grateful to have had the experiences that I have, they have led me to the here and now. My advice is don't let the bad times define you get rid of the negative. See the humor in situations as much as possible laugh at yourself and mostly, money isn't what makes you happy You control your happiness.

Love Stacey xx

Sunday 9 September 2012

Botox- Before and After photos

So D- day or B-day as I refer to it in my head arrived I was beside myself with excitement hopping from foot to foot.

The procedure itself was much less painful than I expected and really quick.

The slight swelling went down within an hour.It took about 8 days to reach it's full potential the after shots were taken 10 days after my Botox injections.

See before and after shots (yikes no make up) I'm really happy with it. 

Before -crows feet

after- crows feet


before forehead

after forehead - this shot doesn't do it justice the results in real life are better

Self conscious of all the no make up shots I had to add one with make up :)