I'm So Excited to Read 'Little Dorrit', by Charles Dickens

I am actually on a self-imposed book-buying ban at the moment, but I simply could not walk away from this little gem of a book, for only $2.88. I am so excited. My passion for Charles Dickens has recently been rekindled and I cannot wait to read this one! Squeeeee!!!

Life Is What You Make Of It

I am very lucky because I actually really like my job. True, there are some days when I go home bummed out because things didn't go the way I had planned. And yet, since I began this job eight months ago I have not woken up in the morning wishing I didn't have to go to work. As my boyfriend pointed out to me, there is no one in the work place who has it in for another member of staff. Everyone gets along well and behaves in a professional manner.

Job satisfaction is something that is really important to me. It is not something I have had before this current job. Some people would tell me that my job is beneath me because of my high level of education - hell, very few receptionists have two bachelor degrees and a post-graduate degree on the way. But I don't care. A job is not beneath you if you enjoy it.

I love the fact that I can smile up at life and embrace it with open arms. Don't agree with me? That's okay, I pooh-pooh your derision and skip merrily along my way.

It's The Small Things In Life

Life has been very rocky for me lately, and at times it has felt like things couldn't possibly get any worse. I try to remain as positive as possible and am learning to look at the brighter side of the equation.

Take, for example, may favourite pair of work shoes. Comfortable and understated enough for the office, they worked well for me. Today I was sitting at my desk when it occurred to me that the bottom of my foot felt cold. Lo and behold, the bottom of my shoe had ripped off. I am on a tight budget at the moment, so didn't want to fork out a wad of cash for some new shoes...I also have appointments after work and so needed some footwear.

With a forced smile on my face I trundled down the street to the op shop (second hand goods charity shop), soaking up the rare sunshine and resigned to the fact that I was going to have to buy any dowdy old shoe that would fit my pint-sized foot.

And the only shoe that fit? These beautiful designer shoes, never been worn, not a scratch on them, for only $10:

And so, I am grinning from ear to ear and enjoying the small things in life!

High Summer Read-A-Thon...Conclusion

I was very excited to be a part of this read-a-thon, hosted by the lovey Michelle over at TrueBookAddict. If there is one thing in this world that I cannot live without, it is reading. Unfortunately I didn't get to read every day as I had planned. To cut a long story short, life has been very hectic with the flu,  a funeral, University assignment I forgot about, as well as a few other things that have cropped up this week.

So what DID I achieve?

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - Complete
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - Almost complete (I have about 5 pages left)

The Real Middle Earth, by Brian Bates - 2 Chapters

State Library of Victoria Policy Framework and 09/10 Annual Report - 35 pages (for Uni, does that count???)

I have also 'met' some really lovely people, and 'heard' about a wide range of books that I will be adding to my TBR list when I have the time.