It's a Golf Thing

I think we can safely say that summer is now here. Finally! Drinks in the sun, the sand on your toes and socializing with friends, who does not like summer?

 However, I find summer can be a frustrating time for women who have partners or husbands interested in golf.

 It certainly can be for me.  

I have learnt one important thing about boys - they are not just obsessed with football, but every other sport including cricket, table tennis, tennis, basketball, Wii sport (if that counts) and golf, and during the summer months, these addictions are at their peak.

Over the years I have noticed that golf has become one of the single most popular pastimes among my male friends. Hitting the fairways and spending countless hours under the sun seems to be the way they prefer to spend their summer days.

Now, I am not saying there is anything wrong with this. It however frustrating when I only really see my partner (Tom) on weekends which happen to be the days most men play golf.

I had wrongly assumed that my partner would, after a long morning of training in the sweltering heat want to retire to the comfort of his air-conditioned living room, or maybe, possibly want to spend time with me. But no.

Just Golf, Golf, Golf, swim, golf, golf and bed.

Last year he played in `the Wanderers' golf tournament down at the National at Cape Schanck. Twenty men his age were playing and roughly 70 (older) men, including my father.

When Dad returned I asked him how he went. His reply? ``Fit men under the age of 25 should not be allowed in the tournament...Tom won''.

I already knew this, because Tom had sent me and 10 of his friends a photo message of the trophy he picked up.

It was this time last year when Tom was leading up to his fifth day in a row on the golf course when he was on his way to Lorne to visit me. And much to his annoyance, instead of venturing back out on the fairways, he came to the beach with me.

 I was very much looking forward to a relaxing day on the beach reading my book with him (silly me).

 When we got there, we saw about 20 of our friends with beach cricket sets, tennis balls, Frisbees and more.

 Alas, more sport.

Yesterday I realised, this was all going to happen again.

It has begun.

 Tom’s one day a week where he does not have to do physical activity is on a Sunday. So what does he do? A 6km charity walk and a round of 18 holes of golf.

Crazy?

 I think so.

So, after a bit of research, I've worked out why men love sport so much, particularly golf, and was surprised how it also relates to my favorite pastime - shopping.

1. Time with boys. Sure they love the sport but it is being out of the house with their mates that makes men love to have a hit of golf. Like me with shopping, it's a great excuse to spend time with my girlfriends.

2. Exercise. Walking the fairways is exercise. Again, like shopping, it's amazing how many kilometers you can walk in Chadstone.

3. Competition. Men are competitive by nature so it's not surprising how many slabs of beer or dinners are lost on the golf course. I also get that competitive edge when I'm shopping in the sales, I love nothing more than snatching a great bargain ahead of all the other bargain-hunters.

Don't get me wrong, I think watching and being involved in sport is an extremely important part of life.

I just don’t understand the whole golf thing. 

Fair enough?

Before I went overseas I had to save a substantial amount of money. And for me Saving money= No shopping.

It is a simple concept, but a concept that is very hard for me to put into practice. However, with some wonderful support from my best friend Camille I managed to stay away from the shops for roughly 3 months before my trip.

The week before I went away everything was looking great, I was in control and I had money in the bank.

When I arrived at my first stop in London, all hell broke loose. I was a race horse jumping out of the gates and no one could stop me.

I had been patient, I had saved and now I was going to shop.

Unfortunately one month into my trip I realised I hadn’t really saved enough money in relation to all the shopping I was doing and all of the eating and drinking.

But I did not let a little thing like money deter me, after all I had a new shiny credit card!

 And swipe, swipe, swipe I went.

Nothing was a problem whilst I was travelling, not money and certainly not the idea of getting a real job when I arrived home. All was fine and dandy.

But then home time happened. Along with a crazy credit card debt and unemployment and then I learnt a little something called ‘interest rates’.

So, in all of my misery I quickly found some temp work to help me with the credit card debt and vowed to stay away from the shops yet again.

Simple enough I thought, I can easily restrain myself from shopping for a few months whilst I work and in no time my credit card debt will be history.

But you see it is not this simple. Not anymore. No, no, no because there is a little thing these days called online shopping.

From shopbop, Net-a-Porter, Asos and my new favourite Boutiques.com I can’t help myself!

Everything seems to be saying ‘Buy. Buy. Buy’ expecially with our dollar being so good. Every time there is a sale for anything (15%, free shipping etc) I crack. I feel compelled to take advantage of it and buy whatever I want.

I rationalise my behaviour by “saving money in the long run” and making up fake presents for people.

Yes, online shopping is very, very bad for me. But at the same very, very good for me. It gives me this satisfied feeling of buying something without the guilt, because no one can judge me when I bring another shopping bag home because it's all just a click away!

It is so simple, once you have already put your credit details in the system it automatically saves them for next time, so you don’t even feel the guilt of pulling your purse out.

 It’s 100 percent Perfect.

So I am sorry commonwealth. But until the internet closes down I will be shopping and as long as I am shopping you are just going to have to wait for your money.

Fair enough?

Emma

xoxo

A Dog's Life

Last night I found myself being jealous of my dog my Oscar. Correct, I am now jealous of a dog.

 O dear.

I was having those recurring thoughts in my head; what I am doing this weekend? What am I doing for New Year? Did I really spend that much on Saturday night? How will I pay credit card this month? When will I get a job? Was she really with him? What am I doing with my life???

You all know the drill; these thoughts make you stressed, anxious and confused.

Whilst I was having these annoying thoughts I looked over to Oscar who is as happy as can be because he has just returned from a play and is waiting next to his bowl for his dinner, which he will demolish in 30 seconds only to retire to the couch and fall asleep with not a worry in the world.

Damm, I thought. He has it so good!

It took Oscar only 10 weeks to graduate from puppy school.

But me?  22 years to finish school and a Uni degree and STILL no job and no IDEA

No matter how old Oscar gets, he will never have to work, pay for his food (let alone feed himself), wash himself, apply for jobs or have a mortgage.

Yes, I know I am crazy I am writing a blog about being a dog. But if you knew how well Oscar was treated, trust me you would want to be him!

However, unfortunately there are some dogs that do have worries. Not all dogs are treated with the love that Oscar receives. Some are unwanted dogs and some are subjected to animal cruelty.

 There are many dogs who need adopting, so if you know anyone who is in a position to adopt a dog or is looking for a dog send them to this website.

http://www.adoptapet.com.au/

Lots of Love,
Em