ZazStyle

 “Does the eye deceive? Is that really an attractive young woman running around on the field and blowing the whistle?” This was the opening to an article in the Junior Rugby News, dated May 12, 1971. And this attractive young woman in question? That’s my Auntie Rob. She made her Rugby refereeing debut in 1971 in a mini skirt at age 26, the first female referee in Australia. As anyone who knew her would know, Rob has always walked to the beat of her own drum. When she finished high school she went to secretarial school, and after a “gap year” to the UK, taking a boat each way as this was the 60s, she got a job at Sydney Rugby Union upon her return, and quickly fell in love with the sport. In 1968 she sat the referees exam, which of course she wasn’t allowed to because she’s a woman. True to herself as usual, she investigated the constitution which contained no mention of gender, and then made her case to the Chairman who graciously permitted her to sit the exam, though knowing Rob, ...

After nearly 12 years (😱) living in Canada, I am finally a citizen!  Most of you reading this will know my story by now, but to recap, I first moved to Toronto in 2011 on a Working Holiday Visa for what I thought would be a year, but then I met a boy and stayed.  Now here's the real fun part of how I got to this point, as it's a long way from a working holiday visa to citizenship!  Back in 2013 you were allowed to apply to IEC program (International Experience Canada - the Canadian working holiday program) twice, but now a second round is a lot more complicated, so I am grateful it was an option for me at the time.  Something I haven't shared much is the fact that my mum is also a Canadian citizen. She moved Canada around the same age I was when I moved here, for 6 years, and managed to also get her citizenship. My brother and I were actually eligible for Canadian citizenship if we applied before the age of 18, but my dad thought it probably wouldn't be necessary fo...

Today I had the pleasure of performing with Sydney Wind Symphony, my former band in Sydney. I joined them fresh out of high school at then trumpet teacher Andrew Hulme's insistence. A lot of people play in school bands all the way through and then just stop, so I was very happy for the gentle nudge to join an A grade level band. But playing trumpet for 28 years would not have been possible without my first trumpet teacher, Tim Rowland, who started at TPS the same year I joined from another school. He saw something in me and quickly promoted me to the Senior bands, and continues to be responsible for cultivating some of the North Shore's most talented young musicians. Playing with Sydney Symphony when I was fresh out of school, and a license late bloomer, would also not have been possible without all the lifts from fellow South Turramurra locals Sarah and Peter Eagling! They were my ride to and from rehearsals, performances and competitions until I got my license at age 21, and ...

I've been waiting for this day since my mum told me you were diagnosed with Alzheimer's and Dementia. But as the grandchild who lives the furthest away, I saw the signs before anyone else did, as it's those who see people less frequently that notice big changes. So I guess you can say I've been thinking about when this day would come for nearly nine years. But even though I saw your decline and knew it was coming - even after being on alert that it would be "any day now" for pretty much the last nine months, it still took me by surprise. The last six days, you held on for as long as you could, even without fluids, but it was your time. Your decades of fasting and praying has no doubt secured you a place in Jannah where you can be reunited with your husband - he died when I was so young that I never even knew what to call him. The past few years have been a huge strain on everyone, but I know it was harder on you as people couldn't really visit. It's al...

Content warning - Infertility. Buckle up, this is a rough one.  Growing up, I always knew I wanted to be a mum. I love kids, and always loved working in childcare. When I got married, it was something very important to both of us. But now, I'm 35, and not anywhere close to being a mum. In fact, I haven't ovulated in close to 2 years. To back things up a little more, I was diagnosed with PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) when I was in high school. It affects 1 in 10 women, and causes a wide array of symptoms, including infertility, Anxiety (which went undiagnosed for close two decades) and various other hormonal challenges. Those of you who have met me in person will have noticed some of the fun physical traits that go along with it, specifically thinning hair. If high school isn't hard enough, try losing your hair during the process! One other thrilling physical attribute of PCOS is carrying weight around the mid section, at times making me look pregnant, which couldn'...

You know when there are those moments in your life that were always going to happen?  For me, finding the music of The Cat Empire is one of the biggest ones. Within the space of a few days, I saw them play for the first time at the Darling Harbour Jazz Festival, and my mum brought home their first album because it was playing in JB Hi-Fi and she thought I'd like it. I was in my final year of high school in the early 2000s in Sydney and loved pretty much anything with a trumpet in it, and I loved it.  Their self titled first album stayed on pretty high rotation in my discman (yes discman) until a trip to visit my aunt, when I bought their sophomore release, "Two Shoes" and listened to it for like a week on repeat. It was at this point that I fell in love real hard, and they have been my ride or die favourite band ever since. It has been a wild ride. From making new friends at tiny jazz clubs in Melbourne, to seeing them at venues all over the world, to being one of their f...