Archive for 18/12/2008

My 2008

30/12/2008 Joh blogging, gratitude

I am reflecting on what I have achieved this year. December 2007 seems like a lifetime ago. It has been a pretty full year for me and an enjoyable one mostly.

We’ve got through Tom’s last year of going to school and now my work is done in child rearing. Now I’m a spectator in my adult children’s lives. He was disappointed with his VCE score, but it wasn’t so bad. The pain only seems to last a couple of days. I saw a kid at the movies last night and she struggled to remember hers. I find it all very amusing really.  Asha has finished her second year at Uni and has made a good life for herself in Melbourne. Both my kids have two good jobs and are very independent, but fun to be around so I’m pleased with how it’s turned out.

My family are all well and happy. Kate’s moved to the UK and whilst I miss her I love hearing how much she’s enjoying it. It has inspired me. She split up with her boyfriend who is still in Melbourne over Christmas and yet she is still pretty upbeat. It was inevitable I guess.

I moved my blog to my own domain this year and have dropped a pagerank with google, part way through the year. I’ve managed to hang in the Top 100 Australian Women’s Blogs by the skin of my teeth (currently at 99), although I dropped out for a month or so at one point. I’ve had over 21,000 views this year. I must admit I like WordPress, but I haven’t blogged as regularly or put as much time into it this year. I’ve taken very few clips for Revver and have participated less on line and more in real life this year. I think it’s a good balance though. I’ve enjoyed staying in touch with people through Facebook.

Andy and I started Poohduck in May, he is doing most of it now. I love his photo’s. I’m glad we’ve stayed friends. We’ve had our moments, but all in all I have a lot of love and respect for him.

At school I have survived a year as Year 9 Co-ordinator and made the big decision to move next year. I’m heading overseas to work. I have always wanted to travel so I’m taking this opportunity of an empty nest to do so. I’m leaving in July. I need a change. I haven’t loved my school this year as much as I have in the past. I don’t want to sit around in a big old empty house doing the same old stuff. I’m excited and nervous and don’t really have a solid plan yet, just a firm decision and strong intention.

My social life has gone off (as they say) this year. I think being single has provided a lot more social opportunity and I caught up with an old school friend in October who is also separated, so we have made an effort to go out more and socialise. It’s been fun. I have made some great new friends this year also.

So many other things, good films, great music, interesting places…. but it’s all here on the blog. I’m off to the beach for a couple of days. Happy New Year everyone. I’m looking forward to 2009. I think it’s going to be amazing.

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I Love Summer

29/12/2008 Joh friends

Today has been very busy. I’ve caught up with my second cousin, Laurie, at my Auntie’s passing through on his way to Tasmania. I haven’t seen him since my grandfathers funeral last year and that was a blur. I visited Andy’s sister… who is also heading to Tassie and I dropped some stuff off for her to take to him. I enjoyed her gorgeous son, who is less than a year old. He was such a contented baby and it was peaceful to hang out with them.

Willy’s PoolI went to Wilma’s for a swim in her pool… and to spend time with her. It was blissful swimming the afternoon away.  I took this photo when I got out with wrinkly fingertips after soaking too long. I checked out my beautiful spare room there, that I intend to spend plenty of time in. We had a lovely steak and salad barbie, which was tasty, due to the swim induced hunger I reckon. I love spending time with her. Old friends are great are they not?

I had to come home tonight cause Tom is going to Pyramid Rock thingy and I wanted to see him before he goes. I don’t know why he can’t just stay home and watch TV on New Years Eve, would be less stressful for me!

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New Moon in Capricorn – Saturday 27th December 2008

27/12/2008 Joh astrology

Tonight is a New Moon in Capricorn. This will be a great time to set intentions and goals for the whole year, not just the new month. Jonathon Cainer in his audio forecast mentioned that Saturns position at New Years Eve will make our resolutions powerful this year. In fact he indicates that old saying ‘careful what you wish for’ because the likelihood of getting what you want is great and it will be difficult to reverse.

There are a lot of planets in Capricorn right now. This New Moon says Capricorn has a grounding power and a fearless attitude, so a good time to face any excesses that have occurred and get back down to earth. A great place to come from when planning the year ahead.

Mystic Medusa says this new moon will be the real kick start of the long era of Pluto in Capricorn and all the shifts that will bring.

Yep I know I’ve posted twice today, but this new moon has crept up on me. I will be in and out during the coming week, so posting will be less predictable than the unpredicatable way it has been this month!

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Christmas Debrief

27/12/2008 Joh family, gratitude

I’ve had a fabulous couple of days with the family and friends. Christmas was the joy I always hoped for. Too much food, plenty of laughter and many loved ones surrounded me. I adored my presents this year. I didn’t want anything specific this year, so it was all surprises as well.

I missed Kate, but had a great 2 hour chat with her on facebook on Boxing day morning, that satisfied some of the need to hang out with her. My brother Brendan was also absent from our Christmas day this year. He was in Darwin though with his adopted family and I know he enjoys those Christmas’s as well. The remainder of us enjoyed mum’s fabulous cooking, Tim’s great music and all that goes with the family getting together.

Yesterday we went to my Auntie Judy’s and spent a relaxing afternoon eating and conversing with mum’s extended family. There were four out of the seven of her siblings there. Way too much food has been consumed by myself. We dropped my brother Danny off at Seaspray on the way home from Judy’s. I don’t think I’ve ever been there before. It looked beautiful. The rain we’ve had lately has really transformed the countryside and in the late afternoon it was really picturesque.

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One more sleep….

24/12/2008 Joh gratitude

Every Christmas is different really isn’t it? I remember how excited I would be as a child. I feel that again after a long time. In between these years there has been a lot of stressing, rushing, overspending and people pleasing involved in Christmas… not in a good way. Last year was probably the quietest Christmas of my life. It could have been lonely, but really it was ok, just quiet.

My house is clean and I’m just about to have a soak so I can smell as good as it does. I feel infinately blessed and grateful to have so many to love and be loved by. Hope all readers have a brilliant Christmas Eve however it is spent.  

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Christmas is Coming….

23/12/2008 Joh family, holidays

I am bragging I know, but I am finished my shopping. I have totally enjoyed it this year and feel really pleased with the gifts I have to give. I am excited about Christmas. Each time I’ve been shopping, I’ve bumped into my best mate from school, Rhonda, and we have had a coffee together….totally unplanned. How fortunate is that! I have found the things I have been looking for with ease. I feel like I’ve had plenty of time this year. It’s been cruisy.

I spent the afternoon showing my dad how to download podcasts. I gave him the ipod I won from school a few weeks ago. I still have the ipod I won from Mr Wong ages ago. My kids already have ipods.  My dad likes to listen to talkback so I thought he might like it. He was quite facinated to find all the ABC radio programs there to be downloaded. I am sure I will have to go over it again a few times with him. 

I’m having Christmas lunch at the parents and celebrating Christmas Eve with the young people. Boxing Day will be extended family with my Auntie. I’m lucky I don’t have cater… then I would be frantic.

We’ve had lots of spontaneous gatherings here lately and I feel like I am cleaning up after little celebrations constantly. It’s ok though, I’m actually enjoying it this year. It is a different lifestyle with adult children, with their own cars to run themselves around with and their own jobs and money to fund Christmas with. I am getting quite fond of this freedom I have now. It’s not so bad after all!

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Recovery

22/12/2008 Joh gratitude

I have spent the last couple of days sleeping off too much celebrating, late nights and all that goes with it. It makes me feel old that I need so much time for that! The weekend was very big socially for me and I am not used to it. I am grateful I am on holidays.

I have most of my Christmas shopping done luckily. I got a call from my brother today and I half expected he was going to ask me to do his shopping for him as my younger sister took over from me with that task and now she is in Scotland. I was wrong though and he actually had a good suggestion for one of the people we were stuck on. People do change.

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How Relaxed? Very Relaxed!

19/12/2008 Joh gratitude

I went to Melbourne last night and visited Willy on the way to Asha’s. She is in a beautiful light, airy new home. I love seeing my friends in great homes. She is sharing the house with her beautiful daughter, Dallis and it will be great to catch up with them both at once in the future. I know they are going to love living there and there’s a pool and a spare bedroom, so I also know I am going to love staying there with them.

I got to the Camels Hump unfortunately after they’d turned the coffee machine off, but really who needs coffee at that late hour? I heard about the amusing Kev’s excellent adventure in Thailand as they packed up and waited for the lingering ones to leave. I slept at Asha’s so we could get to the radio station on time.

When we got to Nova 100 , the transport was late so we had a tour of the station. I don’t listen to the radio anymore, let alone Melbourne radio, so much of the excitement was lost on me, yet the people were warm, friendly, young and very upbeat. It was a happy environment, which I apprecitated.

The Aurora Spa Retreat was gorgeous. I had a deep tissue massage from Adamo that was the best ‘deep tissue’ massage I’ve ever had. I had a year of those kinds of massages at an earlier stage in my life and they were all pain. I decided I didn’t need that anymore, but clearly I was going to the wrong person. This guy was amazing, absolutely no pain, but the knots that had accumulated in my shoulders and neck were dealt with expertly.  Then we had a meditation session, which was really effective. It was lucky we had lunch after that, which grounded me, or I probably would have been a hazard on the road due to being over relaxed. I managed to skillfully avoid the lovely photographer, but Asha got snapped.

It was a blissful day and when I got home this afternoon, I had a lovely long nap. All is well in the world.

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Indulgence!

18/12/2008 Joh gratitude

I’m off to Melbourne tonight as my daughter has won a day spa and can bring a friend. I am so pleased she chose me to share this with! Tomorrow I am going to be spending the day being massaged etc with her. Aren’t we lucky! I tell you all about it when I get back. It couldn’t come at a better time.

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Give a Little Bit – Supertramp… and giving in general

18/12/2008 Joh family, gratitude, music

Thinking about Christmas and how I would like to do it this year, this song goes through my head. I also love ‘Bloody Well Right’.

Christmas is about giving and with all this economic downturn talk that we are hearing about, there is more than one thing that can be given. I haven’t been ‘shopping’ as such this year. I have been thinking about each person in my life that I love and what is best to give. I am trying to spend good time with the people I love since I haven’t gone away this pre- Christmas season. I usually go away to avoid the whole Christmas thing. So whilst I will buy some actual presents, I am also trying to be present. To give my time, care and love in real ways as well as physical gifts.

I have realised, finally, that some people I love would prefer to receive nothing. I read something once: Too guilty to recieve, too resentful to give. It applies to some people. I have always thought that generosity is always a good thing, but there are some that find it embarrassing or makes them feel awkward. I need to recognise and allow that. The aim is to expand love and goodwill, not to create a feeling of discomfort.

I have been quite emotional about world poverty this year. I watched ‘The Girl in the Cafe’ on the ABC on Sunday night and that kind of kick started it for me. When I read/watched on The Fischbowl blog: World on Fire today I just had to wizz over to Kiva and lend some paypal earnings. I cried. I remember when I was youth worker, I cried all the time during this season because I knew those kids I worked with would never get what they wanted for Christmas. The other place for lazy people like myself to make a contribution to world povery is Global Giving.

My kids and I usually go to the shopping centre and find a card on the Salvo’s Xmas tree to buy a gift for. I like to find one of a nana because since mine have died, I like to give to someones grandmother. My kids usually pick out some kid their age. My dad kick started this tradition when he recognised he already had enough. He gave my kids some money and for his gift from them, he wanted them to shop for someone else. My parents have been very generous and get so much pleasure from giving all year round that it has been contagious. I must admit, I am more focussed on what to give than what I want. I already have everything I want.

The other thing that I feel is important to give is gratitude. When you give someone a gift, there is nothing more rewarding than their expression of joy at receiving. That is where the pleasure lies in giving, the anticipation that someone will get joy or happiness from it. If you have nothing to give – be grateful for what you have received. That will be everything to the giver.

You make a living by what you get. You make a life by what you give.
- Winston Churchill

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