Category: Thoughts

Thankyou Facebook for remembering my birthday

And reminding me to wish my friends and family best wishes on their special day.

Yesterday was my birthday, and given the popularity and reach of
Facebook it was also the anniversary of birth for many other people in the world.

Yet thanks to Facebook I received numerous birthday wishes and
messages, both online and in person, from old school friends and
acquaintances who I only touch base with on Social Media, to close friends and family I regularly catch up with in person.

Every single post on my page reminded me that, even if ever so briefly, I was in their thoughts, and that their thoughts of me were positive and happy.

Kind of a similar concept to the ‘Warm Fuzzies’ we were encouraged to write and leave in individual envelopes at school camp a long time ago in a Galaxy far away. Would you believe that I still have mine, in a box along with the letters and cards I have received from friends and lovers over the years.

Not that I ever look at them, just knowing they are there is enough to make me feel warm and fuzzy, as did reading through my birthday posts throughout my special day.

So thanks again everyone for the birthday wishes, and thankyou
Facebook for making them possible.

Have you been paying attention?

In the blink of an eye the end of another year is on the horizon, so before we get there it feels appropriate to reflect on 2015.

A year when same sex marriage was legalised in Ireland, and an archaic law permitting unwanted homosexual advances as a defense for murder was repealed here in Aus.

The World struck a deal on climate change, however a major corporation was caught ‘cheating’ on emission tests.

Saudi Air strikes, ISIS terrorists and refugees flooding into Europe hit the headlines, but there’s water on Mars and a new antibiotic that have been discovered so there’s still hope.

Hope for my friends seeking love that their special someone will sweep them off their feet to live happily ever after, hope that the curse of cancer can be conquered and recede from existence, and hope for another year filled with love and life.

Here’s cheers to the end of an amazing year in my World; hope you start the New Year full of love and life and inspiration, and I hope you’ll stay interested in following the stories of me.

My 25 Days Dry

Elton John on Instagram last week:

“25 years of sobriety today. One day at a time. #Gratitude #Happiness #Blessed #ShareTheLove”

Today is the third day of August, and three days ago I celebrated the end of my Dry July with a champagne toast.

In total I was officially ‘dry’ for 25 July days, received Golden Tickets to account for the other six and raised more than $300 for the Cancer Council WA.

Along the way I learnt some lessons about planning for and managing my alcohol consumption, and that I don’t need to have a few drinks to feel confident in social settings.

Unfortunately my plan to also lose excess kilos didn’t pan out; I need to overcome the urge to reward myself with food and drinks or find other ways to that won’t add to my calorie consumption.

Interesting to consider how insignificant my 25 days are when compared to the impressive 25 years by Elton John; imagine how hard it has been for him over the years in his social circle!

One day at a time is my plan from now one, but as for Dry July:

Let the records show, I took the blows, and did it My Way!

My ‘Claytons’ @Dry July

This year is my first attempt at committing to Dry July and for me the experience has evolved into an interesting social experiment.

Drinking alcohol is so ingrained in my world that my abstinence appears to be somewhat of an affront to others and they are only too willing to pay for me TO drink rather than have me be the wallflower.

Obviously this is a dilemma others have experienced, hence the ability to purchase a ‘Golden Ticket’ for a specific date, which means that despite being signed on to staying sober for 31 days I have the option of taking a ‘leave pass’ from sobriety.

Effectively a win-win for me and my nominated charity recipient, to date I have already received three Golden Tickets which has helped boost my fundraising tally and (in theory)
allow me to drink with a clear conscience.

So why is my conscience standing with her arms folded and one eye-brow raised giving me ‘Evils’?

It feels like I am cheating, having a drink when I am not drinking, hence the Claytons reference.

For the uninitiated, Claytons is a Kola Tonic packaged to look like Whisky that was heavily advertised in my childhood as
“the drink you have when you’re not having a drink”.

A quick search online reveals that it is still available but hard to source in my local area. To be honest I don’t think it sounds particularly appetising, and like all the other non-alcoholic beverages I have been drinking over the past two weeks it’s likely that there is only so much you can consume before craving a spirit to mix it with.

As for my Dry July, to be fair I logged a not-too-shabby ten day draught before my first Golden Ticket, and that is longer than I have gone without a ‘social lubricant’ in a very long time.
My fundraising total is already $200+ and I have two more ‘leave pass’ dates to look forward to before the end of July.

It will be interesting to see how many Golden Tickets I accumulate and what they contribute to my fundraising tally by the end of the month, but in the meantime I will ignore my conscience and look forward to the opportunity to plan for and savour my next alcoholic drink.

At the end of the day, it’s looking like that will be my key learning from the whole experience.

Think before you drink; I think there’s a lesson in there for all of us.

#dryjuly

Know Before You Go

Thinking of feeding pigeons in San Francisco or carrying your shopping in a plastic bag in Rwanda? Think again.

I can get arrested for that? Some acts that could get you in hot water overseas

Of the many advantages of a cruise holiday, for me the information that is provided in advance of arriving at destinations is priceless. Taking time to review the literature or watch the presentation on board means that travellers can step onto foreign soil without fear of causing offense to local residents or even worse breaking local laws.

I was well prepared with suitably modest clothing and a scarf for the tour of Abu Dhabi on our recent cruise which included the local mosque, yet despite the warnings on board the ship and the tour coach others were not which resulted in public humiliation and no doubt reinforcement of negative attitudes towards foreign cultures and customs for some.

You would think that someone planning an extended stay overseas would want to be especially well informed and wary of the culture,
customs and laws; apparently not if the recent media coverage of the Australian arrested in Abu Dhabi for a Social Media post is any indication.

In the age of Social Media it pays to think twice before publicly broadcasting your personal opinion on foreign soil, and do your research if you are steering your own ship overseas.

For me the opportunity to see and experience another way of life, even if ever so briefly, is the whole point of travel; along with some chill time for relaxation and reflection of course.

Don’t let a negative encounter influence or worse still determine your travel experience.

Hello Sunday Morning – My wish for a Dry July

Several years ago Chris Raine, a young Brisbane man who worked in advertising, was asked to come up with a proposal for a youth-oriented campaign against binge drinking.

Hello Sunday Morning: Chris Raine’s year off alcohol | Executive Living | The Australian

No I am not considering removing alcohol from my life altogether, but for a number of reasons I have decided to step up to the challenge of a Dry July.

Given I am at the tail-end of the demographic discussed in this story, as some of you already know I have more than enough ‘Stories of Me’ to share but instead of looking back with regret I have decided to make a positive step forward.

I’m kissing the booze goodbye for 31 days and raising money for Cancer Council WA to help them improve the wellbeing of adults
living with cancer.

Wish me luck!

#dryjuly
@dryjuly

Skinny jeans left woman paralysed in Adelaide park | The Advertiser

A MUST-have fashion trend designed to make legs look great has left a woman unable to walk, in an Adelaide medical emergency caused by skin-tight jeans.

Source: Skinny jeans left woman paralysed in Adelaide park | The Advertiser

When the alarm went off this chilly morning, my brain immediately switched on when I heard this news headline so I just had to follow it up.

File this one under ‘lessons learnt’ my friends, there is now a medical reason to avoid wearing skinny jeans along with the fact that for those of us born without the supermodel gene, skinny jeans just look wrong unless you wear heels to make your legs longer.

Unless you are hoping to meet ‘Mr Right’ while helping your friend pack up and move home, who in their right mind would choose
skinny jeans over something old, baggy and stained to wear anyway?

Of course that is just my opinion, but it’s hard to argue with the facts in this case.

America Just Saved Your Carry-On Bag | Money.com

A proposal that would try to shrink the size of carry on-luggage is getting “a comprehensive reassessment” after American backlash.

Source: America Just Saved Your Carry-On Bag | Money.com

Headlines about travel always catch my eye, and I have been following this story with a lot of interest over the past few weeks.
For people like me who plan for and embark on a big trip on average once every two years, the prospect of further restricting the amount of carry on luggage to a specific size smacked of yet another way for the ‘fat cats’ to maximize their profits and minimize our comfort on board a plane.

Until recently the guidelines were more about weight than size, and yes I agree it is a big fat pain to have to wait in line while everyone crams their hand luggage into the overhead lockers.
According to my research online, we only started to be charged for our checked in luggage relatively recently too, which is apparently how the problem with cramming the overhead lockers came to pass.

I guess the ‘fat cats’ aren’t really fussed if their checked in baggage goes AWOL, easy enough to get what you need at the other end with your trusty credit card.
But those of us who scrimp and save and plan for their holiday obviously can’t afford to be so complacent, hence the desire to carry my most
treasured possessions with me onto and off the plane personally.

If the airlines are looking for new ways to maximize their profit, why is it that we have to pay more for our luggage and not our seat based on weight?
Anyone who has had the misfortune to sit next to, behind or in front of an ‘oversized’ person knows what I mean.

In the meantime, my tip for anyone planning their next big trip is to keep an eye on the headlines.

Happy EOFY

Is it just me, or does the end of financial year ‘rush’ manifest in a
personal stocktake for anyone else?

The urge to spend is hard to overcome when there are serious bargains to be had out there, and likewise the workplace end of year need to tie off all the loose ends can mean a different type of rush for some.

The end of a Semester of study and subsequent lifting of the ‘black cloud’ of assessments and exam preparation sheds new light on whatever is over the horizon;
even if it is more of the same it feels like a new start.

As we approach the Winter Solstice my thoughts are already turning to Spring, with my head full of ideas for bringing new life into my home,
although overcoming the urge to hibernate in the meantime is my
biggest hurdle.

In the blink of an eye my children are now young adults dealing with life in their own unique way, their legacy a childhood of milestones and memories left for me to sort through.

Watching them navigate their own path leads to further reflection of my own life journey, what my personal legacy will be at the end of my time, and how life has a way of throwing obstacles in my way that were not accounted for in my last personal stocktake but will hopefully result in better planning for the next one.

A Milestone Celebration

My baby girl celebrated her 21st birthday yesterday, inviting her closest friends and family to our home for a champagne brunch.

For me it provided the perfect opportunity to reflect on how far we have come as a family over this time, and also on the meaning of this milestone in the modern world.

Given that the age of consent is 16, and a person is legally considered an adult at 18, what is it about turning 21 that is worth celebrating?

In Australia it was not until 1973 that the voting age was reduced from 21 to 18, so perhaps the acknowledgment of turning 21 is a hangover from another generation, representing the traditional age of maturity?

Or is it that by 21 most young adults have settled into a clear path into their future, determined by their immininent graduation from University, experience in the workplace or traveling, depending on their family background and circumstances.

In my case I was mother to an 18 month old by the time I turned 21, yet invited a cast of thousands to join me in marking this rite of passage. And everyone who I invited was happy to be there to celebrate with me, most likely because of the free flowing alcohol but still it was nice to be the centre of attention for the night.

The sad thing about the brunch for my daughter was that less than half of those who accepted the invitation actually made it to the gathering.

Not that she was bothered, those who did make it were inspiringly authentic and genuine in their friendship, and happily left with delicious treats leftover from the hoards I mistakenly catered for.

My opinion of those who didn’t attend is that chances are they got a better offer, weren’t enticed to attend by our comparatively low key celebration, or perhaps were too hungover from celebrating the end of Semester but at the very least common courtesy would have them send their apologies.

But of course that would have been the mature thing to do.