Corona experience

Today marks the 7th working day I’ve been, well, not working. I resigned from the funeral home and they decided to walk me – to pay out my two weeks notice period, rather than continue to have me come to work. Admittedly, I was obliged to give four weeks notice; but was happy to forfeit pay and reduce it down to two weeks.

It should be noted, in my penultimate week at the funeral company, I took a week of sick leave. I had a sore throat. Corona was starting to move Americans to working from home, but it wasn’t really on much of the radar in Australia. I did go to the hospital on the Wednesday of that week (18 March), as mum was directed by her GP to be readmitted. The Emergency Department was rather different from the week prior, when mum had been in hospital for a relatively routine (though unexpected) operation. Only six days between my visits, and I saw everyone employed wearing masks. Mum could only have one of us visit her in the ED at a time. She wasn’t admitted, much to her relief.

As to how it is being under relative lockdown?

I need a daily walk – I aim to get at least 8000 steps, which was my standard when I walked to and from work in the funeral home. I notice the marked difference being outside, moving, with varied stimulus, makes to my mood and general dispoition.

I have almost no recollection of my grocery store visits. This past Sunday, Mum took me and my brother to one of the big duopoly supermarket companies (I own shares in them). She paid for whatever we selected in our ‘divide and conquer’ quick shop. Mum seems noticeably more compliant and careful to follow guidelines. I suppose we’ve all been adjusting, and the pacing varies for all. The prior two Sundays, I also collected my brother from his home to take to my parents, and back, to save him using public transport. Past weeks, Mum’s also been grocery shopping prior to our visit, fullfilling our minor requests. My brother asked for turkey mince – he got a kilo. He was indignant to see my care pack had chocolate: “I didn’t know I could ask for THAT!”. He hasn’t learnt week on week!

We video called our other brother in England the most recent Sunday night. It was a bit chaotic as I washed up and mum dried up. We called him again once I was driving us home, and we played trivia to whole 30 min drive. It was quite nice, and funny, cause the answers don’t matter – we’re all comedians, so if we don’t know the answer we make up one for laughs.

The past Saturday, and the Sunday prior, my engineer friends have hosted trivia via Zoom. It’s usually 20-25 questions. Most are couples dialed in – some with their kids as pop up appearances. Alcohol consumption is encouraged – it’s noon’ish for the Aussies, and the American based Aussies are well into their evening. The trivia is an anchoring activity – we spend far more time chatting and laughing. We all know each other from university.

I’ve also had three online church services. Admittedly only the most recent Sunday have I watched it live, and the whole way through. The week prior, my friends did virtual brunch, and I was missing them! I had been invited to a few meals with them the week I was off sick with a sore throat, and didn’t meet up for fear of this virus (long before the fear or precautions were wide spread).

I have done three puzzles – sadly my church based retired couple aka suppliers are not available. I swapped one completed puzzle for a new one with a gym buddy – upside of the gym is people are usually local to you.

I’m still paid up as a gym member, so I can do online classes at four (soon to be five) times per day. The workouts are all body weight based, and I admit I prefer the weights classes, so I’m not an engaged. I also have a payment renewal coming up, and pleased to be offered services at half the price.

I still walk up the street to get a coffee most mornings. I am torn as to whether this is essential (it is not) but it does support a small business, and the lovely staff there. They also sell bread, so once a week, as usual, I buy a loaf. This has avoided me being one of the millions making sourdough lol!

My spending, overall, is way down. Sure, I often add a pastry to my coffee order (I tell myself it’s supporting small business… not that I need much excuse!) I was never one for elaborate shopping lists or meals, and I ekk out what I have well, between the weekly mummy additions, and a few take away meals. Petrol is cheaper, but my car is diesel, so I haven’t really felt the dip in prices. I don’t recharge my opal for public transport, seeing if I go anywhere I walk; or drive.

I’m pretty bored. I miss social contact. I feel a lot less guilt or self consciousness about starting chats with friends online. I’ll admit I once again (like when I studied full time) trawl who is online on Facebook, and send out many a hello. The conversations aren’t very interesting, we’re all isolated in different ways, but it’s nice to share the latest trials and tribulations.

On Easter Tuesday, I start a new job. It’ll be nice to have something to fill the time and engage my brain. It will be less nice to return to alarm clocks and sensible bedtimes! Alas, two sides of the same coin.

How’s your Covid experience progressing?

An account of these times

I wanted to capture these times, in my words, to reread in the future. An online journal I suppose.

Covid-19 has gone from a thing in the news to something that’s pretty gosh darn serious. But also, it doesn’t look like it, yet. People are on the streets. Everywhere I go (care, ice cream shop etc) there are others – these are local businesses so we’re all trying to keep life normal, and their businesses running. Between last week and this Wednesday, wow, Concord Hospital has changed. Last week, I was visiting someone of the ward. Wednesday, I was in emergency (ED). It was pretty empty – Wednesday’s Sydney Morning Herald has indicated to ‘stay away’. There was a Covid-19 clinic, separate from the emergency department. Walking into the ED, there’s a nurse with hand sanitiser and other things – a check list. They didn’t use the checklist on us on any of our entries. The first entry, we were given a spritz of hand sanitiser. When the nurses changed shifts, there was far less proactively…

I’ll admit, prior to ‘all this’, I only washed my hands with soap in very specific circumstances – I felt self conscious in public bathrooms when others gave me the side eye. Now, I get home from being out, and go straight to the bathroom to wash my hands. (I don’t like a lot of soaps – for their scent, or how they make my hands feel…). I still dislike the high alcohol content sanitiser gel, but, more and more, I’m using it. There was one at my hair dressers!!

I’ve not worked this week. I’ve had a sore throat since the Monday prior. Last week, work was very very slow, so the combination of my sore throat; working with a small team all in one location; and lack of work, I decided to stay home til I felt better. By Wednesday, I didn’t feel better. On the encouragement of my mum and boss, I rang the doctor. They told me to come in. The waiting room was me and one other. All staff were in masks. I did not and do not think I have Covid. BUT… I am surprised about the decisions around testing:

  • Why is testing confined to those who’ve been exposed to a known case or been overseas? I can only assume there’s a lack of tests, and this is a preservation level.
  • It’s entirely unclear when you should seek a test – from my best knowledge, I think it’s a fever over 37.5 C (along with known interaction with someone who may have covid)

The point is, there’s SO MANY chance interactions for cross contamination – and I know that’s why they’re calling for social distancing. But I find it worrying that we don’t have strong social distancing imperatives (as in… I’m meant to be going to work. I can’t work from home). The 3 hours I spent in the ED, not once were chairs or screens wiped down – I mean, you see it more often in McDonald’s on a normal day! There was a touch screen for the lockers to charge your phone in a locker – for example. Sure, every nurse and worker was in a mask. There is, as always, hand sanitiser EVERYWHERE. But I think there’s a lack of behaviour. And I’ll admit, the half hourly hand washes? I don’t see the point when I’m home, alone. Coming home? Sure. Prior to eating? Sure. But half hour of watching Netflix – nope. Behaviour is part of the problem, but some of it doesn’t stand up to my logic.

Also, a wrinkle in all this? A month ago, I started dating someone. Someone who seems to have a similarly high leaning to seeing each other regularly (despite, life!). And we keep seeing each other, near on daily. I’m sure we’re already cross contaminated. But there’s a level of fear that maybe circumstances beyond our control may limit contact – we hope not. But it might be outside our control.

The economic situation was rocky at the start of this – lowest interest rates. OPEC arguments raised production, dropping fuel prices. Now, we see a future where businesses fold, as there’s no customers. Many workers will lose jobs; casuals won’t get work, and all those can’t afford to pay for where they live.

I feel incredibly secure financially, and materially (with respects, to my home circumstances). I don’t feel like I have ‘enough’ food, but I also don’t have a empty pantry. I do have a mainly empty fridge, usually and now. Those things perish. I don’t want to ‘go crazy’ with buying food – I know I’ll ‘go crazy’ overeating anything too easy to eat or yummy!! I also feel like my six months of 2019 not working has taught me how to fill a day without the structure of work. That surprised me as much as those who know me well – as a working dynamo!

There’s a lot of confusion. We can see what other countries are or aren’t doing. Italy is putting everyone into their home, except for work, pharmacy or supermarket visits. It sounds ‘ok’ but it was meant to be for two weeks. It may not be ‘only’ two weeks. The Asian countries are doing better. Is it because they wear and use masks (and aren’t a signal of fear).

On the other hand, death is inevitable, in life. A philosophical part of me wonders if this is a level of over population’s correction? Is this part of a master beings plan? Is this a way to dismantle ‘growth is good’. Or capitalism? Is this a way to challenge all that isn’t working in our world in a horrific way? But also, I find it hard to reconcile the death rate, and how it may impact our world. The percentages sounds small… But statistics are worth a dime when it’s someone you are close to you.

Those are my thoughts for now. I’m sure in 10 minutes I will have further thoughts.

Fortune telling

I’ve never had my fortune told, or my card read, or a serious reading of my palm or face or aura.  It’s not surprising given I’m an engineer.  Telling friends from my studies I was planning to get my fortune told did some with some amusing looks!

However, across my two readings, I came to see how much demand and interest there was in these practices!

A dear friend of mine reads this blog, and has used my bucket list/s to inform her gift giving.  For my birthday in 2017, she intended a year worth of activities – one a month, but alas life got in the road.  When she saw my renewed interest in fortune telling, by way of seeking recommendations or referrals, she promptly arranged me two readings, with a third possible opportunity.

My first reading was upstairs at the Argyle Oracle – a terrace lining a street in the Rocks, which has a great market every weekend – one I love to browse for souvenirs to take when I travel.  The ground level is a store of gem stones and books and tarot cards, and then upstairs there’s a number of rooms where readings a done by a range of people!?  I saw Camilla, who lead with asking my name and birthday, which resulted in some calculations about cycles and such – 6 and 9 featured?!  She also asked me to shuffle to decks of cards. She then took her magnifying glass and intently looked at my palms.  Interesting, she spoke of how two of the prominent lines on the hands are more separate in younger generations and she some how linked this to greater technology?! My take aways from her reading of my palm were: long life, good health, minimal dramas (comparing to others, not that my life will be without them!), that I’ll have three children, two boys and a girl (though it did feel like she started at two, and got slightly muddled around gender or birth order or perhaps even quantity).

From my palm, she dealt a smaller than normal playing card deck, in which certain sectors related to certain aspects of life – the top quadrant to my right was related to work.  There was a king there, and across that top row, a number of red cards.  This lay of cards remained dealt on the table, with the expected velvet table cloth, for the balance of the reading, and to the left, she made space where she dealt and re-dealt the tarot cards.

The tarot deck she used seemed to feature swords pretty heavily, and also what looked like sapling logs?  She dealt these cards in different configuration and quantities.  At one deal, she had three cards, followed by two more rows of three cards, and a few more to the side.  Initially she said the top row was 2017, followed by 2018 and 2019.  When I clarified we were now in 2018, she corrected.  And with that, everything shifted a year – womp womp.  It was with this deal that she spoke to marriage and children, who are coincidently gorgeous.  It does make you wonder if anyone would read and say ‘horribly ugly children’, right?  That being said, I suppose there are negatives that may be seen – health issues perhaps?

She spoke quickly with quite a nervous energy.  I was open to what she said, but I also wasn’t giving away great swaths of my life story either.  She lead with asking if I had any kids. I think she also asked about my work.  There were certainly some parts of the reading that sounded like common advice that anyone would give!

Much later, that same day, my friend had arranged another reading – this time with a male, Paris, who also stares on a TV show.  He came to have a natural gift, despite being a sceptic, she told me.  In reality, our reading was far shorter than anticipated (40 mins not an hour), and so I took some time to talk to him about his work, the critics, what happens if he was to reread/redeal the cards again for the same person right there.  I found the debriefing chat as insightful as my fortune telling!

Paris started by dealing a deck of cards and then fanning them out in front of me, asking me to select a quantity, perhaps 17? I can’t recall.  As I did that, he started writing a page.  At the top of the page was a traced palm, and with that, he asked me to select two areas of focus.  I chose work/career and love/romance of the total of six options.  These selections resulted in him annotating the on two fingers with a love heart and elsewhere, two money symbols.  He held my selected cards as a smaller deck until he’d completed writing the page.  He then dealt the cards and proceeded to transpose the equivalent characters of the Greek gods shown onto the fingers of the traced hands on the paper. (deciphering this at the pub after was a fun activity for me with my two friends!).

His dealing of these cards resulted in a strong segment of blue Gods around the centre, definitely Neptune and Uranus.  There were some strong female Gods (godesses?) too, like Dianna, Pan, Venus and Medusa.  His reading seemed to focus on the coming year, and really saw strong components of work and travel, which echoed things Camilla has said.  Overall, he quietly dismissed romance and love, explaining that the personalities of the cards I dealt weren’t aligned with welcoming love at this time.  Whilst I did have Venus, she seemed to be crowded out by some more… domineering godesses!  I’d be the first to acknowledge this would align somewhat to my personality, and particularly lately with dating.  He did consider that I could have a very segregated work and romantic life as a way of making it work, but I can’t see this duplicity working for me.  So it would seem the year ahead is about career, more so than love.

Neither reading seemed to touch on health at all – other than the more platitude like concepts like Camilla suggesting meditating more, and asking if I did yoga.  Paris wrote of balance and setting boundaries, as well as mind and body.  Neither are particularly firm grounds but neither are bad advice – I mean who doesn’t need more balance?

Eight week challenge

With many thanks to a new friend who has worked tirelessly to align the old blog content and integrated my two ‘new’ posts, and now it all look and feels the same, back and front.  Here’s a photo of my lovely French friends who helped make this happen, Antoine and Chloe

Chloe, Antoine & me

Today, I want to share a disturbing number of photos of food, that I’ve taken during the first five weeks in my eight week F45 health challenge.  Yep, yet again, I’m focusing on reducing my weight.  But not just the number. I dream of being able to do unassisted pull ups.  And having defined abs. But the route to this path is to get back to 74kg which I achieved in September 2017.

Up and down

Day 1. Meal 1. Green smoothie. Surprisingly tasty! Seriously, the banana and rice malt syrup elevated the green stuff

The gym I go to, you can order all lunches and dinners to be prepared ($150 for 10 meals as a woman), and you pick up from the gym twice weekly.  That means you only have to handle breakfasts and two snacks per day.  Of course there’s an app and website, with the meal plan.  And you can search all the recipes, should you want to substitute.

Marinated chicken with salsa

Prepped meals come in plastic chinese food containers.  Which, does not really align to my zero waste ways.  So I am washing up every one of them, and reusing them in so many different ways, including on the weeks I prepare my week’s meals, rather than buying them.

Breakfast (I forgot the spinach)

I’ll admit, generally speaking the recipes and meals have been great.  I have also created a few new strong opinions on food.  I do NOT abide by half a meal being parsley.  I understand that baby spinach and lettuce get boring, but there’s no way parsley is an alternative!

Salmon and beans, The garlic bread was a treat as I was away for a weekend with my water polo friends

What i missed out on – ravioli with burnt butter an sage sauce. Even parmesan

The first two weeks are ‘keto’ or no sugar, dairy or carbs like rice or pasta.

Snack – carrot sticks with almond butter

Not all breakfasts are green though:

Berry smoothie

The BEST homemade b’fast – kale, onion, halloumi and boiled eggs

Here’s some of my cooking attempts.  There can be a whole heap of vegie cutting, so I usually get a whole heap done on weekends, so I can come home from work and make life easier for me.

Asian chicken in lettuce cups, which I think I’d call San Chow Bow (but spelling.. no idea)

Spice rubbed steak with sweet potato mash and beans. I started to innovate and add the red cabbage as it was in the fridge and gotta be good for me

Salmon with beans. And ‘use it up’ cucumber.

And the results?

Yippee

So far so good!  At the start, middle and end of the challenge I have detailed weigh in.  The scales works out the body fat percentage and muscle mass.  It can even work out the circumference of your arms and legs and trunk!  I’ve seen improvements in all these measurements, though I did lose a little muscle mass 🙁  I also note that a similar scan from October 2017 were a little better.  Back then, I was doing F45 but no following their diet.  I did often eat small or no dinner as I was feeling queasy after a hard work out.  I’m not sure that’s an optimal long term strategy!

Oh and I asked for some photos whilst I was doing assisted (by oversized rubber bands) chin ups, and I can see muscle definition!!

Can you see those arms working?

I continue to work out at least 4 times, ideally 5 times a week, and follow the meal plan almost religiously.  I allow myself one treat meal per week.  And tomorrow it’s brunch and I CANNOT wait!

April Summary

Culture:

Quite unexpectedly, I attended a concert in April.  A fantastic young artist, Vera Blue, was sold out, but the night of her concert, I got an email for last minute tickets for $35! I did not hesitate and bought two tickets and invited a friend from work (who’d coincidently been at the last concert I went to – Urthboy).

OK so not the best photo… But the sound was AMAZING

I caught up with great friends for a MeatFest on GoodFriday for lunch, as well as an after work meal of dumplings – where we debated the quantity of dumplings we could consume in a sitting!  I also had a few wine filled meals with some close friends who we’d spent the past three years out of contact.  It’s great to be back in contact, and things just gel so easily.  I also ate out in a new area and despite it being known for Italian, we had French.

I also took twin six year olds to the Lego Movie, but promptly had a nap between some great one liners…  I also had an evening babysitting, where they wouldn’t go to sleep :s

Cheeky movie buddy

Romance:

The dating has continued! I could even say it’s been a good month – kept me very busy too!  I had a first date on weekend night, at a bar that you’d walk by and miss in an alley in Darlinghurst.  I actually recall going there many years ago – inside it’s all themes like an American Saloon, complete with snacks of peanuts to crack and eat – a great activity for first date nerves (which… I don’t really get, but he might have!).  The other first date was a weeknight at a small bar I’d been to before (also) for a 40th celebration.  They were comedically ill equipped for my cocktail order – having run out of key ingredients with the long weekend!  Sometimes, wine’s just easier.

Not romantically, I met a good friend prior to Easter Sunday church.  We usually catch up like this quite regularly – he drinks a coffee and stay lithe and I eat and drink, and in this case, the mean was equally ‘wow’ worthy.

Yummy! And looks that way as well

Work:

The new management has been in for two weeks – though one week’s been between Easter and Anzac Day (the day Australian’s have off to remember fallen soldiers).  It’s also school holidays – so it means so much is on hold awaiting people to return from leave.  In the short 4 day week, my new boss was in my office one day, and half of that was spent on site meeting and inspecting the safety of teams, including mine.  My former boss is still ‘on the books’ but has taken leave.  What will become of him is still uncertain.  My mentor is also still on the books.  All a little… perplexing.

Hipster cafe or what? I know Lucinda – out for BREAKFAST!

Health:

I continued to aim for two classes per week of Barre Tone, in addition to a one off yoga class at Humming Puppy.  Other than that, I tend to walk to and from church Sunday, as well as for additional services and my monthly Parish Council meetings.  I also walk to Barre Tone which is a comparable distance as to church.  It’s better than nothing, but all month I’ve been considering if it’s enough in comparison to my rather lazy and somewhat unhealthy eating.  One possible date and I have been chatting, and considering joining F45.  They are INTENSE 45 minutes sessions, and they really tone people, but I am anxious about what week I want to write off as being in utter pain for the muscle pain!

Easter sunday flowers (I did them)

Bought:

I spent a small fortune on AirBnBs and hostel deposits, as well as a week of day trips in Iceland!  As far as material possessions, I tried on four pairs of hiking pants.  I really wanted to buy Patagonia gear, but they didn’t have the size/colours I wanted and I’m not a huge fan of mail order when i’m not sure on size.  I went to another store that sells multiple brands and tried on two pairs, and settled for the comfier pair – elasticised back waist and inner light fleece lining!  They were $200 (!!) so I paid the $10 to join the ‘club’ and get 10% off!  At the same time, I got another ‘goo tube’ – I thought I needed one, but since getting home, I’m not entirely sure I do.

Read:

I have had three books on the go for a while, but none are capturing me.  Those are

  • Hot Milk – this was recommended on another blog, but it’s just not that interesting. I did finish it, but… not sure why
  • Queen of the South – translated from Spanish, there’s still a LOT of Spanish and it makes it disjointed for me.  I can see how it’s a TV show, but it’s not a story that is compelling me to keep reading. I returned it having read about 150 pages.
  • Working with Difficult People
  • Presence by Amy Cuddy – recommended by Save Spend Splurge
  • Last night in Montreal by Emily St John Mandel

I really need some good easy readers I think… I’m really not enjoying or reading much at the moment.

Humming Puppy Yoga

So a very dear friend and blog reader gave me a great birthday gift – she named it an Advent calendar and the concept is to do different ‘bucket list experiences’ each month together.  We started with my birthday dinner at Momofuku, and then things slowed down!  Of course, I have things I want to see and do that didn’t feature on her 12 months of birthday fun Advent calendar, and I got busy in March doing all sorts of fun things.

The light ruins what is a lush waiting area

One thing she’d earmarked us doing was Humming Puppy Yoga – funny name right? It’s a yoga studio that has a resonant frequency going at all times, as well as being constantly at 27 C.  Warm, but just right.  This weekend, I went along to try it.

Sneaky snap – bit blurry sorry

I selected the class based on timing – 2.30pm would work well around church (as it was a long Palm Sunday service).  The class at that time was called Mellow Yoga which sounded like just what I’d feel like on a Sunday afternoon!

I almost need instagram for this!

This place is next level on chic, hipster, boutique exercise.  It’s like first class style.  The waiting area and bathrooms were stunning.  I’d settle just to ‘wait’ for someone and never do a class and die happy!  They are upstairs from a tea store, so there’s two teas to sip, or coconut water or filtered water.  Luxury right?

A photo of their flyer

The studio is the third or top level of the building. The room was wonderfully dark for the session with only muted lighting and a lit candle.  The session was an hour long, and it was blissfully relaxed and over before you knew it.  My friend S said it was an expensive place for a nap, but cheap for therapy – and it really is a hybrid of the two!!

Yellow is so happy

Of course, it wouldn’t be a complete visit without dropping in on the tea lounge.  Again, jaw droppingly gorgeous in style.  We had Ginger lattes and some fancy snacks (you know, all goey and power foods but nothing like conventional food!)

The counter top is also broken tile – wonder how cleaning goes?

I’m coming back til I’ve had every mocktail!

Every inch is stylish!

I’m not sure if I’ll do expensive yoga again, but I want more of those drinks!!

Barre Body

I’ve recently been updating my bucket list and movign things into my complete bucket list post too, and realised, I’ve done some things I’ve wanted, and taken photos and never mentioned it on my blog – that’s like it never happening right?

One is Barre BOdy.  A great friend got me a single pass in the new year, must have been early 2016.  I went once and then got hooked, and off and on have been doing in ever since – I now have a subscription (which for me is COMMITMENT, I don’t even have a phone plan)

The studio in Surry Hills

I love that my mind has to focuc entirely on the small but hard movements.  It’s mindfulness without being bored stiff :p  And it certainly helps that the studies are GORGEOUS!

City studio

CIty’s change room

And a sofa too, in the city studio!

I even have to pre book classes – talk about planning and commitment to exercising.  I sometimes cancel, but mostly, I talk myself into going with a ‘you can walk out half way and you’ll be better off then doing nothing’ – and of course, I’ve never walked out either!

It truly is a pleasure – and I window shop work out gear worn by my class mates too – which sounds a whole heap creepier than it should!

 

Cold, snow cold…

Last Friday I felt the niggles of a sore throat, so wisely spent Saturday sleeping.  And a lot of Sunday.  I worked Monday and Tuesday, whilst the man about the house took an unprecedented two days off in a row.  Unlike me, he actually is awake, and upright on his sick days.  My Wednesday, Thursday AND Friday this week have seen me mostly horizontal.  I slept through Wednesday’s except for the two clean! Seriously, save for an hour or two, I went from my ‘night’ sleep til 5.30pm!?  So you can imagine my frustration that on Friday, I’m STILL sick.  Pesky colds I tell you!

One ‘sick’ evening, I spent the better part of the night pinning the lovely AirBnB’s in Paris.  That was fun! They certainly know what small living is – how can they be such a culinary culture with such tiny kitchens though?

Ok, so I suppose I shouldn’t complain – it is COLD out.  How cold you ask?  There’s snow.  In Australia.  In places one wouldn’t really think it’d snow.  See some photos from a friend, but the link is the BEST:

Thanks to Sally Reddy's photography
Thanks to Sally Reddy’s photography

http://www.buzzfeed.com/deannye/snow-day-down-under?bffb&utm_term=4ldqphp#.gf37vjlNmY

The bulk of the snow photos are in the Blue Mountains, where my uncle lives.  My mum typically visits him on school holidays, but left it til ‘snow day’ to try, and of course our roads aren’t made for this, so they closed the highway.  Mum stayed home instead 🙁

I’ve enjoyed some great TV lately, thanks to the BF being involved with a certain TV company’s streaming service.  I’ve enjoyed UnREAL a behind the scenes of a (fake) dating show.  Seriously warped, but enjoyable.  The Fall with the chilling Gillian Anderson from The X Files as a cop in Northern Ireland.

UnREAL via
UnREAL via

I’ve also signed up to Facebook groups in a big way.  I started about 6 months ago with the Facebook group associated with The Non Consumer Advocate.  It is such a chatty and supportive group, I decided to find more groups just this past week, and signed up to an Australian group for the 5:2 fasting I’m attempting (though the shedding of KGs is slow).  I’ve also joined Simple Savers, which I know some of my Aussie readers are already knowledgeable about.

Otherwise, life’s ticking along swimmingly.  I bought my annual amount of shares, which the BF noted hasn’t increased with the six years I’ve been buying once annually.  My salary on the other hand has.  It’s ok, I’m not entirely comfortable with shares and buying/investing, so I like to keep the amount to a quantity I’d be happy to lose (which is in the ballpark of the amount I’d pay for a flight to my favourite international destinations).  It helps me resolve the possibility of ‘losing it all’ though it’s unlikely.

What’s news with you?

Trying new stuff – Aerial Yoga

So this weekend, I did something ‘cool’ that I didn’t even know existed, so it couldn’t even be on a bucket list!  It was sky yoga:

S\itting around
Sitting around

It’s a small studio in the centre of the grungiest part of Sydney, near Central station. To get to the ‘Sky Lab’ you go past a graffiti wall – more like a whole artistic commune!!

Upside down
I did upside down in the class too – nearly killed me!

 

I went with a friend after our usual “Pilates in the Park” was cancelled. A school friend recently started it (another implant from the state of Queensland) but she was in NZ for the weekend, so we forked out our pennies to try sky yoga! I have the best and smartest friend, who’ll try any quirky challenge. And take silly photos ENDLESSLY!

Who's a silly billy?
Who’s a silly billy?

I’m pretty sore today – two days later. The back of my thighs… and some soreness in my back. Still the quirky factor of fitness has me hooked.

There are so many professional photos, they’ve taken, so check out the website for some ethereal photos… I can’t help but want more!

2014 goals review

Reviewing my 2014 goals:

Fun – 12 in 2 list

For 2014, I’ll do the following (some of which I did earmark to do in 2013, but it didn’t happen):

  1. Silent retreat -didn’t happen, but I did research options to do something in San Fran whilst on Holidays
  2. Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb I got a voucher as a birthday gift in January 2014!!!
  3. Go jet skiing (done over the Christmas holidays, thanks to the BF!)
  4. Learn to surf: 2015 thanks to a generous gift from my BF!
  5. Dinner at Aria: planned for early February
  6. Read the new testament bible Done in September
  7. Run a half marathon
  8. Plan and prepay my funeral – cough cough, not so fun, didn’t happen, but the cash is there?
  9. Zorbing (a weekend away at the Gold Coast)  The place went out of business…

The other 3?  Well my friend stopped living in NZ, so that was scraped.  One was a dinner at a fancy restaurant, which I did for my birthday in 2013. The third was a knife skills course which I did in 2013

Health – monthly challenges

These were a wash! I started out strong, but then it all went bust!

Jan: Stair challenge start, progress, end

Feb: Drink 3L water per day: start

Mar: Squats and abandoned 🙁
Apr: Push up challenge – increase the number everyday fail
May: Morning stretching/yoga fail – though some attempts made
Jun: Planking challenge fail
Jul: Mental health: daily act of kindness fail
Aug: Mental health: daily gratitude journal fail – though attempts made
Sept: 1 internet free day per week fail
Oct: Ocsober fail
Nov: Coffee free challenge fail
Dec: +1 walking fail

Interestingly, I did have a week or two when I woke to do yoga before work? So that was something.  But generally my coffee intake increased.

Financial goals

I prefer my fingernails bare, but this is amazing, and just like Aussie money source: http://www.morenailpolish.com/2013/01/aussie-nails-show-me-money.html
I prefer my fingernails bare, but this is amazing, and just like Aussie money
source: http://www.morenailpolish.com/2013/01/aussie-nails-show-me-money.html

This is one category I always kick a** at!  So, for 2014, I will:

1. Save $20,000 in my mortgage offset account (in addition to the starting balance) as of mid Septmber, met this, and by the end of the year exceeded it by $8k!

2. Save $200 a week in for holidays yep, it’s all automated, but now bundled into goal 1 so it’s all in one place

3. Save $10 $20 a week for my ‘one day’ dream of a first class holiday to Paris and NYC (First class flights and accommodation).  I plan to spend 20 years saving slowly for this one. $20 per week, cause why not!

4. Save $100 a week for ‘charity’ which I will also withdraw from when I do support fundraising etc. automated too my friend! But kept separate from the pot in goal 1. $20 automatically goes to Church, from this $100.

 

Social

Plan a dinner party or similar once a quarter. Passed

1. Started with a pizza night for water polo girls in Jan 🙂 Easy and fun.

2. Excess cheese? Informal wine and cheese Sunday arvo.

3. Another polo dinner of Nachoes.  

4. Halloween party hosted at a friends home but catered by both of us.

Inspiration for the zen I'll try to create source: www.sheknows.com
Inspiration for the zen I’ll try to create
source: www.sheknows.com

Email my brother at least weekly whilst he’s in South America (until Sept 2014) so so – not 100% success rate on the stated frequency, but we stayed in contact.

Career

Ekk, seeing I didn’t submit my 16 x 700 words long episode reports in 2013, this goal will role over.

I will also start to think more (again) about the next step in my career. Whilst I wasn’t thinking about it, someone was, and I’ve been acting in a promotion of a role for a few months.  And I’ll apply for the position when it’s advertised

Keeping it Creative

I’ve realised that I like to create things, like my gingerbread house, or the candy cane wreath.  I really enjoy mending clothes, or sewing.  I even made a map of the world with stamps!  So I’m going to try and do more of these sorts of things.  One crafty thing per month.  Pinterest and blogs will guide me, I hope.

I’ve covered my router with a hard cover book; made earphone holders out of old plastic cards; cross stitched a baby’s blanket.  Then for Christmas, I made another gingerbread house (and a trifle, but that’s less crafty!).  I also made bunting and decorated jars for my upcoming 30th and did another baby’s blanket!

Overall, I think I did well on most of my goals.  I really let myself down in the health department, despite doing a three month healthy eating and exercising plan which I paid for.  I lost and gained roughly the same amount of weight, which puts me back where I was.  Again, I’m trying to be healthier since Christmas day, and have cut out almost all sugar.  That being said, I’ve still had juice and soft drink and the occasional taste of sweet things.  But I have tried to eat less than I was in the later months of 2014.

How’d you go with your 2014 goals? Feel free to link to your posts!