Concluding my list of '100 Gratitudes', I am grateful for...
97. travel - I went on my first overseas trip when I was ten. My mum, dad, sister and I went to the U.S.A. I remember being stunned by everything that was different. I'd grown up in a very, very small town so America was definitely an eye-opener! Looking back, I suppose that's when I got bitten by the travel bug. I've been to some amazing places since then; some I dreamt of for a long time. I can't help but pinch myself when I think over all the wonder I've seen with my very own eyes. I am eternally grateful. Nothing can ever take those travelling experiences away from me. They'll live on in my memories for the rest of my life. If I want to return to the safari in Namibia, or Karnak Temple in Egypt, or the crystal clear ocean in Zanzibar, or the snow-covered mountains in France, or the grungy cityscape of Berlin...all I have to do is close my eyes and I'm back there. What joy!
98. Australia - I've actually seen very little of my own country. I've never been to Uluru or the Great Barrier Reef. I always imagined I would see Australia when I was old; a grey nomad! So I still have that to look forward to. :-) I know there is some truly magnificent scenery to be seen in Australia. I'm very, very fortunate to be able to call such a beautiful country my home. I'm grateful to my homeland for making me into the person I am today. Travelling the world may have opened my mind and I may currently live overseas, but the Australian in me is always there.
99. love - this is the most significant thing I am grateful for. I live for love. That might sound lame, but it's my truth. People find it hard to explain love, and I'm no different, but it's something we've all felt - whether it be from our families, friends or partners. Even strangers. It's the one thing that brings us all together, a common goal. We're all searching for it, hoping for it, longing for it. I love and I am loved. That's all I could ever wish for.
100. my life - cliché I know, but I had to end this gratitude list with something really important. And what's more important than my own life? I can't think of a thing! I'm so very grateful for not only the life I am living, but my life in general. I'm grateful for having this opportunity to think and breathe and experience. I'm grateful for simply being. My life has its ups and downs just like everyone else, but when I step back and look at everything I'm experiencing and feeling I am reminded that life is pretty fantastic! I only get this one chance to live my life in this particular incarnation, so I want to enjoy it! That's why I started this list; to remind me of what makes me happy in this world. I am absolutely filled with gratitude as a result. Blessings!
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Showing posts with label 100 Gratitudes. Show all posts
Wednesday, 23 February 2011
Wednesday, 16 February 2011
Today is Gratitude Day!
Continuing my list of '100 Gratitudes', I am grateful for...
93. 'The Sky is Everywhere' by Jandy Nelson - this is a Young Adult novel I came across while browsing the Lovereading website. It follows the story of seventeen-year-old Lennie as she deals with the death of her older sister. As the younger, quieter sister Lennie was used to living in her sister's shadow, but now she must learn how to shine. A part of me can relate to the feeling of living in an older sibling's shadow, but what really makes me grateful for this story is the way the author Jandy Nelson inhabits the world of the teenager so convincingly. Reading the novel made me feel like I was in high school again, going through all the rollercoaster emotions, desperate to be an adult but lacking the emotional maturity to really be one. Oh the joys of adolescence! :-) This book reminded me how far I've come since I was a teenager, but that even as adults we're always learning, always growing. I haven't read YA fiction since I myself was a young adult (apart from Harry Potter of course) but this novel has shown me that it's a genre worth exploring.
94. Ancient Egypt - I've mentioned The Pyramids in this list already, but I come back to Ancient Egypt because last week I went to the British Museum to see the Book of the Dead exhibition. It was fascinating! It's hard to believe that the papyrus they have on display is thousands of years old because the colours are still so vibrant. It's wonderful to be able to get so close to ancient cultures, almost as though they still exist to this day. When I look at these ancient hieroglyphic-covered papyrus I always imagine the scribe who wrote them. I picture the person bent over the papyrus, their writing so delicate and precise, and I'm reminded of the art of writing. These ancient scribes were artists as well as storytellers and record keepers. I like to imagine all modern day writers as descendents of ancient Egyptian scribes. Myself included! :-)
95. writing - I don't think I need to explain why I'm grateful for writing; it's obvious isn't it? But let me just say this - having an outlet for creative expression is so important to all of us, even those who say they have no artistic talent. That's the thing - it's not about talent. It's about finding something that allows you to say what is in your heart, a way to bring your truth to the world. Mine is writing. What is yours?
96. 'The Artist's Way' by Julia Cameron - reading this book was the first time I became aware of writing being a spiritual practice. Before then I thought spiritual practices were confined to the church, something I had no interest in pursuing. So it came as a welcome surprise to find that something I enjoyed doing so much could help me connect to the divine and help me live a more spiritual existence. For those who aren't familiar with the book, Julia Cameron asks you to write three pages each morning, ("morning pages") as soon as you wake up, to get all those niggling doubts and thoughts down onto the page and out of your system, which allows the real creative energy to flow. Once you're connected to that energy, you're able to create with much more ease. I'm grateful for anything that helps make the writing process easier! :-) I'm also eternally grateful for anything that helps me live in harmony and balance. That's what writing with spiritual intent does for me.
93. 'The Sky is Everywhere' by Jandy Nelson - this is a Young Adult novel I came across while browsing the Lovereading website. It follows the story of seventeen-year-old Lennie as she deals with the death of her older sister. As the younger, quieter sister Lennie was used to living in her sister's shadow, but now she must learn how to shine. A part of me can relate to the feeling of living in an older sibling's shadow, but what really makes me grateful for this story is the way the author Jandy Nelson inhabits the world of the teenager so convincingly. Reading the novel made me feel like I was in high school again, going through all the rollercoaster emotions, desperate to be an adult but lacking the emotional maturity to really be one. Oh the joys of adolescence! :-) This book reminded me how far I've come since I was a teenager, but that even as adults we're always learning, always growing. I haven't read YA fiction since I myself was a young adult (apart from Harry Potter of course) but this novel has shown me that it's a genre worth exploring.
94. Ancient Egypt - I've mentioned The Pyramids in this list already, but I come back to Ancient Egypt because last week I went to the British Museum to see the Book of the Dead exhibition. It was fascinating! It's hard to believe that the papyrus they have on display is thousands of years old because the colours are still so vibrant. It's wonderful to be able to get so close to ancient cultures, almost as though they still exist to this day. When I look at these ancient hieroglyphic-covered papyrus I always imagine the scribe who wrote them. I picture the person bent over the papyrus, their writing so delicate and precise, and I'm reminded of the art of writing. These ancient scribes were artists as well as storytellers and record keepers. I like to imagine all modern day writers as descendents of ancient Egyptian scribes. Myself included! :-)
95. writing - I don't think I need to explain why I'm grateful for writing; it's obvious isn't it? But let me just say this - having an outlet for creative expression is so important to all of us, even those who say they have no artistic talent. That's the thing - it's not about talent. It's about finding something that allows you to say what is in your heart, a way to bring your truth to the world. Mine is writing. What is yours?
96. 'The Artist's Way' by Julia Cameron - reading this book was the first time I became aware of writing being a spiritual practice. Before then I thought spiritual practices were confined to the church, something I had no interest in pursuing. So it came as a welcome surprise to find that something I enjoyed doing so much could help me connect to the divine and help me live a more spiritual existence. For those who aren't familiar with the book, Julia Cameron asks you to write three pages each morning, ("morning pages") as soon as you wake up, to get all those niggling doubts and thoughts down onto the page and out of your system, which allows the real creative energy to flow. Once you're connected to that energy, you're able to create with much more ease. I'm grateful for anything that helps make the writing process easier! :-) I'm also eternally grateful for anything that helps me live in harmony and balance. That's what writing with spiritual intent does for me.
Wednesday, 9 February 2011
Today is Gratitude Day!
Continuing my list of '100 Gratitudes', I am grateful for...
89. 'The Five People You Meet in Heaven' by Mitch Albom - I came across this book when I found it on the bookcase of a houseshare I was living in (it belonged to my flatmate). I had never heard of Mitch Albom nor his famous memoir 'Tuesdays with Morrie' (which I have since read too), but I was drawn to the premise of this book; that when we die our life is explained to us by five people who were in it. I loved the idea that our lives can affect others, without us even realising. It made me think about how connected we all are and that our lives are meaningful even if we consider them the opposite. It is impossible to go through life without influencing or inspiring other people, whether we do it intentionally or not. I like that. It's nice to know that something will always be left behind once we're gone; that in one way or another our lives make a mark on this earth.
90. Eckhart Tolle - both of Eckhart's books, 'The Power of Now' and 'A New Earth' have had a strong effect on me. Before reading them I never thought much about living in the present moment. I was just like everybody else who gets caught up regretting the past or worrying about the future. I still get sucked into that sometimes, but now at least I have the awareness to recognise when I'm getting bogged down in negative patterns and I can consciously bring myself into the now. It works! Eckhart is right - the present moment is all there is; the past is gone and tomorrow is yet to come. Where we can discover our power is in the present moment, in our awareness of what is happening right now. The now can remind us of the joys of life and the happiness we're capable of feeling if we only allow ourselves to let go. We don't need to keep striving for more or trying to prove our worth in this world - we're already worthy just by being alive. That's the wonder of life; each of us is as magnificent as the planet, the moon, the sun, the stars. If only the human race could recognise how amazing we are and respect our magnificence...maybe then love would prevail and suffering would end forever.
91. Elizabeth Gilbert - this is the second time I've written about Elizabeth Gilbert on Healing Scribe. In June last year I wrote a post about creativity after having been inspired by Elizabeth. I continue to be inspired by this wonderful writer, not only because of her writing success but for what she has brought to the world, and to me in particular. I'm grateful for what I feel is an artistic and spiritual affinity; Elizabeth is a writer trying to make sense of her world and using the written word to do so. All writers do this, of course, but for the way her words have changed me and helped me to grow Elizabeth deserves a special mention in my list.
Check out my earlier post -
Musings on Creativity, with a little help from Elizabeth Gilbert
92. Movie Yoga - my wonderful sister bought me the book 'Movie Yoga' by Tav Sparks for Christmas. The minute I started reading the book I thought 'I've found someone else who understands how powerful movies are!' It's not that I don't know other people who enjoy movies. Everybody I know does, actually. I've never met a single person who hates movies. But there is another level to my love of film. I think I've mentioned it here before, but I'll say it again - I've learnt a lot about life and about myself by watching movies. And that's what Movie Yoga is all about. Tav suggests that the way we relate to a particular film, the way it affects us, is a transformational experience that can help us get to know ourselves better. And here's an example from my recent movie watching - I saw The King's Speech and felt my heart pull when King George VI screams "Listen to me. Listen to me!...Because I have a voice!" Now my reaction to this wasn't just down to Colin's magnificent performance, oh no. I had an emotional response to these words because at times I've often felt that I don't allow myself a voice. I sometimes mumble, or I just keep my mouth shut, even if I want to speak up. Watching The King's Speech, with my new Movie Yoga knowledge in mind, I was able to recognise an emotional issue that has stunted me in my life (my fear that my voice isn't worthy of being heard) and I was able to work through it and try to heal it. All because I went to the cinema. Brilliant! Movie therapy - gotta love it!
Of course, writing about my fear here has been hard (years of thinking that whatever I have to say is unimportant), but I don't do it for sympathy. I do it to help me move past the issue, so I can let go. I do it so my voice can be heard.
89. 'The Five People You Meet in Heaven' by Mitch Albom - I came across this book when I found it on the bookcase of a houseshare I was living in (it belonged to my flatmate). I had never heard of Mitch Albom nor his famous memoir 'Tuesdays with Morrie' (which I have since read too), but I was drawn to the premise of this book; that when we die our life is explained to us by five people who were in it. I loved the idea that our lives can affect others, without us even realising. It made me think about how connected we all are and that our lives are meaningful even if we consider them the opposite. It is impossible to go through life without influencing or inspiring other people, whether we do it intentionally or not. I like that. It's nice to know that something will always be left behind once we're gone; that in one way or another our lives make a mark on this earth.
90. Eckhart Tolle - both of Eckhart's books, 'The Power of Now' and 'A New Earth' have had a strong effect on me. Before reading them I never thought much about living in the present moment. I was just like everybody else who gets caught up regretting the past or worrying about the future. I still get sucked into that sometimes, but now at least I have the awareness to recognise when I'm getting bogged down in negative patterns and I can consciously bring myself into the now. It works! Eckhart is right - the present moment is all there is; the past is gone and tomorrow is yet to come. Where we can discover our power is in the present moment, in our awareness of what is happening right now. The now can remind us of the joys of life and the happiness we're capable of feeling if we only allow ourselves to let go. We don't need to keep striving for more or trying to prove our worth in this world - we're already worthy just by being alive. That's the wonder of life; each of us is as magnificent as the planet, the moon, the sun, the stars. If only the human race could recognise how amazing we are and respect our magnificence...maybe then love would prevail and suffering would end forever.
91. Elizabeth Gilbert - this is the second time I've written about Elizabeth Gilbert on Healing Scribe. In June last year I wrote a post about creativity after having been inspired by Elizabeth. I continue to be inspired by this wonderful writer, not only because of her writing success but for what she has brought to the world, and to me in particular. I'm grateful for what I feel is an artistic and spiritual affinity; Elizabeth is a writer trying to make sense of her world and using the written word to do so. All writers do this, of course, but for the way her words have changed me and helped me to grow Elizabeth deserves a special mention in my list.
Check out my earlier post -
Musings on Creativity, with a little help from Elizabeth Gilbert
92. Movie Yoga - my wonderful sister bought me the book 'Movie Yoga' by Tav Sparks for Christmas. The minute I started reading the book I thought 'I've found someone else who understands how powerful movies are!' It's not that I don't know other people who enjoy movies. Everybody I know does, actually. I've never met a single person who hates movies. But there is another level to my love of film. I think I've mentioned it here before, but I'll say it again - I've learnt a lot about life and about myself by watching movies. And that's what Movie Yoga is all about. Tav suggests that the way we relate to a particular film, the way it affects us, is a transformational experience that can help us get to know ourselves better. And here's an example from my recent movie watching - I saw The King's Speech and felt my heart pull when King George VI screams "Listen to me. Listen to me!...Because I have a voice!" Now my reaction to this wasn't just down to Colin's magnificent performance, oh no. I had an emotional response to these words because at times I've often felt that I don't allow myself a voice. I sometimes mumble, or I just keep my mouth shut, even if I want to speak up. Watching The King's Speech, with my new Movie Yoga knowledge in mind, I was able to recognise an emotional issue that has stunted me in my life (my fear that my voice isn't worthy of being heard) and I was able to work through it and try to heal it. All because I went to the cinema. Brilliant! Movie therapy - gotta love it!
Of course, writing about my fear here has been hard (years of thinking that whatever I have to say is unimportant), but I don't do it for sympathy. I do it to help me move past the issue, so I can let go. I do it so my voice can be heard.
Wednesday, 2 February 2011
Today is Gratitude Day!
Continuing my list of '100 Gratitudes', I am grateful for...
85. Reiki - I don't know who I'd be if Reiki hadn't found its way into my life. I've mentioned a lot in this list the things that have helped me to grow and change; Reiki would have to be the most significant of these. One of the first posts I wrote on Healing Scribe was about my journey to Reiki. It sums up just why I'm eternally grateful for this magnificent healing art.
Read it here -
My journey to Reiki and beyond
86. 'Eastern Body. Western Mind' by Anodea Judith - once I learnt Reiki and discovered the world of energy it was inevitable that the chakras (energy centres) would come into my awareness. I began to devour books about the chakra system. The best one, by far, is Eastern Body Western Mind. This book, like its title suggests, weaves together the eastern understandings of our energy body with the western traditions of psychology. Not only did Anodea Judith give me a wonderful knowledge of each of the seven major chakras, but she also passed on her wisdom of how each chakra affects us as we grow from baby to adult (and continuously in a cycle throughout the rest of our lives). For example - the first chakra found at the base of the spine relates to grounding and coincides with our initial stage of development; our new life as a baby as we learn to crawl and then walk. We are finding our footing in this world - literally and energetically. Knowing more about the role of each chakra in my energetic development has helped me to understand my personality better and where my specific issues came from. I've been able to let go and heal myself of past emotional pain. For that I'm very, very grateful.
87. crystals - last year I studied Crystal Healing. Doing my twenty case studies blew everything I thought I knew about the energetic power of crystals out of the water! I've always been attracted to crystals (especially amethyst - purple!!) and I had an abstract understanding of their energy and healing qualities. But when I was able to witness it myself, among my case study clients, I realised that crystals have very, very strong healing energy. Using them in conjunction with the chakras gave the client a powerful healing session that balanced their energy body, aided their wellbeing and helped them to feel relaxed. I'd seen these same responses during Reiki sessions, but during my crystal case studies I did not channel Reiki energy at all. The healing that occurred was a direct result of the power of these little gems of the Earth. How magnificent!
88. affirmations - while I'm talking about energy I can not forget to mention the energy of our thoughts. Yes, thoughts have an energetic vibration as well. They are not just confined to the insides of our brain. They move beyond our heads to the energy soup that is our universe and they attract their physical manifestations into our lives. Feeling sad and being hard on yourself, that's what you'll continue to attract - more painful thoughts and an even more painful reality. On the other hand if you're conscious of your thoughts and try to maintain a positive frame of mind, you will inevitably attract more and more joy and prosperity into your life. It's the law of attraction. Fact. That's why affirmations are so valuable - they can be used to retrain your thought patterns and get rid of those nagging self-doubts that plague you.
Try saying this affirmation daily and see if you start to feel lighter, happier and more content with who you are and the life you're living... (it works for me!)...
'I love and approve of myself.'
85. Reiki - I don't know who I'd be if Reiki hadn't found its way into my life. I've mentioned a lot in this list the things that have helped me to grow and change; Reiki would have to be the most significant of these. One of the first posts I wrote on Healing Scribe was about my journey to Reiki. It sums up just why I'm eternally grateful for this magnificent healing art.
Read it here -
My journey to Reiki and beyond
86. 'Eastern Body. Western Mind' by Anodea Judith - once I learnt Reiki and discovered the world of energy it was inevitable that the chakras (energy centres) would come into my awareness. I began to devour books about the chakra system. The best one, by far, is Eastern Body Western Mind. This book, like its title suggests, weaves together the eastern understandings of our energy body with the western traditions of psychology. Not only did Anodea Judith give me a wonderful knowledge of each of the seven major chakras, but she also passed on her wisdom of how each chakra affects us as we grow from baby to adult (and continuously in a cycle throughout the rest of our lives). For example - the first chakra found at the base of the spine relates to grounding and coincides with our initial stage of development; our new life as a baby as we learn to crawl and then walk. We are finding our footing in this world - literally and energetically. Knowing more about the role of each chakra in my energetic development has helped me to understand my personality better and where my specific issues came from. I've been able to let go and heal myself of past emotional pain. For that I'm very, very grateful.
87. crystals - last year I studied Crystal Healing. Doing my twenty case studies blew everything I thought I knew about the energetic power of crystals out of the water! I've always been attracted to crystals (especially amethyst - purple!!) and I had an abstract understanding of their energy and healing qualities. But when I was able to witness it myself, among my case study clients, I realised that crystals have very, very strong healing energy. Using them in conjunction with the chakras gave the client a powerful healing session that balanced their energy body, aided their wellbeing and helped them to feel relaxed. I'd seen these same responses during Reiki sessions, but during my crystal case studies I did not channel Reiki energy at all. The healing that occurred was a direct result of the power of these little gems of the Earth. How magnificent!
88. affirmations - while I'm talking about energy I can not forget to mention the energy of our thoughts. Yes, thoughts have an energetic vibration as well. They are not just confined to the insides of our brain. They move beyond our heads to the energy soup that is our universe and they attract their physical manifestations into our lives. Feeling sad and being hard on yourself, that's what you'll continue to attract - more painful thoughts and an even more painful reality. On the other hand if you're conscious of your thoughts and try to maintain a positive frame of mind, you will inevitably attract more and more joy and prosperity into your life. It's the law of attraction. Fact. That's why affirmations are so valuable - they can be used to retrain your thought patterns and get rid of those nagging self-doubts that plague you.
Try saying this affirmation daily and see if you start to feel lighter, happier and more content with who you are and the life you're living... (it works for me!)...
'I love and approve of myself.'
Friday, 28 January 2011
Today is Gratitude Day!
Continuing my list of '100 Gratitudes', I am grateful for...
81. massage - one of the best massages I've ever had was at the Blue Lagoon in Iceland. You think massage inside a therapist's treatment room is wonderful...try getting massaged while floating on your back on a mattress in the warm waters of the Lagoon. The floating just adds a whole other level of relaxation. Amazing! But of course there is also massage I enjoy much closer to home - I recently went for my second ever Kahuna massage. I loved it! In fact, I was in heaven afterwards. Kahuna literally is an all body massage as the therapist works on your front as well as your back. It's all about long, continuous, flowing strokes. It's all about harmony. :-) In Hawaiian, kahuna means 'loving hands'. Enough said.
82. showers - this is my everyday massage! I'm one of those bad people who take long showers. I try not to but I just love them so much. The hot water cascading down my back, the steam filling my lungs...what's not to love? :-) I often get creative ideas pop into my head while I'm in the shower. Or if something has been bothering me or stressing me out, a solution will appear. Now that I've gotta be grateful for!
83. bed - if I'm talking about relaxation I have to mention bed! I can't name one thing better than curling up under the doona and feeling my head sink into my pillow and feeling my tired body surrender to the comfort of my mattress. Actually, there is something better - that feeling I get when I wake up but I don't have to get up. You know it? When you can simply roll over, close your eyes again and drift off. Ahh sleep....I adore it. Ahh bed...what a wonderful invention. :-)
84. walking - that's right; I don't spend all my time asleep. I do love to go for a walk. It's another very relaxing thing to do, another way to clear my mind so I can come up with new creative ideas. In the summertime, especially, I like to go to the park and walk. There is always a buzz in the air and I make sure I breathe it in! Plus, you know what I adore about walking - it doesn't feel like exercise. It feels more like meditation.
81. massage - one of the best massages I've ever had was at the Blue Lagoon in Iceland. You think massage inside a therapist's treatment room is wonderful...try getting massaged while floating on your back on a mattress in the warm waters of the Lagoon. The floating just adds a whole other level of relaxation. Amazing! But of course there is also massage I enjoy much closer to home - I recently went for my second ever Kahuna massage. I loved it! In fact, I was in heaven afterwards. Kahuna literally is an all body massage as the therapist works on your front as well as your back. It's all about long, continuous, flowing strokes. It's all about harmony. :-) In Hawaiian, kahuna means 'loving hands'. Enough said.
82. showers - this is my everyday massage! I'm one of those bad people who take long showers. I try not to but I just love them so much. The hot water cascading down my back, the steam filling my lungs...what's not to love? :-) I often get creative ideas pop into my head while I'm in the shower. Or if something has been bothering me or stressing me out, a solution will appear. Now that I've gotta be grateful for!
83. bed - if I'm talking about relaxation I have to mention bed! I can't name one thing better than curling up under the doona and feeling my head sink into my pillow and feeling my tired body surrender to the comfort of my mattress. Actually, there is something better - that feeling I get when I wake up but I don't have to get up. You know it? When you can simply roll over, close your eyes again and drift off. Ahh sleep....I adore it. Ahh bed...what a wonderful invention. :-)
84. walking - that's right; I don't spend all my time asleep. I do love to go for a walk. It's another very relaxing thing to do, another way to clear my mind so I can come up with new creative ideas. In the summertime, especially, I like to go to the park and walk. There is always a buzz in the air and I make sure I breathe it in! Plus, you know what I adore about walking - it doesn't feel like exercise. It feels more like meditation.
Wednesday, 19 January 2011
Today is Gratitude Day!
Continuing my list of '100 Gratitudes', I am grateful for...
77. IMDB - how great is The Internet Movie Database website?! Want to find the release date of an upcoming movie - it's on there. Want to know who wrote or directed a film - it's on there. Want to know trivia, goofs, soundtracks, memorable quotes - they're all on there! It doesn't get any better for a movie fan like me.
www.imdb.com
78. Drew's Script-O-Rama - another wonderful movie website. This one has hundreds of film scripts for you to download. Both the movie fan and the writer in me is grateful for this magnificent resource. My slightly out there writer's dream is to see a film script of mine made into a movie; and if they wanted to honour me with an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, I wouldn't turn it down! :-) This website is invaluable because as all screenwriters know - the best way to learn how to write a movie is to read scripts and watch films!
(In case you're wondering...yes, I have written a screenplay. But the film studios haven't come knocking at my door yet!)
www.script-o-rama.com
79. Wikipedia - I can spend hours on this site. I go on there searching for info on someone or something and I end up following links to related people or events. Just this morning I looked up U2, just for curiosity. I read about how the band started, then I moved on to read just about Bono, and then his wife, and then about their charity work. Talk about accessible information! I think it's brilliant.
80. Facebook - Mark Zuckerberg has successfully taken over the (virtual) world, whether that was his intention or not. We can't deny how much this little social networking site has changed our lives. And I for one think it's great. Admittedly, I don't go on there as much as I did when I was caught up in the initial buzz of it all. But I check in every now and again to see what friends are up to. I love that it only takes a simple status update for everyone you care about to know your latest news. This is especially great when, like me, friends and family are spread out all over the world. It's an easy way to stay in touch. And I know it shouldn't replace face-to-face contact, but when that isn't possible it offers the next best thing.
77. IMDB - how great is The Internet Movie Database website?! Want to find the release date of an upcoming movie - it's on there. Want to know who wrote or directed a film - it's on there. Want to know trivia, goofs, soundtracks, memorable quotes - they're all on there! It doesn't get any better for a movie fan like me.
www.imdb.com
78. Drew's Script-O-Rama - another wonderful movie website. This one has hundreds of film scripts for you to download. Both the movie fan and the writer in me is grateful for this magnificent resource. My slightly out there writer's dream is to see a film script of mine made into a movie; and if they wanted to honour me with an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, I wouldn't turn it down! :-) This website is invaluable because as all screenwriters know - the best way to learn how to write a movie is to read scripts and watch films!
(In case you're wondering...yes, I have written a screenplay. But the film studios haven't come knocking at my door yet!)
www.script-o-rama.com
79. Wikipedia - I can spend hours on this site. I go on there searching for info on someone or something and I end up following links to related people or events. Just this morning I looked up U2, just for curiosity. I read about how the band started, then I moved on to read just about Bono, and then his wife, and then about their charity work. Talk about accessible information! I think it's brilliant.
80. Facebook - Mark Zuckerberg has successfully taken over the (virtual) world, whether that was his intention or not. We can't deny how much this little social networking site has changed our lives. And I for one think it's great. Admittedly, I don't go on there as much as I did when I was caught up in the initial buzz of it all. But I check in every now and again to see what friends are up to. I love that it only takes a simple status update for everyone you care about to know your latest news. This is especially great when, like me, friends and family are spread out all over the world. It's an easy way to stay in touch. And I know it shouldn't replace face-to-face contact, but when that isn't possible it offers the next best thing.
Wednesday, 12 January 2011
Today is Gratitude Day!
Continuing my list of '100 Gratitudes', I am grateful for...
73. Tea Tree oil - I get cold sores. Something I am most definitely not grateful for. I hate them. I wish they didn't exist. But I have found that tea tree oil is the one thing, when applied directly to the spot, can stop a cold sore developing (if I catch it early enough). If not, I still apply the tea tree oil regularly throughout the day and it dries that cold sore up quick smart. Of course there is no way to avoid the unsightly scab, but all things heal in time. I just call myself scab face to add a little humour to the situation. ;-) Tea tree oil is nature's antiseptic - now, that's pretty cool; another example that nature provides everything we need to survive on this planet! And you know the other great thing about tea tree oil? It's native to Australia. Like me. Love it!
74. Essential Care - while I'm on the topic of tea tree oil, I have to mention the organic company that produces my face cleanser. Essential Care is a small family-run business who make skin care products from almost 100% organic ingredients. I swear by their Lemon and Tea Tree Facial Wash - it keeps my skin clear and I feel fantastic knowing I'm putting only natural, organic ingredients onto my face.
75. Aloe vera - if I'm talking about nature's gifts I have to include aloe vera! Ohh the amount of times aloe vera gel has soothed my fiery sunburn! Yes, that's right - I did grow up in one of the sunniest countries in the world (so you'd think my skin would be tough!), but my skin is still susceptible to sunburn. (Of course this can always be avoided by simply wearing sunscreen, something I admit to forgetting most of the time. oops!) The wonder of aloe vera is also the main ingredient in my favourite lip balm; which is another product I use to ward off those dreadful cold sores. So aloe heals me again and again - gotta be grateful for that!!
76. the organic movement - I know that everything organic is big business these days, which is, ironically, the opposite of what the movement stood for when it began. But I have to be grateful for what the movement brought to me - a new way of viewing the world and our interconnectedness to all things. It has raised my awareness and reminded me that I want to live as natural a life as I can.
73. Tea Tree oil - I get cold sores. Something I am most definitely not grateful for. I hate them. I wish they didn't exist. But I have found that tea tree oil is the one thing, when applied directly to the spot, can stop a cold sore developing (if I catch it early enough). If not, I still apply the tea tree oil regularly throughout the day and it dries that cold sore up quick smart. Of course there is no way to avoid the unsightly scab, but all things heal in time. I just call myself scab face to add a little humour to the situation. ;-) Tea tree oil is nature's antiseptic - now, that's pretty cool; another example that nature provides everything we need to survive on this planet! And you know the other great thing about tea tree oil? It's native to Australia. Like me. Love it!
74. Essential Care - while I'm on the topic of tea tree oil, I have to mention the organic company that produces my face cleanser. Essential Care is a small family-run business who make skin care products from almost 100% organic ingredients. I swear by their Lemon and Tea Tree Facial Wash - it keeps my skin clear and I feel fantastic knowing I'm putting only natural, organic ingredients onto my face.
75. Aloe vera - if I'm talking about nature's gifts I have to include aloe vera! Ohh the amount of times aloe vera gel has soothed my fiery sunburn! Yes, that's right - I did grow up in one of the sunniest countries in the world (so you'd think my skin would be tough!), but my skin is still susceptible to sunburn. (Of course this can always be avoided by simply wearing sunscreen, something I admit to forgetting most of the time. oops!) The wonder of aloe vera is also the main ingredient in my favourite lip balm; which is another product I use to ward off those dreadful cold sores. So aloe heals me again and again - gotta be grateful for that!!
76. the organic movement - I know that everything organic is big business these days, which is, ironically, the opposite of what the movement stood for when it began. But I have to be grateful for what the movement brought to me - a new way of viewing the world and our interconnectedness to all things. It has raised my awareness and reminded me that I want to live as natural a life as I can.
Wednesday, 5 January 2011
Today is Gratitude Day!
Continuing my list of '100 Gratitudes', I am grateful for...
69. clear blue skies on a London winter's day - last week as I wrote my blog the view from my window was gray and dreary. Today I look out and all I see is a baby blue sky without a single cloud, and the morning sun flooding the buildings. Ahh the difference the sun can make! :-) I wouldn't have thought the weather could have such an effect on me. I try not to let it because I know it's only weather and we can't change it. I try to remind myself that it's just Mother Nature moving through her cycles - cycles that are necessary for life on this planet. But best laid plans....! Sometimes the winter gets me down and I long for the sunshine. So I'm grateful the weather gods are smiling on me today.
70. chocolate - I eat too much of this wonderful stuff, I admit it. But I just can't help myself. I once stopped for a short time - until I realised I'd only replaced eating chocolate with drinking hot chocolates!! Some way or another I always get my fix. That makes me sound like an addict...well, maybe I am. It just tastes so, so, so good.
71. Lightworker Magazine - I only just discovered this online magazine. It describes a lightworker as someone who is "committed to the art of positive living." The magazine is full of inspiring articles. I've only read the latest edition, so now I want to go back and take a look at all their past ones. Best of all - we can all do this online, for free! I love what the people at Lightworker Magazine are doing - spreading the word in an accessible way. I appreciate that. And it makes me grateful for those in the world who just want to help others, in any way they can.
Check it out - www.lightworkermag.com
72. Toni Carmine Salemo - I bought a couple of prints by this Australian intuitive artist at the Mind Body Spirit festival last year. I was captivated by his beautiful images - they spoke directly to my soul. I think Toni is a magnificent artist who has an extraordinary talent. He is able to let go and connect to his spirit, and then translate what he sees and feels so stunningly onto the canvas. When I look at his work I feel a connection to the divine.
Check out his online galleries - www.tonicarminesalerno.com/gallery1.htm
69. clear blue skies on a London winter's day - last week as I wrote my blog the view from my window was gray and dreary. Today I look out and all I see is a baby blue sky without a single cloud, and the morning sun flooding the buildings. Ahh the difference the sun can make! :-) I wouldn't have thought the weather could have such an effect on me. I try not to let it because I know it's only weather and we can't change it. I try to remind myself that it's just Mother Nature moving through her cycles - cycles that are necessary for life on this planet. But best laid plans....! Sometimes the winter gets me down and I long for the sunshine. So I'm grateful the weather gods are smiling on me today.
70. chocolate - I eat too much of this wonderful stuff, I admit it. But I just can't help myself. I once stopped for a short time - until I realised I'd only replaced eating chocolate with drinking hot chocolates!! Some way or another I always get my fix. That makes me sound like an addict...well, maybe I am. It just tastes so, so, so good.
71. Lightworker Magazine - I only just discovered this online magazine. It describes a lightworker as someone who is "committed to the art of positive living." The magazine is full of inspiring articles. I've only read the latest edition, so now I want to go back and take a look at all their past ones. Best of all - we can all do this online, for free! I love what the people at Lightworker Magazine are doing - spreading the word in an accessible way. I appreciate that. And it makes me grateful for those in the world who just want to help others, in any way they can.
Check it out - www.lightworkermag.com
72. Toni Carmine Salemo - I bought a couple of prints by this Australian intuitive artist at the Mind Body Spirit festival last year. I was captivated by his beautiful images - they spoke directly to my soul. I think Toni is a magnificent artist who has an extraordinary talent. He is able to let go and connect to his spirit, and then translate what he sees and feels so stunningly onto the canvas. When I look at his work I feel a connection to the divine.
Check out his online galleries - www.tonicarminesalerno.com/gallery1.htm
Wednesday, 29 December 2010
Today is Gratitude Day!
Continuing my list of '100 Gratitudes', I am grateful for...
65. family time - this christmas was spent with my partner and my mum, and Bobbie the dog. We were curled up on the sofa playing marathon Wii sessions and eating delicious nut roast and chocolate pudding with ice cream for dessert. I was reminded of how much pleasure I get from just hanging out with family, doing nothing in particular - just enjoying each other's company. The past four days were filled with laughter! The only thing missing? The rest of my immediate family who are in sunny Australia. Looking forward to seeing them in 2011!
66. Wii - sure I know video games can be addictive and can bring on moments of frustration and anger, but they're also a lot of fun! For christmas I got the Super Mario Bros game and we've had a number of lengthy sessions on it already! I love it! Not only is it fun to challenge myself and see how well I can do, but it also brings out the kid in me. I used to play Super Mario Bros on my gameboy as a child, and then on our Nintendo. What a great time that was! I'm grateful that the video game playing kid inside me can still come out to giggle and scream at the screen with excitement. I know virtual games can't replace the joys of reality, but man can they come close! :-)
67. spectacular scenic views - looking out my lounge room window today I am confronted with a dreary gray London winter's day. Normally I embrace winter as another beautiful season, but right now I am longing for a picturesque view of some sparkling water or some shining greenery! So I want to brighten up my day by including on this list a few of the spectacular scenic views I have seen on recent summertime trips away. I'm very grateful for the peace a beautiful, natural setting can invoke in me. It's why my partner and I travel so regularly - to see the wonder of the natural world.
Land's End, England. 2009 -
Switzerland, 2009 -
Lake Como, 2010 -
68. trees - I have taken a lot of photos like the ones below because I love the sight of trees meeting together over a path; their canopy forming a sort of green wonderland to walk through. There is something magical about it that I just can't describe.
65. family time - this christmas was spent with my partner and my mum, and Bobbie the dog. We were curled up on the sofa playing marathon Wii sessions and eating delicious nut roast and chocolate pudding with ice cream for dessert. I was reminded of how much pleasure I get from just hanging out with family, doing nothing in particular - just enjoying each other's company. The past four days were filled with laughter! The only thing missing? The rest of my immediate family who are in sunny Australia. Looking forward to seeing them in 2011!
66. Wii - sure I know video games can be addictive and can bring on moments of frustration and anger, but they're also a lot of fun! For christmas I got the Super Mario Bros game and we've had a number of lengthy sessions on it already! I love it! Not only is it fun to challenge myself and see how well I can do, but it also brings out the kid in me. I used to play Super Mario Bros on my gameboy as a child, and then on our Nintendo. What a great time that was! I'm grateful that the video game playing kid inside me can still come out to giggle and scream at the screen with excitement. I know virtual games can't replace the joys of reality, but man can they come close! :-)
67. spectacular scenic views - looking out my lounge room window today I am confronted with a dreary gray London winter's day. Normally I embrace winter as another beautiful season, but right now I am longing for a picturesque view of some sparkling water or some shining greenery! So I want to brighten up my day by including on this list a few of the spectacular scenic views I have seen on recent summertime trips away. I'm very grateful for the peace a beautiful, natural setting can invoke in me. It's why my partner and I travel so regularly - to see the wonder of the natural world.
Land's End, England. 2009 -
Switzerland, 2009 -
Lake Como, 2010 -
68. trees - I have taken a lot of photos like the ones below because I love the sight of trees meeting together over a path; their canopy forming a sort of green wonderland to walk through. There is something magical about it that I just can't describe.
Wednesday, 22 December 2010
Today is Gratitude Day!
Continuing my list of '100 Gratitudes', I am grateful for...
61. Christmas - our tree is standing tall in the corner of our lounge room with gold, red and silver tinsel and baubles. Presents are spread out underneath. I have a nut roast recipe ready to try on saturday and I've got a couple of family members to spend quality time with. The weather outside is cold and wet - perfect for a cosy christmas day! I can't wait! Three more sleeps.
62. my 2011 diary - I like having a new year spread before me and I love my new, crisp diary with its pages of empty day notes to be filled up with activities and events. Who knows what I'll get up to in 2011? Only time will tell. :-) Of course, there is one major event I'm looking forward to - my wedding day! Yes, 2011 is going to be a life changing year. One that will forever stand out from the rest. Bring it on!
63. friends - when my partner and I announced our engagement we were flooded with congratulations and well wishes from friends. I was amazed by the response. Not because I considered myself friendless, but because I was reminded of all the wonderful people I know and just how much I am cared for. It was brilliant to be able to share my joy with those closest to me; the people in my life who really understand what this all means to me. The people who will be with us to celebrate our big day. I'm so grateful for my friendships, and glad that I am able to be a friend myself. My only hope is that I am always able to offer my friends the same level of love, support, joy and compassion that mine give to me.
64. the moon - reading about last night's lunar eclipse got me thinking about how grateful I am for the moon's existence. And while I'm amazed by her celestrial magic and tidal forces, that's actually not the reason I've included her in this list. I include her because of a particular day in my life that occurred not long after I'd moved to London. I was home alone, in a new city, with nothing to do so I took myself off to see a movie...alone. I'd never gone to the movies alone. In fact, on that day as I rode the bus to the cinema I felt as if I'd never done anything alone in my entire life. This wasn't true of course, but the feeling of independence and freedom flooded me. So much so that I consider it a real turning point in my life. I was twenty-one years old and away from everything that was familiar to me, and yet I wasn't scared. It might sound crazy, but that simple act of going to the movies alone, in a foreign city, made me feel liberated and empowered. I spent the whole day out on my own, with a smile on my face, and that night as I was cleaning my teeth I looked out of the bathroom window and saw a beautiful bright white full moon staring down at me from the clouds. Seeing the moon then, in my enlightened mood, was life-affirming. I felt as magnificent and capable as the moon herself. And that was something I'd never, ever, thought of before. My mind and heart had opened a little that day. And it was the beginning of an important shift in me. Even now, whenever I spot a full moon, I'm reminded of how I felt on that day. And I always smile.
61. Christmas - our tree is standing tall in the corner of our lounge room with gold, red and silver tinsel and baubles. Presents are spread out underneath. I have a nut roast recipe ready to try on saturday and I've got a couple of family members to spend quality time with. The weather outside is cold and wet - perfect for a cosy christmas day! I can't wait! Three more sleeps.
62. my 2011 diary - I like having a new year spread before me and I love my new, crisp diary with its pages of empty day notes to be filled up with activities and events. Who knows what I'll get up to in 2011? Only time will tell. :-) Of course, there is one major event I'm looking forward to - my wedding day! Yes, 2011 is going to be a life changing year. One that will forever stand out from the rest. Bring it on!
63. friends - when my partner and I announced our engagement we were flooded with congratulations and well wishes from friends. I was amazed by the response. Not because I considered myself friendless, but because I was reminded of all the wonderful people I know and just how much I am cared for. It was brilliant to be able to share my joy with those closest to me; the people in my life who really understand what this all means to me. The people who will be with us to celebrate our big day. I'm so grateful for my friendships, and glad that I am able to be a friend myself. My only hope is that I am always able to offer my friends the same level of love, support, joy and compassion that mine give to me.
64. the moon - reading about last night's lunar eclipse got me thinking about how grateful I am for the moon's existence. And while I'm amazed by her celestrial magic and tidal forces, that's actually not the reason I've included her in this list. I include her because of a particular day in my life that occurred not long after I'd moved to London. I was home alone, in a new city, with nothing to do so I took myself off to see a movie...alone. I'd never gone to the movies alone. In fact, on that day as I rode the bus to the cinema I felt as if I'd never done anything alone in my entire life. This wasn't true of course, but the feeling of independence and freedom flooded me. So much so that I consider it a real turning point in my life. I was twenty-one years old and away from everything that was familiar to me, and yet I wasn't scared. It might sound crazy, but that simple act of going to the movies alone, in a foreign city, made me feel liberated and empowered. I spent the whole day out on my own, with a smile on my face, and that night as I was cleaning my teeth I looked out of the bathroom window and saw a beautiful bright white full moon staring down at me from the clouds. Seeing the moon then, in my enlightened mood, was life-affirming. I felt as magnificent and capable as the moon herself. And that was something I'd never, ever, thought of before. My mind and heart had opened a little that day. And it was the beginning of an important shift in me. Even now, whenever I spot a full moon, I'm reminded of how I felt on that day. And I always smile.
Wednesday, 15 December 2010
Today is Gratitude Day!
Continuing my list of '100 Gratitudes', I am grateful for...
57. swings - getting on a swing always brings out the child in me! I love them - another simple pleasure. I was afraid of heights as a kid so it took me a while to drum up the courage to swing high. But eventually I was able to swing ferociously enough that it seemed like the entire swing set might pop out of the ground with the force of it all! I was also brave enough to jump from the swing - I loved that split second when I was actually flying, before my feet hit the ground.
58. my first bike - one birthday (I think it was my ninth?) I awoke to find a bike in my room. It was standing there waiting for me. Great day! :-) I loved my bike. I loved riding it to school and around the neighbourhood. And it wasn't just about the freedom it gave me; it was mostly about how grown up I felt! I was finally big enough to have my own bike, old enough to be trusted to ride off on my own. Heading off somewhere on my bike, alone, helped me to feel strong and courageous and independent for the first time in my life.
59. pianos - I played the piano for many years when I was a kid. I enjoyed it so much. Nothing beat the feeling of getting a piece of music right after practising and practising for hours on end. Playing the piano taught me discipline and the joy of accomplishment. Playing the piano taught me to love music. I really should never have given it up (but kids do dumb things sometimes!). I'd love to own a piano now and to take up playing again; to have the sound of a piano fill the house once more.
60. my one and only trophy - I won a trophy for tennis when I was eight or nine. It was for 'Most Improved' and the engraver spelt my name wrong. :-) But boy was I proud of that trophy! I can still recall the moment I received it. We'd finished our tennis training for the day and the teachers had taken us inside the tennis club room and sat us all down. They announced a few other names first and then lo and behold I heard my own name being called. I was shocked, surprised, nervous, excited, and happy all at once. I didn't consider myself a sporty person back then (i'm still not!), but I knew I'd worked hard and it was nice to be acknowledged for it. I'm grateful for my one and only trophy because winning it was a giant pat on the back, from someone outside of my immediate family. And the shy little girl I was then had obviously needed that.
57. swings - getting on a swing always brings out the child in me! I love them - another simple pleasure. I was afraid of heights as a kid so it took me a while to drum up the courage to swing high. But eventually I was able to swing ferociously enough that it seemed like the entire swing set might pop out of the ground with the force of it all! I was also brave enough to jump from the swing - I loved that split second when I was actually flying, before my feet hit the ground.
58. my first bike - one birthday (I think it was my ninth?) I awoke to find a bike in my room. It was standing there waiting for me. Great day! :-) I loved my bike. I loved riding it to school and around the neighbourhood. And it wasn't just about the freedom it gave me; it was mostly about how grown up I felt! I was finally big enough to have my own bike, old enough to be trusted to ride off on my own. Heading off somewhere on my bike, alone, helped me to feel strong and courageous and independent for the first time in my life.
59. pianos - I played the piano for many years when I was a kid. I enjoyed it so much. Nothing beat the feeling of getting a piece of music right after practising and practising for hours on end. Playing the piano taught me discipline and the joy of accomplishment. Playing the piano taught me to love music. I really should never have given it up (but kids do dumb things sometimes!). I'd love to own a piano now and to take up playing again; to have the sound of a piano fill the house once more.
60. my one and only trophy - I won a trophy for tennis when I was eight or nine. It was for 'Most Improved' and the engraver spelt my name wrong. :-) But boy was I proud of that trophy! I can still recall the moment I received it. We'd finished our tennis training for the day and the teachers had taken us inside the tennis club room and sat us all down. They announced a few other names first and then lo and behold I heard my own name being called. I was shocked, surprised, nervous, excited, and happy all at once. I didn't consider myself a sporty person back then (i'm still not!), but I knew I'd worked hard and it was nice to be acknowledged for it. I'm grateful for my one and only trophy because winning it was a giant pat on the back, from someone outside of my immediate family. And the shy little girl I was then had obviously needed that.
Wednesday, 8 December 2010
Today is Gratitude Day!
Continuing my list of '100 Gratitudes', I am grateful for...
53. Christmas trees - decorating a christmas tree takes me back to a time when I wasn't able to sleep a wink on Christmas Eve because my stomach would be churning with anticipation. It reminds me what it feels like to be completely consumed with excitement. I absolutely adored Christmas as a child. Now that I'm all grown up, though, its thrill has become a little tarnished. But hanging the tinsel always brings a bit of that old thrill into my life again.
54. fairy lights - they remind me of that christmas excitement too. And they make me feel joy because fairy lights always seem to come out during celebrations; christmas, birthday parties, weddings. A tiny light twinkling and sparkling - who would have thought it could bring such a big smile to my face? Ahh the simple things in life! :-)
55. bubbles - while I'm on a roll here, why not write about all those simple pleasures from childhood. :-) What was it about dunking a plastic wand (that had a circle or star shape on the end of it) into a bucket of soapy water and then dancing around the garden making bubbles? Why was that so much fun? And why does the sight of bubbles now, as an adult, still manage to make me giggle with glee?
56. trampolines - my sister and I had a big blue trampoline. The amount of time I spent jumping on that thing! wow! And I wasn't one for tricks either. I might have done the odd somersault, but most of the time I just jumped. Up and down. I suppose I was doing what is called living in the moment. :-) Jumping up and down was enough for me. And it was fun!!
53. Christmas trees - decorating a christmas tree takes me back to a time when I wasn't able to sleep a wink on Christmas Eve because my stomach would be churning with anticipation. It reminds me what it feels like to be completely consumed with excitement. I absolutely adored Christmas as a child. Now that I'm all grown up, though, its thrill has become a little tarnished. But hanging the tinsel always brings a bit of that old thrill into my life again.
54. fairy lights - they remind me of that christmas excitement too. And they make me feel joy because fairy lights always seem to come out during celebrations; christmas, birthday parties, weddings. A tiny light twinkling and sparkling - who would have thought it could bring such a big smile to my face? Ahh the simple things in life! :-)
55. bubbles - while I'm on a roll here, why not write about all those simple pleasures from childhood. :-) What was it about dunking a plastic wand (that had a circle or star shape on the end of it) into a bucket of soapy water and then dancing around the garden making bubbles? Why was that so much fun? And why does the sight of bubbles now, as an adult, still manage to make me giggle with glee?
56. trampolines - my sister and I had a big blue trampoline. The amount of time I spent jumping on that thing! wow! And I wasn't one for tricks either. I might have done the odd somersault, but most of the time I just jumped. Up and down. I suppose I was doing what is called living in the moment. :-) Jumping up and down was enough for me. And it was fun!!
Friday, 3 December 2010
Today is Gratitude Day!
Continuing my list of '100 Gratitudes', I am grateful for...
49. snow - the past few days in London have been filled with snow. I love looking out my window and seeing the flakes cascading down. I love seeing the mounds of it settled on the rooftops and amongst the tree branches. I love how a dusting of pure white can really bring out the beauty in something. I also love that each snowflake is unique, and yet they are made up of the same stuff. Sort of like humans! :-) It's nice to be reminded of our uniqueness, isn't it?
50. my sister - there's only the two of us, and I'm the youngest. Growing up I idolised my big sister, as all younger siblings tend to do. And as most older siblings tend to do - my sister considered me annoying. :-) Eventually, though, we both got a little older and a little wiser, and now we're the best of friends. But that's the thing about siblings - you're more than just friends aren't you? There's a connection that goes much deeper than friendship. My sister knows exactly what it's like to be me because we share so many of our memories. My sister has been there for all the big moments in my life. She's supported me, unconditionally. I might still bug her from time to time, as all younger siblings tend to do, but I know I can always rely on my sister's love. I know we share a bond that can never be broken. And that makes me feel so very, very grateful.
51. angels - I choose to believe in angels and I've felt their presence in my life. I know they are always around, guiding me and protecting me. I'm a big fan of anything that brings comfort to people. And I know the angels bring comfort; I've witnessed the peacefulness that washes over a person when they recount an angelic experience. I've felt that peacefulness myself. Quite acutely, in fact. If I do anything in my life that could be remotely considered prayer, it is communicating with the angels. I ask for guidance and the answers always, always come in some form or another. Having faith (in whatever you choose to believe in) is an integral part of being alive. I'm grateful for my faith in the angels.
52. Louise Hay - anyone familiar with Louise Hay's book 'You Can Heal Your Life' would agree that she is a remarkable and inspirational woman. Not only did she heal herself of cervical cancer without any conventional medical treatment, she also found a way to reach out to millions of people and help them on their own healing journey. I'm grateful to Louise for what she taught me about positive thinking and letting go of old hurts and resentments. These old wounds do nothing but create illness in our bodies and minds. It's much better for us to forgive and let go. Learn from life, but live without regret.
Louise Hay has daily affirmations on her website. Today's affirmation is -
"I'm a student of Life, and I love it!"
49. snow - the past few days in London have been filled with snow. I love looking out my window and seeing the flakes cascading down. I love seeing the mounds of it settled on the rooftops and amongst the tree branches. I love how a dusting of pure white can really bring out the beauty in something. I also love that each snowflake is unique, and yet they are made up of the same stuff. Sort of like humans! :-) It's nice to be reminded of our uniqueness, isn't it?
50. my sister - there's only the two of us, and I'm the youngest. Growing up I idolised my big sister, as all younger siblings tend to do. And as most older siblings tend to do - my sister considered me annoying. :-) Eventually, though, we both got a little older and a little wiser, and now we're the best of friends. But that's the thing about siblings - you're more than just friends aren't you? There's a connection that goes much deeper than friendship. My sister knows exactly what it's like to be me because we share so many of our memories. My sister has been there for all the big moments in my life. She's supported me, unconditionally. I might still bug her from time to time, as all younger siblings tend to do, but I know I can always rely on my sister's love. I know we share a bond that can never be broken. And that makes me feel so very, very grateful.
51. angels - I choose to believe in angels and I've felt their presence in my life. I know they are always around, guiding me and protecting me. I'm a big fan of anything that brings comfort to people. And I know the angels bring comfort; I've witnessed the peacefulness that washes over a person when they recount an angelic experience. I've felt that peacefulness myself. Quite acutely, in fact. If I do anything in my life that could be remotely considered prayer, it is communicating with the angels. I ask for guidance and the answers always, always come in some form or another. Having faith (in whatever you choose to believe in) is an integral part of being alive. I'm grateful for my faith in the angels.
52. Louise Hay - anyone familiar with Louise Hay's book 'You Can Heal Your Life' would agree that she is a remarkable and inspirational woman. Not only did she heal herself of cervical cancer without any conventional medical treatment, she also found a way to reach out to millions of people and help them on their own healing journey. I'm grateful to Louise for what she taught me about positive thinking and letting go of old hurts and resentments. These old wounds do nothing but create illness in our bodies and minds. It's much better for us to forgive and let go. Learn from life, but live without regret.
Louise Hay has daily affirmations on her website. Today's affirmation is -
"I'm a student of Life, and I love it!"
Wednesday, 24 November 2010
Today is Gratitude Day!
Continuing my list of '100 Gratitudes', I am grateful for...
45. Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition - this exhibition is on every year at the Natural History Museum and I always love to go. The photos are always amazing. I especially like the nature shots - when photos show how remarkable, and beautiful, Mother Earth is I can't help but be filled with gratitude and awe for this planet of ours.
Here are the links to my three favourite photos from the 2010 competition -
http://bit.ly/gZ3QvJ
http://bit.ly/hyFVzu
http://bit.ly/bqMA5Q
46. 'Conversations with God' by Neale Donald Walsch - when I first heard about this book I admit I was sceptical. And I wasn't the least bit interested in reading a religious book about a man talking to God. But years later I was browsing in a bookshop and it caught my eye. I read the first few pages...and I was hooked! This book isn't a religious text at all. It's a spiritual book filled with New Age ideas. God is love. God is life energy. God is everywhere and everything. This was the first book that spoke those words to me. This was the first time I was offered an alternative definition of 'God'. No longer was 'God' a white-bearded man in the sky. 'God' became an energy that is within us. This was my first glimpse of my own divinity. Reading this book helped me discover how magnificent each and every one of us is - that 'God' is not some special person we should all hope to be. We are all God. We are all divine. Already.
47. 'Avatar' - Ok, so plot wise this movie is predictable, but what I really loved about this film was its spiritual message. The Na'vi people live in harmony with their planet. They are one with Mother Nature. They communicate with animals. Everything and everybody is connected; they share a spiritual bond. Life is what matters.
48. my warm puffa coat - ahh my down-filled coat; I love you! It's like having a doona (that's a duvet for all you non-Australians!) wrapped around me all day long. And yesterday it was cold enough here in London to wear it. Yesterday my puffa coat had its first outing for the season. Freezing cold weather not something to be grateful for? Come on, winter is inevitable. We may as well enjoy it. Summer will come around again. It always does.
45. Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition - this exhibition is on every year at the Natural History Museum and I always love to go. The photos are always amazing. I especially like the nature shots - when photos show how remarkable, and beautiful, Mother Earth is I can't help but be filled with gratitude and awe for this planet of ours.
Here are the links to my three favourite photos from the 2010 competition -
http://bit.ly/gZ3QvJ
http://bit.ly/hyFVzu
http://bit.ly/bqMA5Q
46. 'Conversations with God' by Neale Donald Walsch - when I first heard about this book I admit I was sceptical. And I wasn't the least bit interested in reading a religious book about a man talking to God. But years later I was browsing in a bookshop and it caught my eye. I read the first few pages...and I was hooked! This book isn't a religious text at all. It's a spiritual book filled with New Age ideas. God is love. God is life energy. God is everywhere and everything. This was the first book that spoke those words to me. This was the first time I was offered an alternative definition of 'God'. No longer was 'God' a white-bearded man in the sky. 'God' became an energy that is within us. This was my first glimpse of my own divinity. Reading this book helped me discover how magnificent each and every one of us is - that 'God' is not some special person we should all hope to be. We are all God. We are all divine. Already.
47. 'Avatar' - Ok, so plot wise this movie is predictable, but what I really loved about this film was its spiritual message. The Na'vi people live in harmony with their planet. They are one with Mother Nature. They communicate with animals. Everything and everybody is connected; they share a spiritual bond. Life is what matters.
48. my warm puffa coat - ahh my down-filled coat; I love you! It's like having a doona (that's a duvet for all you non-Australians!) wrapped around me all day long. And yesterday it was cold enough here in London to wear it. Yesterday my puffa coat had its first outing for the season. Freezing cold weather not something to be grateful for? Come on, winter is inevitable. We may as well enjoy it. Summer will come around again. It always does.
Wednesday, 17 November 2010
Today is Gratitude Day!
Continuing my list of '100 Gratitudes', I am grateful for...
41. 'F**k It. The Ultimate Spiritual Way' by John C. Parkin - this is one of those great books that gets you laughing, and yet it also has a profound message in it as well. Parkin suggests that life is fun, life is meant to be enjoyed, and that using the phrase "f**k it" is a strong way to remind ourselves of this fact. Parkin says fill your life with the things that give you pleasure and bring you joy. Life flows along, without any help from us. So wouldn't it be better to let go of fear and stress and just flow with life? Life is far too short to spend it worrying all the time. And that's what I love about this book because it's so true - I often find myself worrying about little things, flooding myself with tension and anxiety, and for what? How does this serve me in any way? All it does is make me feel awful. And that's no way to live. So F**K IT!! Let go, relax, and move on.
To quote Parkin - "F**k It is a most profane way of saying the most profound thing: that when we relax and give in to the simple flow of life, we will experience the ultimate freedom."
42. bookshops - I've always had a thing for bookshops. I can spend hours in them, just browsing. I love to see all those books lining the shelves, or stacked on tables, or being displayed in the windows. It's not only because I one day hope to see a book I've written on a shelf in a bookshop, but because I simply love books. All books. There is something comforting about diving deep into the pages of a book. I've learnt a lot about life by reading books. Some books inspire me, some books entertain me, some books help me grow a little wiser. Books bring me joy. So when I walk into a shop that is overflowing with books, I'm instantly filled with excitement!
43. 'Fragments. Poems, Intimate Notes, Letters by Marilyn Monroe' - this book was just published recently and I snapped it up quick smart! Marilyn Monroe has always intrigued me. I've read a lot about her life. I've seen her movies. But this is the first time I've read anything written by her. Marilyn wrote many notes and poems, as she tried to make sense of her world and of life itself. She wrote down her feelings, often in poetic form, in an attempt to heal herself of past pains and to understand herself better. This speaks to me because I have always done the same. Long before I turned my attention to fiction writing, I kept a journal of my thoughts. Writing has always been my way of working things out. In that sense I will always be a writer, whether my novels ever find publishing success or not. Writing is a way of life, and reading Marilyn's musings and poetry has helped remind me of this fact.
44. 'Mslexia' - this is a magazine 'for women who write'. I enjoy reading the interviews with women who have achieved success with their writing - it helps to keep me inspired and motivated. And it reminds me that the dreams of a writer can most definitely come true.
41. 'F**k It. The Ultimate Spiritual Way' by John C. Parkin - this is one of those great books that gets you laughing, and yet it also has a profound message in it as well. Parkin suggests that life is fun, life is meant to be enjoyed, and that using the phrase "f**k it" is a strong way to remind ourselves of this fact. Parkin says fill your life with the things that give you pleasure and bring you joy. Life flows along, without any help from us. So wouldn't it be better to let go of fear and stress and just flow with life? Life is far too short to spend it worrying all the time. And that's what I love about this book because it's so true - I often find myself worrying about little things, flooding myself with tension and anxiety, and for what? How does this serve me in any way? All it does is make me feel awful. And that's no way to live. So F**K IT!! Let go, relax, and move on.
To quote Parkin - "F**k It is a most profane way of saying the most profound thing: that when we relax and give in to the simple flow of life, we will experience the ultimate freedom."
42. bookshops - I've always had a thing for bookshops. I can spend hours in them, just browsing. I love to see all those books lining the shelves, or stacked on tables, or being displayed in the windows. It's not only because I one day hope to see a book I've written on a shelf in a bookshop, but because I simply love books. All books. There is something comforting about diving deep into the pages of a book. I've learnt a lot about life by reading books. Some books inspire me, some books entertain me, some books help me grow a little wiser. Books bring me joy. So when I walk into a shop that is overflowing with books, I'm instantly filled with excitement!
43. 'Fragments. Poems, Intimate Notes, Letters by Marilyn Monroe' - this book was just published recently and I snapped it up quick smart! Marilyn Monroe has always intrigued me. I've read a lot about her life. I've seen her movies. But this is the first time I've read anything written by her. Marilyn wrote many notes and poems, as she tried to make sense of her world and of life itself. She wrote down her feelings, often in poetic form, in an attempt to heal herself of past pains and to understand herself better. This speaks to me because I have always done the same. Long before I turned my attention to fiction writing, I kept a journal of my thoughts. Writing has always been my way of working things out. In that sense I will always be a writer, whether my novels ever find publishing success or not. Writing is a way of life, and reading Marilyn's musings and poetry has helped remind me of this fact.
44. 'Mslexia' - this is a magazine 'for women who write'. I enjoy reading the interviews with women who have achieved success with their writing - it helps to keep me inspired and motivated. And it reminds me that the dreams of a writer can most definitely come true.
Wednesday, 10 November 2010
Today is Gratitude Day!
I am grateful for...
37. Cherry Blossom trees - this year my partner and I were in Washington D.C during the annual Cherry Blossom Festival. Hundreds (or even thousands!) of these beautiful trees surround the Tidal Basin near the Jefferson Memorial. We sat in the shade of the cherry blossoms and had a picnic, with the delicate pink petals that had come loose in the breeze raining down on our heads. It was magical!
38. green valleys - as I've said before, green scenery in nature makes my heart sing.
39. yoga - I love yoga as exercise - it's the perfect combination of movement and meditative breathing, and it always manages to calm me. But there is much more to yoga than exercise. I'm still learning about yoga as philosophy, rather than just its westernized association with Hatha Yoga and physical exercise alone. I've read that yoga translated from the Sanskrit means 'union'. As I understand it, yoga philosophy is about self-realization leading to connection to spiritual consciousness and union with the Supreme. A true journey of enlightenment. Just what the spiritual me is looking for in life!
40. meditation - I have a few different meditations that I try to include regularly in my daily routine. I use Reiki meditations, chakra-balancing meditations, crystal meditations and even the good old focus-on-your-breath meditation. I use visualisations to help me switch off my thinking brain and connect to my deeper consciousness. I use meditation to remind myself that life is about the present moment, the here and now, and that sometimes we just need to take a step back and breathe. Our mind will still be there after we take a moment to relax, but hopefully it will be a little calmer, a little less stressed.
Thursday, 4 November 2010
Today is Gratitude Day!
I am grateful for...
33. 'Friends' - yep, I'm one of those people who watches Friends repeatedly. I can't help myself. Even though I've seen every episode at least fifteen times, and I own the entire series on DVD, if Friends is on TV and I'm at home I'm most likely watching it. You know the great thing about Friends? No matter how much I watch them, the jokes still crack me up. It's like I'm hearing them for the first time. That's brilliant comedic writing, if you ask me!
I can't say I have an all time favourite Friends line; because there are way too many hilarious ones. But here are two that spring to mind right now -
i) Joey: "You don't own a TV? What's all your furniture pointing at?!"
ii) When Chandler and Rachel are eating cheesecake off the the floor and Joey walks up, looks at them curiously, takes a fork out of his pocket and says "All right! What are we havin?"
34. New York City - I've been to NYC four times, always with my sister. I can't imagine being in NY without her; it's almost as though the city was created just for us! And I can't really explain why I love NY so much. But it does something to me, that city. It makes me feel like the world is my oyster and that whatever I dream of in life can be mine. I think it has this affect on me because travelling to NY the first time, in 2004, really was a dream come true for me. I'd watched the city in movies (and on Friends!) for years and then there I was, being bustled by the crowd in Times Square, walking through Central Park, gazing down from the top of the Empire State Building, catching the Staten Island Ferry. I was livin' the dream! :-) NYC has also played an important part in the direction my life has taken, because it was while I was there in 2004 that I realised I wanted to write. I was a bit lost at the time but New York City inspired me to choose a path and here I am, six years later, still following the dream!
35. London - another inspirational and significant city in my life. London is where I met the love of my life. London is where I discovered who I really am and who I want to be. London is where I finally grew up. London is where I opened up to my spirituality. Without London, would any of this have happened? Without London, would I still be me? Just how much does our location in the world influence our very being? From my experience I would answer - immensely. Living in London has changed me for the better.
36. St James' Park - one of my absolute favourite parks in London. I consider it special because of the afternoon I spent there when I'd first moved to London. I was alone, sitting under a tree in the shade, notebook on lap, pen in hand, and surrounded by a city that was proving to be an exciting discovery every single day. And do you know what I felt as I sat there? Do you know what feeling was flooding my body, almost bringing joyful tears to my eyes? It was freedom. I was in a new city, embarking on a new stage in my life. I was twenty-one years old; the world was full of promise. Even now, years later, that same intense feeling comes back to me whenever I'm in St James' Park.
33. 'Friends' - yep, I'm one of those people who watches Friends repeatedly. I can't help myself. Even though I've seen every episode at least fifteen times, and I own the entire series on DVD, if Friends is on TV and I'm at home I'm most likely watching it. You know the great thing about Friends? No matter how much I watch them, the jokes still crack me up. It's like I'm hearing them for the first time. That's brilliant comedic writing, if you ask me!
I can't say I have an all time favourite Friends line; because there are way too many hilarious ones. But here are two that spring to mind right now -
i) Joey: "You don't own a TV? What's all your furniture pointing at?!"
ii) When Chandler and Rachel are eating cheesecake off the the floor and Joey walks up, looks at them curiously, takes a fork out of his pocket and says "All right! What are we havin?"
34. New York City - I've been to NYC four times, always with my sister. I can't imagine being in NY without her; it's almost as though the city was created just for us! And I can't really explain why I love NY so much. But it does something to me, that city. It makes me feel like the world is my oyster and that whatever I dream of in life can be mine. I think it has this affect on me because travelling to NY the first time, in 2004, really was a dream come true for me. I'd watched the city in movies (and on Friends!) for years and then there I was, being bustled by the crowd in Times Square, walking through Central Park, gazing down from the top of the Empire State Building, catching the Staten Island Ferry. I was livin' the dream! :-) NYC has also played an important part in the direction my life has taken, because it was while I was there in 2004 that I realised I wanted to write. I was a bit lost at the time but New York City inspired me to choose a path and here I am, six years later, still following the dream!
35. London - another inspirational and significant city in my life. London is where I met the love of my life. London is where I discovered who I really am and who I want to be. London is where I finally grew up. London is where I opened up to my spirituality. Without London, would any of this have happened? Without London, would I still be me? Just how much does our location in the world influence our very being? From my experience I would answer - immensely. Living in London has changed me for the better.
36. St James' Park - one of my absolute favourite parks in London. I consider it special because of the afternoon I spent there when I'd first moved to London. I was alone, sitting under a tree in the shade, notebook on lap, pen in hand, and surrounded by a city that was proving to be an exciting discovery every single day. And do you know what I felt as I sat there? Do you know what feeling was flooding my body, almost bringing joyful tears to my eyes? It was freedom. I was in a new city, embarking on a new stage in my life. I was twenty-one years old; the world was full of promise. Even now, years later, that same intense feeling comes back to me whenever I'm in St James' Park.
Wednesday, 27 October 2010
Today is Gratitude Day!
I am grateful for...
29. mexican food - the Tex Mex version (which I know is probably a major insult to authentic mexican food). I'm a vegetable fajita girl. I love 'em with lots of sour cream and guacamole. I could eat so many of 'em that I could turn myself into a giant vegetable fajita. I love 'em, I love 'em, I love 'em.
30. lists - oh where would I be without my to-do lists? It would be struggle town, population me. That's for sure. I write grocery lists, reminder lists, presents-to-buy lists, people-to-call lists, things to do and even gratitude lists! :-) I just can't help myself. Maybe it's the writer in me needing to put pen to paper, for whatever reason. I don't know. Maybe it's because I can be so forgetful sometimes. Or maybe (and this is probably closer to the truth) I just like to be organised and in control. With lists I know where I am and I know where I've got to get to. Ahh the joy of ticking off a list!
31. J.K Rowling and 'Harry Potter' - I'm gearing up for the release of the second-to-last film next month. Can't wait! But it's not just the films that excite me, oh no. It's the books too, of course! I'm not the least bit embarrassed to admit that as a writer I certainly envy J.K Rowling's success. She did what we all dream of - she dedicated her life to her craft and it paid off. She got to write about what she wanted to, in the way she wanted to, and she was able to inspire us all in the process. I think she is wonderful and I admire her dedication to Harry Potter. I'm grateful for her imagination and how intricately she put that on the page. I'm grateful the world of Harry Potter exists because it has provided me with many, many hours of entertainment.
32. imagination - speaking of J.K Rowling's imagination got me thinking about just how magnificent the whole thing is. The imagination isn't tangible in the physical sense and yet, as any creative person, or child, can tell you; it's as real as everything else in this world. When I'm writing fiction and I'm making up characters and settings in my mind, they become palpable. The world I'm creating in my imagination is just as powerful as the 'real' world. And how brilliant is that?! How truly spectacular is it that we are able to conjure up people or places or events out of nothing, just with the power of our imagination. I'm so grateful for this ability. Without it I would scarcely be alive.
29. mexican food - the Tex Mex version (which I know is probably a major insult to authentic mexican food). I'm a vegetable fajita girl. I love 'em with lots of sour cream and guacamole. I could eat so many of 'em that I could turn myself into a giant vegetable fajita. I love 'em, I love 'em, I love 'em.
30. lists - oh where would I be without my to-do lists? It would be struggle town, population me. That's for sure. I write grocery lists, reminder lists, presents-to-buy lists, people-to-call lists, things to do and even gratitude lists! :-) I just can't help myself. Maybe it's the writer in me needing to put pen to paper, for whatever reason. I don't know. Maybe it's because I can be so forgetful sometimes. Or maybe (and this is probably closer to the truth) I just like to be organised and in control. With lists I know where I am and I know where I've got to get to. Ahh the joy of ticking off a list!
31. J.K Rowling and 'Harry Potter' - I'm gearing up for the release of the second-to-last film next month. Can't wait! But it's not just the films that excite me, oh no. It's the books too, of course! I'm not the least bit embarrassed to admit that as a writer I certainly envy J.K Rowling's success. She did what we all dream of - she dedicated her life to her craft and it paid off. She got to write about what she wanted to, in the way she wanted to, and she was able to inspire us all in the process. I think she is wonderful and I admire her dedication to Harry Potter. I'm grateful for her imagination and how intricately she put that on the page. I'm grateful the world of Harry Potter exists because it has provided me with many, many hours of entertainment.
32. imagination - speaking of J.K Rowling's imagination got me thinking about just how magnificent the whole thing is. The imagination isn't tangible in the physical sense and yet, as any creative person, or child, can tell you; it's as real as everything else in this world. When I'm writing fiction and I'm making up characters and settings in my mind, they become palpable. The world I'm creating in my imagination is just as powerful as the 'real' world. And how brilliant is that?! How truly spectacular is it that we are able to conjure up people or places or events out of nothing, just with the power of our imagination. I'm so grateful for this ability. Without it I would scarcely be alive.
Wednesday, 20 October 2010
Today is Gratitude Day!
I am grateful for...
25. incense - I am burning Nag Champa at this very moment. I love its fragrance and, of course, its mood altering qualities. That's right - the resin actually has a mood altering compound; call me stupid but I only just found this out! :-) I always knew Nag Champa had an effect on me. I always knew it made me feel calmer and helped me to meditate. But I never stopped to think about HOW it did this. Again, call me stupid...
I just love the smell. And there is something mystical about the way the smoke rises too. This was something I tried to describe in a poem I wrote many years ago. Maybe I was under a resin-induced 'high' at the time! ;-) Decide for yourself -
Smoke rises, curling like
a mini twister.
Out of the incense it burns,
a fire flame
of bright white hue.
A torch leading upward
until an invisible breath
blows the flame
into a cyclical dance.
Little smoke e’s
spin and spiral
like carvings
on an ancient cave wall.
Puffs dive as stingrays
might glide through clear water.
Or dragons might sneak
across a night sky.
Smoke spirits ascend
high in seamless air
they twist, they fumble
like acrobats of the mystical.
Or prisoners released
from an incense hell.
a mini twister.
Out of the incense it burns,
a fire flame
of bright white hue.
A torch leading upward
until an invisible breath
blows the flame
into a cyclical dance.
Little smoke e’s
spin and spiral
like carvings
on an ancient cave wall.
Puffs dive as stingrays
might glide through clear water.
Or dragons might sneak
across a night sky.
Smoke spirits ascend
high in seamless air
they twist, they fumble
like acrobats of the mystical.
Or prisoners released
from an incense hell.
26. clouds - not the rumbling gray ones that spew rain at us, but the wispy ones that make patterns in the sky. Remember when you were a kid and you lay down on the grass to watch the clouds go by? Even as I sit here now, gazing out my window at the white fluffies floating in the sky, I can recall the wonder of childhood - when everything, even everyday clouds, had the potential to amaze you.
27. fireflies - it might seem strange for me to include these little beetles on my gratitude list, but writing about clouds reminded me of them. I've only seen a firefly once in my life and it was last year during a trip to the US with my partner. It was summer and we'd taken an evening stroll after dinner. As dusk settled around us I saw these tiny charges of light bursting in mid air. I was mesmerised! I felt the glee of discovering something truely amazing and I was instantly transported back to childhood where everything in the world was new and powerful and full of surprise. For that short moment my adult mind stepped aside and I was able to view those little bursts of firefly light with innocent eyes.
28. forests - green scenery in nature makes my heart sing; its as simple as that.
Wednesday, 13 October 2010
Today is Gratitude Day!
I am grateful for...
21. Inception - I just saw this movie for the second time and I have to say it really blew me away...again. Of course you wouldn't expect anything less than magnificent from Christopher Nolan, the genius who brought us Memento. I love these types of films - the extraordinarily original ones, the movies that never really leave you. They hang around in the recesses of your mind for hours, days, weeks after you exit the cinema. They perplex you, they inspire you, they amaze you. They change your life. I lost myself in the world of Inception. It was unique and oh so captivating. Now that's the sign of a brilliant film!
22. driving - I love being in the car, either as the driver or a passenger. We were one of those families when I was growing up - the sunday drive type family. Especially when we were visiting my grandparents in Sydney. I have many a memory of driving through the city, my grandfather at the wheel. It was never about going to anywhere in particular; the act of sitting in the car and driving around was enough in itself. Once I grew up and got my own car, one of my favourite pastimes was to jump in my car, heading nowhere, and just drive. I'd sing along to my music and feel totally free. And maybe that's what it's all about - the freedom of movement. You're going somewhere, even if you don't know exactly where that is when you start out. Ahh, the joy of discovery, huh? :-)
Ironically, when I was an infant, travelling with me in a car was nothing short of torture. Just ask my family. Apparently, I would cry and scream from my car seat for the entire eight hour car trip from our home to Sydney. And then I would finally give up and fall asleep...five minutes from our destination!
23. internet - I often find myself saying to others - 'what did we do before we had the internet?' - and shockingly I just as often don't know how to answer my own question. One time I literally forgot how to look up a phone number without internet access. Yellow pages, anyone? It's probably a bad thing right, that we rely so desperately on this virtual world. But I don't know. Is it really? Everything is at our fingertips. You want information, you open your web browser. We have access to everything we could ever need. Surely this is great for our growth, our expansion as humans? Ok, I get that mindless surfing is an addictive and negative behaviour. But something I also understand is how the internet has opened the world to us. My eighty-six year old grandfather is online now. I can see him as I talk to him on Skype. This is invaluable given we live on opposite sides of the globe. And just think, without the wonder of the internet you wouldn't be able to read my blog. What a dreary world we'd be living in then! ;-)
24. dancing - much like my singing, my dancing is average at best. But no one ever said you had to be perfect at something to enjoy it. I know I'm in a good mood when I feel like dancing. And I know that dancing will only make me feel even more elated. Dancing puts a smile on my face! Right as I'm typing this I'm doing a bit of a shoulder sway, and a head bob, in my chair - Prince's 1999 is on the radio. :-)
21. Inception - I just saw this movie for the second time and I have to say it really blew me away...again. Of course you wouldn't expect anything less than magnificent from Christopher Nolan, the genius who brought us Memento. I love these types of films - the extraordinarily original ones, the movies that never really leave you. They hang around in the recesses of your mind for hours, days, weeks after you exit the cinema. They perplex you, they inspire you, they amaze you. They change your life. I lost myself in the world of Inception. It was unique and oh so captivating. Now that's the sign of a brilliant film!
22. driving - I love being in the car, either as the driver or a passenger. We were one of those families when I was growing up - the sunday drive type family. Especially when we were visiting my grandparents in Sydney. I have many a memory of driving through the city, my grandfather at the wheel. It was never about going to anywhere in particular; the act of sitting in the car and driving around was enough in itself. Once I grew up and got my own car, one of my favourite pastimes was to jump in my car, heading nowhere, and just drive. I'd sing along to my music and feel totally free. And maybe that's what it's all about - the freedom of movement. You're going somewhere, even if you don't know exactly where that is when you start out. Ahh, the joy of discovery, huh? :-)
Ironically, when I was an infant, travelling with me in a car was nothing short of torture. Just ask my family. Apparently, I would cry and scream from my car seat for the entire eight hour car trip from our home to Sydney. And then I would finally give up and fall asleep...five minutes from our destination!
23. internet - I often find myself saying to others - 'what did we do before we had the internet?' - and shockingly I just as often don't know how to answer my own question. One time I literally forgot how to look up a phone number without internet access. Yellow pages, anyone? It's probably a bad thing right, that we rely so desperately on this virtual world. But I don't know. Is it really? Everything is at our fingertips. You want information, you open your web browser. We have access to everything we could ever need. Surely this is great for our growth, our expansion as humans? Ok, I get that mindless surfing is an addictive and negative behaviour. But something I also understand is how the internet has opened the world to us. My eighty-six year old grandfather is online now. I can see him as I talk to him on Skype. This is invaluable given we live on opposite sides of the globe. And just think, without the wonder of the internet you wouldn't be able to read my blog. What a dreary world we'd be living in then! ;-)
24. dancing - much like my singing, my dancing is average at best. But no one ever said you had to be perfect at something to enjoy it. I know I'm in a good mood when I feel like dancing. And I know that dancing will only make me feel even more elated. Dancing puts a smile on my face! Right as I'm typing this I'm doing a bit of a shoulder sway, and a head bob, in my chair - Prince's 1999 is on the radio. :-)
Wednesday, 6 October 2010
Today is Gratitude Day!
I was away last week so this time it's a double gratitude list!!
14. purple - my absolute favourite colour. It does something to me when I see the colour purple. More than a soothing feeling, it's actually like a coming home, an embrace. It's appealing to my eye, that's for sure!
15. Dawson's Creek - teenage angst at its best! For those who didn't follow this show you might be wondering why I am so grateful for it. All I can say is that it was on when I was a teenager myself; I related to the characters. And the soppy romantic that I am clung to the Pacey-Joey storyline, viewing their developing love with such intensity you'd think it was real life! Embarrassing to admit, or not? I'm sure there are others (women!) out there who know where I'm coming from. Long did I dream of finding my own 'Pacey Witter'...and good news...I have! And my real life version is a thousand times better.
16. singing - I don't have a fabulous voice, but that doesn't stop me from enjoying belting out a tune as often as I can. Music is a wonderful creative gift and I'm so very grateful for it's place in our world. I admire those singers who can bring tears to my eyes with their soulful voice, or can make my heart literally expand in my chest with wonder. It amazes me how powerful an instrument our own voice can be, and how some singers sound like angels to me. Plus - singing is just fun! I love it!
18. cinema - the whole experience of it! Nothing beats going into the auditorium, the lights going out and the music blasting out at you. Films are life changing for me and that's something I'm not embarrassed to admit. I adore them! I've found hope in a movie when I've needed it, I've been warmed by a love story, I've been broken by a tragedy. I know it's not real life, but on the contrary...if we allow films to speak to us, they will. If we allow movies to do more than just entertain us, we can discover something profound about the human condition - each film is a snap shot of a director's intention, a writer's vision and an actor's creativity. If that collaboration, with all its imagination and skill, is not a perfect example of how truely brilliant it is to be a human being, then I don't know what is.
19. turquoise ocean - last year my partner and I had a wonderful holiday in Zanzibar. The colour of the ocean there blew my mind. It was so incredibly breathtaking. I've never seen anything like it. In fact, words fail me, so take a look at the photos below. They say it all...
20. ladybirds - they're so cute!! When I was a little girl I went through a bit of a ladybird obsession. It probably had something to do with the fact that they weren't scary in any way - unlike the heaps of poisonous, or hairy, or just generally freaky, spiders that reside in Australia! So one day I caught a bunch of ladybirds from the grass in our backyard and kept them in a hand-made garden; I used a tupperware container that had a lid with ready-made air holes in it and I filled it with grass clippings and twigs and leaves. I enjoyed playing God - creating a 'natural' environment for my new ladybird friends. I spent hours watching them climb up and down the blades of grass, intrigued by these harmless, beautiful little insects. I especially loved watching them take flight, spread their ruby red wings and dash from one side of the tupperware to the other. Spectacular!
I am grateful for...
13. gelato - I have just spent ten amazing days in Lake Como, Italy, where I managed to sample the gelato in many a village along the lake. My favourite is always to get a scoop of chocolate and a fruity type, say strawberry or mango. Love the combination of flavours! My gelato tip - always get it in a cup. I believe you get more gelato that way (which is of vital importance!) and all you get is the scrumptious taste sensation of the gelato itself, uninterrupted by an often stale cone.
14. purple - my absolute favourite colour. It does something to me when I see the colour purple. More than a soothing feeling, it's actually like a coming home, an embrace. It's appealing to my eye, that's for sure!
15. Dawson's Creek - teenage angst at its best! For those who didn't follow this show you might be wondering why I am so grateful for it. All I can say is that it was on when I was a teenager myself; I related to the characters. And the soppy romantic that I am clung to the Pacey-Joey storyline, viewing their developing love with such intensity you'd think it was real life! Embarrassing to admit, or not? I'm sure there are others (women!) out there who know where I'm coming from. Long did I dream of finding my own 'Pacey Witter'...and good news...I have! And my real life version is a thousand times better.
16. singing - I don't have a fabulous voice, but that doesn't stop me from enjoying belting out a tune as often as I can. Music is a wonderful creative gift and I'm so very grateful for it's place in our world. I admire those singers who can bring tears to my eyes with their soulful voice, or can make my heart literally expand in my chest with wonder. It amazes me how powerful an instrument our own voice can be, and how some singers sound like angels to me. Plus - singing is just fun! I love it!
17. The Sound of Music - keeping with the singing theme...I adored this movie as a child. In hindsight it was probably this film that sparked in me a love of singing. But it was more than that - it was actually the first movie that had a powerful impact on me. I remember watching it at a friend's house and just being blown away by the theatrics of it - ohh the singing, the Alps scenery, the love story. It was grand and amazing to my innocent, small-town-girl eyes. I think I wanted to be a part of it all. And so my love affair with movies began.
18. cinema - the whole experience of it! Nothing beats going into the auditorium, the lights going out and the music blasting out at you. Films are life changing for me and that's something I'm not embarrassed to admit. I adore them! I've found hope in a movie when I've needed it, I've been warmed by a love story, I've been broken by a tragedy. I know it's not real life, but on the contrary...if we allow films to speak to us, they will. If we allow movies to do more than just entertain us, we can discover something profound about the human condition - each film is a snap shot of a director's intention, a writer's vision and an actor's creativity. If that collaboration, with all its imagination and skill, is not a perfect example of how truely brilliant it is to be a human being, then I don't know what is.
19. turquoise ocean - last year my partner and I had a wonderful holiday in Zanzibar. The colour of the ocean there blew my mind. It was so incredibly breathtaking. I've never seen anything like it. In fact, words fail me, so take a look at the photos below. They say it all...
20. ladybirds - they're so cute!! When I was a little girl I went through a bit of a ladybird obsession. It probably had something to do with the fact that they weren't scary in any way - unlike the heaps of poisonous, or hairy, or just generally freaky, spiders that reside in Australia! So one day I caught a bunch of ladybirds from the grass in our backyard and kept them in a hand-made garden; I used a tupperware container that had a lid with ready-made air holes in it and I filled it with grass clippings and twigs and leaves. I enjoyed playing God - creating a 'natural' environment for my new ladybird friends. I spent hours watching them climb up and down the blades of grass, intrigued by these harmless, beautiful little insects. I especially loved watching them take flight, spread their ruby red wings and dash from one side of the tupperware to the other. Spectacular!
Wednesday, 22 September 2010
Today is Gratitude Day!
Continuing my list of '100 Gratitudes', I am grateful for...
9. The Pyramids of Giza - I lived a dream come true when I travelled to Egypt in 2005. I'd been fascinated by all things Egyptian since childhood and I fantasised about seeing the Pyramids with my own eyes. At that time it was the grandest dream I had for myself, something I pledged to achieve within my lifetime. Back then, as a little girl growing up in Australia, having never even been on an airplane, I assumed it would take a small miracle to get me to Egypt. As destiny would have it, I was fortunate enough to holiday in Egypt not once, but twice! It seemed dreams really do come true!
9. The Pyramids of Giza - I lived a dream come true when I travelled to Egypt in 2005. I'd been fascinated by all things Egyptian since childhood and I fantasised about seeing the Pyramids with my own eyes. At that time it was the grandest dream I had for myself, something I pledged to achieve within my lifetime. Back then, as a little girl growing up in Australia, having never even been on an airplane, I assumed it would take a small miracle to get me to Egypt. As destiny would have it, I was fortunate enough to holiday in Egypt not once, but twice! It seemed dreams really do come true!
When I first laid eyes on the Pyramids, I cried. It was as though everything in my life had led me to that one particular moment in time and I was absolutely flooded with joy. I now use that feeling of stomach-twisting excitement as a benchmark for signalling my heart's desire. Whenever I get that feeling I know I am living a moment of magnificence; a moment that I'll remember forever.
On that first day in Egypt I went to the roof of my hotel; there was a clear view of the Pyramids a short distance away. I sat and watched the sun set behind them, its crystal light shining on their tips, the pink hue of the horizon blending with their golden stones. I sat there and watched until darkness fell and the city’s lights began to come on around me. All the while those three magnificent pyramids gazed over the land as they have done for thousands of years, and I felt at peace.
This is a photo I took at the time -
And the Great Pyramid by day - just look at the mind-boggling size of it! :-)
10. horses - I was the little girl, like many others, who dreamt of having a pony. I wanted to gallop with the wind in my hair. I read about horses and I drew horses everywhere. I went on a couple of shaky rides during a family holiday and a school excursion. As an adult I did a short course at a stables in Sydney. But I am still, to this day, a novice rider who knows very little about the realities of horse ownership. That doesn't stop me from loving horses though! I think they are the most beautiful creatures on earth.
11. tulips - my absolute favourite flower. There is a precious quality to the tulip's beauty; an innocence. The buds are so perfectly shaped - curved and delicate. They awaken something in me; a remembrance, perhaps, that nature's gifts are pure expressions of the divine.
12. pens - or pencils even, anything that let's me get my words and thoughts down on the page. Of course, I use my computer to write the majority of the time. But I still love the art of sitting down with a notebook and allowing the pen, as an extension of my hand, to record that which I hold dear to me. Writing longhand is a direct link to creative energy, one that puts my physical body to use as well. In that way, writing becomes a complete 'being' experience - physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.
Wednesday, 15 September 2010
Today is Gratitude Day!
Continuing my list of '100 Gratitudes', I am grateful for...
5. dogs - their loyalty, their carefreeness, the cute way their tails wag, and their wonderful intuition; dogs just seem to know when we are feeling down and need some cheering up.
I have vivid memories of the three dogs who are no longer with us - our first ever pet, Tip, the kindest, gentlest dog there ever was, our little dog Maxi who lost hair by the bucket load but was the cutest thing alive, and my sister's dog Indy who used to spoon with me on the couch, just like a human, and was my buddy when I really needed her. I'm grateful for the time I spent with each of these amazing animals and I'm so glad they were a part of my life.
These days I spend some time with my Mum's dog Bobbie, a real teddy bear of a dog, so charming I just want to eat him up! :-) And I look forward to the day, sometime in the future, when my partner and I will bring a new dog into our home.
6. affection - touch can heal and inspire, it can be romantic or platonic, but it is never without tenderness. Touch can remind us that people care, that we are loved, that we are not alone. Touch can help us feel safe and strong. Touch can help us overcome grief. Touch can remind us we're alive.
I am so grateful for my ability to give and receive affection, to reach out to others and have them reach right back to me. A hug can invoke more joy in me than anything else.
I do like witnessing public displays of affection. Not overly passionate kisses, but those intimate moments stolen between lovers, friends or family - his hand resting on the small of her back, a peck on the cheek, an intertwining of fingers, a piece of hair being brushed from a face, a child reaching up to take her mother's hand. These innocent affections, whether experienced by me or witnessed in others, are what life is all about, to me. They show love.
7. aquariums - I love the peacefulness of watching a school of fish circle in the water. Back when I first started writing I was inspired by three striped fish swimming within a crowd of others at the Sydney Aquarium. At the time, I wrote a poem about them -
A glass wall, from
floor to roof
displays this underwater world
All blue and aquamarine, all
coral
and fishes
and bubbles.
Three fish, all striped in black and white,
swim
back and forth
Across the glass in
unison,
as though choreographed.
The invisible energies of life guide them
from
side to side
Where one goes,
the others follow
A dance made just for three.
8. laughter - the kind that has the tears rolling down your cheeks, the kind where you grasp for air, where your tummy tries to jump right up out of your throat with unadulterated joy.
5. dogs - their loyalty, their carefreeness, the cute way their tails wag, and their wonderful intuition; dogs just seem to know when we are feeling down and need some cheering up.
I have vivid memories of the three dogs who are no longer with us - our first ever pet, Tip, the kindest, gentlest dog there ever was, our little dog Maxi who lost hair by the bucket load but was the cutest thing alive, and my sister's dog Indy who used to spoon with me on the couch, just like a human, and was my buddy when I really needed her. I'm grateful for the time I spent with each of these amazing animals and I'm so glad they were a part of my life.
These days I spend some time with my Mum's dog Bobbie, a real teddy bear of a dog, so charming I just want to eat him up! :-) And I look forward to the day, sometime in the future, when my partner and I will bring a new dog into our home.
6. affection - touch can heal and inspire, it can be romantic or platonic, but it is never without tenderness. Touch can remind us that people care, that we are loved, that we are not alone. Touch can help us feel safe and strong. Touch can help us overcome grief. Touch can remind us we're alive.
I am so grateful for my ability to give and receive affection, to reach out to others and have them reach right back to me. A hug can invoke more joy in me than anything else.
I do like witnessing public displays of affection. Not overly passionate kisses, but those intimate moments stolen between lovers, friends or family - his hand resting on the small of her back, a peck on the cheek, an intertwining of fingers, a piece of hair being brushed from a face, a child reaching up to take her mother's hand. These innocent affections, whether experienced by me or witnessed in others, are what life is all about, to me. They show love.
7. aquariums - I love the peacefulness of watching a school of fish circle in the water. Back when I first started writing I was inspired by three striped fish swimming within a crowd of others at the Sydney Aquarium. At the time, I wrote a poem about them -
A glass wall, from
floor to roof
displays this underwater world
All blue and aquamarine, all
coral
and fishes
and bubbles.
Three fish, all striped in black and white,
swim
back and forth
Across the glass in
unison,
as though choreographed.
The invisible energies of life guide them
from
side to side
Where one goes,
the others follow
A dance made just for three.
8. laughter - the kind that has the tears rolling down your cheeks, the kind where you grasp for air, where your tummy tries to jump right up out of your throat with unadulterated joy.
Wednesday, 8 September 2010
New Blog Project - a weekly Gratitude Day
I have come across an exercise entitled '100 Gratitudes' - this exercise allows you to reflect on your life by having you list 100 things you are grateful for. In need of a regular blog project so Healing Scribe does not continue to go untouched as she has done in previous weeks, I've set myself the challenge of my own Gratitude List. I've decided to compose this list over the course of the next six months and post it here once a week.
So here begins my very own '100 Gratitudes' List - Today is Gratitude Day!
I am grateful for...
1. Waterfalls - the cascading water has a calming effect on me. This photo was taken in 2007 during a holiday in Australia with my partner.
2. Ben and Jerry's ice cream - there is nothing better than curling up on the couch with a tub of B&J's. Not so healthy, but oh so yummy!
3. 'The Lovely Bones' by Alice Sebold - the novel that inspired me to write.
4. 'The Time Traveller's Wife' by Audrey Niffenegger - the novel that inspired me to write about love.
So here begins my very own '100 Gratitudes' List - Today is Gratitude Day!
I am grateful for...
1. Waterfalls - the cascading water has a calming effect on me. This photo was taken in 2007 during a holiday in Australia with my partner.
2. Ben and Jerry's ice cream - there is nothing better than curling up on the couch with a tub of B&J's. Not so healthy, but oh so yummy!
3. 'The Lovely Bones' by Alice Sebold - the novel that inspired me to write.
4. 'The Time Traveller's Wife' by Audrey Niffenegger - the novel that inspired me to write about love.
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