What would you say?

Because it’s obvious my responses aren’t cutting it.

“Mum, if you don’t want to change me, why do you want to send me to a psychologist?” Boy Child (almost 12) wise beyond his years.

And yes, I am very sorry for another angst filled post.

Post It Note Tuesday #7 (yes, really this time)

Yes it is that time again.  So after a break of a few weeks I thought I would play.  Come on join in. You know you want to.

 

     

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, I noticed that I say apparently a lot.

Has anyone seen the new Target We love kids ad?

Tonight was the first time I have seen it and Boy and Girl both think it looks like so much fun.  It does.  But mostly it reminded me of this blog I found recently called Mila’s Daydreams.

Adele writes:

This is my maternity leave hobby. While my baby is taking her nap, I try to imagine her dream and capture it.

Check her out her blog. Also if you click on this link, there is a movie of some the of the photos Adele has taken.  They are so cool.  I wish I was creative.

50 questions that will free your mind

This is post number 150.  So to celebrate this momentous occasion I thought I should answer the 50 questions that will free your mind from Marc And Angel Hack Life.

Now before I do this I think I should celebrate.  So here is some cake, balloons and your choice of red or white wine.

Images from Dreamstime.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to you who have hung around with me for the last 150 posts.  Your support and comments have been greatly appreciated.

Now onto the questions.

1. How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?  I’d like to be 23. Just married, life ahead of me, exciting times. But I’m probably more like 40!
2. Which is worse, failing or never trying? Not trying at all.
3. If life is so short, why do we do so many things we don’t like and like so many things we don’t do? Because humans are very strange creatures.
4. When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done? Probably.  Actions do speak louder than words but there always seems to be way more talking than doing in life.
5. What is the one thing you’d most like to change about the world? Wow, it’s hard to pick only one.  I think I would have to choose injustice. If we could rid the world of injustice, then hopefully the flow on effect would be zero wars, enough food for everyone and everyone would be treated equally (regardless of race, religion, physical appearance or ability).
6. If happiness was the national currency, what kind of work would make you rich? Something that makes a difference to people.
7. Are you doing what you believe in, or are you settling for what you are doing? Currently settling and trying to work out how do to what I believe in.  That sounds very sad.
8. If the average human life span was 40 years, how would you live your life differently? Learn to worry less? My kids won’t be grown by the time I die so I would focus on making the time we had together fun and prepare them for life.
9. To what degree have you actually controlled the course your life has taken? Someday sit feels that I haven’t at all.  I’m trying to change that.
10. Are you more worried about doing things right, or doing the right things? I’m not sure one outweighs the other. 
11. You’re having lunch with three people you respect and admire.  They all start criticizing a close friend of yours, not knowing she is your friend.  The criticism is distasteful and unjustified.  What do you do? Try to change the subject.  Depending on what the role the people have in my life I may possibly defend my friend.  I would really hope that if I respected and admired these people they may respect me, listen to me  and stop the criticism.
12. If you could offer a newborn child only one piece of advice, what would it be? Trust your intuition.
13. Would you break the law to save a loved one? I don’t know.
14. Have you ever seen insanity where you later saw creativity? No.
15. What’s something you know you do differently than most people? Trust people.  I find it very difficult to do.
16. How come the things that make you happy don’t make everyone happy? Because everyone is different, with their own unique thoughts, history and dreams.
17. What one thing have you not done that you really want to do? Tried to write for a living. What’s holding you back? Fear of inadequacy, fear of rejection, really just fear in general.
18. Are you holding onto something you need to let go of? Yes. Fear.
19. If you had to move to a state or country besides the one you currently live in, where would you move and why? Probably a different city in Australia because I’ve never really felt the need to travel overseas.  Plus I think we have a good life in Australia.
20. Do you push the elevator button more than once?  Do you really believe it makes the elevator faster? Yes, not all the time but sometimes.  And No I don’t think it makes the elevator come faster but it helps to fill in time while I’m waiting.
21. Would you rather be a worried genius or a joyful simpleton? Definitely joyful.
22. Why are you, you? Genetics, history, all sorts of things.
23. Have you been the kind of friend you want as a friend?  Maybe less sociable but otherwise yes.
24. Which is worse, when a good friend moves away, or losing touch with a good friend who lives right near you? Losing touch.  Because there are always phone calls, emails, face book etc to keep in touch when people move away.
25. What are you most grateful for? Living.
26. Would you rather lose all of your old memories, or never be able to make new ones? Probably lose the old ones.  There are some that aren't that great.
27. Is is possible to know the truth without challenging it first? I don't know.
28. Has your greatest fear ever come true? Not my current greatest fear.
29. Do you remember that time 5 years ago when you were extremely upset?  Does it really matter now? I don’t remember so it really didn't matter.
30. What is your happiest childhood memory?  What makes it so special? I’m not sure I could pinpoint it.  But I bet it was special because I felt loved.
31. At what time in your recent past have you felt most passionate and alive? I seriously don’t remember.  Wow another very sad answer.
32. If not now, then when? As above, I don’t know.
33. If you haven’t achieved it yet, what do you have to lose? Nothing, really.
34. Have you ever been with someone, said nothing, and walked away feeling like you just had the best conversation ever? Oh yes.  I love that feeling.
35. Why do religions that support love cause so many wars? Because they think their are the only ones that are right and can’t accept people / religions can believe different things
36. Is it possible to know, without a doubt, what is good and what is evil? Not without a doubt in most cases.
37. If you just won a million dollars, would you quit your job? No.  Scale it back maybe but not quit.
38. Would you rather have less work to do, or more work you actually enjoy doing? More work I enjoy doing as long as it replaced the stuff I didn’t enjoy not just supplemented it.
39. Do you feel like you’ve lived this day a hundred times before? Not today but some days, definitely feel like groundhog day.
40. When was the last time you marched into the dark with only the soft glow of an idea you strongly believed in? I’m not sure I ever have.
41. If you knew that everyone you know was going to die tomorrow, who would you visit today? The person or people that meant the most to me.
42. Would you be willing to reduce your life expectancy by 10 years to become extremely attractive or famous? No.
43. What is the difference between being alive and truly living? A lot.  Passion, thought, acceptance, all sorts of things.
44. When is it time to stop calculating risk and rewards, and just go ahead and do what you know is right? When you can feel it. Or when you are prepared to wear the consequences.
45. If we learn from our mistakes, why are we always so afraid to make a mistake? Because people don’t want to be considered foolish or stupid.  Making a mistake could mean other people think we are failures and we could lose the respect of those we care about.
46. What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you? Be braver, take more chances, have less regret and perhaps dye my hair an unnatural colour.
47. When was the last time you noticed the sound of your own breathing? Last night in bed.
48. What do you love?  Have any of your recent actions openly expressed this love? My family.  Yes, I believe so
49. In 5 years from now, will you remember what you did yesterday?  What about the day before that?  Or the day before that? No, actually I don’t.  Not unless something important or major (either positive or negative) has happened.
50. Decisions are being made right now.  The question is:  Are you making them for yourself, or are you letting others make them for you? A bit of both.  Mostly letting others make them and then feeling resentful about that. I think I will start to change that tomorrow.

So, are you going to answer these questions?  Or have you done it already? Let me know.

Day Zero Update 2

Hello people.  How has your Saturday been?

Today I watched an entire Monty Python movie.  It was The Meaning of Life and quite frankly I thought it was very silly. However watching it which means I have completed another thing on my Day Zero list.

I have also marked some things off my list and added some new ones.  I currently have 92 things on my list.  Suggestions to get to 101 are gratefully accepted, may not be used but definitely taken on board.

Here is the current list:

1	Finish this list of 101 things 92/101
2	Do more exercise at least 3 times a week for 3 months (12 weeks).
3	Drink more water 5 glasses to get up to at least 1.5 litres daily for 30 days Completed
4	Lose 2 kgs
5	Lose 5 kgs
6	Lose 8 kgs
7	Lose 10 kgs
8	Lose 12 kgs
9	Keep weight off for at least 6 months.
10	Have a Family holiday to New Zealand
11	Go to the Art Gallery and / or Museum with or without the family 5 times
12	Go to the Theatre twice.
13	Donate Blood regularly (at least 5 times in 1001 days)
14	Attempt to read the 50 of 71 Greatest Novels of All item that I haven't read as yet
15	Learn card making and make them instead of buying them In progress
16	Put in the forms for a school hours job
17	Blog everyday for 2 months a year (February doesn't count) In Progress
18	Plant a vegetable patch possibly with fruit trees.
19	Take the children on a bush walk / hike
20	Organise my workspace and then tidy it once a month
21	Try Zumba at least 5 times
22	Write and post (snail mail) 10 letters to people
23	Have a Chocolate free week 6 times In Progress
24	Cut back on caffeine. Try to get down to 3 or less a day (any caffeinated beverage) for a month Completed but In Progress again
25	Participate in National Novel Writing Month (November)
26	Go Camping for at least 2 nights Completed
27	Learn to cook an Indian meal from scratch (no jars allowed)
28	Restart our worm farm
29	Finish my course at Tafe
30	Try to be houseproud and actually make the house visitor friendly
31	Have a BBQ at home
32	Have a dinner party
33	Have someone / people over for coffee 5 times In Progress 1/5
34	Menu plan at least a week worth of dinners and stick to it
35	Change readers at school once a week for a term Completed
36	Call my family interstate at least once a month In Progress
37	Have a games afternoon / night with the family every few months
38	Go out with my husband on a date 5 times
39	Volunteer somewhere once a month for 6 months (not necessarily consecutive)
40	Clean out my clothes and get rid of things I will never wear again
41	Start the Couch to 5 km run thing.
42	Complete the Couch to 5 km run thing.
43	Watch a Monty Python film in its entirety. Completed
44	Have a LOTR fest and watch all three movies in a weekend.
45	Donate 100,000 grains of rice on freerice.com 4021/100,000
46	Re-learn to touch type
47	Organise my books
48	Complete the 5000 Question Survey 300/5,000
49	Write down my answers to the all "50 Questions That Will Free Your Mind"
50	Read David Allen "Getting Things Done"
51	Clean out the pantry
52	Tidy the Linen cupboard
53	Learn how to use / apply make up
54	Use the face scrub / exfoliate at least 5 times
55	Use the body scrub / exfoliate at least 5 times
56	Use moisturiser for 30 days
57	Go on the Million Paws Walk with Dogs
58	Update my resume
59	Get to school before the first bell for 10 weeks
60	Organise and have time with each child separately and do something they want to 5 times each
61	Go on a picnic
62	Write and send Christmas cards before 10 December
63	Go to bed before 10.30 for a week straight 5 times Completed but In Progress again
64	Take vitamins for 1 month
65	Answer the 20 questions you should ask yourself every Sunday once a month for a year
66	Find out what is involved to get tested and go on the bone marrow register
67	Be able to fit my wedding ring by our 15th anniversary. Sep 2010.
68	Write to someone who has inspired me
69	Don't log on to Facebook for 1 week straight Completed
70	See the sun rise and set on the same day
71	Take the kids swimming in the river
72	Sucessfully grow a plant (but preferably more) from seed
73	Watch An Inconvenient Truth
74	Learn how to make (and actually make) Gluten Free pasta
75	Cook a roast chicken dinner Completed
76	Go rock climbing
77	Fly in a hot air balloon
78	Bake an apple pie
79	Write a short story
80	Write all my bad memories on paper, burn this paper afterwards
81	Learn to locate all 50 US states on a map
82	Send flowers anonymously to a friend in need
83	Write a letter to myself to open in 10 years
84	Expand my vocabulary by 100 words
85	Make a list of 100 things that make me smile or laugh
86	Learn how to make a paper crane
87	Write on 20 creative writing prompts. http://creativewritingprompts.com/
88	Improve my posture
89	Do the 200 sit-ups challenge (www.twohundredsitups.com)
90	Read The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
91	Compile a List of 101 Inspirational Quotes
92	Sort photos and make an album

So if you are doing this, how are you going with your list?  Or would you like to join in?  Let me know and then I can add convince someone to do a Day Zero list and I will have 93 things on my list.