It’s been a long and hard couple of weeks, so I’ve fallen behind. But bearing in mind my friend Katie’s concern about her favourite blogger, I thought I’d post a picture and let you know I’m fine just behind. I chose this picture, because life feels a bit like it’s run aground. And I know […]
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The Life-Changing Magic of Getting a Haircut
Somewhat related to my version of string theory is my hair theory, That getting a haircut can, and does change your life. And this year so far has been difficult for so many reasons. Most of us need the need for something life-changing. Vain as it sounds, not getting to the hairdresser, is one of […]
The Pleasure of Getting Things Done
Despite the hope of getting things done, we’re often better at starting than finishing them. Yet by definition, getting things done is all about the finish. Finish: A1. to complete something or come to the end of an activityB1. to eat, drink, or use something completely so that none remains Cambridge Dictionary And there’s the […]
Stress Free Virtual Dinner Party
It’s hard to stay connected in lock-down. You can’t meet in person, but you can get online and host a Virtual Dinner Party. No, it’s not the same, but it’s better than nothing. And as the important thing is to be together, and because most communications suppliers (e.g. Zoom or Skype) limit free plans to […]
The Little Things I’m Grateful For
When times are tough (like now), it can help to acknowledge the good things we’re grateful for. Some days are harder than others, and on those days, I try to focus on the little things I’m grateful for. The everyday ones that I would suffer without. Like the Hug Me bear (thanks again Mrs Sparkle) […]
April 2020 Progress Report
April 2020 just happened in between all the spaces. And there were a lot of spaces as (unsurprisingly) my appointments and meetings were cancelled or rescheduled one by one. I’m not fretting too much about being locked down. Though I would like a haircut and to sit down to eat in a restaurant. And maybe […]
It’s Weather for Ducks
I’m not sure why people compain about rain they call it nasty – weather for ducks! (Though I’m not exactly sure why it’s only weather for ducks, and not swans or ibis.) And when it rains, people run for cover, so they don’t get wet – like cats! But it’s just water, and something about […]
How to Set up a Giving Programme
About a hundred years ago (February 2020), I suggested we think about setting up a giving programme. What with the Covid-19 pandemic, a great deal has changed since then, and I have been astounded by how much ordinary people are contributing to the greater good. Some of the giving I’ve seen reported includes: Making protective […]
I Still Survive
Sometimes, the fact of being alive comes with a price. Sometimes you’re not thriving, sometimes it’s as much as you can do to come to a place where you can say “I still survive!” Especially when you live in a society that values youthful good looks over venerating the wisdom that comes with age. That […]
It’s Not War, it’s Sickness
All these fat old white men talking about a war on Covid-19 is making me irritable. It’s not war, it’s sickness. Viruses don’t hide out in trenches, send out scouts or submarines. You can’t carpet bomb a virus, or snipe it, or stick it in an internment camp. You can’t negotiate a cease fire, treaty […]
The Dance of Death
Don’t know about you, but I’ve been preoccupied with death. Shouldn’t be much of a surprise to you, I’ve written about death and momento mori before. The lists of Covid-19 infections, deaths and recoveries make grim, yet compulsive viewing as I grapple with the scale of it. And when you add the scams on top, […]
2020 Q1 Review
Before I start with the 2020 Q1 review, let’s take a quick look back. As it turns out, those astrological predictions of a turbulent start to 2020 weren’t that far off. It’s gone so far that the ABC’s political editor Andrew Probyn has named it the year god forgot. Already. And just like it seems […]
March 2020 Progress Report
March 2020 was a horror month. There was/is all the Covid-19 shit going on, but more importantly for us, we had to say goodbye to Pretty Girl. She leaves an enormous hole, but also the opportunity to consciously reshape our lives with better habits. Virtue Feb Mar Notes Pleasure: AdventurePlan and take an international vacation […]
2020 Signature Wardrobe Winter Plan
Thanks to our highly variable Melbourne weather, I’ve been thinking about my 2020 Signature Wardrobe Winter Plan for some time. And staying warm! 2020 Winter Plan Following the Summer 2019 Update, I’m still a bit enamoured with costumes (the kind of tv/movie costume that represents aspects of the character). And I still have two characters […]
Do I Start Again or Start Something New?
Poor Pretty Girl is gone now, and I find myself not only orphaned but petless too. It’s been hard to start again. She’s left a large void behind her, literally as well as figuratively as we dispose of her toys and bedding, and vacuum up sh*tloads of dog hair. The house has been making all […]
In Memoriam Maidenbelle Snow Lily (2004 – 2020)
On Not Perpetuating Sexist Language
I recently read an interesting piece by Alison Flood, who reports Oxford University Press (OUP) are replacing the sexist language in example sentences in the Oxford English Dictionaries (OED). If you don’t know, the OED is the source used by Google and Apple. So when you look up words on those platforms, chances are, that’s […]
2019 Signature Wardrobe Summer Update
I know that technically, Summer has just ended, and it’s time for the 2019 Signature Wardrobe Summer Update, but the weather has been cool and wet and I’m already thinking about Winter. And pretty much the entire clothing season has left me irritable! Though I did get some nice clothes, so it was really just […]
February 2020 Progress Report
Made some progress in February 2020, but I feel the year has already run away without me and I’ll not be able to catch up. Maybe that’s because my to-do list seems much bigger with the whole quarter on it, instead of just a few weeks. And I’m already behind. Plenty of time to adjust […]
Was that a Radio Conversation or Not?
The other day I was trotting around doing some chores before work, and I thought I heard a radio conversation. The kind of morning radio thing where a couple of presenters talk about the usual kind of inconsequential nothingness. (And you want to climb inside the receiver and punch the lights out of them. Or […]
Wealthy is as Wealthy Does
There’s a proverb of sorts, Beauty is as Beauty does And according to Walt Disney (video has sound) at any rate, it means being kind and doing something nice for someone who feels down. Every single day. Because beauty is about what’s on your inside, not the outside. And you can Google to your heart’s […]
The Pleasure and Pain of Healthy Habits
My last Transplant Clinic appointment was less pleasant than I’d hoped, and now I’m back to contemplating the nature of choice and healthy habits. And complacency. It seems that after my last transplant biopsy, a small piece of vital information slipped through the cracks. Not that I can honestly say it would have changed much, […]
The What, Why, and How of Pleasure
When times get tough, one of the first expenses cut is pleasure. In the face of all other considerations, it becomes frivolous and wasteful. And yet, without pleasure, life can look and feel very grim. The other day I was watching one of a series of news reports by Geoff Thompson on Australia’s housing affordability […]
The Weird Joy of Life with Wildlife
Since my post about my garden planning, people have told me how weird they think life with wildlife must be. And maybe for someone who doesn’t live with it, life with wildlife is weird. But it’s not like I have a zoo in my garden, or lions and tigers and what-not. Though, depending on where […]
How to Design a Peaceful Garden
I’ve mentioned one of my major goals this year is to create a peaceful garden that’s lush and abundant, provides habitats, weather protection and a mystical threshold. And the goal for Q1 2020, is to plan and start landscaping it. So, I’ve been reading some books about Edna Walling gardens, mainly because I’ve seen what’s […]