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what i learnt this week 2016 :: WEEK 52
#WhatILearntThisWeek
Perhaps harking back to an earlier #WhatILearntThisWeek post – week 37 – referring to people not believing that they deserve good things… this belief of little self-worth goes on to inform what people dream for themselves.
Any great success starts with a dream. Even someone buying a lottery ticket has a dream… and one in a billion players do win (for some reason it’s never me). A dream does not mean success… the dream is the first step in a long long journey. A dream is just the beginning… but without the dream you can’t succeed.
A lot of people won’t even allow themselves to dream big or otherwise. The lack of dreamability is a sign of a depressed soul. If someone believes they don’t deserve good things or success of any kind, they will never allow themselves to dream at all.
Try to put your feelings about yourself aside and come up with a big dream and work towards it. Put that dream up on your bedroom wall, office door, phone lock screen or computer desktop. Write a plan of what you need to do to get there and start taking baby steps. It doesn’t matter if it takes you a month or five years to get to your dream… if you don’t allow yourself to dream it then you will never be able to realise your dream.
A dream could be as simple as a holiday to Hawaii, a small home based business or global domination… it’s up to you how big or small your dream should be… but commit to a dream and start doing the work.
There are a lot of arsehats out there with less talent than you who have had experienced raging success. There is no fixed rule stating who deserves and who doesn’t deserve success… just start working towards yours and make the magic happen.
You never know, with enough time, hard work and determination you might just get there. DREAM BIG PEOPLE!
Get in touch via Twitter, Instagram or by email 🙂
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what i learnt this week 2016 :: WEEK 51
#WhatILearntThisWeek
Our experience of the world has a lot to do with our approach to it. Some people are negative and assume that everyone is out to get them… but I’m here to tell you that you are not the centre of the universe and not everything is about you (or me). I think it is safe to assume that most people are doing their best.
One day after a long day I was super super tired. My legs were heavy and it was difficult to walk. I crossed the street at a pedestrian crossing and it seemed I wasn’t walking fast enough for the man in the white van waiting for me to cross. He stuck his head out the window and started screaming all manner of horrible horrible abuse at me. I told him I was going as fast as I could but he kept screaming at me… I was too shocked to smash in his windscreen but why did he assume that I was trying to fuck up his day… who would do that? Maybe he would? At that moment I was really doing my best.
I can’t imagine how exhausting it must be to walk around all day assuming that everyone is out to get you or trying to make your day worse. I imagine that people who do that would end up being really tired and cranky by the end of the day.
Perhaps my physical limitations have given me an advantage. I cannot afford to waste energy worrying about what other people are planning, plotting or thinking. It is much more energy efficient for me just cruise through my day assuming that everyone is doing their best. Chances are they are… at least for right now. Who knows what is going on in their life that is effecting them… what they are doing is their best in that moment.
So do your best and assume that everyone else is also doing their best. Who on earth has the energy to do otherwise (and if you have the secret to boundless energy… please share it with me).
Get in touch via Twitter, Instagram or by email 🙂
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what i learnt this week 2016 :: WEEK 50
#WhatILearntThisWeek
Christmas is either a wonderful or terrible time for people… a lot of this depends on their family and past experiences.
I am very lucky… I have an amazing family and we are all on the same page when it comes to Christmas. We all work hard to make it a very VERY fun and special celebration. We trim our trees together, we prepare the food together, we decorate the house together and we give very generously to each other. A lot of hard work results in an amazing few days where we celebrate our love for each other.
I know this is not true for a lot of people. This kind of joy depends on all parties coming to the table with the right attitude and this is often not the case. Most families have at least one drama queen that wrecks Christmas for everyone… luckily we no longer have drama queens in our family unit. Some people work very hard to have a great Christmas and there is usually some arse hat that tries to wreck it for everyone.
I also love the days between Christmas and New Year when we don’t know what day it is and we can survive on left overs and chocolate. It is one of my favorite times of the year. I love getting bored with my family and friends. I don’t see boredom as a bad thing… I mean that you spend enough time together that you end up playing cards, or bingo or go for another swim. It’s not about answering the phone, checking text messages, answering work emails, checking bank account balances… by now I’m ignoring my phone, only texting good mates, not answering any emails and I know my bank accounts are empty so it’s all good 😛
Christmas 2016 has ended up being another great triumph in the life of Team Bonnet Bay… we work hard together and we party hard together. I wish everyone could have such an amazing family… I know how lucky I am.
Get in touch via Twitter, Instagram or by email 🙂
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R.I.P. Debbie Reynolds
#RIPDebbieReynolds #DebbieReynolds @DebbieReynolds1
So many sad deaths this year… a lot of bright stars have been snuffed in 2016… maybe I’m just getting older that all of my old childhood idols are kicking the bucket.
Gone are the golden years of Hollywood and now gone are most of the legends from that time.
R.I.P. funny lady ♥
what i learnt this week 2016 :: WEEK 49
#WhatILearntThisWeek
My mum recently bought my niece a bean bag for Christmas… it was a really nice one and it was for her to have a comfy spot to read in her bedroom. So of course we had to fill it. We had been warned about the difficulties of filling up a bean bag and how the beans have a mind of their own. I took these cautionary tales as a challenge and decided that I was going to be the best bean bag filler upper of ALL TIME.
Mum and I bought the recommended 2 large bags of bean bag beans and set about filling the lining bag. We were so cautious, cutting only a small slit in the plastic bag of bean bag beans. Mum kept the mouth of the lining bag tight around the emptying bag and like the world class champions that we are we managed to empty two massive beans into the bag only spilling one bean. I REPETE, JUST THE ONE BEAN. I know… it is miraculous.
Disappointingly, the bag was not full enough and a few days later I bought some more beans to top up the bag.
This time when we went to fill up the lining bag it was a different story. Despite using the same technique we failed miserably. The beans crept up the lining bag… we were watching them try to escape and there was NOTHING we could do about it. They seemed to have a mind of their own. Beans were flying out in every direction. The dogs came running into the room to chase the beans and we had to yell at them to get out of the room. We were covered in beans, the bean bag was covered in beans (on the outside) and the room was covered in beans.
We had done nothing differently… but what had gone wrong? We had not taken into account the weather. The first time we had so successfully emptied two bags without incident, it was raining heavily and the hair was thick with humidity. This second time the day was incredibly dry and the beans seemed to take advantage of the static electricity, using it to creep out of any available opening… making a break for freedom.
So there it is… regardless of your skill level or tried and tested techniques… try to only fill bean bags on humid days and avoid sudden madness 😛
Get in touch via Twitter, Instagram or by email 🙂
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R.I.P. Carrie Fisher
#CarrieFisher #RIPCarrieFisher
Another deeply flawed but very honest celebrity bites the dust… she had come so far and had learnt so much from her mistakes that she graciously shared with us all ♥
R.I.P. George Michael
#GeorgeMichael #RIPGeorgeMichael
I will always love Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou and his fabulous music ♥
what i learnt this week 2016 :: WEEK 48
#WhatILearntThisWeek
I’m a really open person and I’m usually pretty difficult to shock… although I am not unshockable.
I don’t mind people swearing around me (god knows I swear like a trooper) but I do have a problem swearing at people rather than around them. There is something really aggressive about swearing at a person rather than at a situation.
At the same time I don’t mind people telling dirty jokes (especially if they are really funny) and I totally get pushing the boundaries for a laugh… but there are some boundaries I don’t like people crossing.
A bloke I know recently spoke about his ‘junk’ for want of a better word and what he wanted to do with it… he was trying to be funny (he failed at that) and he also being serious (creepy as fuck). It shocked me… I don’t often get shocked… it takes a lot to shock me but this did. If it was his intention to make me feel uncomfortable then he succeeded. If it was his intention to make me see him in a different light then he also succeeded at that (although I don’t think he planned on me seeing him as a creep).
So think about your humour and how specific it is… it might be best to keep it general and not aimed at a person… you might think you’re being really funny but chances are you’ll come across as an out of touch jerk.
Get in touch via Twitter, Instagram or by email 🙂
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what i learnt this week 2016 :: WEEK 47
#WhatILearntThisWeek
It is difficult to change beliefs as many of these are written into our psyche at a very early age. Some people believe they deserve a lot and some people believe they deserve nothing. This script is written in us at a very young age but it is possible to challenge these beliefs.
If you grew up poor, you might feel uncomfortable owning expensive things. If you grew up feeling worthless then chances are you still feel worthless. If you grew up in a dream home with love and support you might find the real world challenging at times as nothing compares to your childhood. There are millions of examples of how our early experiences can effect what we think, believe and strive for in our lives.
It has been long believed that the first 7 years sets us up for life, but now they’re even talking about it being the first 5 years. Think of all of things that happened in our first 5 years that we don’t remember and how they may have influenced what we believe.
We are framed by these experiences, but we don’t have to stay confined by them. We can challenge our thoughts and more importantly our beliefs. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy works on the principle that by challenging and changing our beliefs we can change our thoughts… it is almost impossible to do it the other way round.
The first step is being aware of the limitations you are putting on yourself. If you feel you don’t deserve good things, then challenge that belief and see if you can change it. If you believe that you can’t have any down time and that you have to be going at 100km/hr all the time, then ask yourself what are you so afraid of and see if you can learn how to have some down time without feeling terribly guilty or wasteful.
Be aware of the frame you’re living in so that you can take steps to change it. You may need to get professional help in the form of counseling with a practitioner that practices Cognitive Behavioral Therapy… I did this to learn how to deal with pain and it changed my life (for the better). Challenge yourself and break the frame… it is possible to be more and be happier than you are right now 🙂
Get in touch via Twitter, Instagram or by email 🙂
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what i learnt this week 2016 :: WEEK 46
#WhatILearntThisWeek
The last few days I have woken up feeling crappy and congested… I had a bit of a sore throat. I wondered if I was getting sick? Did some arsehole cough on me and make me sick? Was my epic flu dodging luck going to run out just before the end of the year?
No. None of the above was true.
I am just really run down. I am fucking tired and am burning many candles from both ends.
This morning I watched James Corden’s Carpool Karaoke with Madonna and it pumped me up. Such fun!
After watching this I opened up my Spotify account and started paying Madonna… and I mean REALLY playing Madonna. NICE AND LOUD. I kept working but I was also singing and dancing in my seat (occasionally standing up to pull off some awesome stage worthy moves I would never do in front of ANYONE ELSE – I work from home LOL).
This really turned my day around. I feel so much better. I have so much more energy. I don’t feel sick any more. I have done LOADS of work. Basically Madonna saved my life today 😛
So if you’re feeling shit… chuck on a few choice Madge tracks like Bitch I’m Madonna, Vogue, Hung Up, Ray of Light, Like a Prayer, Holiday, La Isla Bonita, Papa Don’t Preach… I could go on.
At the very least, learn the words to Bitch I’m Madonna and sing it… sing it loud and proud. I guarantee you will feel super pumped up! No harm in trying 😛
[youtube id=”Sx2PfL2ekTY” maxwidth=”1000″]
Get in touch via Twitter, Instagram or by email 🙂
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what i learnt this week 2016 :: WEEK 45
#WhatILearntThisWeek
A lot has been said in disbelief and anger since the recent US Presidential Election! It has to be one of the biggest blindsides of 2016 – outside of Flick voting off Brook on Survivor Australia.
Some weeks has now passed and while I still can’t watch the man on TV (can’t look at him), I have taken the time to put it into perspective and I do believe it’s going to be ok.
While Trump is currently on his best behavior, there are limitations to what he can do and achieve. While he is in a position of immense power there are safety nets and potential blocks in his way. While he is at the helm he can effect negative change on America (and the world) but he won’t be in power forever. This too shall pass.
I’ve come to the conclusion that Trump is like constipation… it hurts right now, but it will pass. Sometimes we have to endure terrible terrible things but eventually they make us stronger. What doesn’t kill you…
It’s not yet time to enlist for SpaceX’s Mars mission… let’s try to be the laxative the world needs and soften things up with love, acceptance and inclusion. Let’s be anti-Trumps and flush out the negative sentiment that has recently risen to the surface.
Unfortunately, many bigots feel empowered by his victory. We have seen many horrible examples in recent weeks… I won’t bother listing them. It’s up to the rest of us to show them the way… the softer, gentler and kinder way. We are the ford pills to his hatred and his ‘reign’ will make us all stronger.
Get in touch via Twitter, Instagram or by email 🙂
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Women of substance: Van Badham
#WomenOfSubstance
After much fan fair about there being gender parity when it comes to artists chosen to hang in this year’s Archibald Prize, I was stoked that female artists were finally equally represented. This has been a long time coming.
However, when I visited the exhibition I noticed that most of the sitters were still men. It seems that most artists prefer to paint men. This got me thinking… I want to paint women who inspire me, women who challenge the limitations placed on women in our society and women who are strong enough to forge ahead despite the many obstacles in their way.
I had painted Van Badham (feminist Columnist for the Guardian Australia & campaign strategist) for The Archibald Prize and my entry was not chosen. I had no expectation of being chosen but I still enter these competitions with a healthy dose of ‘just-in-case’. After visiting (and loving) the exhibition I decided to only paint women for at least 12 months… hatching my plan to do a series of paintings called ‘Women of Substance’.
Van was very gracious and gave me a chunk of her time, she was generous and just as articulate and intelligent as I imagined she would be. She was a really lovely and dynamic woman and I hope I’ve captured the essence of her character in this portrait.
I have approached other ‘Women of Substance’ to see if they will sit for me and have had various responses ranging from no response at all, a resounding no and a couple of ’sure why not?’ replies. I will continue to hunt down and paint the women I admire and amass a collection of paintings that shows the diverse range of women who have and are still guiding us.
If you know a ‘Woman of Substance’ who should be painted, please get in touch.
Thank you Van Badham for being my first sitter in this project… I appreciate your kindness and your bravery.
what i learnt this week 2016 :: WEEK 44
#WhatILearntThisWeek
This might seem obvious to some but at the same time it seems to be oblivious to many.
There are so many horrible comments made every day and some cowards try to justify their words with “I was joking”.
If you offend someone, it’s not good enough to pretend to be joking. If you are joking and you are offending people, then you have to reassess what you think is funny.
I have been in MANY work and social situations where horribly sexist things have been said… if I react in any way I am usually greeted with a sad sigh and a comeback along the lines of “I’m joking, relax”. If no one calls people out for their sexist, racist and hateful jokes then they will never learn that they are hurting people. The majority of people who are offended will say nothing, maybe offer up an awkward chuckle and move on. This does little to discourage the behaviour and the ‘joke teller’ will continue with their hurtful jokes and will encourage others to join them.
As someone who is a white Australian I am not on the receiving end of many racist jokes – however, that doesn’t exclude me from hearing them. They are more often said away from the culture they disparage rather than in front of them… another cowardly move.
Laughing at minorities contributes to the normalisation of prejudice. Accepting and laughing along is telling everyone in the room that the views expressed in that joke are acceptable and this can lead to more professions of hatred and bigotry.
We all use humor to diffuse awkward situations and break down barriers but this can be either a positive or a negative thing.
The next time you think you’re the standup comic of your group, check your privilege and see if you can be funny without having to disparage a gender or a culture. Just saying.
Get in touch via Twitter, Instagram or by email 🙂
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Narla the dog
#PetPortrait @cectimm
This is Narla. She was lost and never made it home to her very sad and distraught humans. Hopefully this picture will help Narla’s mum and dad’s hearts heal. She is always walking in their shadow ♥
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Get in touch via Twitter, Instagram or by email 🙂
Colouring 4 Christmas in stock at Shorties in Newtown
@Colouring4Christmas #Colouring4Christams @cectimm
As of this week Colouring 4 Christmas: An Advent Calendar with a difference! is available in the very cool Shorties children’s wear store in Newtown.
They are on display but if you can’t find them please ask for it in store 🙂
Shorties
537 King St
Newtown
Sydney, NSW
(02) 9550 5003
newtown@shorties.com.au
[su_button url=”/shop/” style=”flat” background=”#1bb00f” color=”#ffffff” size=”5″ center=”no” icon=”icon: pencil”]Grab your copy TODAY![/su_button] only $19 each or 3 for $50
Follow Colouring 4 Christmas on Instagram… don’t forget to share your colouring in and tag @cectimm and #Colouring4Christmas 🙂
what i learnt this week 2016 :: WEEK 43
#WhatILearntThisWeek
I think everyone is guilty of this one. We meet someone… we know a tiny percent of their character, then we project onto them what we want them to be. Think about it.
You meet someone and you click. You think, wow this is my kind of person, they’re just like me. Several weeks or months later you realise they are not who you thought they were. You feel betrayed by them, however it was your own projection that was wrong, not how they presented themselves. I am not talking about con people… just ordinary people.
What I am talking about is our tendency to want to think and see the best in people. In reality, you don’t know another person 100% – most of us don’t even know ourselves. So why is that we think we know other people so well – even if we haven’t known them for very long. It’s because we fill in the gaps. We project onto them what we want them to be.
Just like a person who is losing their vision to glaucoma won’t realise it because the human brain fills in the blanks – a person fills in the blanks for the people in their life. I can only speak for woman, because I am one… but in the past I have dated people, made all sorts of wild assumptions about their character, desires for their future and views on the world. Only to be horrified down the track that they were nothing like the picture I had painted of them in my head.
While it is fun to imagine what someone might be… it’s best to let them reveal who they are in their own time. Don’t assume that they are just like you. Don’t assume that they want the same things in life. Don’t assume that they are a good or bad person. Let them show themselves to you… and when they do, take it on face value and don’t ignore what they are showing you (that’s a whole other issue – ignoring flaws and pretending someone is perfect).
So go out into the world and take people as they present themselves… don’t fill in the gaps.
Get in touch via Twitter, Instagram or by email 🙂
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Colouring for Christmas is in stock at Gift Warehouse
@Colouring4Christmas #Colouring4Christams @cectimm
As of this week Colouring 4 Christmas: An Advent Calendar with a difference! is available in Gift Warehouse in Jannali.
You can see it on display in the front window. Ask for it in store 🙂
Gift Warehouse is a few shops up from the awesome West End Espresso
Shop 1,
7 Jannali Avenue
Jannali NSW
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Follow Colouring 4 Christmas on Instagram… don’t forget to share your colouring in and tag @cectimm and #Colouring4Christmas 🙂
Colouring 4 Christmas is here 🙂
@Colouring4Christmas #Colouring4Christams @cectimm
I have just launched Colouring 4 Christmas: An Advent Calendar with a difference!
It’s a fantastic, fun, locally made, creative and sugar free Advent Calendar that you colour in rather than eat 😛
Check it out and grab your copy while stocks last…
[su_button url=”/shop/” style=”flat” background=”#1bb00f” color=”#ffffff” size=”5″ center=”no” icon=”icon: pencil”]Grab your copy TODAY![/su_button] only $19 each or 3 for $50
Follow Colouring 4 Christmas on Instagram… don’t forget to share your colouring in and tag @cectimm and #Colouring4Christmas 🙂
what i learnt this week 2016 :: WEEK 42
#WhatILearntThisWeek
We don’t learn lessons in one go… sometimes we have to make the same mistake a couple or let’s face it MANY MANY times before it really sinks in. We can be a bit slow us humans.
I have recently committed to printing a colouring in book of my own illustrations and have had many discussions with my printer of choice. It was “printing day” and he was about to press go when he asked me if I could change the size from 160mm square to 150mm. I nearly said yes as his tone was pleading and he assured me this would make the process quicker and more efficient. Then I remembered my lesson from week 39, that women need to stop wanting to be liked. I was about to agree to something that I didn’t want to appease a stranger… I didn’t want him to think that I was a bossy bitch.
I took stock of the situation… I had already bought hundreds of plastic envelopes for the book that would be cumbersome and costly to return and most importantly the size of the pages is listed on the back of the book so changing the size without changing the text would make me a liar.
I stuck to my guns and said ‘NO’. It’s hard for us chicks to say no sometimes but I did. What was I afraid of? A stranger might be inconvenienced and think I’m not a very nice person? Why should I give a shit about what he thinks about me? I am paying him (handsomely) for his services and I should get what I’ve paid for.
I did notice the shift in my thought process from ‘I should comply and be nice’ to ‘I should get what I paid for and who cares what a stranger thinks of me’ and it was awesome. I’m not going to roam the streets being a bitch willy nilly but I think it’s good for us ladies to consider our motivation when making decisions… are we just trying to be liked or are we really doing what’s right.
Think of what you teach your children, your friends and your family… those lessons apply to you as well. Take your own advice.
Get in touch via Twitter, Instagram or by email 🙂
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Communicating the benefits of medical cannabis
#UnitedInCompassion #medicalcannabis #medicalmarijuana
There has been a HUGE behind-the-scenes push to educate politicians, medical professionals and the public about the possible treatment options available with medical cannabis.
I have had the pleasure of working with a scientist who is at the forefront of this campaign. He has so much knowledge to communicate and we have worked together to come up with ways to best communicate the benefits of Medical Cannabis via simple and easy to digest diagrams. We often do two versions of the same image… one for medical professionals and one for lay people. They both communicate the same data but do so in an appropriate way for each audience.
The first image lists the actions of certain cannabinoids found in cannabis.
Have a go sliding the centre line from left to right. It’s the same information but a different image.
[twentytwenty]
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The second image lists actions associated with terpenes, another medically relevant chemical found in cannabis.
[twentytwenty]
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There is still so much to learn about Medical Cannabis… here’s hoping this is just the beginning of a natural and much more beneficial medical revolution.
Melbourne Cup Day = sad liver day
what i learnt this week 2016 :: WEEK 41
#WhatILearntThisWeek
We spend a lot of our lives being what we think others think we should be. Pause for a second… yes that was a convoluted sentence but then again this is a convoluted issue.
Andy Warhol’s beautiful images of cans of soup changed the worlds ideas about modern life and art. I do wonder if he was trying to say something more with those cans of soup. We are all cans of soup… we all have different contents but it’s up to us to choose our own label. Some people are perfectly content with the label that has been assigned to them, while others will rebel and change their label. At the end of the day… it’s up to us.
This can refer to the way you wear your hair, the clothes you wear, the career you choose to pursue, your sexuality, gender identity, where you live and who you choose to be friends with. It can apply to any part of your life that you choose… just make sure that you choose. You have the right to keep or change your own label. Many people are perfectly happy with the label that has been assigned to them and that is not a problem at all but some people may need to change their label… a little or a lot. It’s important to ask yourself the question, what do I want to be and how do I want to live?
When I was at uni I gave myself permission to be something other than what I’d always been… after much pondering I settled on just being exactly who I was which hasn’t changed much since. I think it was important that I gave myself permission to be whatever I felt I should be.
While you’re at it don’t put a label on someone else, let them be who they want to be. Just make sure that you are perfectly happy with your label… chose your OWN label and wear it proudly.
Get in touch via Twitter, Instagram or by email 🙂
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Truffle the dog
@cectimm #whatImdrawing
The very sweet and adorable Truffle is sadly waiting over the rainbow bridge (with my own Leroy Brown) but her owners now have this portrait as a memento of their years together. What a lovely and very thoughtful present form a mother to her daughter. Mums rock ♥
[contact-form-7 id=”3580″ title=”Pet Portrait”]
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what i learnt this week 2016 :: WEEK 40
#WhatILearntThisWeek
According to an article in Shape Magazine, 80% of people pee in the shower (PITS) and I think the remaining 20% are either lying or have some serious body issues (kidding/not kidding). Further to this I took part in a survey on BuzzFeed News and similarly it showed that 81% of people PITS.
There are many benefits to PingITS and I’ve always done so. It just makes sense to me. The drain from the shower meets the drain from the loo so why not save on paper, water and sitting time. It wasn’t until I was living with a boyfriend for the first time that I realised that not everyone thought it was OK. One morning he asked me if I was PingITS. I said “yes, of course I am.” He was flabbergasted! His mother had told him to never PITS and got him into trouble whenever he did, so it was well and truly trained out of him. He was so liberated after that conversation that he took great joy in peeing in the shower every morning 🙂
Here are some great reasons to PITS;
- If you were brainwashed into thinking that PITS is wrong, then doing so can be a daily act of rebellion. Rebellion can feel great.
- Your body wants to… you know it does… so go with it. Just don’t go with #2 (think of the drain).
- It saves time in the morning as you’re rushing to get ready for work.
- PITS is good for the planet as it saves one flush a day, reducing your water usage by 6 liters (1.6 gallons) each day. Saving one flush a day will conserve 2,190 liters (584 gallons) of water each year. Make sure you keep your shower short or you’ll under your good work.
- It saves money. If you’re saving water, then you’re saving money.
- The shower water will wash your bits and you will save on bog roll = good for the pocket + the environment.
- It’s not going to kill you so get over it!
While PITS is great, peeing in the bath is still a MASSIVE NO NO. Don’t do that!
The next time someone denies PITS just remember, they are probably lying. Practically everyone is doing it.
Here is a Brazillian ad begging you to pee in the shower to save water…
[youtube id=”5vnp8W1VI7k” maxwidth=”900″]
Get in touch via Twitter, Instagram or by email 🙂
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come back to the table
#ComeBackToTheTable
It’s sad to think that 85% of American families never sit around their dining room table to eat a meal together. The discussions you have with your loved ones when the sole focus is the meal you are about to eat are very different to the discussions you have in front of the TV. Try to come back to the table at least a few times a week and if you can once a day. It will make a difference to your family dynamic and you might find out some interesting things about your family members. COME BACK TO THE TABLE!
I recently happened across a great story on CNN about a world renown chef Alice Waters who opened the now famous Californian restaurant Chez Panisse 45 years ago. She is credited with starting the modern farm-to-table movement and works closely with local food and wine producers.
I hope to make it to her restaurant one day… if you want to read more you can click through to this article on CNN which includes the video. Or if you want to watch The chef who changed US food forever you can do so below…
The chef who changed US food forever
Get in touch via Twitter, Instagram or by email 🙂
what i learnt this week 2016 :: WEEK 39
#WhatILearntThisWeek
I think this is one of our greatest drawbacks ladies… I’m not sure when it all started but I’ve noticed that most women (and I’m including myself in this) want to be liked. It is one of our greatest weaknesses and it is holing us back.
Think about it… how many times have you wanted to send back a crappy cup of coffee, ask for a pay rise or stop seeing a friend you no longer like but you don’t because you don’t want to make waves, have a confrontation, make someone else feel bad or be seen as a bitch. It happens all the time.
Even though I’m keenly aware of this I still find confrontation difficult to deal with and I do my best to avoid it – that in itself is not a bad thing but if it comes at a cost of living with bad coffee, service or relationships it can become a problem.
Women want to be liked whereas men in general don’t care as much – especially in an office environment. Women want to come across as nice and easy going and will take months or years to hint that they might like a pay rise. Most men will ask for a pay rise directly and often. I’ve seen it with my own eyes when I worked in HR. This results in men getting pay rises more often. Even when I did pluck up the courage to ask for a pay rise I was knocked back – however, I did realise that this did not stop blokes from asking again and again where as I felt like I couldn’t ask again for a really long time. I guess I didn’t want to seem demanding… who wants to come across as bossy and forward (blokes – that’s who).
So ask yourself the question… do I really want to accept [insert something subpar here] or do I want to speak up and get what I really want. Do I really care if that person likes me? Why do I care if they like me? If I do care will they hate me for speaking up? Probably not.
Think about it the next time you’re willing to live with less and ask for more… you never know, if you ask in a nice way maybe you’ll get what you want and they’ll still like you 😛
Get in touch via Twitter, Instagram or by email 🙂
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what i learnt this week 2016 :: WEEK 38
#WhatILearntThisWeek
There seems to be a growing trend of misrepresenting how we look on social media. Let me explain.
You may have noticed some aliens popping up in your Facebook and Instragram feeds. It used to be that airbrushing was a tool used by advertisers and magazines but now there are apps that can airbrush you into oblivion.
I am all for looking your best and I do believe it is important to make an effort and put your best foot (or face) forward BUT, there is a HUGE difference between enhancing how you look and COMPLETELY REINVENTING yourself. Fashion magazines are designed to make women feel bad to make them buy products… it’s an age old formula that sees women hating themselves for not looking like an airbrushed teenager who hasn’t eaten a full meal in months. Now it seems we need to look like dolls to ‘fit in’ and I’ve noticed more and more people posting highly edited photos of themselves online.
Some people are almost unrecognisable and frankly it’s disturbing. Do people hate themselves so much that they want to look like an alien? I don’t.
I fully except that sometimes I look fat, I do have a few wrinkles and there are these little jowly bits that have recently appeared on my face (that I’m not too happy about) but that’s how I look and it’s who I am. Having said that I’m not a masochist – I don’t choose the worst photo of me and post online… I still try to choose a nice one and if I don’t have a photo I like then I won’t post anything at all. I refuse to airbrush myself – I want to be me, not an edited me.
Put your best face forward but be yourself. Don’t try to be something that you’re not. Enhance yourself in real life – rather than making a remake in your phone.
Get in touch via Twitter, Instagram or by email 🙂
[su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIIKTNPP5Ts” width=”1600″]
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The Termite-Eater: Give humanity a chance… don’t vote for Trump!
[rev_slider Termite-eater]
“Nice night for a walk… Listen to me if you want to live.”
The Termite-Eater has come back from the year 2099 to save the planet. Don’t get him confused with that fake movie Terminator… he’s the real deal! In the future the only food sources are ants and termites so the anteaters & termite eaters now rule the world.
Humanity has died out!
Now in his future even the ants + termites are dying… they looked into the past and found the tipping point that turned the world to shit… He’s come back to stop America form making a big mistake.
In the early part of the century humanity became disillusioned by their leaders. Protest voting became popular & the Philippines elected a crazy violent leader… this thirst for change at any cost spread to the USA and led to the rise of an unholy leader… America voted for TRUMP and then the world went to shit!
Give humanity a chance… don’t vote for TRUMP! Trump will terminate the economy and ditch the world into chaos.
There are ways of killing yourself without killing yourself*! Think about it.
Fix the future or the Termite-Eater WILL BE BACK!
The Termite-Eater has spoken… heed his wise words.
[su_youtube url=”https://youtu.be/CCPsCzgdDAc” width=”1600″]
*Quote from Saturday Night Fever
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what i learnt this week 2016 :: WEEK 37
#WhatILearntThisWeek
I was talking to a girlfriend who was struggling to cope with her current circumstances. I asked her if she had done something purely for herself lately and her answer was an overwhelming no. She didn’t have the time.
We all have a limited capacity to put up with crap and shitty situations. Life is always going to throw us curve balls and face plants… it’s up to us to make sure we are strong enough to cope. We have a well of coping that if not looked after can run dry. It’s our responsibility to work on our own coping well so that we can deal with the crap that will inevitably come our way.
What it takes to build up our resistance and fill up your coping well is different for different people. We all need to figure out what fills us up. For some people it’s reading a good book, coffee with a good friend or meditating on top of a mountain. My point is that it’s different for everyone but we need to find out what it is for ourselves. This is important – because you are important and therefore your ability to cope with the inevitable shit storm is important.
When it comes to the issue of time… if you really want to, you can find five or ten minutes in a day. It’s a matter of making it a priority. People often tell me they don’t have time to eat breakfast or coffee with a mate but if you make yourself a priority then you can find the time. We are all so busy all of the time… make sure you put some time aside for you.
So figure out what fills up your coping well and maintain it at a reasonable level. Make time for yourself because you’re worth it!
Get in touch via Twitter, Instagram or by email 🙂
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what i learnt this week 2016 :: WEEK 36
#WhatILearntThisWeek
I went to Melbourne recently and everyone was really nice and polite. It seemed to be in contrast with my recent retail experiences in Sydney. I’m not buying into the whole Sydney v Melbourne debate but I did notice a difference in the level of courtesy.
Every shop and art gallery I went into people said hello, good bye and thank you for coming. It struck me as strange which means that I’m no longer accustomed to hearing it. I try to make a point of having good manners as you never know if someone is having a really bad day and the smallest of courtesies can make them feel much better.
Courtesy
– the showing of politeness in one’s attitude and behavior towards others.
– excellence of manners or social conduct; polite behavior.
Courtesy is sexy – at least it is to me. The opposite is also true. A strapping lad can go from hero to zero with one inconsiderate comment to a shop assistant. I judge someone more by the way they treat other people than by what they’re wearing and how much money they earn. Once on a date I was totally turned off they guy because he was overtly rude to a waiter who had done nothing wrong. It’s that instant.
Someone going out of their way to help an old lady up some stairs, a manager who chooses to speak to a junior staff member with kindness and a driver who lets a pedestrian cross despite who has right of way are my kind of people. It’s not even a matter of good or bad breeding. It’s simple human kindness. It’s treating people the way you would like to be treated. If you feel good when someone says thank you… then say thank you to people who have done a kindness to you.
Courtesy is sexy… it might just get you across the line.
Get in touch via Twitter, Instagram or by email 🙂
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what i learnt this week 2016 :: WEEK 35
#WhatILearntThisWeek
When someone tells me they still have a few boxes to tick in their lives I cringe. I hate the idea of a list of things you MUST accomplish in this lifetime to have been deemed successful in our society.
I once had a close friend tell me that they had ticked the career, kids, house and car boxes and that they were surprised they weren’t happy. They thought that ticking arbitrary boxes was going to make her every dream came true. Unless your boxes are passion projects, ticking them off will NEVER make you happy.
Too often we spend time worrying about what we should be doing or achieving. Surely there is some room in our busy ‘should’ filled lives to pursue the things that will really make us happy.
For me it’s drawing + painting + writing + cooking + eating + catching up with friends + cuddling puppies + travelling. The day I decided I didn’t have to get married or have a big career or drive a fancy car or keep up with the fucking Joneses was the most liberating day of my life. I decided to be happy right there and then despite what I had and hadn’t achieved and an amazing thing happened… I started doing more – not because I had to tick a box but because I wanted to do it. I made more art, I made more time for friends, I laughed more and most importantly I was free and happy.
The next time you think you need to tick off a box to qualify as a grown up or keep up with someone else’s expectations of you… fuck it. Fuck boxes and remember what Fleetwood Mac says ‘you can go your own way’.
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what i learnt this week 2016 :: WEEK 34
#WhatILearntThisWeek
This is an interesting one for me.
In my experience, us women get conflicting feedback of what we should be (on so many levels). On one hand we are encouraged to be strong and independent, and on the other hand we are often told not to be so bold or to believe in ourselves too much (and surprisingly by people who should knew better).
I was recently in a lift with someone I know very well and who I assume knows me quite well. I felt tired and really crappy and as I checked myself in the mirror I realised that my morning twist bun had resulted in a nice curl at the bottom of my now out hair. I commented on it saying ‘Oh wow my hair has a nice curl in it today’. I thought this was a very simple and innocent comment and then he said ‘boy you’ve got tickets on yourself”. I was surprised. He wasn’t joking. I was trying boost myself so that I could face the day and he tried to bring me down. What was that about!?
Likewise, I have noticed that if in a group of people you have the audacity to say that you are good at something someone will try and either bring you down or make fun of you saying that you’re full of yourself.
Are we really supposed to only have negative opinions about ourselves?
In my experience men look at themselves in the mirror and see more than they are. They shoot a metaphoric gun from their hip at their reflection with some kind of internal dialogue along the lines of ‘hey good looking’. Women look at themselves in the mirror and run off a long list of faults and 100 reasons why they are not worthy to be alive, let alone be loved. Where does this come from? Who programmed this into us or is it genetic? WTF!
I have been aware of that dichotomy for quite a while and try to curb my mirror conversations around to the positive side and make a point of finding at least 3 things that I like. No one is all bad… surely we can start seeing good in ourselves. Young girls are told to believe in themselves and that they can be anything they want to be when they grow up, but once they do we (as a society) start bringing them back down… don’t dream too big, you’re not all that, why do you think you’re good enough to be or do that!
I know what I’m good at and if you ask me I will be happy to tell you. I am not going to apologise for having mad skills. Likewise, I’m not going to say I’m great at something when I’m not. Let’s keep encouraging women and girls to be great, speak nicely to themselves and to each other and be aware of the subtle things we say that subversively put the women in our lives down.
Get in touch via Twitter, Instagram or by email 🙂
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David Lynch: happiness is in the doing
#greatideas @DAVID_LYNCH #HappinessIsInTheDoing
I love this video on so many different levels…
- It’s David Lynch talking about creativity and where it comes from. He is so incredibly creative and prolific and his advice is so simple yet wise.
- The illustrations are so beautiful and they enrich your understanding of David’s soothing words.
- The colour pallet is just divine… love, love, love ♥
- David debunks the myth that suffering is a necessary part of the creative process… hoo-bloody-ray!
Spend 2:33 minutes watching something beautiful that will help you better understand the creative process.
[su_quote]“Ideas are like fish and you don’t make the fish, you catch the fish”. – David Lynch[/su_quote]
The beautiful animation is done by Jackie Lay & you can follow David Lynch on Twitter.
This video is hosted on The Atlantic
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