Onward and Upward

After more than two years of sharing my experiences and adventures with you, I have decided to stop writing this blog. I am entering an exciting new chapter of my life and therefore it feels right to close this one.

I want to thank all my loyal readers (and groupies) for their wonderful support. Thanks for joining me on my journey over the last few years. It has been a wild ride! And whilst I part ways with you now, rest assured that I have a big smile on my face as I get ready to embark on the awesome adventures that lie ahead. These are exciting times!

"Life is a rollercoaster. Try to eat a light lunch"

Cheers xx

It's taken me 30 years to look this good!

Today I turned 30. I guess this particular milestone has made me reflect (more so than usual) on my life – where I’ve been, where I’m at, and where I’m going.




Its funny how for such a long time 30 seems so far away, then all of a sudden it creeps up on you, and you are left wondering what the hell happened and how you got there. Don’t get me wrong, my 20’s were quite well spent and I don’t have any regrets.

There are no real rules saying that you should have accomplished this or that, but I guess I always had the expectation that by the time I turned 30 I'd have a little family of my own, that we’d be living happily together in a nice big house, and that I'd have a rewarding career. I can’t quite tick all those boxes just yet, but that’s ok, life is a work in progress and I'm enjoying the journey. Sometimes of course I wish I could avoid some of the bumps and potholes along the road, but they often provide the best opportunities to learn and grow. It's been a great adventure so far and I am so thankful for the life I have and the wonderful people in my life.

There are many positives to getting older:
* The more wrinkles I get, the more life experience I accumulate. All the life lessons I learnt in my 20’s, I can now apply to my 30’s.
* I get to check a new age group box on forms
* I have stopped trying to find myself and started creating myself
* People take you more seriously and give you more credit when you are in your 30’s
* I am like a fine wine – just keep getting better with age!
* I have become more confident and self assured with time. I have a much better idea of who I am, what I want, what I will put up with, and what I won’t put up with.

All I know is this… The best is yet to come!

Some of my favourite quotes (and how I try to live my life):
* It is only in adventure that some people succeed in knowing themselves - in finding themselves
* Unless you walk out into the unknown, the odds of making a profound difference in your life are pretty low
* Never be afraid to ask a question, especially of yourself - discovery is the mission of life
* Feel the fear and do it anyway. Freedom lies in being bold
* Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do rather than the ones you did do. So throw off the ropes and sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the wind in your sails. Explore, dream, discover.

The Charles Schultz Philosophy

The following is the philosophy of Charles Schultz, the creator of the 'Peanuts' comic strip.


1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.
3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America.
4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.
6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.


How did you do?

The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.


Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:

1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.

Easier?

The lesson...

The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care.

Endings and Beginnings

Birna has decided to end our relationship and not move to Australia. It seems that the distance between our countries and the cultural differences were too big to overcome. Birna and I have shared a wonderful relationship over the last few years, and for the most part, we were like two peas in a pod. But unfortunately, things don't always turn out the way you want them to.

Life Lessons

(by Regina Brett, 90 years old)

* Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
* Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your loved ones will. Be good to them.
* You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
* Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
* When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
* Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
* It's ok to let your children see you cry.
* Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
* If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
* Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
* When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
* Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
* The most important sex organ is the brain.
* No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
* What other people think of you is none of your business.
* Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
* Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
* Growing old beats the alternative - dying young.
* All that truly matters in the end... is that you loved.
* If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
* The best is yet to come.
* No matter how you feel… get up, dress up and show up.

Womanhood

Today is a turning point in my life. This day will be reminisced about for decades to come. This day will be remembered by many as the day I finally became... a woman. For today is the day that I purchased my very first woman's handbag.

Whilst you may be gasping in disbelief, it is indeed true. I have indeed bought one of those girly handbags, you know, the ones with the little strap that sits nicely on your shoulder, so that the cute little bag tucks neatly under your armpit.

Traditionally, I have always carried a manbag, you know, the ones that are plain and rectangular in shape, that strap across your body. But now, with my sleek new sexy look, I have graduated into womanhood! I have traded practical for sophisticated ... convenience for style. I feel liberated and alive!

There's only one thing left to do now in order to become a fully fledged mature woman... trade in my training bra.

Birna is on her way!

Breaking news... Birna has booked her ticket to Oz!
Arrival: 25th September. Woohoo!!

Until Birna arrives, there will be:
* 36 more sleeps
* 5 weekends
* 2 haircuts
* 19 work days
* 108 meals to eat
* 1 leg wax
* 36 hair washes
* 25 episodes of 'Home & Away' to watch
* 72 times of brushing my teeth

...Not that I'm counting or anything

Feel free to check out my beautiful Birna's blog

Real Estate

I am very passionate and excited about real estate! I’m currently on the hunt to buy an investment property. I know exactly what I’m looking for and am diligently doing my research to find the right (positive cash-flow) property. It seems Mount Isa might just be the place. My parents and I have booked our flights to go check it out at the end of August. It will be a little adventure and I am hoping to find a little pot of gold at the end of the rainbow…

Tattoo

Well I finally did it... I got a tattoo :-)

I got the Kanji symbol for "Imagine" tattooed on the inside of my upper arm. I love this symbol because I interpret it to mean "Imagine... the possibilities..."


Now I can show off my tattoo and my guns at the same time :-)

Home Sweet Home

I spent my first night back in my own apartment last night. Ahhh, it felt good being back there. It's taken me two months to finish the renovations, clean the place up and buy all new furniture again, but alas, it is all finished!

I am particularly excited with the purchase of my new full latex bed mattress. It is so comfortable! The lady who sold it to me gave strict instructions on how to break the mattress in properly. She said that for the first month, I needed to try to sleep equally on all sides of the bed, and then turn the mattress around each week. So I had a very restless night, constantly worried that I wasn't distributing my body weight equally across the entire mattress. I woke up every few hours, checking the clock and then rolling over to the other side of the bed, then the middle, then back to the other side again. Only 29 more restless nights to go...

My unit