With thanks… Sunday January 1… BR day 49… 11,520 steps…
Happy New Year!
All is quiet, on new year’s day… Today I am grateful for the quiet of a morning that dawned softly grey and misty, and blissfully silent in our little Sydney apartment… Part of me feels excited at the magic of a new day, and a new year. A new chapter in my life, a new beginning in some ways… Yet part of me knows that we can make any day a new beginning, any day the start of a new year, a new adventure. Last week, next month, the middle of July.
Despite all this though, there is magic in the turning of the year on January 1, partly because we have imbued the date with such meaning. The feeling of potential and promise swirling in the air around us is palpable, and we can connect with it and use it to fuel our goals and inspire extra commitment to what we want to achieve. After the busyness of Christmas, New Year’s Eve is the perfect time to take stock of our lives, so that on the first day of January we can vow to dream a new dream into being.
I’m not a huge fan of resolutions, but I do find the ending of one year and the start of another a potent time to reflect and then look forward. So instead of a resolution per se, I write out a list of all the things I will do and the goals I plan to reach in the coming year. (They’re all here – making myself accountable!)
I’m happy that I worked out early so I didn’t have to think about it all day – Body Combat, yay! 🙂
And I’m grateful for a cruisy day with Juz, and a bit of time to work on my reader magnet…
With thanks… Monday January 2… BR day 50… 12,064 steps…
Today I am grateful to Juz for a beautiful birthday eve, and a gorgeous present which I can’t wait to use.
I’m grateful for time to chill out together, drink tea and curl up and read…
I’m grateful for our walk up to Newtown, despite the heat, and bemused that the movie we were going to see was sold out, so we turned around and walked straight back home, chatting a mile a minute…
I’m happy that I worked out – Jillian’s Body Revolution workout seven, which is tough!
And I’m grateful for a beautiful night in with Juz, a little birthday cheesecake, a touching card and an adorable R2-D2 suitcase to match his Darth one, which I love! Might be time to start planning another adventure, hee hee…
With thanks… Tuesday January 3… BR day 51… 13,353 steps…
Today I am grateful that my birthday dawned clear and bright and migraine free! I can’t tell you what a difference it made to my day, after a horrid horrid month.
I’m grateful for cards and pressies from Mum and Dad, and my sister and her family, and Margie and Pete, and sweet messages (and songs!)…
I’m grateful for the hundreds of sweet messages from my Facebook friends – I think I replied to them all, but I was overwhelmed by how many there were!
I’m happy that I squeezed most of my workout in – workout eight, which I love/hate – it has some of my very favourite moves, and some of my not-so-much ones 🙂 Had to finish a few minutes early to make it to the chiropractor on time, but I walked for an hour to dinner and back, so all good.
And I’m grateful for beautiful flowers from Juz when he got home from work, and a cup of tea to catch up on our days before we wandered up to Newtown to meet a friend for a lovely dinner, and for awesome book presents I can’t wait to dive in to, and a phone call with my sister before I snuck in a little bit of late night work…
With thanks… Wednesday January 4… BR day 52… 9996 steps…
Today I’m grateful for a nice night with Juz.
Not so happy about waking up with a bad head again (I was feeling so hopeful!), but at least the painkillers worked pretty well…
And I’m glad I got some work done on my website and reader magnet, and made it to the x-ray place the chiro referred me to, and that I got a great stretch doing P90X3 Yoga since I couldn’t face cardio with my silly head… (But oh, four steps short of 10K! So frustrating, ha ha!)
With thanks… Thursday January 5… BR day 53… 11,250 steps…
Ah, back to the office today, and it was lovely to see everyone (although only half of us were in this week).
I woke up with a bad head, which was frustrating, so I didn’t work out in the morning, but I managed to get in lots of little walks, and flights of stairs, throughout the day, so I was active enough to not stress about it…
And I’m grateful for a sweet night in with Juz…
With thanks… Friday January 6… BR day 54… 8586 steps…
Today I am grateful that I woke up with a clear head! And that I smashed my way through workout seven, which is super tough (although I kinda like that!). Jillian mentions (with immense glee) that the workouts get harder every two weeks, and she ain’t wrong!
I’m grateful that I got my reader magnet finished, at last, and did a bit work on my marketing/publishing course…
And I’m grateful for a lovely Cute Night in with Juz, Ricki and the Flash, a couple of cookies and pots of tea…
With thanks… Saturday January 7… BR day 55… 12,316 steps…
Today I am grateful for another no-migraine day! Which made me realise how depressed the last month had made me, trying to cope with weeks of varying degrees of daily head pain… Fingers crossed the end of that particular rough patch is in sight!
I’m happy that I worked out early, workout eight, which is pretty brutal, so I could be done before the chiropractor. Only one more week of twice-a-week visits, then we can taper off (thank god – it’s adding up!)…
I’m grateful for time with Juz, just chilling out together, and an afternoon spent setting up my mailing list and newsletter (I think!), and an early evening walk through the park together, in the gorgeous golden light, feeling so happy at the sight of the adorable little fuzzy baby ducklings in the lake, and the birds wheeling overhead.
And I’m grateful for a lovely night in, and a heartbreaking yet inspiring movie (Imitation Game, which we saw half of in Wales), and tears and later laughter…
With thanks… Sunday January 8… BR day 56… 16,357 steps…
Today I am grateful for a wonderful afternoon/evening with a dear friend, drinking endless cups of tea, then dinner, then more tea, and catching up on life and dreams and plots and plans…
I’m grateful for the walk up to Newtown in the sunshine (and most grateful for the shady bits), then back through the still-warm (a little too warm to be honest) night with Juz…
I’m glad I got up early to work out before coffee with my parents-in-law – 45 minutes of Combat to wake me up, and add to my awesome step count for the day…
And I’m grateful for time to set up my mailing list – first goal of the course I’m doing ticked off. Yay! xx
With thanks… Monday January 9… BR day 57… 10,137 steps…
Today I am grateful for writing sprints with a Story Queens buddy – two in the afternoon, and two more just before bed. Despite a big day at the magazines, I managed 1900 words over the four 10-minute sprints – which is more than I sometimes write in a full day at home 🙂
Bummer that I woke up with a migraine, but it wasn’t too bad, and the painkillers worked pretty well… I couldn’t face working out before work, but I did manage a few little walks and some stair climbs during the day, so passed 10K steps…
And I’m grateful for some time with Juz when I made it home from the magazines, for some more work on the website after dinner, and a bit of reading before lights out…
With thanks… Tuesday January 10… BR day 58 – 10,433 steps…
Today I am grateful for a couple of writing sprints – thanks Kim! I’m still amazed by how many words I can get down in 10 minutes!
I’m grateful for a coffee catch-up with a sweet friend.
I’m glad I managed to get my workout in, despite waking up beyond tired. It was Body Revolution workout seven, which is killer! The first circuit was terrible (well, it was fine – I was terrible!). I felt so to tired, and stiff, and wondered if I’d even make it through, but by the second circuit I was getting into it more, and ended up getting an awesome workout. No matter how much I don’t want to do it, I’ve never regretted making the effort, and I always feel better afterwards than before I started…
I’m (kinda) glad I saw the chiropractor again late this afternoon, although sadly a migraine began at 10pm, a nausea-inducing one, so tonight I could only cope with the more admin-y stuff rather than the creative. I really hope it doesn’t stay into tomorrow!
And I’m grateful for time with Juz…
With thanks… Wednesday January 11… BR day 59 – 11,697 steps…
Today I am grateful that I squeezed in a workout – Body Revolution WO8 – before rushing off for the train, and a busy day at the magazines. It’s starting to feel more real now, that the end is in sight, and the countdown has certainly begun – today we sent our eighth-last magazine to print 🙁
I’m grateful I didn’t have to go outside much during the day – it was sooo hot. Like, 40 degrees hot (104, US friends)… So I was super grateful that by the time I left the office a cool change had started to drift in.
I’m grateful I could get in touch with a company about new formats for an exciting new project…
And I’m grateful for time with Juz…
With thanks… Thursday January 12… BR day 60 – 11,587 steps… Full moon blessings…
Wishing everyone an enchanted full moon, and a magical, light-filled month ahead. May the coming lunar phase be filled with love, joy and peace, and the inspiration and dedication to make all your dreams comes true xx
Today kinda sucked, to be honest. I woke up with a horrible migraine, and the joy of feeling sick to boot… So it was a slow and frustrating day, and I was too scattered to write, which made me sad, and a bit angry (the groceries even came earlier than they should, so I couldn’t sleep in). But I got a bit of cleaning up and sorting in my office done, which I guess is a good thing. And discovered I’m all out of Mermaid Magic bookmarks, and low on Witchy Magic ones as well 🙁
I was sad I couldn’t work out too – but the painkillers kicked in a little by the evening, so I walked to the top of our tor to watch the moon rise, and around the lake (sadly the little fuzzy ducklings were already in bed though), and back up the hill – and it ended up clocking up more steps and calories burned than a weights workout, so I didn’t feel too lazy. Plus I did some foam rolling, just ti impress the chiropractor, ha ha, since I usually forget…
And although the moon hid from me tonight (well, from everyone here, not just me!), the sky was just as magical in its own way, as the clouds rushed in just before sunset, moving from huge, fluffy, gold-tinged white ones to black as thunder so quickly. So beautiful.
And I’m grateful for time with Juz when he got home from work. There’s always a silver lining, and tomorrow is another day 🙂
With thanks… Friday January 13… BR day 61 – 11,335 steps…
Today I am grateful that I made it through the day – stupid migraines, they’re really doing my head in!
I’m happy I got enough walks in to make up for not being able to face working out.
I’m glad I got lots done at the magazines…
I’m touched by the stories that have been shared in response to Megan Gale revealing the pain of her miscarriage…
And I’m grateful for time with Juz to chill out and catch up on our weeks.
With thanks… Saturday January 14…
Today I am grateful for time to read – the gorgeous Dreamer’s Pool by Juliet Marillier, which I’ve been saving up for two years, so I could read it along with the next two when all three were released. My head still hurts, so I decided I deserve a day off to curl up on the couch and disappear into a book 🙂 My kinda bliss!
I did design a banner for the upcoming Books By The Bridge event, so I could tick off one authorly thing for the day 🙂
And I went to the chiropractor, for all the good that’s doing (um, none)…
And I loved having time to drink tea with Juz and rave about life and love and politics and Star Wars. All the important things 🙂
With thanks… Sunday January 15…
Today I am grateful for a day to relax at home with Juz…
And I’m grateful for the beauty of Dreamer’s Pool, and the immense talent of Juliet Marillier to write such magical stories. I was so totally submerged in this enchanting book that I barely turned on the computer or did any work all weekend 🙂 (This is why I sometimes have to ban myself from reading when I have a deadline!) It’s a hauntingly magical and incredibly moving and enchanting story – and I even read the first chapter of book two, Tower of Thorns 🙂 xx
I’m happy that a Facebook memory came up, saying it was nine years since I made my first loan to Kiva.org. Such a great organisation!
And I designed some new postcards for Books By The Bridge – and announced publicly that there will be three Into the Mists Chronicles this year. Yikes! xx
With thanks… Monday January 16… BR day 64 – 11,664 steps…
Today I am happy that I booked for Supanova Sydney in June 🙂
I’m glad I managed to work out first thing, Body Revolution seven, despite waking up with a stupid migraine, and that I made it through a day at the magazines.
I’m glad I got the files organised for Into the Storm, so I can get back to finishing it…
And I’m so grateful for an awesome message from an audiobook narrator, just before midnight, who said she’d love to audition if the project is still open. Squeee!
With thanks… Tuesday January 17… BR day 65 – WO8…
Tonight I am so grateful and excited – at 9pm I heard back from the audiobook narrator, saying she would record an audition for Into the Mists today – then just before midnight it came through! It was so strange, hearing my words in someone else’s voice, but in a really awesome way! I’m so excited, and can’t wait to be able to share a new interpretation of Carlie and Rose’s stories. Of course I was too excited to sleep – I played it a few times, wrote a little feedback, and sorted out the manuscript so it’s only what needs to be read, and sent that off…
I’m glad I got my workout done, despite a shocker migraine that made me angry and depressed…
I’m happy that I ordered the last few things for Books By The Bridge…
And I’m grateful for time with Juz, and being able to share the excitement of the audiobook project!
With thanks… Wednesday January 18… BR day 66 – 11,326 steps…
Today I am grateful that I could make it to the WordPress course, and get a little more done on my website.
I’m glad I could pop out at lunch time and post the Mists Trilogy to my audiobook narrator, and grateful to the lovely lady at the post office, who let me know it was 10 grams over 1.5kg, and waited while I opened the parcel and took out the Blessed Bee bag to cut the postage by $20…
And I’m amused/grateful/excited that when I got home after the course I stayed up designing audiobook covers rather than doing to other work I was meant to be finishing 🙂
(Not so grateful for my stupid head, but glad I walked home, and ended up climbing 33 floors and clocking up 84 active minutes 🙂 )
With thanks… Thursday January 19… BR day 67 – 11,656 steps…
Today I am grateful, and so excited, that the Into the Mists audiobook is in production!
I’m grateful for day two of the course, and a few nifty new things to add to my site.
I’m glad I managed to squeeze in a bit of mag work in my lunch break…
I’m relieved that after waking up with a migraine, painkillers kicked in and the rest of the day was okay…
I’m surprised that Premier Mike Baird resigned – especially as he’s leaving a lot of things in a total mess…
And I’m happy that I walked home in the late afternoon, and hit 11,656 steps, 38 floors and 60 active minutes for the day…
With thanks… Friday January 20… BR day 68 – 13,596 steps…
Today I am grateful that I got lots done at the magazines…
I’m happy I could meet Juz in the city for dinner, then walk home together in the cool and lovely dark…
And I’m grateful for time together, an NCIS episode, cups of tea and a little reading…
With thanks… Saturday January 21…
Today I am grateful for time to read – Juliet Marillier’s beautiful Tower of Thorns, which is every bit as enchanting and magical and mysterious as the first Blackthorn and Grim tale…
I’m glad I made time to do a little online audiobook course – not immensely helpul, but interesting none-the-less…
I’m glad, I suppose, that I went to the chiropractor again.
I’m horrified that Donald Trump is now the President of the United States – but inspired by all the protest marches around the world, and the fact that so many people are prepared to stand up and speak out against his hatred and bigotry and lies… And I can’t even begin to describe my horror that “alternative facts” is now a thing…
With thanks… Sunday January 22…
Today I am grateful for a phone call with Mum…
I’m grateful for time to read… Although it is taking me away from writing… But it’s all part of it 🙂
I’m grateful for cups of tea and time to chill out, despite sounding (and feeling) like a broken record – migraine again… But at least it’s Sunday and I don’t have to be at work – small mercies and silver linings 🙂
With thanks… Monday January 23… BR day 71 – 12,041 steps…
Today I am grateful that I managed to work out – Jillian’s workout seven again – despite waking up with a bad head, and glad I passed 12,000 steps for the day, 31 floors, and almost two hours of active minutes…
I’m grateful for the beauty of Sydney Harbour as I caught the train across the bridge…
I’m glad I made it through day one of WordPress Advanced. Was a bit nervous, but I learned a few cool things…
And I’m grateful that I made it home earlier than usual, and could catch up with Juz…
With thanks… Tuesday January 24… BR day 72 – 11,248 steps…
Today I am grateful for another train across the beautiful bridge in the morning, and the second day of the course.
I’m glad I sweated my way through workout eight first thing, and grateful for the cooling rain after a sweltering hot day when I walked home in the afternoon…
I’m happy that I managed to write the Meet My Character profile for Rose…
Still no respite from my stupid head, but I’m boring myself keeping track of them…
And I never wanted it to end – but at least I have book three to start right away. Tower of Thorns, book two in Juliet Marillier’s Blackthorn and Grim series, is so beautiful, so magical, so mysterious. Just gorgeous… And now I can start book three!
With thanks… Wednesday January 25… BR day 73 – 14,320 steps…
Squeeee! I have chapter one of the Into the Mists audiobook to approve! I listened to it while walking to the train station, and on the train, all the while grinning like an idiot because it’s amazing! So beautiful, and so true to how I pictured it in my head as I dreamed these characters and their worlds into being… I’m so excited, and so happy with the awesome narrator…
I’m happy that I got up early, despite a bad head, and squeezed in forty minutes of Body Combat before work…
I’m glad I got lots done at the magazines, and that I managed to get lots of stairs in, and some extra mini walks…
And I’m grateful to Juz, for listening to the audiobook with me, and being so sweet and supportive, and so excited for me 🙂
I won’t be able to post every outrageously horrifying thing Trump does – none of us have time for that. He lies as naturally as breathing, and in just a few days has gutted so many essential services it’s hard to keep track. Women, the environment, anyone of an alternative religion, or race, or political viewpoint – it’s hard to even comprehend the level of his hatred and misunderstanding for anyone not a rich white straight Christian male. I despair for the world – and yet I am inspired by all the people rising to the challenge and speaking out and working so hard to shine a light and fight back xx
With thanks… Thursday January 26… BR day 74 – 10,608 steps…
Today I am grateful for a day at home…
I’m glad I finally finished the copy for our Story Queens newsletter thingie, and did a teensy bit of work…
I’m even more grateful for time to read – book three of the Blackthorn and Grim series – and chill out with Juz, and drink tea and watch a DVD and relax…
And I’m grateful for a hill walk in our gorgeous park as night fell, climbing the mini tor, wandering around the lake, hopping from stone to stone across the stream, all the while turning my face to the darkening sky and drinking in the tiny, gentle, soothing sprinkles of rain, and being captivated by the bats flying overhead…
This was a memory on Facebook, from a previous year, but it still stands, and in fact I feel even less hopeful now, with the way the world is turning to the dark side…
I’ve always felt conflicted about today, “Australia Day”. I am proud to be Australian, and I love this country deeply, knowing I am of it, and glad of that. I feel connected to the land, having grown up on it, and proud of the wonderful achievements of its people. But January 26 represents so much pain and loss and injustice, more than two hundred years of persecution. And while I love this country and honour the land every day of the year, it is on this day that I struggle most. So today I hope and wish and pray that this is the year we start to redress the balance, that the gap closes, that social injustice is addressed, that the apology becomes a foundation for real change and not just a nice memory, that our honouring of the land and its people extends to real, practical transformation…
“Today we stand in footsteps millennia old.
May we acknowledge the traditional owners
whose cultures and customs have nurtured,
and continue to nurture, this land,
since men and women awoke from the great dream.
We honour the presence of these ancestors
who reside in the imagination of this land
and whose irrepressible spirituality
flows through all creation.”
Acknowledgement of Country by Jonathan Hill, an Aboriginal poet living in NSW.
And today…
Today, on January 26th, I acknowledge the Aboriginal peoples who are the Traditional Custodians of the land on which I live. I pay my respects to their elders past, present and future, and acknowledge Aboriginal peoples are hurting and mourning on this day. I also acknowledge that Aboriginal peoples have a strong spirit of survival, having survived for over 60,000 years.
With thanks… Friday January 27… BR day 75 – 15,311 steps…
Today I am grateful for a quiet day at the magazines, and getting lots done…
I’m happy I did P90X3 Yoga as soon as I woke up, and that I got a couple of quick walks around the block in, and lots of stairs…
I’m grateful Juz met me after work, so we could have dinner then walk home together in the slightly cooler sunshine of early evening…
With thanks… Saturday January 28…
Today I am so grateful for a day without a migraine – it’s been a while!
I’m glad I got most of my first newsletter written, although it’s taking much longer than I thought it would – partly because I was a bit naughty, and spent much longer reading Juliet Marillier’s Den of Wolves than I should have. But it’s just so good! And so beautiful! And so mysterious… I finished it just after midnight, and got back to the newsletter after that 🙂
And I’m grateful for time with Juz when he got home in the early evening, making dinner together, catching up on our days, an episode of Rizzoli and Isles, then more reading 🙂 xx
With thanks… Sunday January 29…
Today I am grateful for a day at home with Juz, and grateful for his patience as I spent half of it in my little purple office, trying to get my first newsletter finished. Turns out writing it was the easy part, the getting it laid out was a little trickier, but I got there in the end, and it will be much easier next time…
I’m grateful for a DVD and time to chill out, before getting back to work.
I’m grateful for a long chat with Mum and Dad…
But not so grateful that I started feeling nauseous after dinner and was sick most of the night. Hope it’s just the heat…
With thanks… Monday January 30… BR day 78 – 11,072 steps…
Today I am grateful that I’m back into Into the Storm mode – despite it being a magazine day, I got at least two hours done, on the train to and from work, then before bed, so I was happy with that…
I’m grateful for a gorgeous video from my audiobook narrator, on receiving the Trilogy Omnibus…
I’m happy that my banner for Books By The Bridge arrived – although it was more challenging than I’d expected getting it up!
Not so grateful that I woke up with a bad head and felt nauseous all day – I couldn’t face a workout, but I managed to pass 11,000 steps, and climb lots of flights of stairs at work, so I did enough to not feel totally lazy 🙂
With thanks… Tuesday January 31… BR day 79 – 12,075 steps…
Today I am sad that I sent the final Little Friends magazine to print. I still have five more other magazines to get finished before it all winds up, but Little Friends was my favourite, even though it was a lot more work than some. It made it feel a lot more real to hit send on this one…
But I’m grateful for beautiful flowers from the lovely publicity girl at Nick Jr…
I’m glad I fit in a workout before work – Body Revolution workout nine, which was tough, but good.
And I’m happy that I got some editing of Into the Storm done, on the train to and from work, and then another hour before bed…
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