The first two weeks of October were a crazy chaotic mess of magazine deadlines, last-minute booking for our magical trip to Wales, BodyCombat every day, and spending as much time as possible with Mum, who was here for a few days before we left…

Saturday October 1…
New moon blessings! Wishing everyone love, joy, inspiration and magic for the month ahead. May your dreams become crystal clear so you can work hard to make them come true xx
I just bought a book on Amazon using their Smile affiliate links for the Nature Conservancy, and was rewarded with a fun fact about animals 🙂 Apparently bumblebees flap their wings approximately 230 times per second. Cute (and busy!) blessed bees…
Shame the political situation isn’t so positive… Of course coal companies would try to blame renewables for the SA black out – despite them having NOTHING to do with it. And it’s no surprise that Barnaby Joyce would erroneously try to use it to discredit renewables too. But Malcolm Turnbull? He knows it’s not true. He’s also spent his entire career claiming to support the environment and renewable energy – just like he claimed to support marriage equality, the NBN, the humane treatment of asylum seekers etc, and did NOTHING about them. Sigh…

Wednesday October 5…
OMG, I just got an email from the organiser of this weekend’s Book Expo – and she’s cancelled it. Such short notice. Such confusion. Such disappointment… And I really feel for all the authors who were flying in from other states, who’d booked flights and accommodation! Some had already arrived 🙁 I’m so disappointed because I’d screwed up all my courage and agreed to be on an author panel, to talk for the first time ever. It was quite a battle, to decide to do it, and I spent a long time preparing, and psyching myself up. And now it was for nothing 🙁

Tuesday October 11… Day of the Girl Child…
Today is Day of the Girl Child, so I just bought a bunch of UNICEF School Packs to help more girls attend school, because I am so very grateful that I had access to good and affordable education, and it breaks my heart that so many girls have no access to it… Education can change the world!
By donating just $5 you can provide a child with a school bag, ten pencils and two exercise books to prepare for learning. On International Day of the Girl Child, you can help girls like Talatu realise their goals… http://www.unicef.org.au/appeals/day-of-the-girl-child
OMG, seriously? I can’t believe how many complaints there have been about this: “Why isn’t there a boys day then? I refuse to support this…” When young women are SHOT for trying to go to school, it is pretty clear there is a huge gap in opportunity.
Girls and young women throughout the world continue to be denied the same rights as boys and men. As a result, millions of girls are unable to access education, make important life decisions, and feel safe from gender-based violence and harrassment. In order to be equal we must ensure all girls are seen, heard and counted. That’s why Plan International is leading a global movement to highlight issues of gender inequality, and create a world where girls everywhere have the opportunity to learn, lead, decide and thrive…
And it’s not just in the developing world. Five out of six Australian girls believe that they are not given the same chances in life to get ahead as boys.
Because I am a Girl: Today in partnership with Our Watch we’re releasing our report: “Everyday sexism: girls’ and young women’s views on gender inequality in Australia” and the findings show sexism in Australia is alive and well.
This International #DayoftheGirl it’s time to ask some tough questions so we can ensure girls and young women are respected, valued, encouraged, supported and treated as equals.
Read more: plan.org.au/everydaysexism #everydaysexism
Saturday October 15…
Workout done, suitcase finally packed, and off we go on our adventure! Tea, stone circles, countryside and peace here we come! (And happy Star Wars Reads Day! Maybe they’ll have The Force Awakens on the plane for us 🙂 ) xx