A few things I have to smile about right now...

It is so easy to get caught up on negative things so I have decided to dedicate this post to a few things that are bringing a smile to my face at the moment - it really is the simple things in life (in my case) that are the best things.

Our pregnancy announcement

It is so great to finally be able to talk about our pregnancy with everyone – the pressure of having such a big secret like that was torture! We had to make our families take an oath that they wouldn’t say anything until we were given the ‘all clear’ from our doctors and now that we have, it’s going to be pretty hard for me to shut up about it! Being pregnant is a blessing and it is great to be able to share it with our loved ones.

The benefits of being pregnant

As well as being able to tell the world about how happy we are to be adding to our family, I have been incredibly lucky to have had no nasty side-effects from being pregnant (touch wood!). My hair and nails have never looked better and are growing at an astronomical rate, I’m eating the healthiest I’ve ever eaten and I love the fact that after cutting out caffeine and alcohol all together that I don’t miss it at all.

My friend Kate

Even though she is moving away from her family, friends and the sunny beaches of the Gold Coast to live it up in the cool, cosmopolitan capital of Victoria, my friend Kate always makes me happy. She was one of my bridesmaids when I got married (and flew all the way here from Dubai for it I might add!) and has always been a great buddy. Unfortunately she hasn’t had the best few months lately and is making a city change to Melbourne in a couple of weeks, but I am so impressed with her courage and poise, especially during the hard times. I will miss her but I know she’s destined for great things!

Sale time

I have become somewhat of an expert in bargain shopping (online or in-store) so much so that I am sure A Current Affair or a similar program is going to get wind of this and ask me for shopping tips to share with their audiences. I have been trawling eBay of late for specific items that I really just can’t justify paying full price for and I’ve found some gems. I’ve kept an ear out for any great deals in the EOFY (end of financial year) sales around the place and picked up some bargain items for the house and some beautiful items for the baby. I’ve been reporting my money-saving tips to my husband, who I think is pretty impressed with my sudden urge to save every dollar!

My dog Charlie

This dog has personality plus! He might drive us nuts at times, but Charlie is the best thing about coming home after a crappy day. His unconditional love for Ben and I is so endearing and his genuine affection for all his stuffed toys (of which we have adopted names for) is the cutest thing – this dog really has given us some valid parents-to-be training and always brings a smile to my dial.

 Cooking up a storm

I love it when I come across a fantastic recipe to add to my repertoire. Today for instance, I found one for almond and berry smoothies, which sounds like it is full of flavour, antioxidants and lots of healthy things! I am keen to try it out (and will share recipe in due course).

TV = chilled out

Something simple, but I love it when there are good things to look forward to on TV. For instance, this week is the State of Origin decider game, which my husband and I can’t wait to watch. It may seem lame, but coming home after a long day and realising there is something great on TV that night is sometimes just the thing I need to relax and zone out.

The hot sun on a winter’s day

Nothing beats this when you’re sniffling and cold indoors – the winter sun feels as though it has real healing properties. Winter isn’t the best of seasons (apart from the seasonal fashion, there isn’t much I love about it) so I’ve been making the most of the warming glow I get when I sit outside to eat breakfast in the morning or take the dog for a walk in the afternoon. Yesterday we had lunch by the beach with a couple of friends enjoying the fresh air and afternoon sun. Feeling cosy and warm when you would otherwise be cold is the best!



Life will always be my inspiration

Yesterday I read an article written by novelist Susan Johnson published in the Q Weekend publication called Truth or Dare.  

Johnson discussed how her new novel My Hundred Lovers is a mock memoir – it’s the story of a woman’s life told through her body’s memories. 

She says that as with her other books, she anticipates that some readers will confuse fact with fiction and mistake her actual life with her imaginative life, the world inside the book for the world she walks around in.

The main part of the discussion is centred on the strife she (and other writers for that matter) has found herself in when drawing inspiration for plotlines and character development based on family, friends and real life people she has encountered.

Johnson says ‘As long as there have been books there have been people unhappy about what is inside them’ arguing the case for a novel to be judged for what it is, not its source material.

Reading this article it got me thinking about the few stories that I have already started developing myself. I have thought up scenarios and character profiles and I will admit – these have been borne out of situations I’ve been in and people I know.

I have been slack and to be honest, only really work on these stories every other month...  

For a writer, I would have to assume that personal relationships and life experiences are the obvious choice for developing material to write a book or memoir. I myself am an avid reader and I automatically assume (apart from the obvious like Harry Potter or Twilight) that the storyline and the characters have been somewhat taken from the author’s real life and adapted in a certain way to be introduced to the reader.

I am lucky enough to have a large group of friends who are all so different – I couldn’t think of a better bunch of people to create interesting and complex characters from for my writing.

In the Q Weekend article, Johnson said she was a bit apprehensive about one story she wrote that drew obvious parallels between the main character (based on herself) and another (based on an ex-boyfriend). She received scathing emails, but luckily, didn’t get sued as other writers have…

I could not imagine receiving a defamation writ from a friend who was so aggrieved at finding them depicted as a character in my book. You should find yourself lucky to be deemed interesting enough to write about! 

Reading this story affirmed something in my mind – I will always write about instances and people in my life because life itself is the best inspiration for good, honest writing.

To all my friends and family – if one day I actually get any of my work published and you do think that a certain someone in the pages of my book sounds a little like you – trust me, take it as a compliment!

To borrow from Susan Johnson – ‘A book in order to become a book must be cut from its moorings and be judged for what it is, not for what it was once tethered to.’

Being positive. Because I choose to be.

Getting shitty at life is so easy.

I have found that thinking negative thoughts, becoming upset over spilt milk and always thinking the worst is a place where we, on occasion, find ourselves.

At times being a grumpy bum feels like the best option when you couldn’t be bothered trying to be upbeat – hey, if you’ve been by waves of disappointment, it’s hard to remain optimistic when you’re stuck in a rut.

Personally, I dwell on things. I try my hardest not to go back to these thoughts and think about something else, but certain things get a hold of me and I’ll find myself back in my little room of negativity, dwelling over what could have been, mistakes I’ve made and regrets I, regrettably, have.

Obviously I’m not divulging what these things are, but I can tell you that I’ve had enough of my own stupidity.

I am not sure why I choose to be this way, but from today onwards I am getting over it and moving on with my life in a positive way.

My dad gave me a beautiful book a few years ago by Dr Wayne Dyer called Being in Balance. It’s basically about the way you think and how you can take positive steps to change your thoughts, which in turn, change your life. It’s an amazing book.

This morning I read the most inspiring quote by Dr Dyer:

You can sit there forever, lamenting about how bad you've been, feeling guilty until you die, and not one tiny slice of that guilt will do anything to change a single thing in the past. Forgive yourself, then move on.

This is really what I needed to read – it sounds lame, but I think that I was meant to read this. The most important part of this quote is where it says “Forgive yourself, then move on.” I forgive others easily, but not myself, so that’s something I know I have to work on.

I want to be in a place of positivity – Lord knows that this year is going to be one of the biggest in mine and my husband’s life so I want to mentally prepare myself to be the best person I can be. I owe it to Ben and my family and friends and especially myself – if I allow them to, good things will happen.

With a lot of faith and most of all forgiveness, I feel like I’m heading in the right direction. I think it’s hard to admit you stuffed up, but it’s even harder to hang on to those thoughts and not let go of them.

Thanks for letting me indulge this little post – I hope that I’ve inspired others to let go of some negativity in their lives too.