Day 56...

WEDNESDAY 29.10.14 - I am thankful for... The theatre

I just love going to the theatre! It probably stems from growing up in the dance community. Whether it's dance, musical theatre, drama, acrobatics, or contemporary pieces, I'll jump at the chance to go see a live show. Tonight my cousin, boyfriend and I went to see The King and I at the Opera House, my first ever show there! I'm not sure if it the ambiance of being in an iconic theatre or seeing a popular show in itself, but it really was a beautiful production. The set, costumes and make-up was amazing and the choreography was spectacular. Again, I could be biased as I really enjoy this sort of entertainment. With each show I see I notice different techniques in portraying the story, something unique and wonderful. I tune out to the outside world and become engrossed in the story. Those of you who enjoy theatre like I do know exactly what I mean. So I am thankful for the art that is theatre, for all the enjoyment it has given people for so long and will continue to do so for many generations to come.

Day 55...

TUESDAY 28.10.14 - I am thankful for... the gym at work

As you may have gathered already, I value my health and fitness. Luckily for me, we have a gym at work. I literally walk out of my office and up a flight of stairs to get to it, so I have no excuse not to go. The location is easy and the cost ridiculously cheap. It has all the necessary equipment to get a good work out. I realise gym memberships can be super expensive so I'm really glad we have somewhere at work we can go. Besides, it's good for the employer to foster a healthy lifestyle, seeing as we work in a hospital! I do believe that you don't need to go to the gym to get fit and healthy, I much prefer to exercise outside most of the time anyway. However, this isn't really possible during winter due to lack of sunlight after work so that's when I utilise the gym the most. There are several people I know and work with that also go so it's good to see them and everyone is really encouraging of each other. There are also person training services available to gym members which is a plus. So all and all I'm thankful we have a staff gym for convenience and motivation!

Day 54...

MONDAY 27.10.14 - I am thankful for... Compassion 

 

Tonight at bible study we were talking about what it means to have compassion. The definition we collectively came up with was that compassion is the emotional response to the suffering of people that motives a desire to help. With the media portraying so much violence and devastation in the world, it's hard to imagine that such a thing can exist. But thankfully it does. You see it all the time, both locally and internationally, when a disaster of some sort effects a person or community of people, and the world jumps at the chance to help, providing financial support and aid. It's a beautiful and powerful thing to witness. My own personal experience with this would be the 2010 - 2011 Queensland floods. Approximately 70% of the state went underwater that year, with many people losing their homes, businesses, livestock, crops and properties and 38 people losing their lives. It was quite surreal, as an inland tsunami swept through Toowoomba and Grantham and we watched as the wave of water made its way and engulf parts of Brisbane. All anyone could do was watch and wait. After the water subsided and the full extent of the damage could be seen, the government asked for volunteers to help with the clean up. What they didn't expect was the volume of people with the hearts to help. Rubber gloves, gumboots and various tools sold out of stores almost immediately. My best friend Danielle and I kitted ourselves up to go and help but when we got to the volunteer centre we were turned away because they had "too many volunteers for what they could handle". What an amazing problem to have. The news showed the enormous sea of people out there, sweeping out homes of strangers, getting rid of damaged furniture, retrieving bits and people's lives and without a major fuss. People just did it because that's what needed to be done!

Compassion is also the name of the organisation that I sponsor a child through (as pictured above). Child sponsorship enables children in poverty stricken areas to receive the basic necessities of life as well as medical treatment and education. I have been completely blessed watching my child grow through this program, but I'll save that story for another day of thankfulness. Overall I am overwhelmed by just how much people do actually care for others in the world. They say the best way to beat the hate and devastation is through love. And what better way than to show love than through compassion.

Day 53...

SUNDAY 26.10.14 - I am thankful for... Pets

*Photo taken by my sister, Sarah

Ever since I was born my family has had pets. When we lived in Townsville we had 2 ginger cats, Rusty and Garth. Then, after we moved to Brisbane we got Butch, our beautiful, black cat who wanted to be EVERYBODY'S friend. After he passed away, mum found this cutie; a half poodle half lhasa apso pictured above, Monte. And most recently, my sister adopted a rescue tortoise shell cat whom she named Millie. Even when I moved out of home, my best friends who I lived with had a gorgeous dog who was impossible not to love. Unfortunately since moving to Sydney I have been unable to have pets as I rent an apartment. But when I go home to Brisbane, Monte and Millie are always there, excited and waiting to greet me. When we came back from the wedding I was able to be at home for a few hours before I left for the airport. Animals can always since when you're leaving and Monte sat at the bottom of the stairs giving me the sad puppy eyes. Then he let me pick him up for "cuddles", where he puts his head on your shoulder, like a child (It's so, SO adorable!). Pets bring so much love and joy into your lives. It's hard to imagine, as an animal lover, people who treat them so badly which makes me glad that there are organisations out there like RSPCA to rescue these animals. One day, hopefully in the not too distant future, I hope to live somewhere where I can have pets of my own. So I can bring joy into their lives like they will mine.

Day 52...

SATURDAY 25.10.14 - I am thankful for... the Great Australian Bush

*Sunset at Jondaryan Woolshed

Today one of my fabulous cousins married the love of his life. The wedding was held at Jondaryan Woolshed just outside of Toowoomba in QLD. Built in 1859, this historical site, which is also a museum, is so full of Australian history of what life was like at that time. I suppose it's quite close to a larger city, but back in it's day it would have been considered rural, if not today. The ceremony was beautiful. The bride arrived in a horse and carriage, the ceremony was conducted by another of our cousins in front of a large tree at a perfect time in the afternoon for the sun to shine through the branches and hit the crystals on the bride's dress, making her glisten. The people attending sat on bales of hay covered in crisp white sheets and the reception was held in the woolshed itself, fairy lights strung across the rafters and chandeliers hanging from them. We also got to enjoy a beautiful sunset over canapés and when we left to go back to the motel at the end of the night, the lack of artificial light meant we could see the stars in the sky. Even though it would not be my first choice, it really was the most gorgeous setting for a wedding and very "them" as they said it was everything they could have hoped for. I have also always enjoyed camping since I was a child, though I haven't been in a few years now. It was definitely a highlight of school holidays, going swimming in lakes, bush walking up mountains and seeing all the animals you wouldn't normally see. We are so blessed to have such a wonderful landscape here in Australia, which I believe can often be taken for granted by us locals. This weekend reminded me just how lovely our rural areas are, with the exception of the flies of course! If you've never been before, I would most certainly recommend it! There's so much to see and do out there, more than you might think.

Day 51...

FRIDAY 24.10.14 - I am thankful for... Free airport wifi

I'm flying back to Brisbane tonight to attend my cousin's wedding tomorrow. If I fly out on a Friday night I usually try and get a later flight as I really never know what time work will finish. Sometimes, if I get there earlier I can transfer onto a sooner flight, but that often depends on who you get at the counter. Today was not my lucky day, I didn't have the right "ticket" to transfer, however I have managed to (and been offered to) in the past on the same type of ticket. Oh well. So I had 2hrs to kill in the airport which, quite honestly, I didn't really mind. Whilst Sydney airport is quite good for shopping, there's only so much of that I can do. So I was glad there was free wifi! I was able to sit at the gate and just surf the net, check emails and that sort of stuff to keep me entertained. Again, I'm sure I would have survived without it so maybe it's a tad superficial, but I'm thankful nonetheless I had that option. I'm sure many of you would agree. It's also a great for business people who travel by plane frequently for work to have that service available to them. Not all airports offer free wifi either, so I'm thankful Sydney does :)

Day 50... It's going by so quickly!

THURSDAY 23.10.14 - I am thankful for... Zumba!

*I did not take this picture obviously, so apologies as the one I did take didn't work out at all. I need to make sure it's ok BEFORE I leave the venue, hahaha. But this has pretty colours in it so it's good for today's thankfulness topic :)

Having danced all my life I find that I enjoy forms of exercise that are fast paced, upbeat and keeps me moving - like running or playing sport. And if it's done to music even better. So when I first heard about Zumba I knew I had to try it! And since my first class about 4 or 5 years ago I have been going ever since. I find the dance steps easy enough but its high energy and awesome music make it very worthwhile for me. Mum and I used to go together on Monday night when I lived in Brisbane, and she still goes. I try and go to a class at least once or twice a week. Thursday night's class I go with two amazing friends of mine, and we have so much fun, the teacher is incredible! It's great having someone to go with because it keeps you motivated to go as well. At least one of us every Thursday afternoon will text the others saying "Zumba?". One of my favourite aspects about it is that it doesn't matter how good a dancer you are. You can be completely uncoordinated and still enjoy yourself. The trick is to just keep moving and don't take it seriously. So if you have ever thought about giving it a go then I definitely recommend it, if like me you love high energy fast pace exercise with music. Let me know how you go!

Day 49...

WEDNESDAY 22.10.14 - I am thankful for... Fundraising

*Apologies, I took this picture on my phone and it wasn't until I uploaded it to here I realised it's slightly out of focus! Oh well...

Picture this. I'm at work, doing my job, minding my own business when suddenly I walk past our front reception desk and BAM! There they are. A box of Fundraising Freddos and Caramello Koalas, with proceeds going to a public state school. And only $1 each.  Noooooooo! Who can resit that? Chocolate for a good cause. So of course I bought (and ate) one. There goes my diet! Tonight a group of us from church also went to a type of fundraising dinner in support of  our local religious education teacher/s. We had such a great night enjoying each other's company and learning about what's been happening with one of the scripture teachers and hearing positive stories from him. I believe fundraising is such a wonderful idea. Not only does it obviously raise money for the charity or organisation it supports but it gets people involved, get's them doing something more than just collecting money. So I am thankful there is a way that so many places can fundraise for themselves to provide monetary support where it's needed. And I'm thankful for the people who give the money in support of such activities.

Day 48

TUESDAY 21.10.14 - I am thankful for... Deep Heat

Ahhhh. I honestly love this stuff. If you don't know what it is, it's a heat rub used in the pain relief of tight, cramping muscles. After walking funny yesterday due to blisters from my new shoes, I woke up with a cramp in my calf muscle. Oh man... it was painful! Stretching it yourself can only do so much, so I used this cream. For me, I love the intense heat sensation, it almost feels like a hot massage. This isn't for everyone though, some people don't enjoy the feeling of their skin heating up. So whilst I realise this is another small thing to be grateful for, I'm thankful it exists because it came in handy today.

Day 47...

MONDAY 20.10.14 - I am thankful for... Bandaids!

Two words... New. Shoes. I don't know about you but whenever I get new shoes, especially if they are more expensive and therefore a little stiff, I inevitably get blisters on the heels of my feet. I bought new work shoes and I was excited because they are a good brand with the soft support in the sole, which is important as I am on my feet most of the day, and were on sale. But wearing them today I knew what was going to happen. Luckily, I planned ahead and packed a good number of bandaids! Whilst they didn't stop the blisters completely, they certainly lessened the severity of them, allowing me the ability to wear shoes again today (not the same ones obviously, must wear them in slowly). I am a self confessed 'bandaid snob' and tend to generally only buy the material ones, as opposed to plastic, for a feel they stay on better. So Im very thankful for the invention that is the bandaid! I know it's a simple one today I know, but I'm sure many of you out there are too!

Day 46...

SUNDAY 19.10.14 - I am thankful for... Sharing a meal

 

For centuries, people have been coming together to share a meal with friends and family. Whether its for a particular celebration, or just to gather to see everyone and catch up. I don't know any culture that doesn't value sharing a meal with it's community. Once a month at church we do this, share dinner together. I found it nice that we were in a shape of a square so we could see everyone around us, everyone is included. It's such a simple idea but so effective in keeping any sort of community involved. Eating together is a great time to see how everyone is and where they are at in their life. It reminds me of Christmas Day. My family usually get together to have lunch that follows on into dinner. Now that I live away from most of my family and only see them several times a year, I value that quality time we spend together even more, meals are usually a great opportunity to do that. Tonight reminded how grateful I am for these times we can share a meal with people we love. Quality time together should never be taken for granted.

Day 45

SATURDAY 18.10.14 - I am thankful for... Sight

 

Again a difficult one, not a very remarkable day to begin with. I slept in far too long and missed my Saturday Zumba class. So I went for a walk outside today instead. Being a huge fan of renovation shows like 'The Block' I love looking at houses and usually go walking where I know I will see some great ones. On the walk whilst looking at them (and dreaming about my own one day) I saw an auction happening and stopped to watch for a while. I also saw some beautiful flowers in full spring bloom (even with cooler weather) and birds flying low into the trees. I then went to my boyfriend's mate's 30th where I met some of his friends for the first time. I was thinking 'hey I could make meeting new people my thankful thing for the day' except silly me forgot to take any photos :p Maybe I was just enjoying myself too much. During the party it was delightful to see the little girls playing on the karaoke machine, the cake that was decorated so beautifully and the birthday boy even proposed to his girlfriend, very exciting to witness. So while I was contemplating what I should say is my theme for today, I realised all these things had one thing in common... I SAW them all. The houses, auction, birds and flowers on my walk and the children, cake and proposal at the party. How easy it is to take the senses for granted? Think about all the things we see in a day, now imagine that you won't see them tomorrow. It's difficult to fathom, however that is reality for some people. I admire those without sight, to have to live without it must make life more difficult though most seem to manage magnificently and still find enjoyment in life like the rest of us do. So I am thankful for my sight, for all the wonderful things I got to see today and hopefully will see so much more in the future.

Day 44...

FRIDAY 17.10. 14 - I am thankful for... Appreciation

The executive team at my workplace today put on a free BBQ lunch for its staff to say "thank you for your hard work during the winter period". Now to put this in perspective, I work for a large, public hospital. One of the largest hospitals in Australia for sure, so to feed the hundreds and hundreds of hospital staff would have taken a lot of coordination and money! A really lovely gesture I think. Most people here do their job because they want to, or at the very least are being paid to do so, but being appreciated for what you do shows they've paid attention to it. And something like putting on a free lunch for all staff makes a huge impression. It's not always easy working in a hospital environment. Sometimes the hours are long, you could be understaffed due to leave, you may have to stay back and do overtime several times in a row, you might encounter difficult patients, some patients you have seen/are attending to may die. There are days when working here is really tough and stressful. For me, I love my job and am very passionate about what I do, which generally outweighs those bad days. And whilst I and most of my colleagues don't do our job for accolades, it still feels good to be appreciated for it, even if its a simple "thank you" or "you did a great job with that". I was, however a little annoyed to hear one or two people complaining because something they wanted had run out, even though its a FREE lunch and there was plenty more food they could have. That sort of attitude, I believe just takes the whole purpose away from what our workplace was trying to achieve. So I chose to be thankful and grateful for my free lunch I received today, because even though I am one of hundreds of employees here at the hospital, we are all valued.

Day 43...

THURSDAY 16.10.14 - I am thankful for... A good night's sleep!

Last night I had the best night's sleep I've had in ages, almost 9hrs! For a work night, that's pretty good for me. I woke up so refreshed and ready for the day to come. Today I felt happy, energetic and able to really focus on my work. I felt fantastic! I have been having issues with sleep this year, but hopefully this is a sign that it's getting better. It's so easy to underestimate how valuable a good nights sleep is. Good, restful sleep has been proven to improve physical and mental health, improves memory, improves concentration and so much more. In our busy lifestyles, however, sleep can fall by the wayside and not take priority, but it's so important to help us function to the best of our ability. My new goal is to make sure I do my best to get a good night's sleep everynight.

Day 42...

WEDNESDAY 15.10.14 - I am thankful for... Inservices

 



*Photo has been deleted due to concerns people might view this as a marketing tool for the company pictured, and I would hate to get them into trouble. For the record I do not advertise for a particular company nor do we receive gifts from them, just excellent customer service and advice about their products when needed. If you missed seeing the picture it was of vanilla cupcakes with a sugar disc that had pictures of an implantable defibrillator on it, I thought they were awesome!

Working within the medical field, there are always new advancements in technology, always new products coming out with patient care and follow up improving. Today we had a representative from one of the device companies come and give us an inservice on their new devices that will be implanted in patients shortly (he bought special cupcakes - and those are pictures of implantable defibrillators on top of the cupcakes and I thought that was awesome!). I really enjoy learning about the new things on the market and what they can do and the results for the patients, I find it really fascinating (Yep, I'm a nerd, and proud of it!) and thankfully all the device company representatives come out a different times of the year to do the same. I am thankful that I have the opportunity to continue to grow in my job, which I love, and never stop learning because it will never stop advancing. At the rate at which new products are created and released, I feel I am always learning something new, and I hope because of this that I will never get bored with what I do!

Day 41...

TUESDAY 14.10.14 - I am thankful for... Rain

It is absolutely bucketing down here at the moment. Yesterday when I got home from work we had a freak storm that surged through with gale force winds and then about 5 minutes of marble sized hail. All I could think of at the time was "Holy hail storm! Don't damage my car!" Yeah, not so thankful then. The storm is back again tonight, minus the crazy winds and hail, just more rain. The truth is I actually love storms. One of my aunt's lives in a high suburb of Brisbane's South and we used to watch storms from her verandah. The electrical storms would provide the most entertainment. Storms in warmer weather are better in my opinion, you can smell the rain on the grass more easily. The cool breeze is more inviting. And who doesn't like going to sleep when it's raining? I certainly do! I understand storms can be devastating for some people, with the high category ones bringing devastation to people and properties. Obviously I would never wish that on anyone, but am mostly talking about the rain component. So I am looking forward to going to bed tonight, falling asleep to the sound of falling rain.

Day 40... On a roll!

MONDAY 13.10.14 - I am thankful for... Home Group

First night back at home group, or bible study since the school holidays. I realise not all of you who read this may be "religious" (though I prefer the term faithful) but I hope you keep reading to see my reasons why. As a devout Christian I do believe reading the bible is important and necessary to grow our relationship with Jesus, however technically we can do that on our own I guess (the reading part). I love my home group for many reasons. Once a week we get together, have dinner together and just talk about our weeks and what's happening in our lives. It's so great to not only read through the bible together which is important, but to have a group of people who are so consistent in my life, to celebrate the awesome stuff that happens, to be available to lean on when times are tough. They have been a great source of support for me seeing as I have no family here in Sydney with me. We love each other's company and really notice when one of us is missing. We are good friends! My only wish is that everyone had a group like this, no matter how big or small, to be there for you like a second family. I'm certainly blessed with mine.

Day 39...

SUNDAY 12.10.14 - I am thankful for... Children's parties

This afternoon following into tonight, we celebrated two birthdays and a christening at church. To mark these occasions all at once there was an awesome party! There was music, decorations, awesome food and fun games for each child (and some adults) to play. I really actually enjoyed helping hide lollies for the lolly hunt! The friends and family from church who organised it did a great job, and the parents of the children were so grateful. The mother actually made both cakes pictured above - a coco pop chocolate cake and a 'boat ramp' cake (yes, a boat ramp cake! I'm sure it's a thing now) - so incredibly clever! I remember being a big fan a parties as a kid (who wasn't?) but think I enjoy them now more as an adult because there is just something about watching the joy on a child's face when they unwrap the pass the parcel layer to find stickers in it or finding a single lolly that came from a $5  packet containing many. It's the simplest things that give them the greatest pleasure. You don't have to spend a lot of money, the prizes don't have to be fancy. The young children really don't care either way. It makes me think that there's something in that, finding pleasure in the small things. Some of the happiest people on earth don't have much. Just making your own fun and surrounding yourself with people who love you is so special and important. As an adult I have to keep reminding myself what's important and what really isn't. So I intent to use this as an example for myself for the future :)

Day 38...

Saturday 11.10.14 - I am thankful for... DVDs

Another beautiful, spring day here in Sydney today. Sunny skies and warm weather without it being too hot. With today being like it was I spent most of it... inside. Unfortunately I was still feeling a little bit funky so decided to stay home and rest, missing my Saturday Zumba class :( not cool. I did manage to walk to the shops to get a few groceries, just so I could feel the sun on my skin and get some vitamin D into me. So being cooped up all day I got to watch a few DVDs, including starting season 4 of The Walking Dead. I also love reading but watching movies and TV shows takes a little less energy, especially when you are feeling unwell. So I am very thankful for my DVDs for keeping me company and occupied today. Though I am feeling much better tonight so hopefully tomorrow has something a bit more exciting in store!

Day 37...

Friday 10.10.14 - I am thankful for... Inspirational Quotes

**NOTE: I did not take this picture but saw it on Pinterest and thought it was appropriate for today's post. I take no credit for this picture.

I knew that when I started on this journey of giving thanks for something different for 365 days straight, I would have days where it would be particularly difficult. Today is one of those days. I had a terrible nights sleep due to a migraine, felt exhausted at work all day then came home to lie down before going out again, only to get worse an not be able to make a BBQ and youth group meeting with awesome people that I was looking forward to. So whilst nothing particularly terrible happened, it was enough for me to lie there at the end of the day thinking "well this sucks" and feel sorry for myself. However, this is not productive behaviour so to keep myself occupied I was looking on Pinterest and I found the awesome quote pictured above. Have you ever read or seen something that just puts things into perspective? No matter how bad things are at the time, nothing lasts forever. It's about how you look at your situation and deal with it, make the most of it. I have been in that place where it feels like the whole world is against you many times mainly due to illness (I meant real illness, not this silly cold/allergies thing I have at the moment) and have always made it through. So after contemplating this, I suddenly felt silly for being all "woe is me, I'm slightly sick" and made me grateful of how blessed I am. It's good to have a bit of a proverbial slap in the face from time to time to see things clearly. I'm thankful this quote gave me mine today.

Day 36...

Thursday 9.10.14 - I am thankful for... Saving

*I have decided to put the day and date on my posts from now on - probably should have from the beginning but oh well - to keep track when I fall behind due to technical difficulties and illness :)

A good friend of mine is getting married in Ireland July next year and when she asked me if I could come to her wedding I thought... why not! I have never been there before and with another good friend living in Paris and my stepsister in London, what a great opportunity to have a decent holiday! I was fortunate enough to buy return flights to Europe on sale, so they are taken care of, but that's all I have paid for so far. I received the 'Save the Date' in the mail this week and today was looking at accommodation and other exciting things to do while I'm there. Of course overseas holidays take a bit of money, so I'm thankful I have the time to save up for it, bit by bit each pay, and have plenty of time to plan and make exciting decisions! I still don't know exactly what I'll be doing for the 4 weeks I'm away (definitely Ireland and London, but suggestions are welcome for other places worthwhile seeing!) but having time to save up for it helps! Although something tells me I'm going to need a bigger piggy/money car bank...

Day 35...

DAY 35 - I am thankful for... Childhood nostalgia

For my birthday my sister gave me a few very cool things, one of them was a Bertie Beetle show bag she got me from the EKKA, the Brisbane Exhibition. Everyone who has been to the show anywhere in Australia knows about Bertie Beetle, the little chocolate, goggles wearing beetle with coconut and honeycomb throughout. It is the most popular show bag sold here and I'm pretty sure that the Bertie Beetle show bag was probably my first one. This chocolate brings up a lot of happy memories from my childhood, especially of the EKKA as you can't actually get it anywhere else but in the show bag (if you can I don't know where!). Tonight my boyfriend and I went to see the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle movie . I used to LOVE the show as a child - I remember he song very well... "Heroes in a half shell, TURTLE POWER!". My sister and I also played with the figurines a lot, so needless to say I had high expectations for the movie. To my surprise I actually really enjoyed it. This makes me very thankful for the memories and the great emotions I can associate with these memories, and especially that I can enjoy them still in my adult life :)

Day 34...

DAY 34 - I am thankful for... Non for profit organisations

 

Whilst there are some pretty horrendous things happening in our world at the moment, I would like to take the time to recognise the people who are doing wonderful things for people, animals and places in need. There are so many different organisations globally who are committed to just about any cause you can think of. From poverty, to illness, to endangered wildlife, to pollution, environmental protection, equality... The list is endless. For whatever cause you are passionate about there is an organisation supporting it. Most of these rely solely on donations and gifts from those who support them. So this year for Christmas I have decided to get people presents from non for profit organisations or at least places that are heavily involved in charity work, to the best of my ability. This means I should probably start my Christmas shopping now though as I think it might be a little bit of a challenge, but one I'm certainly up for!

Day 33...

DAY 33- I am thankful for... My home

 

Going away is always exciting, but all good things come to an end eventually. I am thankful and grateful I have a place to come home to. I don't own it and its only a small apartment, but its clean, comfortable and functional. And even though I'm not a huge fan of unpacking, I do like unwinding and getting myself ready for the week ahead. Not everybody is as lucky as me. They say if you have a roof over your head and food to eat you are richer than a large portion of the world's population. I don't take what I have for granted, I have so much more than I could ever need. I'm also blessed to have what I would consider 2 homes, my mum's house in Brisbane being the second. Maybe it's because I spent most of my life in Brisbane but I feel that both places are home to me. How many people can say that? I have people and places I love in both cities. Home really is where the heart is :)

Day 32...

DAY 32 - I am thankful for... the beach!

This has to be one of my favourite places on earth. For as long as I can remember I have loved spending a day at the beach. When I was quite young, my dad's family lived in a small town at a beach and nearly every year for at least a week since I was 12 or 13 years old, my family have been going to Rainbow Bay, Coolangatta. I asked my besties to take me to the beach for the day whilst I was there for the long weekend. The weather was warm and sunny (though the wind a little chilly!). The surf was quite choppy and a little nippy when you first got it, but we acclimatised quite quickly. Then we had fish and chips on the hill and looking out into the ocean, we were blessed enough to see 2 whales playing the distance! Unfortunately they were quite a way out so we couldn't take photos (my zoom wasn't THAT good) but still enjoyed the show anyway. There's just something so relaxing an calming about the beach for me, maybe because it's a natural and free place that everyone can enjoy. If you asked me what my favourite thing to do in the summer would be, I'd say go to the beach, no hesitation. I have to admit though, since moving to Sydney I have yet to explore many of the beaches here, so I'm open to suggestions! I have been to Manly and I love it there! So this summer I am going to make it my mission to go to the beach here more often, especially after work on the warm sunny days ahead!

Day 31...

DAY 31 - I am thankful for... Bartenders

"What a strange thing to be thankful for?" you might be thinking. "She must be an alcoholic/hard party animal" might be another thought that crosses your mind. However, you couldn't be further from the truth. I very rarely drink, only socially and never more than 1 or 2, and I'm much more of a home body then one to go out partying. So let me explain. On Saturday afternoon/night, my cousin and his partner had a going away beer bar crawl. They are both very interested in beer, and my cousin even brews beer himself. And can I say his Old Gold Chocolate Porter is now by far my new favourite beer! As we were having a drink or two at one bar, my cousin's partner starts telling me about the lady who owned and worked the bar we were in. As far as I remember she had been a bartender in many places, and did quite well for herself. However, her and her partner now own and run a beer bar, but only take out enough for themselves for rent, food and necessities and give the rest of their earnings to charity. How great is that! The young people who owned the next bar were also involved in other activities such as art and music. She found out this information by simply talking to them, by getting to know them and taking an interest in their lives. She has also thrown charity fundraisers, particularly in the first bar which were incredibly successful. After finding out things I realised I honestly never thought about bartenders like that before. From now on I'll endeavour to talk to people, particularly people in the service industries, to find out about them and maybe a part of their story. People are not defined by the occupation they have, but have so many more layers to them. Its my goal to from now on remember this and peel back some of those layers.

Day 30... a month down!

DAY 30... I am thankful for... Flying

I decided to go to Brisbane for the long weekend just passed. Of course, the best way to get there is by plane. It got me thinking just how easy it is to get from city to city not just around Australia, but around the world. If you look back even 30-40years ago, it was much harder to get around and took a lot longer (and possibly a little less safe?). The flight from Sydney to Brisbane and vice versa is only about 1hr 30mins, making it so easy to accommodate a weekend trip. I realise not everybody has the means to be able to fly, however I do feel that with the introduction of lower cost airlines it does make it easier for more and more people to be able to afford flights which until recently may not have been an option. On my flight Friday night, I was met with a beautiful sunset above the clouds (pictured above) which is, in my opinion, a million dollar view. It's incredible to look out of the window and see the clouds beneath you and nothing but clear sky. Very serene. So I am thankful and very grateful for the ability to afford to fly so I can visit my loved ones who live a little way away, even if only for a few days. I makes it all worthwhile.

Post update

Hi everyone!

I am away for the long weekend so I may not be able to blog until I get home but will still done for every single day, even if it is rretrospective!

Thank you so much for reading. I hope I can continue to entertain you all. Please feel free to share and comment too!

Nikki

Day 29...

DAY 29 - I am thankful for... Packing.

**Unfortunately not the photo I wanted to use, but due to more technical difficulties, I chose this one taken previously**

Tonight I spent most of it cleaning my apartment and packing for the long weekend (long weekend! Woohoo!). I'm flying to Brisbane tomorrow night to spend it with family and friends there. While some people might not enjoy the task of packing, I do. Packing means I'm going somewhere, on an adventure, to see someone/people. Packing a suitcase usually only has positive connotations to it, in my experience anyway. Packing also means I'm blessed with the ability to travel somewhere. A lot of people don't have this luxury, whether it be finances, physical inability or they just have nowhere to go. We can take travel (even short distances) for granted. So I'm thankful for the means an opportunity to pack to travel somewhere.

Day 28...

DAY 28 - I am thankful for... Free Boost Juice!

Today was my lucky day! Boost Juice Australia has the "What's Your Name Game" and today one of those lucky names was... NICOLE! Even though I went out for lunch today I was still able to claim my free juice, yum! Mango passionfruit! It was slightly warm today so it was quite refreshing. Though its not incredibly important to get a free juice, for me it about taking pleasure in the small things in life. I was blessed to be able to get a juice today, free or otherwise. I am incredibly thankful for the treat and hope many other people today and every day during the promotion get to enjoy a free juice. It's also a good time to reflect on those who don't have much at all, be thankful that we have what we have. So Thanks Boost Juice!