Early musings for 2011

It's not New Year yet. But I've got the time to reflect now.

What can I change?
What should I aim for?

Once again, the idea of monthly goals appeals.

For January:
Buy nothing new.

Not an original goal, but not one I've tried before.

Why?
To remind myself of the world beyond the material. Of the limited resources we share. Of my blessings in having access to so much of them.
Plus, I'm moving interstate. I need to downsize somewhat (in a month?! Yeah, right.) And I have spent the last few years railing against clutter with only mild success. Here's another way to tackle it.

What?
Well - roughly along the lines of the Compact. Food & drink is ok - but buying consciously, aware of what I already have in the pantry. Cleaning products - but only if I've truly run out or don't already own an alternative (three different types of shampoo, anyone?) Second hand is ok if I really need something. My exceptions will be: 1. Repairs - my shower screen needs fixing, and 2. Experiences are ok. I believe that spending money on experiences add depth to life in ways that Stuff does not.

Why only a month?
Because I'm afraid of commitment. And I believe in baby steps.

Circle of security

Bigger.
Stronger.
Wiser.
Kind.
The freedom to leave to explore.
The safety to came back.

Simple, no?

I said to you the one gift which I'd adore
a package of the next ten years unfolding
But you told me if I had my way I'd be bored...

Indigo Girls, Language or the kiss

Lost my inspiration.

Supposed to be writing about measles. Due in 2 days. Not getting anywhere.

Headspace is full with lots of other stuff - jobs. 2011. finishing up. sunshine. motivation. personal politics. overseas.

how to prod myself into action?

New job, new pace

New place
New patients
New problems

Just started in the community clinic. So far the timetable seems to be child psych, autism, learning problems, ADHD, child safety issues. With the odd trip to the outback for good measure.

So i'm gearing up for the next learning curve... from managing up to 20 people to managing just one.

Me.

Flying visits

Well, am thankful to be back in the ville. In once piece (mostly).

Wedding the first: Hobart. Footless tights & long gown - perfect. 3 days with cousin - awesome. Dancing with aunt - very cool. All in all, a success.

Travel: airport singapore noodles is the best cure for a cold.

Friday: bell ringing skills thoroughly honed.

Wedding the second: made it to the church on time. Afternoon chilling. Evening dancing. Vodka shots. The sunday was somewhat less than dignified.

And yes Mum, I did make it to work today.

Revolution

So, the last couple of years have been a time of new things.

Ultimate frisbee
Deep dives
Managing people
Hiking & liking it
Building a veggie garden
Flying to work
Cyclones

Today I'm sore from a few hours of hula. With my own hoop, to my own rhythm, with a bunch of fun people. In public, no less!

Never would I have dreamed that I'd have the co-ordination, let alone the willingness, stamina and ability, to cruise around hooping for a couple of hours. And to do it whilst soaking up the sea breeze, watching the yachts and reveling in the sunshine of a Sunday afternoon is brilliant.

Townsville rocks!

Cool new procrastination tool

Sign up, sign up, to join the internet revolution in health surveillance...

Flutracking.net is a program designed to track seasonal & possible pandemic influenza through 2 simple questions.

Do you have fever?
Do you have a cough?

They have been able to identify the lift-off point for the flu season with amazing accuracy - and 10 seconds of volunteer's time per week.

The whole concept is fascinating - use volunteers and modern day connectivity, simplify as much as possible to keep them engaged, and every week you have data from ten thousand people - and results in less than 24 hours. By comparing vaccinated vs non-vaccinated, they can sift out the true flu over the background sneezing.

Now what else could be done with that power?

Reading log 2010

I wrote down every book I read from about 1992 to 2006... and then tailed off.
But would like to restart.
So: a post to be edited as the year progresses.

Was there another, to start the year?
First Among Sequels - Jasper Fforde
Twilight - Stephenie Meyer (yes, Dot, I "jumped on the bandwagon"!)
The Tall Man - Chloe Hooper - finally finished, with a vastly different picture of Palm Island in my head to when I started (through experience, not the book so much)
New Moon - Stephenie Meyer
The Fox - D H Lawrence
Smoky Joe's Cafe - Bryce Courtenay
Started Long Walk to Freedom somewhere about here...
The Wee Free Men - Terry Pratchett
Thud - Terry Pratchett
Wyrd Sisters - Terry Pratchett
Dream Angus - Alexander McCall Smith
Unseen Academicals - Terry Pratchett
Eclipse - Stephenie Meyer (yes, there are that many "e"s). Noticing any themes?
Juliet, Naked - Nick Hornby
10 Short Stories you must read in 2010 - Various
The Elegance of the Hedgehog - Muriel Barbery
The Year of the Flood - Margaret Atwood
Addition - Toni Jordan
Long Walk to Freedom - Nelson Mandela (finally finished!)
The Postman - Antonio Skarmeta

19. Maybe can squeeze another in before year's end? Am halfway through the last vampire book...

February goal

So:
The sleeping thing is going ok. Not quite four nights a week, but at least three, and most earlier than it would have been. So close, but no cigar (or ridiculous pen, as my reward was to be).

For February:

Meditate 3 times per week.

1 down thus far. Will see how I go!

Overcoming resistance

I have done 2 things today of which I am rather proud.

I got an autoelectrician to look at my car.
And I drafted an article for hopeful journal publication.

The two things have been my biggest procrastination problems in recent months. The article has been in process, in theory, for about 20 months. That means that, whenever I thought about it, my heart would sink. My old boss would email me every 2 months or so to check on it - and my heart would sink further. It became an enormous mental hurdle to even think of it - and hence I avoided thinking about it at all costs.

Which made it worse.

So today, I spent LESS THAN 2 HOURS and finally sat & wrote it.

That's less time than I've spent avoiding thinking about it.

But at least, I can celebrate that it's done.

A draft at least.

The sleep thing

So, in the spirit of staying on track - how is my January goal going?

I received a gorgeous calendar from a friend for Christmas, just in time for the relaunch of the gold stars. Thus far, there are 5. Which, given there's been 6 "school nights", I'm pretty happy with.

I've also got rid of 2 large boxes of shredded paper - mostly due to a frantic scramble to find a form that will determine 6 months of my training.

It was due on the 31st of December.
I didn't find it.

I finally bit the bullet & called my supervisor to request a re-do, six months late... and he thankfully pointed out that we never did the form in the first place. Which made me feel like slightly less of a disorganised muddler.

And now there's several kilos less paper in my life - big yay!

New Year's goals

So, New Year, new changes, all that.
Although my ones are old changes - or at least old intentions. Just a new commitment to them.

My overarching goal for this year is: Simplify.

I know this is a bit of a catch phrase at the moment. Or at least it is on the blogs I've been reading.

But I'm a good public health trained girl & I know that goals must be SMART. And "simplify" doesn't quite cut it.

So I'm working on micro-goals. Bit by bit. 15 minutes at a time. And making myself publically accoutable (at least, to the 3 people I know drop by here occasionally - hello & that means you)! These are things that I know I can do because I've been doing them in little bits for a while. I've already decided not to study externally next year (full-time work is enough, thank-you), have come a long way in decluttering "stuff" (despite what my mother may say) and have started to learn how to meditate. So it's really just working at integration. Sounds simple.

Gretchen at the Happiness Project has put out a 2010 Happiness Challenge, which for me ties in with Simplify. Her suggested focus for January is Energy.

So, for January: my micro-goal is...

Lights out at 10:30 on a school night.

I need at least 7.5 hours sleep a night, preferably more. The nights I get it I can get out of bed, get moving & stand in the shower wondering what the day will hold, rather than internally moaning. I enjoy work more. I get less frustrated and cranky. I get more done. And I'm overall a much nicer person to be around, including for myself.

In order to do this, I will:
Do my teeth, take out my contacts & wash my face after dinner.
In theory this should mean I'm ready for bed when I need to be.

I'm toying with the idea of setting an alarm to remind me. Hmm. Perhaps an automatic shut-down for my computer may be better.

I'll be tracking my success using my trusty gold stars (yes, there's a reason I work with kids, people!).

Update: weekly.

Is that specific, measurable, attainable, relevant & time-bound enough?

I think so. Sounds simple, right?

But the fact that setting it out here is giving me palpitations means it's going to be a challenge...

Tiny lives

Today was the second time this year that I've had to certify someone deceased.

A tiny body, lying in her mother's arms.
It was expected, but nonetheless...
She went well. We could provide that comfort.
Her parents wrapped her and she spent the day surrounded by a big, subdued family.
After they left her with us, I went to say goodbye - and, as always happens, farewelled all the others again at the same time.

For the first time that I've been doing this, I didn't need to call my mother. (Tomorrow, perhaps).

Audrey reminded me of the bounty of life instead.

What can I say, when the worst is happening to a close friend?
Not much.
It won't change anything.

I can listen.
Which won't change anything.

I'm praying for you.
Not for the obvious, although if that happens, I'll be sending up gratitude.
But for peace.
For you all.

Pre-night shift planning

Get up early - tick.
Go for walk - tick.
Do something useful - tick.
Have a beer - tick.
Have a good meal - tick.
Clean up room - tick.
Brush teeth - tick.
Turn on airconditioner - tick.
Turn off mobile - tick.
Get earplugs - tick.
Actually go to bed at 2pm -

New engine

I've been contemplating one for years. Sleek steel or cherry red. With accessories. The growl of the motor bringing interested glances. The expense had been putting me off but I was quietly working to justify it to myself. Today, I finally jumped in, but I went vintage instead.

I bought myself a mixmaster.

A Sunbeam mixer, 2 beater, creamy glass bowls, shiny black controller etched with the settings. It's older than my mother's, I'm sure. Perhaps has already passed through two generations. But it goes, and goes well.

Today, I made banana cake, adding my baking to a wealth that has gone before. Stephanie's recipe (naturally), new silicone muffin tray. Perfection.

And wholeheartedly licked the beaters.

Crossroads

Another decision to make. One that may define my life for several years.

Next year's jobs are in the air. Having just extended, do I stay or do I go?

More & more I feel it's not about the work. Up here, the job's great, the town's great, the lifestyle's great, the weather's great. I've got a fun network and feel healthier than in a long time. Down there, are friends & family. The ones who are important will stay in touch.

So comes down to a mythical possibility, one which is feeling more important than the mere issue of where I work. One which must be the basis of decision making but which is completely unpredictable.

And so I ache.

I'm thinking that getting a new housemate that I am more than a teensy bit attracted to may not be the best decision.

I've just become entranced by yet another website. However, this one is mightily impressive.

Microfinance is the process whereby an individual or group receive a small loan in order to start a business. In many countries, only a few dollars can buy a sewing machine, a breeding pair of pigs or seeds for the farm. This process has been shown to assist in lifting people out of poverty and is much more effective than handouts. In particular, women tend to run businesses in local communities and put the profits back into education, nutrition and health care for themselves and their children.

I have seen this in action. In the Philippines, I stayed with a family who sold fish at the market and used microcredit to purchase stock. In India, we had chai with a woman whose loan had bought a pair of goats, and the kids were running around beneath our feet. In Zambia, I bought sarongs from a woman whose market stall was set up with a micro-loan.

And now I have just found a site that lets those of us in positions of affluence lend to those who are not. It's a loan - so the money will be repaid (and is, in 98.5% 0f cases). And in the meantime, it'll be put to work well.

www.kiva.org

You can choose to whom you lend. You can search by region or type of project. And you will be making a big difference.