there's a word for it ...

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Travelday - Pisa

Remember how this blog used to have semi-regular posts about the holiday that The Sparky and I took last year? No? I can't say I blame you, it has been quite a while.

I hit a bit of a stumbling block when my photos from Pisa refused to upload properly, an issue which I still haven't been able to sort out ...

So, in light of both that and the fact that I hope to be able to keep posting while in Queenstown soon (!), I have decided it's time to pull the iPad back out and start posting from it again.

The other problem I have had with posting about Pisa is an issue with what to say ... I want to tell you about how we were offered real coffee from a real barrister on a real machine when we checked in, the hundreds and hundreds of bikes outside the school that we walked past on our way into town, the kebabs that were supposed to be a quick and easy lunch but instead ended up being the best kebabs we have ever tasted (the pita that was made fresh before our eyes and baked in the pizza oven was just the begining), the gorgeous buildings and vibrant university feel in the town, the supermarket with its fun array of delicious foods, the best breakfast buffet of the trip (our accommodation must have been on super special when I booked it for it to have been within budget) and so many other things about our less-than-24hrs in Pisa but somehow it feels a little strange to say any more about them than that. These are memories that mean a lot to us but that don't transfer well into stories when put in writing ... if we even meet up in real life, remind me to tell you all about them.

For the moment though let's just say that, despite photogrphic evidence, we enjoyed Pisa for more than just its tower.

Oh, and if you ever find yourself there and someone asks you to take a photo of them infront of said tower, this is not exactly what they're after ...

Monday's Manifestos

Admittedly manifesto is probably too grand a word for what I hope to do with this series but I was after a little alliteration and so manifesto it is.

My health, fitness, wellbeing and organisation have been back on my mind again lately, things began to slide a little at some point during my Thirteen Weeks of Summer challenge and have progressively become worse throughout the year. I am reasonably aware of the reasons why that happened and, even though I have no control over some of them, I have decided to not let those reasons rule my life.

After my comment last week in particular I have noticed that a lot of the things I had starting working so hard for have not simply stalled but have gone backwards ... I actually got puffed the other day walking back to work, that hasn't happened in a very long time!

The plan is to jump on this space every Monday and loudly proclaim five things that I will do in the week to follow. Three health and wellbeing related (exercise, eating habits, physical health or mental health), one long term organisational (a new habit, or an old one that needs to be reignited) and one short term organisational (a one off item that needs to come off my ever expanding to do list).

So, without further ado (because these posts will probably be boring enough without me babbling on) I proclaim that this week:

1 - I will walk to the train station every work morning and not to the bus stop;

2 - I will walk down the stairs at work and not take the lift (unfortunately I can't come back up that way because the door is locked from the stairwell side for security reasons);

3 - I will do a 15-minute workout before work at least twice;

4 - I will start setting the alarm for 5:30 a.m. again;

5 - I will finish my application for recognition of prior learning to a point where it is ready for lodgement (finally!)

and there you have it ... I'll be back next week to let you know how I went.

* I actually don't honestly expect any of you to comment or be particularly involved in this series, I just found last time that the accountability that comes with 'putting it out there' was a really good motivator.

Chasing Imaginary Butterflies

Please ignore the state of the garden and focus on the adorable ball of fluff!

Sailing Smoother Waters

(found here via here)

I finally did it ... on Monday night I adjusted my sails. I am still aiming for the same destination, just taking a slightly different route to get there. It may even turn out to be a slightly longer route but I'm hoping it will mean I'm sailing smoother waters in the meantime. For the moment I'm sailing the rough waters that come as you slowly change your vessels direct, the winds beating at your side and the sails flapping wildly, but once the direction change is complete I will relax again and enjoy the ride.

Question Time ...

First up, how is it that yet another week has gone by?

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

Is it bad that I don't remember a large chunk of my walk to the station the other morning? I clearly remember standing at the end of the driveway and deciding to turn left to the train station instead of right to the bus stop and I remember the last few hundred meters ... but nothing in between.

apparently a black hole as well a park

Is it wrong that I find this comic so amusing? I seem to be surrounded by pending first time parents at the moment ... but this sums up how The Sparky and I feel so very well!

Is it just a coincidence that this quote landed in my Reader on the same morning that this post from Hannah did? Or is it the universe speaking to me? Not that my current dream involves dropping everything and touring the US and Canada (wouldn't complain if it happened but it's not on my agenda) but it does involve great leaps of faith and a fair amount of hard work and just the thought of it is nauseating ... but then the thought of staying here in my comfort zone kind of makes me want to shoot myself, metaphorically speaking of course.

apropos of nothing, I just like this picture

How in the world do I motivate myself to get back into eating properly and exercising? I need to. In fact I really, really need to. We're in the process of making my work out space a bit more Winter friendly which should definitely help, the room is an ice block at the moment! I know that ultimately the motivation needs to come from within but any suggestions would be most appreciated ... I'm thinking of maybe posting about it again as the accountability certainly helped but it also makes for fairly boring reading.

I will start by reaffirming my to walk down the scary concrete steps at work instead of taking the lift.

Am I too old to still want one of these, particularly so long after the movie?

Finally, what should I read next? As a general rule it takes me about a week to read a book on the train, less it it's 'can't put it down' good and therefore gets read in my lunch break as well. This generally means that I'm scrounging around for something new to read early in the morning when I should be trying to get out the door! For the first time in the eight and a half years that I've been commuting into the City I am in a position where I actually have a selection of books to choose from. This is in part because I went on a blogger recommended buying spree with my Christmas bonus earlier this year. So, the candidates are -

1. Into the Silence by Wade Davis
2. The Zero Option by David Rollins
3. The Guns of August by Barbara W Tuchman
4. Shock Wave by Clive Cussler
5. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
6. Assegai by Wilbur Smith
7. The Shooting in the Shop by Simon Brett
8. Out Lady of Pain by Elena Forbes
9. Micro by Michael Crichton
10. Jayne Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
11. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
12. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by E. Scott Fitzgerald
13. a selection of more mature Roald Dahl books

Misty Morning

Slightly blurry too, I didn't want to take my eyes off the road for too long in case I missed my bus!

P.S. These are not the trees on the oval Emma, they're much nicer ...

Zonked!

One day I will get my brain back and start doing Travelday and other proper posts again, I'm sure. In the meantime I will continue to serve up random ramblings and pet photos ...

Please tell me I'm not the only one whose animals fall asleep so strangely ... I have dozens of photos of Astro and Samson in particular sleeping oddly. Nutmeg on the other hand simply seems to like sleeping on Samson a lot.