Travel

December 22 – Travel 
How did you travel in 2010? How and/or where would you like to travel next year? 
(Author: Tara Hunt)


Once again, today's reverb10 prompt comes at what seems like a very appropriate time. In fact, today will be my last reverb10 post, as I will soon be off exploring the world and away from my computer. To briefly recap on the year that was, travel in 2010 was not anywhere near as extensive or elaborate as it has been in other years. This year we are yet to travel abroad (however, this will be rectified in a matter of hours!) and have instead visited a number of places around regional Victoria...

...as well as spending a week in tropical North Queensland. 

Next on our list is one of our favourite destinations for relaxation and rejuvenation:

These are photos from our last visit. Can you tell that I'm literally bursting with excitement? A full trip report will be posted upon my return.  


While travel has been minimal (by our usual standards) this year, we made a conscious decision to make 2010  a low key travel year, as we are saving for our two month trip to Europe in mid-2011. To answer the second part of today's prompt, I would love for "Eurotrip" (as it's come to be known) to be filled with much laughter, discovery (especially in a food sense!) and new friendships. Our itinerary includes such cities as Dubai, Paris, Barcelona, Florence, San Sebastián, Munich, Amsterdam and Kuala Lumpur...to name just a few! Jealous much?!


As this will be my last real post for the year, I'd like to take this opportunity to wish all my readers every happiness over the festive period. Have a brilliant new year and I look forward to catching up on all of your news upon my return! 

Season's Greetings!

Healing (oh the irony!) and C25K training

December 19 – Healing 

What healed you this year? Was it sudden, or a drip-by-drip evolution? How would you like to be healed in 2011? 

(Author: Leoni Allan)

Today's prompt seems like a cruel, cruel irony right now. Despite this, it does lend itself well to a description of my day and my now delayed 5k running preparation. At around 7am this morning I decided to go for a 45km bike ride in Melbourne's east. Nearing the halfway point of the ride (a café, of course!), I rode off the bike path, onto the grass area next to it and, in attempt to get back onto the path, mistook the height of the asphalt and ended up sprawled across the pavement, missing quite a bit of my epidermis! Here's the evidence (*WARNING* slight gore factor, but I have refrained from posting the most gruesome bits):

Shredded 2XU compression skins - there goes $100...but better those shredded than my skin! Mind you, there's about a 4x4cm section of skin missing from my knee!

Elbow ouchies!

Even my thumb didn't escape the fall! (Note that the cats seem more interested in any potential food than their mother's wellbeing!)

My accident has two implications for today's blog post. Firstly, in response to today's reverb10 prompt, I can say that I really do hope that these physical aches and pains mend in 2011. Secondly, with regard to my C25K training, I might have to take it easy for the next week or so. Let's hope I can pull some miracle out of the bag for improving my endurance in January! 

Lesson Learned

December 17 – Lesson Learned 
What was the best thing you learned about yourself this past year? And how will you apply that lesson going forward? 
(Author: Tara Weaver)


In addition to what I have learned about my physical capabilities, I have also learnt two valuable lessons in 2010. Firstly, I am most efficient and successful when I'm very busy. It is at these peak times that my supreme organisational skills kick in and I make time to really get things done. The second (and ostensibly conflicting) lesson I have learnt is that I do need my down- and alone-time (symptomatic of being an only-child  perhaps?) - time and space to focus on the little things that make me feel good. In a sense, 2010 has been a contrasting year of very busy moments and "me time". Let's hope that I can balance these opposite states in a way that is conducive to a "happy Georgia" in 2011. 

Friendship

December 16 – Friendship 

How has a friend changed you or your perspective on the world this year? Was this change gradual, or a sudden burst? 

(Author: Martha Mihalick)

Brief post today, because, quite frankly, all of my friends continue to drive the evolution of my perspective on the world. I am privileged to have such a colourful bunch of friends, from all walks of life, from different cultures and races and who hold different religious beliefs and values. I am consistently amazed to learn about and, more importantly, understand what many of my friends consider “normal”. Moreover, being challenged about my own version of “normal” also continues to be a fascinating exercise. As someone with a very liberal view of the world, who is religiously agnostic (or, as I like to call it, “hedging my bets”!) and has had a middle class upbringing, some of my friends found my willingness to become "mortgaged" prior to becoming married confronting. To me it was totally normal and acceptable – I’d even go as far as saying it was a prudent decision. Others marvel at what they consider to be a privileged upbringing – compared to them it likely was; compared to most of my peers at the time, it was simple, loving and comfortable. Some find my drive to keep learning somewhat strange. However, I will always be drawn to ways to absorb new information. Others do not understand the love and compassion I have for animals. The list goes on...

In spite of our different values, I truly appreciate all of these perspectives. In fact, I wish more people in the world would sit down and discuss, debate and laugh about such things. Not only will we find that we are all more similar than we are different, but I also believe that by articulating our norms, we can engender acceptance.

5 minutes

December 15 – 5 Minutes 
Imagine you will completely lose your memory of 2010 in five minutes. Set an alarm for five minutes and capture the things you most want to remember about 2010. 
(Author: Patti Digh)


Okay, here goes. My most memorable moments in 2010 included:

• the glory (oh the glory!) of the mighty Magpies' Grand Final victory;
• spending 5 blissful nights with my beloved relaxing in tropical North Queensland, surrounded by lush rainforest;
• the purchase of my bicycle (an excellent investment if I do say so myself!);
• the successful juggling of part time study and full time work (including a change of jobs in April);
• the many hours, my beautiful Maine Coon spent draped over my lap;
• my participation in the wedding of a close girlfriend;
• spending time with my international guests (who came for the above wedding); and
• being spoilt rotten on my Birthday mid-year (and indeed every day by my other half).

How five minutes flies! There are clearly many other moments that made 2010 the special and busy year that it was, but I'll have to save those for another post. 

Appreciate

December 14 – Appreciate 
What’s the one thing you have come to appreciate most in the past year? How do you express gratitude for it? 

(Author: Victoria Klein)

Today's prompt ties in nicely to a big decision/commitment that I made last night. In the past year, through a combination of more exercise and working towards removing the guilt I had associated with food for so long, I have come to appreciate the wonderful machine that my body is and what it is capable of. I have enjoyed a number of long bike rides and still marvel at the fact that my legs are capable of taking me from one side of Melbourne to another. 

While I can proudly brag about cycling over long distances, the same cannot be said for running (as I noted in a previous post). To date, 1km is the longest I've ever run before turning into a puddle of jelly or similar. It's not that I necessarily *can't* run further, it's that I have no reason to. (N.B. I'm sure I've run further than 1km in the many hundreds of games of basketball that I've played, but basketball involves a different type of fitness - the capability to sprint over short distances, typically followed by the opportunity to catch one's breath). Anyway, you're probably wondering why I'm rambling. This is the reason:

Essentially it's a 5km charity run around Melbourne's glorious Albert Park Lake in February to raise money for the Leukemia Foundation. While I'm terrified about the prospect of running 5km (at least in my current state of fitness), I know that without a goal, I'll never know what my body is capable of. Moreover, the cause resonates strongly with me (and I know will with a number of blog readers) after we lost a very dear friend to cancer a few years ago. I know that his braveness and positivity in the face of adversity will be a source of inspiration throughout my attempts at running. 

So here goes - I officially have 53 days to get my derrière in gear for the event. With less than 8 weeks to train, I intend to start the C25K program (a 9 week "couch" to 5km running program) at week 2 (well, I need to expedite the program somehow and figure that with my basic level of riding/basketball fitness, I may be able to manage starting at a slightly more advanced stage).

So there you have it - I am so very thankful of what I am capable of doing and *hopefully* will be capable of. Please brace yourself for lots and lots of running updates and whining over the next 8 weeks and thank you in advance for your support.

Action

December 13 – Action 
When it comes to aspirations, it’s not about ideas. It’s about making ideas happen. What’s your next step? 
(Author: Scott Belsky)


I'm sorry folks, I just can't deal with another inward looking post. I'm a well-balanced, happy person and have been feeling almost interrogated by the last few reverb10 prompts. Please allow me to use this:

...and, for shits and giggles, this:

Thanks for your understanding! 

Body integration

December 12 – Body Integration
This year, when did you feel the most integrated with your body? Did you have a moment where there wasn’t mind and body, but simply a cohesive YOU, alive and present? 
(Author: Patrick Reynolds)


Oh dear, we have another navel gazing prompt today...but hey, at least y'all got some gingerbreads between my self reflection, right?! 
I'm not sure I can recall a moment when my mind and body felt totally integrated in 2010. However, one event comes to mind when I think about this topic. It occurred during a few hours of pampering (facial, massage, hair treatment etc...bliss!) at a local day spa. During the facial, I recall feeling so relaxed that it were as if my mind and body were totally physically disconnected. In contemporary literature, when we read about people dying, analogies of people's souls floating above their body are often employed. While I was in no way (I hope!!) close to death, I did feel as if I was having a bit of an "out of body" experience. There's nothing like a day spa to reach new heights of relaxation!

11 (three!) things

December 11 – 11 Things 
What are 11 things your life doesn’t need in 2011? How will you go about eliminating them? How will getting rid of these 11 things change your life? 
(Author: Sam Davidson)


These prompts are getting more serious by the day! I have to say that I'm pretty content in life and really cannot identify "11 things" that I'd like to eliminate. Three is all I can muster at this point in time. I'm also not sure that I can be bothered going into how I will go about eliminating these "things" from my life and I think that any changes to my life as a consequence of their elimination are fairly self-evident (i.e. work it out for yourself!). So, here goes - 11 (or three!) things I want to eliminate:


1. Embarrassment at my achievements - I am fairly kick ass in an academic sense, but constantly downplay my intelligence, fearing that people will regard me as conceited. However, I am aware that there is a way to balance pride in one's skills and modesty. (N.B. On re-reading of this point, I realise that it's hard to believe someone could be embarrassed by their achievements and describe themselves as "kick ass" in the same line...oops!)


2. Pessimism - My beloved Magpies may be ten goals up (60 points for all you non-AFL fans out there) with only five minutes of game time remaining, but in my mind, there's still a very real possibility that they will lose. This approach can, at times, spill over into other aspects of my life. I suppose a negative approach guarantees that if the worst does indeed eventuate I will be prepared. On the other hand, it makes for rather miserable footy viewing companion!


3. Taking things personally - I have moved forward in leaps and bounds in this area in 2010, thanks to a dear friend recommending this book. Now, I'm really not one for self help books, but this really is a little gem (and, incidentally, isn't what I'd consider a conventional self-help book). Essentially, Ruiz's idea is that nothing others say or do is because of you - rather, their words and actions are a projection of their own reality. This realisation has certainly had an effect on my people pleasing antics and I would like to further cement the notion in my mind in the coming year. 


So there you have it, folks - the three "things" I need to work on eliminating in 2011. I feel as if I'm getting worse at this reverb10 business as the days of December tick over. I hope I'm not boring any of my readers - my sincere apologies if this is the case. You will be pleased to know that my next post will feature gingerbread...so hang in there! 

Party

December 9 – Party.
What social gathering rocked your socks off in 2010? Describe the people, music, food, drink, clothes, shenanigans. 
(Author: Shauna Reid)


First and foremost, today's prompt writer, Shauna is one of my favourite bloggers/writers. Her writing is wry, quirky and honest and I am thrilled that she has been asked to provide a reverb10 prompt (and you gotta love a fellow Aussie, right?!). Shauna, thanks for keeping me amused with your tales of Eating Disorder Pigeon and Friends among others, and for being a genuinely cool chick! 


So, onto today's prompt....P-A-R-T-Y
This year I was blessed to participate as a bridesmaid in my close girlfriend's wedding. (Incidentally, this is the same friend who labelled me as "most likely to be right, even when she isn't" around a decade ago). It was an absolute ripsnorter of a day and couldn't have been more enjoyable for the entire bridal party. However, it took place on the day of the hailstorm. If you ask any Melburnian about the hailstorm of 2010, they'll know precisely which day you are referring to. It was epic! 
Exhibit A:

We certainly didn't let a little (or a lot of!) bad weather spoil the day and tucked into a hearty feast and enjoyed a boogie at one of Melbourne's most illustrious (and historically controversial) venues. The day (and indeed, month) was made all the more special by the attendance of a number of my friends from abroad. 
However, most importantly, I felt blessed to witnessed the union of two wonderful people who were (and are!) very much in love. What an absolute privilege!

Beautifully different

December 8 – Beautifully Different. 
Think about what makes you different and what you do that lights people up. Reflect on all the things that make you different – you’ll find they’re what make you beautiful. 
(Author: Karen Walrond) 


I have agonised over this topic for a number of hours and think it may warrant a focus group, which is not only extremely self-indulgent, but would take far too much of my time! After asking a number of friends and receiving an array of answers ranging from "You don't make me hate you" (always a good sign coming from a friend, right?!), "You're an educated Collingwood supporter with all your teeth" (astounding, right?!) and my beloved's "your bum" (yes, it is disproportionally "ample"), I decided to trawl through the archives of my brain for some sort of idea. 


After a big meal accompanied by a few beers and a cider (a girl needs her inspiration after all!) I recalled a comment printed in my high school yearbook, which was written by a school friend who remains a very close girlfriend to this day. In the annual review of the school year, each completing student was individually pictured along with a "girl most likely to..." caption. Captions typically appealed to the 18-year-old female psyche - "Girl most likely to marry an oil tycoon" and "Girl most likely to breed echidnas as domestic pets" - that sort of thing. 


However, I think that my friend may have pinpointed one thing that makes me different when she provided my caption - "Girl most likely to be right...even when she isn't". While the statement could, in part, be attributed to my debating abilities, I think it also describes my strong sense of justice and the passion with which I defend those people and things that I care about. Although this description may lead some to believe that I'm a stubborn, argumentative type, I don't think that is entirely correct. I am very open to new ideas and diverse opinions, but I am strongly passionate about my family, friends, cat babies and a number of more general issues that lie close to my heart. 
To be perfectly honest, I don't really feel like venturing into navel gazing territory on why this may or may not make me beautiful (if you are even still reading!). Instead, I'll leave you with what I think is a very pertinent quote by artist Peter McIntyre:

"Confidence comes not from always being right but from not fearing to be wrong" 

Community

December 7 – Community.
Where have you discovered community, online or otherwise, in 2010? What community would you like to join, create or more deeply connect with in 2011? 
(Author: Cali Harris)


My passion for travel has meant that throughout 2010, I've consistently enjoyed contributing towards and receiving advice from the online travel community. Despite it's palpable weaknesses, I have enjoyed participating in the TripAdvisor community and, in particular, responding to questions relating to parts of the world for which I have a passion (notably: Melbourne; Hong Kong; Vanuatu; Malaysia; and Germany). I have also used the resource to assist in the planning of our forthcoming tri-continent(!!) trip...but more about our very exciting travel plans in subsequent posts.  


In 2011, I wish to engage more deeply with the broader blogging community. I have been enjoying a number of excellent blogs on a wide variety of topics (including, but not limited to, cooking, health, fitness, travel, weight loss, craft - just really those that spark some sort of interest). I suppose what I have been doing is technically known as "lurking", which is a horrible expression with unnecessary negative connotations (in a blogging sense at least!). In any case, I am beginning to understand how a blogging community can offer support and encouragement for personal development, as well as for the evolution of its author's writing. As I am (evidently!) keen to develop my writing through regular blogging, I hope to broaden my network of blog readers/supporters and also participate more actively on blogs belonging to others. In a sense, reverb10 was brought to my attention at a very opportune time – I had made the decision to start a public blog less than a week before I first heard of the project. 
Now that this baby's up and running, I very much look forward to making new connections – blog community, are you ready for me?! 

Make

December 6 – Make. 

What was the last thing you made? What materials did you use? Is there something you want to make, but you need to clear some time for it? 

(Author: Gretchen Rubin)

Now this is a simple reverb10 prompt for me. 2010 was the year of metal clay. This obscenely expensive hobby totally consumed me in mid-2010 when it was first brought to my attention. For those unacquainted with the art of metal clay, I can tell you that it essentially involves molding pieces from clay into desired shapes, drying them thoroughly and then firing them either in a kiln or on a gas stove top. 

Here's a rather rustic scrabble letter made for a good friend who happens to be a Scrabble whiz (on second thought, whiz may be an understatement!).

This piece was made for my Mum....just because....

I suppose I'm not being perfectly honest - this wasn't technically the last thing I've made. I've certainly baked and (tried to) sew since making these pieces. I say "tried to" sew because my last attempt at following a pattern resulted in a cross between a crop top and a moo-moo! For the record, it was meant to be a maxi dress. I'll let your imagination envisage this "wondrous" creation.

As for the second part of today's prompt: Is there something you want to make, but you need to clear some time for it? That's equally easy to answer. I would love to get back into metal clay jewellery making. Now that my time is a little less occupied (to say the least!), I think it may be an opportune time to return to this very absorbing pastime. I might, however, need to do some fundraising first - a small packet of silver clay (enough for a couple of chunky rings and pairs of earrings) can set you back more than $100! However, I really shouldn't be thinking too much about costs - the personal value I gain through the creative process definitely outweighs the fiscal outlay. 

Let go

December 5 – Let go. 
What (or whom) did you let go of this year? Why?
(Author: Alice Bradley)


Assumptions. That's right, I've stopped making assumptions. Stopped letting my overly imaginative brain immediately jump to future worst-case-scenario options and instead have endeavored to live in the moment.
While I am able sum this change up rather succinctly, I cannot begin to express how that this new way of thinking has lifted a very real cloak of anxiety from my shoulders.
For example, as trivial as it may sound, my particularly vocal feline, Pickle (pictured below) likes to "sing" in the early morning (I'm sure translated into English his so called singing would go something along the lines of: "Mummy/Daddy, get out of bed and feed me!"). Some of his *ahem* vocalisation occurs close to our front door - the one that leads into a communal foyer. For over a year, I remained what can only be described as paranoid that our neighbours would be in some way offended by the noise. Logically, this was a ridiculous assumption to make. Our walls are double brick and despite having Pavarotti-esque lung power, a cat can really only be so loud. Moreover, how many people would actually complain should they hear the occasional cat meowing when passing through a foyer? Irrespective of the rational side of my brain telling me I was crazy, I was nonetheless certain a resident was going to complain. The stress agitated me to the point that I had considered a number of contingency plans should grievances arise.
Early 2010 brought with it the realisation that this sort level anticipation was doing me no good at all. While I understand that some sort of realistic approach to planning for the future is required in life, there is no point agonising about the future and the myriad of directions in which it may take us. Anything can happen. Let go of assumptions and enjoy the moment!

Wonder

December 4 – Wonder. 
How did you cultivate a sense of wonder in your life this year? 
(Author: Jeffrey Davis)


According to the good folk of Merriam Webster, wonder (wən-dər for those interested in phonetics) can be defined as "rapt attention or astonishment at something awesomely mysterious or new to one's experience". 
A new experience, eh?! I think I am open to and often awed by new experiences. Davis asks how did I cultivate a sense of wonder in my life this year? I would argue that by merely being open to new experiences, one essentially invites wonder their way - it's as simple as that. Wonder, for me at least, is not typically associated with momentous, life changing events, but more often, those ostensibly trivial  happenings astonish and amaze. Accordingly, I have decided that today's post is best expressed in bullet points. So, here goes - the following have made for a Wonder(full!) 2010:

• Watching my part of the world turn from yellow to green within the course of a year - the drought has broken - huzzah! 
• Learning to create jewellery from clay.
• An appreciation for some of the more...umm..."acquired" tastes on the planet - century egg anyone?
• My quadriceps (yes, they actually exist and decided to show themselves in late 2010).
• The realisation that baking is doable and, moreover, fun.
• My cheeky tabby realising that she can leap onto the top of the fridge (in a single bound) and take advantage of the heat escaping from the door seal. 
• Watching my Maine Coon chomp his way through chicken necks and other meaty bones much to his delight - he truly has jaws of a champion!
• Shocking myself by the pent up raw emotion that surfaced when my beloved Magpies won the AFL flag.

But most of all....
I am constantly awed, astonished and impressed by the brilliance, compassion and warmth of my wonderful friends and family. My eternal thanks to all of you! 

Moment

So it appears that a time zone issue means that we're skipping the 2nd December reverb10 prompt. To be honest, that's okay by me. The prompt asked bloggers to think about the counter-constructive things we do in relation to our writing. I'm not sure I would have had much to say on that front, aside from a) I wish I had more time to write; and b) study renders the writing process somewhat painful. So enough from me about writing, and onto an exhilarating moment from 2010. 


December 3 – Moment.
Pick one moment during which you felt most alive this year. Describe it in vivid detail (texture, smells, voices, noises, colors). 
(Author: Ali Edwards)

If only I could isolate one moment during which I felt most alive. Instead, I've opted to describe a number of moments that have all involved cycling. Let's backtrack a little...

While my beloved has been cycling to work for quite some time, as of September 2010 I hadn't cycled for around three years.  A fit colleague who lives locally suggested I join her on her daily commute to work. I borrowed my beloved's bike and off we rode...but not without a few teething issues. You see, Mike's bike is equipped with a more contemporary version of these suckers - toe straps (of doom!):

I'm sure such cycling accessories are really useful for the more coordinated people in this world; however, for yours truly, they caused four encounters with unforgiving asphalt within an hour - the result of an inability to release my feet from the straps sufficiently quickly. This would happen at painfully amusing slow speeds, where little damage was done to my physical self, but a tad more to my ego (especially the incident in front of the packed bus stop!). Upon arrival at work, a screwdriver was immediately located and the offending straps removed. The ride home was fantastic and I decided then and there that I was going to purchase my own two-wheeler. *Cue entry: the Silver Sensation*.

I cannot explain how much I enjoy riding my new bike. There's such a feeling of exhilaration in powering up hills and enjoying the rewards of rolling down the other side. I feel greener and virtuous. Fitter and happier.  Bursting with fresh air and sunshine. Indeed, now that I think about it, there is, in fact, one moment, during which I felt most alive atop the Silver Sensation. It was during a charity ride along Melbourne's EastLink Freeway. Cars were blocked from entering the usually busy road and thousands of riders took to the tarmac. The ride itself was excellent and I must confess that I did enjoy powering past less fit participants. However, the ultimate "alive" moment occurred towards the event's conclusion, when we cycled into and out of the freeway tunnels (I knew that little computer on the bike would come in handy at some stage!). At this point, the digital display was showing a thrilling 56.5km/h (over 35 miles per hour for my American readers). The feeling was truly breathtaking. The world was whipping past much too quickly. My surrounds were a grey blur of concrete and shouts of elation bounced from wall to wall. It is at such intense speeds that the fragility of life - that delicate balance of risk and reward - flashes into one's mind. 
Brilliant. Alive.   

Reverb 10

Inspired by the very articulate Shauna, and knowing that it would get my posterior into blogging gear, I've decided to take part in Reverb 10 - an annual online event that involves reflecting on the year gone by and manifesting what's next. Each day I will be provided with a creative prompt, which, with some luck, will inspire some literary gold. 


So here goes:
December 1 – One Word.
Encapsulate the year 2010 in one word. Explain why you're choosing that word. Now, imagine it's one year from today, what would you like the word to be that captures 2011 for you?
(Author: Gwen Bell)


2010: Full
To say this year has been busy may be an understatement. I have changed jobs while studying two nights a week, as well as playing basketball a couple of times a week. I have taken up cycling and now try to ride to and from work once or twice per week. I have taught myself how to make metal clay jewelery and sew (apparently I'm not as much of a "natural" on the sewing front as I had hoped!). I have rekindled some special friendships with old pals from abroad, been a bridesmaid and eaten a few too many dinners out with friends. I have *tried* to keep the house clean and cook as much as possible. I have also tried to keep these guys happy...

...and somewhere amongst it all we also managed to sneak in a short holiday to tropical North Queensland.

Phew! Just writing all that down makes me feel exhausted. I am glad to be taking a break from my MBA studies over most of the Summer and will be sure to enjoy taking it easy for the coming months. While "busy" can be exciting and certainly makes the time pass quickly, 2010 didn't allow me sufficient time to enjoy the all important minutiae of life. That's where (I'm hoping!) 2011 comes in!

2011: Exploration
At least two months of 2011 are to be spent abroad and I truly cannot wait. The flavours, aromas, sites and sounds of the South Pacific, Europe, Middle East and Asia will all be experienced. Flights are booked, a car has been rented and hotel rooms/family and friends have been reserved/begged for some couch space. Moreover, some of the most lovely travel companions will be joining us for a very long overdue catch up. I couldn't be happier! 
When I use the term "exploration", I feel that this represents much more than a mere physical activity. I am a true believer that through travel our eyes are opened and the perception of our environment altered. Put far more articulately by Henry Miller, "one’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things".  
Here's to stopping to smell the flowers and appreciating the small things. May 2011 signal the end of subsisting at a frenetic pace and welcome living in the moment.