Friday, July 5, 2013

5th Day and Staying Strong

I have reached day 5! One sixth of the way there! Although it's only been 5 days I have already started to consider purchases in a whole different way. Thinking about what I need, rather than what I think I need... Aka WANT. I have been thinking differently about where I draw my joy from and am finding there is a lot more satisfaction in rest and relaxation, rather than rushing around shopping. 

I will be honest, I am finding it difficult not buying coffee and little treats from a cafe. I am finding take-away an almost constant temptation. However we have done five days with no take-away and no shopping! 


Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Day 3 of Shopping-Free July

Ok. I've gone 2.5 days without shopping or buying any form of takeaway (except for one takeaway coffee this morning after a very strenuous run with my running group).

I am feeling good. I feel as though this is taking me on a bit of a journey I wasn't expecting. I've started to question what I value and the way my mind works. Since I am not thinking about what I'm going to buy, I have time to reflect on different things.

Yesterday, on this thought journey... I had a small epiphany. I never believe in myself and my ability to achieve. I have such high expectations of myself and I never take the time to consider what achievements I have actually made. I think I have these mind blocks which cause me to never reach my full potential. I am always thinking I will fail, before I even try my best. I started running just under 12 months ago. When I first started I couldn't even run for 2 minutes without almost collapsing. Now, I am able to run for kilometers without stopping and am about to complete my first half marathon on Sunday. I never look back and see the journey I've taken with such amazing achievements. Instead I set these really high bars that I almost never achieve. Setting myself up for failure.

I'm not entirely sure where that comes from. However 6 years ago, when I first started University, I was told by the flute lecturer  that I was a failure at piano playing and that she could not see why they would have let someone in to the university with such a low skill set. In fact she told me that I should quit. Which I did. Ever since I thought I was over that moment in time. I thought I'd given up and I was ok with it. But I think that that failure of a dream that I had had since I could remember has deeply scarred me. Which I think is why I find it so difficult to complete tasks and to put my heart into anything.

This whole thought process started because I am terrified about this run on Sunday and I feel as though I will be told again that I am a failure and I won't be able to reach the finishing line. But actually, although it will hurt horribly, I think I can do it. I don't want to set any expectations on myself for time, just that I finish the race smiling and that I have fun doing it.

So... spending no money has freed up my mind and keeps money in the bank. Why spend money at all?


Tuesday, July 2, 2013

The Shoemaker's Wife

Every so often you come across a book that makes you weep because you feel although you know the characters as though they are your friends. This book, The Shoemaker's Wife by Adriana Trigiani Is one of those books.

It is about a couple, Enza and Ciro, originally from the alps of Italy. It is set before World War 1 when the two meet in their home town before they both end up in the United States for different reasons. The story follows their lives  and their love for each other, their friends, families and their Italy.

This book is beautifully written with so much description, you feel as though you are living with the characters. There are twists, highs and extreme lows. This story reminds you to never take life for granted and to always be grateful for what you have. It reminds you to work hard and always set goals for yourself, finding those things that you are good at and working on them. It reminds you to appreciate your friends and family and to love each day.

This book has really hit a point with me to enjoy each moment with my husband, to appreciate the small things and to kiss all the time.

I warn you this book is not for the soft-hearted! But nevertheless it is a fabulous read.

Monday, July 1, 2013

Take-Away and Shopping-Free July

Well, this MDLOL has spent far too much money lately! Part of being a Lady of Leisure is enjoying the finer things of life, however there is a point in which there is excessive enjoyment. I feel that lately I have begun to take for granted the money that we earn and simply spend it on whatever I feel like. Rather than saving for something I really love. We have also been eating out a lot and although it's lovely and easy to do so, I wanted to try and prepare all meals at home for a month and see if it is challenging or not.

I also feel that of late I have been drawing far too much fulfillment from material possessions, which can be dangerous because that is not what they are designed to do. I am finding that I seek shopping when feeling bored or down, because it is something to do, there are lots of pretty things to surround you and people that like you (and your money) and you end up coming home with something new! All good things, right? But then after a short time, I feel just as I did before going shopping. The novelty wears off and I'm back to wanting something else.

So, for the whole month of July I will not be purchasing new clothes, books or coffees (except after my running sessions on Thursdays). I will not be asking someone else to do our cooking and pay them for the privilege. I won't be going to the movies or renting films on Apple TV. I will not be buying any Lu Lu Lemon!!!

Today is the first day of this experiment (Yesterday should have been... but I got my dates confused.. What?? I'm on holidays!) I feel excited to do something out of the ordinary. However I also feel a little tight in the chest thinking about not going shopping or buying a coffee. Almost like a withdrawal. Could I have been addicted to shopping? And the thrill of spending? I have already started thinking about the things I could buy at the end of the month, with all the money I save. Really, quite sad.

If I do decide to break this promise to myself, I have given my husband a set of my favourite books that I have said he can take to St. Vincents. This would literally break my heart!

A whole month without spending...
Wish me luck!

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

3,2,1... Tools Down... Quilt Completed!

Over the last two years, I have been working on a king size quilt for our bed. It was a huge task! One of my first blogs was of a jelly roll that I purchased. That was the start of this quilt.

The pattern comes from a Jelly Roll Quilting book. It was not a difficult quilt to make but there were moments that were tricky. This was due to its enormous size! There were 5 of us to join the pieces together and make sure it was all glued well (2 of these people were 6ft 11 and were very useful because of their long arms). Then I had to machine quilt the layers, which I chose to do by sewing 'in the ditch'. Although there were a couple of tricky moments, I am very pleased with the finished quilt and it makes me actually want to make the bed each morning!







Friday, June 14, 2013

Two AMAZING books.

In the last couple of months I had been finding it hard to find a book that I really enjoyed and wanted to put my nose into before falling asleep. After doing a little bit of research, I found these two amazing books.

I first read the Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion. He is a first time Australian author, although he has made a number of short films. The Rosie Project was originally a Screenplay and it won  the Australian Writers Guild / Inscription Award for Best Romantic Comedy Script in 2010. While he was waiting for The Rosie Project to be produced, he turned it into a novel which in June 2012 won the Victorian Premier’s award for an unpublished fiction manuscript.

The book is about a character, Don Tillman, who is trying to find his wife. Don is a genetics Professor and is extremely strict and structured in many parts of his life. To be thorough and not waste time with women that would not suit him, he designed a 16-page questionnaire to find this incredibly perfect woman. On the road to finding this wife he becomes entangled with  an incompatible woman, Rosie, who uses Don to help her find her father.

It is a great read. Very witty, hilarious and full of great moments! 




 The second book I found to read was The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce. This book was beautiful in so many ways.

Harold Fry is a retired man who receives a letter from a sick friend, dying of cancer. When going to send his reply to that letter he decides to keep walking so that she may live. He took only his boat shoes and wallet with him.

This story is challenged me to think of life in a different way and how important friends, family and marriage is.  I am finding it so difficult to describe because of just how powerful the messages are in the book.

Friday, May 31, 2013

Review of two quirky films

It has been a long time since I last posted. But I want to get back into blogging because it is a great tool to record things.

I won't fill in the details from the last 18 months, today. But I will review two movies that I saw today.

I was home sick today with a terribly sore throat and I have lost my voice. I took this as a perfect opportunity to catch up on some movies that I haven't seen. Recently, I have discovered that I quite like quirky films. The two movies I watched today were 'Never Let me Go' and 'Half Nelson'. These films were completely different.

Never Let Me Go was all about three children who were clones, created for the National Donor Programme. They were not meant to fall in love, they were only to live until they were called to donate their vital organs. From the preview I had watched, I was not expecting that storyline. However I still enjoyed it. It left me feeling a little sad, but because of the nature of the film the ending was not surprising. This movie is not for people who only like movies with a happy ending. I would recommend watching only if you like different movies which include great acting. 




The Second Film I watched today was Half Nelson. It looked as though it would be a film to inspire teachers. Well, it wasn't that. It was again another film with incredible acting, particularly from Ryan Gosling. However it was another movie that did not end with a fabulous ending. There was a resolution, but I needed to infer (educational jargon) to understand the ending and what would happen to the characters after the credits started to roll. The whole film was about a teacher who had amazing potential to be incredible, and whilst he was amazing, he allowed his life to be infultrated by a drug addiction. He did say during the movie that even if in his teaching career he only makes a difference in one life, than it's all worth it. Which he does with a 13-year old student. I did enjoy this film and could see the messages they were trying to send out. Again, I would only recommend this film if you don't mind a story without a happy ending.