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Excitement, the elixir of life.
Preface
It is currently 4.30 am, I fell asleep at 12 am, and my alarm is set for 6am. I have a huge day at work, and I certainly plan on channeling some Disco Fever later in the evening.
Actual-face
So many things are running through my head, here’s an almost, exhaustive list.
a) Why am I up?
b) Why is the rooster (yes, I have Zoo animals) crowing now? It is certainly not an appropriate time by my watch, to be rudely awakening all persons in a 20 km radius with that harsh tone.
c) I should be tired.
d) I should go back to bed.
e) Or, I should at least be scanning the night antics of my beloved Facebook friends,
f) Maybe, I should just start watching Letterman, or E! News.
g) I should try count sheep.
h) Or pigs, flying pigs, that’ll be fun.
But what is most on my mind, is writing this post. It’s taking dominance over my two-fist-sized brain (that’s a fact you know! Read here) is that I just NEED to write this post.
I need to write about this thing that so obviously is running my whole, well, life right now. And the circumstances couldn’t be more fitting.
It’s about boundless energy, something I 100% believe, is fuelled by excitement.
Most people talk about being “happy”, “optimistic”, “inspired” and “hopeful” as a means of attaining fulfillment, but I really think that at the core of what we want, is to be excited.
Think about the common “Nanna nap”, now I know we are ALL capable and guilty of these bad boys, even the most pro-active and energetic people I know, are prone to take some sneaky 3pm shut-eye. And why are they called “Nanna naps” anyway?
It is my assumption that they are called so, because they are typically endorsed, and enjoyed by our “Nanna” aged fellow citizens. Unfortunately, however, it seems the epidemic is spreading to a more youthful cohort, and infecting the lives of many of us, well before we reach their “Nanna” term.
(Wow, that sounded like I was a medical researcher or something! It 4.30 am, roll with it k.)
But seriously, how and why, on earth do we think it is ok to have a “Nanna nap” at 21? But more importantly, WHY do we even need one? Surely, if you’re waking up at 4.30 am for no apparent reason, you have access to some boundless energy source, one which will give you immunity from 3.30-itis.
And this is precisely my point (I will point out however, that this is an unusually early start, and may or may not catch up with me, I’ll let you know how the next 14 hours go!), most of us must be missing something, something that, without it, we feel obligated and tired enough, to take another precious time slot of a 24 hour day, to spend, idly, on our comfy, comfy double bed, with 1000 thread count sheets and the soft throw rug you got for Christmas. (Too much?)
You know what I think it is? I’ll tell you mate, it’s excitement!
I’ll explain.
Apart from when you were in pre-school and your teacher made you have an afternoon nap, when at all in your adolescent years did you need a “Nanna nap”?
Never!
I for one, was way too busy getting blisters from the monkey bars, crashing into trees on my motorbike, pretending I was Baby Spice, rewinding the Lion King on VHS, and tormenting my little sister. There was no time to have a nap! Especially between 3.30pm and 5pm, these were prime times on ABC! Can I get an amen for Hey Arnold, Arthur and Daria!
You see, I, and you (I assume) were way too excited by EVERYTHING to be bored, or tired enough to take a nap.
But somehow, amongst weekly homework, essay due dates, the axing of essential children shows on ABC, and “growing up”, we started getting less excited: started finding faults in the things that used to make us so easily entertained.
I’m not saying you take up your old monkey-bar prowess, or re-assume your rightful role as one of the Spice Girls (but hey, if your interested, I do a mean Baby Spice, and am open to girl band ideas!). I’m just encouraging you to find a way to GET EXCITED!
It comes back to that famed adage, “Do what you love, and do it often”, because darling, my dear, that is the ONLY way you are going to get excited!
If I told you:
You would 100% be excited (right?). If you were halfway through your “Nanna nap” you would awaken fully refreshed and keen for all of the above (especially the Harry Styles one;), you minx!).
In effect, you would be energized, boundlessly energized.
Kapish?
So basically the moral of the story is, GET EXCITED! However, whenever, why-ever you can. Find fun things to do, go out, drive there, pack a bag, make a playlist, find a friend. Do whatever you need to, to
Stay stoked.
The end.
Thursdays are my current “trav” day, and by “trav”, I am acutely referring to travel. I just thought I’d cut the word short, because I am not travelling overseas, interstate or even outside my city: I am simply travelling in my land vessel (car) to a new ‘burb.
The “Hood” in question: Preston, a.k.a the resident location of my latest efforts at being a cool, hipster intern.
So basically, the Preston/Northcote/Thornbury areas are quite foreign to this south-eastern gal, and for anyone completely lost, I am talking about the regions of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, Southern Hemisphere, World, Earth, 3rd Planet from the Sun, Universe.
And yeah, in the realm of travelling, a 50km radius is hardly any cause for commotion, homesickness or a packed lunch, but I am a travelling fanatic, so any excuse to wear my Dora the Explorer mentality is met with obscene amounts of enthusiasm.
Hence, here is my first attempt at travel writing, ironically, on an area somewhat close to my hometown.
Let me give you a prologue: I HATE traffic.
Traffic lights, pedestrian crossings, slow drivers, peak hour, unnecessary road works, tractors unfit to accelerate above 15k/h (I Mean seriously, why don’t farmers just run more, it would be THAT much faster – and yes, I am a seasoned farm girl and tractors, as well as horses are not unusual on my local roads), school zones and – did I already say – peak hour traffic?
So you get the gist, I HATE TRAFFIC. In order to avoid the experience of annoyingly stalled vehicles, I leave my house 2 hours before humanly appropriate, in order to arrive at my location prior to the emergence of the said roadblocks.
This early bird fixture leaves me with ample free time before my 9am start. Hence, the opportunity to explore unknown lands, and in this case, neighbor-hoods.
In these wee hours of the morning, there is so much room for activities and I am glad to report that the strolls, chirpy baristas, haunted churches and Colombian Single-origin espressos have been quite delightful, and if you happen to find yourself in a similar predicament, here are my top picks:
1. Take a stroll through the Yarra Flats Park: The Main Yarra Trail goes through some pretty neat areas, just be careful for those helmet –wearing bandits on two-wheels, you may just get run-over.
Main Yarra Trail, Yarra Flats Park, Melbourne.
Main Yarra Trail, Yarra Flats Park, Melbourne.
Memorial, Yarra Flats Park, Melbourne.
St. John’s Anglican Church, Melbourne.
St. John’s Anglican Church, Melbourne.
2. Little Henri: Super talkative baristas are always a plus, and this place has really nice toilets, and a courtyard. Actually, make that an AWESOME courtyard. You’ll love life until you realize you can pay by cash only, and your phone fails to find the non-existent Wi-Fi (how am I going to check-in now?). C’mon Henri, c’mon.
Little Henri, Melbourne.
Little Henri, Melbourne.
Image by @kleeborg via Instagram.
3. Lowlands: legit a hop-skip-and-jump across from Little Henri lays a place where Santa comes early, in the form of: EFTPOS, Wi-Fi, Clap your hands say Yeah! Gleaming from the speakers, incredible coffee, even better iced teas, delicious bagels (so I’ve heard), nicer baristas, and wait for it: THE BEST GODDAMN COURTYARD I HAVE EVER ENCOUNTERED IN MY LIFE!Huge call, but I stand by it 100%.
Picture this: you died in a sea of marshmallows, which became clouds, and propelled you to the golden gates of heaven itself. That, my friends, is what you experience when you head to Lowlands is. It would be rude, NOT to go there!
Lowlands, Melbourne.
House Blend Magic. Lowlands, Melbourne.
Iced Tea. Lowlands, Melbourne.
So there are my Thornbury Morning Picks. These will be totally relevant if like me, you are interning on High Street, hate traffic, like long walks on the beach, enjoy fondue by the fire and have time to kill in Melbourne’s North.
Keep Experimenting! xo
Happy Valentines Day!
Today is all about the love: spreading the love, feeling the love, giving the love, taking the love, eating the love (hey 3 course meal with heart shaped chocolates at the end), smelling the love (roses are red), seeing the love (so many hands to hold), and hearing the love (cue Dean martin, “That’s Amore”).
It’s at this particular time of year, that I start thinking about relationships, and not just the romantic type, but every kind that you have in your life. And it’s on this exact February day that my sisters and I forget to fight about who stole who’s mascara, that my friends and I swear that despite any boys, we will always be each others’ real soul mates, and that I am just strangely over generous and loving to really anyone I come into contact with.
It’s like someone has slipped love juice into my morning tea, and I am now magically in love with the entire world!
(Please note, that to further evidence this reality, I jet created a new Pinterest Board in honour of my love for words! If your interested, and also share this butterfly feeling for strings of consonants, check it out here. Mr. Bowman, I’m talking to you!)
But seriously, I am telling you, this Valentines thing really gets to me!
And what I begin to understand as I try to love everyone just a little more today, I realise that I am really just wanting to make them happy. For Mum, I will empty the dishwasher and make her a coffee before she comes down stairs after her shower; for my youngest sister, I will play a game of tennis with her when she gets back from school and for my friends, well,I will send them horribly unattractive snap chats of myself (You like that right? Girls? Awks.)
It totally comes back to this quote I read a while back – and I cannot find it on Pinterest, Google, Tumblr or Instagram, so maybe I made it up.
It went like this: “Relationships are not about you, they are about making the other person happier, because of you”.
I was/am/forever will be in love with this, and trumpet it’s truth: relationships with your family, friends, boyfriend, girlfriend, lover, partner, lab partner, boss, teacher, dog, goldfish and teddy bear, ARE NEVER ABOUT YOU.
Like ever.
Ever ever.
It’s about them. About them being happier BECAUSE of YOU.
And because YOU make THEM HAPPY, they will LOVE you more anyway. Its a win-win situation!
So go love and make everyone you love happier. Go on, get!
Probs not, I mean with all the good series out at the moment, and the accessibility provided by Foxtel On Demand, not to mention the gossip sessions with pals and necessary winging over assignments and heat, I totally get that you more than likely don’t have the diary space to pencil in ‘happiness’.
Lol.
I don’t care if you have to get up before your first three alarms, or have to miss the entrée. You best make time for this essential activity. A smile a day. Two, three, four, a hundred. As many as you can in fact, winner is the best.
Today I will be gathering a camaraderie of troops to commence 100 days of happiness.
Be an experimenter, a YES man! 100% money back guarantee!
The old you would do it, join me in the #100happydays challenge here.
Time, it’s the only thing that everyone has equal amounts of. Interesting thought hey!
Jay-Z can’t buy time at the Rolex flagship store, and Macklemore sure can’t get it for 99 cents at the thrift shop. Beiber can’t hustle more with his angelic voice (joking) and I certainly cant find it at the St. Kilda Night Market.
Everyone gets the same amount. But how come some people get so much done in one day?
Well I recently met my Fairy Godmother in a dream, she said bibbity-boppity-boo and now I magically have so much more time!
She gave me a magical tool to use, it’s called a to-do list. And guess what, she said you can use it too, if you want.
Honestly, get yourself some A4 Reflex paper (preferably coloured), go all out with a scented gel pen (preferably glittered), and start jotting down an all-inclusive to-do list!
There is possibly nothing better than crossing a huge-ass line through a to-do list item, so let that motivation drive you.
And that’s my lesson on “How to get shit done 2.0” by Sheona Bello.
“Thank-you a thousand times.”
Image by Sycamore Street Press.
Man I wish I was French, I think I would just talk to myself so I could hear these beautifully sexy and divine words.
But there’s something even more important about this delicious set of syllables, and I would like to propose it to you as a dare, a “double-dog-dare” if you like!
Here its, *drumroll please* I hereby, dare you to say thank-you a thousand times.
Reckon you could do it in a day, a week, a month, a year, even a lifetime?
More importantly, could you actually find a thousand things to say thank-you for? I started a little list myself and spotted at least 20 before I stepped out of my bedroom (bed, pillow, T.V, Barbie dream house, the list goes on).
It’s funny, when you’re faced with the said challenge, you actually do find SO many things to say thank-you for (can I get an amen for sliced bread??).
So go on sparky, say thanks for this, for that, for anything really!
And tell me, what did you find to be thankful for first?