scaffolded opportunities

A big, early, glamorous return to the world of blogging was planned for this week. But lo + behold… it’s Friday… + big, early + glamorous have passed me by. (Well, maybe not big. Wot with the holiday bloat + all.) Subsumed by return to work + the reality of annual report writing, aka corporate-masturbation-interpretation. It’s the part of my job I hate the most + each summer it's upon me like the hounds of hell. Dense, ferocious + unavoidable. Forcing me to make sense of scaffolded opportunities + key performance indicators. My beautiful holiday nearly forgotten against this stark backdrop of worst-case reality… but only nearly.

It was a blast! Highlights:

• My gorgeous sis. I say it so often, I know. But seriously, two weeks together + she didn’t kill me or even need a day off. (She did, however, inform me that I’m weird on a regular basis. As if this was previously unknown.)
• The landscapes. Stunning. Finishing the walk to Wine Glass Bay, complete with several thooousand steps. I wish we'd been brave enough to swim even if it was in undies + 12 degree water!
• The fruit. Yummy. Eating a whole punnet of raspberries in one sitting. Omigod, why have I never done that before? (Yes, I am serious, this is a highlight.) The food in general. Delish, local, top quality, salt + spice squid, potato rosti, alcoholic ginger beer... what more could we ask for?
• Hobart. How much do I want to live there? Lots.
• The wildlife, even if 90% of it was squashed on the side of the road. We went on an amazing excursion to visit the fairy penguins in Bicheno. I saw a handful of echidnas and a lyre bird ran in front of us while we were visiting the huon pine forest. Amazing.
• Two new frocks. Woo hoo!

I'll aim to get some photos up on Flickr soon.

I thought I'd get back + capture new year’s resolve. Get that giant energy bubble down + recorded for posterity. Tell y’all about big plans + inventions. But when I reach the page the energy has dissipated somewhat. And why shouldn’t it? The weeks follow each other, #1 follows #52. Suddenly it’s not new anymore. We’re into double digits, soon January will be halfway + then the downhill slope... it will be June, I’ll be 31 which is nowhere near as good as 30, + we’ll hit the chrimbo rush again. Wo… sounding maudlin after a post-work beer… not what I mean to do. But why is the nye (new year energy) so hard to maintain?

I’m an ny junkie. I fall for it ever year. Two weeks of buzz followed by the slow downward spiral. My mate Ethan mirrored my thoughts in conversation the other day, talking about coming home with big plans + then watching the energy slip-slide away. Maybe we make the big plans because we’re momentarily freed from work + anything seems possible. (Or is that just the annual report talking? I don’t usually feel shackled to my job!) Over summer I find time out for thinking + writing + exploring options, + I'm sure that's got something to do with it... so the challenge is to keep finding that time!

And then there's the resolve. Bugger the big stuff... this year I am resolved to:

• Attempt karaoke.
• Avoid overdue DVD fines.
• Dance as frequently as possible.
• Give up boys, unless a stunningly RIGHT opportunity comes along. Definitely give up worrying about boys.
• Reject the plucked chicken look + grow my pit hair. (I don't care if you think I'm a smelly hippie or that I don't "look after myself".)
• Stop being anal about spelling + grammar, except when being paid for it. Avoid finding fault in emails, menus, real estate advertising... the list goes on. Accept that contemporary language use is a bunch of a55 + let it go.
• Teach myself beer appreciation. (Obviously I have the basics down, but I'd like to learn the theory!)
• Remember, above all else, that I have the power to choose my attitude + aproach to life. Remember that approaching things positively means experiencing things positively.

What are your resolutions? Do share.

Here's to a year full of positivity, friendship + fun!