Saturday, January 30, 2010

The Long Weekend

This week is finally over and I spent the day relaxing. Work was only a half drag this week, which is a complete turn around to the last couple of weeks. I got myself going and got my work done, it actually felt good to know when I go into work next week I won’t be swamped with work.

This weekend is Auckland Anniversary weekend, so all us Aucklanders get Monday off work, which for most only means a four day work week. But for me it will only we a two day work week. My good friend is getting married next Friday, I thought I had only applied for the Friday off work but apparently I applied for the Thursday and Friday. So I will be having two long weekends in a row, very exciting.

Following next weekend, I will be going to my cousins Hens Night on Saturday 13 February and then her wedding the following Saturday, so I have a slight feeling my poor blog might be neglected for a few weeks.

Below is a picture from last Saturday when I went to my friend, who is getting married next Friday, Hens night, sadly she is not in this particular photo. It was plenty of fun, we went on a vineyard tour, played some games and then went to town.

Lorrens Hens NightJaime, Lisa and Me

Sunday, January 24, 2010

I have done some, what have you done?

So while wandering through some blogs this evening I came across the below list and thought a nice junk post is just what my wall needs. I always find these sorts of things interesting as it is a fast and easy way to learn some interesting and sometime basic, or not, things.

Bold the items you have done:

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a Praying Mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Been to the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa at the Louvre
20. Slept on a train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Tied a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a Bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

100. Visited Italy

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Yet Another Decade

I have neglected this blog for the last couple of weeks and I apologize. However, I thought seen as it is the start of a new decade I had better show my blog some love.

I has been an interesting last ten years and it really did finish with a bang.

Three days before Christmas my dad passed away very suddenly. It was hard but I am sure we will get through it. I will miss him dearly, forever.

I have thought about my goals for this year, but thought I had best reflect on my goals from last year before sharing this years.

2009 Goals:

  • Finish Personal Progress
    • I started working on finishing my personal progress but never got it finished. I have decided not to include this in my 2010 goals but will continue to use the values I have learnt in my day to day life
  • Read more books
    • I read two books last year. I started a few more but never finished them, they did not keep my attention. Towards the end of 2009 I started reading ‘The Lovely Bones’ so I will finish reading that this New Year
  • Finish NCEA paper
    • I never completed this and will not be completing it
  • Look into University Courses*
    • At the beginning of the year I looked into Computer courses at the local University. Toward the end of the year I was looking into Early Childhood Education courses through correspondence. I will see what opportunities I get offered through my job this year and then see what I decide
  • Buy a Laptop
    • I brought a laptop about a month after deciding to have it part of my 2009 goals
  • Finish one book
    • I finished my first book of 2009 in April
  • Clean out room – Organize
    • I kept my room relatively clean and organized throughout the year
  • Lose 5kgs / exercise more
    • This goal was completed to the T. I lost 5kgs last year through a process of eating better and exercising more. In the last 4 months of the year I was walking 2 to 3 nights a week with my good friend
  • Learn another Language*
    • I never looked into this. I think I may keep it in the pipeline for later on
  • Save $200 a week of my pay*
    • I saved nearly every week and purchased items like my car and laptop with the money

So that was what I did and did not accomplish out of my 2009 goals. However, 2010 is a New Year, and new decade and a new set of goals.

Goals for 2010

  • Read 10 books
  • Visit Dad at least once a month
  • Get down to goal weight
  • Go back to the US or plan for next year
  • Exercise at least twice a week
  • Save $200 a week
  • Buy world map to plan 2013 O.E.
  • Pay off furniture and TV
  • Buy bookcase
  • Get Ring!

    So that is what I plan to achieve in the coming months. I’ll keep you up to date on how it goes.

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