Kitchen Rennovations
The beavers have been beavering away all week, and now there are so many cupboards in the kitchen, we don't know what to do with them all!
There is a wait now, of a couple of weeks, for the stone benches to be meausred, cut and installed. It's a bit like camping around here with the electic jug and toaster sitting on the hearth, and plugged in to the socket close by. We are simple peoples, though, and all is good until the kitchen is fully functional.
The bathroom's being done too - didn't get any 'before' photos though (doh) but Willo's doing a fantastic job, and I'll share the photos when that's done.
Day-job
I've changed jobs. It wasn't my idea, but I'm glad it happened. I miss seeing some of my colleagues every day, but have learned the lesson that the bullet you can't dodge, just might be the one that saves your life.
Reassessing Priorities
Because of the unexpected change to how I spend my days, some of my plans have needed to be put on hold. NaNoWriMo for instance, has had to be deferred. I can't see myself finding the brain space for it this year on a deliberate level, as opposed from signing up and procrastinating the entire month away as I usually do!
I have a few online courses I'm doing, including the 26 Things meme which have been put on hold for a couple of months, along with the screen printing I mentioned in the last update. The logistics and creative work just has no room in my brain while I'm ramping up my new job, tasks and skills.
While I'm a little disappointed in a few things, I'm being realistic about what I can do, and trying to go easy on myself when setting personal expectations: even though I need to be, and have been, reminded that they still remain higher than they need to be.
Fixing some of the things that are wrong around here will still be done, but have been pushed back a few weeks to compensate for the lack of brain space.
Webstock 2012
Every now and then, I get this bubble of excitement. It rumbles up and pops out with the sparkling realisation that I'm going to Webstock again next year.
Webstock is a - I hesitate to call it a conference - gathering of smart people for smart people, and made with love. It's held in Wellington in February each year. In the few days before the event, there are a number of workshops available and I've signed up for three: CSS: Knowledgable TO Ninja, with Estelle Weyl; Content Stategy in (your) Real World with Erin Kissane; and Presenting Naked (with or without visuals) with Garr Reynolds.
One might suggest that I'm peaking too early, but I can't help it. I know how great this event is. How inspiring, informative, intelligent. It is such a great week for me - the last two years I have come away so energised and affirmed that I am totally on the right track in my life. This Webstock will be even better because it will coincide with another big transition for me - but more on that closer to the date.
Bendigo Swap Meet
Uncharacteristically awake, I answered my phone to Willo at 8:30am Saturday morning. He'd got up early and made the trip to the Bendigo Swap Meet to man the Chopped stall with Ryan.
"How do you fancy a trip to Bendigo today?" he asked.
Bendigo's about a 45 minute Mini drive away. It was a beautiful day, and I had been considering going to see what it was all about, but after a full on four days at my new job, I felt like I just wanted to stay home and zone out.
"Nah." I said, "I'm good."
"No," Willo said, "you do."
"I do?"
"Yeh, you really do." he pushed.
"What makes you think that?" I asked, still sure I wasn't going anywhere.
"Because I left the fliers on the kitchen table and I need you to bring them with you!"
Can't argue with a good reason to go to the Bendigo Swap Meet I decided. So I washed, and brushed, and dressed and jumped into the Mini for the drive. The Swap Meet was mentioned continously on the radio all the way there. I had no idea it was such a big deal - 20,000 people were expected through the gates, they said - and when I got there to find a car park, I was pretty sure all 20,000 had arrived at the same time!
It was an amazing day. As usual, Willo knows what it is I need. After dropping the fliers off to the boys at their stall, I dawdled around the huge showgrounds, looking at all the stalls and their wares. It was crazy big!
Of course I wasn't dressed for the 28 degrees Celcius, so needed to buy a hat, and utilised some of the complimentary sun screen to stop from turning into crispy bacon as the day heated up.
The Swap Meet used to be all about car and machinery parts, now it seems there is enough diversity for everyone. It's sort of like a huge communal garage sale. Lots of stalls selling one man's junk to another man's treasure. I came away with a couple of china saucers that looked very 1930ish and will make lovely small portion dessert dishes. I also picked up a lovely round cut crystal glass box which will be just as lovely on my dressing table as it would be on the dining table for relish.
Besides all that, I got lots of fresh air and sunshine, which was perfect.
