Brain still a little foggy and rather tired. Don assures me that if I’m on his trajectory I may start feeling almost human next week.
On with April – where there was not a huge amount of progress against these items, but which does not prevent from me writing many, many words!
♥
01. Use the things!
✅ continuing to find things to use!
+ I’m trying to broaden the range of craft projects I have on the go, rather than devoting myself exclusively to one thing. So I dragged out the silk-screen, cut a stencil and printed a shirt on one of Joe/Frank’s cast-off tees. It was a fairly basic print, but I’m quite happy with it – improvements noted for next time.
+ I took three items to the framer that had been languishing for way too long in the back of the cupboard! It’s a hideously expensive undertaking and likely 6 week turn around, but will be excellent to have them on the walls. I plan to turn out more cupboards.
Made note of Things to use in May that I’ve been resisting:
+ 17 audible credits which is giving me a little anxiety. There is way too much choice and internalised pressure not to waste credits on something not super-fabulous. I realise how silly this is.
+ 10 pack of pottery sessions which I’ve yet to use – and feel guilty for not doing so.
+ This book (Jessica Stanley: A Great Hope) has sitting on my shelf for a while. It appears to be everything I love to read, so unsure why I am resisting picking it up.
Will report back on these in the May review.
02. Put my feet in the sea
✅ YES! When I was finally released from isolation after two very long weeks, we drove to the other side of the harbour to visit Freshwater beach for the first time.
Having grown up in an area with utterly spectacularly beautiful beaches (literally the only positive of that area), I find Sydney beaches fairly underwhelming – but it was really lovely to have a short walk on a short beach, clamber over the rocks and watch the waves.
Gorgeous! Need more sea!
03. Buy more indoor plants
✅ Three ikea succulents were acquired to fill concrete pots I made for Bessie.
Very pleasing, but I’d best hand them off soon. I do not have much success with succulents!
04. 30 days of Yoga With Adrienne in January
✅ Completed!
Told myself I would get back into it in April.
Did not get back into it in April.
05. Achieve Big Financial Goal
September!
06. Use my dremel.
Not yet!
07. Choose the loving action.
Going gentle on self for a quiet April. This allowed for a lot of subconscious reflection and I felt a real shift in how I view myself. I can’t entirely articulate this well just yet – but I’m reflecting on it a bit.
08. Try/learn one new skill each month
I wouldn’t say I learned any new skill in April, but I have signed up for a free month of skillshare (heavily influenced by their sponsorship of some favourite youtubers).
I am keen to improve my illustration skills. I often find myself assuming that things I was reasonably skilled at 40 years ago will be waiting in some kind stasis of for me to pick them up where I left off. Ditto; fitness. Obviously this is not the case – revive those skills!
09. More music through speakers in ThePalace(OLove) on working days.
✅ The beauty of the monthly review is that on the afternoon of the last work day in April, when I remember this item exists, I can still bang out some tunes.
The last week of April was rough and full of annoying colleagues, by Friday afternoon I’d had enough and whipped up some Anzac biscuits and listened to 3 elderly CDs. I find having music filling the room is an infinitely more pleasing experience than having music plugged directly into my brain.
10. Show support financially to creators I believe in
✅ some absolute treasures this month:
+ Patreon: DAS Bookbinding – his youtube channel is a veritable treasure of bookbinding goodness
+ Patreon: Frannerd – totally adorable Chilean illustrator living in NY
+ Hania Rani: Kyiv – utterly beautiful music as ever – proceeds to Ukraine
11. Take myself on an adventure in the goget (car share).
Not yet!
Although now that Don is working more from the office, I remember why I signed up last year!
12. Attend another sound bath
✅ Completed March!
I’m very much excited for the June one. It will be freezing and cosy.
Honestly, I know this is totally DFH**, but you should totally try it.
13. Take a photo of the sky every day.
✅ Not a terribly successful month for sky photos = 18/30
Remembering to do this every day is quite a stretch – which I think says something, but I don’t know quite what.
It is very satisfying and soothing to look back on the photos!
03 April: 5:55pm
14. Stay in the country for a weekend
Not yet! This is unlikely to happen in May as we are still climbing out of the covid hole and are often easily fatigued, plus Don is off to Amsterdam mid-month – not a lot of space for a country break!
15. Update supportive footwear.
✅ Completed January!
Would benefit from another pair of comfy walking sandals.
16. Have a serious crack at meditation.
Not yet! I do think I would benefit from meditation. But I’ve concluded that mindfulness meditation is possibly not for me.
Need more rain and whales and crackling fires and crystal bowls and dark cosy spaces!
17. Go for a morning swim in the local pool
✅ Completed February!
18. Have a Reiki session.
Not yet! Very tempted to organise something for May.
19. Disrupt the daily routine at least once a week.
COVID and recovery definitely disrupted the routine!
20. Cultivate a healthier relationship with work
✅ Taking leave between Easter and Anzac Day meant a much healthier relationship with work! If only I could make that relationship more permanent.
21. Get a haircut/trim
✅ Completed February.
Possibly need another trim as the very blunt ends make it a bit of a challenge to tie up. May investigate layers.
22. Experiment! Tiny experiments with all sorts of things!
+ a few craft projects which I’ll post about separately.
+ bought an atlas (terrible) from the charity shop, and then a cheap globe (terrible and returned) in an attempt to improve my country recognition so that I can be somewhat competitive when playing worldle with the fam. I am comically appalling at country shapes and locations. A large wall map may be in order.
♥
** Dirty Hippy