The eleventh film on the list was Blowup.
In 10 words or less: Loved. Definitely didn’t end up where I expected!
Only 5 films to go! I may actually manage to complete this challenge yet!
For my birthday last year Bessie surprised me with a giant colouring scroll of Sydney for the family craft activity challenge.
Tonight everyone was in the house and available, so we finally busted it out!
Everyone was a bit fractious, and this proved quite soothing – also very good for idle family chattering / bonding.
Another 600 or so nights and we should have it completed!
Yesterday was my first Ducks game of the year – second elimination final, playing Essendon. For the first time in over 10 years I attended no games in the regular season – games were generally on pretty late and I really wasn’t feeling it. Don and Bessie have been going regularly, Joan occasionally, Joe/Frank rarely as he usually works at the games.
I took my distance glasses along (first time ever) and busted them out in the second half – the clarity was incredible. My prescription is about the smallest you can get, but the difference is amazing.
I took the DSLR and took A LOT of photos. But really, the only way I am going to get better at taking photos is to regularly use the camera. I only realised there was a sports mode about half way through the game, it definitely made a difference to the Action shots.
Taking the camera meant I didn’t touch my phone at all – this is definitely a good thing. I’m making an effort to attend more to what is going on around me, so far successful (weaning myself off instagram helped with this tremendously).
running out
national anthem
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that smoke is still a mysterious mystery
umpires – booooooooo
fuzzy don
cyggy
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before the discovery of sports mode!
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half time: Aus-kickers
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after i discovered sports mode
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victorious victory
Testing some embroidery ideas.
it’s really not as messy as it appears**
I have a whole arsenal of fancy stitches in my … arsenal? But I’m kind of feeling the simplicity.
xxx
** <edited to add> the photo posted yesterday straight from the phone was both Giant and Hideously Messy – this one is only marginally better.
Because I am the Best Wife Ever I told Don to take the car to work (so he could duck out early to play golf) and I would ride my bike to my afternoon dental appointment.
It’s quite a different dynamic outside regular commute times! You’d think it would be the worse in morning and afternoon peak hours, but really mid-afternoon seems terrible (based on my sample of one day) – so many inattentive and careless drivers!
My dental appointment went okay, but I now have root planing in my very near future – which I suspect will be as unpleasant as it sounds. My very regular flossing is really good – except for right at the back in the very hard to get to bits – where it is not good at all. I’ve apparently got some gum swelling and such. Rats!
Then after diving with death I arrived home to discover a poor dead fish. Double Rats!
The day was otherwise uneventful, restful and mildly productive. Perhaps I should work from home next Thursday, prior to the afternoon dental appointment to ensure further restful productivity.
I’m working from home tomorrow which I’m really rather looking forward to.
It will be so very nice to have some quiet time to do a bunch of admin tasks and to prepare myself for the onslaught of Bobs when he returns next week.
Once I became accustomed to his absence, I’ve come to appreciate the low-adrenaline environment just a bit. Okay, a lot. I’ve even been leaving in the daylight – it’s been delightful.
Stockholm Syndrome?
I do very much enjoy working with him but he is quite insane and perhaps everything needn’t be so High Energy and Extreme All The Time.
Slowly slowly with this one. I can always find a reason not to sit still and pay attention to something for a couple of hours.
Film 10 was the Princess Bride (which replaced the Ice Storm on the list after I’d realised I’d seen it – or at least I think so).
In 10 words or less: Usually adore cult films – didn’t quite live up to hype.
Over the weekend, we made several additions to the ThePalace(OfLove) family.
Worms to revitalise the worm farm:
clearly some they might be giants fans at the worm supplier
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Fishies:
I definitely need to improve my aquarium photography skillz. And we need to arrive at some names that are not “fishy” and “snaily”.
Last night I dreamt that I was plotting to fake my own death so I would not have to go to work.
The dream involved moderately exotic locations and drama and intrigue, but I can’t exactly remember the method by which I’d meet my faked demise.
Not exactly a master of subtly, I was pretty clearly telegraphing that something was amiss by ramping up a give no fucks attitude across the workplace – particularly in meetings, one of which I chair and hadn’t prepared a pack and was really lax about the agenda and actions.
In the end I decided not to go through with the faked death because I’d miss Don too much.
Then I was left with the consequences of my bad meeting behaviour and trapped at SML for the rest of my days.
What’s all that about?
I think I’m always going to regret not capturing my impressions when reading books, or at least shortly after I’ve completed them. Perhaps I can make this an Action for next year.
Most of my recent reading has been confined to 30 minutes before bed and has veered toward the self-improvement and manageressing. Suspect it is time for more fiction.
E.R. Punshon: Music tells all – a Bobby Owen mystery
Golden Age. I enjoyed the writing (that sort of light-hearted, witty, flippancy), but the plot was completely and utterly preposterous. No, really – not even preposterous in a good way.
There are 35 books in this series, I won’t be attempting another!
Laura Vanderkam: 168 Hours – You Have More Time Than You Think
I really can’t stay away from the self-help genre. Thesis of this one is what it says on the tin – there are 168 hours in the week and you’re probably using most of them for non-value add activities. Work out what you want and JFDI (Just Do It), outsource stuff you don’t enjoy – and you probably don’t exercise enough. Could veer a bit toward the preachy.
I’m sure there was more which I’ve subsequently forgotten and should have noted at the time.
I’ll likely return for a second read.
Brigid Delaney: Wellmania – Misadventures in the Search for Wellness
This didn’t really do it for me. Wasn’t terrible, but verged toward humble-bragging on occasion (behold the fab trips and perks I’ve been forced to take in the pursuit of journalism.). Slightly all over the place and would have benefited from much tighter editing. I’m still not entirely sure exactly what she was trying to say.
Peter Bregman: 18 Minutes – Find Your Focus, Master Distraction and Get the Right Things Done
This was much more business focussed – classic management self-improvement really. You know the type – key take-outs in boxes, pithy anecdotes, fairly short, quick read. I didn’t hate it.
This bit really spoke to me:
I surveyed the top 400 leaders in a 120,000-person company and found that close to 95% of them – that’s 380 out of 400 – pointed to three things that wasted their time the most: unnecessary meetings, unimportant emails, and protracted PowerPoints.
Sing it! I sent this quote to my team and then we had Words. Particularly I’m using this to hammer my Highly Paid Underperformer – she is guilty of All The Things. The Juniors are too, but they have an excuse (being relatively inexperienced and not overpaid).
Peter Bregman: Four Seconds – All the Time You Need to Replace Counter-Productive Habits with Ones That Really Work
Very similar to 18 minutes (short, sharp read), so didn’t resonate so much, I adored this quote:
Over time, I identified a single factor that makes the biggest difference between a great meeting and a poor one: PowerPoint. The best meetings don’t go near it
Can you tell I’m invited to too many meetings? That I’m developing a complex about the misuse of power-point? The ToddlerConsultants recently delivered a 53 page deck as part of an engagement – with no executive summary. You don’t even want to know how much we paid for that.
I’ve largely forgotten the rest of the book.
Caroline Webb: How to Have A Good Day – A Revolutionary Handbook for Work and Life
I liked this quite a bit. But then I very much like reading about self-improvement, behavioural science, cognitive biases and such. It’s quite a lengthy read and there are several things I’ll take away from it. The most currently relevant and useful of which was to not go into meetings with the preconceived idea that certain Annoying people will be Annoying, else you’ll just sit there and wait for them to be (inevitably) Annoying and will jump on every little thing as proof – as a consequence you’re less likely to be your best self and sit there quietly seething or get fighty. What? Just me?
I’ll probably read this again and am inclined to take notes when I do.
Next up, I have a new Clive and a new Dr Siri! Both pre-ordered and magically appeared on the kindle one day.
I’m also still dipping into The Best Australian Essays: A Ten-Year Collection – it’s lengthy and dipping is the best approach. I should read more essays, I’m enjoying most of these.
And off-on-again with Patrick White: The Twyborn Affair – which is excellent, but requires concentration.
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And I can’t in any good conscience call this reading, but lately in audiobooks …
Virigina Woolf: To the Lighthouse
Just couldn’t. I don’t know if Woolf doesn’t lend herself to being read aloud, or whether our Nicole isn’t engaging. Returned for refund. Will try the actual book – when I say actual I mean the e-book of course. I can’t be doing with paper.
Ian Rankin: The Complaints
Really enjoyed this. Was considering the next one in the series, but is narrated by someone else and I read ahead and am not entirely convinced I’d be so much full of love.
In the midst of:
Patrick White: Happy Valley
HOLY GOODNESS! This is wonderful, I’m adoring it! The writing is glorious.