Do you set yourself goals?

I do, and sometimes the goal itself isn’t the reward (although according to the book I’m reading Your Life in Half a Second, it should be). But no, sometimes the goal is a bit shit, like paying off some debt or doing a First Aid course, so I have to structure in a reward once I get there.

And sometimes the goal is awesome, but it’s painful to get there, so I have to give myself other bits of pain, to help me along. I know, I know, it’s weird, and I should be motivating myself to move towards pleasure, instead of away from pain, but I wonder sometimes if I’m just not wired that way.

When I was a baby, I apparently HATED having a wet nappy, and so I reportedly toilet-trained myself at 9 months. (Yes Mums, my Mother swears this is true… Hmmm…)   The same went for not being able to get into ALL OF THE THINGS, so I learned to walk. So even then, I was motivated by either getting stuff, or moving away from undesirable situations.

This year I wanted to go to the USA for Christmas. I have a brother and sis-in-law there, another brother and sis-in-law who will be going there, and Mum who jet-sets around the place like nobodies business. So everyone else saved their pennies and booked their flights and prepared for fun times with egg nogg and Ugly Christmas Sweaters and singing by the open fire. Except me. I mean I saved a bit, I guess, but not enough. “I can’t help it,” I wailed, “it’s expensive to be me you know.” (And etcetera.)

As the time to loc- in a flight drew ever and ever closer, I had to invent more and more leverage to get me to save the money. I imagined missing out on all the laughs, I pretended that perhaps one of my mob was dying, or would die in the next year, and this would be my last chance to see them, I thought about my kids not waking up with the Nanny they usually have Christmas with. None of it was working.

And then, in the backbackback of my crockery cupboard I found this:

Not sure if it’s for drinking out of, or bathing in

And I vowed, that until I saved the money to go to America, I would not be allowed to drink my morning coffee out of anything else, nor would I be able to drink any other coffee than this:

I suspect this may be poison

There was to be no Nespresso at home, no capps at the local cafe, no sneaky little jaunts with friends after drop-off for ping-jections of that sweet brown nectar of the gods. Nope.

Times were getting desperate, friends, desperate indeed.

And then, somehow, with the help of Flight Centre, all night google searching of airline prices, a change tin filled with two-dollar coins, and the invention of early Christmas presents, this happened:

YES, THIS!

And then this happened:

Cheers to holidays

And now THIS CAN HAPPEN:

Sweeet

I’m not sure what I’m more excited about. (I love you, Nespresso Machine.)

So, what are you doing for Christmas?

And how the heck do you motivate yourself, other than drinking daily poison?

…From The Ashers

It is “winter” here on the Sunshine Coast, and we are having an absolute ripper.  I may have mentioned whinged once or twice a billion times that the only thing I hate more than Winter is birds, but of course you can always shoot birds with a BB gun.  Winter just stays doesn’t it?  With the wind that stings, and cold that creeps into your marrow, so that you freeze from the inside out.  Well, right here, right now, none of those things are happening.  I am having my best winter ever.  Maybe it’s The Menopause, but I really don’t care.  I’m just so grateful.

Here are some of the reasons why:

The Maroochy River. What a spot to sit and, well, just sit.

A husband who will get me a cup-of-cino to sit with. Easily the best drink invented: a coffee and a dessert in one.

Looking at this river. Ahh, the beautiful Maroochy. I wish you could see the way the water was sparkling. All of those little ripples had shards of crystal bouncing and bopping on top of them.

Days long enough to make shadows with these gorgeous ones, who own my heart.

Coming up the stairs to our own afternoon view. The air gets crisp as the sun dips down, but the big blue makes it almost worth it.

A bottle of something fancy. I’ve decided that my life is better if I have a good drop in the fridge. I don’t have to drink it (yet), I just like knowing it’s there. It’s comforting.

This thing from Sol Republic. It might not be the prettiest speaker deck in the world, but it pumps out the sound, and lights up your own colour when you log your device in.. And so the DJ battle begins. I foresee silly times ahead.

A new record, of new music.
I just found my own nirvana at JB.
How good is a new album? Opening it up, reading the liner notes. It’s just so big and so real. Don’t get me wrong, I love iTunes, but this is something special.

The sunrise at Sunrise Beach this morning. It was cool out, and cool to see. I like a later start. Thanks Winter.

One of these to go with the sunrise. No art. No frills. Just a good old George Clooney to warm the cockles.  I said cockles.

Crazy times with the trees at Sunspace Cafe today: a Tropical with an Autumn one against the flawless Noosa Blue sky.

Summer in a tin.
I was gifted this today from a friend, and it is perfect for a sun worshipper like me. Smells like summers past. Makes my skin feel like it’s sixteen again (well, almost).

So there you have it.  All the reasons why, for once, I’m great.  And full.

Don’t tell Summer.

How is your Winter going?  What is great about your place right now?

And yes, Yanks and Canadians, I know you’re in Summer already.  No need to gloat.

…From The Ashers xx