It’s only five weeks since the holidays ended…

…so it’s perfectly okay that I’m just now posting my “What I Did On My Holidays” list, right?

I took a bit of a social media break on my last school holidays – deleted the apps off my phone, made the decision not to post or comment on my personal FB or Twitter accounts, and try to do something else with my eyes and hands. I had WA Premier’s Book Awards reading to do, lots of TV to catch up on, and I picked up my crocheting again for the first time in forever. I did a lot of chauffeuring of children, and had three catch ups with friends, but otherwise, it was a very quiet break! Quite pleasant, in fact.

Day 1 – shopping trip, birthday party drop off/pick up, reading, caught up on Elementary

Day 2 – home day, G at movies, emptying inbox, reading, finished Second Chance

Day 3 – laundry, Arrow, Legends of Tomorrow, G stroke clinic, afternoon at Kaaron’s with GUFF guest Jukka, plus Donna, Craig

Day 4 – G stroke clinic, layout for In Your Face, wrote Second Chance review, Agents of Shield

Day 5 – G stroke clinic, lost a day to Candy Crush (never again!), G sleepover, J sleepover, swimming lessons

Day 6 – editing, Naomi visit, D sick, two kids sleepover

Day 7 – J chess, D doctor, photo sorting (hunting old photos for friends)

Day 8 – sleep in, crocheting, finished iZombie S2, finished The Expanse, more photo sorting

Day 9 – started The Walking Dead (famous last words), editing, crocheting

Day 10 – M circus school, G stroke clinic + party, Tehani & M shopping, finished Walking Dead S2

Day 11 – as above M & G, editing & layout, WA Premier’s reading

Day 12 – as above M & G, swimming lessons (+ J), editing, layout for TPP, boys’ haircuts

Day 13 – M circus school, doctors, layout

Day 14 – J chess, blood test, M circus showcase, finished S3 Walking Dead

Day 15 – Jo visit, lunch with Kaaron, watched Star Wars: The Force Awakens (with loving snark)

Day 16 – Jo left (bacon & pancakes), G swim meet.

Day 17 – finished all the things that didn’t get done before – thank goodness for the public holiday Monday!

I’m sure I’ve forgotten things, but you get the idea 😀

Scattery all over the place

I’m trying to get things done this week, and I’m being successful in dribs and drabs. I scrubbed the floor in the bathroom (as in, with a scrubbing brush and bleach – who knew how satisfying that task could be??) and the living areas are all looking presentable. The washing and folding is up to date, with a basket of ironing beckoning me today. I’ve caught up on blog post scheduling and review writing, have made a little progress on some publishing things that are underway, and am on target to meet my Goodreads Reading Challenge goal (look, graphic novels count in my tally, and I am happy for them to do so!).

So far, I’m calling that a win. Lots of publishing tasks need to be done but I’m chipping away at those. I also need to do some prep for my library class next year, as I’ve got to rewrite a bunch of assessment to meet VET competency criteria. But this week is just about Christmas – am very glad I was pretty prepared gift-wise, and Miss 10 and I wrote up a shopping list to pick up a few food things we’ll need for Christmas meals, which we’ll pick up tomorrow. Another quiet Chrissy at home for us – lots of lolling about the house I reckon!

It’s the holidays!

The Christmas school holidays started for me last Friday afternoon, and I’ve been having a social time ever since! This week I’ve had baby cuddles and lovely chats at Karen’s place, a massage and facial (courtesy of my birthday present from my darling husband), got to spend the day with my husband on Tuesday, including a family dinner out at the great Star Buffet, and today hung out at IKEA with PP, followed by an impromptu story session with Kaaron at her place (her writing, me slushing) – there was also chatting. Tomorrow I’m catching up with another work friend after my final blood donation for the year, and there are more social meet ups on the agenda for the next week or so! At some point, I’d probably also do some things around the house, but I’ve been making the most of 3/4s of the children still being in school this week 🙂

Holidays are great – love being able to do all the social things!

Social media addiction: do I have it?

I read yet another article today about social media (internet) addiction and how awful and terrible and bad we all are, how neglectful of our children, so disconnected from reality because we are so connected online. And as usual, I read the article and though, huh, well, yes, I probably am a bit addicted to social media. I like being able to check my email whenever I want to and do so regularly throughout the day. I also flick frequently onto Facebook and Twitter, and scroll about on other social networks as the mood (or links) take me. And yes, I do usually have my phone or laptop in front of me when I’m hanging out with my kids or friends, so maybe I am addicted. Oh woe! How horrible must I be…?

And yet…

Believe it or not, I remember life before Facebook, before Twitter, before smartphones, even before email. Heck, before INTERNET. And funnily enough, from my perspective now, I think I was less engaged in so many ways. I would spend hours with my nose in a book, or watching television. I knew less about everything, though I thought I knew more. My friendship group was smaller, and far less diverse, than it is now.

Do we really think that smartphones and social media make us less engaged? What rubbish. I’ve never been so in touch with what’s going on in the world, and so in touch with so many people from so many places, backgrounds, lifestyles and experiences. Being connected makes me a better person. And I can guarantee you that in a world before the ever-present smartphone in my hand, there was a book in its place and I was no more aware of the world around me than I am now (and yes, the book is still there too, usually on my phone…).

I reckon it’s time to stop feeling guilty about the hours we spend online, hanging out with friends on social media, learning about the world from the different perspectives we never had access to before, ENGAGING as we never did before. We create, we communicate, we collaborate and we connect. It’s brilliant. Embrace it.

On shrinking and changing habits

When my mum and dad were here on the holidays I handed over several bags full of clothes I have shrunk out of over the past 12 months. It was a big step, because clothes (especially nice clothes in larger sizes) are expensive and by passing them on, you are saying “I’m never going to be that size again.” And I don’t plan to be.

About this time last year I joined Michelle Bridges’ 12 Week Body Transformation program. I had done it once before, but this was the first time I really made any effort. I had lost a little weight during the year (going back to work always helps), but during October I started doing several things that really worked for me.

1. I started walking to and from work most days. It’s just over two kilometres each way, which is a good distance to get me moving. My job can be fairly sedentary, and I spend way too much time at the computer, vegging out with the kids at home, or reading, so it was a useful way to get some more exercise.
2. I recorded every single thing I ate and drank in the My Fitness Pal app.
3. I used the 12WBT recipes and did a lot more cooking from scratch, including batches to take to work for lunch.
4. I watched the 12WBT videos and did the set tasks to keep on track.

Since the beginning of 2014 I’ve lost more than 15 kilograms. I’ve dropped two or three sizes in clothes and have pretty much had to replace my wardrobe (although I did pull out some older things that now fit again, which is a fabulous feeling!). Most of that was before February this year. I had aimed to lose another ten by now, but various things (mostly injury and illness) have made it a bit difficult. I kept up the walking (when I wasn’t sick or injured!), even on the minus-six degree mornings in the middle of winter, but stopped tracking calorie intake and slacked off on other exercise. But I’m still determined to lose more, so I signed up for another round of 12WBT and am being a stickler again, recording food and figuring out new exercise options.

My goal on this round is not just to lose more weight but to increase strength. I have to commit to doing more of the 12WBT program exercise, and make sure I stick to my calorie count. So that’s my plan. I’m very proud of what I’ve achieved so far, and am keen to do more to get to a healthier weight for me.