Obviously I'm a diligent, non-procrastinating blogger...!

I did have great plans for this site ! and these 'guidelines' ... but funnily enough, by April most of the New Years resolutions seemed extremely - shallow.

So I'm going to try keep this to an eclectic mix of interesting (or what I think is interesting) happenings and some of my personal reflections (or struggles as is my current situation !)



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I have been struggling alot with issues of suffering, injustice, tyranny - nothing too deep. If you could read me journal and see the blotchy tear marks you might realise how agonising it is for me at the moment. The worst of it is that I have to compensate these wretched moments with cheerful denial and optimism so that I don't get too overwhelmed.

Jennifer F who writes a fantastic blog, http://www.conversiondiary.com/ (which is my homepage) has written an fantastic reflection on something I was thinking about just yesterday. Read it here...

Here are the comments I wrote...

I have been mulling over this point alot recently, to the point of becoming quite overwhelmed and despairing - I would like to think that if I was faced with a big 'challenge' (like standing up against slavery or ethnic cleansing) that I would be one of those people who stood strong... but from my own experienrences in the daily, little battles, the little injustices (eg. remembering back to primary school teasing, not speaking up to admit that I call myself a Christian (usually!), I am one of those weaklings too scared to rock the boat. That scares me.

The follow on from that is the reality - that I am standing back and not fighting against massive injustices - slaves that pick over 50% of the worlds' coffee and cocoa (it is estimated that there are more slaves in these times than before the anti-slavery legislation was introduced 200 or so years ago)...

I have just finished watching an AMAZING movie called "Ondskan", translated to "Evil" - the story of one boy standing up amidst the tyranny of an elite boarding school. It may sound trite but is a very well produced movie, not over dramatised - you can watch the trailer at http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=3tCFvaJo9aE
I HIGHLY recommend it!

I'm on my way...

Here is a very interesting lady - Joan Burstein, 80 years young with a dream job (not without her trials - )


I had my first sewing lesson last night!! I'm well on my way to finishing my skirt. Still to go: one side seam and pleat, facing, lining and hem. I also started out on a new blouse cut out of a Men's shirt (because I couldn't find plain, nice white shirting fabric for a reasonable price.)

I am going through my room of junk today so hopefully that will be finished by this afternoon. All except my uni notes. That will take another day!

I will post photos soon.

It is raining again - - very relaxing.

This exactly describes my irrationality...

This exactly describes my irrationality...

PARADOX 1: Perfectionism does not lead to
perfection.

Excellence is a good thing. So is working as hard as possible to create,
build, and perform to the best of your abilities. But what you may not realize is that trying to be perfect can actually hinder your chances of being excellent.

The pursuit of perfection comes with an ugly flip side: a fear of
failure, or fear of making a mistake. This fear keeps a lot of people from
trying something different or learning a new skill. They'd rather not try
than go through the anguish of not doing it perfectly. The perfectionist
likes to stick with things she knows that she can do.

To succeed, you need to grow, learn, and expand your world. By erasing your opportunities for testing the water, perfectionism limits your growth, and takes away your chances of finding a more excellent path. That's why your physical foundation is so critical. It gives you the confidence and support you need to take those chances, to recover from mistakes, and test the limits of possibility.

From SparkPeople.com; italics mine.

People sometimes say to me - "Just do it; don't worry; learn from your mistakes" and in theory I know these things, I tell them to myself numerous times every day - but I cannot describe to you how powerfully paralysing this other part of myself is (I call it my tyrant, my evil Gollum that absolutely despises myself, that whispers to me, of which there is no good...there, I've successfully managed to make myselft sound schizophrenic - but this Procrastination Tyrant is not uncommon and my counsellor at uni whose been helping me sees alot of people every week with this same paralysing dilemma).

I've had a really bad last 3 or so days - but today is a new day and my little sister is coming home from 6 weeks in China so it will be full of hugs...

On a side note, this last week we have had beautiful soaking rain, first time in years and hopefully drought breaking for Queensland areas. Here's an simple explanation of the reason for our drought/flooding cycle of Australian weather patterns...

Definitions [from the Bureau of Meterology]
La Niña translates from Spanish as "the girl-child". The term "La Niña" has recently become the conventional meteorological label for the opposite of the better known El Niño.

The term La Niña refers to the extensive cooling of the central and eastern Pacific Ocean. In Australia (particularly eastern Australia), La Niña events are associated with increased probability of wetter conditions.

Changes to the atmosphere and ocean circulation during La Niña events include:
- Cooler than normal ocean temperatures across the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean.

- Increased convection or cloudiness over tropical Australia, Papua New-Guinea, and Indonesia.

- Stronger than normal (easterly) trade winds across the Pacific Ocean (but not necessarily in the Australian region).

- High (positive) values of the SOI (Southern Oscillation Index).

El Niño translates from Spanish as 'the boy-child'. Peruvian fisherman originally used the term - a reference to the Christ child - to describe the appearance, around Christmas, of a warm ocean current off the South American coast.

Nowadays, the term El Niño refers to the extensive warming of the central and eastern Pacific that leads to a major shift in weather patterns across the Pacific. In Australia (particularly eastern Australia), El Niño events are associated with an increased probability of drier conditions.

Changes to the atmosphere and ocean circulation during El Niño events include:
- Warmer than normal ocean temperatures across the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean.

- Increased convection or cloudiness in the central tropical Pacific Ocean - the focus of convection migrates from the Australian/Indonesian region eastward towards the central tropical Pacific Ocean.

- Weaker than normal (easterly) trade winds.

- Low (negative) values of the SOI (Southern Oscillation Index).

Am currently negotiating pattern instructions...

Am currently negotiating pattern instructions... BUT - I am actually making progress! I may just have the lining and zip to do tomorrow (fingers crossed).

Meanwhile, in my breaks today I signed up for the Women's Health Ultimate Fit Plan 2008. I check up on their site every now and then for new exercise ideas and recipe plans to prevent boredom. Each week I can print out a plan then I will pick out the bits I can easily fit into my daily routines. They have pictures and instructions so don't worry.

The Herald Sun newspaper has published this year's Top 10 Movie Costumes so you can view them here. Good choices I think, my favourites include Cate Blanchett's Elizabeth, Audrey Hepburn's Breakfast at Tiffany's, Diane Keaton - Annie Hall, Kate Winslet in Titanic and the beautiful Atonement gown (that I could never look good in!).

Also check out their Worst Movie Haircuts... I have to agree...

My Current Project...

Here is what will hopefully be my first COMPLETED project! I am making it in Black 60%Linen/40%Cotton fabric with a beautiful sheen to it.

(Typically Emelie) Steps so far:

1. Months ago - drooled then printed out pattern.

2. Stuck pattern pieces together (MUCH preferable to tracing out patterns...yuk! this is where I usually lose momentum...)

3. Started eagerly looking for 'perfect' fabric - bitterly disappointed. More on this in a later post.

4. Despondent for weeks.

5. Found 'perfect' fabric at Ewam Gardam Fabrics and had lovely, inspiring, helpful and long conversation with Shop assistant. Made my day.

6. Finally lay out pattern. Left for another week.

7. Cut out pattern. Left for another week.

8. Sewed first 2 seams. Turned out beautifully! Stuck at pleats. Slightly confused with instructions (didn't help that it was late at night...). Left for 4 days.

9. Tonight - FINALLY - basted 4 beautiful pleats. To be honest, I think this is the hardest bit, apart from the zipper (I've never done a zipper before).

I have numerous sewing projects in various states of un-completeness... Is this something you do? Mine are either fabric and patterns - untouched, or half cut out...

Welcome to GET ON WITH IT Resolutions -

For many years I have deliberately decided not to make New Year's Resolutions - because I don't have a very good record of keeping them. But this year, its time for a few, very specific ones. These will form the backbone of my blog - but will not limit it.

Fashion. Beauty. Health & Fitness. Study. Sanity. Soul.

And all this from someone who is a Chronic Procrastinator. So GET ON WITH IT Emelie...

My Dirty Dozen Resolutions
"...more like 'Guidelines' than actual 'Rules'."- Pirates of the Caribbean
Fashion:
1. Learn to sew well enough to sew my own clothes. They mustn't look obviously 'homemade'. Make time each week for this (less TV). An ideal piece of clothing would be:
-Designed and made by me
-Fits and flattering
-Very reasonably priced
-Recycled or reused pieces
-Fair Trade (no slave labour or ridiculous retail brand mark ups)

2. Focus on flattering age appropriate basics - don't impulse buy and end up with clothes I don't wear &/or can't really afford &/or don't need &/or feel guilty about.

Beauty:
3. Develop a simple, quick and very reasonably priced skin rountine that suits my skin (combination with occasional big zits and bright red/rosacea flush across nose). Ditto for makeup.

4. Start wearing Sunscreen.

5. Don't obsess about how I look. I have my good days more than my bad days now. Be thankful. Don't stress. Try and be more confident in the 'Skin I'm In'.

Health & Fitness:
6. Eat better for life. Move better to live. Smaller, more nutritious portions. Monitor against Emotional Eating (stress, bordom). Learn to deal with Temptations. Exercise 5/wk incorporating cardio and weight bearing exercise. For weight loss, toning, bone strength, me-time and endorphins.

7. Get 8 hours of good sleep 5nights/wk. Aim for regular hours.

8. Celebrate my progress. I wasn't fat to begin with, just unfit and stealthily eating bigger portions of less nutritious food. Since August I have dropped from 64kg to 57kg. Almost 2 dress sizes if it wasn't for Christmas. I would like to comfortably wear a size8(US size4) fitted jean by mid-Feb.

Study:
9. Do a little bit everyday. When that goes well, do a little bit more. Try and do a weekly overview - each week. Not at the end of a month, semester or night before.

Sanity:
10. Cherish and forge new friends (esp non-Med friends).

11. Read a non-study book 1/fortnight. I did this for a couple of years and really enjoyed it.

12. Try and make a realistic budget. And actually stick to it. Aim for Simplicity. Do I really need this right now? If possible, put aside regular savings.

Soul:
Seek to walk with Jesus every day. Listen to Him. And Get On With It.

Learn not to listen to my 'Tyrant'. Be free of my burden of deep, biting self-criticism and self-hate.


So for better or worse - here we go 2008. This is hopefully about putting balance into my life, not about achieving things.

I would love to hear of your NY resolutions...

I will try and update this blog 2-3 times a week so there's something new to read about when you (hopefully someone) check in...

GET ON WITH IT Resolutions

Hello to any readers out there -

Over the last coupld of years, I have enjoyed reading a few staple blogs every few days covering numerous interests. So I decided that this might be a fun venture to share with other people. I suppose, being New Years' Day 2008, it is also a way for me to be accountable to myself (and hopefully others) for some resolutions I want to keep.

A bit about me:

• I am a major Procrastinator. Contrary to popular belief, procrastination is not just about laziness - I am not a lazy person. I do lots of things very well - just not the things I should be doing. It has gotten to be a very serious issue in my life and I am seeking help for it. I am trying to build up layers of accountability for myself, and writing things down is one way. I can type faster than I can write, plus, I like the idea of other people's insight.
• I am in my 20's and still at uni. I am only just moving out of home this year to do my 6th year of uni in a regional hospital (I'm studying to be a doctor). I have one degree as a Medical Laboratory Scientist. This year will be full of challenges (hopefully good ones) - moving out of home away from my sisters and parents, living on a budget!, finding a new job (fast), dealing with study, keeping up my health and fitness momentum and all the while aiming for balance, confidence and enjoyment.
• I have always loved Fashion, History of Clothing, Sewing as well as Architecture and Garden Design. I have sketch books from when I was really little. My Mum remembers asking me about my first day of Grade 1 and I proceeded to describe in detail what all the teachers were wearing. I still keep detailed sketches and clippings. I also dream about clothes - I wake up knowing exactly how a seam should be placed and fitted, colours and fabrics. I don't have 'weird' dreams, they are all about clothing, designing and decorating buildings and gardens (like those design computer programs where you can choose different designs and colours until you like a particular one...).
• I love listening to music - according to my mood. I pretty much love every sort, except for repetitive Techno and extreme Heavy Metal, Punk or Country Music (although I love the soulfulness of Bluegrass). I am the kind of person who can really like a song, but not have a clue of who wrote it or what it is called. I hate listening to the radio (due to ads) so my CD collection has be built on the basis of listening to my friends music in their car.
• I also love reading - and re-reading. Also, re-watching favourite movies. My Mum doesn't understand this at all - she has probably watched less then 10 whole movies on TV as she always gets up and 'does things'. I don't watch much television, but I know what I like and I watch it again. My sisters and I can keep a track of characters, plot lines and quotes. This gets annoying when I have studied a medical concept for hours and can't remember it, but can recall a whole section of lines from a TV show I've only watched once!
• I love being around people but also love being alone. I think that's one reason I love exercise - I can get outside and have thinking time to myself, or listen to my favourite music. Its also a main reason for wanting to do Medicine over working in a Laboratory.
• I would love to Paint or take beautiful Photographs. Of people, of nature, black and white, amazing panoramas. I've decided that these hobbies can wait for next year - I want to concentrate on my sewing skills.
• I would love to do Swing Dancing. I've tried it once, and it's addictive. But each partner needs to know what they're doing. Otherwise its just like Grade 7 Graduation dance with the girls dragging their reluctant male, pre-adolescent partners around the floor, apparently called 'Bush Dancing'... excruciatingly humiliating for all involved.
• I live in Australia - in Queensland. This is a pain for someone like me who loves Winter coats but it never gets below 10Celcius during the day. My daydreams all involve immigrating to somewhere where they experience all 4 Seasons. Its also a bit of a pain, because we are such a small country and very underrepresented. Most blogs refer to British or American products, brands and pricing. From reading these I have gleaned two very important differences. The Brits pay too much and the Americans too little! For those in the US - you get VERY cheap clothing and beauty products with amazing choice of brands.