I realised today that i am 38 days closer to day zero and that progress on my list hasn’t been going so well. It hasn’t stalled completely either which is good but things aren’t moving along as nicely as I would like. I suspect it’s because I kind of feel like my whole life is on hold at the moment until the move. Anyway I decided this morning to take a bit of a look at the list and see if there was anything I could do today and I found two things that I could at least get started on. #47 (make a list of 101 things that make me happy) and #41 (Write a list of 101 places you want to see before you die). I started both lists and have managed to complete one. The other will stay safely in my drafts until it’s ready to be unveiled but for now here is:

#47. Make a list of 101 things that make me happy

1. Brunch with my husband in the sunshine
2. Starting a new book by a favourite author
3. Waking up without the alarm/sleeping in
4. Hot chocolate by the fire
5. Being able to see the stars

6. The sound of waves crashing on the beach

7. Photo of the day with my Mum
8. Holidays
9. Laughing until I cry

10. Friends visiting from interstate/overseas
11. Long emails from friends/family
12. Catching up with friends for coffee
13. Sitting on the grass in the sunshine having a sandwich and reading a book

14. Freddie (my lovesac beanbag)
15. Planning my next holiday
16. Putting “pins” in my Places I’ve Been Trip Advisor map
17. Having a clean house
18. Reading through my travel journals
19. Visiting a new country
20. Seeing something in person that I’ve read about
21. When my husband’s wedding ring catching in the sun
22. Home made dumplings
23. Taking photographs of beautiful things

24. Talking to friends on the phone
25. Making lists
26. Having savings in the bank
27. Buying plane tickets
28. Being a vegetarian
29. When my dreadlocks are neat and tidy
30. Writing

31. A new episode of a favourite TV show
32. Hearing my husband laugh
33. Roadtrips

34. Using my imagination
35. Hugging people hello who I haven’t seen in a while
36. Going out for meals with friends
37. Walking around and listening to my ipod

38. Waking up in the middle of the night and realising I still have hours to sleep
39. Dancing around my house when there is noone else around
40. People watching
41. That feeling when I’ve just had a really incredible dream
42. Doing nice things for the people I love
43. Buying books
44. Massages
45. Making it home just before it starts to rain
46. Listening to the sound of rain on the roof as I’m falling asleep
47. Re-watching a favourite movie
48. Planning future adventures
49. Christmas at Mum’s place
50. Having my four besties in the same place at the same time (rare!)
51. Seeing old people holding hands

52. Finding the perfect present for someone I love
53. Making mixed cds for people
54. The smell of fresh babies and puppies
55. Getting money back when I do my tax return
56. Reminiscing about happy times
57. Walking with a friend
58. Watching people who are in love
59. Finding a really great song
60. Freshly cleaned sheets on my bed

61. Finding a restaurant with great vegetarian food
62. Getting mail
63. The smell of really great coffee
64. Crossing things off to do lists
65. When people ask me for travel advice
66. Naps

67. Getting a new high score in Bejewelled Blitz
68. Having a seat free seat next to me when I travel
69. When my husband picks me up from work and opens the door for me from inside the car
70. The smell of wood fires
71. Being snuggled in bed when it’s cold outside
72. Putting clothes on straight out of the dryer
73. Visiting art galleries
74. Feeling inspired
75. Feeling the vibe when everyone is happy and having a good time
76. Having the solution to someones problem/question/need
77. Getting lost in a daydream

78. Making a difference
79. The feeling of anticipation before a good night out or a holiday or a visit from a friend
80. The smell of jasmine at dusk
81. Summertime, when the sun sets really late
82. The smell of vegetables stir fried in sesame oil
83. Feeling connected to the people in my life

84. Being able to inspire people
85. Finding little ways to show friends and family that I love them
86. When people trust me enough to confide in me
87. Saying I love you at the end of a phone call
88. Having a really great word in Scrabble
89. The smell of my knotty boy dreadlock wax

90. Tasting the food on someone elses plate when we go out for dinner
91. Dessert
92. Lying on the floor in the dark and listening to music
93. Making other people laugh
94. When my backpack is right there on the baggage carousel when I get off a plane
95. Getting new stamps in my passport
96. Remembering past adventures
97. Seeing my friends happy
98. Feeling passionate about world issues (although the picture is of tears it really does make me happy)

99. Learning new things
100. Unexpectedly hearing a song I love
101. The fact that I have so many things that make me happy!

The end!
I really enjoyed making this list, in fact I challenge you to do the same if you can. It’s heartwarming and kind of exhilarating to realise that our happiness (well mine, anyway) depends on so little. Not lots of money or extravangant things.. just simple every day stuff.

picturecredits

Though technically I wasn’t tagged by she who’s house smells like vanilla, I’m going to do this meme anyway. Seems like a nice and easy way to easy myself into Friday morning.

The rules:
1. Respond and rework; answer the questions on your blog, replace one question that you dislike with a question of your invention, add one more question of your own.
2. Tag eight other people (if you feel so inclined). If you’re reading this, consider yourself tagged!

So here goes:

photocredit

What is your current obsession?
At the moment, Converse shoes. Suddenly I just keep finding these new styles that I WANT to buy. So far I’ve managed to restrain myself, but they are just so puuuuuurty!

What is your weirdest obsession?
Home birth! Which isn’t all that weird except that I’m not a mother and am not pregnant. I love reading home birth stories and I love love love all the women on JB who have inspired and nurtured me and taught me so much.

What are you wearing today?
Purple dreadband, thick rimmed black glasses, black Tshirt (with a thermal underneath), jeans, purple cons.

What’s for dinner?
Nachos! It’s my usual Friday celebration dinner.

What is your top five favourite days?
1. Nong Khai and the Thailand Fire Ball Festival (read about it here)
2. Visiting Umphang School in Thailand (read about it here)
3. Last Saturday in Melbourne
4. My wedding day (is it sad that it’s 4th? I don’t think so!)
5. The day I took my Nan skydiving for her 60th birthday

What’s the last thing you bought?
Other than food type stuff? Um, Jeans!

What are you listening to right now?
The guys in my office talking about motorbikes

If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go?
Paris, just to wander around, get some coffee and pastries, take some photos.. beautiful!

Which language do you want to learn?
Spanish! Because I really really really want to spend 3 months in South America next year.

What do you love most about where you currently live?
That it’s a 10 minute walk from work and that it has a lovely view. But other than that I don’t like Sydney at all and I can’t wait to leave (3 weeks to go!).

What is your favorite colour?
Purple! I’m purple obsessed!

What is your favorite piece of clothing in your own wardrobe?
What wardrobe? haha. Um I have this black top that is loose enough that I can hide in it when I’m having a fat day and it’s super comfy and light enough to wear in summer and with a thermal underneath it’s great for winter too. In fact I love it so much I bought two!

What is your favourite way to spend a day off?
Wake up without the alarm, have brunch with my husband, take a walk somewhere beautiful, vegan yum cha for lunch at The Green Gourmet, spend the afternoon with a great book (curled up in my giant lovesac), dinner and a dvd at home (as long as hubby is doing the cooking).

photocredit

What were you doing ten years ago?
Wow, 1999, What a nightmare of a year. In the first half I was 19 and trying desperately to get out of a very unhealthy, abusive relationship. I was studying at TAFE and trying to find work, my self esteem was in tatters. In the second half I was living alone for the first time in my life, and working at the television station in town and volunteering at the local youth refuge and trying to come to terms with being on my own. Things got much better for me from late 2000.

Describe your personal style?
Casual hippy about sums it up. My jeans always have a flare, my shoes are purple, my dreads have lots of colourful beads, usually my tops are black though – hiding my cupcake belly!

If you had $100 now, what would you spend it on?
These

What are you going to do after this?
Work. It’s my last day here on my own before I have to start training my replacement on Monday, I have a lot to organise. At 11am I’m meeting my husband for coffee. The only 30 minutes we’ll have together all day.

What are your favourite films?
Oh, I love movies, this could take a while!
The Breakfast Club
Some Kind of Wonderful
Empire Records
Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind
Boys Don’t Cry
Before Sunrise/Before Sunset
The Notebook
Big Fish
Vanilla Sky
Natural Born Killers
Amelie
Dogma
Chasing Amy
Clerks
Return to Paradise
Okay, I’ll stop there!

What inspires you?
Beautifully written novels, nature, freedom

Your favourite books?
The Dark Tower Series
The Time Travellers Wife
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
Everything’s Illuminated
Goodnight Mr Tom
Bridge to Terabithia
The Kite Runner
White Teeth
The Ground Beneath her Feet
Shantaram
The Pact
Anything by Ian McEwan
White Oleander
I love books!!!

Do you collect anything?
I used to colled frogs. Now I collect experiences.

What makes you follow a blog?
Generally I follow a lot of amazing, empowered, incredibly inspiring women. (or if they are funny!)

What was the most enjoyable thing you did today?
Felt my husband resting his head on my shoulder.

What new skill would you like to learn?
There are so many things. Top of the list, I would like to learn how to make clothes.