Saturday, February 27, 2010

Create and Heal

Today, while I was waiting for my computer to start up, I was sitting here (in a bit of a daze mind you as I have not long woken up) loosely planning my day.  I was thinking mostly about my free time this afternoon.  Through the week I purchased the ingredients to make Choc Cherry Ripe Muffins so I'm going to make some of them as a treat for my family.  Then I will have a couple of hours to myself, after dinner so I plan to create and scrap.  Anyway, in my dreamy, just out of bed kind of way, I looked at my Louise Hay Desk Calendar which still had yesterday's date page and affirmation on it and I leaned over to rip it off to see what today's affirmation is.  The universe is a funny old thing really, isn't it?  Today's affirmation is:  I am peaceful when I am creative.  I let creative juices flow through me as a healing force.  Beauty just naturally manifests itself.  It still amazes me every time life and the universe line up like this.  It exhilirates me and leaves me knowing that at times like this I have definitely found the path that was meant for me.
Anyway, by now your mouth is probably watering for the Choc Cherry Ripe Muffins so I thought I would include the recipe.  I haven't yet made these but they sound easy and divine.  Enjoy!
1 1/2 cups of SR Flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 cup castor sugar
2 eggs lightly beaten
90g butter, melted
1 cup milk
1/2 cup white choc bits
2 x 55g(there are actually 53g now I believe) Cherry Ripe Bars finely chopped
Melted chocolate and extra chopped Cherry Ripe bars to decorate
Method:
Preheat oven to 190 C.  Line 16 holes of 2 12 hole muffin pans with paper cases (1/3 cup capacity).  Combine sifted flour and cocoa with sugr in a large bowl.  Stir in egg, butter, milk, Choc Bits and Cherry Ripe until just combined.  Spoon 1/4 cup of mixture into each paper case.  Cook for 20 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer in the middle.  Remove from pans and cool on a wire rack.  To decorate muffins, spread some melted chocolate in the centre of the muffin (when cooled completely) and then top with a piece of chopped Cherry Ripe.
I would like to give credit to someone for this recipe however I'm not too sure where this recipe is from as it is one I have collected over the years.  I tend to cut them out of magazines.  It looks like it could be from a New Idea magazine (as it's titled New Food) and there is a lady by the name of Barbara Northwood featured throughout the article.

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

More Action

On Saturday, I attended my very first Podcamp.  My accountant (Leiza Cole http://www.askleiza.com.au/ )sent me a copy of a brochure she had on Podcamp for new media enthusiasts.  I have only just taken my business to Leiza and she already understands more about me (knowing that I am interested in new media) than my previous accountant did over about 15 years.

So I enrolled in Podcampgc.  Initially, I guess I saw it as an opportunity to network.  Keeping in mind one of my goals this year is to network once a month, that was my primary goal to fulfill.  I was keen to learn new things also as I have a long term goal to build my own website and host it.  When I enrolled, I had no idea what a Podcamp was.  The spiel said it was an unconference for people who were interested in new media; bloggers, podcasters, people interested in social networking and sharing photos online.  I knew if I went I would be amongst like minded people.

You know sometimes when you attend "training" or seminars, you can get those little butterflies in your tummy?  Not me on Saturday morning.  I had no fears about the day, only excitement.  I love it when that happens.  To me it indicates I'm on the right path.

What I got from Podcamp was amazing.  I learned so much information about all things 'new media'.  When I got home I was keen to start putting all the things I had learned into practice right away.

I also met some fantastic people who I have connected with on Twitter and Facebook and I heard some amazing success stories using new media.

Thank you, Gold Coast City Council, as the Podcamp was FREE!  You can find out more about upcoming free seminars on a range of topics here: http://bit.ly/calendarofeventsgccc.  If you aren't on the Gold Coast, check out your local council or library to see what they offer.  If they don't offer anything, where else could you go in your community to learn and network on something you are passionate about?  Ask around.

Well I guess I can actually give a big tick for my networking goal this month!

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Remember this!

Are you a person who either by choice or by circumstance spends quite some time on a computer throughtout your day?  Here's what I do.  Down the right hand side of my screen I have screen widgets (I'm not sure if that is the technical term-that's what I'm calling them).  I can add different ones and take them away depending on what I feel like.  At present I have the date in desk calendar view, the time on a round faced clock and a little rectangle that tells me the current temperature and weather here on the sunny(?) Gold Coast.  Recently, my friend showed me that there is also a widget which looks like a sticky note pad.  This year I loaded that up on my screen and I have been putting little reminders up there.  I'm not using it for the general day to day 'to do' list.  At the moment, it says....... (just had to check) 'Join Gym'. 
One of my goals this year is to make healthier food and exercise choices (although that did go out the window with the wedges I had for my special lunch with Mel today-hoping I can make that up with a nice refreshing salad for dinner and I did go to gym this morning....).  One of the actions I have chosen is to join a gym as the gym I was a member of went unisex.  I have taken action to join a gym (visited a couple to get the feel, got some free passes and used them, spoken to friends) I still haven't 'joined' a gym.  Everytime I log on my computer, it is there in the top right hand corner to remind me and as I feel I have decided which gym I am going to join, I now have it in my diary to sign up on Thursday.  Then I will need to decide what the next thing is that needs to go on there.  I think I might make it 'Watch my inspiration dvd' as I'm still having a challenge remembering that too.  Or it could be 'Remember healthy choices'.
Might this be a way to help you stay motivated and on track as well?  If you need some help loading up the 'widget' feel free to contact me, I'm only to happy to help. 

Sunday, February 7, 2010

More progress

I have uploaded some photos today of the first 3 pages of my album, completed.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

A Big Aha Moment

Well today, I was sitting at my creative desk, scrapping my title page for Life Scrap 365 when it happened.  I was busy creating, with a clear mind, and this thought came through to me.  If you have read my previous post you will know that my boy has been (and still is) unwell.  I managed to convince him to attempt to go to school for a few hours today and he went off to school at 11.45.  It looks like his condition is going to be best regulated with mainly diet and exercise.
I am feeling quite drained with lack of sleep for a week and a half, living in a constant state of checking my boy and making him sachets of remedy and administering medication and little or no recharge time for myself. I had been thinking negatively earlier this morning that I hadn't really done anything towards my goals this year (even though I posted previously about my great patience, it has started to wane).  Anyway, there I was creating; blank mind and I suddenly realised that one of my goals this year is to make healthy food and exercise choices.  Well, hello?  What the heck have I just spent a week and a half focused on night and day, 25 hours a day, 8 days a week (slight exaggeration, I know!).  Perhaps if I had of paid more attention to this area earlier, I may not have had to receive the life lesson so harshly.
So again, how do I record that with a picture?  Take a photo of my sick boy-not likely.  I'm thankful for this space to record that I have been working tirelessly and diligently on my goals, even though it wasn't that obvious at first.
Is there a goal you may have been working on tirelessly and diligently that you haven't quite celebrated?  Sigh....I feel regenerated now.  The positive energy has returned!