Saturday 22 February 2014

all things important.

Celebrations are important! Why not celebrate? There's so much to be grateful for!

My cousin (who has been playing the role of an older sister ever since my birth), has just turned 46 recently! And this was when I realised that we have never ever celebrated her birthday before. Her birthday was back in January...however it took us over a month to find a date where my whole immediate family was at home. Then we surprised her with a mango sponge cake :). It was lovely to see the surprise on her face!

I've also decided to incorporate a bunch of mandatory questions to be asked at every birthday. My hope is that this will continue on with each and every birthday in the family.

Miao Gun Jeh / Mandy Zheng's Birthday 2014 <3

How old are you? 46
What was the best thing that happened to you in the last year? Going to China to visit parents
What are you looking forward to the most this year? Completing my Certificate IV in Business
What do you want to achieve this year, before your next birthday? To learn more English
If you did not need to worry about money or time, what would you do? I would travel the world, firstly visit my parents as they are the most important thing, then other places. But parents are the first priority.

I may turn this into a family blog after all.. :)



Monday 27 January 2014

time

I've been trying to start reading "The Power of Now", however I'm finding the concept a little difficult to grasp. I don't mind that though, I'm not expecting to fully understand it. One interesting thing is that it basically is attempting to teach the individual how to concentrate on "Being" and not on our "Mind". Eckhart Tolle also explains that the Mind is directly linked with Time. How our minds are constantly thinking about the future, the past, and never really allows us to appreciate now.

On a slightly different level...time is so very interesting. We all know that "time flies by when you're having fun", also that time appears to be longer when you fit many things into the one day, but also how time can take forever when you're waiting for something. I attempted to meditate today for half an hour, and it was super pleasant and enjoyable because my half hour felt like 2 or 3 hours. I actually felt a bit energised afterwards! I wonder if I'm doing it right. Either way, I think it's great for me to be in a different setting to my usual home, and just take a moment to sit, and allow my thoughts to wander, without feeling guilty that I'm not thinking about nothing, and just allowing time for my mind to meander without resistance.

I will continue to try this.

On a side note, I had a spectacular long Australia Day weekend :).

Met up with my lovely high school friends who I feel brilliantly comfortable with. Caught up and discovered another side of my uni friend whilst eating at a very innovative Vietnamese tuck shop; Miss Chu's, went for a lovely jogging tour with a friend from back in the day, spent some quality time with some furry friends and engaged with people out of my usual circle, learnt to wrap a traditional sticky rice banana dumpling from my mother, completed a 10 minute YouTube workout with my mother, caught up with a beautiful Dubbonian friend over the phone, received some words of wisdom from my super duper uncle, spent a bit of time getting to know my new Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1, changed the Christmas decorations for CNY ones on our makeshift tree, and really just overall I feel a bit more at ease with the world right now. OH, I forgot to mention that I even watched an entire tennis game!

:)


Monday 13 January 2014

another few interesting catch ups + family time.

I love finding out about people. Other people's lives! Am I just nosy? I find it incredible how we all have different brains, different thoughts, different foci. It's super to meet really driven people and find out what goes on in their brains.

To learn the ambitions of others, and the successes of others. Sometimes it is difficult not to begin comparing yourself to others, and judging their actions. This can cause me to feel bad about myself not doing equally "big" things. However, we need to remember only to compare ourselves to ourselves and watch our own progress. This is how we progress the most!

Gaining insight into a Methodone clinic! Learning the processes which are involved there, and the issues surrounding. Finding out a friend is keen to open up a cafe in Sydney. Then remembering the bigger picture of how lucky we are, and how our lives are so full of opportunity. Reunited with an old inspiring role model and mentor. Finding out that he is also Dick Smith's hero! Finding out that he is actually a portion Aboriginal! Discovering he too, has a passion for learning about ancestry and heritage, and unveiling the personal stories and truth of our immediate older generations.

Wonderful people :).

I then delayed bed time by engaging in conversation with my lovely aunty who has moved in with me. Her presence allows me a buddy to share my inspired ramblings to. Someone whose English is more than ample to understand my thoughts I want to convey. I am so incredibly lucky.

That is all. Sorry about the vagueness of this post, but I feel that it covers all the imminent points! I am doing what I want to be doing.

- catching up with those who inspire me
- meeting new people
- trying new things