strange metaphorical fruit

soft pear

I made this pear last week, also made by Pip Lincolne, from a pattern on the internet, as seen on the circle -tv show (scroll down the page of meetmeatmikes.com until you reach the link). Meanwhile in the other media, after the Labor Party was dumped by NSW, some of the Greens were being called watermelons, (green on the outside, red on the inside). This made me think about other fruity metaphors. Coconuts- (brown on the outside, white on the inside). Kiwifruit - (brown on the outside, green on the inside ). Apples - (red and/or green on the outside, white on the inside). The implication being, that fruit should be the same all the way through, so its not deceptive. You can trust a grape for example, Yes, white grapes are green on the inside and on the outside...

My favourite metaphor being 'its all gone pear-shaped', from the Bill. 

ceramic watermelon

As promised, I am now going to continue to review my 13 areas for committed action, and see how I have been doing in the last three months:

• Family

Goal - spend more time with family.
- This area for change is one that unfortunately tends to get de-prioritised, along with friendship. not because they are not important, but because doing what has to be done gets done first, and if there is any energy left, this gets addressed. Often I run out of time, energy and motivation for any additional activities. However, when I think about it, there is a list of family-type things that are happening:

1.  family dinner out this week with Scottish relatives.
2. I have just bought theatre tickets for my boys to see Boy Girl Wall next week. We saw it last night, it was great!
3. I will have some family 'quality time' in the break between semesters, June and July, when my sister will be in Australia with her mum. 
4. Also looking into a market stall at the Ipswich Homemade Fair, with my mum, if we can get a stall, in a couple of months.  And finally:
5. We eat dinner together (at a table) whenever we are home.

• Health

- this has been an area of intense action, involving more doctor visits than I usually make in a year. This was for a number of reasons, including spraining my ankle, having asthma and investigating weird sounds in my ear (still unresolved). Also started my double dose Red Clover (Promensil) Trial, which has worked well in reducing menopause symptoms. 

- I have continued to  have weekly sessions at the gym with a personal trainer, which can be full-on, but definitely makes me do things I would never do alone (it hurts). 

- Gym attendance otherwise has been limited by the ankle, but I'm still able to do some classes, like Pump and Body Balance (sadly Body Combat - in the dark, with disco lights - has had to wait, perhaps tomorrow, though...) and careful running on the treadmill. Love this, why doesn't anyone else? 

- Weight is unchanged, shame about that, not a major priority though. 

- Sleeping better, on the whole. 

- Eating pretty well, perhaps too well...

- I also have a massage fortnightly, blissful!

- Next appt. will be for physio for ankle...

• Environment 

- I wrote about this last week. But I can add, we went (by train) to the Brisbane Rally for Action on Climate Change, yesterday.

keeping the globe afloat

'do you hate the future?' (on placard)

• Community
• Goal  - to be more involved in my community.

- have started weekly reading sessions as a Pyjama Angel - this is fun!

- the art therapy community is the one I mainly network in, this includes planning our national conference in November this year. 

- through this blog, amongst other things, I have been building up my knowledge of art therapists who use electronic media to communicate about art therapy.

- staff picnic on the Bay next week!

• Friendship

Goal: spend more time with friends
- I'm pretty bad at this, my friends are lucky to get a message from me on their birthday, not really good enough. As I said, above, on family. 

- Trying to send a card or letter every week, to someone. 

- At least, now you can read this!

• Creativity

getting connected

- doing surprisingly well on this one. including making things, sewing, knitting (a jumper for S), drawing, cooking (daube of shoulder of venison is in the oven at the moment- we got the meat half price from the market, and it smells really good). 

- Making the rule that I have to make something and photograph it, to write about anything, has really helped. 

- I am also noticing how much I enjoy making things. 

tangled web with orange diamond

• Leisure

- movies, theatre, art exhibitions, markets: this seems to be relatively easy.

• Frugality

- still not buying clothes. 

- Since the beginning of the year: I have bought a pair of gym shoes, some gym gear (singlet, trackies) and 2 pairs of tights. One singlet from an op shop. This is an amazing behavioural change for me. It feels good, wasting less time and money at the shops.

- I feel less hooked into consumerism in general, as a result.

- Trying to reduce consumption in other areas. My weaknesses are books (on the internet=bad), stationary (Officeworks loves me), cheese and chocolate.

• Therapy

- using art to process more clinical work, which can be useful.

- trying to work hard, and be better at what I do. 

- I think I could write more on this, another time.

• Home,

- spend a lot of time here, not so good at cleaning, but its ok. 

- trying to be more organised, less cluttered.

- Feels comfortable to be here, which is the main thing.

• Emotional growth

- hmm, trying to speak up when I am not happy. This usually helps.

- meditation helping with anxiety.

• Communication

- ditto, and the blog.

- I am getting a bit tired, you can probably tell. running out of steam.

- probably shorter, more frequent posts would be good.

• spirituality

- writing 5 things I am grateful for, everyday, when I remember.

- meditating everyday, I usually remember.

- is this spirituality? If not, what?

That is thirteen. more later.