SHE IS BACK!

After 10 days of blowing my nose, coughing and sleeping constantly, today I woke up and felt good. I was able to work and actually get things done. I actually felt like I had accomplished something1!! My ‘To do list’ was actually done. Instead of coming home, eating and then in bed by 7pm, I am actually up and about, cleaning and cooking and guess what it is 7.30pm!!! Better go while the energy lasts as I really need to clean that JUNK pile in the corner.

Mums

Yesterday, I decided to stay at home as even sitting up right caused the nose to run. I sent an SOS out to Mum as I needed some things to get me through the day. She came with the goodies as soon as she could and even came back later to drop in some chicken and vegetable soup. Her love and goodies made me feel a lot better and even though I was still feeling a bit sick I was able to go into work today. Thanks Mum

GOTCHA

Well I tried really hard but the winter cold has finally got me! I am surprised I didn’t get it sooner. A guy at work thought he would solider on and cough and sneeze all over the staffroom. I admire these people but there comes a point when you must think of others, looking like death warmed up and coughing and sneezing with bad hygiene (cover your mouth please!) well you are infecting everyone around you. AT the moment I have a runny nose so I have stepped up my vitamin c intake and taking garlic tablets to try and stop it going into my chest. Watch out if it does, as I will not hold back in letting my colleague at work know. I may suggest next time he is sick that he not only eats more garlic but wears it as well.

WINTER BLUES

I heard on the radio that apparently 1 in every 300 people experience ‘Winter Blues’. The onset of winter makes these people feel depressed and they become very tired. I thought to myself on Wednesday morning when I couldn’t get out of bed as I was so tired and feeling a bit blue that maybe I could have this. Then I thought about it a bit more and just put it down to the end of school term hectic schedule. On Thursday I was up at 6am to stretch and flex class and didn’t get home from work til 8.30pm. Friday I was up for cardio and then to the footy later, so home at midnight. I am feeling much better and more positive so that is good, I will have an afternoon snooze in the arvo to catch up on a bit a sleep. I actually think my increase in exercise classes has actually lifted my spirits through natural endorphins, so if you are feeling a bit blue, find a great friend and go for a walk as the fresh air and a chat can do wonders!! Or you can look at photos of your cat as a kitten doing crazy things!!!

LOST IN TRANSLATION

I had a little giggle today when my BF Jen asked me what a doona was. It brought back fond memories of Paris, when Jen (USA), Amy and Clare (UK), Clariese (USA) and I were under the Eiffel Tower and I asked ‘If anyone wanted fairy floss?’ There was silence and then laughter when I explained what it was. Actually there were a few times when we got together and this happened. How I miss our lost in translation conversations!! Oh and a doona is also known as a duvet. I’m under mine now and am ready for bed. O-YA

P.S The photo is of Amy, Clare, Jen and me. I let you figure out what fairy floss is. I'll give you a clue, it is pink and you usually buy it at festivals. Oh and it is made of a lot of SUGAR!

STRIKE 1

OK OK, yes why do set these challenges that I don’t do? You see I have no problem getting up at 5.30am on Wednesdays and Fridays as I have running class at 6am with a great group of people. It is self-motivation that is lacking I just can’t seem to do it for myself. Fear is also big factor as I think what happens if I do all this stuff and I don’t get stronger??? Yes I know it will, but as some of you may know I am a bit impatient and want the results yesterday! So I will just have to try harder and if I don’t do it in the am then I’ll do it at night, which I did.☺ Ok I feel better.

Now I am off to bed in my Aboriginal art inspired doona cover:)

Challenge 1

OK I’m going to set myself a weekly CHALLENGE. I have set this challenge before but will try and actually do it. Each day I must get up around 5.30 and not just on run days!!! OK so this is what I will do:

* 5.30 Listen to news
* 5.35 Get up and get into gym gear
* 5.50 On non-running days I will do stretching, weights and sit ups. My CHALLENGE for the month is to be able to do 5 male push ups with ease (really low to ground!) and 50 sit ups with out stopping! I may even go for a short jog to clear the head for the start of the day
* 6.30 shower and get ready for work and eat a big breakfast (They say you should follow the King, Prince then pauper eating routine)
* 7-7.15 head off to work

Wish me luck on second thoughts no as I it is all up to me. I am responsible for my actions! Stay tuned for the verdict. Please think of a punishment if I fail in this endeavor!

KISS

Well I did say in my last blog that I would CHALLENGE myself to be more organised. To do this, I decided I needed to clean up a bit in all areas to help in the process:

¨ Living space: I found after my move to my new place that I am a secret hoarder!! I love putting things in boxes and forgetting about them. Today I went through old receipts that I had kept and shredded them. Not all of them, as I keep my tax receipts separate so I can claim when tax time comes around. I have never really kept a tight control on my finances as living with mum with minimal rent meant I could easily spend and save at the same time. Yes, in hindsight I could have saved a bigger deposit but I can’t change the past. So from now I will make sure every purchase is warranted. No more buying for the sake of buying. Some people use food to cope with stress or depression, my vice is buying USELESS CRAP!!

¨ TV: For a house-warming present I was given a HD TV and as a present to myself I bought a HD recorder so I could record shows without videos/dvds to save space in my new tiny unit and also the environment. What I thought was a big disappointment as it didn’t work properly due to an old antenna not being able to cope with new technology has actually been a blessing. Instead of sitting like a zombie in front of the TV when I get home, I will now use this time more constructively such as writing this blog, read and making cards etc

¨ FOOD: I love food but I love the wrong kinds of food. This will be done using the KISS technique. Keep It Simple Sam and use as much fresh food and non-processed food, oh and make it yourself. I have already started making big batches of food on Sundays to pop in the freezer for when I get home late and don’t feel like cooking. I am going to plan my meals as much as I can so I don’t waste any food. Another way is cooking more Japanese kind of food! I found a Japanese grocery store near where I work and will buy stuff from there which is a lot cheaper and fresher.

Now that I have more time, you will have to wait and see what else I am doing to be a better constructive person. So stay tuned for the next instalment tomorrow night!

WOW!

Yes a new post!! I have been sitting here for the past 10 minutes trying to think about what to write and have decided that my challenge is to try and get a routine. This weekend I am going to sit down and work out my priorities. One being more proactive in my blog!! I will use my BF Jen as inspiration who despite having a caught a bit of a bug in her tummy still managed to write some interesting and useful blogs and did I tell you she also has a photo blog which I just love. The photos are amazing. I shall come back to you on Sunday night. Take care

Mel

Here is my sister Mel, finishing her 14.3km run today. I was very worried as she was not too confident and very nervous. We usually run together (at least the first part) but today I could not run. Mel has never really been into exercise and sport but since last July she has blossomed into a runner. I was very happy that she looked happy at the end. Well done! It is amazing what you can do when you challenge yourself:)

ICE ICE BABY

Well they say no pain no gain. In my case, my ankle had not gotten any better, so I went to the Physio who suggested icing my foot. Well you are supposed to put it in for 15 minutes. I lasted the first time, but the next day when the ice had melted and there was a bit more water, 30 seconds at a time is all I could do. It has helped, so here is to more ice baths.

Made By Sam (with mum)

Well I decided for birthdays this year, I wanted to do what my BF does and make them with thought and love. I try and give gifts for my friend's children that are practical e.g. books. This time I wanted to be creative and so I decided to make an apron. Aprons I am told are the easiest things to do and so I got the 'How to make Aprons for dummies'. Well I must be extremely stupid as I did not really know what to do. Lucky my mum is an experienced sewer and she helped me with tricky pockets. It went well and I hope that Chloe and Emma will like them. I also hope they fit!!

Ouch!

My BF just blogged how some things we might find scary or challenging can have a silver lining. This morning I woke up raring to go for my morning running session. It was a beautiful morning, as even at 6am, it was 21deg. I was flying leading the up the hill backwards race and then ouch I jarred my ankle. I thought great, only 10 minutes in and now I have to go and ice my ankle and feel sorry for myself. Well then my trainer suggested I go and take the shoes off and walk in the cool water of the bay. It was SO relaxing and I felt sore but refreshed and thankful for my great friends and the place I live. Like the giraffe I met at the zoo recently, my long gangly legs will be taking a break while I heal the ankle!

Run Sam Run

This is a photo of my sister and I before a fun run last year around June. Mel had just started her fitness kick and challenged herself to 4km and as I had been running a little bit, I ran the 8km. This was our first ever fun run. You are probably wondering how could running be fun? I thought so too, as this fun run, you had to run up a very step hill! I suppose it is the buzz from the people, some are more serious than others and some do it more for the social and charity aspect of it. Most fun runs have a charity edge. Anyway, before the race I challenged myself to run the entire way, it didn't matter how fast but as long as I ran. I managed to succeed in my challenge which was great and I had heaps of fun after as I got together with my new friends and chatted about the course. Next month Mel and I have set ourselves the challenge of a 14.6km run. It is going to be tough as it is you run over a big bridge in the city. I have set myself the challenge to run it in about 1hour and 20 minutes and run the entire way!

5:30am

For the past two Wednesdays I have gotten up at 5:30am to be ready for running at 6am with my group. I started it because I exercised on Mondays and Saturdays and thought I should really do something in the middle. Wow, it is amazing how great you feel when you finished. Can't say that during it I am having the best time as it is really tough, however, I am blessed that I live near the ocean and so I can look out and refresh the brain. It has also been really hot so the temp has been a mild 25deg the last two Wednesdays. I was thinking why can't I get up 5:30am every morning? The early bird catches the worm:) I could relax and eat breakfast instead of my car. Get to work early so then I can leave a little bit earlier. Ok I have set myself a challenge for the next two weeks on weekdays, I will get up at 5:30. Wish me luck.

PS The photo is not what I saw this am (very close though) but rather from a beautiful Island called Amami Oshima where I had the most relaxing time and gorged myself with the food on offer. Oh and was nearly killed by a snake.

Strength

I am a teacher of English as a Second Language (ESL) and at the moment I am teaching at a language centre for international and refugee students. The students are just beautiful and they are really inspiring. Especially those who come from a refugee background. Did you know that some are born in camps and can spend up to 10 years or more there? What I love about these children is their strength and courage. What these children have been through is something I can never imagine. Despite this they come to school and do their best. I have one student, who when I first met her, could not speak any English but after 6 months she can now have a conversation, she gives me so much strength and inspiration, she never complains. Thank you.

Runners HIGH!

As I said in my last blog, last year I started a exercise group called Step Into Life. After a couple of months joining the club they started a Sunday running group which started at 8am. Yes 8am! My first attempt at running was not very good as I wanted to try and keep up with the fast and more experienced runners. Well, this didn't go very well as I ran out of puff and so had to walk most of the way. In my head I was thinking, I am never going to be able to run even 1km let alone 8 or 10km. Fast forward 1 year and now I can run 12km in about 1hour. So what happened?

• Kirsten: I noticed that Kirsten always managed to run the entire way. I would often race ahead and she would pass me as I walked. So the next time I ran, I decided to stick with her. Her technique is simple, keep at an even pace that you are comfortable with for the entire way. Following her, I managed to run my first 8km! It was not fast but at least I ran the entire way.
• Posture: Back straight, shoulders relaxed, straight arms and head are the key for running I have found. When your back is straight your lungs are able to get more oxygen in them and you don't feel as puffed. Slouching over collapse the lungs and makes it harder to breathe. Swinging your arms and head also makes you work harder. A trick my trainer did with me was having me hold two sticks in my hand and told me not to make fire!By doing this and keeping your head up and straight stops your body from swinging, I know what you are thinking, swinging harder will make you go quicker, well it doesn't, it makes your body work harder. Try it.
• Mental Strength: I know easier said than done but at the end of last year I decided I was being lazy and that I gave up to easy. To keep motivated on a run and when I got tired, I pretend that their are people cheering me on on the side or that someone is watching me so if I stop and walk well they will find out. I also don't think more than what is in front of me, if I think I have 8km left then I start to feel tired.
• Goals: Setting goals is a great motivator. I used to try and compare myself to others but I am not them! My very first goal when I started running was to run the entire way, it didn't matter if I took 20 minutes longer than the others. This gave me a sense of achievement and motivated me to do better. Then it was to run 5km and so on. I try to set different goals for each run rather than focus on time, for example, making sure my posture is good.

I hope this has helped. Happy running.

PS Having comfortable clothing on helps as you don't want to get too hot!!

PPS You get a high after running as you have pumped a lot of blood into your head and heart making you feel great!

Fitness Fun

I have struggled with trying to find something interesting and inspiring to write about. My day is not very exciting. I get up, go to work, come home and then watch TV. I can't help it at the moment because the Australia Open is on. Anyway, last year I decided I wanted to join the Army. To join the Army you had to be able to do 7 male push ups, 32 sit ups and do a running beep test. Easy hey? Well looking at me, people would think no worries as I am tall and slim. Being tall and slim does not equal fitness. The first hurdle was trying to push 65kg with twig arms! Having a flat stomach also does not mean you have the ability to do 32 sit ups in a row. Lastly, the stamina to run 8 minutes, increasing your speed as you go! I decided I needed to join a gym or something. I had a couple of options.

• First option: a gym. I looked around and found that you had to pay a joining fee and then sign up for 12 months. I was hoping to join the Army within 6 months, so I didn't want to have to pay for something I wasn't using. Also, I had used gyms before and found little contact with other people and they were quite cold and uninspiring. Also in big group classes the instructor really can't see if you are doing something wrong and won't stop the class just for you!
• Second Option: Do it myself. This was ok at first but I didn't really know what exercises I should be doing or if I was in fact doing them right.
• Third option: personal training. Well I thought this would be great but at $50 a session, I would only be able to do it once a month!
• Fourth Option: Group personal training. I found through a flyer I program called Step Into Life, they did exercise outdoors and the price was good at $12 an hour. In addition, as I was joining the Army, getting used to being outside in all elements would benefit me greatly.

This was the option I chose to do and I just love it. The groups are small and my instructors are great, they have time to stop me and show me how to do something properly. More important I have made some great friends, who during class encourage me to do my best and keep me on my toes. I have learnt to set myself goals, when I first started I could barely do 2 modified push ups (also known as girls push ups), it took me a good six months but before my operation I was able to complete all the requirements to join the Army.

Now, I must set myself new goals as my recovery from my operation took longer than I thought. I was unable to do anything for over 2 months and then I was told that I was not medically fit for the Army! This made me both angry and sad and I lost a lot of motivation to train as I had no goals to reach! I did not train for 4 months. My sister has inspired me to start again and I am determined to show the Army that my illness will not affect me. My sister Mel, who was never the sporty type and had never run, has started with my training group and within 6 months she is now able to run over 5km. We have set ourselves a goal to run 14.6 km in a fun run for a kids charity in March, so wish us luck. Anyway, in my next post I will share some tips for running. Oh the Monday nights is kick boxing and well it is just GREAT to push the crap out of the bag to let go some frustration!!!

YELLOW

Well as you can tell, I have not blogged for a bit, as I was bogged down with a nasty summer cold. After five days, I woke up this morning and could breathe out of both nostrils so I am very happy and feel like writing. Yellow, I have decided is my new favourite colour, I have noticed it quite a lot lately and each time it has made me feel happy. Even looking at a terrible expensive pair of running shoes made me happy because they had yellow tailoring. To think of it, I can't get away from yellow, today at work two men had yellow shirts on and my new bike I just remembered, has a yellow seat and handlebars!

Vitamins and Milk

I went to a naturopath who recommended that I take vitamins. Well the first couple of days that I took them I felt sick and had bad headaches. The lady said it was just my body getting rid of toxins and that it should pass and it did. However, I thought taking vitamins would stop me getting sick! I was taking vitamins C and B. Well I have a chest infection and a sore throat at the moment and I am not happy. I feel grumpy and tired and with the weather in the 40's well you can imagine how I have been. I also thought it could be the amount of milk I drank before I got sick, as I have read that it brings out the gunk. Anyway, I have stopped taking the vitamins and stopped drinking milk and am feeling much better. The picture represents how dry my throat feels at the moment. I hope to bring you much more positive and inspiring blogs in the next few days as I know I certainly need it!

SOUR

I would say that I am a happy and smiley person but over the past two days I have been tested by sour people. At the moment I am working as a waitress and I deal with a lot of people. Even when I am feeling sick or not really in the mood to work I make sure that I still smile and say hello. However, the past two days I have been really tested by some employees at my work. Sure you are in a bad mood but that does not mean you can't reply to a hello or a good morning. Walking around with a sour look on your face is not good and brings everyone else's mood down. My advice is put a smile on your dial and you would be amazed how better you feel!

REUSE

Well, I went to bed last night thinking about the sofa I was going to redo. I was excited about what funky material I was going to buy at Spotlight. Spotlight is a fabric and craft store. Then I was thinking about the money I had spent that day which I had not planned and how I could stop the flow. Well, I then remembered my mum's linen closet and a queen sized sheet that I never use and how perfect that would be. For cushions I just used two pillows that weren't not being used. Total money spent today $0! I know it is not what I had thought but it works and no sewing needed. I can easily take it off to clean.

RICARDO

I have been thinking about getting a road bike for the last two years. The price was stopping me, I wanted a good one and well they were $1000! I just couldn't spend that kind of money, especially if it got stolen! Well I went to an antique store today and well I found Ricardo. He is an Australian made road bike and he cost me $40. It was so nice not buying something that was 'MADE IN CHINA'. I will probably have to spend another $100 dollars getting it ready for the road but it is a lot cheaper than I was going to spend. I have also helped the environment by recycle something old. Ii may not be as fast as those expensive ones but he is mine and will be unique. It is also another great way to exercise. You should always find something that you love to do and then it won't be such a chore. Also you can see the sofa in the background. This is the one I was talking about in my previous blog. I am going to spotlight tomorrow and hope to find something nice to put some new life in it.

HOARDING

I love my mum, but she is a hoarder. She will tell me ' I will us it someday!' but I think if you have not used it within the last year or two then get rid of it. I am not saying throw everything out, for example, good dinner sets or vases. Today, I spent the morning cleaning out her shed and garden area. I have managed to get rid of at least 4 garbage bags of rubbish. I am trying to recycle or reuse as much as I can. It felt really good. I know mum works very hard and is getting older so I think in a way she does not mind. I have set myself a goal to have the backyard area to be cleaned by Thursday. I have been inspired by the old ratty coach outside and so will try and make a nice cover and colourful cushions to redo it a bit. I must admit it is a bit selfish, as I want to use it to read books outside. I will show you the photos when I get it done.

Resolutions

I don't make New Years resolutions just like my best friend. Like her I think it is just another day. I think when we are inspired or challenged, that is when we try and be better people and try do something different in our lives. These things can happen at anytime and we shouldn't have to wait til a certain day to do something about it. So relax and enjoy a new decade.

Happy New Year, here is my cute cat Elvis. 2009 was such a busy year for him that he needed to take time out and just relax. Hope you had a great 2009 and I look forward to writing about people and things that inspire me to be a better person in 2010.