November Kindnesses...

Hey guys,
I wrote this blog post that I meant to post before Christmas but I was away from my computer for longer than I thought! So
here is the blog as I wrote it then and here are the kindnesses for...

NOVEMBER 2012

November 1: Iencouraged a friend who was struggling (online). I also made a cup oftea for both mum and a visiting friend. I also learned some newskills and made Australian Damper (in the oven, not over an openflame sadly), and Potato, egg and spinach salad. Very yummy andstuff I had never made before. I also bought a “Hello GreenTomorrow” cup from the Avon Cosmetics Company which arrived today, which means reducingthe disposable coffee cups that make it to landfill. PHOTO (still coming)

November 2:Today I went to a different post office to find “thank you water”and they didnt have any and I was devastated. I helped my sister handfeed and look after a very sick and egg bound chicken (who might notmake the night). I also managed to keep the peace between my nieceand nephew for an hour or two by letting my niece play computer gameson my laptop – which I was working on and had to find other thingsto do until she had had enough.

November 3: I lent some clothes to a friend for a dress-up party & acted as a skipper so my friends could drink and I could drive them safely to and from the party. 

me dressed as a student from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from the Harry Potter world! :)

November 4:Ihelped a friend bring in her washing during a rainstorm and I gotabsolutely soaked but the clothes were dry (go figure). I also helped out with my sick niece when she was throwing up because bothher parents are sympathetic vomiters.

November 5: Ichatted with my neightbours, did some more gardening and planned todrop off an old bedside table to a friend who needs one (but outscheduled plans were postponed). I also made mum several cups of teaand hot water and spent time planning and promoting blogs for others.

November 6:Whilst shopping I helped a lady (who was amazingly shorter than me)get a product off the top shelf. Also, whist waiting in line noticedcheap fruit mince pies on display out the front and whilst the checkout-chick was processing payments for someone before me, I grabbed some of the pies to add to my trolley. The guy behind me inthe queue remarked about how good they looked so I went and grabbed some from him too.

November 7:Finally gave the bedside table to my friend who was without. I made conversation with our waitress at lunch and said thank you and complimented our delicious meal. 

November 8:today mum and I went through some box and sorted stuff to go to different people and different charities.

our car boot filled with goodies

November 9: I looked after myself by having a day in bed because I was sick and needed the sleep. I still supported a friend online who needed some encouragement. I also paid for a takeaway dinner for mum and I because I no energy to cook.

November 10:Today was another day in bed. I did push through the exhaustion and made lunch & dinner for mum and I even though I wasnt well at all. I also promoted Telethon on my Facebook Page! I rested today in preparation for my volunteering tomorrow.

November 11: I volunteered for Telethon in the phone rooms for 4 hours and helped collect some of the $16,800,000 that was raised this weekend. I also spoke kindly to actors who seemed frazzled and asked politely and gave stars the room to refuse a photograph. I also acted as skipper,so my friend didnt have to drive. 

Me(Left) with Tanya - the girl who got me into this! :)

November 12: I bought my neighbours rubbish bins in. I also made the effort to doseveral loads of washing for mum. I had thought I was completely healed by my body still needed a few hours sleep during the day to recouperate from “overdoing it”. PHOTO

November 13: I paid for mums lunch. I helped put chairs away for the craft ladies(which has sort of become a tradition now). I also helped sort, pack& stack chairs, playing card at the poker tournament.

November 14: I did lots. I helped the older ladies at church do the washing up and I stacked some chairs. I also invited a neighbour in for a coffee after she had had a rough couple of days. I also went to netball (eventhough I couldn't play because i'm still not 100%) and I did the scoring for the first 2 and a half quarters then a player hurt theirankle, so I sat with her, so it was elevated and I kept Ice on ituntil we had finished the game. I also let the injured friend use myphone so she could call her husband to let him know and prepare forher when she got home. Mum and I also bought a 2012 bear from K-martto go under the wishing tree (which is situated inside the store).PHOTO

November 15: I helped an elderly lady who was struggling to push her trolley up aramp – she was very grateful. I also drove part of the way to our holiday in Busselton/Margaret River so Tanya (Who had been awake from very early that morning) could rest and not need to concentrate as much. 

Tanya, Taylor and I on our weekend road trip! :)

November 16: Taylor and I made a delicious cooked breakfast for us all to enjoy. I bought water for my friends on our road trip and I also acted as skipper so my friends could drink on our tour of wineries and breweries.

November 17: I waited alone outside a brewery to secure a good table for us to havelunch at. I also told a guy where there were showers to cool off his feet after he burnt them running on hot tarmac. He was amused but grateful.

November 18: I washed the windows of the car on our return to Perth. I also gave 4 free tickets, to an estranged neighbour, because it was to an event being held in a location close to her daughters house. I also gave my mum lots of cuddles after not seeing her for 4 days.

November 19: today I helped out the Mothers Union group mum is apart of by helping some of the old ladies make no-cook Christmas recipes. I also drove across town to help a friend in desperate need – she had been told she had to leave her accommodation immediately. I picked her up,helped her pack up her stuff and took her and all her stuff to a safe place until shegets back on her feet and finds safe accommodation in the future.

November 20: I ran some errands for mum, helped clean & sort out my dads wardrobe (in his nursing home). I put away some of the heavy chairs,helped a friend prepare dinner for us and acted as “celebrity dealer” at a table poker tournament.

November 21:Mum, a stranger and I all helped a little girl who has lost hermother in IKEA. The three of us adults worked together to find staffand to talk to any mum along the way. We eventually found the littlegirls mum at the same time as we found a staff member. The girl andher mother were incredibly relieved to be reunited!

November 22: I wished an American I met in a specialty food store “HappyThanksgiving”. I also bought lunch for mum and made healthy dinnerfor us both. I also gave one of my neighbours some of my home growntomatoes and invited a different neighbour to share a coffee with us.I also supported a friend, when someone had been mean to her.

November 23: Imade a special trip to dads (Whilst I was sick) to drop off some newunderwear, mouth wash and de-odoriser (for his room). I also gave thenext two vine ripened tomatoes to a different neighbour to yesterday.I also sent a supportive message to a friend who had been struggling.

November 24: Igot up at 5.50am to take our washing off the line because it lookedlike the storm would hit at any minute. Mum and I drove a long way to see my nieces first ballet recital. I also swept the floor at my sisters house and bought the washing in off the back line before the storm stuck at my sisters house. I acted as the designated driver for two of my friends so they could drink safely and I bought a drink for a friend who was also acting as a designated driver.

November 25:Today I felt like a zombie but still managed to help my sister prepare for a party at her house by doing some tidying up, some sweeping and some organising.

November 26: I made the effort to thank a cleaning lady at our food hall who hadstealthily managed to take my dirty dishes from our table without menoticing. I also made the effort to return a trolley to the trolleyreturn because there were none near our car, with the closest onebeing a fair distance away. I also saved fuel and the environment by“running” to the large shopping centre so I didn’t have to drive or catch a cab or the bus.

November 27: I acted as a chauffeur for my mum and drove her to a doctorsappointment in the city. I went running in Kingspark and helped alost tourist find the DNA tower. I also bought 3 bottles of THANK YOUWATER and helped pack up after poker. I packed up and sorted cards,chairs, and tables. We had a new fill in Poker Organiser runningtonight’s event and she was really surprised and very grateful thatme (and a couple of others) made the effort to help her out. She told me that apparently at other venues people just sit back and watch as she packs up alone.

November 28: I had an allergic reaction over night so wasn't very well but I managed to make mum a cup of tea. I also managed to be a listening ear for a friend who is struggling with a relationship issue. I didn't do as much as usual but I hope it still made a difference.

November 29: I woke mum up this morning with a cup of tea in bed. I also took mumout to lunch and a movie (SKYFALL – 007). I also made small talkwith out waitress and was very thankful for her service. Mum and I also chatted to some other James Bond fans after the movie. 

Mum with the movie poster on our way into see the movie! So exciting! :D

November 30: Ibought “dinner” for mum and I and talked to and supported a friend whose relationship had come to the end. They needed a listening ear and a shoulder to cry on.

I hope you enjoyed this quick post. 

I will be away from the laptop for a few days. I am focusing on my family and friends. I hope you all have a wonderful christmas day and I shall see you all back here after christmas! 

Much love, thanks and kindness to you all! 

Luv Daena 

Supanova Perth - Some photos as promised.

Hey everyone,
Sorry it has been such a long time since I posted last. I think the last one was just after my birthday! so almost a month! WOW... and woops!

I have been house-sitting and puppy sitting (a very sick puppy - who needed to be hand-fed/fed four hourly). I also helped organize and run a wedding for some friends and been doing other bits and pieces that has generally made me a very busy girl! :) However, even through it all, i have continued to do my kindness a day, and some of these things have been included in my kindnesses for those days! or are on top of the kindnesses I did!

Anyway, what I had promised was photos from my birthday weekend at SUPANOVA Perth!
I met some awesome actors and authors and got to see and buy some amazing things! I even got some of my own books signed! Now for those that have read this blog regualarly or know me well know that I absolutly ADORE books! So I was more interested in meeting Authors than I was in almost everything else. So I have about a thousand photos of the Authors and only a couple of the super-star actors that we met along the day.

It was a 3 day event. Starting Friday night (For those like me who wanted to meet and greet and discover stuff that others dont get to see!). I got to go to a small gathering of people who got to listen to a talk given by Eric Roberts (Julia Roberts brother) and also a guy who plays some awesome villains. He was in the Dr Who movie and was also in "The Dark Knight" the second installment in the Batman Trilogy. For a guy who plays such amazing villains, he was a really lovely guy and he answered lots of questions and answered politely and happily. I think I became a fan of his at this talk!

Saturday I headed into Supanova alone and listened to some awesome talks and discussions given my various people. I also got to get some photos signed by some of my favorite people. So VERY happy.

This was a talk given by some Australian Authors in SciFi/Fantasy that were talking about how to get published if you have a manuscript already completed!

Matthew Reilly - Is an Australian Author who is very popular here. Currently there are at least 4 of his book on the top 100 books of the year list! He was very funny and shared stories about the books, answered questions and talked about his plans for writing in the future! He was awesome!

Christopher Lloyd - Aka. Doc Brown from the Back to the Future Trilogy spent 50minutes answering adoring fans questions. He is such a legend and it was awesome to meet him in Perth, and in Person!

This is Christopher Paolini - The author of the Inheritance Cycle of books, Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr, and Inheritance. He is an American Author who started writing books when he was 15. He was also home schooled (like me) and was educated by his mum with Montessori techniques (like me too - I was taught at a Montessori school from the ages of 3-8). It was great fun listening to someone - although he takes himself a little too seriously sometimes (but i think that was perfect for the occasion as he was surrounded by die hard fans!). 

 

Natalia Tena - who played Tonks in Harry Potter and is a wild thing in Game of Thrones season 2! I loved listening to her talk. She had such energy and she was wonderful with the fans, making an effort to connect to each and everyone who talked to her/with her. Like Eric Roberts, I have decided that I really like Natalia Tena, and will be following her career more. She has a big fan here now! :)

Stanislav Ianevski (Hope i got the spelling right - sorry if i didn't) - He played Victor Krum in the Harry Potter movies and was a very down to earth guy. He was built like a tank - mildly terrifying how large his biceps were... but he was very lovely to talk to. He signed a photo for me too! Such a champ!

Christopher Lloyd - getting my photo signed by him. He shook my hand and was very nice and polite to everyone he met. Mind you, the queue to see him was at least 25minutes every time there was a line. I waited only 35minutes to see him... so not too bad! :)

This was another discussion from Australian Authors about how to write Fantasy novels. Was wonderful to meet them and they gave some wonderful advice! :)

On Sunday, my friend, Taylor and I made our way in to Supanova together! And we had a blast. We got to meet our favorite authors face to face and in some cases get photos with them! So cool!

Dalek, Daena and the Tardis! :)

The 503rd Brigade - Starwars Cosplay! :) with me and Taylor getting out photo taken - and Taylor having her bag pinched! just kidding! but it did look like it in these photos! :)

Stanislav Ianevski - Giving his talk about being in the Harry Potter Movies! Was so much fun... had us all in fits of laughter!

Matthew Reilly - again! This time with Taylor as she is a MASSIVE Matthew Reilly fan!

More Matthew Reilly - He was the star of the weekend for both Taylor and I - even though I originally went to see mainly Christopher Paolini!

Matthew Reilly - Book Signing! Matthew was so lovely he took photos with Taylor and I and asked questions about where (as an archaeologist) I thought would be a good place to set his next book! My problem was that I hadn't read all his books so I couldn't tell where his characters had been and where they hadn't! lol! but he took photos with us and signed all the books of his we had with us! Awesome! :)

This is what I lovingly refer to as my Haul! The Christopher Paolini books I already owned, but he signed them all and the poster! So awesome! Same with the Matthew Reilly books... signed them all! I also bought myself a whole bunch of Iron on Patches as I collect them for a camping blanket I own. I also got given all those books at the front right! That's right GIVEN! I struck up a conversation with the woman at the Publishing house the Christopher Paolini is under and she was talking to be about the books and other ones on her stall. As it was the last part of the last day, she was talking about how she had to get rid of the books or had to ship them back to Sydney. I said i would happily take any off her hands instead of her having to ship them back (I kind of said it sarcastically - not expecting her to give them to me) but she was so lovely she told me to take them, and so I got 7 new books to read! SO AWESOME! Now I wont mention the publishing house or the lady's name but THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!! I got free books and saw someone else do an RAK! So awesome! :D

Hope you enjoyed the photos as much as I enjoyed the event! :)

much love,
Daena x