Frustration

I have spent a lot of this week dealing with frustration.

Firstly, I had to get a new screen for my phone. Id smashed it when I fell over on a pebble beach last week and it was in my back pocket. On Tuesday my new screen arrived however I managed to drop the broken phone in the toilet at work before I had a chance to replace the screen. Due to the problem with the screen the insides haven’t been able to dry out as quickly as I would have liked.

I still don’t know if I will ever get back all the photos, memories, cherished videos, blog post ideas, story ideas and half completed chapters of books I am currently writing.

When this happened on Tuesday at work we had already had to deal with a work car breaking down, being snowed off after driving almost 2 hours to get to our archaeological site. Because there was so much snow around a lot of other people were in the office when we got back and it was jam packed. I often don’t deal well with tight spaces and lots of people. Tuesday was no exception. I was so emotionally and mentally drained that night I had early dinner and shower and was in bed by 8.30pm.

Wednesday was almost the most frustrating day of my life. We got to site and for the first hour it was okay because there was frozen puddles to crack and sheets of ice to throw and smash through to continue with the work. However, by the time morning tea came around, the whole place had started to defrost. Which you would think would be a great thing, except because it was clay it became sticky and miserable. Usually when a job is this annoying I put on some cheerful music or an inspirational podcast and get to work. But having broken my phone the day before it was just me and my thoughts. Me and my frustration.


It was so frustrating when every step I took meant I was either stuck to the ground so I couldn’t walk easily, or had enough clay stick to my feet it was like wearing weighted platform shoes that could have rivaled the height of the kind my sister wore in the 90s. #SpiceGirlsForeva. I even fell into the mud on more than on occasion. Pushing a wheelbarrow in that clay will now haunt my dreams… forever.

The whole day of work continued to be like this for me. Jobs that would normally took 30mins to do took 4 hours.

It was the first time I have ever been so frustrated I have wanted to weep. (Or at least it is the most recent so it sticks in my mind to the exclusion of all else). I still feel myself getting frustrated now just thinking about it. It was also completely physically exhausting. I came home absolutely knackered.

When I finally got home I managed to message my boyfriend from my tablet. My family back home in Australia would have been well and truly asleep by the time I got in from work, so I couldn’t call my mum. It actually made me more upset because I couldn’t call anyone as my phone was dead. No phone calls at all.

I have my tablet but it wasn’t then set up with anything and every app wanted me to use my phone to verify it. Talk about frustrating!

I had to figure out what to do that evening to get me out of the funk. I used a few little tips and tricks to help. This wont work for everyone. I think taking some time to get to know what helps you when you are emotionally and physically exhausted will help you.

Firstly, I cried. A good solid sob-fest. Everything I had been holding in for the last 36-48 hours came tumbling out. I must admit I was not very positive. My boyfriend G got really worried about me because I don’t usually sound so defeated or so distraught. What he did was remind me that this is not normal and therefore temporary.

When I had dried my eyes and felt a little lighter I decided I needed to change the way things were going for me. I needed to laugh, too feel clean (get rid of the mud and clay), I needed a win and I needed some comfort food.

I decided to make myself some pizza. Hangry is a new word for a reason. Dealing with the most important part first was going to help me immensely. For someone like me, who is on the Auto-Immune Protocol, making pizza is a lot more time intensive and complicated than nipping to the local Pizza place. Thankfully I had the ingredients on hands. I didn’t even feel guilty when I ate a whole pizza to myself. So, yummy comfort food. Check.

I needed to wash of the mud of the day. So I had a nice hot shower. I washed my hair and braided it when it was almost dry so that I would feel better in the morning as I wouldn’t have to do anything with it. Feeling Clean. Check.

I did some jobs I had been putting off. Like putting away the clothes drying in my room. This feels like a constant job because in winter everything takes so long to dry. I also changed my sheets and did another load of washing (yes, ruining my empty drying rack – but yay! Clean clothes). Having a win. Check.

Lastly I needed a laugh. One thing I find I watch to do this is QI. A British show hosted primarily by Stephen Fry but also by Sandi Thompson. For those not familiar with it, it is a great game show that you can watch one or two episodes of and learn something but usually laugh at too. It often hosts a great range of comedians including some great Aussie comedic icons. It has a habit of making me laugh a lot, whilst learning a heap too. Change my mood. Check.

By that time, It was bed time. So I did what I usually do, I wrote 10 things I was grateful for. This is a nightly ritual for me that helps me reframe my day. You might wonder how I could be grateful for a range of things as my day had been so…. Yes… frustrating. But it is amazing what you can be grateful for when you think about the good. Here is what I wrote in my journal…

WEDNESDAY 30TH JANUARY 2019:

1. I am truly grateful that I had my tablet alarm to wake me up this morning because I was able to get up, dressed and to work on time.
2. I am truly blessed that KC & I got to play with the frozen puddles because we laughed a lot.
3. I am happy and blessed I finally got my Section Photo taken because It took me all day to clean up my ditch slot and get it ready for photographing.
4. With all my heart thank you that I was helped my the Polish crew from the other office because their small acts of kindness made my day so much more bearable.
5. Thank you that we stopped at the services on the way home because I hot a hot cup of tea and that was enough to warm my frozen fingers.
6. I am truly happy that I was able to help the office staff by printing off some extra paperwork for the file when I got back to the office, because it meant they had more time for more important things.
7. I am truly blessed that I got prawns on discount at the supermarket because It meant could add them to my pizza tonight.
8. I am happy and blessed G and I could message on my tablet because I feel so disconnected from my family and friends right now.
9. With all my heart thank you for QI, Pizza and hot showers because they really help me improve my mood.
10. Thank you that I got lots of jobs done because I feel like a successful adult.

I always add a reason why I am grateful for a certain thing. Just saying ‘I am grateful for life’ is nice, but what about it makes you feel it in your bones? Or at least in your heart? Actually feeling the gratitude helps me get out of my funk.

As you can see there were good things about my day too. It wasn’t all frustration. It was also… ice cracking, hot tea, pizza, kindness from colleagues, hot showers, having a win, discount prawns, having a back up alarm clock, laughter, getting the job done, connectedness and bringing kindness to others. Does that mean I wont experience frustration again?? I wish.

Thursday could have been just as frustrating, but this time I was more prepared. Pizza for lunch( (leftovers for the win). A messenger phone call with G from my tablet. Having small wins. Making someone else’s day by bringing them a gift.

I also had several people be really kind to me which was really beautiful and unexpected. Some simply shared in my frustration, whilst others offered me use of old phones. I also got hugs from a few friends and colleagues.

Plus, I finally got a cuddle from G when I finally made it to Wales that evening under the threat of snow. And snow it did! But thankfully I got there safe!

Sometimes knowing how to get yourself out of a funk is the best skill there is. I think I am still learning to deal with frustration but at least now I have some strategies to deal with it myself.

Be kind to one another.

Love Daena

Sustainable September 2018 Day 20

When I first planned this Sustainable September idea I had no idea I would be using this idea again so soon!

Day 20. Repair what you already have.

This has already saved me a bit of cash in the UK recently when my favourite pair of PJ pants split at the crotch seam. That’s right ladies and gently man I had a hole in my pants/trousers.

Back in Australia I had my very own sewing machine that I could whip out and fix little mistakes with, but I don’t have one here. I simply had to make do. So I hand-sewed up the hole. It saved my about £10 ($18 AUD) because I didn’t have to buy a new pair of cotton flannel Pyjama pants. Plus who can resist these pink penguin PJ pants???

(The hole I had to fix. Before and after! And the two cute cats that watched it all). 

Certainly not me. It would have made me very sad to say good bye to them, as they have been some of my favourites for years.

I even had to repair my favourite pink bird jumper. It had a loose threat that made it look terribly scruffy, so I managed to almost completely get the threat back in place, but the last tiny loop wasn’t having a bar of going back into its little home. Instead I got a very fine crochet hook and pulled it through to the inside of the jumper. 
(Me having fun at Cardiff Castle a few months ago in my favourite jumper!!!) 

Now you can’t tell that there is a loose threat loop, which means I can go back to wearing that jumper again and again. I don’t have to buy a new jumper/sweater. Plus for me that jumper is irreplaceable as I’ve never seen one like it before or since owning it. I really do love it.

And this week... well i dropped my phone and smashed the screen. 

 his is something I have never had to get fixed before as I havn't broken one until now. I would have expected to smash my phone screen out in the field but I actually did it as I was leaving work. It fell out of my back pocket and landed on a rock. I am so lucky to have never had to deal wtih this before. So now it's time... and I am getting it replaced! Today in fact! Winning!

Repairing broken things instead of replacing things is a sure way to save money. A new phone screen for an apple phone is about £80 ($150 AUD) however the cost of a new phone is so much more, well into the hundreds of pounds.

In Australia they are creating Repair Sheds, where you can go and get anything repaired or you can go and LEARN how to repair your broken items.

I am yet to find a Repair shop/shed equivalent here in the UK but i havn't had a really good look.

What was the thing you want to repair?
What would was the best thing you ever had repaired or managed to repair yourself?

I hope this finds you all well.

In the words of Ellen Degenerous "Be kind to one another"!
Love Daena x

Sustainable September 2017 - Day Three

SEPTEMBER 3 (SUNDAY)

RECYCLE: PLASTIC, GLASS, BATTERIES, SOFT PLASTICS, COMPOST

Hello Again,

Well how are you going with “Reuse”? I am reusing a whole bunch of old jars to store stuff in my pantry. I particlurly love using the 1Lt Pickle jars or putting my specialty flours in. I am reusing old clothes as rags and also upcycled into other things. And when it comes to laundry, im always glad to have my old cloth rice bags. They work very well. It is amazing what you can use and then reuse. Reduce and reuse are the first two parts of this wonderful trilogy last being....

Sustainable September Day 3: Recycle.

Today (for tomorrow) I have included a few different activities that you may want to do all of, or just choose one. It is up to you.

In Australia, recently, there was a program on the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) called “War on Waste” and after watching it, I realized how much regular Australians don’t know about their waste. Particularly what is happening to their things after they discard it. Here is the advertisement for the 3 episode show.

If you are an Australian and havent seen it yet I suggest you check out IView and watch the program there.

Normally I would link the program to the blog however sadly, the links to the website won't work for those of you over seas. You may be able to find a copy on Youtube if you really want. However, I know that they did a version of this in the UK too so if you are in either of these places check it out!

Waste and recycling go hand in hand. But only before we have reduced and reused what we can. All of this occurs before our rubbish ends up in landfill (hopefully none of it has to if we are careful).

I watched this short Vide from the SBS tv show “The Feed” all about recycling in Australia and really enjoyed it. Be warned there is a bleeped out expletive.

The thing is that in lots of places each city council or district has a different I list of recyclable materials. Some have road side collections others have drop off recycling. So even though I want to give you all a broad perspective of what can and can't be recycled, you need to check with your local council for the specifics.

ACTIVITY: Research what and where you can recycle your waste.

PLASTIC: In my area there are two type of Plastic recycling. Hard plastics and soft plastic. This section will look specifically at Hard plastics however it is clear that the two are made of the same product so they are often talked about as one topic.

If you want to look further into the role and damage that Plasic is doing in the world there are a few documentaries to check out.

1) Plastic Paradise: The great Pacific Garbage Patch, (Warning: graphic images)
2) Plasticized Documentary, about a research trip across the Pacific monitoring Plastic in the ocean.
3) The Plastic Age: A documentary featuring Pharrell Williams.

The first two documentaries talk about the problems with plastic waste ending up in our oceans. One way we can prevent plastic ending up in the ocean is to reduce the amount we use in day to day life and therefore the demand to make it, and the second is to make sure we know how to recycle it.

I really like a third documentary, partly because its only like 20mins long, but mostly because it has hope. it gives us hope that someone is doing something on a larger scale to change the plastic that ends up in our oceans. I also love it because it talks about plastic in terms of Archaeology (The Plastic Age).

The biggest thing we can do to stop Plastic ending up in our oceans, in our fish (that we consume) and on our beaches is to reduce the amount we use, reuse the things already in existence and then recycle the things we can to make them into new and exciting things.

ACTIVITY: Choose a documentary to watch and learn more about Plastic in our oceans.

SOFT PLASTIC RECYCLING:  This was something fairly new to me. In my house we have only just started doing Soft Plastic Recycling. I was actually inspired to start this type of recycling after watching the War of Waste Australia program. I take my soft flexible plastics to Coles who use REDcycle. REDcycle then turns the old plastic bags, chip packets, and other soft plastics into something that will be durable and long lasting, like park benches and equipment.

I have a soft plastic bag beside the rubbish bin where I can put all my other soft plastics. Then the next time I go to the shops I can take my bag with me to deposit at the REDcycle deposit bins. here is the handy PDF resource that REDcycle shares on their website. I've just turned it into a picture.

BATTERY RECYCLING: Battery recycling is something that our local school does to get kids to pay attention to recycling. Basically any old batteries (single use and reusable ones at the end of their lives) get donated and recycled.

I am loving finding great videos online that are both hilarious and environemtnally friendly. Here is another one about how to recycle your batteries.

ACTIVITY: Create a “battery recycling bin” in your home. We use old 1Ltr Yogurt Buckets to make our battery recycling bins. Either that or plastic take away containers (not that we have very many of them in our house, but if we do, they get used for other purposes).

GLASS RECYCLING: For this I grabbed a video from Devon in the UK. Now i love that the type of videos that are being created internationally can educate us all. Hopefully they can inspire us all to make a bigger effort to make sure glass ends up where it needs to be so it can be recycled. 

COMPOST: I will be talking about this later in the month in more depth. However, i wanted to give a little video about food waste and composting because it really fits under the "Recycle" banner of Sustainable September. This comes from the War On Waste Kids videos. Ilove that they have made several of these videos and that they are on the theme of "Im a celebrity get me out of here" but instead are "Im Recycleable get me out of here!" So cute and a funny.

FINALLY: There a lot more different things that can be recycled. Mobile phones and devices, toothbrushes and toothpaste containers, and so much more. I just wanted to give you a taste of what Recycling can be like. It doesn't have to be too complicated and it doesn't have to take a lot of time. But it really makes a difference.

To finish up... one more video from South Australia...which is the state next to mine and a pioneer in Australia when it comes to recycling. They made a great video on what goes in which bin. In my old Council area of Stirling they had a three bin system like this one, so im sure it will help any locals to watch this video. 

I hope you have learned something and if not, i hope you are using all that amazing knowledge to help other people, yourself and the planet. 

Enjoy,
love Daena 

Sustainable September Day Twenty Six Kindness

Hello my lovelies,

Can you believe there is only a few days left until the end of the month? This month has flown by... That's for sure! 

So today's kindness was to check out Solar Panels! :) and buy them if you can! Or if you rent like me... you can find other forms of solar power like phone chargers and camping solar panels to help you rely less on Fossil Fuel based power.

Let me show you this awesome place in Denmark, WA! It is the Shires council offices and it's amazingly covered in solar panels!!!!!

That's right all those black things on the roof are solar panels!!!! How awesome is that? 

AWESOME!!!!! :D

I've seen lots of businesses, councils and residences with solar panels and it reminds me we are blessed with some amazing Sunshine here in Australia! (Even if the above photo is taken in the rain!). 

So tomorrow's kindness is ...

Friday – 26 September – Do some research into where your money goes. Do you have super? Do you have an investment portfolio? Does that money go into the production or acquisition of fossil fuels? Is that something you are comfortable with? If not consider looking at Green energy alternatives for investments or companies who deal solely in ethical and sustainable investments like www.ethicalinvestment.com.au or see if your own fund has a “Fossil Fuel investment alternative” or “ethical" or "Green investment option”. 

NOTE: This is not financial advice! This is just something to consider when you are looking at where your money goes, and how that money is helping or hindering the earth. 

I love the video for them though... it explains a bit out the investment company!

Let me know if you already have "ethical" or eco investments! 

Hope this finds you all well! 

Luv Daena x

A few days later... Kindnesses not forgotten!

Hey my lovely people, 

Sorry I haven't posted for a few days! There has been a few problems with me uploading posts and such from my phone so I'll work to updating these things in the next week! I really am enjoying keeping up to date with my kindnesses because it's a good record/diary for me & a wonderful record for everyone else! :) 

I love this because it shows me just how simple kindness can be! I hope it continues to help inspire you too! 

Much love to you all! Thank you for your love & support! :) 

Luv Daena x

You are so spoilt... Kindnesses for March 2012!

Hey everyone,
I guess you may be surprised by the fact that I am writing again so soon! I am! :) But i figured that if I was on a role, I should pursue that! :)

Before I go on, I just wanted to say thank you for your support over the last few years. In the last couple of weeks we have had an awesome increase with the Facebook page too. And I am just so happy that I can share my daily practices with you all. If you havent "Liked" the facebook page then you can do so here http://www.facebook.com/365daysOfKindness so you can get updated when there are new posts and photos/statuses from me.


 Anyway, so here are the Kindnesses for...

MARCH:

March 1^st, 2012: I did a couple of loads of washing with out having to be asked.

March 2^nd, 2012: I sent messages to a friend on her birthday, who was also having a really hard time.

March 3^rd, 2012: I did 6 hours of gardening in the communal garden.

March 4^th, 2012: I did 8 hours of gardening in the back yard (mum can't do it, so that leaves me... and it is one of those jobs that has been put to the bottom of the list a lot).

March 5^th, 2012: I made several phone calls to a fast food chain, on behalf of another family member, as they had lost half of our order. I always approach these as accidental problems that crop up every now and then, and am always as polite as possible.

March 6^th, 2012: Made mum lunch and a cup of tea

March 7^th, 2012: Invited some neighbors over for a cup of tea.

March 8^th, 2012: I baked several batches of low GI cookies so mum had some “healthy” options for snacks and also baked a cake.

March 9^th, 2012: I took books to a family friend to give ideas of what cakes we could make for her 40^th Birthday Party. I also took my niece and nephew for a walk and played I-Spy to keep the kids out of the room whilst their mum was having a doctors appointment.

March 10^th, 2012: Invited the neighbours over for a piece of home-make cake and coffee.

March 11^th, 2012: Sent a message offering support to a friend who needed some TLC.

March 12^th, 2012: Went to a store to get fabric for sleeplessness & ended up helping a stranger by picking up a role of fabric they had dropped to the ground.

March 13^th, 2012: Acted as a chauffeur for mum and also suggested mum buy a Starwars Lego book for a friends birthday.

March 14^th, 2012: Took mum to a mid-week church service, also a much shorter service, and helped her when she couldn’t sit down any more.

March 15^th 2012: Sent a message of love and encouragement to a friend having a hard time and offered to help out. (Wrote Blog Post available here)

March 16^th, 2012: Went and picked up cake decorating supplies for mum and I, so at we could make a cake.

March 17^th, 2012: Poured mum a drink for mum, for the anniversary of my Grandfathers death.

March 18^th, 2012: Volunteered to water plants for a friend going on holiday for several weeks.

March 19^th, 2012: Went and visited dad because he had had a fall at his nursing home. We calmed him down and supported the nursing home staff.

March 20^th, 2012: Took my mum to her bible-study and craft. Visited dad to make sure he was okay after his fall. Also made mum and the other craft ladies cups of tea.

March 21st, 2012: Took mum to church, made cups of tea (for morning tea) then helped with the washing up afterwards.

March 22nd, 2012: Visited dad and took him some of my home-made cookies. Pushed one of dads fellow house-mates (in a wheelchair) to the dining room for lunch. 

March 23rd, 2012: Drove mum to a doctors appointment. Made cake for a friends 40^th Birthday, AND also supported a friends 1^st full length play (that she wrote and directed) by going to see it with some of my friends.

March 24th, 2012: Dropped the cake off at a friends house, dropped mum off to my sister, and then drove for an hour and a half for an engagement party and acted as skipper.

March 25^th, 2012: Preached at Floreat Salvation Army – Promoting kindness. Sang in the youth band and set up the service. (Wrote Blog Post available here)

March 26^th, 2012: In a difficult situation acted positively and responsibly by acting with integrity against the perpetrator. (Wrote Blog Post available here)

March 27^th, 2012: Cooked dinner for my sister, brother-in-law, niece, nephew, friend and mum. (Wrote Blog Posts available here & here )

March 28^th, 2012: Babysat my sisters kids for a few hours after school. Made them snack and played with them.

March 29^th, 2012: Took my niece to school, drove to the children's hospital, acted as a chauffeur for my nephew and sister, and then drove them home after my nephews appointment to have the metal rods in his arm removed in surgery.

March 30^th, 2012: Made a cup of tea for mum to enjoy in bed.

March 31^st, 2012: Went to the Salvation Army fete and helped by cooking sausages and cleaning up afterwards.

*Please remember that there was also probably other stuff done on these days, but these were the kindnesses we were able to piece together after loosing all my kindnesses due to a technological glitch with my iPhone, TWICE! Needless to say, I have now gone back to using Paper and pen to record these kindnesses.

Well, I hope you enjoyed March 2012s Kindnesses. Thank you for your support on both the Facebook page and this blog (and in person/email), without your love and support I wouldn't be able to do what I do everyday. So thanks, you rock! :) 

Love and hugs, Daena x

Hospital...the easiest place to be kind!

Hey Everyone,
Sorry i haven't written in a while. things have been a bit crazy around here! Mum went into spinal surgery last week and i have been meaning to do a post about it! :) All went well which is amazing considering the delicacy of the procedure! But this means that i have spent a LOT of time of time waiting around at the Hospital! Funnily enough i tried to update this blog post whilst i was bored one of those times, but for some reason my phone is now pretending that it doesn't like my Blog! :S Phones... honestly who'd have technology?! (shhh....i know you do... me too!)

Anyways, as the phone and its internet connection were playing up i just used the notes section to jot down a few of my thoughts!

*warning... brain was slightly stressed so may not actually make sense in the long run!*

"Today my mum had very complex spinal surgury. Things about life and death are always very hard to deal with and i have been struggling! Yet I always find it amazing what happens at hospitals.

With the hours of waiting and watching i have seen the most amazing kindnesses (and experienced some for myself)! From asking a stranger if they are going up on an elevator (when they didn't see it open), to others chatting kindly to a sad and worried looking person. From trying to make someone else smile to bringing in something special from home to make sure the patient in hospitla feels more comfortable. From praying/sending thoughts for the person sick, to making a cup of tea for a relative that looks simply sad. I am coming to understand that the easiest way of sharing kindness is by going to a hospital.

Perhaps this ability to be kind stems from the very nature of work that occurs at a hospital. Healing! Love, Kindness, Generosity seem to be some of the characteristics that act as healing agents in Hospitals. Of course the hard work of those in the medical fields, and those that assist are clearly vital to health and well being!

I know the way the nursing staff took care of my mum was with kindness! They were patient, generous, and some rather comical (which made the serious nature of the surgery a little less terrifying). So thank you to all those who make a difference in their work! If you are a doctor, or a nurse or a support staff! Thank you for looking after our sick, sharing in our grief, welcoming new additions into families, making us feel welcome in a new place, smiling when you serve us a cup of tea, easing pain, laughing with us when we do something a little silly and simply being there when we need help! THANK YOU!"

 (*okay maybe it wasn't as incoherent as i thought it would be... that's good!*)

From someone how been helping mum now she is out of hospital, I appreciate all the little things that you did for her in there! So thanks!

Anyways, when i was sitting in the cafeteria on one of my endless waits at the hospital, I was reminded of the movie "Love Actually". The beginning of the movie is where people are being observed at the Airport, and the voice over (Hugh Grant to be precise) is noting that love is clearly visible at the airport. I thought that at Hospitals, kindness is clearly visible. And I remember thinking that (minus the grief and loss) that it would be a better place if we were like that all the time. Kind, i mean. I think people are more conscious of other people when they are at a hospital. And i think we need to be aware of others if we are to be kind in our everyday life.

Well, so much for this being a "short" blog post as I had first planned.

I hope all is going well with you all in your lives! And thanks for the friends and family who have supported me and mum over this last week! You have been lifesavers! SERIOUSLY! ;)

Luv Daena x