"People come into your life and people leave it..."

If you stop and think about the people in your lives... how many do you think are there for a reason?

How many people in your life do you sometimes stop and realise that you are just SO grateful for their presence or impact on you?

These are the special people that dot our world; like cherries on top of cupcakes and chocolate sprinkles on top of a dessert. 

We could totally still be happy without them, but WITH them, our lives are touched, enriched and we are all the better for just knowing them.

I feel so privileged to know a few of these rare and special people. Some have been in my life for a long time (you know who you are) and others are more recent additions :)

The interesting thing about these special people is that it seems not to matter how long you have known them.... Somehow there is that connection made. It's quite an amazing thing really!

These are the people who remind you of who you really are, what matters to you and who show and demonstrate, through the strength of their character, how you can grow and be a better, stronger person.

So tonight, at Toastmasters; Fiona - there is no place in the universe I would have rather been than right there listening to you & sharing in your moment.

Some people just inspire you, give you strength, lift your spirits and leave us in awe - Fiona is one of those people x

I hope everyone is fortunate enough to have a "Fiona" in their lives :)

"People come into your life and people leave it...

you just have to trust that life has a road mapped out for you"

- Orlando Bloom

"Prior Planning Prevents..."

There is a saying someone once told me when I was first at teacher's college -

"Prior Planning Prevents Panic"

Throughout my 3 years of training and subsequent 10 years of teaching, that saying has morphed into several other similar 4Ps that I have kept in mind and also shared with the dozens of teacher trainees that I have mentored in the past 8 years.

Born out of this has come several derivitives including -

• "Prior Planning Prevents Problems"
• "Prior Preparation Prevents Panic"
• "Prior Preparation Prevents Poor Performance"
• and even the 6 P's - "Prior Preparation/Performance Prevents Piss Poor Performance"

Tonight, I find myself guilty of all the above!
Having only just organised my calendar over the past few days I have realised I have failed to plan and prepare.... for the 10km Botany Summer Fun Run & Walk.

#4 from my 50 Things 2012 List:
"Walk the 'Botany Summer Fun Run & Walk' 10km course again (done in 2011)"

Last  month February seemed like such a long way away and I was sure I'd have loads of time to train up my legs for the 10km walk... but then school started back for the year and I have not stopped working since. You see I have registered for the walk, but have not trained... (at all!)

Now it's going to hurt (and perhaps nearly kill me), but I'm going to DO this walk - THIS SUNDAY whether I like it or not, stay tuned for extreme blister photos (lol) and wish me luck!



Image Credit:  
Image: 'planner pages with pencil'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/94168846@N00/6631666775

"Throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

#17 from my 50 Things 2012 List:
"Make a list of 15 special or interesting places I'd like to visit around Auckland and start to visit these places"


After 3 days of research, miles of crowd sourcing through input from my Facebook friends my #17 goal of making a list of 15 special or interesting places I'd like to visit around Auckland is complete!

All I had previously was a scrappy envelope that I kept in my car for whenever I had a new inspirational idea of a place to add to the list. Now I have a whole new page on this blog of places I want to explore this year, complete with hyperlinks!

The plan has been made, and now to make some more plans!

This time, plans to have some fantastic weekends of exploring, getting out there and visiting these magical places!

Thank you SO much to everyone who contributed an amazing 35 plus comments to my Facebook plea! I will try hard to document some of my adventures throughout the year :)

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. 

So throw off the bowlines. 

Sail away from the safe harbor. 

Catch the trade winds in your sails. 

Explore. Dream. Discover.” 

~ Mark Twain

Image Credit: Image: 'Pink and green' 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/34726560@N00/3731308899

"From a certain point onward there is no longer any turning back. That is the point that must be reached."

#50 from my 50 Things 2012 List:
"Finalise my Divorce"

Huge progress this week towards my final BIG #50 'thing' from my 2012 list.

[I was contemplating the title of this post to be something like "Psycho stalker assists with #50" but have calmly decided against it and chose the above quote from Franz Kafka.]

You see this week I have had the 'pleasure' of being 'served' and been given official DIVORCE paperwork.


Yes, I did indeed use 'that' D-word! After 5 years of legal separation it has come.

Perhaps I could have done without being stalked by my ex-Mother in Law at my workplace, needing to hide in my boss' office while abuse was hurled in front of my work colleagues, then having to hide in a dark corner of my house while doors were banged on and yelling 'discussion' ensued. And I surely could have done without the questions from my students after an "angry old lady" yelled and threw paperwork towards me in my classroom the very next day.

But, do you know, it's done!

And what a great feeling! 

A new year, a new start and good riddance to old rubbish.
I never have regretted getting married, nor have I let it get me sour about men or relationships in general.

I have reached that point of being able to confidently move on and am very pleased indeed!
I may have to have a 'D Party' once all is finalised ;)

I have nearly accomplished my #50th 'thing' for 2012 :)

"From a certain point onward there is no longer any turning back. That is the point that must be reached."  

~ Franz Kafka

Image Credit: Image: 'Ring'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/20993292@N08/2232897539