Rhodes: In Pictures

I took most of my holiday snaps with the camera on my phone as I nearly always have that with me. I did that my Canon with me as well and took it out with us a few days (my family would have soon got fed up with me if I took out with us all the time). Although, the island was very quiet, I am unsure whether this is due to the time of year or the economic climate, or both, but I also found it quite beautiful. The different towns and sides of the island varied considerably, I loved the contrast.

Here are a few of my favourite photos from our holiday, some have been taken with my phone and others the Canon.

I would love to hear your thoughts, have you ever been to Rhodes or a Greek Island?

Please do not copy any of my photos without asking first

Reflection

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I think being on holiday is a great time to reflect. You have time to think, time to gather your thoughts away from the never ending to do lists and everyday responsibilities.

I was listening to a Good Life Project (GLP) podcast and a question stood out for me that I haven't yet been able to give much thought, 'what does living a good life mean to you?'

Well now I have the time. One of my favourite parts of the day, I have come to realise, is being the first one up, making myself a coffee and drinking it out by the pool. I love having this bit of time to myself to think and/or write in my journal. I love the warmth as the suns heat grows with the day, the birds chirping, the light breeze rustling the leaves on the trees. I don't even mind the sound of aeroplanes heading towards the airport as it reminds me I'm away from home in this beautiful place.

So, what does living a good life mean to me? I thought about what is important to me; my values, relationships and my work. I also thought about financial security, travel (exploring the world) and some material things such as a nice home and car. I thought about my aspirations and my basic, core desire, to make a difference, to influence change and to be happy.

I think, most importantly, for me at the moment is having a good, healthy home and work balance, to be happy and healthy and to continue trying to have a more positive outlook. I want to write that in an ideal world I would earn enough money to work part time (but then what would I do with the spare time?) but another part of me wants to find a job that I enjoy enough to not mind, or even want to, work full time.

I would like to help change the way our society views elderly people (older adults), the value that's placed on their quality of life and the care provided to support them. I would also like to support the continuing understanding, acceptance and value of individuals with disabilities (physical, cognitive and learning disabilities) within our society and communities.

As I have spent time thinking about what this all means to me, I have also thought about changes I can make in my life to help me achieve some of these things. I have a home and car that I love, I have a few little projects in mind for the house and garden that I hope to complete this year. As I have mentioned a number of times before, my job has always been for 12 months so I am currently looking for a new one. I have an idea about a project I would like to do to raise awareness of some of the needs of older adults and family carers but have decided that I would like to attend a photography course of some kind first. I also want to learn more and improve my photography skills as a hobby. I really regret not taking it in school (I'm sure it was an option for GCSE or A level). I am lucky and grateful for the life I have, it's a good one but it can always be a little better (the need for self development both a positive and negative trait of mine).

What does living a good life mean to you?

My A-Z

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I've seen a few similar posts recently, posts that share a little more about the people behind the blog. I am quite nosey and love these posts! I also liked the challenge of thinking about words starting with each letter of the alphabet - so here goes;

Adoption and fostering; I want a family some day but as it stands I don't have the urge to experience pregnancy or giving birth. I also truly believe that I can love a child who does not share my dna as if they were. I also really want to visit, travel and do some volunteering in Africa.

Bread; is a big weakness of mine, give me a basket of mixed breads, olive oil and balsamic vinegar any day of the week.

Coffee and cats; I have recently made an effort to cut down and have about two cups of coffee a day. A real treat is a caramel or cinnamon latte. I have to say Costa is a favourite. I couldn't not mention my two fur babies, Alfie and Ollie.

Dessert; when eating out, I always check out the dessert menu first if possible. I then plan my whole meal around my dessert choice.

Eating and exercise; as I've mentioned in a few posts I've been trying to eat well and exercise more to fulfil my New Year intention to be happier and healthier.

Flowers; I love a bunch of fresh, pretty flowers. Sometimes when I do my food shop I pick up a bunch of reasonably priced beauties from my local supermarket.

Grandparents; I value the time I spend with them and make the effort to do this regularly as at their ages I am not sure how much longer they will be in my life. I also sponsor a little girl who lives in Ghana.

Hot showers; I can stand under a hot shower for almost as long as I could lay in a bath. I would have to say that I am more of a shower person.

Jogging; I am really trying to make more of an effort to get back into this. I really enjoy jogs that feel relatively easy (this is a very rare occurrence). I have spent more time on my cross trainer lately though so need to get back out there!

Kicking back and relaxing; although I often talk about wanting to do this I struggle do actually do it. I hate feeling as though I have wasted the day (feeling un-productive).

Lists and lie-ins; I am not a morning person and do not like having to get out of bed before 9 or 9.30am. I also love a list, it helps me organise what needs to get done.

Marc Jacobs; the bag my parents bought me for my 18th birthday is still the only designer item that I own. Mondays, I dislike.

Nervousness; I would say I am quite a nervous person, I fear change rather than embrace it. This is possibly due to my ability to overthink everything.

Organised; I like to be organised, actually, if I'm being honest it's more of a need. I also need others around me to be just as I organised, if not it throws me completely and I have a mini meltdown (usually in my head). I would love to be more spontaneous.

Photography; I love snapping moments that I can keep, to look back at and remember. I also like taking more artistic photos of buildings, peeling paint and the like.

Reading; most evenings I climb into bed and reach for my book. I can read for 10 minutes to an hour or more depending on how tired I am, what other thoughts I have in my head and how good my book is. I have three books on my Kindle to get through during my holiday.

Sunshine; even if it's still cold outside, seeing the sun shine never fails to make me smile.

Travel; although I haven't holidayed in Europe (I have yet to get a stamp in my passport), there are so many places I want to visit. I want to see the world!

Unknown; I hate the anxious feeling this creates.

Virgo; my star sign.

Walking; something I really enjoy with family, friends and on my own. I love being outside in the fresh air. Completing a walk also makes me feel as though I have achieved something.

Yoga; this ties in with a few others. I really enjoy my time on the mat, if I concentrate hard enough I can create a calm, peaceful place for me to practice, quieting my mind of other thoughts and focusing on the present.

I didn't manage to do every letter of the alphabet but don't think I've done too badly.

I'd love to read yours, send me links

Holiday Preparation

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How do you get ready for a holiday?

 

Are you someone that counts down the days or sleeps about a month before you leave? Or someone that leaves things to the last minute?

 

I am usually someone who likes to be planned and organised. However when it comes to preparing for a holiday I often leave a lot until the last minute. I fly to Rhodes next week and it's only this weekend that I have started to feel excited about it. Work has been crazy busy, not unusual, although the short week due to the Easter bank holiday hasn't helped me get on top of things before I go on leave. I spent the day with my Mum a few weeks ago as I had some annual leave to use before April and we did end up doing a little holiday shopping, picking up a few items; a new pair of black denim shorts, a few tops and pairs of sandals. I was fully aware that my Sister will have at least two outfits for each day so felt I too had to make a bit of an effort.

 

We are going away as a family to celebrate my Sister's 21st birthday. When I go away I enjoy spending time relaxing, reading a book by the pool and wandering around traditional towns and quaint coves and stretches of beach with turquoise coloured sea and actual sand underfoot instead of stones. Some people may not like the idea of going on holiday with their family but I'm quite looking forward to it, we usually have a good time when we're together. We have agreed that we can go and do our own thing at times so there isn't the pressure of spending all our time together which might help keep the peace.

 

Things I've already done:

• bought new clothes & sandals
• stocked up on sun lotion and after sun
• downloaded books for the Kindle
• started to clean the house
• bought my Sister's gift
• done a few loads of washing
• ordered my European health card

Things left to do:

• pack!
• get holiday insurance
• finish cleaning the house
• paint my toe nails so they are sandal and beach ready
• stock up on cat food as my lovely friend will be looking after my boys
• make sure my cameras memory card is empty and the battery is charged





My Bank Holiday Weekend

Why does time off always seem to go by so fast? My five days off have sadly come to an end so I thought I would spend some time reflecting and sharing what I got up to. Thursday morning I dedicated to being kind to myself, relaxing in front of the tv catching up with some of the programmes I had recorded and having cuddles with my two cats. A few hours of the afternoon was spent looking at a job application I had promised myself I'd complete the week before. When school was finished I went bowling and stuffed myself with Pizza with a friend and his niece. Not a bad start to a little break from work!

Friday I spent the day with one of my closest friends, we did a little bit of shopping, me for my holiday and her for her baby who is due in May. We spent the afternoon taking some photographs of my friend, bump and her boyfriend. I know I'm a little biased but I think there are loads of really cute photos and am really pleased that I managed to capture some beautiful moments. I took most of them using the manual settings as I like to take them in black and white but I also tried to change different settings, wanting to get the light right and a blurred background in some (which didn't quite work). I have made the decision that after July when I hopefully, will know where I am going to be based for work, I am going to look into starting a photography course so I can learn more and improve my knowledge and skills.

 

Saturday was another day dedicated to relaxing. I didn't leave the house all day, I don't think I really left the sofa for very long.

Sunday was spent with family. My Sister, her boyfriend and I went to my parents for a roast dinner. Dinner was served around 2.30, I arrived just before two having left mine a bit earlier to pick up a few extra bits for my Sister and her boyfriend. My Sister arrived almost at the same time as the plates were being placed onto the table. It was lovely to have everyone sat together around the table, to spend time talking and laughing together. We swapped Easter Eggs and moved into the lounge to watch a film and some Gogglebox before heading home.

I'm not too sure why but I have not been in the best mood since Thursday. I find this odd and annoying because it has dampened my time off and things I enjoy like spending time with my friends and family. I wonder if it's stress and anxiety around the change that will quite possibly come in July when my contract ends at work. Although, I am feeling positive about the application I mentioned, I am still sad about changing teams as I have worked hard making friends and getting to know the colleagues in the team I am in and also there is a big cloud of uncertainty hanging over my head.

To try and shake this negative feeling off I knew I could not spend today inside so as soon as there was a break in the rain I grabbed my coat and walking boots and headed out. I drove to Brandon Country Park which is about an hour from where I live. I paid to park for over 2 hours which only cost me £2.50 and headed off into the forest. It was beautiful and peaceful. Even when the wind got up and blew hard through the trees it sounded like waves crashing on a shoreline which is always a comforting sound to me. I love the opportunity to be outside in the fresh air, the slight smells from the mud underfoot and the trees brought a smile to my face. A few patches of squelchy mud made me feel childlike and I wished I had my wellington boots on instead and could jump and wriggle around in it. I chose to do the 3.5 mile route and felt comfortable completing it alone as unlike some other places I have visited, this route is really well signposted so I had no fear or anxieties about getting lost. It took me just over an hour to get back to the visitor centre and café where I started, good timing as I was starting to get hungry. I popped in for an egg and cress bap and a latte which again only cost me about £5.50. I really should make more of an effort to visit more often, I felt really positive during my walk and on my way home. It felt good to have gotten out of the house, to get some fresh air, to be outside in open spaces, to feel productive and for the sun to show its face.

Hope you had a good bank holiday weekend, how did you spend it?

Wonder.land

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Last weekend a friend and I went to watch the modern adaptation of Alice in Wonderland, Wonder.land. I enjoy watching shows in London but haven't been for a while. I often choose to see productions of films that I have seen; Dirty Dancing, Chicago, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory are some that I have been to. My favourite show that I've seen so far has to be Legally Blonde, I went to see it three times! I like any excuse for a day out and love the energy, the buzz I often feel when I'm in London. I like the busyness, the rush, winding in and out of crowds. I'm not as keen on the traffic, grid-locked roads and the crowded tubes that are often close to bursting at the seams.

Last weekend, we were really lucky with the weather, although it was a little cloudy it was dry and warm enough for a light jacket and scarf. As Wonder.land was being performed at the National Theatre we decided to park near Tower Bridge and walk along the South Bank of the River Thames. I was aware of how happy I was simply being outside in the fresh air, as opposed to inside in an office or my car where I spend the majority of my time during the week. It was also lovely to be by the river, I love the sound of water; whether it's the sound of the waves crashing on the beach, a gentle flow of a stream or a water feature, the running of a bath or shower. There was also amazing views along the river, Tower Bridge, the Shard, the Gherkin, St Paul's Cathedral, modern glass buildings of all shapes and sizes alongside more classic architecture. We also passed the OXO building and the Tate Modern.

We arrived at the National Theatre about half an hour before the performance was due to begin to collect our tickets, get something to eat and pre-order our drinks for the interval. We grabbed a sandwich from the café in the theatre which I thought was reasonably priced, about £7 for a baguette and a slice of cake. We then headed up to the second floor to the Oliver Theatre for the show.

Our decision to go was very last minute but luckily there were a few seats left. When purchasing theatre tickets I usually pick the second from cheapest price band. I was pleasantly surprised when we located our seats a few moments before the show started. Because of the theatres small size, although our seats were two or three rows from the back of the Circle section, we were still not very far away from the stage.

I don't want to give too much of the storyline away but I found it really powerful and moving during some sections and felt that it covered some difficult but current topics about why people go online and the darker side of the online world well while still following the classic Alice in Wonderland storyline of self discovery we know, love and expect, as well as cleverly introducing the various, well known, characters along the way. I think one of my favourite parts was the Caterpillar, the costumes, lighting and effects but more importantly what he had to say. His question, the only question that really matters...

Who are you? 

Female





From Google Images

What does it mean to be female in todays society?

Recently, I have seen blog posts and news articles about being female, being a woman, from Lady Writes post 'Here's to the Girl Boss generation' and Tanya Burr's post 'Time for Girls' to International Women's Day which was celebrated on Tuesday the 8th of March. All of these things have led me to thinking more and more about what it means to be a woman in todays society.

Growing up as a teenager I rejected a lot of what I thought defined a girl. I wanted to be seen as strong not weak, I wanted to be on the same level as or better than the boys. Even at primary school I played football with my boy friends, I raced against them on sports day. For a long time my Uncle kept a photo of me running alongside two of the boys in my class. In high school I found I preferred being friends with boys, for a sort while I was the only girl in our small group of friends and I didn't want to be treated any differently by them because of it. I wanted to be seen by them as 'one of the guys.'

As an adult I have clear, strong views about wanting to be independent and about wanting to be in a balanced relationship where roles and chores are shared. At the moment I have no intention of becoming someone's housewife, however, that may change in the future. I also have my own views about how I would like to start a family, which again may not be seen as traditional by others. But does it and should it matter what others think of my choices?

Feminism by definition is 'the advocacy of women's rights on the ground of the equality of the sexes.' I really enjoyed Emma Watson's UN speech about Feminism, especially where she talked about it being a movement for both men and women, where she discussed and challenged stereotypes of both men and women. You can find it here.

Am I a feminist?

I am not sure. What I do know is that I believe that women should have and exercise their right to make choices about their own lives. To choose who they want to be and who they want to be in a relationship with, whether they want to focus on their career or raising a family or juggle both.

Within Tanya's post there is a link to another website with many ways of getting involved and supporting gender equality and women. I clicked on the HeForShe tab as it was a campaign I heard about through Emma's speech. The campaign focuses on six areas where gender equality can be promoted; education, health, identity, work, violence and poverty.

 'How strongly do you feel influenced by traditional gender expectations?'

 

Image from Google Images