I can’t really believe it (can you?). It’s nearly the end of 2009 – its amazing really, it wasn’t that long ago that I was writing my first posts of the year – specifically around my Plans for 2009 after returning from Europe. Okay so I haven’t really kept to the plan that I set out then but I have in a couple of areas – and I’m pretty stoked with that!
1a) Financial Responsibility – I’m still learning it, there is no way that a year attempting to save money got me into habits for the rest of my life, but I have saved money, and while it’s a small start
1b) Health-wise Responsibility – This was one of the areas that didn’t see much progression. While I did buy an exercise bike, I have not gotten into a rhythm of riding it. I haven’t improved my eating habits, in fact I think I’ve regressed. But I have no problems going to the doctor, dentist and optometrist to get some assistance. I even got contacts at the beginning of the year – I now realise that contacts are more fiddly than they are worth (e.g. a lens popping out of your eye while you’re sitting down is not going to increase your confidence in them).
2) Energy/Positivity – I feel like I’ve been pretty positive this year, for the most part, maybe a little, sometimes. LOL. Maybe not the greatest of endorsements for success in this area, but I guess learning to laugh at life’s little foibles is just as good as feeling buoyant, and maybe a better long term skill.
3) Relaxing – This is pretty important to me, I find I need to take the time to relax for a part of the day in order to appropriately regroup before coming back the next day – especially when I’m locked into something – that might be work (Mon-Fri) or locked into organising music for a Sunday morning at Church.
4) Gardening – I have no idea if I would want to pursue this as a career. But, I have had heaps of fun setting up a garden and growing different herbs and vegies. I’m currently growing pumpkins, spring onions, tomatoes, chilli, basil, parsley (curly & flat leaf), lavender, mint, oregano, and rosemary. I also keep a compost – and am attempting to get the grass to grow during our lovely drought conditions. It’s fun, uses some energy, and gets me outside in the warmth and sun! So I’m loving it (and I’m really loving the rain we’ve been having lately – it has been awesome!),
5) Art – I had decided to discard this item from my list earlier in the year, but recently I have gotten out the paints and have done one and a half paintings (the Face painting I mentioned in a previous post, is getting there but not yet complete). So its not yet dead – it probably helped going to an art gallery or two, they tend to inspire me to paint better than anything else.
6) Reading Non-Fiction – LOL – To be honest I have been fairly successfully in this endeavour to read a number of non-fiction books. I have started reading 5 or 6 books, the problem is that I haven’t finished any of them! But I plan to during my holidays so it should be alright still. 
7) Go away/Explore Victoria – I should have, I haven’t, but I still hope to. It’s not a lost endeavour, I am taking a nice chunk of leave soon and most will be spent at home, so I should have plenty of time to go away for a couple of nights here and there.
Hopefully I’ll be able to post some photos of all of the above soon.
