Changing Christmas

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The holiday season: can’t get enough of it, or can’t wait for it all to be over already? Has your attitude toward the end-of-year holidays changed over the years?

Christmas is a special time of year. For me, it usually involves a glass of champagne while opening presents with my family in Sydney. We all then travel to spend the rest of the day with our extended family. On occasions we are lucky enough to see all members of both sides of our family in the one day.

In Australia, Christmastime is usually hot. The question on everyone’s lips is will the bush fires stay away long enough for the volunteers to celebrate and enjoy a lunch with family and friends.

This year I get to learn about and love Christmas in a new way. All my life I have dreamt of  a white Christmas. So we have left sunny Sydney and are heading to hopefully snowy Quebec. Google tells us it is one of the few places in the world that has the best chance of snow on the ground as well as falling on Christmas day.

It will be very different for me only having my husband around on Christmas day. I will miss the rest of my family, but I am loving the build up to Christmas in Canada. Christmas traditions I am experiencing include:

  • The cold
  • The fires
  • Hot chocolate
  • Snow
  • Christmas parades
  • Ugly sweaters
  • Mulled wine
  • Hot toddies
  • Hat, gloves and coats
  • Snowmen
  • Snow shoveling
  • Snowflakes
  • Christmas markets
  • Christmas tree shopping
  • Christmas movie marathons daily
  • The smell of Christmas
  • Sugar cookies
  • Street Carolers
  • The weather report
  • Flights cancelled due to bad weather

I was surprised to see everything that I had seen on television happens in everyday life. And I love it. It’s great to see how the other half of the world lives during this special time.

148 - The Parade - Santa Arrives

St John’s Newfoundland’s Christmas Parade

 

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/getting-seasonal/

Achieving My Dream

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What’s your next, most pressing deadline? Are you excited, stressed, or ambivalent about it? What’s the first thing you’d like to do once you’re done with it?

Goal

As I am currently on holiday in Canada, I don’t like to think about deadlines. Deadlines equal work. However, on my return to Australia I have a major deadline due. In 2015, I am self-publishing my book Inspiring Hope: How Eating Disorder Recovery Is Possible. It has taken me 5 years to write and now I am both excited and petrified, at taking the next step. Despite this, I am motivated and looking forward to seeing the final product.

The next step and my current deadline is to complete editing my manuscript and send it off to the publisher for review. My personal deadline for this is the end of March at the latest, although February would be better. The reason for the large variation is that I want to be able to minimise the stress and make it an enjoyable experience.

Once I am done with this deadline, I am sure I will become the pawn of the publisher as they take control of what I need to do next in preparation for publishing day. While I wait for these instructions however, I will have a glass or two of celebratory champagne.

Deadlines certainly help me in achieving my dream.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/in-due-time/

Purple

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I am often described as the lady in purple. I wear purple at every opportunity—it is my favourite colour.  Up until recently, my hair was also purple, matching my clothes. There are many shades of purple so I don’t get bored and have plenty of variety.

Apparently, I have a purple aura. Who knew? People who have a purple aura are known to be highly psychic, attuned to the emotions of others and very sensitive. They are also known to be healers and teachers. This describes me well. Empowering people to improve their mental health and be the best version of themselves is what I do. This blog complete with its purple trim is based on inspiring people.

I am both grateful and inspired by the colour purple. Every time I need extra support to get through tough times—I wear purple. I use it as a protective armour. It works for me and gives me confidence. Purple helps me be creative and my writing desk has many purple accessories.

The colour purple has a long history associated with royalty, spirituality and significant events. It is a mixture of red (warm) and blue (cool) colours, so it is balanced.

What colour inspires you? Is it you favourite colour or a specific you wear when you need a lift?

 

The Ocean Train

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images-packages-73-2

Last weekend we traveled from Moncton, New Brunswick to Montreal, Quebec by VIA’s The Ocean  Train.  It is Canada’s longest continuously running train and it’s full journey goes from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Montreal. The Ocean Train links Atlantic Canada to Central and Western Canada and has done so using the same name since July 3, 1904. It follows a route established by the Intercolonial Railway in the mid 1800’s.

Our journey took 18 hours so we choose  sleeper car. And we were pleased we did. No only did this give us a private space, bunk beds, a shower and toilet, it also gave us access to the viewing carriage. This is the last carriage of the train and is higher than the others with a glass ceiling. It was a relaxing way to watch the picturesque scenery speed by.

Traveling on this train during winter had other advantages. The sight of beautiful Christmas lights in the towns we traveled through. Unfortunately, because of the speed we were traveling, we were unable to take photos as the lights went streaky.  They were however, beautiful against the crisp, white snow.

I loved waking up during the night and looking out the window. I imagined what life was like for the people living in these  towns in remote Canada.

This was a great experience. I loved every minute of the 1 042 kilometre journey through the snow.

 

Change Direction

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Quote

What do you want out of life? Are you on track or are you guessing the route? Don’t rely on a map or someone else’s direction to get you to where you want to go. Make you own enquirers, check the information and follow-up if necessary.

We are currently exploring Canada relying on maps and other people’s instructions.They are not always as clear as they seem. We have often thought we were on the right track, but after double and triple checking realised  we were not. We needed to change direction to reach our destination.

Don’t be afraid of change.  Make any changes necessary, to make sure  you are headed in the direction of your dreams.

Kick The Bucket

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What are the top items on your anti-bucket list — those things you never, ever want to do, places you never want to visit, books you never want to read, etc.?

Being a positive person, I haven’t really considered things that I never want to do. However, with two minutes of indulgence, I was able to find several items for my list.

Activities

  • Base Jumping
  • Bungy Jumping
  • Driving a Racing Car
  • Flying A Plane

Books

  • Horror Books
  • Science Fiction Books
  • Science Manuals
  • The Hunger Games
  • War and Peace

Countries

  • Afghanistan
  • Pakistan
  • Siberia

Films/TV

  • Sports Channel
  • War movies
  • Westerns

Music

  • Heavy metal
  • Opera
  • Symphony

Sports

  • Boxing
  • Hunting
  • Softball

All of the above are things that I am not interested in, do not like or in some cases cannot see myself doing, such as flying a plane. The more I think about it, an anti bucket list isn’t a bad idea. It allows me to know what I do and don’t like. I think I might keep it as a work in progress adding to it regularly.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/kick-the-bucket/

Lessons From Dogs

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When loved ones come home, run to meet them.

After you’ve been scolded, run right back and be friends.

When someone is having a bad day, sit by and nuzzle a little.

When your happy, dance around, and wag your whole body.

Delight in the healthy pleasures of a good walk.

Avoid snarling when a gentle growl will do.

 

Author unknown

Seen on a sign on Newfoundland waterfront.

 

151 - a Newfie 1

Love Me Please

Halifax Explosion

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As it’s been a while since our last free-write… set a timer for ten minutes. Write without pause (and no edits!) until you’re out of time.

On 6th December, 1917, the Norwegian ship IMO collided with the French monitions ship Mont Blanc starting a fire on the Mont Blanc. At 9.05 am the 2,653,115 kg of explosives detonated, setting off a tsunami and killing 1900 people. It also injured or left thousands more homeless.  It was the most powerful, non-atomic, man-made blast in history. The damage covered a massive area and affected 80% of the population.

In acknowledgment of the 97th anniversary of the explosion last Saturday, the Halifax ran memorial ceremonies throughout the city. We attended the one on the harbour. At 9.05 a canyon sounded from the Citadel signalling all the boats on the harbour to begin ringing their bells and blowing their horns. It was inspiring. We were at the Acadia, the only ship still on the harbour that was on the harbour back in 1917.

I was humbled to be a part of remembering an important part of Halifax’s history.

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/ready-set-done-7/

All Or Nothing

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“Perhaps when we find ourselves wanting everything, it is because we are dangerously close to wanting nothing.” — Sylvia Plath

Which do you find more dangerous: wanting nothing, or wanting everything?

Is wanting everything or wanting nothing the better option. Will either make you a better person or successful?

Neither are helpful.

Wanting nothing and wanting everything are at each end of a continuum.

Nothing _______________________________________________________________Everything

Wanting nothing doesn’t allow you to take the first steps.

Wanting everything means you are taking steps in every direction and achieving very few things.

I believe the answer lies in the grey area. The area in between. The something. Wanting something and making a plan works. Aiming for something, a goal allows you to put steps in place be successful.

Nothing________________________Something ___________________________Everything

 

https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/all-or-nothing/

Honorary Newfies

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Prior to becoming part of the 10th province of Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador in 1949, Newfoundland was an independent Dominion. For this reason, Newfies, (the common name for people from Newfoundland) identify being Newfoundlanders first and then Canadian. Rum has played a major role in their history and today, they use it to  extended a welcome to its visitors.

The story goes that years ago Newfoundlanders traded salted cod with the Jamaicans for their rum barrel ends. They would then add water to them, creating their own rum. This brew was rough and remained nameless for years. Then one day an American naval officer was offered some after diner. He noticed that the other officer drank his shot quickly in one go. So he did too. Then, he let out an almighty screech that brought his captain running. Asking the question,

“What’s the screech about.” asked the Captain?

The officer replied stating “tis the rum.”

And that is how Newfoundland’s rum was named. Today, the name is the same, although now good quality Jamaican rum is used. It is this rum that is basis of the Screeching-In ceremony.  This ceremony helps tourists feel welcome  and makes them an honorary Newfy after participation.

The Screeching-In Ceremony takes four parts.

1. Drinking something from Newfoundland – Screech Rum

2. Eating something from Newfoundland – Bolonge

3. Saying something from Newfoundland – Too weird to remember.

4. Kissing something from Newfoundland – a frozen cod. Yeah.

009 Michelle post ceremony 1

To join with tradition, my husband and I were Screeched-In recently. It was fun. We have now joined nearly 200,000 visitors who can now call themselves, Newfies. Screeched-In at Trapper Johns, St Jon’s Newfoundland. If you ever go to Newfoundland join the fun.

004 - Schreeching Certificate