I Have Acquired A Reputation

My friends are starting to see knitted things/art/pictures etc and sending me links, taking photos or thinking of me.  I think it's quite sweet on their part... or maybe I need another hobby or shut up about my knitting?

Nonetheless, a lovely, kind friend sent me a link to some photos of a mystery knitter who left Olympics themed knitted figures on a pier in London - I love mystery knitters!  I aspire to be a mystery knitter, except I'd get too excited and tell everyone about it and it'd no longer be a mystery.  A good friend once told me he was an enigma... I'd like to think I'm an enigma, but really, I'm more than an open book.  I'm an audiobook, which is happily broadcast for all and sundry to hear.  I digress.  Check out the photos if you get a chance.  Super cute!

This could be me during one of my workouts with Marc!

Heartwarming

Please, if you only read one thing today, read this story about gender stereotyping and the general awesomeness of older brothers.   

Made me miss my big brother a little bit more at this very moment.  Big brothers = awesome.

Things What I Love... Websites Edition

Source

There are so many posts buzzing around in my head and have been over the last few days - I have been having a bit of a blogging holiday.  There will be a lot more writing coming up soon, I'm re-insipred and re-energized to write!  To gently ease myself into it, I wanted to share some great websites I've stumbled upon and followed links to.

First, we have Vivian Maier - Her Discovered Work .  I just saw this article on the news (literally minutes ago.) Basically, someone bought a box of undeveloped negatives from an auction house in Chicago and found (upon developing some of the extensive collection) that it contained some STUNNING photographs.  I just looked through some of the website and fell in love with her images and her view of the world.  Well worth a peek if you appreciate a good story and photo.

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Next, World Peace Kids is a fabulous blog, written by a 10 year old student and a few of his friends who attend a Montessori School in California.  I love that these students are being proactive and taking action to improve the world they live in.  Love, love, love.

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Finally, Baking for Hospice is a wonderful, fabulous, brilliant idea!  Basically, volunteers bake for hospice patients, their families and staff.  It usually happens once a month or so and there are a number of drop off points around the city.  A hospice provides respite care and it is also to give their families a break from being primary care-givers for a little while.  Baked goodies are always appreciated and can usually bring a smile to even the most dour of faces.  You know I'm right.  The first thing I want to do when I'm feeling a bit glum or want a bit of comfort is bake a little something to cheer myself up.  It's a little bit of love, that's tasty too.  I've volunteered and I'm eagerly waiting my first email to do my little part to help.  I think I need an icing set in order to bake to my fullest potential.  Just sayin'.

Things What I Love...

Phill and I had the most wonderful day today, filled with just being and wandering and general awesomeness.  ( "O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”)*  It was made even better when I found the book...  The Alphabet of the Human Heart, written by Matthew Johnstone and James Kerr.   

On the left is the cover for "The Upside" and on the right is the cover for "The Downside."  source

These men obviously caught wind of my Alphabet of Gratitude and thought it was SO brilliant they came up with this wonderful little book (I must admit, I think this book is better than my attempt!)  Each letter is designated a word (and I am happy to report that some of my alphabet has the same content as theirs... so I must be on the right track) and has a gorgeous illustration and wise words.  Flip the book and you get the very same English alphabet but... well... the flip side!  There are many books, articles, blogs (including mine), magazines, you name its dedicated to delivering warm fuzzies - you know, the feel good wise words and parables - but what I love about this is actually what they called The Downside.  Unfortunately, there is a downside to the human heart and human experience, but the stunning thing about this book is that they acknowledge these things and then offer warm words, advice and the same kind of loving words that the very best of your friends would offer.  

Some of my favourites are:   

• G is for gratitude "gratitude is saying thank you to life..." / G is for greed "Ask yourself, how much is enough, and how much is too much?" **
• R is for reconciliation "To reconnect with someone, first forgive yourself.  you're human, you mess up... If you do mess up, 'fess up and apologise." / R is for regret "Stuff happens.  But it doesn't need to keep happening... To get over it, get into the moment.  Empty your mind, let go of your thoughts, just be."  (I'm working on that one!)  **

But my absolute favourite is...

• Y is for You (for both the up and the down sides...) "Be happy.  Be honest.  Be hopeful.  Be all you can be.  Be yourself.  Be you." / "We all have our downside, our shadow side, our inner problem-child.  Embrace it.  Admitting our weakness is the first step in regaining our strength..." **

 I love this book.  I love that this book is a product of the connection between friends.  The authors, Matthew and James have been friends for 30 years.  

"Between them, they’ve had more than their fair share of ups and downs, and they’ve turned their experience of life – and of friendship – into a book that combines words and pictures to tell a bigger story."  source

Judging by the product of their collaboration, these men have a beautiful and inspiring friendship.  

Ideally, I could afford to purchase a copy of it to send to every one of my loved ones.  In the meantime, I highly recommend checking out the website.  If you're feeling a bit like you're lost in the wilderness, or even if you're just in a little spot of a blue funk, this is definitely a book worth picking up.

I think my copy of this book will be very well loved.

The only thing is... I feel like after reading this lovely little book, I can't use some of the things I had planned for the remainder of my Alphabet because they're in here!

* Carroll, Lewis. Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There. 1872

** Johnstone, Matthew and James Kerr. The Alphabet of the Human Heart. The A to Zen of Life.Sydney: Pan Macmillan Australia, 2009.

Things What I Love...

Another new feature!  This one consists of... Things What I Love (to borrow a phrase from my lovely friend, Rebecca.) 

The first one is brought to you courtesy of Phill.  He showed this to me last week and I thought it was fantastic - imagine wandering along in a market on a seemingly normal Saturday morning and having this happen!  I don't think Phill loved it when I pretended that I was an opera singer and "sang" along (I use the word "sang" very loosely.) I especially love the man who sings with his arms folded the entire time.  I can't help but to smile every time I watch this.  Andiamo!