Day 365: The Start of the End or the End of the Start?

Well, I’ve done it!

I set out to write a blog every day for the 365 days of this year.

And I’ve done it! Phew!

I’ve certainly achieved what I had hoped to achieve, and some more!

I’ve laid my heart and soul out on a platter.

I’ve shared my life survival tips and tricks.

I’ve looked for positivity and kindness when I needed it most.

I’ve searched for meaning, fulfilment, good health, direction and reason.

I’ve reflected on who I am and what I’ve achieved in my life so far.

It’s been an AMAZING journey of self actualisation.

But as they say, all good things must come to an end.

Today marks both the start of the end and the end of the start for me.

The end of 365 Days of KLommers and the start of a new project.

I will still keep a journal of thoughts and philosophies, just for myself, so that I can keep on plodding through life with meaning, purpose and direction.

But I am hoping that you’ll join me in my new blog, The MacNeil Family Farm.

I know it won’t be for all of you, and those of you who choose not to follow, I thank you for taking the time to read my blog each day. I hope that I have shared something, even if it has been ever so small, with you to make your life a bit better / happier / peaceful.

For those of you that would like to follow, the address is www.macneilfamilyfarm.wordpress.com

Please feel free to pass on any feed back about my blog to me via:

klommers@iinet.net.au

I’d love to hear from you all!

And so I conclude this, the 365th day of 2015, by saying:

• Trust the world, yourself and the people you love.
• Look after your body.
• Share what you can, with whoever you can, whenever you can.
• Be kind AT ALL TIMES.
• Trust karma.

So long, and thanks for all the fish 🙂

And Happy 2016!

KLommers out

 

Day 364: 3 Facebook Free Months

Well I did it! Over 3 months of deactivation….. But I’m back on, and I’ve got a completely different approach to the old Book of Faces.

Here are some of the pros and cons that I experienced….

Pros:

• So much more time to do other things like call people, write cards and letters, make things, READ etc etc.
• A lot less worry and concern about whether posts are “liked” or trying to interpret comments / statuses.
• Greater effort made to maintain personal communication with friends and family.
• A lot less need to “share” everything all the time and more time to enjoy the special moments with the people present.

Cons:

• Missed out on some important events / announcements / special photos.
• Couldn’t access messenger, which meant I lost contact with lots of people.

As you can see, the pros outnumbered the cons!

I didn’t really miss spending time on Facebook, but I did feel like I lost contact with a lot of people. People that I care about, who use Facebook as their main form of communication.

Facebook can be a great tool to keep in contact with people all over the world.

It just needs to be managed.

So I’m back on to keep contact with my Facebook world, but I won’t let it replace PERSONAL contact.

There’s nothing nicer than receiving a personal message from someone and I really appreciated the ones that I received.

Facebook won’t be around forever.

But people will.

Don’t lose the art of “people-ing”.

You may need it some day soon!

 

Day 363: Thought for the Day

Whether near or far, by your side or in your heart, share your love with the people you care about.

Day 362: A New Year’s Checklist

She’s coming! She’s coming!

She’s just around the corner!

So it’s time for us to start working through our annual new year’s checklist:

• House declutter – working through each room. Throwing out / donating / giving away / selling things that we no longer need or use. Making a list of items that need to be replaced.
• Kitchen deep clean – empty out the fridge / freezer / pantry, clean and restock. Throw out any out of date food stuff, especially jars of sauces and spreads. Make a list of what needs to be replaced. Clean kitchen cupboards. Run all the crockery, glassware and cutlery through a hot dishwasher cycle. Bleach bench tops.
• Organise and restock medical supplies. Check expiry dates on everything and dispose of any out of date products.
• Clean out washing machine.
• Review and update monthly budget.
• Replace toothbrushes and pillows.
• Check all smoke alarm batteries and test.
•  Clear out / catalogue emails and update phone book.
• Update new calendar with birthdays, anniversaries, events etc.
• Pack away Christmas decorations. Throw out / donate any broken / unused decorations. Make a list of what decorations need to be bought for next year. Make a list of Christmas cards received.
• Update meals list for weekly meal planner. Make a list of new recipes that need to be tried.
• Write new year’s resolutions / goals.

On that note, I’m off to get started! Hopefully I get through the list before 2017 🙂

Day 361: Passion = The Core of Humanity

Passion is what separates existing from living.

It’s what gives life meaning and direction.

It’s what attracts us to people and possibilities.

It’s what has moulded our history.

People fighting for their passion, whether good or bad.

Today, I had the opportunity to watch the movie “Suffragette”, which is based on the story of a group of women’s fight to vote in England in the early 1900s.

It made me realise how fortunate I am to live in a place where passion has created a wonderful place to exist (mostly).

I can vote.

I can be educated.

I am an equal to my husband.

I am respected.

I am defined by my actions rather than my gender, race, or demographic.

I live a safe and happy existence.

Yes, I am passionate about many things – climate change, the over commercialisation of our culture, justice for victims of abuse, just to name a few.

But do I feel passionate enough about these issues to sacrifice my life as I know it? No….

And that’s what made people like the Suffragettes so inspirational and special.

They sacrificed their jobs, families, friends, everything to fight for all women’s right to vote, ALL OVER THE WORLD.

And they WON!

And today, I’d like to take a moment to acknowledge how privileged and grateful I feel to reap the rewards of their sacrifice.

 

Day 360:The Countdown Is On!

360 days of the year completed.

5 blogs left to write.

5 days to set up new blog for 2016.

5 days until the start of a new year.

5 days to ponder the successes and failures of current year goals and resolutions.

5 days to construct a new list of goals and resolutions.

5 days to clean kitchen drawers.

5 days till I can use new toothbrush, wear new contact lenses and eat smoked salmon for breakfast.

5 days to reflect on the awesome year that has been.

 

Day 359: Make Everyday Christmas Day

Spending time with people that you love.

Sharing gifts.

Remembering special people that are no longer with us.

Making our houses look beautiful.

Preparing a delicious meal to share.

Playing games.

Having fun.

Singing songs.

We don’t have to be as over indulgent, or as fancy, or as busy, but wouldn’t it be nice if the kind and generous Christmas Spirit lived within us EVERYDAY?

Spend a minute today to take a snapshot of your perfect Christmas Day and hold it tight in your memory everyday.

Find peace from the joy of your snapshot.

There will never be another day like to day.

It’s your gift from the world.

Merry Christmas 🙂

 

 

Day 358: The Eve of Madness

‘Twas the night before Christmas when all through the house,

All the creatures were stirring, because there is too much to do and so little time to do it all! 

It’s so funny – our commercially driven culture steams ahead preparing for the Christmas season from September onwards….

4 months to prepare for 1 day.

1 day, which is one of many significant days in our Christian culture.

1 of the busiest, most indulgent, and politically fragile days of the year.

So here’s a toast to keeping Christmas a little less self indulgent and more kind and loving, less busy and more restful and less emphasis on “things” and more on “people”.

  
 

Day 357: A KLommers Kristmas

Here is a little snapshot of Christmas 2015 at the MacNeil Family Farm:

   
    
    

 

Day 356: The Beautiful Lure of a New Year

The inevitable is fast approaching….

And the lure of a new year’s day is so appealing.

After all, it’s a new beginning.

A fresh start.

Day 1.

A new collection of promises and resolutions.

An empty calendar.

There may not be absolution of bad times or wrong doings, but a new year provides motivation and opportunity to make peace, move on, set new goals, regather and find direction.

The thought of a coming new year can be as alluring as the scent of dinner wafting through the house or as exciting as the first day you start a new job.

365 days of unknown.

365 days of possibilities.

365 days of you versus the world.