We rise by lifting others*

Legacy mural, Drewery Lane in the city

As I've mentioned in recent posts, this year I've been working on establishing a number of new habits, including being more positive on social media. 

I've been conscious of not being too whiny on Twitter and Facebook for nearly as long as I've been using them, because I'm aware of how draining it can be to be around (online or IRL) people who do nothing but complain and criticise (though of course it's easier to get away from the online whiners and critics). I've aimed to balance my moaning with positive (or at least neutral) posts, although I'm not sure if I achieved it or even whether the positive really cancels out the negative.

But it doesn't matter now because I'm trying not to be whiny and critical online at all, which is not to suggest I'm OK with being a ball of negativity offline because I'm not; I'm working on Offline Me as well (for example, trying to be less judgemental and less irritated by stupid stuff), but social media seems to have become my outlet for bitching and moaning. 

Most of what I complain about is minor stuff anyway - petty annoyances like people blocking the doors on public transport or talking too loudly in my vicinity - so it's not as if keeping my thoughts to myself is going to lead to an explosion of repressed rage. Instead of taking to Twitter to whinge, I try to let it go, or I get up and move away from the annoying people. 

I've been doing very well at being more positive on social media so far and it's been quite uplifting. Not that I was feeling low - I've been a pretty happy little camper lately - but making an effort to be a more positive online presence makes me feel even better. 

But wait! There's more! This past week I've stepped things up a level. I'm not just avoiding being negative, I'm making an extra effort to be more positive. For example, instead of just clicking 'like' on Instagram, I've been making a lot more comments - genuine compliments on photos that I love. Likes have a tendency to blend together in a fairly anonymous mass, but a thoughtful compliment is a little more special.  

Paying all these compliments makes me feel good, even if the recipients don't respond, but usually they do, and those little connections make me happy too. 

There's more than enough negativity in the world, online and off, so I'm going to keep doing my little bit to spread kindness and lift others up, with the added bonus of boosting my own happiness. 

* This quote - or something similar - is by Robert Ingersoll, who also said, "The way to be happy is to make others so".  

New stuff, compliments, coincidence

My recent online purchase arrived today. No, not shoes or clothes! Books! Books are totally allowed. I got a couple of Meghan Daum essay collections: Unspeakable and Selfish, Shall and Self-Absorbed: Sixteen writers on the decision not to have kids. 

They arrived in a large, square tough bag, making a flat lump in the middle of it. It looked like a giant piece of ravioli.

I wore a new cardigan today...new in that I bought it last year but only wore it for the first time today (certainly not new since my shopping ban started on 1 June). Several people complimented me on it, particularly the colour (royal blue). 

After work I walked for a block or two along Flinders Street behind a woman in a beige coat and cropped pants (I mainly noticed the cropped pants because I thought she must have cold ankles). I went into a supermarket and bought a few things then caught the tram. When I got off the tram at my stop, she got off at the same time! It's not the first time a coincidence like that has happened, sometimes on the way to work, sometimes on the way home. 

November: day 12

The best part of my day happened very early today. I arrived at work to an email from a senior lawyer I've worked for for three years. She's been on extended leave since March and has spent most of the year travelling, the lucky thing. Not surprisingly (to me, anyway) she has decided she won't be coming back to the firm.

In her email she wrote: "Thank you for all your support over the years. You're the best secretary I've ever come across and indispensable to the team." 

That made my day. I'm going to file that away to bring out at salary reviews and future interviews.  

***

I went to the gym tonight even though I didn't think I would when I left the house this morning with my gym gear. I had drinks for an hour or so after work and thought it highly unlikely I would go to the gym after that.  BUT I DID. I can't really recommend going to the gym after three glasses of prosecco, but I managed 20 minutes of fairly challenging cardio. 

***

I didn't walk to work this morning, but I still managed about 12,300 steps. 

 

Bargains, compliments, muffins

I love these facades on Bridge Road

I did a spot of shopping on Bridge Road in Richmond this afternoon. Nearly everything I tried on fitted and everything was a bargain. That's shopping nirvana, that is. 

The shop assistants were very chatty and complimentary. One liked my boots, another liked the print on my dress and another one liked my "style". (I was 'girly with an edge' today: a B&W sort of floral/paisley/damask print dress and full-skirted red trench, with boots and studded bag. This isn't a fashion blog so I have no photos.) 

I had a conversation with one shop assistant about the sorry state of retail on Bridge Road, which used to be Melbourne's mecca for discount fashion shopping, but it's verging on being a ghost strip these days. Every time I go, it seems as if more 'for lease' signs have gone up. I feel like I'm doing something to help by shopping there when I could find the same shops elsewhere...which helps me justify buying stuff I don't need! 

English muffins...why are they so tasty? I had them grilled with cheese and Vegemite for dinner. 

JBPM: day16

I've had a migraine for two days, but several glasses of sparkling wine and natter with the girls after work helped to get rid of it. Good riddance!

We're still having a rather chilly winter round these parts, but today the sun was warm on my back  as I strolled along William Street at lunch time.

Several people complimented me on my dress today (another recent bargain purchase), although we couldn't agree whether it was blue or green. I and the tag say green, everyone else says blue.

Oh! I nearly forgot! My friend Gillian shared this adorably amusing animated video on Facebook today. The bit with the plungers is my favourite, particularly where the pig marches off with the plungers stuck on it, and its head held high.

JBPM: day 11

Today was Brigid's last day in our team. She gave us all homemade vanilla fudge as a parting gift. Mine came with a very sweet note attached saying I was the best desk buddy a girl could hope for. Aaaw. I gave her a tiny cactus with a little tuft of red on top just like me. 

The woman at the Myer florist who sold me the cactus said she liked my hair. As I was walking back through the store a perfume spruiker dressed as a cop (complete with baton) told me I had "cool hair", but I pricked my finger on the cactus at the exact moment he said it, and I was past him before I could acknowledge the compliment. 

Luke played me a couple of songs he thought I would like from The Decemberists' last studio album. I did like them. This is Rox in the Box from The King is Dead. 

JBPM: day 10

Back to work today. Our team always has cake (or some other sweet treat) to celebrate birthdays. This year Brigid made me a pavlova loaded with berries and other delicious fruit. (I told you she's lovely, didn't I?) The pavlova looked so amazingly good that I didn't believe she made it. It was yummy and there was a little bit left over for me to bring home. I've eaten my half and now I'm waiting for Luke to get home while I resist the urge to eat his bit. 

I must saw how touched I am by people commenting they are happy I'm blogging again.  Thank you. That makes me happy. 

Friday tomorrow already! I wish I could have every Wednesday off. 

Not destroyed after all!

Happy news! The Bournville Cocoa sign in Armadale hasn't been destroyed! Turns out I was there before High Riser and the bit I thought was the ruined sign is actually part of the wall of the building that's been demolished. Hooray! The partial has knocked down after my visit, revealing the whole sign. I'm SO relieved! I will go back to take a photo of the complete sign soon...hopefully they don't actually destroy it or build the new wall before I get there.

The Octopuppy

I bought my quasi-nephew TJ a book called The Octopuppy for his birthday in September. I spent ages choosing the right one, and it's no surprise that I thought a book about an octopus was the right one. I chose well because his mum told me yesterday he loves it and gets his brother to read it to him "all the time". 

I was so taken with The Octopuppy that I later bought a copy for myself. It's cute and makes me chuckle, plus it has a lovely message. It's about a boy called Edgar who wants a dog, but he gets a very clever octopus called Jarvis instead. He tries to train Jarvis to be a dog, but things don't go to plan. When he commands Jarvis to play dead, this is what happens:

When Edgar tells Jarvis to sit...

...he thinks things are looking up (that's him jumping for joy with his head chopped off), but it's all to no avail... If you have a 3-5 year old (or a 40-something who likes octopuses) in your life, I recommend The Octopuppy. 

Only five working days until holidays. If this week so far is any indication, it's going to be a very busy five days. I smashed my to-do list today and left the office feeling pleased with myself. That doesn't happen as often as I'd like. 

A shop assistant at Dangerfield said my boots (the ones I bought recently on ASOS) were awesome. 

Day 25: Complimented, pink roses everywhere, leftovers

A man at work in dapper navy pin-striped trousers and a matching waistcoast complimented me on my colour co-ordinated outfit today...except I was just leaving for home and was wearing my far-from-new gym shoes which matched the turquoise top I was wearing under a dress. Sneakers and dress. Not my best look. Oh well. A compliment is a compliment. 

We had berry cheesecake for afternoon tea for a solicitor's birthday. Yummy. She was sent bright pink roses to the office by a friend. They perfectly matched the pink flowers on her patterned shirt. 

Luke and I had the leftover corned beef for dinner. Still good.  

Sharing the love

A friend who is visiting Melbourne in June (hello, Wendy!) asked me for tips on things to see and do here, apart from visiting the La Trobe reading room at the State Library. The dome is  already at the top of their to-do list so of course I like the cut of their jibs. I recommended a bunch of things I thought would appeal to people for whom the dome is a must-see. I could have gone on and on, but it was late and I had to go to bed.

It was really fun thinking about all the things I love about Melbourne that I think others would also enjoy.  Maybe I should become a tour guide? I would never* tire of traipsing around the city pointing out all the things that I love about it. Melbourne doesn't have Sydney's breathtaking natural beauty. It's very nice, but its true charms are less obvious. I'd get a real kick out of helping others discover what makes Melbourne great. (*OK, maybe it would be a bit tiresome on a wet winter's day.)

I now have four whole days off work. Wooh! Tomorrow I plan to sleep in and go to the gym and not much else. Then on Friday morning we're off to Venus Bay. The weather's actually going to be fairly decent too.

A woman at work I've never met before complimented me on my hair today. A few weeks ago a barrista asked me what brand of hair dye I use. I said I don't know because the hairdresser colours it, and she asked if I could ask next time I'm at the salon. It makes a nice change from people who look at me as if I have two heads!

Present, parrots, golden hour

The parcel from a friend that I have been eagerly awaiting finally arrived today. Hurrah! It's a copy of the new Nick Earls book called Word Hunters: The Curious Dictionary. Not only is it the latest work of one of my favourite authors, it's also signed by Nick and the illustrator, Terry Whidborne. As the title suggests, it's a novel about words. Two of my favourite things rolled into one.

It was sent by my friend Gillian, who's a real librarian. Nick and Terry came to her library and she very kindly got them to sign a copy of their new book for me. I'm very spoilt.

I'll have to take a break from the book I'm reading to devour Word Hunters. I'm reading the biography of Samuel Johnson I bought a little while back. I haven't read very much because it's kind of tedious and I'm disappointed to discover Johnson was, in today's parlance, a bit of a wanker.  I want to finish it though, but a break is welcome. 

I wore my new(ish) red shoes to work for the first time today. I got lots of compliments. 

I've been seeing a small flock of grass parrots on the way to work in the mornings. I saw them tonight on the way home and stopped to take a photo. 

I also saw a duck standing on water. 

Oh, all right; it was standing on a rock just below the surface. Thanks to me, the ducks that hang around beside the Yarra near Birrarung Marr must be among the most photographed ducks in Melbourne. I'm the duck paparazzi. The quackerazzi. 

The clouds were pretty as I was walking home in the golden hour. 

A compliment a day keeps grumpiness at bay

We have a new internet-based business services tool at work which I have used a few times now to get work done by our print room. I emailed the project manager today to tell her how much I like it and to pass on my compliments to her team.

She replied and said she sent my email to the team and they all had smiles on their faces courtesy of me. Yay! That put a smile on my face. It's just SO easy to make others feel good that there's no reason not to do it every day.  A genuine compliment is a powerful thing. I'm going to compliment someone every day (not that I didn't already pay compliments freely).

I got a delivery from etsy.com today - a handmade shrug (the super-cropped jacket-type garment, that is!). I love getting that "you have a personal delivery to collect" email from the mail room. The Etsy seller also put a (yet to be inflated) red balloon and a little packet of lollies in with my order.  How sweet.

How do you like my big red sausage?

She also enclosed a thank you card with a cute little embossed kitten on the envelope.

More comments are coming in on my 39 Secrets of Adulthood post via The Happiness Project. This makes me very happy - the connectiong with like-minded people most of all. I've got a few new followers as well, which is a bonus.

Tonight's blogging beverage: tonic, lime and mandarin juice and vanilla sugar. Tasteee. 

Lock and key, tasty toasty, corporate rebel

A glimpse inside AAMI Park

A graduate at work today complimented me on the necklace I was wearing, which was a silver keyhole. Then I noticed she was wearing a necklace shaped like a key!

That reminds me, I wore my button brooch yesterday and several people commented on it. 

I made a batch of gluten-free muesli last night with oats, rice flakes, buckwheat puffs, pecans and sesame seeds toasted in brown sugar, maple syrup and vanilla. Tis yummy!

I wore my black knit armwarmers in the office today. I quite like subverting the corporate culture in my own small way.

Nice, 1 million steps and red shoes

Sometimes complete strangers are lovely, aren't they? I sent an email to a client contact today to update his details in our database - a request I usually expect to be met with indifference, if not annoyance - but I got an unusually nice email in return.

In fact, it's quite remarkable how few rude and grumpy people I have come across in my now-not-so-new job. In almost nine months (nine!), I can count on one hand the number of clients and staff I've had dealings with who have been unpleasant. It's...well, it's nice.

I'm still doing the Global Corporate Challenge - we're just over half way in the 12-week event now. Although my daily step counts for the past few weeks have been much lower due to feeling unwell, my daily average of about 14,000 still puts me in the top 25 per cent of the 127,000 participants. In the next few days, I will pass 1 million steps!

I got numerous compliments on the red shoes I wore to work today. I've worn them before, but I think because the rest of my ensemble was black, they caught people's attention.

Surprise bonus, Avocado Man, baby plants

I got a fabulous surprise at work this week - a small payrise and a bonus. I knew salary increases were being handed out, but I wasn't expecting to see one of the confidential envelopes with my name on it as I've been on the payroll for less than five months, but yay! I was rapt.

I plan to buy myself a little birthday present with the bonus and put the majority of it towards boring but sensible things like savings.

My boss also said some very glowing things about me, and that was ace too.

It was a busy week at work with the end of the financial year (EOFY) yesterday. It all went smoothly but I'm glad it's the weekend now. All the secretarial staff received a coffee and cake voucher for their EOFY efforts, which was a nice gesture.  

Luke bought an avocado to have with dinner last night and it was the most perfect avocado in the world - soft and buttery yellow and without a hint of bruising.  It's not the first time he's picked a good un. It could be his secret superpower. (cue trumpet fanfare) Look, everybody! In the fresh produce department! It's AVOCADO MAN!

My dieffenbachia indoor plant has three little baby plants growing at its base.

I got a delivery at work today - a new T-shirt. Yeeehaw!

Compliments, presents, exactitude and pie.

I have worn a top to work twice in the past two weeks that has been in my wardrobe for more than 10 years. I have never received so many compliments on an item of clothing before! It's a 3/4 sleeved, V-neck top with fine diagonal purple and black stripes that meet at a mid-seam on the front and back. There's a little bit of silver thread through it too.

I forgot to mention yesterday that one of the young solicitors I work for returned yesterday from a trip to Thailand with a present for me - a colourful woven cotton scarf. What a sweetheart!

My grocery bill at the supermarket came to exactly $20.

I'm making shepherd's pie for dinner tomorrow night. Having someone to cook for and the cooler weather have combined to get me more excited about being in the kitchen.

Slack plovers, perfect brows, more Seuss

I saw Mr and Mrs Plover on my walk again this morning. When I first spotted them they were grooming themselves, but as soon as I stopped to take a photo, they started hunting for food again. It was like I'd caught them slacking off at work!

I got my eyebrows waxed again. The waxer told me I had perfect eyebrows (but obviously not so perfect they couldn't use a little tidy). I'll add that to my list of less common compliments, although it's not as uncommon as being told you're a good bleeder. That's what the Blood Bank lady said. Great brows, fast-flowing blood. *smug face*

I know I'm not meant to be buying more books until I finish the pile on my bedside table, but how could I resist Dr Seuss and Philosophy: Oh, the Thinks You Can think!? I read about it in an email from fishpond.com and had paid for it less than 10 minutes later. I already broke the no-new-books rule by buying the Gradual Demise of Phillipa Finch anyway. It's funny and whimsical and lovely.

Remember the rabbit that was a cushion with a face? Here's a feline equivalent:

Flying angry kitty cushion

Flowers

Not gerberas...geraniums in window boxes are everywhere

in the inner city these days. I like it. (That's cnr Little Collins and Bank Place in the city.)

And I'm back again even though I don't have to be!

I got a bunch of happy orange gerberas from the partner I work for to say I'm doing a great job. How lovely is that? I feel good every time I look at them. I would have been pleased with the feedback alone, but the flowers make it extra special. 

The job is challenging, but I do feel like I'm doing a good job. It's far more satisfying than my mind numbing old job.

Bleeding, clinking, flowering

I donated blood again today, my sixth donation. It hurt more than any other (during and after), but I just tried to think about the good that my blood will do for others and about how I'm a "'good bleeder" with "great veins". Go, me!

Conveniently, the Blood Bank came to my office this time - yet another benefit of working for such a large firm.

I love the cracking, clinking, pinging sound ice makes when you drop it into a tall glass of water.

My spathiphyllum has four flowers on it now. *admires own green thumb*

The sea, the moon, the music

I saw the sea from a city building again today. The sea and much more besides, since I was on the 42nd floor this time. I could see tiny people kicking a ball around on the grassy flat in Birrarung Marr, lines of cars glinting like mica in the midday sun as they stretched into the distance and a wee yacht on the bay near the St Kilda pier. Oh, and my house. At least I thought I could pick out the tiled roof of my building anyway. I will never tire of saying, "I can see my house from here. No, really!".

A girl serving me in a shop told me she liked my glasses (I was wearing my new purple specs).

When I was walking home in the twilight I looked up and the full moon hit my eye like a big pizza pie. Very light rain started to fall as I walked along the river. I liked it. AAMI Park sparkled like a very large jewel.

I have downloaded two new albums (new to me). The John Steel Singers' LP The Beagle and The Dove, which is great,  and also...Lisa Mitchell's debut Wonder. I hesitated there because, as Aussies reading this might know, Lisa was a contestant on Australian Idol a few years back. I'd not paid her debut album much attention due to music snobbery, but really, there's a reason why she's not being held back by the Idol stigma. Her album of sweet, quirky, catchy folk tunes is truly lovely. It's a nice surprise when you discover your preconceived ideas were ill-founded. Opening your mind rarely ends badly.

It's hard to pick a favourite, but here's one that has whistling in it: