Two weeks in, autumn light, flamboyant shoes

Taken on my walk home tonight

Two weeks into my new job and I'm still enjoying it. So far I'm finding the learning curve much less steep than when I started my previous job. I often had moments of self-doubt for the first six months inthat job and seriously worried I wasn't cut out for it. I might not have enjoyed it at the time, but it was good for me. I guess a lot of things in life are like that (you might recall one of my 39 Secrets of Adulthood is 'Sometimes things that suck can still be kind of awesome'. Yup.) 

I had drinks last night with two friends from my old firm last night. That job was good for me in more ways than one.  

Indian summer

We've been having a very mild autumn in Melbourne with sunny days and mid-20s temperatures. It was raining this morning, but it turned into a sunshiney day which then gave way to  quite a balmy evening. There's something special about the light in autumn. In the late afternoons at work I've been enjoying the view from my window of the city bathed in soft, yellow light. As well as the State Library, from my 21st floo windows I can see the tops of St Pauls Cathedral, the Manchester Unity Building, the Century Building, and the MCG and AAMI Park in the distance. I also have a pretty good view of the construction site between Myer and Melbourne Central - they've demolished almost everything that was on the site, except for a  section of façade that's several storeys tall. 

Pressies

I arrived home a couple of nights ago to a parcel I'd ordered online last week. Nothing scholarly  like books - just a pair of rather flamboyant shoes. And they fit. Yay!  The shoes are further evidence that my obsession with black and white stripes is getting out of control...

I've had a few other online purchases arrive lately too. It's good being absent-minded because I order stuff and then forget about it. 

Tonight I arrived home to a parcel from my mum containing a bunch of those crocheted, padded coathangers that she made for me. They're daggy and nanna-ish, but they're so good for hanging knits and other garments prone to getting out of shape on wire hangers.

I haven't spent all my time online shopping though - I found  this great photography blog via Digital Photography School last week. If you're into photos of urban decay like me, you'll love it. He takes some fantastic black and white photos too. 

I've also become addicted to Pinterest. The girl who sent me the invite to join did warn me...

Other gleeful highlights since my last blog: 

* Luke and I are going to see the Black Keys in October. We've been waiting for them to announce another tour after the last one was cancelled. It's such a long time to wait!  Wah! 

* I have been eagerly anticipating the release of Jack White's new solo album, Blunderbuss. I bought it today and I'm listening to it now. I like it. Jack is doing a show in Melbourne in July too.   Must. Get. Tickets. 

I bought Blunderbuss at Basement Discs in a basement below Block Place, one of Melbourne's bustling laneways. It cost more than buying it online or at JB Hi-Fi, but I felt good about supporting an independent record store. (Coincidentally, tomorrow is Independent Record Store Day. I won't be visiting an indie music store though - I'm going to a market at the Royal Exhibition Building, one of my favourite Melbourne buildings.)

A Gleeful special edition: 39 Secrets of Adulthood and Stuff

Taking inspiration (as I often do) from Gretchen Rubin of The Happiness Project and her Secrets of Adulthood, here's some stuff I've learned about life, love and happiness during my 39 years. They won't necessarily resonate with you, but they work for me. Feel free to share your own in the comments or blog it and link me.

1. It's easier to be happy if you can find pleasure in simple, relatively mundane things. They are everywhere, every day, if you look for them. LOOK FOR THEM! Life's major happy-making events are comparatively few and far between.

2. Look up. You never know what you will see.

3. Life is short, but there's no need to rush. There is a need to take your time  - to explore, savour, seek, question, think, take notice, be grateful, love.

4. Looking at your world through the lense of a camera is a great way to notice the little details. It makes you really see things. Living behind the lens of your camera....not so much. Sometimes you should just put the bloody thing away and be in the moment.

5. Walking a lot is a great way to increase your connection with your world. You notice things you'd never see in a car or on a train and you can take the time to stop.

6. Being able to enjoy your own company is priceless. Being able to rely on yourself is ace. Having people you can rely on is the best.

7. Cynicism is easy and boring. Letting your inner child out to play is way more fun. It's cool. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

Your inner child (not baby!)

8. Perfection is also boring. Flaws add character. Imperfection is perfection.

9.  There is beauty in ugliness.

10. Related: ambiguity is everywhere. Learn to embrace it.

11. If it won't matter in six months, six weeks or six days, then it doesn't matter now. Let it go.

12. Give without any expectation of return.

13. Kindness rocks.

14. Sometimes things that are worth having in your life do come easily. That doesn't mean you will treasure them any less.

15. Do what makes you happy. Coolness is overrated. Cool schmool.

16. You're probably stronger, braver and more resilient than you think - you never really know until you're tested.

17. Sometimes things that suck can still be kind of awesome.

18. Sometimes you can't even lead a horse to water, let alone make it drink. Accept it.  

19. Always have a creative project and a book on the go.

20. A quote: "Every man makes his own summer" - Robertson Davies. And every (wo)man makes their own winter too.

21. Almost never say never.

23. Connect. Connect. Connect. And connect.

24. From my Mum - you catch more flies with honey.

25. From my Dad - half a piece of toast is better than none at all.

26. From Fleetwood Mac: You can go your own way.

27. Be an adventurer.

28. Be a tourist in your own town. There is always something new to discover.

29. There doesn't always have to be a point. No, wait - fun is as good a point as any.

30.  Punctuation matters. Well, it does if being understood matters to you.

31. Less actually is more. Simplicity is the real spice of life.

32. Decluttering your living space removes psychic clutter.

33. No, you don't really need that thing (unless it's oxygen, food, a cuddle or a toy robot). 

34. Women who say they could never be with a man who has a hairy back (or whatever) don't understand love. Love is big. Love eats hairy backs for breakfast. Raaaaar!

35. A gym is the best place to appreciate all the weird and wonderful shapes we humans come in. You're less weird and more wonderful than you think.

36. You will be happier if you stop reading women's magazines.

37.  Go to the library (one for my real librarian friends). Libraries are ace. Find something to replace your women's magazine.

38.  Play. Be silly. From C.S.Lewis: "When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up".

39. Finally, even though you've probably seen it on my sidebar, I'm finishing with my favourite quote, from George Bernard Shaw. This helped inspire Gleeful and has become my mantra. If you take away only one thing from this post, take this:

"Life is not meant to be easy, my child; but take courage: it can also be delightful."

 Life can be so f**king delightful it makes you cry (and use rude words).