Given that I have been such a slack blogger during the month of January I thought I might do a catch up list about what I have been doing. So January was the month that..

I attended RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Award). I really loved some of it and learnt a lot but I really hated some of it and still shudder when I think about it. But all in all I think that it was worth doing and I met some really great people. Probably the most important lesson that I learnt was that not everybody is going to like me all the time. And to realise that and not have my whole sense of self caught up in what others think is unbelievably liberating.

Was really busy at work. It is a relief to have lots to do but I am feeling a little overwhelmed by it all.

Saw Keating with my mum. I think it was one of the funniest things that I have seen in a long time and mum and I had a great time together too.

Jem left for Mexico. I am very sad and feel like I am going to miss her heaps. It was so wonderful living with her in 2006. But I am very excited for her and it has been so great reading her blog. It has makde me excited about travel again.

Have started settling into my church and really loving it. So nice to be part of one again and have met some awesome people. Yay for St John’s Glebe.

I went to Tamworth for country music and of course to see my family. It was okay but so many poeple around and I think now when I take a holiday I want to get away from people. It was nice coming home and again feeling really happy when I pulled into Enmore Rd. It really feels like home.

Continued my love affair with Isabel Allende. I am reading Of love and Shadows now and I am really enjoying it.

First day back at work and I am finding it very hard to get back into the swing of things. I am however very excited about tonight. Martin and I were invited to some people’s house from our new church for dinner. We only met them on Sunday and we were sitting around chatting to them and then they said, “Hey you guys should come around for dinner on Wednesday” and we said, “Yes”. Then they got a little embarassed and asked, “was that too full on?” and we said, “Not at all, we are like that too” and we are. It should be good and I am happy to be making more connections with the community.

You would think that having 11 days off would mean lots of blogs but it was not so. It has though been one of the best holidays ever….

I decided that I was not going to make any plans at all. I was just going to hang around my home and read and go to the beach and see movies and talk to my friends and get to know my area and most importantly relax. I think that I have done splendidly and it has been great. Managed to finish two books and I am about half way through U2 on U2. Tom has finished but that’s okay. I have also done heaps of walking. In fact I must have walked almost the whole of the city at least twice including a couple of trips up King Street and Glebe Point Road for coffees and movies. I saw Babel and Volver and I think both were very good films. I also walked to Darling Harbour for some timezone action, which was fun, I am starting to improve on the dancing machines although Ryan still kicked my arse. We also walked through the Botanic Gardens for a picnic and across the Harbour Bridge to Luna Park for ice cream and a ferry ride back. On New Years Eve Martin and I walked from Darlinghurst to Observatory Hill for the fireworks which as always were lovely and great to be my wonderful friends again and then back to Central for a bus. Finally there was the walk from Bronte to Coogee. Not to mention I did the Bay Run once and Martin and I ran to Sydeny uni this morning. We also went Putt Putt golfing with the house and the Gowies. I guess it is not strenuous activity but got to better than sitting at home. Wow I am not only feeling very relaxed but incredibly fit. I think the highlight has been all the time with the community and the spontaneity. As mentioned all happened with no plans.

I am feeling good about 2007. I think it is importnat to start the year refreshed and I am certainly that. So happy new year frriends. I hope that you are all feeling hopeful as well. If not I am very happy for you to borrow some of mine.