NOT GOING THERE BUT......

Can I just say for old time sake and now new time sake:

“I’m fucken' lovin’ myself sick.”

How did I get so screwed up? Putting my book all together makes me so proud of myself and realize how bloody amazing I am and what I’ve achieved whether I have the body or not.

WHAT ME DOING?

Nothing majorly exciting that'll rock your sox off although my sox have been rocked off more than once (wink). Training with the Mattstar still on Monday's and Thursday's. Haven't been deadlifting from the floor since returning after xmas but working my way towards the big 150 boy. Practising with lots of squats, stiffy's and glute/ham raises. Lots of work putting the book together which is coming along nicely. Looking for photos to depict my story. Reviewing tax returns before lodgement and celebrating the impending mega refund which will arrive right on time for overseas adventure. Still waiting on travel consultant to get back to us with flight quotes after our change of plans so sort of at a standstill there. Still selling all our shit on ebay. Even got one item removed due to blah, blah, blah - oops! Depressing day yesterday clothes shopping but oh well you get that. Boat is having a new canopy fitted then hubby will buff it up and list for sale. Tomorrow is Meals on Wheels again. No plans for the weekend. Maybe just some chillin' and laxin' by the pool with the book I'm reading at the mo: Au Revoir by Mary Moody. Lovin' it all mostly.

WHAT HAPPENS?

What happens when six girls come together for lunch on a hot Saturday?? Lots of smiles, fun, love, laughter and when combined with a few wines turns into talk about cocks and clackers and pissing ourselves laughing. The beautiful thing is that we are all different, all walking on different paths, but loving each other unconditionally despite our differences. Spending time with friends and living life is what makes my day. There's nothing better than girlfriends sharing stories. Imagine a scene from Sex and The City. Well yesterday was a billion times better than that. Can't wait to catch up again. It's been too long between drinks for us all.

COMING TOGETHER

When I first started writing my book I had no idea how it would all come together. I thought it would be typically start, middle, finish; a story about my life on the diet/binge eating merry-go-round but has turned out far more creative than a before, during and after saga. It will come together as a mosaic, collage presentation. After a meeting with my writing mentor on Friday I'm now ready to place it all together in a first draft manuscript for editing.

Étude de la langue française

In order to immerse ourselves in the French culture we've decided to learn the language, as best we can, before leaving Aus. New term begins on 1 Feb so today I have enrolled myself for a course on Tuesday mornings, both Sofie and Jayden in a course on Monday afternoons and hubby will probably end up enrolling in a different course to me held 2 nights a week. Can't wait for us to have a French conversation. Awesome!!

A NEW ROLE

A few times the Spunk has suggested I get involved in a volunteer capacity and help others in need. Today was my first day volunteering for Meals on Wheels and it was so wonderfully satisfying that I can't wait to do it again. Got my own run - run 7 but today was accompanied by Frank to show me the ropes. He was a lovely man with great character and I met some lovely elderly people whom I greeted with a smile, introduced myself, placed their lunch in the fridge and left wishing them a wonderful day. I am proud of the person I have become.

I'M GONNA NEED A NEW HOME

In July when my family leave for overseas I'm gonna need a new home. I'd love to go with them and they want me to come too but I don't think I'd like to be stuck in a box for hours on end on an airplane.

I'm the perfect pet. I can live indoors or outdoors. When I'm inside I do poo's and wee's in my kitty litter and never make a mess. I eat a small breaky and dinner but love to nibble and snack throughout the day to keep my energy up even though I love to sleep during the day, just like my Mummy.

I will talk to you, cuddle you and let you stroke me. I will love you unconditionally, no matter what. I'm great around children as I've had to put up with my current brother and sister stirring me up all the time, and Daddy too.

My name is Mia as in Mrs Mia Wallace from the movie Pulp Fiction.

And look how clever I am. Don't you wish you could do this??

EBAY CONTRIBUTIONS

Can you believe the shit you can sell on ebay? Who was the bright spark that created that business? And what the fuck does ebay mean anyway? All I know is it’s exciting the shit outta me selling stuff. I’m constantly on the prowl as I walk around the house to see what else I can sell. It must be true that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Even Dave and Sofie are in on the act constantly checking my summary to see how much we’re up to. I’ve made over a grand this week. Not bad for a few hours work. At least I feel like I’m contributing something to the over a hundred thousand dollar trip.

AHHH THE TRANQUILITY

We plan to be away for approximately 8 months but who knows? Leaving in July 2010. Initially we’re going to chill, unwind, relax in Bali for 3 weeks as it’s cheap and on the way. I’ve been to Bali years and years ago and loved it. Just about to lock this one in and make payment. Sanur Paradise Plaza Suites here we come. Ahhh the tranquility.

OUR ORIGINAL THOUGHTS

Our original thoughts came from our list of aims and values produced at our Career Clarity appointment.

Aims:
- Stress free life
- Relaxation
- Grow together as a family
- Different cultures – other experiences
- Community

Values:
- Community
- Simple things
- Water
- Flexibility
- Do and be anything (sound familiar?)
- Take chances and risks
- Relearn to art of nothingness and being in the moment (wow – achieved already!)
- Teaching women – pressures of modern society (wonder where this one is going?)
- Children/family being part of undeveloped community
- Variety

BAG ME BABY

Got our luggage today. Black Wolf Bladerunners. 110 litres + capacity for an extra 30. If they ain't full on the way over they will be on the way back - guaranteed!

Filled in the kiddies passport applications. Just gotta get arsehole first husband to sign eldest son's. Not sure if this will be a straightforward happening or a shit fight. Will cross that bridge when I come to it. Jason is going to meet us (probably in Frankfurt, Germany) a week or two before Christmas and spend Christmas, New Year and part of Vietnam, Lao & Cambodia with us before flying home to complete Year 12 of high school. I sold it to prick face by saying it was a wonderful opportunity for Jason but he's still pissed off that I left Singleton and moved to Brisbane. Arrh fuck him, he's only an egg!

THE WHOLE SHEBANG

I’m sure our travel consultant must be getting pissed off with us. Dave keeps coming up with new ideas on the direction of our travel and therefore destination order. I think we may have it nailed now though. Originally it was a round the world fare we were looking at which in Dave’s thinking meant we could go Bali, Europe, Canada, Vietnam, home but in actual fact flying time is less to fly Europe, Canada, Europe, Vietnam and after reading an ex-client of mine’s blog (they’ve just packed up and left to live in Italy for a year) we’ve decided that perhaps we don’t need to go to Canada to get the white xmas we wanted. Which also means we’ll miss out on New York for New Year’s Eve too but that could be the next trip. I think secretly I’m happy about this as it means we may go back to my original line of thinking on the whole shebang.

I AM WRITING A BOOK

Some of you know, some of you may have guessed that I'm writing a book. It's about my fucked up world that once was but this blog ain't going there but just so you know. I've been seeing a writing mentor to help me and just a short while ago received this email from her after I had emailed her a couple of days ago:

"Wow girl…your writing is going great guns, I haven’t read it all yet, (just got in the door, back from a holiday and 300 emails to get through!!)…but what I’ve read sounds great, you’ve found your voice! Well done now keep it up, no faltering, no self doubts … you’ve become a writer and I think a very good one!!!"

Ideally, I'd love to have it finished by the time we go away but still working on the ending. But also getting very close. So like everything, it's a wait and see job. I'll be sure to let you know when it's published and even autograph your copy (lol).

THE NEXT CHAPTER

Hey hey you made it. Welcome to the next chapter in the Life of Brian, I mean Shelley Stark. Where to from here? Well, on the most amazing adventure with my family. The story goes mid-way through last year we were heading to the movies with some friends of ours, one of which had just returned from a 2 week holiday in Vietnam with a couple who were previously highly paid executives in Sydney who had had enough and just packed up and left and at that stage had been living in Vietnam for 8 months. I jokingly, but seriously, said to Dave “Why don’t we do that?” His reply “I’d have to leave work.” “So?” Deep down I knew that this was another attempt to escape my problems. I could never have done it back then. I would have eaten my way through the countries and came home obese. Anyway, as time went on we were looking for a change. And as the tables had turned and I had become the easy, laid back, whatever one in our relationship, Dave said I had started to rub off on him and his thoughts were turning to living in the moment more and more. We made an appointment with a lady whose business was called Career Clarity and talked with her about our options and whether or not some of the things we thought of were practical, and in fact doable, with young children. We ran through our objectives, aims and values and came up with three options with for’s and against’s. At that moment we knew which option we wanted to pursue – the overseas adventure! And since we had now thought about it if we didn’t act upon it we would always look back with regret and disappointment that we didn’t have the adventure of a lifetime when we had the chance. And here is where this story begins.