Winning At A Quiz Night, Without Actually Winning

I went to a quiz night organised by the Rotary Foundation last night raising money for children in East Timor.  I'm not the best asset to a quiz night team table, although I do think I make a pretty good scribe!

Our table last night was made up of all sorts. Three of us went to school together and one more we got to know during uni. We all knew that we were going together and would be on a table, but the rest were going to be a surprise on arrival.There was a guy who I've known for a while and was actually my high school ball date. Another guy, also around our age I had met once or twice before through my friend who was running the quiz night so it was good to see him again as well. The final two I had never met before. They were relatives of the chick who was organising the night that I knew and consequently ended up on our table. Considering our diversity as a team, we thought we had this in the bad....not quite.

We started our first two rounds off with a bang...3 correct answers, followed by 2. Wooden spoon here we come. But as the rounds progressed and we armed up, our performance did improve. And although we didn't come out on top, we did manage to get some pretty good spot prizes.

The first for our creative answer to What Was Adolph Hitler's Favourite Movie? Our answer: How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days. We were then the fastest to be able to produce a photo (not digital) of a pet. Yep one of our table members had a tattoo of his pet. And finally, there was a Logo Quiz where we had a page of 16 logo's we had to name the company of. We got every single one! Those hours I spent playing Logo Quiz where definitely worth it!!

So although we didn't win the night, or the wooden spoon (woooooo!) we pulled it together and walked away pretty well off. But the real winners here were the kids of East Timor. After talking to my friend this morning, she said that have raised over $2500 in profit. Always remember that you don't have to come first to win!

Good Life Expectancy

I had a house warming sneak up on me this week. A friend has recently moved out of home with her boyfriend and tonight we have her housewarming. It only really crossed my mind yesterday, due to the craziness that my week has be made up of, housewarming present!!! At this point I was already at work and completely booked out until 6pm.

While training this morning (I think I was looking for any kind of distraction) it crossed my mind again. What was I going to get her? I made the decision to go to the farmers markets to pick up my fruit and veg today and when I got there the decision was made for me.

How cute are these little cactus's (cacti?). AND they are pretty much unkillable! While this friend is very reliable in maintaining life, such as her dog and birds in the past, having sturdy plants that require very little maintenance always gives me peace of mind.

And thinking about it, I would love to have a little cactus like this on my balcony when I move out.

Efforts Into Packaging

I recently purchased a couple of crop tops from Style Runner who are a online work out wear site that supply some brands that aren't seen in many other places. There were a couple of things I loved about buying through this site.

First, they had my items at my front door within almost 48 hours, and I bought them on a public holiday, so I was expecting at least a 1 week wait before they arrived. Very thankful for the prompt shipping.

Second, the quality of the products. Prior to now I had never bought through these guys before, and I'm one that once I find something I like, I stick to it. So I rarely true different brands, but in this situation I'm glad I did.

Finally, and what I was most impressed with, was the effort they have gone to in packaging my items. It was like playing pass the parcel, or opening a birthday present. After getting rid of all the post bags, you have a silver box with Style Runner printed on the outside. Opening the box you find each item individually wrapped in purple tissue paper and sealed with their brand sticker. And finally is the hand written post card.

Although it is a big marketing ploy, it is no doubt that women love to feel like someone else has put in the time and effort to make them feel special, so today I am thankful for these people.

Thoughts Become Things

I am still in absolute shock how I can go from feeling that truly nothing is working in my favour and really just coasting along day by day, to suddenly, literally everything falling into place in the same 5 days. The universe really does work in strange ways and it has recently be taught to me that what you ask for, you will receive. That your thoughts really do get changed into actions.

The idea behind this is that the thought waves that you put out into the world are received and materialised. What you think about most is what comes into your reality. So if you were to think 'I want to get a promotion at work' a promotion at work will be presented to you. However if you were to think over and over 'I don't want my car to break down' , the I don't want part doesn't matter. You are putting out car break down. So that what will happen, in other words specify what you want. 

So I took it on board. I started trying to actively change the way I was thinking. Stop worrying about what I don't want to happen and instead ask for what I want. And you know what, a lot if what I asked for I have now received. Biggest and most outrageous by far was definitely the apartment. I mean how does that just wind up in your lap. 

So think about the thoughts you are sending out into the world. Are you asking for something you don't want or are you focused on what you do want in you life?

Strictly Serious?!

Strictly Ballroom, the well known movie is being turned into a Musical, filmed here in Australia and is being directed by Baz Luhrmann...kind of a big deal. I was notified at the end of last year that as part of the film/musical they were planning to film a flash mob on the steps of the Sydney Opera House and that I should apply to be a part of it. At the end of last year this was a great idea! I had worked 12 months and not taken any time off, a very quick trip to Sydney would be perfect. So I applied.

Yesterday I got this email. I have a spot in the flash mob that is going to be in a movie known world over by an even more famous director. What is happening in the universe at the moment? It's like the stars have aligned and EVERYTHING is working out (besides the car that is). I'd forgotten I'd even applied until I got this email.

The catch...I have to be in Sydney next Sunday. And I now have a mortgage. Is this really in my best interests at the moment. Yes, it would be a flipping amazing experience to be able to dance under a director of this calibre...but that could also be a fridge or a washing machine.

Every has said without a second thought, GO. But I feel I have already used my years worth of spontaneity. So I have decided to wait for my confirmation email to come later in the week and make a decision from there. What would you do?

SOLD!!

Well, I am now a first time home buyer. The past couple of days have truly been a rollercoaster!! Apartment was found on Thursday night. We then viewed in at the home open on Saturday. Saturday night we called the agent and said that I would like to make an offer. Sunday night at 6pm we met with the agent and put down my offer. At 8pm Sunday night while I was out with some friends, I got the call saying the owner had accepted my offer, congratulations you are the new home owner (come settlement in 30 days time).

I own an apartment. My head is still spinning and I'm still not entirely sure what I've got myself into. I'm excited and I'm terrified. There is currently a tenant in there who had a lease until the end of May. So I have a couple of months to get my head around everything, and someone else paying of my mortgage to start off with.

By Monday 8am the internet listing and listing at the property agents both had sold plastered across them, and that night we had the sticker up on the sign out the front of the property. It has really been all go! Like I said, I am still reeling and constantly feel like I'm going to be sick, partially nerves, partially apprehension, but mostly excitement.

It's a big move!

Learning The Finer Points

I have been doing boxing for around eight years on and off now. I'm lucky in the fact that leading up to now I have had really great instructors and teachers who have drilled technique into me and I have had a lot of time to work on it.

Over this weekend I completed my Level 1 and Advanced Level Boxing Instructors Course through Thump Boxing. If anyone is looking to do any sort of course in Boxing, I highly recommend these guys.

So I, along with a fellow exercise fanatic and Shirts Off Saturday member I had roped in to come along with me spent a combined total of 14 hours in boxing gloves and pads over the weekend. She had also been trained by the same instructors so was at a very similar level of experience to me. Going into the course, we were probably two of the more experienced boxers in the group.

This meant that while some people were learning the normal boxing stance and the difference between the jab and the cross, we spent more time looking at the finer details such as holding our elbows in to catch, how to flick the wrist to 'pop' off the boxers glove and spent a hell of a lot of time trying to get the crisp sound that come with perfect glove to pad contact, rather then thud that comes when you miss the angle by something as littler as two degrees off your wrist angle.

So while we probably spent a good hour on jabs alone, followed by an hour on crosses, the time flew by because we were so fixated on getting it right! This continued for the whole weekend. We both already understood the concept of the upper cuts, hooks, elbows, knees and kicks thanks to the great coaching we have had in the past few years. But it was the finer details we were picking up now that would mean we got a strong and powerful punch, with a really great sound on every single hit.

It was a long and tiring weekend but 100% worth it and I can't wait to take what I have learnt and teach it to my own boxing class now. There is always more that can be learnt.