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thoughts and other randoms
thoughts and other randoms
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The first 6 months of 2008.
Related to country: Australia

Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

I think I have realised the two strongest contributors to the evaporation of time;
1) Taking it slow and steady
2) Age.

Taking it slow and steady (CERTAINLY wins the race).
This first 6 months of 2008 have definitely been consumed with less on my plate. I have tried to tackle each task as it has arisen and in doing so, I lost track of time.

I welcomed in the new year while volunteering with Kristina at the Woodford Folk Festival. It was a wonderful opportunity to take a break from work and reconnect with everything else I love; people, food, music and the environment. It was a break I was definitely craving and it left me with some clear resolutions for 2008.

By the time my birthday came around I realised just how unhappy I was at work. The job itself was fine but the organisation was not a fit with me, this was emphasised by a few key people who were determined to drive me away. So I gave myself a much needed present and quit the job in favour of working part-time at the Queensland University of Technology as a tutor of marketing and creative industries classes, and volunteering part-time at the Hear and Say Centre for deaf children and their families.

I am so delighted I gave myself the freedom to move onto QUT and the Hear and Say Centre because I LOVE WORKING AT THEM BOTH. I am able to keep up my marketing and communications skills as well as meet, interact and shape the learning experiences of many intelligent individuals. I get to guide, share and learn with my students in a very rewarding exchange that has made me very happy.

There have been other projects that have come up this semester but nothing in particular worth mentioning just now. Maybe sometime soon though...

Age.
The other factor I have recognised as the major consumer of time is age. The older I get, the more time slips away! I haven't quite recognised why this is the case but I have recognised that there are probably only about 65 years or so left of my life (and at this rate, that is going to disappear in what will feel like 5 years), so I have to take advantage of this second before it passes!

It is kind of in this mentality, of living for this second and valuing everything that it is offering that I got married, vary spontaneously (yet a long time in the making), in June. We were on a walk and looking out over the ocean as a storm became ever-present. We decided there and then that it was the right time and so asked the wind and the sea and the earth to recognise the fire within us and bare witness to the exchange of our commitment to each other, to our relationship and ourselves. I have no doubt that I am with the right person for me and although not legal, we, and those around us know that our relationship is real, our commitment is real and our love is real.

So although I haven't travelled anywhere in particular this first 6 months of 2008, I have come a very long way. I am very much looking forward to keeping up with the next 6 months of 2008.

Thank all of you for your support along this journey.

Kristiana

July 1, 2008 | 1:43 AM Comments  0 comments

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The second 6 months of 2007
Related to country: Australia

Translations available in: English (original) | French | Spanish | Italian | German | Portuguese | Swedish | Russian | Dutch | Arabic

Amsterdam was a lovely way to bring in the second half of 2007! We hung out with a friend, played the tourist game and had a lot of fun, until the last night when we ran into an unfortunate crowd. None to worry, life goes on...

We got back to Berlin alright and decided to move house and just when we were about to move got a phone call from my partner's family asking if we wanted to come home because my partner's father's health was not good. We decided that we would go back to Australia, at least to find out what was happening, but hopefully not to stay.

We came back to Australia via a week long play in London and a day trip in Tokyo to find my partner's father was actually in a much worse health situation than we had realised.

Thankfully he got better, then he got worse, then he got better and eventually unfortunately he took a very sudden turn and died. Much of this last 6 months has therefore been spent in Aus, checking on everyone's health status and going through the grieving process. It has been a long and difficult time.

It has also been a tough time to try and find employment with the obvious emotional trauma, a national election and the wind-down towards Christmas and the new year. I have been fortunate enough to find work with an established international charity group where I am now responsible for the marketing and fundraising for the state. My partner is currently 'on holidays' but we are working on event management jobs...

Having just spent the Christmas and new year holiday break at a folk festival in the bush, I now feel cleansed, refreshed and a hopeful excitment for 2008.

It has been a long and rough 6 months but I now feel more grounded and calm. And am very, very grateful for strong, supportive family and friends, for my partner and for me!

Happy new year to everyone else and best of luck!

Sincerely

Kristiana

January 1, 2008 | 11:11 PM Comments  0 comments

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What a year!
Related to country: Australia


What an amazing year it has been!

I started off 2005 at the Woodford Folk Festival doing media and interviewing so many wonderful artists from around the country. It was hot and dirty but hella fun!

In January I made it over to Hangzhou, China on scholarship with the QUT Study Abroad program to compare how the Chinese and Australians use the Internet. It was eye opening and delicious and although at times rough, overall it was amazing!

At the beginning of February I turned 21 and towards the end of February I went to the United Arab Emirates. I was there on a fully funded trip to present a paper I had written on the advantages and disadvantages to students of an online-based education at the E-ducation Without Borders conference. THAT was truely incredible. I met so many wonderful people from all over the world and am still in contact with some of them.

In April I attended the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards. I didn't get out of it what I thought I would but it was still an amazing experience and one that got me involved with a local youth suicide bereavement support service called HeadHigh.

In July and August I was able to represent HeadHigh, myself and Rotaract (Rotary's Youth group) at the 3rd World Youth Congress in Scotland. To date, I have never had such a life changing event! The theme of the congress, "Be the change" from Gandi's, "Be the change you want to see in the world" has become my mantra.

Since the congress I have been in constant contact with local and state government representatives, universities, community groups and just about anyone who will listen about how wonderful youth are and how they just need a little guidance to pay off as the best investment you can possibly make!

I truely believe this and have dedicated myself to representing young people in a positive light where ever I can.

Recently, I have also created the Young Australian Women's Alliance, a free community and youth based organisation dedicated to supporting positive local change.

It has been a truely fulfilling and challenging year and I look forward to my adventures in 2006!!

December 17, 2005 | 1:49 AM Comments  1 comments

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