June Challenge: Day 15: A favorite photo of myself and why

Day 15, Saturday: A favorite photo of myself and why

Okay so this was meant to be Monday's post but I've moved today's one till then instead and you will understand why when you read it. I am not a fan of photographs of myself really because I am not in the least bit photogenic but sometimes I take a picture and because of the context I am happy to post it. As you will have seen very few photos of me over the time you might have known me, I thought I would add a little selection.

These pictures were taken at the Grand Canyon in Summer 2010. It was the most amazing holiday of my life and I have epic memories of how wonderful it was.

We spent a lot of time exploring the ridges but also took a helicopter down into the canyon itself. At one point I even started scrambling down the rocks and ended up on a rock jutting out. It was magical. 

Just taking the time to enjoy yourself

Anyone who has commitments in their life, be that work or studying or regular plans, knows how easy it is to get caught up in the day to day madness of what you consider normality.

As I've referenced on this blog before I have recently been taking some time out to sit back, chill out and enjoy just taking some time. However even I don't think it was my intention to have 3 weekends away in May!

I spent the first weekend away in Glasgow, a trip that possibly did me more good than any other I've had in years. I then spent a weekend enjoying the sunshine and animals at Longleat, before heading to the best concert I've ever been to (still can't believe Lana del Rey hugged me but there we go). And this weekend I've been to my nan's for a couple of days of relaxation.

I don't think I've had this many plans in such a short period of time in years but what I've learned from all this is three things.

1. Spending time away smiling, laughing and just generally enjoying myself is a definite positive.

2. I've learned to take the time to do what I want to do not just what I need to do and that change of balance is something that was long overdue.

3. I need to translate my new attitude to my normal life more. I can't keep disappearing away for weekends as much as I would like to. I mean my credit card would rebel for one thing.

So my next mission should I choose to accept it (which I already have done) is to apply my new relaxed attitude and ability to rise above the madness to my daily life more. I've come a long way since early May that much is true but I'm determined that I won't lose this new attitude when my weekends away cease.

But in the meantime I've got Cardiff to look forward to in two weeks time. Maybe I really should just keep planning weekends away instead!

Where next? Any suggestions?

Animal Magic!

On Saturday 18th May I went to Longleat Safari Park with Emma. Now the first thing I should say here is that I do not like the idea of animals in cages, so I was concerned by what to expect. I am pleased to report that I need not have worried, the animals at Longleat had so much space, were in really good condition and were obviously still as wild as they come. I was much impressed. As well as taking our own tour of the park in my car, we also took in an off road safari with a guide and I have to say it was money well spent. We got so close to the animals and were able to take so many pictures over those few hours, and the memories of that afternoon and the laughs we shared at the crazy animal behaviour around us will live with me forever.

I'm not going to bore you to tears with the 600 photographs I took that afternoon (yes, really, 600! I had to plug my phone into my laptop to ensure I could recharge my battery as we went) but instead just point out a few highlights in the hope it might make you want to go yourself. If you can get there, I would thoroughly recommend it!

The African Plain area

Gorgeous cheetah

There was so much monkey madness it was untrue. I mean, who knew monkey's hitch hiked and then tried to total your vehicle?

Small monkey liked my windscreen wipers!

Mummy and baby!

And after the madness of monkeys, we moved onto the majesty of the gentle giants - the giraffes. 

Only it turned out that these creatures are goofy as hell!

Doing the splits!

Smile

Being hand fed... the tongue touching me was a little gross!

What a poser!

 The lions were a creature we had been looking forward to seeing and they did not disappoint one bit!

Pose for the camera!

Daddy dearest!

Family time

Siamese lions?

 We then walked with meerkats and lemurs! I think I nearly passed out I was squealing so much!

Spying on the sky!

Wondering if the camera person was about to eat them!

Lemur!

Smile for the camera!

So close to this big beast!

Tiger crossing!

Beautiful tiger

Wolf dancing!

We headed back into our car and drove through the African plains, making friends with some animals along the way!

The African plains, the tiger homelands and the wolf kingdom. What an amazing place.

RHINO!

We spent the day at Longleat, it really wasn't long enough. I will definitely be going back again. Okay, it wasn't the South African safari Emma and I had always dreamed of, but for a UK adventure and to make one of her dreams come true? Well we couldn't have asked for more!

Sleep is for people without anything better to do

You would think I'd be tired this week. I've had very little sleep, work has been busy and there is a lot going on. And yet bizarrely I'm not tired at all.

Sleep deprivation is something I am sure my body has grown used to over the years and I've definitely done my fair share of nights without sleep, managing to function the second day reasonably well considering.

I've always been a night owl and I've always been someone who doesn't need much sleep, even as a child I used to drive my parents up the wall by failing to go to sleep until the middle of the night.

People often ask what I do with my time at midnight, 2am, 4am even but that for me is simple. I'm wide awake despite the hour so I spend my time reading, writing or ticking things off the to do list. Nothing like sorting out your banking at one in the morning.

I don't understand how some people can trundle off to bed at 10pm like there isn't a whole world of things to do. I'm my most productive and alert in the middle of the night and I like to capitalise on this.

I've definitely decided that sleep is for people without anything better to do. That isn't me, I've more than enough to keep me occupied and I like being up half the night. If my body can tolerate it and I'm smiling, there is definitely no reason not to consider 3am a perfectly valid time right?

And amusingly the people I talk to the most all seem to agree with me. If I slept more I would miss out on randomly brilliant middle of the night conversations. Wouldn't want that!

So here is to not sleeping and enjoying being up when the rest of the country sleeps. Loving the darkness!

People Should Smile More

I guess I hadn't realised that I stopped smiling until recently I had reason to start again.

It is so easy to get caught up in the day to day list of work related chores and the to do list of doom, and because that is full of things that I have to do as opposed to wanting to do them it is harder to complete them with a smile.

Don't get me wrong, my life has not been miserable recently and I've had a lot of giggles, especially over drinks after work, but however much I love my job permitting it to be the only dominating force in my life was a mistake.

It was only when I took the time out for a few days just to step away from the endless busy hectic nature of my daily life and spent some time chilling out and focusing on things that I love and want to be a part of that I realised how much I had missed smiling.

Yesterday I could have spent the bank holiday working, instead after an hour or two I switched off the laptop and wrote instead. For hours and hours. And I loved it.

So today as I travel to work I'm taking the time to think and I'm smiling. Possibly to the point other people might think me strange, but you know what: I don't mind. Because people should smile more, and take the time to appreciate the things in life that really matter.