No 24 - Change

As my list is not exhaustive and as my aspirations etc are known to change over time, I have left my list fluid with room to add more up to No 40, and also to cut out and change anything on the list of it becomes no longer as important to me.

As such; No 24 is changed from Being An Extra, which while an interesting idea is not really something I can see myself doing. It is now 'Perform Random Acts of Kindness'. As I recently bought the Danny Wallace book 'Random Acts of Kindness' and felt really inspired by its message - that to make the world a happier, kinder place all starts with people being motivated to do kind things for others without any real need or purpose - just a desire to put a smile on someone else's face.

I will therefore, be adding to this any RAOK that I carry out.

No 18 Still In Progress & No 3 & 11 On Their Way!

In February 2011 through my work at Broadreach House I signed up for a place in the Plymouth Half Marathon in May 2011.

So far my training has consisted of laps of Devonport Park at a brisk walk (approx 3 miles). I am planning on working up to jogging and lengthening the distance over the next few weeks.

I am collecting sponsorship on behalf of Broadreach so this will also raise money for a charity which I know does good work seeing as I work there and see what they do on a daily basis and know that money is not always very forthcoming to this relatively small charity.

So this will collectively knock off: Raising money for charity, Completing the Half Marathon, Exercising regularly..

On a good day this may also help me work towards No 6, getting back to a size 16.

Watch this space :-)

No 13: See An Opera - Again!

In November 2010 I started to make seeing an opera a regular event. Don Giovanni by Mozart, performed by the Glyndebourne company was the choice for this year.

It was quite a shift from last year's Cosi Fan Tutte, but in terms of expanding the opera experience; it's a classic! It was a more modern dressed performance than it was originally and in an ever changing central box shaped set which was intriguing and like a giant Rubik's cube.

Several fiesty women are taken and ravished and used and dumped by the central character, and though I'm not a righteous feminist I still think he got off lightly at the end for his scoundrelous womanising ways! I guess I see hell-fire as less intimidating than what I'd do to him!! :D

Exercise Regularly - No 18 In Progress!

Exercising regularly is probably going to be my biggest challenge on the whole list as it goes beyond the normal barriers such as finance and time etc and meets the barrier of my low motivation when it comes to doing anything involving consistent effort :-). So to cover this I think I may have to document my efforts to do energetic things and see how we go.
So firstly today I went walking on Dartmoor to the Merrivale stone rows and Kings Tor and Swelltor Quarries. I'd estimated it at about a 3 mile hike, which doesn't seem like a lot until you take into account that a fair amount of it is up a bloody steep Tor!!! So I was fairly impressed by myself and the fact that I crossed the stream at the bottom without falling on my arse and getting soaked, and also did not have a cardiac arrest!!! In fact I thoroughly enjoyed myself :-)
More of number 18 to come.....

Snorkelling - 2nd August 2010

And so on the 2nd August I went to a place called Kibberick Cove near Mevagissey in Cornwall to climb down to the beach and go snorkelling. The joy of cheap snorkelling gear from Asda meant that it was an impromptu event as the sun was shining and it seemed like a good idea at the time.

A good idea... briefly reconsidered when my fair skin hit the extremely cold water of Cornwall's South Coast.. but I persevered.

It is important to say that I am not fond of a) putting my face under water as I get a bit panicky that I'm going to drown (silly I know) and b) Spit.. which you need to do into your mask to stop it from fogging up. So overcoming these, and the rather steep climb down from the cliffs above the beach (a gentle slope my arse!!) and overcoming the freezing cold water was a fair feat.

I love snorkelling! It's like flying and you get to watch the wildlife underneath you (of which I found 1 flat fish and a few beds of seaweed).

I've decided I'm going to do it more often. Who needs the warm water of the Maldives? If you can stand the ice cold water of Devon and Cornwall then you DESERVE to snorkel!!

St Nectan's Glen

The day after my 30th birthday I took a pilgrimage to St Nectan's Glen in Cornwall. It is hidden between Tintagel and Boscastle and follows a winding path along a valley marked by a twisting bubbling stream all the way up to St Nectan's Kieve, waterfall and hermitage.
The kieve is a basin carved out of the rock by a waterfall that has fallen for many years and named after Saint Nectan who settled there in 500AD and built his sanctuary beside the river.
For pagans the kieve is a symbol of mother earth, the womb, a place of healing and rebirth.
My pilgrimage marked out a moment of leaving behind an offering, a wish tied to the clootie tree, symbolised by a small bag containing an acorn to symbolise a seed sown which can grow into something magnificent, a rose petal for love, an amethyst to heal past troubles and protect my future, a worry doll to ask for help dealing with worries, and sparkling 30's to mark the occasion.
I took time to rest at the falls and let the gentle water spray calm and reassure me. Before walking back feeling enriched my the journey.

See An Opera 04-12-09

On the 4th December I got my glad rags on and went to the Theatre Royal Plymouth to see the Glyndebourne Opera company production of Cosi Fan Tutte.
Oh how proper posh I felt!
"Così fan tutte is now regarded by many connoisseurs as perhaps Mozart’s finest opera: a wickedly seductive comedy of erotic manners and amorous deception (and self-deception) by both the sexes."
It was musically sparkling and at the same time hilarious. I can't say that the subtitles didn't help, but it was great how when it was moving everyone was moved and when it was funny everyone laughed.
I instantly became a new opera fan and want to see more and more!