Usual Sunday BS – Checking In / Moving On

It may be Monday but it's still the weekend - yay for Bank Holidays - so I'm putting my Sunday BS together a little late and not starting this week till tomorrow - having a kind of limbo day.

The week just gone

The week started with my son visiting A&E and a frustrating day spent with the NHS.  If one more person tells me they can "understand my frustration" I swear I will scream.  Yet by the end of the week I am feeling calm, rested and present.

I've spent the best (or worst) part of a year checked out - as an onlooker, watching life go on around me and not even touching the sides.  So, what's changed in 7 days?

The lovely ladies in my Storytelling for Change group just understood that this was 'not a good week' and so there was a break from any added responsibility.  In my day job I have become more connected, I feel like I've at last started turning up again, like an invisible line has been drawn under things past and now it just is what it is - no underlying agendas.

And with regard to my son's (and my) health I guess the change has been in attitude.  We've been so busy looking for a label, believing that there could be no 'cure' before that was found.  Why would I find that more frustrating than most?  Because I don't really go for labels, I believe in taking in the whole picture.   I have spent so much time dismantling the pigeon holes in my life that the mere action of creating another box was just so 'wrong'.  So, to move ahead boxes, labels and shoulds have all been thrown out the window.  The focus is on being present - living the way we want to live now.  Sometimes the answer is right in front of you, all around you - sometimes, if not always, the first thing to do is look at what we have.

And in keeping with using what I have - I think I've done enough research to move on as Seth Godin put it "All the information in the world isn't helping you make more stuff.  You have enough.  You should stop."

The whole 'using what you've got' thing is part and parcel of the message behind the birth of this blog and The MacsX - so time to get back to the message and go with it.  And what's going to make this time different to all the other stop starts that have gone in the past.  Belief.  Belief that it just 'is'.

The week’s discoveries/rediscoveries:

Lissa Rankin's Ted Talk

My first 'Ted Talk ' - and there are so many more to see.

Seth Godin's Creative Morning Talk

My Storytelling Video

Here’s to another good week

And to using up lots of stuff

Catherine

xxx

Happy Birthday To Me

This weekend I created a new board on Pinterest - Building My Wall. I was looking through a Creative Journal I created when it was suggested on my first reading of Simple Abundance and came across a wall I'd drawn.  I created a wall of wishes, the idea being I'd colour in each brick as my wish came true.  Some of the wishes were small - (go to cinema) - and some were a bit bigger (Get an Audi TT).  I've coloured in some of the bricks - still not got the TT and to be honest not sure I want it anymore.  The point I'm trying to get to is I've decided to create a new wall.  Today is my 48th Birthday so the new wall will be 50 wishes I'd like to come true before I'm 50.

As much as this authentic path has made for my increased appreciation of the simpler things not all my wishes    are simpler - the TT is now an M Class

I know I Like Pink but not sure I like it this much...

Looking forward to completing my Free Range Journey

Perhaps not 'completing' but undertaking.

Catherine

xxx

Checking In - The Usual Sunday BS

Checking in - that was the original plan behind Sunday BS - checking where I'm at and where I want to go - for the next week at least.  I tend to get a lot planned out doing this.  It is one of the things that works, when I do it.

Looking forward to meeting up with my Storytelling Group

So, this week started off well with me posting here Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday although I must admit that by the time Wednesday came around I was starting to struggle.  There have been a few 'sleepus interuptus' nights and I guess I didn't have my reserves backed up as much as I could've.  So, I've been taking it 'easy' this week where producing anything is concerned.  Has anyone seen that magic wand - it must be my turn for it soon?

I am still working on my 'Free Range Life'. When I confronted the 'oodles of experience' I thought  I didn't have I was amazed to find just how 'spectacular and relevant' my experience is.  As Marianne says "when you are free range everything about your life counts; nothing is thrown away.  The very things that make you different might well be your edge."  I always wanted to have 'edge'.

Creatively if there were some way of getting all of the stuff in my head onto paper and out into the world - again with the magic wand!


Watching/Listening to: Creative Mornings - especially loving his 'bending the truth'.

Just one of many inspirational talks to start the day with.

Reading (still) 'Be A Free Range Human' by Marianne Cantwell and getting my 'free range' on

Crafting (excuses and) a great idea for my House of Pinheiro International Craft Swap - this WILL DEFINITELY be completed this week.

It may not look like it but I'm almost there....

Pinning - I've been doing a bit of pinning this week and added a new board this week 'Building My Wall', more about that tomorrow. Pinterest is becoming more and more popular in the craft world - why wouldn't it? Who wouldn't love a virtual pinboard - saved so many trees already.  The Making Spot and Craftblog UK have listed some great crafters on Pinterest.  I'm sure I'm going to be doing a lot of Pinning it Forward as highlighted by CBUK this week. Really must remember to use that hash tag #PinitForwardUK.  Is there no end to the wonders of the Internet and the connections created by all the lovely folks out there/here.

From Austin Kleon

Here's to a Productive Free Range Week
And lots of fun

Catherine

xxx

A Perfect Day - Wednesdays are for Wishing

Working on recalibrating my GPS when asked about my favourite day one of the first things that springs to mind is Wednesday.  I love Wednesdays because they are 'my' day - Wednesday is the day I get to focus on me and on The MacsX - no 'day job' influence.  It's also the day for wishes, Jamie Ridler offers prompts for Wish Casting Wednesday (not this week because her mum's not well - so let's send all those wishes of love and healing her way today) and Alex Loves often  shows Wednesday Wish Lists (loving the orange over there today).

So if Wednesdays are for wishing, today's wish is for me to work my way through Free Range Human and get this Authentic Abundance Centre up and running.

Making This my Pin for Today

Recent Feedly Finds

(recent highlights from my Feedly Feeds)

Callie at Createavity recommended Craftsy which has been added to my research list for this week.  Also with Carly I'm looking forward to Storytelling for Change - really looking forward to getting my story together and learning about everyone else's.

Wynona Ryder looks as haunting as ever on her Interview Cover over at Trend Council.  I really want to see The Great Gatsby.

I am loving all of the wonderful wisdom over at Tiny Buddha and loving the idea of scheduling Simple Pleasures at Creating Space, Mindful Living.

May all  of your Wishes  come to fruition

In the best way, and at the best time

For You

Catherine

xxx

May The Madness of May Stay With You

The 7th of May will always be May Day to me.  For nostalgic reasons, I already covered here last year, I'm holding on to May Day and holding out for the sunshine - because it will arrive. I Believe.

Looking back to last year I had just launched my 'Green Room' on my website - I done away with my website not long after this as I wanted to work on the whole concept of The MacsX without spending any more money and using what I have, and can, for free.  And here I am 12 months later finally getting round to doing just that.

Continuing on my Free Range Journey I took the personality test at .. and found out that I am an INFP, an Introverted iNtuitive Feeling Perceiving.  And loving Pinterest as I do I decided to add a Personality Board to my collection.  I can't quite decide on my favourite...

I'm enjoying the the whole 'No Rules school of business' concept of Free Ranging - and feel like I'm getting somewhere.

Booking a table at the North Kelvin Meadow and thinking about going to Say it Aint Sew at Hillhead Library tonight are two of the actions I've already taken, already getting my Pet Projects under way.  Thinking about going to a craft group is the first step to joining an meeting like minded folk - the follow through is the next big step.

Namaste and Happy May

Catherine

xxx

Free Range Life - Starting with What I've Got

As mentioned in yesterday's post I'm finally working through Free Range Human and trying not to be too hard on myself for clearing the crap and realising what I already have or had.  Sometimes the whispers need to be spelled out or stamped on my forehead before I actually listen to them.  Other people's whispers I can hear at any level but the ones meant for me, they seem to get caught up in some kind of interference - usually caused by me.

Austin Kleon's version of putting a lot of work into getting back to where you already  had

I have found a lot of great counsel via some wonderful blogs, collecting many gems via Evernote, Pinterest and lately Feedly (which I've used to replace Google Reader).  Somehow in collecting all of this great advice I've gotten a little lost and overwhelmed in the volume and lost direction.  Granted there have been other things going on in my life and all I seem to have been doing lately is collecting data and not doing much of anything.  It's a hard habit to break but I'm working on it - Yes, I do seem to be working on a lot at the minute.

But big 'A-Ha' here, it's all toward the same end. It's all toward my living my Authentic Life and so I embark on my first 'pet project' writing Authentic Fit.  And so, it would seem, living Free Range is as simple as just starting from where you are.  And I am reminded of this each day I see my screen saver found via the lovely Oh My Handmade Goodness.

Happy Holiday Monday

Looking forward to completing my Free Range Journey

Catherine

xxx

That was the Week that was - aka the Usual Sunday BS

It's been quite a week.  This was meant to be the week where we got a final diagnosis at the children's hospital and would finally get our lives in order - or so we thought.  Strangely enough I'm sitting here smiling (no alcohol inducement) I guess because I've finally learnt the art of 'letting go', of recognising what I have the power to change, realising what I've got  and saying 'thank you'.

Listening to Gavin De Graw and relaxing.

Reading 'Be A Free Range Human' by Marianne Cantwell and getting my 'free range' on

Crafting a great idea for my House of Pinheiro International Craft Swap - this WILL be completed this week.

Thank you so much Vanessa for your beautiful gifts and your unending patience
I'm loving your craft room over at Simple Fibre Life

Shopping - Is it sad I have been searching for these shoes forever? (used to have a pair just like them)

 

Marks & Spencer Outlet bargain

My Etsy shop still remains closed - I have been watching the Glasgow Etsy Team from the sidelines and am aiming at attending the June meet and getting back to creativity.   I am working in the background and through the teachings of Marianne (above) I'm looking at relaunching bigger and better.

I am planning on bringing everything together here at When At The MacsX in the not too distant future - dates have been pencilled in my planner.  I am working on being a Free Range Human or should I say freeing my Free Range Human and documenting my journey - I feel some fibre being added to the framework here.

And going full circle I am looking forward to putting my dreams out there and 'Letting Be'.

by Catherine at WhenatheMacsX

Thank you to everyone who’s helped me through this week

(you know who you are

– and if you don’t believe you helped, you did).

Here’s to a Great Week

It starts with a holiday- who could ask for more.

Catherine

xxx