Featuring an advanced alien race

There is not a lot of progress going on this week. I've been feeling a bit tired and run down although unfortunately there hasn't been any corresponding sick leave associated with that. It's a long weekend this weekend (YAY) and I'm hoping to get a few component things knocked off. That's if everything goes according to plan...although to be honest I'd probably be just as happy to spend the whole time lounging around in bed. Maybe I could move the telly in? I'm doing some of that component stuff with a good friend though...who may bring cookies...so there is that...

I'm not that far into this challenge and I'm already thinking that I'll be failing on some of the list. That's okay because it's set up to challenge and move me out of my comfort zone - not that I've done that much of that just yet. Books and reading baby yeah.

I promised myself that I would not post here unless I had made progress on something...and that it wouldn't be more than three days between postings...

#24 Find a food balance between the 'good' and the 'bad' foods
Today I had fruit toast with Nutella for breakfast, a one square meal bar for morning tea, a vege kebab for lunch plus a couple of chocolate thins for afters, a carrot and a piece of cheese for afternoon tea and pork with rice for dinner. I think that's a pretty good balance between good and bad foods. When can I mark it off?

#25 Live eco-smart - recycling etc
I suck at this. There are all the best intentions in the world, gathering the bottles and cans and papers to be recycled, putting them in the bin but not putting the bin out to be collected so that it overflows and won't take any more which means that recycleable things have to go in the rubbish bin because there isn't any space for them in the recycling bin. *sigh*

#39 Complete a '26 things' Flickr challenge
Have to get my skates on for this one as there isn't much time left and I think I've got, 5 things done? Guess it's harder than it looks!

#42 Send a snail mail postcard to nieces
Rather than do this I think I'll send some 'Kiaora' cards to the girls in Australia. Promise I'll take a picture. They're sold by some guy on the street - he appears magically every so often. Nice and colourful although I'm not so keen on the hearts that he's done this time. There is a pretty cool pohutukawa one in the set.

#47 Walk the isthmus
It's 16km. I'm going to need a bit of training before I do this one.

#48 Visit Waiheke island
Hhm. There's a planting day on Monday at the ARC park on Waiheke. I wasn't too keen on using up a day of my weekend to go over to Waiheke but I could mark two off with one visit...#7 Visit all Auckland Regional parks . Weekend plan rethink... nope. I need that time to sort out clothes to wear to work!

Wow. Looks like I've been doing more than I think I've been doing.

Let's fix it

I was going to RANT about eco-things but I've been distracted after reading this. Sometimes the internet is beautiful...

#87 Complete A-Z reading challenge - titles

The Experience economy : work is theatre & every business a stage by B. Joseph Pine II, James H. Gilmore.
Discusses how businesses should be looking to create experiences for customers that are valued and obvious, because that's what will distinguish them from their competitors rather than the commodities they have.

What did I think? Excellent and tied in nicely with the plea for us to become polypan multinarrans from "Darwin's Watch: the Science of Discworld III" by Terry Pratchett, Ian Stewart and Jack Cohen. It's all about the stories people. Think about it. When you go into an over priced cafe and get excellent service do you wonder why it's so crowded? No. You think to yourself "this place has an atmosphere, it has something different about it" - it's creating an experience that is more than just about what you are getting. For example. There is a cafe that I used to frequent in my previous work incarnation. Yes, it was a bit pricey, but I felt it was worth the price because it gave me more than just coffee and a friand. It gave me the chance to imagine that I had a cooler lifestyle where lingering over morning tea was a given. I can't take my boyfriend there because he complains about the price. Loudly. For him there isn't a lifestyle/experience pay-off. Another example. A deli down the road that sells imported cheeses and foods. Slow service, terrible parking but I will go back. Why? Apart from the imported French camembert, it's run by a guy who thought he'd just start a deli business. He cooks in front of you. There are often samples and delicious smells in the shop. The service is slow forcing you to slow yourself down. It's in a village style area with a butcher, fruit shop, wine shop etc. He's found a niche market. It's gourmet living NZ style. (Or English I guess 'cause that's where he's from.) Both these places give me the chance to live a different story. Romanticising? Maybe. Now I'm not saying that everything should be 'experiencentalised' (my word). Personally it would drive me crazy. But it's nice to have those places to go to that let you live in the moment and pretend to be someone else.
The book is hard work for a few chapters then it gets going. Read it.

#24 Find a food balance between the 'good' and the 'bad' foods. I had a piece of rich chocolate cake and 3 mandarins plus 1 apple today. I think that's a balance baby.

Just another boring blog entry title

I'm making a bit of progress on #24 Find a food balance between the 'good' and the 'bad' foods. It's a pretty flexible thing - as long as I feel pleased about my food choices at the end of the day I'm winning. The last couple of days have gone quite well with most food being low GI and heavy on the veges and fruit and only a few high sugar/fat things. Like wine and pizza. Oh, and the toffee pop I had this afternoon.

I've been investigating 83. Do anti-cranky diet. It's from here. After checking the cupboards I figure I have to buy in 95% of the food. (Who has Flaxseeds in their cupboard? And Brussell sprouts? Bleuchh.) I'm not even sure where to get some of the stuff. A friend has recommended the local organic store...I've been in once but foudn it intimidating. I like to get in and out and not have to interact with people too much. Plus I tend to spend quite easily so I might go in planning to spend no more than $20 and come out with $70 worth of stuff! (Speaking of food budgets, check this out Hungry for a Month I haven't been able to bring myself to read it all yet...I already feel guilty about the amout of $$ I spend on the sheer quantity of food I eat.) I will have to brace myself. And maybe take a friend.

#25 Live eco-smart - recycling etc. I'm halfway there with this one. I put things to be recycled into the bucket in the kitchen. Then my boyfriend empties the bucket into the regular rubbish bin. *sigh* Mental note - complete the cycle...

#86 Complete A-Z reading challenge - authors. I've finished 'A'. No, it wasn't Miss Jane.

Abercrombie, Joe "The Blade itself".
A fantasy (in swords and magic vein) about a diverse group of characters who all face trials and tribulations including life-threatening situations that almost get the better of them. Mostly male characters but a couple of women are tracked as well. A band of them are drawn together (mystically woo-wooooo) and by the end of the book are preparing to set off on their mission...

What did I think? Really enjoyed it and can't wait to get my hands on the second one. Quite violent and bloody in places (sometimes I worry about fiction writers). Surprisingly easy to follow considering that each chapter follows a different character who have different personalities. I'm waiting for the comeuppance for a couple and the redemption of a couple of others. One thing I particularly enjoyed was the writing style - clipped, thoughtful, confidential, descriptive. It's hard to go past a book that has the stellar line "Like! A! Fucking! Chicken!" (pg 300 in my copy.)