Mundane Monday 22

Between the HR induction meetings, piles of email and papers waiting for me to sort through the week and staring out the window onto this gloomy raining morning/afternoon, it is only normal that I took to the internet to find some quotes to help me think about anything other than work.

There are as you may have guessed (from my shameless bragging) two main things in my life right now. My marriage and my Work.

The work side, well, I think I’ve got it covered, I know who to ask when I don’t know something and I know what goals I have to achieve by the end of my training. I know how to push myself and I definitely know the gaps in my knowledge and how to fill them.

My marriage? Mergh not so much.. There are no goals, no plans, sometimes I’m not exactly sure whether to communicate thoughts and whether the Husband is the best person to direct them to. Isn’t that awful?

For the mean time I’ve taken to mind maps and reading up on articles because I need a sense of direction in every area of my life. Communication keeps coming up everywhere but I think it’s also equally important to choose someone that you are going to spend the rest of your life with you understands your communication.

And that’s where Rumi comes in:

“Be with those who support your being”
                                               Rumi, Persian Poet.

I think this quote should be plastered around a lot more next to marriage articles who all explain that “communication is the key” sure I can communicate myself to a goat, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to understand my being.

Surely one’s time is better spent communicating yourself to those who know you, who understand the way you think, the way you talk, who are less likely to mistake you sarcasm for fact.

And that’s when I start to feel a little better, that although I don’t have a marriage plan (yet) and no clear direction (yet) I am with someone who just gets me. Who understands what I mean when I’m quiet and who hears in between the words when I’m talking.

If you are smiling right know thinking of that person who knows your bring pretty well, consider yourself lucky. That right there is better than any life plan, well in my opinion.

Happy Monday!

Mundane Monday 21

Good morning all,

How are you? I am currently suffering from a really bad episode of “why is it Monday, omg I hate you why” syndrome.

The reason for it is my sleep. I confess, I am a light sleeper and it is ruining my life. Ever since I got married and moved into North London away from my slightly Herts. " LOTR shire-like" suburb I’ve been suffering real bad.

Whether it is the outside noises of people fighting or having a chat at 2am outside your window or the sounds of the house, people waking, cooking at 6am (why?) and all sorts. Either way it’s just impossible to sleep like a dead log and I really miss waking up in my comfortable snow white like trance to dancing cats and singing birds and my tropical ''sounds of the rainforest'' alarm.

I know. I can't believe a person like me exsists too. I am truly impossible.

Today’s quote is actually steeped in wisdom and deeper meaning however, I read it and laughed, feeling like I wanted to add “Leesh” to the list.

The serpent, the king, the tiger, the stinging wasp, the small child, the dog owned by other people, and the fool: these seven ought not to be awakened from sleep.

Chanakya

Hope you had a more restful sleep and are much better equipped to tackle this Monday morning than me.

Mundane Monday 20

Good Afternoon!

Is it already the second week of February 2014?

What the heck am I doing with my life! Evidently not a lot save for painting my nails and toesies this decadent red colour and googling late night images of those glamorous years past where a corset and girdle were donned just to pop down to the post office. *sigh*

But alas, I am too lazy. So much so that I write to you now here with my oversized tortoiseshell glasses, covered in leopard print from my pyjama’s to my slippers and even the leopard turban that is on my head currently trying to stop those pin curls from escaping. Not very glamorous at all. *slurps from her oversized coffee mug*

So unfortunately, I need some help from you all this Monday as I don’t even have the inspiration to inspire myself. No quotes from me today I’m afraid, just a little picture of what I hope to inspire my readers into thinking I look like when I laze in bed typing away.

But I know I’m not fooling anyone!

Mundane Monday 19

Hello my dearies, how are you coping this Monday? 

I must confess, Mondays are hard for me, I really get the blues but it helps on days like today when the sun is shining and you forget for a moment that its around 0 -1 degrees outside!

The Fiancé and I are finally starting our wedding fitness regimes today after eating as much junk as we could over the last week. He's very good with the whole gym junkie, running, cardio, HIT things, I on the other hand much rather prefer watching people exercise than joining in and don't want to go anywhere near a gym. (I had a little stint with my local in the run up to the engagement party but that was short lived.) 

Anyway, in preparation of our commitment to fitness we were discussing how we want to make a concious decision and incorporate this fitness into a sort of lifestyle change rather than crash dieting and weight loss for the wedding which will ensure we're fully bloated again by the honeymoon!

To help us we've decided to play squash together or tennis/badminton just once a week as a sort of fun activity and a twist on date night. I have found various youtube videos that incorporate a lot of dance moves and feel good music to convince myself I'm just having a good time and not exercising. The Fiancé is starting this thing called T25 a 60 day program similar to Insanity (a programme he completed for the engagement party). It simply translates to TORTURE for me. 

So he's doing a 60 day torture programme while I prance about in my living room for 30mins a day. ^_^

If any of you have successfully incorporated fitness in to your lifestyle please feel free to share your tips and motivation. For those starting out like myself let me know what sort of activities you do to help you look good and more importantly FEEL good. Its all about feeling good for me, the rest seems to fall into place after that. 

I know its an age old saying below, but really take a moment today and think about it. Learn to see your body as your kingdom, the best retreat for your soul and work with it, cause when you've spruced it up how you want, your soul will thank you millions!

I know, I know easier said than done right!

Mundane Monday 18 - Happy New Year!

Happy New Year lovelies! 

How are you settling in? Have you made any resolutions? Still sticking to them?

Know that you are not alone, I too am trying to straighten out my resolutions and find practical ways to actually see them through to the next year.

I have got off to a lazy start, one of those drift along for a few weeks and realise I'm already in into the third week of the year! WTF

But last night as I stared at my ceiling like I've done on every night before suddenly it hit me. Architecture. 

Yep, its about being an architect. I'm so caught up with who I want to be what I want to do that I never really get anywhere because its all too much and I get overwhelmed and give up before I've started. 

What I am good at is dreaming. I often have multiple dreams a night (so sexy I know ha!) I can dream in colour, see myself third person (sometimes lucid) and over the last six months even smell! See I deal with real life by how I've already dealt with it in dream life. 

And when my dreams lack my inspiration lack, my motivation disappears and I go two months without posting anything on my beloved blog. 

So today's new year quote is by me :)

"Be the Architect of your dreams."

~ Leesh Smalls

Go to sleep and dream your life. Create it like an architect from the foundations and beams that hold the structure through to the finishing touches of colour schemes and furniture. 

If your going to an interview tomorrow, dream about it go through it visualise it and let your subconscious help you achieve your dreams when your awake. 

I know this might sound a bit hippy but just give it ago, imagination is the best drug to be on and it is so good for you. 

Here's to making your dreams come true and making sure this year unlike the years before, we can begin to live in the castles we've always dreamt of!

Mundane Monday 17

A new Monday, a new week, a new day. Is it really as simple as that? You know the aged old quote that everyday is a new day. Everyday is a day you can be that new person, the better person. 

Is it really that easy? I had a bit of a personal awakening this weekend. Realised that without any real guidance in my life my moral compass is so incredibly distorted that I can't live with myself being this way and hurting those I love so much. 

But with hurt already caused is it really that easy to wake up and decide to be a better person? The best solution is to never break a persons trust in the first place and its really not that hard, just requires a brain. But if its too late then you have to start from rock bottom and be prepared to work hard at whatever it is the other person needs to be able to trust you again. 

So let's take a moment this week to show those people we love that their trust in us is worth it and not misplaced. For those of you who are working on re-building trust be prepared to put aside your ego and pride, an injustice was done and the path to absolution is not without penance.

Mundane Monday 16

Have you ever been in a position where one of your close mates finds the girl/guy of their dreams and in being in the whole honeymoon phase turns into a complete jackass?

I like the quote below cause it reminds me that sometimes, just cause people have been in your life for a long time doesn’t mean they have to continue playing such an important part with your mental and emotional wellbeing if they are no long interested in your friendship.

But do you think the quote can stretch to people and relationships?

I’ve always thought it a bit selfish when I read quotes about dropping friends that aren’t good to you. However the older I get the more I realise that I can’t stand to be around them any longer, friends that once seemed so caring and always full of advice through older eyes seem selfish and controlling. Unfortunately I think the situation is worse when your friend becomes bad by marrying someone that's no good for them.

What are you supposed to do when you can't be a good friend to them? Hope that love continues to blind you I guess and ignore it which inevitably leads to the downfall of your friendship with them.

Hey Ho, here’s another great quote from an unknown author.

Courtesy of Google images

Mundane Monday 15

Oopsy! Technical problems AGAIN yesturday.. Here's Monday's post!

Happy bank holiday to those off in the UK. Although the weather is notoriously known for being rubbish pretty much every bank holiday, it’s been ok so far, give or a take a day or two of rain. This weekend I have been on the last min shopping runs to get pieces and jewellery for my engagement party in Sept and also some presents to give to loved ones.

Something a little more interesting I decided to dabble in over the weekend was catch up on some reading about Lucid Dreaming. I’m a big fan of dreaming generally, I find it really helps me focus and sometimes acts as a run through for things I’m experiencing in life. For example a lot of my dreams have been about the wedding and walking down the aisle nerves!

I downloaded some free apps on android about lucid dreaming and read through some of their articles. The concept seems fascinating, even more so thanks to movies like Inception that make it seems so easy. However, I can’t help but feel there is also some dark element to it, like it’s not all great. Things like playing sound cues of voices during certain times at night that only your subconscious hears is well, a little daunting for me and doesn't really put me in control does it? Which is the whole concept of lucid dreams.

Anyway, so my journey to expanding my dream capabilities has begun. I set up a sound cue as I thought a voice will certainly transport my mind into dreams similar to that of the movie THE CONJOURING! Goodness help me! Last night I got comfy and drifted off in the usual way, intent on trying to control the dream or realise I'm dreaming without waking up (so far I’ve only done it once by chance).

The result? Well, I only had the deepest sleep ever! I mean I might as well have been drugged! I don’t think my sub-conscious picked up on any of the cues and my usual amaze-balls dream recall was rubbish! But I am not disheartened, I’ve turned the volumes up and tweaked things here in there, perhaps even download a different app and am giving it a go again tonight.

Dreaming permits each and every one of us to be quietly and safely insane every night of our lives. 
~William Dement

In the meantime, this quote, perfectly sums up the way I feel about dreaming, because I am a very silly person deep down, most of my dreams resemble the goings on in Alice in Wonderland. I quite like the idea that in the morning, only I know if my mind allows me to remember just how crazily insane I can be!

Happy dreaming sweethearts!

Mundane Monday 14

Happy Tuesday!

How are you all? I know I keep apologising for the lack of posting but I’m not going to anymore because it just sounds self piteous! Here is Monday’s quote.

The theme this time around is being a bit selfish. We’re always taught to think of others and care for others and well I’m finding that those teachings are kind of being blurred and are turning into make sure you do things for others even if you’re not quite comfortable doing them.

Like.. weddings.. It is wedding season and I am finding more and more Brides being reduced to behind the scenes tears and despair because they have to do what’s right by the family and tradition rather than what’s right for them. And quite frankly it sucks because they end up hating their own wedding and the whole joy in being a bridezilla and running around clutching your filofax that is bursting with sticky tabs, cut out pics from magazines and a million and one caterers' numbers well.. sort of just gets lost!

So I hope this quote inspires you to stop and be a bit selfish at times if only for your own happiness..

"You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere. You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe deserve your love and affection."   

         

                                                                                                       ~ Buddha

Mundane Monday 13

So I realised after I posted last weeks Monday post that it was more of a photo Friday if you get my drift. Ah well!

The bottom line is the new job wasn't fantastic and it kind of sucked the life out of me as you may have noticed which left NO time for my baby blog which is barely learning how to crawl.

So here's a quote for all those who are kind of in an in between..

"My Father taught me to work; he did not teach me to love it"

Abraham Lincoln See even the great man himself admits to not loving it. If only we could all make a living out of what we loved without it ever feeling forced. Hope you have a better one, I am a bit sleepy on this particular Monday.. sweetest dreams x

Mundane Monday Week 12

Not so much Monday true, but today's Tuesday feels as painful as a Monday.

The weather is dull and dreary and I feel like I've been slipped some sleeping pills. Here at work I must confess I cannot keep my eyes open! I have to resort to all sorts of tactics short of either putting on sunglasses or painting blue eyes on my eyelids!

Further to my last post about a week ago over the weekend of the 21st June I was wisked away to ROME! Of all the places, I am amazed at how well the Boyfriend did in keeping it all hidden from me while having the whole family know about it.

I was wondering why Mother dear was avoiding me a little the previous week.. But my what a time we had, the weather, the food the sights. It was my first time to Rome, my first in Italy and for a quickie three day break I can tell you I pooped myself out!

We visited Trevi Fountain, The vatican on Saturday even saw the Pope! I got a little emotional while the Boyfriend climbed on marble statues with everyone else trying to score a picture and a wave.

Finished off with Colosseum on Sunday morning before popping into some side streets for a spot of italian vintage shopping and I must say I was impressed with the selection!

Its a little late but let me leave you with this lovely pic I took while over there that is now the background of my phone to remind me of better days when I'm falling asleep before lunch.

Trevi Fountain

Ciao!

Mundane Monday Week 11

I'm surrounded by a lot of love at the moment, more than usual I might add. Maybe The Boyfriend has a special something planned? Oh I do hope so!

This Monday the extra love has been a help through the long working day and dreary looking weather. The warm fuzzy feeling reminded me of old time poems and love stories. My favourite of the favourites being Keats. You just can't beat Keats can you?

He's just so dreamy my Johnny dearest

If only everyone had a cloned version of Keats, but knowing us we'd probably say he's too much of a romantic! Not for me though, I'd have him right Odes to me all day long.

I'd like to leave you with this lovely sentiment from my imaginary husband..

Mundane Monday Week 10

"Why is Monday so far from Friday and Friday so near to Monday?"

Well what a mind boggler indeed? Why is it so? This morning at the desk I felt like I was in Alice in Wonderland for a moment as I stared at the computer desktop clock which refused to move. Each min felt like a year.

I did that work thing where I tried to keep busy but then almost smash my head inbetween a filing cabinet drawer when I realised only 5mins had passed.

Ah Monday, its even worse when the sun's out. I wish the work environment introduced playtime or have those super cool sleep bunkers for 10 min naps!

For now my big bag of Wotsists will have to see me through.

Happy monday!

Mundane Monday Week 9

So there's not so much of an inspirational quote this morning more so an announcement!

Some friends and I are going to Manchester today to see Manchester United tour around the city in their bus parading around their glory and magnificence at once again being champions!

With it being Sir Alex Ferguson's last season too you can bet the crowd will be sensational!

Today I'll leave you with a united classic..

"Take me home, United road, To the place, Where I belong, OLD TRAFFORD! to see United, Take me home, United road"

The 3 trophies of the Premiership, F.A Cup and Champions League

Happy monday!

Mundane Monday (week 8)

Courtesy of Etsy

I worry about the day ahead when I go to sleep, I worry about the days past in my dreams, I wake up and worry about the days that have yet to be. This is very true though it doesn't get me anywhere yet sometimes I don't even realise I'm worrying!

Hopefully you have a better solution in containing your worry demons. I am working on keeping myself too busy to worry!

Mundane Monday Week 8

"No, I don’t think I will kiss you, although you need kissing, badly. That’s what’s wrong with you. You should be kissed and often, and by someone who knows how." 

- Gone with the Wind 

 Oh how very true that is! I do need a good kiss, it’s all that is wrong with me! 

What with wedding fever everywhere I can’t help but feel a little loved up at the moment. Indulging in premeditated wedding ideas for a wedding that technically doesn't quite exist yet and possibly going one step further and buying some weddings favours "‘cause they are on offer now and may not be in the years to come if I every marry".. I mean that’s all normal right? We’ve all been there, done that? Exactly, I knew deep down I was quite the normal bride.. Imaginary bride then..

With Spring in full swing and birds calling out to their mates very loudly outside my window at 5am I think another movie weekend is due. Filled with all the classic romantics, gone with the wind, the notebook, Roman Holiday.. All the movies the guys are happy to label as chick flicks but secretly swoon over too.. 

Yes boys we know you love The Gosling secretly..

Hope you're loved up or just enjoying the love around you. If you’re getting a bit sick of it all, go and get a kiss! It’s just what you need!

Mundane Monday (Week 7)

Hope your Monday is going well. Open every door to make it more exciting and less mundane!

Not knowing when the dawn will come, I open every door. 

Emily Dickinson

I'm going to be positive in opening every door this week. Exhaust all the opportunities I'm presented with and take hold of opportunities I create. 

What's your interpretation of the above? 

Mundane Monday (Week 6)

Happy Easter and Bank Holiday Monday! Yay!

Best of all the sun is out! There is a spring time hope yet! Hope you are all enjoying the bank holiday Easter weekend and maybe looking forward to getting back to the grind from tomorrow? Nope me neither.

I've been gathering all the work that's piling up around my room and have reminded myself that I have to get stuck in to reap the sweet sweet benefits. So here's a little nudge if you've had too many easter eggs like me!

Taken from Google images

Mr Thomas Edison himself people! There you have it, we all knew it but sometimes we still like to think that if we just snuggle up in bed tomorrow we'll win the lottery.. I'm just so sure of it!

Mundane Monday (Week 5)

I have this app on my phone that has lots of wisdom quotes. I love reading through them when I’m waiting around or bored somewhere and especially at awkward moments to hide away!

One of my favourites is this one.

Image from Google images

From a Chinese philosopher, its a nice bit of simple ancient wisdom that is just as relevant today as it was then. 

Perfect for those days when I’m feeling a little insecure or bombarded by one too many health and celeb bod TV shows. Not to mention the family members that think they know best for me. I read it and think yeah I’m still me and I still kick ass because I am awesome.. sometimes.. Most of the time.. when my Zen’s in a good place! ^_^

Lao Tzu himself

Mundane Monday (Week 4)

I’m really missing the sunshine can you tell? Another weather focused quote this week but this is one of my favourites that just keeps inspiring you as you read it over.

When I first read it I thought about spring and how it is sure to come just as Christmas does every year. Then I read it again and thought about having faith generally in all things.

Just a little faith that things will happen as sure as the sun rises. That’s a nice feeling to have and does make you feel more grounded in yourself, “deep rooted” if you will.

On a third read I thought of my late granddad. He was a deep root. He’d been there, done that and never had any doubt that things would happen. When I was younger I was sure he could see the future. He’d always tell me to be patient when I was stressing over my degree and that the projects will be done and deadlines would be met even when I was 100% certain they wouldn't.

I see that same deep root passed down to my Dad now. These guys truly have no doubt. They know themselves and they know life. Care free yet full of wisdom. I'm in awe. I watch up in wonder, anxious for the day I’ll become a “deep root” though I may be waiting a while yet as I'm currently stuck in a grump state of mind because I really am doubting spring is going to come and let’s not even mention the word summer ..