Grateful for ... beginnings

 Beginning a new year gives me energy. How does it do that?

I finished 2011 feeling really tired and drained. Somehow I knew. I knew that energy was just around the corner. I just had to get over the end of the year and wipe the slate clean.

Admittedly, I have used the holiday period to catch up on some sleep, but I am feeling so much more energised. And it's a great feeling.

 With renewed energy, I have renewed enthusiasm and drive. I have been busy cleaning, organising  and ridding our house of unneeded items. Part of this is incorporating the things received for Christmas and giving them homes. It's been a great time to evict those things that no longer have a use in our home and are just creating clutter.

Maybe it's the fact that in Australia we start our New Year in Summer, but I always want to freshen things up at this time of year. I want to create space, lighten the mood, and have clear, clean surfaces.

Perhaps this is becoming my new favourite time of the year?

I am linking up with Maxabella Loves and love that our beloved Grateful Link has been recognised by Kidspot and will be a regular feature.


I am linking up today for a 3 day Twitter Hop with Life With Twins.

Love yourself a good blog hop?

I am ending my Sunday Session virginity today. I have been watching quite a few of my favourite bloggers koining in week after week with interest over at Do I Really Wanna Blog? . So, today is the day that I share my faves.

Mt first is a band I have been enjoying for a while now. They are a bit country, which is not my usual, but I really like Lady Antebellum.

The other end of my scale at the moment. Three Days Grace offers me a little heavy outlet, a chance to belt it out. 


Linking up with Life with Twins & a Drama Queen

 
 Join in the fun and get more Twitter followers at the same time.


Linkng up with Baby Talk without the Babble
 

Is technology your friend?

Technology is everywhere you look. Some choose to use it, some choose not to.

I am a huge fan of saving time and making things work for me. So since I started blogging I have started using a few new things that work for me.

Kidspot recently did a great article on mummy friendly applications.
From this article I have started using Evernote. This application has been great to record my blog ideas in audio. I can also save photos to it. It has been compared to having your own project manager.  You can sync with others devices that you use and it is free.
There were some other really good applications in the article regarding shopping, social sites, and kid friendly apps.

I was already a huge fan of Facebook (addicted really but don't tell hubby). I have been able to use Facebook to my advantage by listing my blog posts as I publish them. I get quite a few hits from people who see my posts on Facebook. Along with this I have added Twitter to my tools. I certainly don't tweet a lot, but many bloggers tweet their posts and its a great way to get amongst the pack.

I mostly use Google Reader to view the blogs I like to read. This way I can group the blogs together in a way that works for me, like the ones I like to read first, crafty blogs, etc. I mostly use Google Reader as a gathering tool and will quite often go to the blog site to comment on a post and check out other features of the blog.

Since I have my mobile with me most of the time now, I thought it was also good to use the calendar to remind me of where I am meant to be and when.

image source

Technology is a great thing and I am a huge fan of change, as long as I can see the benefits.

Dammit! - I'm a follower!

Ok - I caved! I am now on Twitter.
I'm not one of those people who like to follow trends. If anything, I tend to back off from something if everyone else is doing it. Sometimes though, you just need to go with the flow. I am looking at Twitter as a tool, and not just something others do.

And since I LOVE blog hops, I have joined the Twitter Hop with for the love of blogs.

Write On Wednesdays Exercise 6 - Status Anxiety

The Write On Wednesdays Rules: Feel free to get creative with the writing exercises - there isn't a right or wrong. Please do try to visit the other members of Write On Wednesdays and leave a comment. You can grab the button for Write On Wednesdays from my sidebar.

Write On Wednesdays Exercise 6 - Status Anxiety: Log onto your Facebook/Twitter page and write down the first status update you see. Set a timer for 5 minutes. Write the first words that come into your head after your prompt. Stop when the buzzer rings. Do this exercise over and over if you wish. If you don't do the social media thing (there's bound to be some who haven't succumbed!) email me and I'll send you a status update from one of my social media accounts. If you feel uncomfortable about using one of your friend's status updates, consider using the most recent update on Lamebook, the home of the funniest and lamest Facebook status updates.

Tell me, what has changed for the better?

I chewed the inside of my lip as I gave this some thought. Hell, I don't know. Until recently, I didn't know something needed to change. What did he want from me? My life is a mess, and he thinks I have the answers. I don't think so.
It's enough for me to drag myself out from under the covers and face each day. Isn't this where the downward spiral began? People wanting more and more from me. Me, feeling the pressure to deliver.
What was I paying this guy for? Surely, he could supply some hints to the answer.
He is sitting there, leaning back on his plush leather chair, funded by other people also wanting answers. He looks at me expectantly. I am not able to say anything has changed for the better. That's why I booked myself in here. It has to get better, I need to find better ....


Hop over to inkpaperpen to join in.