getting stuff done: creating my life

Take it down a notch.  That's all.  Lets not make this hard or tricky or difficult. 

Today I gave a coin to the charity box in Pret.  It wasn't much but i was at least doing it consiously. 

Am done with 3 days up in London delivering the do:work course to an awesome bunch of marketeers and then seeing folk who have done the do:work  course for their one week catch up.  Its a pleasure but it does knacker me out!!

I have been blessed to have had meals on the table when I get in.  Its seriously nice I must say.  And now I am looking forward to not having to get up at a very very early hour and have a bit of a chill day.

Me and Hub are off to The Wild School for a short course called A Very Clear Idea.  Which has appealed to me ever since a fellow of my Yoga School told me about it, which was where I discovered the Creative with Money course... and indeed The Wild School.  Like its all come around. 

Its Secret Salad Society tomorrow.....  time to check out some recipes

its getting tricky.  I wasn't' really conscious of this project today.  I had to work all day today.  long long hours if you include the commute.  I woke up too early (damn seagulls) at 4.30ish and left the house at before 6am.  Got back after 7.30pm.  Hub cooked me dinner.  Bub had learnt to ride a bike.  He was soooo proud.  And hub managed to get a little video of him doing it which Bub was practically bouncing out of his skin to share with me.  So adorable.

Maybe I could front the biscuits myself today.  Does that work as a gift.  Don't know.  I don't think so.  I think I need to make it a consious act.  If I can't get a gift together before bed time then I am back to day 1 tomorrow. 

Though she did write that receiving was part of the flow, the process, the exchange....  And if that is the case then I was cooked a delightful meal.  Thank you Hub.  It is glorious to have a meal cooked and on the table when you get in after a hard days work.

Work was goooood today though.  It went really smoothly and everyone got to the right point at the right points in the day.  I was able to give more information about parts of the course, which I sometimes dont get around to until the one to one parts.  And nicely everyone is around exactly one week later for the catch ups.  All on one day. Sorted. 

And check this out.  I posted up on The Wild School about wanting to build a paper theater.  Turns out that someone's brother is an artist.  And he is gotten well into.

oh I love a project me.

Today was kind of tricky for some reason.  I went to a yoga day at Westmeston Parish Hall in West Sussex.  Its a very pretty part of the world.  I started with  - at lunch time - it was necessary to set up tables and chairs outside, so I decided to take that on.  As my gift you know. But with a bunch of yogis, everyone is chipping in and doing something, helping make the lunch, doing the clearing up, setting the tables.  I am not sure if my getting the tables out and most of the  chairs really counts?? 

I also took my ukelele and thought I could teach someone to play a tune.  As its so easy, you know.  And I had my song book there and all.  But the lass who said 'I wish I could play an instrument!!" was then really reluctant to actually learn to play it.  And I didn't want to force.

In the end I managed to give a lift to one of the other students back to Brighton. 

And I let Hub use my computer for his skype call to the Fantasy Football crew. 

And in the spirit of receiving.  I got a website address from someone who can teach you how to grow mushrooms on coffee grounds.  And the offer of to use a contact name for a discount on a rather lovely but rather pricey scarf.  which i now want.  oops.  Its on sale.  is £114 too much for a scarf.........

a gift to myself???? 

So I am going to do this project.  29 days.  give some thing open heartedly.  doesn't have to be a physical thing.  today.  Saturday have no idea what the date is.  OH 27th July.

What did I give today.  I made a cake.  I made it for Hub.  Its his day of eating carbs.  I also made a chicken pie.  Giving of my time and expertise in the kitchen.  Its something  I love doing but rarely do.  More so of late with the Secret Salad Society.

I sent a text to wish my brother a great gig tonight.

These are small things.  But its the essence of giving that matters.

I also managed to do 20 minutes meditation.  Not in the morning. But just now.

That's all for today. 

I actually want to be knitting.  why am I writing this.

Oh now Ted is weeping. something lego related.  I don't think he is feeling 100%.

Maybe I should just knit.

OK briefly.

Good things.  Am reading the 29 gifts project.  I am loving it.  Its about how for 29 days you consciously give something, open heartedly (not out of duty, guilt or under any kind of pressure or expectantly of some return).  And keep an account of it,  And see how it changes your life.  It helped the woman who wrote the book cure herself of MS apparently.  Though I am not that far along.  So far she is just getting better.

I love this idea.  It feels like a marvellous foolish project.  And it is.  The whole foolish project thing, and the the study I have done around Money.....

Has left me feeling that  - well.  I am truly RICH.  And feeling RICH is not about having more money.  Or lots of money.  Its about feeling able to give generously.  Well. it is for me.  It really does change your life around, this focusing on what you can just give, for the hell of it, for the delight of it.

and then, yet again.  Today seems full of snappy children and fractious adults.  Life eh.

just to keep reminding myself.  here is a list of foolish projects.  random ideas really.  though I am very keen on making a paper theatre

pop up paper theatre club
hopskotch supper.
kid directed topics of conversation
dig a big hole and make a fire pit
assign random acts of kindness to others
friendship dating. putting people together who might get on as friends
mad hatters tea party on hove lawns
dress up in vintage clothes and go for tea at the blackbyrd tea rooms
set up a table or two outside the hanover centre one sunday lunch time and have a pot luck lunch
dress up as ghosts and haunt people on the ghost walks around brighton
write a newspaper for an imaginary land
make up a language
act as if fairys really did exist at the bottom of the garden - create a light show that makes it look as if fairies really do exist at the bottom of the garden
build a hot air balloon
the forgotten recipe book club
pretend to be a cat / an animal. dress up as an animal and um. ha ha. ok getting really foolish here.
expect a miracle. dance competitions. dress up and do kareoke. fancy dress! yes!

I can't even begin to catalogue how much has gone on since I last wrote. I am going through technical issues with my photostream which means my image are not available to post on my blog.  And this has stalled me somewhate in my postings

I have created and run two meets of The Secret Salad Society at The Wild School. 

I love love love the concept of the Wild School. 

I love the Foolish Projects course.

I am up for a  summer of foolishness.  In the best possible sense of it. 

I am also newly up for a whole host of fundraising.  My cousin's wee boy has been accepted for a surgery that could help him walk (as opposed to a life confined to a wheelchair) and the amount needed is £55 thousand.  So what better cause.  And I am loving the opportunity to do something to raise some of this money. 

Hub is organising a family quiz at our annual summer camping trip.  Its going to be awesome. I am planning to donate proceeds of the Baby Stuff (decluttering) sales.  And make badges.  Am working my way up to organising some sort of big fundraiser.  Am not going to jump out of a plane though. Even though one of my cousins IS.  She is so brave. 

I do want to do something brave though.  But not that brave. 

I have lots of notes up in front of me.  And lists.  I have just collated them.  as follows

Be engaged, Curious, Vibrant and Brave.
do yoga every day
eat clean food
do art projects
organise parties
create great art
get people together - get people to know each other a bit better
have fun
enjoy life
be grateful
inspire yourself and others to shine
eat outside. eat together
travel
do what you love
help people
make friends
give of yourself
listen
think the best of people
be yourself. don't pretend
seize the scary stuff
do something different
be optimistic
do less
get excited
be uncommon
play
get into the arena
go outside your comfort zone
believe in magic
know when to walk away
trust the universe
buy local

It went really really well.  I LOVED it.  I took hardly any photos.  But 2 photographers came with their cameras..... 

It happened. 

So,  phew.  My salad society dinner is tomorrow.  I have keys to the Lab.  I have no idea how many people will show up.  I know my friend Lucie is coming.  I am glad of that.  She is great to talk to and is also a damn fine cook.  Wondering what she will bring. Wondering if more salad makers will come along.

Wondering wondering.  Actually right now I am super tired.  I got up at 5.30am and delivered a workshop on productivity to 6 folk who are really up against all sorts of issues.  Their organisation skills and efforts are not the problem really.  I am hoping that I conveyed something that will make their working lives a little easier.  They have some tools.  They are going to make efforts towards improving their lot.  Finding out ways to go to fewer meetings without missing out on being included in the decisions being made.  Headlining points in emails.  Not filing in 70+ subfolders.  Making time to plan and get their heads cleared.  Thinking through issues and turning massive problems into little doabl physical steps.  I wish them well.  At least I know that a tax rebate will be winging its way and that one person has 6 fewer bags of paperwork in her house already.....

Must do something sensible like eat.  And go to bed.  Night Night

I don't know about you, but I have a whole load of recipe books which I read and then imagine making the dishes in them.  But I never get around to it.   So I wanted to create a place where

1. I was encouraged to make recipes I have not tried
2. I got to try recipes that someone else had made, who would tell me how they made them. 

This is what the Secret Salad Society is about.  Its not actually a Secret, but I liked the way it sounded. 

It's Salad because its summer.  And its easy to prepare and bring along with you. 

This Friday I am hosting a dinner at the Wild School on Friday at 7.30pm.  Its to be found at 45 Gloucester Street ,Brighton, UK - just by the back corner of the North Laine pub, in a courtyard behind some black gates. Feel free just to turn up, email hello@thewildschool.co.uk.  It will be happening again Next Friday, and all going well....possibly again the Friday after that.  After that.  I hope it will continue... watch this space

Please bring a salad  to share (or ingredients to make a salad).  Ideally this is a salad you love / and or a Salad you have wanted to try and make but have never made before. It would be fab if you brought the recipe with you.  Be prepared to talk about Salads, recipes, cooking, anything you want.  (P.S Vegetarian Salads only at this venue)

I will be buying some bread and some wine too.  So if you want bread and wine with your Salad, bring this too. 

I really hope to see you there.  I have already made 2 salads I wouldn't have done otherwise and I am looking forward to making them (or another salad) and bringing them along to share.

Its free and its open to all. 

I would love it if you came and joined me.

xxMoyra

First supper is next week 12th July at the Lab for the Recently Possible.  Or maybe the Wild School.  Its the same place.

Its an experiment to see if making a salad can change peoples lives.

And its all about making a salad you love.  Either you love it already and you want to share it.  Or you love the look of it and you want to try it.

In this instance the salads are strictly vegetarian (not vegan though so you can use cheese)

Starts at 7.30pm

Bring - ingredients to make your salad.  OR your salad already prepared and ready to share.  Bring the recipe too.

I will provide a big salad, bread and a bottle of wine.  Bring wine too if you want to.

We will taste each all the salads and discuss how they were made.

After that conversation is up to you.

Everyone will be asked to leave their name, the name of the salad they made - and ideally the recipe for it.

At the end of the experiment.  Everyone will be sent a link to the recipes.  And I will document it all somehow.  Just for fun.

create an exhibition of large paintings
pinterest club.  make one thing a week off of my 'things to make and do' board (goddammit)
make a toy theatre
start my art club.  book the damn space already
book my flight.  ask daring questions
sort teds damn room
(hmm those aren't very foolish)

have a pot luck dinner.  small but a goody

to be continued.

later.....

keep it simple stupid.  good message to take away from a group call on the foolish project course. Give it simple parameters.  Ironic, as I wrote on my card the other day that I needed parameters.  Paramators.  I can't spell the damn word.  Its all gone wonky.

edges.  I feel safer with an edge.  some guidelines as to what to expect.  A lovely lady I think she was called Heather did this thing, where she said, every friday in April, she was going to make a big salad, set her table and provide bread and wine and if people wanted to bring more they could, but otherwise they would just have salad.

so there.  that is one idea.

and then there is part of me that wants to just do something properly foolish.  like what would be really silly? daft? crazy?  

Ok here it is the salad project.  I will make a salad for 6-8 people and bring bread and wine and ask folk to join me, for a set period of time.  like 4 times in the summer.  and the conversation will be recorded and made into a podcast or a radio show.

make a paper theatre
write and perform a play for the children
a compliment circle
play hopscotch in the street
chintamani
let Ted direct a meal  - including what we will eat, what we will talk about.  (some of these ideas were Hubs.  turns out he is REALLY GOOD at foolish project ideas.
pop up paper theatre club
hopskotch supper.
kid directed topics of conversation
dig a big hole and make a fire pit
assign random acts of kindness to others
friendship dating.  putting people together who might get on as friends
mad hatters tea party on hove lawns
dress up in vintage clothes and go for tea at the blackbyrd tea rooms
set up a table or two outside the hanover centre one sunday lunch time and have a pot luck lunch
dress up as ghosts and haunt people on the ghost walks around brighton
write a newspaper for an imaginary land
make up a language
act as if fairys really did exist at the bottom of the garden - create a light show that makes it look as if fairies really do exist at the bottom of the garden
build a hot air balloon
the forgotten recipe book club
pretend to be a cat / an animal.  dress up as an animal and um.  ha ha.  ok getting really foolish here.
expect a miracle. dance competitions. dress up and do kareoke. fancy dress! yes!

Am thoroughly enjoying the podcasts in Superhero Life's Foolish project.  Much food for thought. 

I was writing, trying to, you know, respond to one of the podcasts, and I got all worked and wound up by ergh, trying to be precise and real and authentic about what I am really about..... And I walked to the post office, deep in thought.  Damn.  I do so many of these damn workbooks, e courses, workshops.....what do I really want? what are my core talents? what IS MY DAMN PURPOSE? calling, true north......

yada.  yada.  yada

And as I wrote and wrote, I turned myself around.  F*CK it.  It doesn't matter.  Its all just a ride.  An experiment.  I am just playing here.  Stop with the big it has to matter about everything weighty paralysing heaviness of it all. 

Its an experiment. 

yup.  I feel much better now.