Passion, and rain

Right now, rain is what I am feeling so passionate about. IT just invigorates me, quicker than any caffeine, aspartame or sugar can. The smell of rain immediately brings a smile to my face. The sound of a storm just fills me with so much excitement I start flapping my hands like a 5 year old on Christmas Day.

Thank God for rain! This town has desperately been needing rain for the crop.

My colleague mentioned this planner called the Passion Planner just an hour ago, and I saw it come up on my feed. The creator has been so generous to share her hard work with (freeloaders) like us, with a simple request that we share her Kickstarter video right here: So here it is, everyone needs a bit of a kickstart and a redirection once in a while hey?

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/angeliatrinidad/passion-planner-the-one-place-for-all-your-thought/widget/video.html

So here it is, everyone needs a bit of a kickstart and a redirection once in a while hey? Find out more about it here:

http://www.passionplanner.com/get-the-2015-full-pdf/

Wanderlust.. NOT

It's been far too long since this drafted post has been sitting in my blog. A full 5 weeks in fact! I cannot believe that it has already been 5 weeks since Nat has come and gone, and that I'm already halfway through yet another Term of work. 

The only decent photo of Nat and I at the top of Mount Ngun Ngun

You know how there has recently been that trend going around about being thankful or being grateful or counting your blessings etc, you get my drift? Perhaps more and more people are feeling that sense of loss, dissatisfaction, discontent, unhappiness and all despite all the luxuries, blessings and comforts that we have. If you are reading this, it means that you're already fortunate enough to actually have access to a computer, internet, the world wide web and its endless supply of knowledge and entertainment. Should you be unhappy or complaining about anything?

View from the top of Mount Ngun Ngun

I'm thankful to say that all I can feel is thankful and grateful for what I have and live in right now. It occurred to me a while ago that this current stage of life that I am experiencing, is pretty much a living, breathing, ongoing working holiday. Almost 6 years ago when I left to study in Brisbane, is when that holiday actually started, and I'm glad to say it hasn't ended yet. 

Having the luxury of finishing work before 5 (or 4 if I really wanted to), return home to rest and recuperate before heading to the gym, and having the long amazing mornings on the weekends to bake to my hearts content, to try the most annoying and failure-prone recipes, and then being able to use my skills to raise funds for Destiny Rescue is a privilege and luxury I am almost certain I would not have if I had remained in Brisbane, let alone Singapore. 

Arranging mini m&ms wasn't as tedious as I expected

Ticking that one off the bucket list

Everyday that I wake up and know that I am able come back from a day of work and not be completely spent and exhausted, is a day that I am thankful for. To be able to come home and have not just time, but energy to read and learn more about God is something I never did much of unfortunately through my years of life (even in Brisbane). It's an opportunity that I couldn't be more thankful for, knowing how easily God gets suffocated out of our lives once other distractions come in. Having people around that are like-mindedly interested in learning about God makes it all the better in a somewhat regional/rural town. 

The joys and thrills I have had from waking up to frosty or foggy mornings as such (we're moving out of winter so the last of the frost has been seen I presume)

Captured on my car window when Nat was here

Frost in Queensland??? Now that is something special!

I feel like I'm on this holiday, this super extended holiday that has allowed me to still earn my keep, and yet enjoy the luxuries of time, space, fresh air, comfort. Until there is a greater need to move, I know my days here are numbered and this is definitely an experience I do not simply want to take for granted and forget. I know a lot of people, friends and even my family, think that this life I have now is nothing great, and that I am just being a country turtle unaware of the 'opportunities' or 'lifestyle' of the city that may seem so enticing. But I say, it truly comes down to a matter of priorities and preferences, and who is not to say that I am the most happy here? I am living in a nice comfortable bubble right now, and I know that will not last forever. So I will savour it and encourage others to take it on if they ever get the chance. 

Hobby

After spending about a quarter of a century on this Earth, I think this is the first time that I have become so in love and completely madly crazy over something that I can perhaps, officially call a hobby. 

What are your hobbies?

We all remember hearing that question either as a child, during an awkward group introduction, or a an orientation of some sort with strangers or acquaintances. Most of my life I've said that playing the guitar was my hobby, although I remember never being able to answer that question with full conviction at any point of time . Yeah I like playing the guitar, but I'm not really obsessed with it, neither do I do it every other day (now maybe I'll pick it up once a month or so).

Last year and this year though, I finally did find a hobby which I have grown to love and hate with a passion at times. Love to do it, but hate it when I'm in the midst of a marathon bake or when I'm baking for an 'event' of sorts. But I know that I ultimately love it, because,after throwing my hands up in the midst of a chaotic bake session (like when I was baking about 100 cupcakes to sell at the markets last month) and swearing off butter, eggs and flour forever, I jumped straight back into it the next day to bake another batch of cupcakes for church on Sunday. (You'd have thought I were nuts if you had seen how crazy it looked on a friday night with multiple bowls of batter, stacks of cupcakes and multiple piping bags of icing strewn around the kitchen and dining hall)

Now I feel like I have withdrawal symptoms when I go a weekend without getting my hands in the oven. Every weekend if I'm free I want to get my hands into something new and exciting, whether it be making chocolate decorations or trying to find that perfect sponge recipe (I still haven't), I've found myself quite madly obsessed with it (so much so that I did at one stage, google the Le Cordon Blu courses to contemplate a course in Patisserie)

Even now as I finish tying this the craving to get my hands in making some choux pastry.... 

Stepping Up

Here is a little project for 2014 which I have embarked on...

The goal to raise $1000 for Destiny Rescue, and organisation that saves girls who have been caught in the awful sex trade, mostly against their will in countries like Cambodia and Thailand.

When I verbally agreed to doing this, in my head, I kept saying to myself 'Yeah right as if you'll be able to do that'. Then one day, I had the idea that I'd turn my baking hobby into something that could raise some funds for the charity.

And so Cakes for a Cause was born!

I had a bake sale during the Nanango markets in May just to try and get the word out. It was amazing, because out of the 80+ cupcakes that had been baked the nights leading up to the markets, only TEN were left. That meant an almost 90% sale which I couldn't really believe! I had half expected to be bringing back at least half the cupcakes!

It's been enjoyable, terribly tiring, exciting, rewarding and amazing all at the same time as I see how God has really allowed this opportunity to take flight.

Head over to www.cakesforacausekingaroy.blogspot.com to have a look if you are curious or if you would love to spread the word!


(I'm a terrible terrible sales and PR person and just really suck at advertising, so any props from you will be helpful just so that the word about Destiny Rescue gets out as well!)