Since the weather has started to pick up, Claire and I have re-started our regular runs. Because we are EXTREME ATHLETES, we went straight for the Dreaded Stair run around Evans bay (which I have kindly mapped for you). I can’t imagine this run being possible anywhere else in the world… But In Wellington, we are lucky enough to be able to run along our stunning waterfront, yapping away, looking out over the glistening water, sometimes watching the dolphins leaping and the kiddies covering themselves in sand and ice cream…

Just to turn a corner and be confronted with stairs that go SO HIGH up the hill, that you can’t even see the top of them from the bottom. And even for actual elite athletes, they are a good 3 minute end to end endeavor.

These stairs are HIGH.

And because it’s wellington, there are actually several different types of stairs making up the full number. So you are running nice little ones, followed by massive ones, followed by ones that look somewhat crumbly.

It was my third attempt last night and for the FIRST time I managed to run the entire way up the stairs. Jelly legs took on a whole new meaning, as did the term ‘running’ (which sort of became more like a stumble).

Quite fun though! But it’s actually only a 5km run. For us. Obviously other people run up the stairs numerous times re: they are VERY competitive (and have legs of steel).

Does anyone else in technology notice that the LEAST educated people on the subject are the MOST likely to think they know everything?

Which is all fine and good. I don’t really mind explaining to someone that I don’t have their FTP details because we don’t host their website, or that the URL bar in their browser is different from their Yahoo search bar, and that is why their ‘website doesn’t work’. I don’t even mind calling Telecom on behalf of a client who is convinced our email accounts are down because they didn’t understand the different SMTP details they needed to switch between internet suppliers… or being termed the ‘IT people’ for ALL IT related matters (including email, Word issues, Outlook issues and any other generic PC and laptop issues people run into).

I actually don’t mind any of that. It reminds me that we are the technical elite and our audiences struggle with this stuff far more than we think.

But what I HATE is that a lot of people who ring us about stuff that is no relation to what we do and that I actually cannot help them on, get STROPPY.

We are very nice. We go out of our way to Google their particular ‘my computer isn’t working’, ‘my email is ‘stuck” etc issue and offer any support we can for free, on the basis that I get they don’t get the difference and a couple of minutes of our time can make someone elses day a million times easier.

So it REALLY ANNOYS me when there is an issue that is so entirely unrelated to us that my only answer can be ‘I’m really sorry, you will have to call you actual IT people/internet provider/website host’ to be met with…

Not a ‘thanks’,

Not even an ‘oh sorry!’

But a very suspicious and often angry reply.

I know what I don’t know. And when I don’t know it, I assume the fault is at my end and anyone who even attempts to help me is doing me a favour. I don’t understand why people think it’s ok to get angry with someone who has taken time out of their day out of the goodness of their hearts to HELP them.

GRRRR.

Following on from Rowan Simpson’s Ignite Presentation (which unfortunately I couldn’t get along to in person), I started thinking about lying and cheating.

To be honest, I wouldn’t WANT to live in a world without lies. I have no issue with the small lies we say to smooth over harsh realities. I also think story telling is confused with lying, in the examples of Santa and the Tooth fairy, there is something to be said for teach children to imagine a world that isn’t right there in front of them. Im unconvinced there are any long term downsides to believing in Santa as a child. I also don’t think there’s an awful lot wrong with the odd ‘no your pimple isn’t noticeable’, ‘you did really well!’, ‘oh no one would have noticed the spinach in your teeth’ kind of lie… In some circumstances, when there is really nothing to be done for it, isn’t it best to attempt to make someone feel better?

But this leaves the question, where IS the line? As Rowan pointed out, we are the first to cry foul in sports games when the OTHER team cheats, but turn a blind eye when WE get away with something untoward. We also complain loudly when someone short changes us, but how many people actually speak up when they are given TOO MUCH change?

I know when someone is caught out for lying, their apologies seem to be more focused around their regret at getting CAUGHT rather than the regret they feel for being a slime ball in the first place. But then I also wonder if this isn’t so much about lying as it is about the need to believe that no matter what you do, you are a good person… Which makes it hard to acknowledge the times that you’ve caused more harm that good.

Hmm so no really resolutions on the subject, but thanks Rowan for supplying something to think about in any spare moment I’ve had in the past few days… :)

A wee while ago, Claire had the bright idea of entering the Oxfam 100km walk. The initial dream team has grown to 8 and with only 6 months or so to go, we’ve got ourselves some serious targets.

With two official teams in our pack, we’re hoping to raise $10,000 per team. Which means you will soon start to be invited to a whole bunch of events… Some initial ideas have included: Beach house holiday auctions, going on Oprah, running a speed dating event, movie nights, Zumba classes with the Australasian Zumba champ (yes we have hookups), and a LOT of eating and NOT eating.

Some of these activities (i.e going on Oprah) are less realistic than others, but one that we’re really starting to throw around is the $10 food challenge. Some of us are more keen than others, some of us are writing blog posts to warn the world about the hideous, awful person they are about to become living off $2 of food a day for nearly a week…

And ALL OF YOU need to get prepared for some fairly serious attempts to take money from you! :)

Outside my house there are two ‘beggers’.

One is the infamous ‘scuseme guy’ the other is a newer, younger man, who sits slumped in the doorway, holding a sign that says he is hopeless and homeless and anything would help.

Because I have had the firm (and potentially un-examined) belief that in New Zealand, there is NO REASON to be homeless, I have walked past both these men many times).

But the other day, we were talking about loan sharks and suddenly it hit me, that a person can get themselves into a lot more bother then having NO money. They can have negative money and a loan company with a hold over them. And in ANY country, when you have basic living costs coming in, and massive loan repayments going out, the spiral is downward and sharply pointed.

Then I started thinking, even outside of this, there are probably numerous ways to fall from grace. Especially when you don’t come from a comfortable middle class background with parents and family (and friends) to fall back on in times of financial crisis… And a basic understanding of finance, delivered simply by living in a world full of people WITH money and good incomes, and savings and investments.

Quick smart I stopped feeling a sense of anger when I was asked for $2.

But I am now wondering WHY are people homeless in New zealand. I know there are people who prefer to live on the street, whose lives are lived there. I know there are people who may suffer a mental illness and/or may be unaware of the services available to them… But does that cover everyone? Do I have a man sitting on my doorstep who is so discouraged, so hopeless and so alone that he feels the streets are the only option available to him?

I wonder if we had a little more understanding of the reasons, as a community, we might be a little more supportive….

Ive just finished quite an emotionally draining book. The book was about a woman in a happy relationship, then as a result of one night had the inclination to start an affair. The book follows the path of the outcome of both choices.

I have been plagued in the last few years with major regrets and this horrible feeling that I too have been at a point in my life where I made a life changing decision. I remember the day precisely. I have had this awful nagging feeling that I should have chosen the other option and that by running with the choice I made I severely mucked up and my life will never be quite as good as a result. It all sounds very dramatic and while it’s not, having THAT DAY in your head, and having the outcome lead to some pretty big bad times, it’s really hard to come to grips with your decision and wonder…

So this book really hit home and I have been mildly obsessed with seeing how things turned out. I felt (weirdly) that my destiny was going to be determined by the outcome of the book.

And the outcome of the book was that despite the often rocky journey that was the result of both different choices she made on her life changing day, life pretty much followed the same path.

It sounds stupid, but when I closed the book this morning, I felt an immense sense of relief and a lifting of guilt that my one bad decision can be overcome by the sheer force of living a life. The point of life is the MAKE a decision when you need to and run with it and that maybe there are no right or wrong answers.

The single biggest lifestyle change I have made since starting my new Life Regime, is freezing meals.

It is the BEST THING since sliced bread (which, being full of carbs, is apparently not quite as good as it’s cracked up to be!).

Here’s why:

On a bad week, I cook two large pots of things on a Saturday or Sunday (these days may vary depending on activities). Spices are my new best friend and it is literally a source of constant wonder to me how many variations of flavors you can get. I now truly believe that anyone who has experimented with spices will probably wind up being an enthusiastic chef. It’s like a science experiment in your own kitchen and the sense of achievement you feel when you re-create one of your favorites without the aid (and disappointment) of a jar or can is pretty darn good.

Anyway, I also cook the right portions or rice and/or mashed kumera/pasta and bust out 5-10 of my wonderful storage containers and a little slop, and little stacking and into the freezer they go.

Which means that for the whole ENTIRE rest of the week, including cold nights, busy days, sicknesses, gathering at a friends house for dinner and any number of other times that I would have (in the dark old days) raced by a takeaway shop, I literally WHIP something out of my trusty old freezer. Each meal is PERFECTLY portioned to have the right combo of meat, veges and carbs and whatever else you’re meant to eat, and is actually yummier and EASIER to get to than any takeaway I can think of.

It gets better though, because over the course of a couple of weeks, you build up several different meals, you can be eating something pretty different at each meal, so you never get bored… And EVEN better! Now Nadine has re-introduced me to the wonderous world of Feta cheese, in 5 extra minutes, you can put together a salad to go with your meal that will change your very notion of what the combination of lettuce, tomatoes and other tasteless veges can achieve. I honestly believe I am eating the best I have ever eaten (outside of when i lived with my parents and had a full time chef on hand – thanks mum!)

Now I have discovered this, I feel sorry for this lovely lady, who has been doing a lot of travelling and as a result was struggling with finding healthy food. I have also heard other people complain that they simply do not have TIME to cook healthy meals every day (and I remember telling myself this same story for years.) It is just so easy to fix!

Frozen meals (and it is surprising what you can freeze) take a while to defrost. So even if you don’t have a fridge handy, if you are going to need dinner on the run, you can have the food out all day without it going scummy.

Revolutionary!

UPDATE: A cooking demo by the wonderful Julia fits nicely with my cooking philosophy!

A group of us were talking the other day and one of the topics was our 5 year plan.

I’m not sure I have one.

I have a rough idea of where I want to be but the goalposts keep moving. In 5 years, I don’t need 2.5 kids, a husband, a house and a dog (actually yes, the dog will probably be there), but I do need to be happy.

So it was nice to read this article from someone who has clearly gone places, that it’s actually ok, or even GOOD not not have a plan for life all the time.

I also wonder how many people think of the downsides to goals – especially those like being married and having kids – the ones you have limited control over. NOT achieving these goals can be quite upsetting, and I wonder how many people get themselves into a muddle trying to achieve them on time and doing things for the wrong reasons to hit the marks they feel need hitting at various points in time.

And NOT having goals doesn’t necessarily make you unable to get up in the morning, it just leaves life open for a little surprise every now and then. I know as soon as I consciously decided to stop setting exercise goals and just exercised for the fun of it, I actually progressed a lot faster.

I also know when I’ve had a single minded focus on a goal (i.e keeping this business going) I have made sacrifices that looking back with the benefit of hindsight I would have made if I hadn’t narrowed my target to just one thing and to be honest I would probably be doing something pretty similar anyway, without all the fallout.

The idea of anti-goal setting seems counter intuitive, but it could have something going for it…

I love this Post Secret postcard.

It’s a big wide world out there and sometimes it’s not hard to feel a little invisible. It’s always nice to be reminded that while people never say it enough, you probably have more effect on more people than you realise.

It also makes you think of all those incredible people you pass by in life, who you never quite get around to telling how much you admire.

Maybe we should all be a little more vocal with our compliments, but in the meantime, if you’re having a rough time of it, take this postcard out of the PostSecret book and stick it to your wall.