'pathways', olivier rasir, 2011

I find it fascinating palm readers say that our right hand reveals the life-paths we choose and our left shows the life that was written.

written by whom?

why is it we navigate our lives the way we do? why is it that a sibling can live a completely different life to you, yet came from the same beginnings? how interesting that a young person can walk out of a designated life on one side of the world, cross an ocean to a whole other way of doing things and create a new life and thrive in it.

to find answers we could plum the depths of philosophy, debate forever the existence of a souls journey, we could stand solidly behind 'science says' or punk-out and dismiss life as random chaos.

but it will remain a mystery for most of us - the illusive mystery of life - forever holding our attention - making our existence fascinating - every one of us on a different path with an individual experience. such a remarkable absorbing journey.

make time each day to reflect on yours.

port douglas

our bodies thrive on negative ions
water emits negative ions
get some today

cherry blossom - olivier rasir, oli

colour lifts our spirits

our home has been a very neutral space - muted tones, lots of white, for some years now.

three weeks ago mum and dad lent me a coloured kiln rug - quite large, all vivid pink, purple, orange and green. it sparked something in me, a thirst for colour and almost overnight our living space began to change.

a hot pink coffee table in an op shop wouldn't let me leave without it, oli proud and businesslike bustled in with a fab and sexy fluro green and pink painting he'd just whipped up in his studio and promptly hung it on our living room wall. i fell in love with a purple dot painting by Roslyn Napaljarri that we added to our entryway. the white bookcase was replaced with orange cubes one-on-top-of-the-other. plants on our balcony are starting to flower...

Spring is here!!

once a model, always a model

it's not just that i'm still modelling, 25 years and counting, that i'm into the third day of a grapefruit fast.

it's because i have a sore and swollen knee that's been x-rayed proving there is nothing broken - it's just inflamed and fat in modelling parlance.

the local GP pronounced "arthritis" promptly eliciting anti-inflammatory drugs.

research on the net tells me that arthritis is an umbrella term for more than 100 different conditions effecting our musculoskeletal system and caused from a build up of oxidised rubbish in our bodies, and over-use.

i'd never change things to not win gold, silver and bronze medals at state athletics that i did as a kid, and i loved playing saturday morning netball throughout my teens, plus i make living teaching yoga, so what's a girl to do...but suck it up.

and i have been...grapefruit juice for two-and-a-half days now.

grapefruit contains the anti-inflammatory and skin-cleansing enzyme bromelian. they are the mildest citrus fruit in acid content and have strong antiseptic and mucus-dissolving properties, they are also mild in sugar content.

raw foods guru David Wolfe says

"How To cut Cellulite Fast - Drink only fresh grapefruit juice or simply eat only grapefruits for three days."

yeah well, summers coming up and did i mention that i'm still a model.

a funny thing

pain - sure doesn't feel funny

but have you ever realised when you have a sore something-or-other, that the moment you laugh and joke with a mate, your pain's gone - you've forgotten about it, it has ceased to exist in those moments.

Shigeaki Hinohara Japan's 97-year-old physician educator says

“Pain is mysterious, and having fun is the best way to forget it. If a child has a toothache, and you start playing a game together, he or she immediately forgets the pain. Hospitals must cater to the basic need of patients: We all want to have fun. At St. Luke's we have music and animal therapies, and art classes”.

i think that's the message here - pain or no pain, the more laughter, music, creativity (and a puppy) we have in our lives - the happier we are.

nurture your neighbours

i have the most lovely neighbour a girl could ever wish for - seriously.

we have each others keys. when she's away i water her plants, when i'm away she waters mine. we take care of each others laundry when it looks like rain or there's a queue for the machines. if i haven't seen her in awhile i'll check that she's ok. we pass on books, we always have time for a quick catchup when we meet on the stairs. i can count on her for anything. she's awesome. she's made living where i do, lovely.

for twenty years i've lived in many different places and this is my first experience of true neighbourliness - i love it though it does make me wonder 'was it me?', all those years, making no effort! How uncool, how unfriendly, How Embarrassing!! because i must take half the responsibility, it takes two.

i encourage you, for a happier life to nurture your neighbours

THANKYOU NICOLE X

mess it up!

free it up

forget the 'right' way of looking imposed on you by know-it-all advertising telling you how to have perfect this and that.

i dare you, just once, to forgo brushing your hair, try wearing pyjama pants on the street - think up something to undo or not do, experience punk - it feels so naughty, childish and FREE!