I have been quite slack in reporting back on my blog in recent weeks, however I have had a good reason. I have been super busy enjoying myself so much I simply have not had the time to exquisitely languish my stories upon you. Now get ready for some language, some expressive creative language. Elaborately diverse and profuse descriptions some what extreme and superfluous at times, I am just making up for the tightrope of report expression allowed of me most recently. Teaching full time has its drawbacks: and REPORTS are it! Besides that it’s been a wild ride!

Where do I even begin?? It has been a tumultuous ride recently, so many highs and a few lows as I deal with my emotions and the many challenges facing me at times in my new higher pressurised situation. Previously my motto is to limit stress, reduce all pressure, simply cruise along and make the most of life and all its associated pleasures. Opposing this personal mantra I accepted an extension to my previous relaxed intentions of a 5 week contract. And with this came further pressure and commitment requirements, namely more planning, marking and reporting, arghh boring, and tedious and annoying. But, I have also realised, that with persistence, one can go through and get over the problems, simply by dealing with them as best as we can at the time. Deal with your shit basically. Deal it, do it, get over it. There is such a consistent and high intake of challenges on a day to day basis that eventually the whole process just gets a little easier in time. My little brain is expanding and creating new neural pathways, new diversions, and secretly I am proud of overcoming some of my challenges this term.

I also know that it is all about work life balance. Most people are quite bad at this. I have always boastfully bragged my brilliant ability to balance my life, and work very fucking little. We wont look back on our lives and wish we worked more now will we? We will wish we went camping more, went skinny dipping more, ate more yummy foods, had more sex, kissed more, gave more hugs, walked in more forests, snorkelled in awe at more fish, you get my drift. So I have been balancing out this stressful new full time teaching existence with more camping trips, exercise routines and loads of art. YES! Winning!

I joined the local gym and pool and have been lifting some weights again and smashing out laps in the pool. And loving it. I returned to gym life in Darwin last year and began to feel the joys of feeling stronger return to my shrinking muscles, and I liked it very much. Balancing this with luxurious lap swims, and long leisurely walks in pretty environments in my opinion is the trifecta to good health. Anything in the great outdoors is basically what I need to rejuvenate to feel good. Nature time is vital to wellbeing and decompressing.

I have been very lucky to meet a very handsome man who also has a passion for the outdoors and we have been heading out exploring and camping a few weekends now. It’s been incredible!! He has a Prado aka Prago can go anywhere, and we simply pull off into random bush and pitch a tent. It’s wicked and random and I love it. Last weekend we went down to the golden Gulf of Exmouth and went out in a zodiac boat and went snorkelling. I saw magical clumps of cabbage coral in bright hues of fluorescent yellow and orange, and some small fish lurking around, not as many fish as I would like… so there will need to be a repeat performance! A speared coral trout was the prize for dinner, which we cooked by the setting sun mixed with a red curry, honestly it was the best tasting fish I ever had. Sleeping in a tent by the ocean, listening to the rolling waves was the best lullaby one could experience. And the stars! The brightest array of stars you could imagine! I needed more star gazing time! And I would love to get good at astro photography and try and capture some of that brilliance, life goal right there.

A few weekends before that we went out to Millstream National Park which was another fantastic outdoor experience. Rich red rocks, vast open expanses of land, round large boulders and sprinklings of yellow mulla mulla wildflowers spring to mind when remembering this landscape. We took a big afternoon walk and hiked up a slow riser hill enjoying expansive views. Cooling off in a dead flat reflective refreshing river, I felt clean and renewed and rejuvenated. Really I did! And then… we had our dinner on the edge of a big canyon deep open space, watching the full moon rise. I know, magical and one of the best experiences ever! The next morning we explored some local water holes with wild lillies, my favourite.

All of these incredible outdoor experiences in the Pilbara is what has made my experience here so much better. I am also really enjoying teaching in the Arts once again, flexing my creative brain and encouraging teenagers to creatively express themselves is really quite fun. It is what has also helped convince me to extend my contract by another 6 months! I plan to finish the remainder of the school year teaching here and keep having beautiful outdoor escapes.

I have kept up my art practise and have been producing a new piece of art almost everyday. It has been a great outlet for my morning routine and helps me to focus my mind and channel some of effervescent energy. I find it centres me quite nicely for the day ahead. I have included some of my recent artworks here:

Okay I think that is it for another update. There is only one week of the term left now and then I will be back in Perth for a few weeks. It will be great to see as many friends as possible and do all my fun Perth activities and spend some time reuniting with my garden. I will be very sad not to be tending to my beautiful flowers and trees, but I guess at times we have to make sacrifices in life right? My garden will continue to be there, and will continue to grow without my keen eye of encouragement. Sigh. Six months! I can do it! Then I will come home for Christmas and snuggle back into my comfort zone. We will see what the future brings, hopefully lots of love, happiness, satisfaction and joy!

Hope you are well and have enjoyed my writing.

Love Anita xx