Spent almost an hour this morning browsing around my local library, came home with a stack of books to read.

Which is a good sign - have been in a real funk the last few weeks, so much so that I hadn't even got the wherewithal to pick up a book to read it (and if you know me you know this is indeed a bad sign!) Only managed to read one book in December, which is most unlike me.

Currently i'm reading Italian Shoes by Henning Menkel, my book clubs pick for the month.

What about you?

Look what arrived in my stationary delivery today:


A pink A4 diary.

It's just gorgeous - hand stitched and the quality is gorgeous. Never seen one in this colour before - usually you get black, red, blue or green; pink is a new one!!

And given that I work on a site full of rough tough construction workers, I think this could be a tough sell to my guys!!

Am considering taking one for the team and retiring my Filofax for the year.....

I've been doing a lot of blog reading lately - here's a few posts that really made an impression on me.

For The Bloggess, the fight against depression goes on - http://thebloggess.com/2012/01/the-fight-goes-on/

In a similar vein, misslexywoo writes about how depression runs far deeper than realising how lucky you are: http://misslexywoo.wordpress.com/2012/01/04/a-lifestyle-choice-depression-for-dummies/

Something we all need to remember once in a while - why you shouldn't put bloggers on pedestals : http://www.therealslimjackson.com/2012/01/08/plain-truth-why-you-shouldnt-put-bloggers-on-pedestals/

Two great posts from Gala Darling - In Defence of Calling it Quits and How to Write A Personal Manifesto:
http://galadarling.com/article/in-praise-of-calling-it-quits

http://galadarling.com/article/how-to-write-a-personal-mission-statement

From Positively Present, a New Years Post- http://www.positivelypresent.com/2012/01/2012-such-things-to-be.html
I identified with every word of this. I'm hoping that 2012 will be the year where I stop holding back.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone (which explains the bog standard ugly formatting on the links....)

Happy New Year!

I realise it's a bit late, seeing as we're 5 days into the New Year, but I've been reading so many brilliant posts reflecting on 2011 and making resolutions for 2012 that everything I wrote just felt a bit inadequate.

(which is kinda the story of my life)

2011 was a rollercoaster of a year for me - the highs were very high, but the lows were very low! Put it this way, its not a year I shall look back upon with unadulterated fondness.

So 2012 has to be better!

I'm not one for New Years Resolutions, (mainly because I can never keep the blasted things and I can't handle anymore failure right now) but I'm setting an aim for myself to blog here once a week.

That's all, one post a week. And if I do more, that's a bonus.

So 1 down, 51 more to go!!

When I saw the theme of this week's Gallery was Something I'm Proud Of, this picture was the one that immediately sprang to mind.

This is my little niece, who loves using the iPhone and iPad - the picture was taken using the Hipstamatic app, and seeing as I shake it to randomise the effects, it tends to be a bit of a lottery as to how the pics turn out!

So I was delighted (and proud!) when this one turned out as well as it did :-)

Wow, when you haven't blogged for a while it just gets harder and harder to write anything, doesn't it?

In lieu of a thinky-talky post, here's a few links that I've enjoyed reading:

 + Holly's post on why blogging has lost some of its sparkle really resonated with me

 + A great article on the fabulous Nora Roberts

 + Adventures in Depression from Hyperbole and a Half. All I can say is been there, done that.....

 + Sometimes we all need a permission slip....

I've been having a tough few weeks.

Dealing with someone in my life who is selfish, who is entitled, who takes me (and other family members) for granted; and worst of all, someone whose relationship with the truth can only be described as elastic.

(This is something I should be wary about posting on a blog that has my real name on it. But the people who matter know exactly who I'm referring to, so I think I'm safe enough).

I'm trying to keep things in perspective - turn things over to the Universe and trust that someway, somehow this individual will get their comeuppance.

But it's hard, so hard.

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spine, which spotlights upcoming book releases we can't wait to read.


My pick for this week is:

Ryan spends most of his time alone at the local waterfall because it’s the only thing that makes him feel alive. He’s sixteen, post-suicidal, and trying to figure out what to do with himself after a stint in a mental hospital. Then Nicki barges into his world, brimming with life and energy, and asking questions about Ryan’s depression that no one else has ever been brave enough—or cared enough—to ask.


Ryan isn’t sure why he trusts Nicki with his darkest secrets, but that trust turns out to be the catalyst that he desperately needs to start living again.

 
This novel isn't released til January 12th 2012, but when I saw it, I just had to include it as this weeks Waiting on Wednesday pick. I absolutely loved The Secret Year - there's a wonderful lyrical quality to Hubbard's writing; TSY was a book I just lost myself in and I'm hoping Try Not To Breathe will be the same.
 
I also follow her blog, and she seems like a genuinely lovely person.