Today I tried the new Honeycomb pods.
These are so good. Even better with the coffee! An easy but rewarding New June to finish with. Very satisfying!
Showing posts with label free or inexpensive. Show all posts
Showing posts with label free or inexpensive. Show all posts
Sunday, July 8, 2012
28/6 Day 28- Read a short story from a new author
Well, this isn't what I had planned to read for short story/new author
day but it was convenient! Having not made it to the state library as
planned I remember I had seen this hanging about.
I thought it was fiction, not that I dislike non-fiction but I wasn't expecting it. It was pretty average. I learnt a few things but it wasn't particularly well written and I thought a bit culturally disrespectful in places.
I only made it through 1.5 short "stories" (themes really) and don't plan on reading anymore. I read the "holy cow" and "arranged marriages". I feel like there could have been many more interesting things that could have been said in both chapters.
Not a recommendation in sight but it was definitely a...new June!
27/7 Day 7- Learn about Braille
At the moment there is a lighting exhibition at Federation Square for people
who are blind. Amy and I stumbled upon it after a run a fortnight ago.
The aim of the exhibition is to create awareness for the visually impaired and to show how this innovation (cSigns) can be utilised on signs to make navigation easier for the blind. The exhibition included a number of quotes written in the LED braille with the word translation beside it:
My favourite was:
I took a pamphlet with the braille alphabet when I visited the exhibition with the aim to learn my name. This is how it is set out:
Coincidentally the other night I heard a discussion on the radio about how visually impaired children often listen to audio books in place of reading through braille, with the implication that illiteracy amongst the visually impaired might be increasing. I wonder how different life would be for me if I couldn't read, either through braille with my hands or written words with my sight. Would my perspective be dramatically different?
An interesting day in New June for me.
Basically, this guy found out that 90% of people who are blind can see
light so he used LED’s to write out the braille code. You can see the
entry to the exhibition in the photo below.
The aim of the exhibition is to create awareness for the visually impaired and to show how this innovation (cSigns) can be utilised on signs to make navigation easier for the blind. The exhibition included a number of quotes written in the LED braille with the word translation beside it:
My favourite was:
“It is only
with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible
to the eye. Said the Fox to the Little Prince.”
Antoine de Saint-Exupery
I took a pamphlet with the braille alphabet when I visited the exhibition with the aim to learn my name. This is how it is set out:
Coincidentally the other night I heard a discussion on the radio about how visually impaired children often listen to audio books in place of reading through braille, with the implication that illiteracy amongst the visually impaired might be increasing. I wonder how different life would be for me if I couldn't read, either through braille with my hands or written words with my sight. Would my perspective be dramatically different?
An interesting day in New June for me.
26/6 Day 26 - Practice speed reading
I've done a speed reading course before. I am still undecided on what I
think of it. Sometimes I think I already naturally do a lot of what the
experts say to do..and presume others do too. However, the tips do make a
lot of sense too. Anyway, I thought I'd revisit speed reading as it has
been awhile and I have never actually investigated it on the net- and
that is what makes it new!
I read a fair bit on it from various sources and didn't find anything particularly enlightening or new...so um, maybe not so new!
I then did a tutorial. The idea was you tested your WPM, read some tips then tested your WPM again. It was pretty basic and I can definitely find faults with using this as a test. (The two passages had key differences that could affect your speed!) My initial speed was 549 WPM and after the super helpful tips (:P) my speed for the second passage was 770 WPM. There were definitely other factors at play...
-the second article had lists in it, the first did not
-the second article had bold bits
-the second article was on chemistry
etc etc etc.
Anyway it was good to remind myself to read fast when necessary!
I read a fair bit on it from various sources and didn't find anything particularly enlightening or new...so um, maybe not so new!
I then did a tutorial. The idea was you tested your WPM, read some tips then tested your WPM again. It was pretty basic and I can definitely find faults with using this as a test. (The two passages had key differences that could affect your speed!) My initial speed was 549 WPM and after the super helpful tips (:P) my speed for the second passage was 770 WPM. There were definitely other factors at play...
-the second article had lists in it, the first did not
-the second article had bold bits
-the second article was on chemistry
etc etc etc.
Anyway it was good to remind myself to read fast when necessary!
The
highlight of this new June was probably finding the image above! (In
case you are wondering I didn't read whilst on a run...but maybe I
should have...that would be a good new June. Unless of course I ran into
something and ended up with a broken chin.)
25/6 Day 25- Make something new out of origami
I made a lily- bottom flower in picture. The other one is a random
flower I made myself when I stuffed up the lily. Neither are spectacular
but they do look better in real life..promise!
I am reminded that I don't really have the patience or desire for origami. I didn't get quite as frustrated as I used to when we did it in Mandarin class as children but it isn't really my cup of tea.
i gave these to Mum...she hasn't thrown them out (recycled them) yet!
24/6 Day 24- Visit a new exhibition
Today I went to the Ian Potter Museum at Melbourne Uni to see INNER WORLDS: PORTRAITS AND PSYCHOLOGY! Was pretty excited about this one. It was a
small exhibition touring from the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra.
It was really interesting, particularly when a portrait had a good story behind it -either about the psychologist/artist or subject. Below is my favourite one which is by Albert Tucker. According to the plaque it is of a traumatised soldier and shows his suffering and pain post war. Even without this knowledge I thought it was powerful and my eyes were drawn to it.
It was really interesting, particularly when a portrait had a good story behind it -either about the psychologist/artist or subject. Below is my favourite one which is by Albert Tucker. According to the plaque it is of a traumatised soldier and shows his suffering and pain post war. Even without this knowledge I thought it was powerful and my eyes were drawn to it.
Enjoyed this one lots. Over and out!
22/6 Day 26- Leave inspirational notes in letterboxes
The original plan was library books but I liked the idea of letterboxes
too. In the photo you can't see all the notes I posted but there are a
few there. Some I made up and some I stole from the Internet, naturally.
Hopefully they don't get sodden in all the wet weather we have been having and inspire at least one person!
Thanks to my friend for posting with me after our run!
21/6 Day 21- Learn to tie a special knot!
Today I learnt three new knots from my ex-scout sister. (Or are you a
Scout forever once you have taken the oath/pledge?) I learnt the
following knots:
1. Sheet bend: used for tying two ropes of different thicknesses together.
2. Bowline: to form a loop that doesn't move.
3.Square lashing: useful for building rafts. Also includes a clove hitch. Pictured here.
Apparently I am on my way to getting my first Scout badge!
Now I am off to build a raft and what could be better than a RAFT?!
Much thanks to my instructor!
1. Sheet bend: used for tying two ropes of different thicknesses together.
2. Bowline: to form a loop that doesn't move.
3.Square lashing: useful for building rafts. Also includes a clove hitch. Pictured here.
Apparently I am on my way to getting my first Scout badge!
Now I am off to build a raft and what could be better than a RAFT?!
Much thanks to my instructor!
19/6 Day 19 Learn to spin a pen (also known as contact juggling, pen twirling, pen mawashi and pen tricks)
Pen spinning is hard! I can now say I can spin a pen; not every time (honestly
only about 5% of the time!) and not very quickly or well. In other words, I can now tell you how to do it! (Or you can just go here and learn
for yourself)
With A LOT MORE practice I might end up doing this... but I doubt it!
With A LOT MORE practice I might end up doing this... but I doubt it!
18/6 Day 18- Try a hair mask
Today was going to be something else but then all of a sudden I had an
urge to put EGG, OIL and HONEY in my hair. Weird moment indeed.
I've never tried a hair mask before, let alone a homemade one with things I'd usually prefer to eat than put in my hair. It was a messy, gooey affair and I am probably paranoid I smell like egg but maybe my hair will look a little nicer for awhile!
I've never tried a hair mask before, let alone a homemade one with things I'd usually prefer to eat than put in my hair. It was a messy, gooey affair and I am probably paranoid I smell like egg but maybe my hair will look a little nicer for awhile!
14/6 Day 6- Hide a treasure hunt clue in a dessert
Today's challenge coincided nicely with the almost month-long
treasure hunt I made for my sister's birthday. I hid her 37th clue inside a chocolate cake! The clue was in blue Eclipse mints box, as you can partially see in the photo.
Definitely something I've not done before and something I very much wish to repeat! A win for all involved!
12/6 Day 12- Start growing strawberries
My friend gave me a strawberry growing kit for my birthday and today I got them going. I am feeling good about my chances of eating strawberries in 14-21 days. Hazaar!
9/6 Day 9: Watch a new TV show
Whilst camping I checked out a TV show I had never seen before: Firefly. Space isn't my favourite setting/theme so this was a good suggestion.
At first I found it fairly slow and
not terribly engaging, however, it did grow on me. Where the plot is
going to go next intrigues me. Despite this I am not exactly hanging out
for the next episode; it hasn't drawn me in yet. I think I probably
will watch episode 2 at some stage though.
So an easy one for the 9th but accomplished nonetheless!
So an easy one for the 9th but accomplished nonetheless!
7/6 Day 7 - Do "nothing" for 15 minutes
Okay, I am not sure whose bright idea this was (ahem) but this was
clearly the biggest challenge of the whole month. Do "nothing"? How is
that even possible? And for 15 minutes? Gah. This picture is what I felt
like afterwards! It is impossible to "do nothing" as suspected:
Things I did whilst I did "nothing":
-tried to focus on breathing
-pretended there wasn't an itch on my back.. neck-foot-femur-alveoli.
-thought about my dream last night
-thought about tomorrow
-thought about thinking
-thought about rattle snake, rattle snake, munky munky underpants!
-tried to not think about the time/check the time (I am not going to lie-I caved with just over 5 minutes to go!)
6/6 Day 6 - Do a crash course in the history of a country
I chose the Maldives after seeing a play called Heretic last night and a good choice it was.
Quite an interesting history and, I suppose like the history of most countries, a lot of contentious happenings. Interesting things (perhaps not all facts!) that I read:
* The Maldives had an enormous quantities of cowry shells in the early ages when they were an international currency. The Maldives were therefore known as the ‘Money Isles’. The cowry is now the symbol of the Maldives Monetary Authority.
* The Maldives was granted independence on 26 July 1965 and later became a member of the UN.
* In 1998 a group of disaffected Maldivian businessmen attempted a coup taking 27 hostages and leaving 14 people left dead and 40 wounded. Apparently many tourists didn’t even know that a coup had been attempted.
* Maldivians have their own 'Black Friday' in which reformist and pro democracy campaigners gathered in the capital's main square under the apparent blessing of the Government only to be later cleared out with the arrest and beating of over a thousand people in the process.
* The 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami was devastating for the Maldives with 21 islands devastated, 83 people confirmed dead, 25 feared dead and more than 11,000 made homeless. Many of the homeless continue today as internally displaced persons. (Imagine being an IDP.)
* In attempt to draw attention to climate change (there are claims that the Maldives is sinking due to rising sea levels) the Maldivian Government had an underwater cabinet meeting in 2009. There have also been Gov pledges to Maldives carbon-neutral within a decade. (Thought I read somewhere that they excluded air travel from this...)
Naturally all this led me off on a tangent looking up sea levels and global warming and the Maldives....and not coming up with a whole lot to answer my questions in the end. Still that wasn't the aim so overall: Day 6 goal achieved, and a good one at that! I can imagine doing this every day for a month for different places each day.
Various places I visited on my journey: The Maldives, Lonely Planet, The Guardian, New York Times.
Quite an interesting history and, I suppose like the history of most countries, a lot of contentious happenings. Interesting things (perhaps not all facts!) that I read:
* The Maldives had an enormous quantities of cowry shells in the early ages when they were an international currency. The Maldives were therefore known as the ‘Money Isles’. The cowry is now the symbol of the Maldives Monetary Authority.
* The Maldives was granted independence on 26 July 1965 and later became a member of the UN.
* In 1998 a group of disaffected Maldivian businessmen attempted a coup taking 27 hostages and leaving 14 people left dead and 40 wounded. Apparently many tourists didn’t even know that a coup had been attempted.
* Maldivians have their own 'Black Friday' in which reformist and pro democracy campaigners gathered in the capital's main square under the apparent blessing of the Government only to be later cleared out with the arrest and beating of over a thousand people in the process.
* The 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami was devastating for the Maldives with 21 islands devastated, 83 people confirmed dead, 25 feared dead and more than 11,000 made homeless. Many of the homeless continue today as internally displaced persons. (Imagine being an IDP.)
* In attempt to draw attention to climate change (there are claims that the Maldives is sinking due to rising sea levels) the Maldivian Government had an underwater cabinet meeting in 2009. There have also been Gov pledges to Maldives carbon-neutral within a decade. (Thought I read somewhere that they excluded air travel from this...)
Naturally all this led me off on a tangent looking up sea levels and global warming and the Maldives....and not coming up with a whole lot to answer my questions in the end. Still that wasn't the aim so overall: Day 6 goal achieved, and a good one at that! I can imagine doing this every day for a month for different places each day.
Various places I visited on my journey: The Maldives, Lonely Planet, The Guardian, New York Times.
5/6 Day 5: Listen to a new artist
I selected a new artist to listen to today by visiting the Billboard Website and choosing #1 in Jazz Albums.
I listened to the whole album and overall liked it. Quite a variety of songs. Hated 'Radio'. My favourites were 'Cinnamon Tree' and "I can't help it". I really liked the rhythms of these. Esperanza Spalding is talented. That said, although it was nice, I am not sure if I will seek out further music from her.
Mission complete!
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
4/6 Day 4: Determine political compass
Today I determined my political compass. The results were somewhat surprising. I used two quizzes and I am not sure that either quiz is particularly accurate, especially the right one since it potentially measured my
American political compass. An interesting exercise nonetheless and, in
conclusion, I do have opinions!
2/6 Day 2: Disconnect Day
Yesterday I did not use my mobile, laptop or the Internet. I also
didn't read newspapers or magazines.
It was a lot harder than expected
because:
a) For this particular day I had to write down a fair bit of calendar information (addresses, phone numbers etc) the night before.
b) My boyfriend kept trying to show me something in the newspaper or on his phone!! Plus I almost forgot a few times.
c) Melbourne (AFL footy) won for the first time this season and I couldn't SMS or ring my Mum or sister to celebrate! (Had to wait until midnight!)
So this one wasn't entirely new but it has been a long time. The last time I didn't do any of these things in a day would have been a hiking trip last year. If I excluded hiking/camping/travel times then the last time would have been when I was about 11 years old! Crazy town!
a) For this particular day I had to write down a fair bit of calendar information (addresses, phone numbers etc) the night before.
b) My boyfriend kept trying to show me something in the newspaper or on his phone!! Plus I almost forgot a few times.
c) Melbourne (AFL footy) won for the first time this season and I couldn't SMS or ring my Mum or sister to celebrate! (Had to wait until midnight!)
So this one wasn't entirely new but it has been a long time. The last time I didn't do any of these things in a day would have been a hiking trip last year. If I excluded hiking/camping/travel times then the last time would have been when I was about 11 years old! Crazy town!
Day 2 was alarmingly hard but I made it!
1/6 Day 1: Learn to Braid Hair Day
Today I finally learnt to braid hair! The left hair model is sporting
my 2nd try. (1st try was a bit...different!) The right hair model was my
teacher. Thanks to all involved! :) Day 1- success!
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