A lovely relaxing weekend enjoying my new home. Went to Garadice lake with Brendan and Coco yesterday and marvelled at the ice that’s still on the lake … it’s like sheets of glass.

Coco was in dog heaven and ran and sniffed and checked everything out. I just strolled happily enjoying the quiet and the fresh air. I’d made us corned beef sandwiches with mustard and Brendan brought along a flask of tea … lovely.

I rang both my parents on Saturday as it was their birthdays.

Pa was 78 and Mum was 74 … they’ll outlast me for sure. Both are full of life and energy and I love them very very much.

Dad and I chatted away happily about all sorts of things. He’s always been so supportive of everything I do. And I’m green with envy as he and my stepmum Liz got a Wii for xmas … and they’ll never love it as much as I would!! Dad did say that he’s played golf on it.

He usually plays golf on Saturday mornings very early because of the heat. He didn’t on his birthday as it was in the high 30’s C … in the morning! He was born and reared in Ireland [as was Mum] but he can’t understand how people can live in this cold.

I was reared in Oz and can’t stand high heat … go figure.

I was cooking the corned beef when I rang Mum and we had a fine time exchanging recipes and she told me how Gran used to cook it.

Always lovely to talk with them.

And now it’s Monday and I plan an active working week:

• asking for advice and support from Leitrim Enterprise Board about Life Dreaming
• doing 2 days research and writing for my Dublin contract
• continuing the pr for my Blogsite Design workshops. My free ad in the Visual Arts Ireland enewsletter should get some takers
• talk with one of my SKIL2 mentors about interface design and getting someone to build the prototype
• do some online research and writing for Mary in Oz

I also want to email some family and friends and have a catch up … and Coco wants to go play outside … and there’s the marmalade to make … and groceries to buy … and dreaming to be done.

I’m typing this from my warm bed because … I can.

I can work and be comfy at the same time … and it’s Monday so I like to ease myself into the week.

I hope you have a lovely week.

slan

Liz

Posted in ballinamore, blog site design workshops, family, home, ireland, leitrim, life, life dreaming, work

The week started brilliantly with the arrival of 2 friends, Miriam and Jimmy.

They stayed until Thursday as they tried a few times to get through the snow and ice to their home up the mountain.

Somewhere up there to the left!

It was a real treat having them stay here and we had some great chats and laughs.

They are great people and run Build Your Own Wind Turbine workshops in Ballinamore and an annual 10 day workshop in Gort that attracts people from around the world.

On Tuesday they became grandparents again when one of Jimmy’s daughters had her first child. They are now on their way to Cork and still haven’t seen their mountain home since before Christmas.

I loved being a hostess and cooking. I find cooking very relaxing and love to try new recipes on people … and Miriam and Jimmy were quite happy to try my offerings … even the Thai Green Curry with pasta instead of rice!

I also did a fair bit of work on the pr for my Feb 6 and 7 Blogsite Design Workshops and have a booking already!

I’m looking forward to more bookings when the Visual Arts Ireland enewsletter comes out next Tuesday. Nearly 50% of my previous workshop people booked after they read about it in the newsletter.

All the excitement of packing and moving and Christmas and lovely visitors … was bound to catch up with me.

Very tired the last day or so … and because I can … I’ve been having Duvet Days.

Having a lovely time roaming online and reading and taking naps and eating healthy food … and not planning or organising or thinking … just drifting happily.

Will feel fab tomorrow and get sorted to go into town and do some chores and take Coco for a long long walk. She did get to run around the field next door today and then she was quite happy to loll with me.

It’s the New/Dark Moon tonight … great for wishing and beginning new ideas and projects.

Have a wonderful weekend.

p.s Happy Birthday to my Mum and Dad tomorrow. I’ll be ringing Oz to say hi. When I was a kid that’s how I thought parents got together … someone matched people by birthdays. It’s as good a way as any I suppose.

Slan

Liz

Posted in ballinamore, life

Yup … it’s the kind of day to stay cosy and warm inside.

Unfortunately I had to go into town [sounds like a bleedin' trek across the himalayas ... it's only 5 minutes in non icy weather] to pay the rent and get some more books from the library.

My good friends Miriam and Jimmy are staying with me for a few days [as they wait and try to get up the icy back mountain roads to their home] so we walked carefully in convoy into town.

As we walked down the road from the estate the army drove up to grit the roads … better late than never lads.

It’s slippy in town but it felt great to be out and walking even if the windchill factor is minus 5.

Dropped in and had a chat with Maggie … then off to say hi to the fab women in the Credit Union … then to the bank to pay the rent … then library to get books and say hi to the lovely women there … then Hi to Maggies Mum and Dad who have had no running water for weeks and still look neater and dapper than me!

Was about to slide my way home when I was hailed by Sharon Sweeny [Cannaboe Confectionery entrepreneur and wicked witch baker of my favourite carrot cake ... no Liz ... it is not a health food!] who offered me a lift back to my home.

Lovely to see her and I want to sent my best wishes to her mother who had a wee fall [like thousands and thousands of others around the country] on the ice and broke a few bones. It could be any of us no matter how careful we are.

Thanks Sharon for the lift and I have to give you a jar of honey that the wonderful Anne sent us from the Liz Biz beehive in America. The honey is delicious and I want to send a big hello and happy new decade to Anne. May you, your husband and bees all flourish and prosper.

Home now and enjoying the swedish cinnamon buns I made for the first time yesterday. They were delicious and I was very pleased to serve them to Jimmy and Miriam.

notice carrot cake in background?

I bought the best cook book ever last week and have been making stuff from it ever since. It’s a book that was commissioned by the Irish publishers Mercier Press from a food blogger … a young Irish lad called Donal Skehan. He writes a blog called Good Mood Food and I’m loving the cook book.

Tonight I’m cooking his recipe for Thai Green Chicken Curry and later on in the week I’m making big batches of 2 soups to freeze – Red Pepper and Tomato soup & Pea and Mint Soup.

And just in case you think I’m lolling around cooking … I am!

I’ve also sorted my office and have already booked Koh restaurant for a new round of Blog Design workshops in Dublin on Feb 6 and 7.

The workshops I did in November were a great success and I am really looking forward to doing more this year. The people I get to meet are really interesting.

The cost of the workshop is 80 euro and runs for 5 hours. People leave with a fully designed blog site and the skills to insert content and vids and photos and heaps of other stuff. People also get a 60 page info pack, chocolates and a fun learning time with me.

What’s not to love?

Someone sent me an email from an organisation [who will remain nameless] who is offering a 6 hour workshop in Dublin on setting up a blog and writing content … and they are charging 295 euro!!!

So I feel like I’m offering a quality bargain.

Coco and I are now ensconsed warmly inside and I’ve just put out heaps of bread for the birds.

All is well in my world.

Slan

Liz

p.s If anyone around town [or family in Oz and Singapore] has a Wii console they want to sell … I’d love to buy it. I really want to get the console, buy the EA Sports Challenge and just go for it in the privacy of my own home. You can email me – focusedsolutions1st@gmail.com

If there are none going I’ll buy one with the profits from my blog workshops in February.

When it comes to being physically fit I realised that I needed some new solutions to a very entrenched old problem. I decided to bring the exercise into my own home and make it varied and interesting with clear goals and feedback along the way … so that’s why I want a Wii.

Posted in ballinamore, blog site design workshops, celebration, Fit & Healthy, friends, home, ireland, leisure, leitrim, life

In just over a week  I will move into a new home.

I have had 3 very happy years in the wee cottage in High St and many many great memories.

By living in the main street I got to know heaps of people and they got to know me.

And … I like change.

I particularly like it when it’s within my control.

For the new year and the new decade I decided that I wanted a new space to live in for all the adventures that are ahead.

In the current economic climate one of the beaming lights for renters is that rents have dropped by a significant amount this year.

Places that were renting for 500 and 550 are now available for just over 400 euro a month.

And in Ballinamore there are a lot of places to rent.

I’m moving to a 3 bedroom/2 bathroom home with a large kitchen dining area that gets the morning sun … and opens to a backyard for Coco dog.

It’s a 5 minute walk from town just across from the football field and is on a hill with mountain views.

I love it.

And with every change there are things that I’ll miss … even when the change is fab.

I’ll miss the Hamills and having Therese next door.

I’ll miss having Maggie just 2 doors up … although I will continue to haunt her and visit the shop every day.

I’ll miss all my shop neighbours.

And I’m only 5 minutes away … not moving to Guatamala.

I just wanted to do this quick update so my Dad doesn’t think  I’m dead … Just packing Da.

My phone number will be the same and my new address [for Santa] is 20 Pairc Fea. Ballinamore.

I’ll be taking photos on Saturday of Santa’s visit and the turning on of the Xmas lights and post them on the blog.

I will also post up some shots of the Clothes Swap Party which went very well … we raised 800 euro and the 50 or 60 women who came along had a ball.

Marc and I are having great conversations about the development of Life Dreaming and the launch in 2010.

I’m planning more Blog Design Workshops for Artists and Creative Entrepreneurs in Dublin at the end of January.

My contract of work is going well.

Coco is fab and I am healthy.

Lots to be grateful for in my life.

I send you very best wishes.

Slan

Liz

p.s   Pa, I haven’t been able to ring because I went back to Eircom and calls to Oz cost something like 75 cents a minute!! Have been sending telepathic messages of love as you don’t like emails. xxxxx

Posted in ballinamore, change, friends, home, ireland, life, life dreaming

Yup – it’s been raining so much that  Cork city is under water … we are in a recession … and something happened in the football that I couldn’t care less about.

Take the time and you can make a really really long list of all the things that are annoying, distressing and just plain difficult in your life.

Some are real … and some are just the way you choose to view the world.

And then you can take the same amount of time [notice I don't tell you to Not Feel Bad ... that's your choice and I'm a great believer in free choice] and celebrate [nay, rejoice] in the riches that abound in your life.

Me?

I am blessed with good health and a mad dog called Coco … who pretty much puts a smile on my face every day.

I live in Ballinamore and am surrounded by good people and beautiful landscape and lakes … which are pretty much overflowing at the moment.

I have family and friends around the world who I love … and who love me. They are my wealth and my joy.

Anyone who has read this blog on a regular basis will know that 2009 was challenging financially for me … and it also created some of the best time for me to develop Life Dreaming and SKIL2 and barter and just to enjoy living.

Last night I went to the Top of the Parish event at the community hall.

It was a celebration of dance, music and drama from young people aged from quite little to 18 and involved the 4 parishes of – Ballinamore, Drumreilly, Aughnasheelin and Fenagh.

And that’s just the Ballinamore Crew!

To say I was impressed by the standard of talent would be an understatement.

Ballinamore’s own JedWard

Young people sang beautifully … danced traditional dances with a contemporary edge … did small plays [and the monkey won a lot of laughs] … hip hopped … and showed us that we have a lot to celebrate.

And … they put the show together in something like 6 weeks!!! It was amazing and I found myself stunned to silence at one boys voice … and then laughing with delight at a brilliant satire of the corruption and ineptitude of our government sung to the tune of YMCA.

This was a very funny sketch … the monkey was very very funny

This young man was very good … dancing in the oldest form of Irish dance.

And at the other end of the spectrum … brilliant hip hop

These crew mixed traditional irish dancing with a contemporary edge and a hint of hip hop … very very good

Love the movement in this photo … the kids literally threw themselves into the action and you could see how much fun they were having

This wee one had a lovely voice as she sang Dana’s Eurovision song. The Aughnasheelin crew did a Reeling in the Years theme with music, dance and drama from the 50’s to now … brilliant.

We had a few special guests … the Jackson Five in fine voice

Abba are always welcome

The 80’s saw mass movement away from Ireland as people sought jobs elsewhere. This young mans voice was haunting.

And the 90’s saw the roar of the Celtic Tiger ruled by a government who helped put us in the dreadful state we are in now.

fast forward to now … and we have the same inept government. This was sung to the tune of YMCA [NAMA is an assets management agency that the govt has set up to manage big bad debts that property developers and banks built up in the 90's ... and they did nothing to regulate].

What a night … brilliant.

There were so many people wanting to attend that the show was on over 2 nights to packed audiences .

I took a lot of photos. There will be a dvd of the evening that I will certainly buy … and it would be great to see some of the performances on You Tube.

Many many congratulations must go to the adults that freely gave their time in each Parish to help the young people put their acts together. In Ballinamore Ber Hamill and Mary McGovern were the producers and they had a very able production team but I don’t have their names.

Finally … to all the young people … huge congratulations. You looked like you were having such a great time. I tried to get photos of every act because I thought you were all amazing.

Quick reminder of the Big Clothes Swap Party for Charity that Aine and I are organising next Friday Nov 27. Bring along your much loved clothes, bags, shoes, coats, scarves and jewellery … and get some new treasures. We’ll be having great raffles and a short fashion show and some special treats.

I hear there are women coming from as far as Dublin and Boyle and Manorhamilton … and all our great Ballinamore women.

We’ll be accepting your treasures from 3 to 7ish on Friday. If you’re coming a distance then bring them in from 8pm.

I’ve put the photos as thumbnails so I can put a lot on this page. All you need to do it click on them to get a bigger photo.

Posted in ballinamore

Anyone that has read this blog over the last few years will know that I’m basically a very optimistic person.

I believe that feeling hopeful is why I get out of bed in the morning.

And the last year and a half have provided a lot of interesting challenges and opportunities … most of which I have met with a measure of good cheer and creative thinking.

Yup – there have been duvet days and I love them.

And I’ve had fantastic support from family and friends … my love and thanks to you all.

I believe that nothing stays the same – good or bad – and part of thriving in this crazy chaos is to build your capacity for resilience and humour and patience and persistence.

Even in the worst moments I knew that it wouldn’t last.

Not being clairvoyent is a gift … I really, really, really … really … don’t want to know the future.

And many of my friends and family have faced their own big challenges this year – ill health, death of loved ones, financial woes … loss of some kind.

People’s capacity for courage and just damn good humour in the shittiest situation never ceases to encourage and amaze me.

Many of you have been my inspiration this year … thank you so much.

And now for the good news.

I heard a week ago that myself and a Dublin consultancy had won a nice contract.

It means that I will have more money guaranteed for the next 6 months.

The relief is wonderful … and the genteel poverty of the last 18 months wasn’t all bad either. It’ll just be nice to be able to pay bills and rent on time …and then buy some winter clothes.

I’ve also applied for an Entrepreneurial Internship grant with the National Digital Research Centre in Dublin. If I win one then I have to move to Dublin for 3 months and build a SKIL2 prototype.

Special thanks to my brother Marc for doing all the visual branding for SKIL2 and for agreeing to be my Brand Director.

More thanks to my good friend Margaret Lonergan who has agreed to be my Visual Interface Design Director [a bit of a coup as Margaret was Head of Visual Communications in the National College of Art and Design until feb this year when she went back to her visual communications consultancy] as we design the most beautiful + practical + affordable online learning space.

And even more thanks to Amy [one of my international SKIL2 Mentors] who read through the application form and gave me detailed and brilliant feedback that made it even better.

I gave everyone fab titles because currently they have been giving me their time and talents for free. When SKIL2 makes money they are sooooo getting a bonus.

Exciting and scary … as all adventures should be.

I’ll hear whether I am invited to pitch the idea to a panel by tomorrow.

Writing the grant application was really useful as I had to further refine and clarify what SKIL2 was all about.

And I got to do it twice!!! Lucky me.

I had to work online within their site …and when I went to save a pile of work I’d typed … it disappeared …never to be found again by the NDRC techies.

That was fun …rewriting everything. On the sunny side …I further refined my ideas.

When shit happens I tend to give myself a moment or two [or 20 ... depending on the crisis] to feel angry, sad & scared.

Then I get on with it and find a solution and ask for help.

My fundamental power is to choose my attitude in any given situation.

Smiles in the sunshine are easy … smiles when crap hits the fan … well … that’s a tad more challenging.

To be honest, I really don’t like what happens when I get angry. Lots of chemicals flow thru my system and make my body hurt and I feel sick.

Calm tends to be my default state.

And things are happening in Ballinamore.

This Friday Mary from Cara Pharmacy is having a fundraiser for the Northwest Hospice at the Commercial Hotel.

It’s free entry and there will be:

• a make up demonstration
• Fashion parade
• wine tasting
• Flower arranging demonstration with Gail
• Goodie Bags
• Cannaboe Cake decorating demonstration from Sharon
• Finger Food
• Raffles

A great night out.

I’ll miss it as I’m starting work in Dublin on the new contract on Thursday and Friday and then I have 2 fully booked Blogsite Design workshops for Artists + Creative Entrepreneurs on Saturday and Sunday.

They are in Koh Restaurant and the owners have given me a private wified dining area for free – many thanks to them for sponsoring the workshops.

I  love finding beautiful places to create learning events. All the participants will be able to order food and refreshments as they learn.

I hope there are fab things happening for you.

slan

Liz

p.s Coco dog is fab as usual. We’ve been getting straight up and out walking at 7.45am every morning. Coco loves it … and I yawn my way down the street.

I let her loose at the canal at the bottom of the street and she just runs and runs and runs. I stroll and enjoy the morning quiet.

For the last 3 days we’ve seen the rare and shy kingfisher bird … tiny and a dazzling blue. It skims along the canal and yesterday it stopped and sang. This morning it skimmed twice and then we saw 5 swans fly across the sky and a rainbow.

p.s.s I’ve mentioned before that I’ve been a time billionaire while I’ve been experiencing genteel poverty.

It’s given me space to develop SKIL2 and Life Dreaming as well as do a pile of probono work and fundraising.

Well, I’m at it again.

Aine Martin and I are running the Big Clothes Swap Party in Ballinamore on November 27th. As far as we know, it’s the first one in the Northwest of Ireland.

Marc has done his usual design genius job of creating a poster.

I’ve attached it here just in case you want to print it and share it around.

BigClothesSwapMeet_A3PosterV2_110309

Posted in ballinamore, blogging, celebration, change, Coco, community, creativity, design, dublin, ethics/values, family, friends, home, ireland, learning technology, leisure, leitrim, life, love, online learning, SKIL2, social media, training, work

I’ve been a little discombobulated the last few days.

There are changes in the wind and movement on SKIL2 …and for the last few weeks I’ve been very excited …until yesterday …when I woke feeling really irritable and tired … and started sneezing for 18 hours …and yelled at Coco.

Took me a while but I realized that I was afraid … of moving from my comfort zone …of SKIL2 falling on it’s arse …of doing this all on my own.

And yesterday I asked some people to help me with areas of SKIL2 …and I drank lots of tea …and felt crappy.

Spent the last few hours today reading blogs online …and joined up to go to an online learning conference [online and free] in November to see the current learning trends internationally.

What was even more useful was reading a blog post by a woman who cracks me up with her daily writing about her life …Jessica writes the Booshy blog.

Todays post was called ‘ Are you afraid? Of what?’ and she wrote about her dream to write …and the fear that was blocking it.

One of the things I love about blogging is that people respond with support and their own stories.

I wrote a comment to support Jessica and found myself clarifying a few things for myself.

And what if you don’t write?

What’s the payoff … the reward for staying where you are?

What’s the pain?

And …if you move forward [or sideways ...wherever!] what’s the payoff …what’s the pain?

You know that voice in your head [and are you sure there's only one? I have about a dozen, but don't tell anyone]?

Tell it to Shut The Feather Up!

And as for fear … it’s holding hands with courage and excitement.

One step …one bite …one leap … whatever … just do one thing to move toward your dream.

your dream …not anyone elses …not society’s …or your friends …or your families …your dream.

As for FAILURE … what does it even mean?

Having a dream … a purpose …a sense of passion … makes us feel alive …that’s success,

Making promises to yourself to act on the dream …now …that’s success.

Speaking it and asking for support …that’s success.

Swearing and nagging hubby as you struggle and flow in your writing … that’s success.

Eating your body weight in yummies as you muse on your ideas …that’s success.

Finding reasons to stay in your comfort zone … that’s normal.

I know FEAR by its first name …it’s an insidious little bastard and it can wrap it’s tentacles around you in a way that feels almost comforting.

It’s voice is all the excuses for not doing and being the incredibly perfect/imperfect person you wish to be.

yeh – there are millions of books …so what?

We all have unique voices …so go sing.

Slan
Liz

p.s I’m in the middle of a 2 day fear attack about a whole enterprise I’m developing. One moment I know it could revolutionise learning spaces for charities … the next …I’m sure a million other people have done it.

So …my gut wrenches and I can’t stop sneezing [yeh - a hysterical stress reaction ...except when you've been sneezing on and off for 18 hours!] …and I even yelled at my lovely dog Coco [i've apologised].

And … I’m not ignoring the feelings … I’m listening and working out new ways to focus the project and get support.

I’m also allowing myself to be afraid and excited and proud of how far I’ve brought the idea forward in a year.

And writing this to you …initially to support you …has provided a sense of support for me. Thanks Jessica.

Oh yeh … as I was writing away I realised that I’d stopped sneezing!

And I’m going to take Coco for a walk and be content.

Posted in bloggers, blogging, change, Coco, ethics/values, learning & performance, life, life dreaming, online learning, SKIL2, social media, work

It’s all been a bit [lot] busy the past few weeks … my apologies for not writing … missed you.

As a you can see I haven’t been idle.

I decided to run these workshops for artists after I chatted to a few at Shani & Mia’s engagement party.They were all saying how they needed sites to promote themselves but couldn’t afford it.

Voila … my fab workshops.

The first one was booked out within days and I’d only begun the pr for it.

So … another one is now available.

You can copy and paste the wonderful poster that my brother Marc designed and send it to all your friends … and even interesting strangers.

Or …email me and I can send you info[focusedsolutions1st@gmail.com].

In my next post I’ll bring you up to date on what’s been happening … here’s a wee taster:

• developing the 1st Northwest Clothes Swap Party as a 3 charity fundraiser in Ballinamore – Nov 20
• did a week of free online pr for MariaTecce to promote her NYC gigs
• going for an entrepreneurial internship at the national digital research centre to develop a SKIL2 prototype
• developing Life Dreaming
• walking Coco
• thinking about new adventures for 2010

I’ve decided that genteel poverty is an interesting place to visit [and I've learnt heaps] but I am not gonna live there!

I have declared 2010 the Year of Abundance in Everything and you are welcome to come join the party.

Hope your life is full of health & hope.

slan

Liz

p.s I had to give my loaner pc back and have been working on Diva the last few weeks. I love her dearly but she is a netbook with a 7 inch screen and a teeny tiny keyboard with a space bar that sticks.

everything [including this wordpress post space] is teeny weeny tiny …and I’m soooo not Alice in Wonderland.

Good news is I may have my first big contract since March and hope to buy a laptop within the next month. They are priced below 500 euro and Diva can go back to doing what she does best … working with me in wified cafes in Dublin [or Paris or London ...she's a city girl] as gorgeous young men serve me …tea.

Posted in bloggers, creativity, design, dublin, luxury, self publishing, social media, training, work