So.....It's been over a year since I started drinking again, and guess what......I started smoking again also.
That monkey on my back called Nicotine has done a bloody good job of shackling me again.
That aside, there has been much going on in my world. I was promoted a year ago to Petty Officer (which has been a double-edged sword), I posted ashore for 6 months, before I posted back to sea on HMAS Sydney and went with the ship for an amazing trip to Japan, the Phillipines, Vietnam and Brunei. This was followed by a stint playing border protection games, a quick visit to Darwin, and finally getting home in late December, just in time to go to Queensland and visit my Mother, Brother and Nephews for Christmas.......time well spent I say.
I remained fairly strongly involved in my volunteer works until my ship sailed from Sydney, but sadly since returning have barely had the time to be involved in them.
My friend through the Compeer program has gone on a year long holiday through Africa, so I won't be visiting him until his return, but thankfully our friendship seems to be holding up well and I like to think that I am a positive influence to him........then again the truth of human ego is that we like to look at ourselves through rose coloured glasses, so you never know.
Being so short of time has meant that I've been unable to volunteer with St Vinnies since returning to Australia, but I'm hoping to catch up with my friend John, whom I visit through the LinkAGE program this weekend before we go away for a couple of weeks.
Life in general is treating me well, and I sometimes wonder why it does, when so many other worthy people seem to struggle with day to day life. Now and again, I see people who I think are genuinely wonderful people, and they seem to spend their entire life climbing uphill to achieve the most basic comforts in life.
I wonder if there is such a thing as destiny, or do we all have to be lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time and make the right decision........being someone who makes most of my decisions based on whim, I can only assume that fortune is fairly random in her choices of favour, because she's graced me quite a lot and I have to wonder if I really deserve the good lot that I have in life.
Don't misunderstand me......everyone has their trials, but I don't really believe that mine are all that truly taxing......or perhaps it's all based on perspective, being that I don't put that much stock in the negative things that happen or that people might say and do around me......I suppose that if you choose to focus on the negative aspects of your life, then that's all you'll see in your life and you won't be able to move forward, however if you're fortunate enough to have a positive disposition and appreciate the things that life and nature give you, then you will see that as the mainstay of your life and be much happier.
I'm glad that I have that positive disposition, because it makes my life very enjoyable, even with the negatives that come along from time to time.
Ok, I think I might have rambled more than sufficiently for one evening. I don't really expect anyone to be reading this blog anymore, so I guess it's guilt free rambling haha.
If you guys are still reading, I hope this note finds you happy and with a positive disposition. If not, then perhaps do something that I used to do. Each night before you go to sleep, think of 10 things that you are grateful for, things that make you happy (I like to think of my family and friends, my job, my house and so on.....all of these come with some trials, but all are vastly positive influences on my life)......and consider why they are positive. Then in the morning before you get out of bed, think of a few ways in which you might be able to make someone else's day better, even if it's something as small and simple as saying hello and smiling at the person that everyone else seems to dislike. I think that if I do something nice for people, then it's making me a better person, and therefore my life is incrementally better. In addition, you might be making someone else's day that little bit better, and they might in turn have a positive influence on someone else because of it.
Ok, good night friends, have a great day tomorrow.
Cheers,
Howie..
Well,
That monkey on my back called Nicotine has done a bloody good job of shackling me again.
That aside, there has been much going on in my world. I was promoted a year ago to Petty Officer (which has been a double-edged sword), I posted ashore for 6 months, before I posted back to sea on HMAS Sydney and went with the ship for an amazing trip to Japan, the Phillipines, Vietnam and Brunei. This was followed by a stint playing border protection games, a quick visit to Darwin, and finally getting home in late December, just in time to go to Queensland and visit my Mother, Brother and Nephews for Christmas.......time well spent I say.
I remained fairly strongly involved in my volunteer works until my ship sailed from Sydney, but sadly since returning have barely had the time to be involved in them.
My friend through the Compeer program has gone on a year long holiday through Africa, so I won't be visiting him until his return, but thankfully our friendship seems to be holding up well and I like to think that I am a positive influence to him........then again the truth of human ego is that we like to look at ourselves through rose coloured glasses, so you never know.
Being so short of time has meant that I've been unable to volunteer with St Vinnies since returning to Australia, but I'm hoping to catch up with my friend John, whom I visit through the LinkAGE program this weekend before we go away for a couple of weeks.
Life in general is treating me well, and I sometimes wonder why it does, when so many other worthy people seem to struggle with day to day life. Now and again, I see people who I think are genuinely wonderful people, and they seem to spend their entire life climbing uphill to achieve the most basic comforts in life.
I wonder if there is such a thing as destiny, or do we all have to be lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time and make the right decision........being someone who makes most of my decisions based on whim, I can only assume that fortune is fairly random in her choices of favour, because she's graced me quite a lot and I have to wonder if I really deserve the good lot that I have in life.
Don't misunderstand me......everyone has their trials, but I don't really believe that mine are all that truly taxing......or perhaps it's all based on perspective, being that I don't put that much stock in the negative things that happen or that people might say and do around me......I suppose that if you choose to focus on the negative aspects of your life, then that's all you'll see in your life and you won't be able to move forward, however if you're fortunate enough to have a positive disposition and appreciate the things that life and nature give you, then you will see that as the mainstay of your life and be much happier.
I'm glad that I have that positive disposition, because it makes my life very enjoyable, even with the negatives that come along from time to time.
Ok, I think I might have rambled more than sufficiently for one evening. I don't really expect anyone to be reading this blog anymore, so I guess it's guilt free rambling haha.
If you guys are still reading, I hope this note finds you happy and with a positive disposition. If not, then perhaps do something that I used to do. Each night before you go to sleep, think of 10 things that you are grateful for, things that make you happy (I like to think of my family and friends, my job, my house and so on.....all of these come with some trials, but all are vastly positive influences on my life)......and consider why they are positive. Then in the morning before you get out of bed, think of a few ways in which you might be able to make someone else's day better, even if it's something as small and simple as saying hello and smiling at the person that everyone else seems to dislike. I think that if I do something nice for people, then it's making me a better person, and therefore my life is incrementally better. In addition, you might be making someone else's day that little bit better, and they might in turn have a positive influence on someone else because of it.
Ok, good night friends, have a great day tomorrow.
Cheers,
Howie..
Well,
