It seems I’m almost three months behind with this blog. I thought I had posted a May blog but evidently not. I could be really hard on myself and chastise myself for not even making it to 6 months of this New Years resolution but it would likely be the most unfair treatment of myself that I’ve ever imposed. Reflecting back to the time at the end of May until the 6th July, I am reminded about the revelationary experience of how one can literally run out of headspace. Being greenlit for a TV series with deadlines of immediate effect a week before heading abroad to get married, followed by a honeymoon equals many late nights and little, if any, sleep which in turn = no available time to finish last minute preparations for impending wedding, which = then-fiancé having to do most of the legwork which = a very anxious, stressed, guilt-ridden bride-to-be who is certainly not the vision of a glowing, excitable woman! So I’m going to refrain from punishing myself and wipe the slate clean. (Thought to self, will readers internally pronounce = as equals or is?). 

I could write a novel size autobiography of these past 2.5 months but fear this is not suitable for a piece of blog literature. Commence the endless discussion of whether blog is literature. For those interested on such subjects I stumbled across this article from 2003 which amused me http://crofsblogs.typepad.com/ckbetas/2003/11/are_blogs_liter.html Are my readers even bothered about such etiquette? 

According to a person who shall remain unnamed, I should only write a blog if I do it properly, whatever that means. Comments like the title should be shorter, the etiquette of using 3 dots should be space-3 dots-space
… probably worth pointing out such comments are made but the blog is yet to be read by them. I question why but it’s met unanswered. 
Since when did a blog become so prescriptive in its presentation. Is a blog not an outlet for your thoughts? The very definition of a blog is that it is   

(thankyou google) 

I was never academic, never able to grasp the skills of appropriate essay writing skills to a high standard, why can’t a blog be a self indulgant piece of literature which is self indulgent by the nature of ignoring rules, not necessarily the content. Although expressing the thoughts of oneself may be seen as self indulgant? Google definition:

                       ‘characterized by doing or tending to do exactly what one wants, especially when this                                   involves pleasure or idleness.’ 

… based on that, yup … this is a self indulgent blog. I do exactly what I want from a literal rule perspective. Those rules are unbeknown to me and will continue to be until someone explains the reasons for space-3 dots-space speculatively being appropriate blog etiquette! Smileys…..need I say more (;  

Self-indulgence, living in ones own world…sometimes I think I would be more successful if I lived in ‘Aleah’s world’. I look at people I perceive to be successful and they all seem to have surrounded themselves in a world of their own talents occasionally dipping into the outside world for I’m not sure what. Does a self-indulgent blogpost portrait the persona of living solely in ones own world or does it allow for that to happen for a short period of time? 

To live in my own world would lead to a life full of anxieties, never looking outside the battle of self-deprecation, always seeing a success as one that is not good enough and therefore not a success….it would not be living life. When I was a child I very much had an immortality attitude. It wasn’t until an upsetting event happened that I realised life does end and it doesn’t always end when we are old. I feel blessed to have experienced this although it took 7+ years to reach this conclusion. Consequently I can now appreciate life in a way that others are not always able to relate to. Which brings me onto the value of friendships. 

Does anyone ever actually think about their friendships, cherish the value of them, appreciate the wonderful existence of the relationships they share with another person. Do you ever take friends for granted? I am humbled by the incredibly amazing friends I have. Everyday I’m reminded how lucky I am. My hen party (an event I never in a million years thought I would sign up for) was amazing purely because I was reminded of how lucky I am to have beautiful friendships with wonderful people. The fact I absolutely loved the hen activities (surfing, dancing and an interactive theatre piece) is also a compliment to those friendships. 

So I end this blogpost on a life appreciating rant. If there is someone you havn’t spoken to for a while call them, they may not always be around. If there is an ambition you long to achieve, push aside all self-doubts and procrastination methods and just go for it, you may not always be around. One journey to work this week, leave your phone and headphones in your bag and look at the environment around you, look kindly into the eyes of those walking past you, smile at them. Be nice to those around you. According to the 7 degrees of separation theory, you are likely to know someone that knows them. Would you want that person to hear you’ve been rude to someone they know? 

May’s quote of the month: ‘Life is too short for negativity. So I have made a conscious effort to not be where I don’t want to be’ - Hugh Dillon
June’s quote of the month: ‘Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.’ - William James
July’s quote of the month: ‘Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened’ - Dr Seuss