MAY GOALS

I think I need to make some progress this month. It seems like I've been getting no where with my craft or studies, and I'm just going through the motions of every day life. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, I actually don't mind it, but I know that work is currently my number one priority when it really should be anything else. But compared to the few months before, my social life has had a (minor) blip on the radar. I went to a colleague's farewell dinner just two days ago, have another dinner planned next week, a seminar with a friend on the weekend and an art exhibition visit with the intern in two weeks. It's really all happening this month, on top of my absolutely full work schedule, of course. But I guess I also (kinda) miss the days where I would sit down and document my life (in pictures). On one hand, I'm still going strong with my daily journaling, but on the other, my memory keeping has dropped to none. So I think this month will need some changes that I will hopefully bring forward to the next (and last!) 6 months of 2017.

I'd like to go through last month's goals and how I faired with them, but let's be honest, looking back, I think I failed almost all categories, and that's just no fun. So let's skip ahead to May and all the potential it may bring:

• READ: I've recently bought a number of books on fashion and memoirs from a number of sources, and I hate that I haven't been able to sit down, dig in and write some notes from it. My current reads are: Note to Self by Connor Franta (I love the visual images in it together with the diary style format the book has), The Curated Closet by Anuschka Rees and Love x Life x Style by Garance Dore. I like to take my time with these because they're the type of books you can start from any chapter and will still make sense
• STUDY: To think that I don't even have a deadline for my study... but I guess that's why it's taken me so long to get started. I really need to get a start on this if I want to keep a non-stressful study timeline before the GAMSAT comes around again next year!
• PHOTOGRAPHY: I've been lacking ... severely. I'm hoping that my upcoming social events will get me back into photographing, because I really do miss using a proper camera!
• DOCUMENTATION: I admit, I've been lacking in my documentation skills recently - as said above. I've been stressing over what notebook t use (again) - passport / regular / MD / pocket / A5 ?? - but I decided that it was time to try out Passport size again. It worked really well for me previously, and I found it so hard to get back into Regular size. I still love the Regular MTN, but I need something that I can carry with me in my pocket when I'm on call or at work and write my thoughts in whenever they strike. I have a few hundred days of thoughts still buzzing in my head and they need to be unleashed onto a page.
• EXERCISE: I'm actually absolutely disappointed in myself with how much I've lacked in my exercise recently. I'd like to blame the shortened days and longer work hours, but I know I can always sacrifice a little of my morning sleep if I really wanted. I'm hoping May will give me that motivation back
• MONEY: I've been spending more of my money on clothes recently - weird, I know. Before you know it, I'll be spending it on make-up (gasp!). I guess it has got to do with my recent clothing cull of all the clothes I don't like and wouldn't wear again, but clothes are sucking my bank account dry (together with necessary medical appointments, and every day necessities). I'm slowly growing into a full adult and it's crazy! So I think it's time to start tightening the belt again when it comes to money (even though I know I'll be getting it all back with the amount of overtime shifts I'm doing this month!).

It's basically the same goals over again, but I guess it needs to be said in order for it to be done! Let's go, May!

BIG PICTURE CLASSES: BEYOND PLANNING

Guess what lovelies? I'm running a new class over at Big Picture Classes for all you planner babes! I go through a number of ideas and tips in the class that you can use in your planner for more than just planning!

The class is live now and you'll be able to sign up to get a one week trial with access to all the amazing classes they have on offer. Click on this link here to be directed straight to my newest class. Exciting times are ahead. I'll see you there!

OLIVE MIDORI TRAVELER'S NOTEBOOK

Oh, I've been waiting for the arrival of this beauty ever since I saw its announcement. My favourite colour has always been green and when Midori decided to pull this one out of the bag, I knew I had to have it. They're currently out of stock from Notemaker, but never fear, word is, they'll be back for sale in May! Do sign up for their notifications so you'll know when to get your hands on it. The ballpoint pen accessory is still available for sale though (you'll get a look at it in the pictures below).

I have a love affair with Midori's packaging for the Traveler's Notebook, and I love that they've customised the opening sheet in olive green to match the TN inside. It came with the usual dust bag and extra string, but once it's opened, here's how it looks like:

I tried to make the picture as true to the colour of the TN as possible, but alas, there's something about the camera and the olive colour that does not seem to work! Do check out Notemaker's photos to get a better depiction of the actual colour. What I can say about it though is that it's luscious. 'Inspired by the dense old-growth of forests', as described by MTN, the Olive really is one of a kind. I can tell that it will age nicely with time, and there's just something about the colour that makes me want to venture out far and wide with it.

Here are a few styled shots (which I must admit, made the MTN look more brown than olive) that I took at sunset:

Like its brothers, the Olive is fully customisable. The olive pen holder and ballpoint pen came separately, but because I had to have the matching pair, in my cart they went!

If you're a MTN fan like I am, you have to get your hands on the Olive. It will be a great addition to the collection, and you definitely won't regret the colour!

APRIL GOALS

I'd like to say that March flew by, but in retrospect, I think it was one of the longest month I've had in a while. I can't seem to put my finger on why it was, but it seemed to drag on with no end in sight. But now that we're well into April and I haven't even written my goals up, I can say that this month will be the complete opposite.

Either way, let's look at how March went:

• READ: Ok, so I actually managed to finish a book this month - albeit it took me a while. I picked up A Man Called Ove in stores after it was recommended by Kelly Purkey, and it was actually a nice read. The end was definitely a heartbreaker. But despite this, like I said, it took me a while (almost a whole month!) to finish it, only because it didn't pull me in from the start. I miss reading books that hooks me in from the beginning and keeps me wanting to read it till the end. Maybe my reading interests have changed as I grow older, but it also seems as though I'm migrating towards reading hobby / self-help books more often than not. I'm reading books like Love x Style x Life where if you told younger me I'd be picking this book up in the future, I would probably laugh in your face. I've actually found these real-life experience books a whole lot more interesting than the fiction section, and I think I'm ok with that. Besides, it only means I'll be able to get through books faster.
• ADVENTURE: I'm still planning but failing at going through with any adventures recently. Sad, I know, but with a possible wedding coming up in the next few months, I'm happy to postpone this little goal till a little later in the year.
• WORK: March's work schedule ended up being just as hectic as any other month. There are always people dropping shifts, and I am always there picking them up because why not? Hah. I'm still enjoying work though, and I guess that's a good thing. I haven't quite burnt out just yet.
• CREATIVITY: I may have picked up my scrapbooking / crafting in the beginning the month, but it died sooner rather than later. A little disappointed, but oh wells.
• EXERCISE: I have cut down a little, I must admit. I'm now only doing exercises once every two days, etc, but I haven't abandoned it completely.
• SELF DIRECTED STUDY: I got my books and I tried to get organised, but every time I want to start it, I always find an excuse to procrastinate. I'm not even in uni and I somehow manage to find time to do that. At least with self-directed study, I don't have any guilt or deadlines coming at me.

I'm a little here and there with my goals for March, and I must admit, that's not good. I think I need to change the way I insert these goals into my life. It seems like everything's just everywhere and it's only because I don't have a solid way of documenting my life recently. Either way, here's a look at April's goals, and hopefully there'll be a better outcome:

• READ: Still on the reading boat, and hoping for better outcomes this month. I'm currently happy with just one novel being read this month (as it seems that's the fastest I can only read), and probably a mix of lifestyle books
• EXERCISE: I'm going to try to head back to exercising once a day like I used to in the first two months, because it seems like it's getting harder to do things that I thought I was getting used to now that I've slacked off.
• MONEY: Ok, I've been spending a little too much again, so I think it's time to cut back. I've done a whole lot of Treat Yo Self recently, and with my money rapidly depleting, I think it's time to tighten the belt until the next month. I'm not going to put a spending limit because I know I won't stick to it, but just mentally noting that I have to cut back does make a difference!
• WORK: Forever picking up shifts and not regretting it ~
• FRIENDS: I know I made a goal this year to do something different every month, and 'friends' aren't really a goal, but I think it's high time I started to reconnect with some of my high school and uni friends again, and possibly make more friends too. Although I've been working too much, it has also meant that I'm now close to a whole lot of people in ED too. I guess it helps that I've been working with two Drs that are as close to me in age, and because of that, I've been able to learn from them as much as I've been able to mess around with them. It's nice that I'm actually getting closer to people I never thought I would be able to.

It should be an interesting month ahead. Let's see how it goes.