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Reccommendation: Maid in Manhattan
If you’re looking for a feel-good night in on the couch, go no further than the 2002 classic rom-com Maid in Manhattan
What brings me joy
Oh my gosh, so very many things. Where do I start? My daughter brings me tremendous joy, so does spending time with family and friends. Then there are dolphins, diving, dancing, dawn and dusk, dessert, doctoral thesis writing, down time curled up reading a book. Just thinking of all the people and passions that bring me joy elicits the joyous feeling. It also makes me feel very grateful, which then reinforces the nice, happy feelings again. Thinking about joyful things quickly improves one’s mood, especially during difficult and stressful times.
What music does to our brain
Music can have a powerful impact on us. It can affect our brain and soul in ways we sometimes can’t explain. Some of us might find ourselves tearing up to a particular song that might remind us of something or someone or bring a smile to our face with the particular feeling that summer brings, a night out, or recollections of that amazing concert. Music brings back memories. But it can also have significant cognitive effects on us.
The organiser
It can be tough to find yourself as the ‘organiser’ for events and activities.
Getting even older
Someone asked me if they were allowed to come into the tutorial room. I shrugged and said, “beats me”. They looked surprised, and said “Oh, so you’re not…” I smiled at them and shook my head. I’ve never been mistaken for a tutor before, it was a pretty weird experience. It made me realise I’m not as young as I used to be.
Sleeping troubles
I have recently really been struggling with getting some shut eye and it's starting to wear me down.
A trip to the South Australian Museum
I have only once been into the South Australian Museum for a quick look before I had to go. This visit, I had time to stick around and have a good look and I was not disappointed.
In the company of strangers
I don’t usually like going to parties where I don’t know many people there. I generally find that the experience consists of talking to the one person I know, then spending the rest of the time awkwardly trying to find something to do. So I was worried that very same scenario would play out again at this party I was set to go too.
Recommendation: Have you been paying attention
One of my favourite things to watch on TV each week is Channel 10’s comedy quiz show Have You Been Paying Attention (HYBPA).
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Being able to graciously accept positive feedback as much as the negative
I would’ve thought that I would be the absolute last person to be commended at work. First, I’m a full-time student and only work part-time – I feel as if my contributions wouldn’t really be significant because I only work a few hours. Second, I tend to work quietly in the background, so to be applauded for being curious, for seeking to understand different perspectives, for looking for new approaches, partnerships and solutions, and for continuously learning, was a surprise. I didn’t think anyone was ‘looking’, to be honest. I kept thinking to myself, is this a kind way of telling me that I am venturing too far into unknown territory? I tried to keep cool and remind myself that I also need to learn how to take a compliment, Curiosity is one of our work values and in a way, I guess this demonstrated that I was valued at work. Maybe it also supports my desire to be in a research field – you have to want to be continuously learning. Still, perhaps as a research student, maybe I keep expecting negative feedback, I need it after all. How am I going to improve my writing if I don’t have my supervisors sending me feedback on my drafts?
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