What do you wish for?

Events over the last two years have made a lot of people reassess their lives and the things that matter most to them.

They’re switching careers, starting their own businesses, moving interstate, deciding on sea/tree changes, becoming artists …

A blogging friend, Magenta, has done all of the above. She’s moved from Queensland to a little town in Tasmania called Sheffield, become an artist, ditched her teaching career and opened a gift shop called Arabella Pop’s Animal Emporium.

I am dazzled by her entrepreneurial spirit and creativity … and also a little envious of her lovely life reinvention.

You can visit Arabella Pop’s on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/ArabellaPops

I yearn to shed many of my current responsibilities and dramas (even after seven years, DD remains dazzled by how many there are).

My dreams aren’t terribly extravagant. I want to write about fun things, live by the sea, drive a reliable car, travel around Australia and New Zealand, spend happy times with friends and family, buy most of the home decor items and clothes in a little Avalon shop called Cabana, head out for the occasional relaxed dinner in a restaurant, watch sunrises and sunsets, and swim in the ocean.

Stuff I would love to change about the world – but can’t control – are for COVID-19 to be a distant memory and for the scourge of ICE, conspiracy theorists, internet trolls and right-wing extremists to be erased. It scares me that my children will be adults – and I won’t be able to protect them – in a world containing those terrible things.

I have many things to look forward to in 2022. My family is hoping to finally gather to belatedly celebrate Christmas, DD and I have concert and comedy festival tickets booked, friends are getting married in March and we hope to go away for a long weekend in a few months time.

I am enjoying my contract role with Destination NSW. It has been a fantastic chance to learn new skills. Perhaps those new skills will lead to a new career chapter for me.

One of the kids has finished year 12. The other is entering year 11. I am hoping they both discover life paths that they find fulfilling.

What do you wish for?

Song of the day: The Beatles “Octopus’s garden”

Speaking of octopus’s gardens, have you seen My Octopus Teacher? I finally watched it during my COVID haze – such an odd, lovely documentary. His love for the octopus was so strangely moving.