The last domino has crash landed on the eve of 2015. It’s been such a mad rush to the finish line I’ve not had a chance to fill you in on the most important happenings this side of tomorrow.
Soon-to-be Flat Person
It’s time for a career change.
And, by that, I’m not referring to my love affair with football. We all knew that would only be a short term fling.
Nor am I talking about writing, which will always be the end game, no matter the mirage that stretches in between the Me and It.
I’m talking about REAL WORLD stuff. And the need to live in it. To breathe and touch and listen to it. To be. 3D. Again.
Don’t you ever feel that? Like you’ve spent so long staring into a flat screen that you might any second turn into a flat person, whose beating heart has no where to go except up, and out, and bursting ’til you scream, and smash something, and run away and join a commune where the only technology is a hand held water pump and real life people for defibrillators.
Kickstart.
It’s ok. I’m not going to join a commune.
But I have completed a first aid course. And I have been studying to regain my humanity, in the form of a Certificate III in Aged Care.
In exactly four days (but whose counting?) I will be commencing a full time 120 hour placement in an Aged Care Facility, after which I will be licensed to kill claw back some of the feeling in my fingers and toes after a lifetime of sedentary labour.
Hell, what have I done?
Actually, the hardest part so far has been finding a pair of black, non-figure hugging pants with real, functional pockets. See! Even the fashions are trying to make us flat.
I don’t want to be a flat person.
I want to get my hands dirty. To know that what I am doing to survive is worth something to someone else. That it is real.
Just like these tomato plants, that burst out of my compost unannounced.
There will be a place for writing, I am sure of it. Once the Certificate is passed, a job and a routine is established.
A short term disruption for longer term gain. Survival. Stability. A sense of self worth. All necessary ingredients for a writer to write. And to mean it.
So, I guess what I’m saying is, 2015 is the year to Get Real. Who wants to join me? Go on, I dare you to 😉
Happy New Year, loyal bloggers. What’s your phrase for the year ahead?
Alarna Rose Gray 
Congratulations! I made a similar decision and it was a good one. This year: writing. Writing, writing, writing. In short bursts.
As far as the pants are concerned, look for a pair of medical scrubs in a uniform store. They are now available in black. And some have pockets.
Real has been happening for awhile for me, sometimes tooooo real! If there is such a thing. 😉
Or look into EMT/paramedic pants. Those are usually loaded with pockets.
Sometimes I wish I was in the US. You guys are equipped! I’ve ended up getting some black Kathmandu outdoorsy pants that will do the trick 🙂
Oh, there is definitely such a thing as tooooo real – that’s where the writing comes in 😉 I hope the words flow for you.
I did see some black scrubs on an online site, but online shopping is not as reliable in Oz as in the US and I couldn’t find a uniform shop that was open this time of year! I will keep an eye out, though, thank you!
You go Alarna!! And yes, I will be joining you in getting real in life. I will be heading to a completely new country for my masters where I will have to fend for myself for the first time ever. Scary and exciting at the same time!
A very happy new year to you. May this year rock! 🙂
Hugs and kisses,
Sumithra.
Oh, wow, that’s huge! What country will you be going to and what are you studying??? So many questions…
You’ll definitely be getting a lot of real. But you’ll blitz it, don’t worry 🙂
Thank you for the boost, Alarna! 🙂
I will be going to USA for my Masters in Computer Science. I will be getting my admits any day now!
Wow! That is a big move. Goodluck in the transition, and I hope you have loads of fun 🙂 xox
Thank you! And the very best of luck to you too! 🙂
You inspire me. All the best in 2015!
Happy New Year – I hope it shines for you!
Getting real is a great idea for 2015. Happy New Year, Alarna! 😀 xxxxx
Happy New Year, Dianne! You’re one of the people who definitely inspires me to get real 🙂 I hope the year is bountiful and full of colour for you xoxo
Hello my dear Alarna! Have I told you lately what an incredible writer you are? I loved this post so much! For many reasons. 🙂 I am happy that you are choosing not to be flat (I have been “blessed” with a large chest so there is no being flat for me even if I wanted to be.) Sounds like a wonderful endeavor and I am sure you will succeed. I wish you a very peaceful and joyous 2015, amiga! 🙂 🙂
Hahaha…. Dear Maria, even without that enviable chest, you couldn’t be a flat person if you tried 🙂
Gah! That sent before I was ready! What I was trying to say was, you’ve way too much personality to ever be 2D! Thank you, lovely – you put a massive smile on my face today. I wish you the very best in good health and sangria this 2015 🙂 xoxo
“I want to get my hands dirty. To know that what I am doing to survive is worth something to someone else. That it is real.”
Oh sweetie, we don’t want you to fall flat! No, no, no, that would not quite be you! You are a survivor and oh so worthy! Life can be so difficult sometimes. And we all can feel defeated at one time or another. Hang in there girl. Real can be a good thing. I know you will make it through this and will be standing up on the other side. Meanwhile, keep in touch, will you? ((Hugs)) 🙂
Defeated? Me? Noooo, never… 😉 Thanks, Karen – I promise to hang in there if you will! And I will definitely stay in touch… it will continue to be haphazard for a bit longer, but it will all settle into a natural rhythm eventually, one hopes. Big hugs to you for 2015! xox
This is so inspiring, Alarna! That’s an incredibly giving profession and I totally get what you mean about 3D vs. flat. I am guilty of that sometimes FOR SURE.
Happy new year. Sounds like an exciting 2015 for you!
Ah, but we all are guilty – it’s impossible not to be! I’m looking forward to the challenge and to seeing where this year takes you, too! Let there never be a dull moment 🙂 xo
Go Alarna! And don’t worry—the writing will find its way, and you’ll have new things to write about, and change is good. Your new job sounds wonderful and I can’t wait to hear more. Funny—the Alarna I know in my head (who is thoroughly capable and multidimensional and utterly nice) is perfect for this job. Did the tomatoes really volunteer themselves? Because I’ve been trying for years to coax a tomato, but no luck.
Ha! Seriously, I think the trick is NOT to coax them. I found these new nifty composting bins with holes in them that you literally dig into the garden, throw scraps into, and forget about. The nutrients seeps into the soil with no tossing or worming, and when the compost is made you just spread it round. The tomatoes just grew from that, requiring little more labour on my part than watering – my kind of gardening 🙂
I’m looking forward to the adventure and just hope my 3D self lives up to the 2D picture in your head! Thanks, Anna – your a darling. Happy New Year to you! xox
I’m been mulling over what my word or phrase could be for this coming year and what I keep coming back to is Adaptability. The last year had SO much change for me and my family that I found myself struggling to adapt. So finding some wisdom in this regard is what I will be looking for in 2015.
Wishing you all the best, Alarna!
For some reason, change seems to go like that – we bumble along, and then it all just happens at once. Its a tough gig – sounds like the good thing is your change as happened, now comes the adjustment period – I hope 2015 brings you the peace you need to settle in. Happy new year, Coleen xo
Alana it sounds good to me get real and keep it real. So many people with their noses plugged into gadgets. Sometimes its great to unplug and look at the world that is right in front of me. Good luck with your new career path. It will be a rewarding one for sure.
Sorry Alarna name spelt wrong is a no-no in my book if I can help it. Still in a fuzzy 2014 haze I need to get real NOW!
Haha, thanks Kath. Don’t worry about the spelling at all – everyone gets tripped up by that, it’s my parents fault for making up the spelling to suit themselves 🙂 Thanks for the encouragement – pretty sure we are all guilty of gadget gazing these days. At least, in your case, there are a few lovely cows to keep thing real 🙂 Happy New Year to you! xo
Live intentionally and with meaning and purpose. That’s my motto but to also laugh and not take things so seriously. I’m so happy for you. Alarna and getting real is a part of this wonderful life we choose to live in. Wishing you the best for 2015.
Not take things so seriously is a great motto, too! I might need to adopt that as my second. Hope all is well for you, Lynne xo
Can’t get much more real than helping care for older people. There was never any danger of you being flat, however. I know the feeling of wanting connection, a place, and people who you can help. You will be an amazing caregiver. Your football stories brought out your funny side. This will bring out your heart side. Best wishes.
Thanks so much for your lovely comment! It’s been a huge learning curve so far, but I’m really glad I made this decision. It could turn out to be the best career move I’ve ever made.
Happy New Year, Alarna! Flat shouldn’t even be a word in your vocabulary. You will always have your three-dimensional world view and your fresh perspective on writing and life and everything else in between is what keeps you real. Congrats on your career decision, and I wish you luck as you venture into a whole new world.
Cheers to you, Millie Ho. Now that I have been on my feet for two weeks, there’s a whole lot more real to add to that – including some previously undiscovered muscle systems 🙂
Hi Alarna! Congratulations on this exciting new direction! Survival. Stability. Self Worth. All necessary in order to to get us to the end game.
My work requires me to spend hours every day in front of flat screens. It’s actually creative and fulfilling work, and I feel very fortunate. But, yeah, there are many days where I feel like I’m flattened, particularly if I then come home and start blogging! Oh for balance!
It’s a year for living passionately for me!
Happy New Year!
As long as you love what you do, that’s what counts. But yes, balance is the tough part…I was getting to the point where I’d rather stab my own eye out than look at a screen. Hoping that will change once I’m used to an entirely new (and so far, rewarding) routine is established. Cheers to passion! Xo
Congrats on this change, we do indeed all need to make changes sometimes, and to refuse to be flat! I guess you will be on that first placement right now, hope it is going well, and wishing you a fantastic 2015!
Thanks Vanessa. It is going really well and I’m glad I’ve made the change. One week left and fingers crossed for a job.
Love it, Alarna! Yay for you! I just made a career change, or rather got the type of job I’ve been wanting for years, in November. It was the missing link in my life and I’m feeling good…keepin’ it real. My word for 2015 is ENJOY.
Wow, congrats to you, Britt! I hope you are loving it, and that your year is as rewarding and enjoyable as you wish it to be.
Real, real… Ha ha, when have I not been, apart from the fiction.. A single phrase for the 2015 ahead – Endurance between the wild places :).
Endurance between. Yes, sometimes the wild becomes a bit miraged… 🙂
Where you are going, there are so many untold stories, undocumented stories, stories rarely listened to a close quarters and taken in and explored – anecdotes steeped in laughter, sadness, and life. There is so much between showing a story and living life. A creator of film and written works will always listen well, all the best for the year ahead… cheers!
Thank you, Sean. Yes, many stories – it is a rich occupation. I’m still looking for a job, actually, but fingers crossed, it will not take much longer.
Good on you! Welcome to the world of health-care! For me it has been wonderful, at times god-awful and immensly satisfying.
I look forward to hearing how you get on.
Working in any kind of care job is great for writing because of the flexibility.
Evie, I was thinking of you as I made the decision, and wondering what you would think. So happy to hear your perspective on the flexibility as that was my hope. “Wonderful, god-awful and satisfying”? Two weeks in, I can see how it can be all of those things. I think I’ve made the right choice 🙂
Sounds like a smart, healthy decision. I’m still on the same roller coaster, so I’m not exactly flat, but I am very, very loopy.
Ha! Loopy 🙂 I hope it becomes untangled for you soon, maybe a chance for some perspective at the top of the next roll down 😉
I can feel your excitement from here and I’m happy for you! I’ve thought about doing that kind of work so I’ll be interested to hear how it goes. You’ve done a lot through your writing though too. Sometimes it’s harder to see the difference that’s being made, but it’s there.
Sheila, it’s so lovely to hear that the words matter. I’m committed to keeping that alive, though it may not look like it. It’s just been a process, this whole change of paid employ. Keeping my fingers crossed that page is almost turned, so I can return to blogging / writing with full vigor! Much love to you…I hope to come visit everyone shortly 🙂
Well done you and all the best for your projects Alarna! I hope you are well. I do miss your blog. I hope you will be back soon here once you settle in your new work. I’m sure you will find time for the writing, you are so talented with words.
Hey there Rita, thanks so much for coming by and offering such encouragement. I miss you and everyone a lot, and I miss blogging. I hope to slowly come back…just been trying to secure work and it is funny what a change of career does to ‘test one’s metal’. I hope all is well with you! Xo
Hey Alarna — I’m very happy to hear about this — I’ve been MIA from the blogosphere for a while but it sounds like you are taking firm control of your destiny in 2015. I hope to stay on that particular path myself — I have a lot more gas in the tank as far as musical theatre work is concerned, and I want to make sure I do all the writing I’m capable of this year. Looking forward to hearing more.
Hey Chris, as you can see, MIA is the word for me this year. Hope the gas is still burning strong for you!
Dear Alarna
…whatever you do don’t stop writing. If you do, you’ll probably choke with mental notes.
Sending you a big hug.
Adriana
Sending you a big hug back. I’m on pause for a bit longer than expected. Not sure how one’s supposed to do it all, but I haven’t quit yet xo
Congrats to you, Alarna. 🙂 Mathair and I also had to venture out and reconnect with…. life. lol We’re still writing and readying for the publication of the second installment to The Perfect 7 but like you we felt that living was pertinent to our well being AKA our mentality. haha We wish you the best of luck this year and can’t wait to hear from you again.
Well, it’s been regretfully much longer than I expected, thought I’m still beneath the smokescreen somewhere, lol. Hope 2015 was everything you hoped, and then some! How are you both?? xoxo
Hi Alarna: Inion told me to pop over & check out your post and new changes. Big ones!! Congrats Alarna and I mean that!!! You and Inion are such similar creatures you always remind me of my daughter. I know that this move is a positive one and you will find balance through this bold step. Wishing you all the best & will be stopping by to see how you’re doing. 😉 xoxoxo
Hold that thought a little longer, will you?? 😉 Thanks so much for your visit, and apologies for not being around… Hope life is treating you more than well xoxo
Well I am reading this almost a year too late as I was going through something similar.. But it’ll be interesting to know how things are going. 🙂 Time definitely runs faster than us, and then it’s another year end. Hope you have things under control now.
I’ve recently read that there is no such thing as time, and since it’s taken me, what, four(??) months to reply here, I’m hoping that’s true! Love to know more on your own Get Real journey…
Dare to wake, dare to breathe; How dirty have your hands been, and have they shaped your new world well?
Dearest Sean, thanks for your thoughtful visits… Your dare haunts me, so there’s nothing else to do but make a slow return 😉 My hands? That sounds like a future blog topic waiting to happen. I hope you are well. xoxo
We should never be in a rush, our world does that fast enough around our Sun.