A viEw FrOm AbOvE

This is the view that greets me every single day…No more turquoise sea,white sand,fresh breeze and smiling faces to say good morning…Now is crunchy time for me.I am officially out of my paradise even though  paradise is not out of me, yet.Coming to think of it,it will never be out of my system completely.

I am sure that with time, this new place will show this Nomad’s wife its hidden beauty,charm and lovable spots,after all I’m an optimistic at heart.What would be of life if we all decided that it was unlivable and unlovable and just washed our hands on it? -You tell me!

Dubai surely have something good to be remembered by…surely! Any way for the moment,considering the intense heat and the frequent sand storms all I can offer you is a view from above ,from my balcony.

Will tell you more about Dubai in small posts,there is a lot to say about this place…believe me.I guess been inside the UAE gives you a new perspective of life inside  Muslim  countries big time! Hey is not all bad..really!

I lost access to Flickr because by their religious standards is a pornographic site,I am having a tremendous hair fall due to bad over chlorinated waters,the food is never,ever fresh,…My hobbies are soon to become shopping and eating.LoL

They do treat woman,believe it or not,with the utmost  respect and I sense  also a bit of fear.I can not say much, but I  also  sense no kindness towards us the fragile sex ,just fear  for what we represent to them. This  is a man’s zone big time!! Buildings are tall, sleek and somehow masculine in its appeal. I am sure there is a hidden competition going on for the tallest building,richest and fattest man in here too,if you decide to swith to this direction, start a fattning diet now.lol

Dubai is, on my point of view,definitively a place built for man. Funny enough is that man in here wears dresses….Believe me when I say that is very elegant and I kind of like it ( on a skinny guy) on a fat guy…Better not say much in here,they could cut my access to this page.LoL

See,you can find thing  or two to laugh about this place after all…How about to love? -Well,give me some time  to adjust and explore  and we shell see. LoL

xoxox

Lila

My LiSt

Today, inspired by  Might Girl-http://mightygirl.com/mighty-life-list I decided to launch my own Life List.

A bucket list for some, for me is a simple life list that will just keep on growing. Something new will be added to it as soon as something from the list is conquered and achieved…Sounds fun, doesn’t  it?

My list will keep on getting bigger and more colorful based on my achievements, so I suggest for you to Keep an eye on this list periodically to see what I am up to.

I also wish for sponsors for my own List as Maggie did…Hey this is already a wish to add to my list!

If you decide to start your own List, please send me your link as I would love to read it and to link others to your blog to share their views on your List with you.

mY LifE LiSt

★To see the great Egyptian Pyramids ★To live in Italy for a year★ To be on the Simplon orient express, Italy from Venice to London ★To learn French★To  learn to  Tango in Argentina ★ Go to Cuba and photograph it with its glorious beauty and colors ★winter Camp in the desert★ Learn to cook a 3 course meal ★ To become a pro-photographer ★To go Swimming with dolphins ★ To become a Yoga teacher★ to visit the great wall of China ★To do or create something  fabulous that will survive me ★Go back to church ★ learn to dance the Salsa ★To be able to write on my passport : Artist-Pro-photographer★To have a dog again★ To explore Italy on a scooter★To visit India again★ To visit Angkor in Cambodia ★To visit The city of Petra ★Go to Greece ★Go back to Brazil and spend a vacation with my entire  family and have fun…real fun★ Have the courage to have a  face-lift when I come to need it ★Get my body  back  to its former good shape ★Read all the books I made my husband bring with us from Maldives and all the ones I keep on buying ★ To be closer to God★ To plant a tree on  Des’s name★ Never have to worry about money ★ Win the lotto in NZ ★To make a difference in someone’s life ★ To get into the habits of finishing what I started ★ To listen to good music every single day ★ To love myself more★ To go out more and make more friends ★ To go on a cruise to the Caribbean Islands★ Write to a travel magazine ★To go on a 10 silent Vipisana Meditation course ★ To become a 100% raw food eater★ To go back to Maldives again ★ To be fluent in Italian  and French★ Go to Mexico to visit  Michoacán, Las Manzanita’s and the Oaxaca’s Saturday markets★ To visit Peru and see Cuzco and Machu Picchu and see the Temple of the moon ★Go to Turkey to visit its beautiful mosques and markets ★ Sell my work on Etsy ★ to have an interesting blog that people likes to visit often ★To be paid to photograph for a living★ To get my own sense of style on clothing ★ To volunteer for a good cause every single year ★ to donate food  every week for the entire year★ To Let someone take a portrait of me ★Go to more photo work shops ★ go to Bali ★To  Learn to play the guitar ★To take more risks★ To laugh more, dance more, entertain more, sleep more, read more, love more, appreciate more, pray more and Live More ★ To thank God every single day for all I have ★ To live closer to my family back in New Zealand ★ To get up earlier every single day, for the entire year ,and go to the gym★ To listen more,use my head more,be more patience ★ To go on a Yoga retreat ★To go on an African Safari ★ To let my creativity flow without fear of criticism for being me ★ to take a 365 days photo challenge on Flickr★To get a fantastic hair style that becomes me★ To become a fine Art photographer ★ To visit Tibet ★ To visit Sri Lanka ★ To entertain more★ To have a family portrait taken ★To take better care of myself ★ To make our home and diet totally toxins free ★To do more random acts of kindness ★To be more adventurous ★To publish a book ★To say yes for an entire month★ Go to Portugal, Italy and Spain to visit my family roots ★ To listen to at least 1000 beautiful songs from now to end of 2011★ To learn decoupage ★ To live a very long life with no regrets…to 150. ★ To sleep under the stars and full moon once a month ★To have a beautiful, happy and  peaceful home were all my family can come and stay for as long as they need to★ To have at least 5 real commercial properties occupied and making money so we can finally retire in style ★To travel at least twice a year ★ To get a Canon 5DII camera and a gorgeous bag to go with it ★To get a 70-200, 85 ml canon lenses and a 17-40 ml★ To become a wedding photographer that people talk about ★To travel across NZ on a photographic journey  and publish all as a book ★ To have my own website ★ To de-clutter my life★ To make peace with my step mum and her family and to forgive my father★ To wear make up every time I go out★To cook a new recipe every day ★ To join a charity cause ★ To go to Hawaii for a romantic holiday★ To fall in love all over again★ To read at least 1000 inspiring books between now and end of 2011 ★see 100 most inspiring movies from the Amazon list by the end of 2011★ To reunite with my old friends once again★ To make my own eat,love and pray journey across life.

AnY cLuEs WhY aM i HeRe?

I am so excited to be here,problem is I have no idea why I’ve landed  here today! honest to God, I’ve ask myself ,why  do I need another blog? What am I going to do with it? Where the ideas are going to come from to be able to keep up with another blog and am I going mad or whats? Holy,holy mole!!

All I’ve ever wanted was a simple and boring white template blog to show off a bit of my “work”…Actually my hobby and once in a while,my work( I am still a free-lance photographer). Problem is, I am a bit of a chatterbox,if I see a blank page, it will  have to have something written on it. . . or else! lol

So, here I am starting yet another blog, to write silly things  that can not possibly interest anyone….anyone at all! What the hell?

To put the icing on the cake I am also a bit unreliable; better be up front and honest about it now. The title says all! lol

Do not ,under any circumstances, expect to see me around here every single day; is that a deal?

Okay, now that I come clean with you guys we can start to get to know each other  a little  better…I will be coming around   ” every now and then” to talk a bit,to share great links,to show you some of my work…If you would like to see more just come around to Flickr and tell me what you think of it later. Here is the link to my page:http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilacheck. I will also try to be a bit more reliable,no guaranties….Did I say that?

Oh well, all I wanted to say was: hello everybody!!

PS: Forgot to tell you that I come with my baggage from my last Blog…had too! Lol

xoxo

Lila

MeMoRiEs Of PaRaDiSe…

During your long journey of life
sooner or later
you will meet a road that diverges
whatever direction you choose
there is always another opposite one
that makes you regret in your heart
The road not taken is always there
exposing a vague sadness,
a dim sort of dusk


PS: Can you tell how much I’m missing Maldives ? I will tell you a little secret; more than the amount of stars in the sky.



Lila

A sImPLe pEaCeFuL mOmEnT. . .

Be kind whenever is possible. It is always possible”.
Dalai Lama.



Lila

BliSsifuL TuEsDaY…GrAtiTuDe

Hello my dear friends, Here we are on Tuesday again– let’s make this a good week, what do you say? I started a bit late…should I wait till next Monday to come back?

Will start this week by making a list of goodness to be thankful for…I have to remind myself that there is lots to be thankful for. I figured that by doing that I get a bit of joy brightening my gray days Inside Dubai, keeping the sad mood away. . . Better not have that mood back. . .  no way !

So here is my small list of bliss to be thankful for:

1. My mood, my ever so blissful mood, Iam the same all the time; half mad, half cow . . .but good! Someone asked me the other day if I ever cry, to which I responded; hell yes, every day, but I  smile  tons more every day too!  I guess this makes me as normal as any other woman. . . I hope. LoL

2. I woke up today, had breakfast and decided to stay In bed with a wonderful book for a little while. . .is so blissful when you can do just that . . . and the world outside ceases to exist for a brief period of time . . . so good to have lazy mornings.

3. All books by Dr, Wayne Dyer, he is simply fabulous… gotta love him .Found his blog and Here is the link to his blog,enjoy it!

4. My wonderful green magma, so healthy and so full of goodness. The magma is a blend of fruit juice and green vegetables with algae, spirulina and whey protein . . .yummy

Need the recipe for it? Will post to anyone that wants to try it.

5. Faith and hope; gotta have them!

6. Random acts of kindness . . .feels good to do them and even better to be on the receiving end.

7. My grandsons: Tristan and Archer…they are the joy of my life . . .  Love you boys!
8. Music, lots and lots of beautiful music.. . . all the time, especially Bossa Nova which always reminds me of my beautiful Brazil, I travel in my mind when listening to Brazilian music,. Sometimes I forget how it feels to be Brazilian. and it is good to feel Brazilian again.- looooove Bossa Nova!!
9. Photography . . .should I say more? Pop in to Flickr to see my latest work will you guys! –click here. and come along to enjoy my work with me.

10. Jack Jonson and his ever so relaxing and beautiful music . . .specially loooove banana pancakes!!

What’s on your bliss list this week?

Lila

FaBuLoUs TiMeS…

We are living fabulous times…yes we are, war apart, political intrigues and all apart…We are living on times of great miracles…choose to be part of it!

Oh, yes! The Rolling Stones still rocks, Rachel welsh still have her mojo and looks, Ozzy Osborn still rocks and the old are the new young generation of today . . . No more excuses about being too old to do anything these days girl! No sir, no madam! ! !

The older generation simply rocks! They are out there teaching the younger generation, how to live life on the NOW zone…Oh yeahh!!

Is hot to be older and is sizzling hot to embrace your age…Is chic to feel good about yourself at any given age. Flaunt it girls!

The younger generation are often bored with life before it even starts to take off…they are often, bored, depressed, obese and often negative about many things theses days. Ask a younger person how is life and you will get long monologues about politics, wars, strikes,petrol prices…How can you go anywhere with that kind of outlook? How about a better attitude to get on by?

If we are what’s we think and create our world with our thought…Hell will be on earth before we know it! LoL

Life is not easy…no sir,far from it. . .reality bites hard!
But life is truly 90% what you expect out of it and 20 % luck . . .How do I know?

Because I’m  a member of the “older generation’ that was young, bored and waiting for someone to tell me what’s to do once and someone to blame if it all went down hill !

Do I still get bored? Sure, but now I dance to my own tune, and I’m no longer scared of what you have to say about it! The fact that you like me or not is irrelevant in my world…the important thing is that I like myself as I’m, with warts and all!

I make my occasions, my mood, my choices and most of all; I’m in charge of my life!

Sure is hard to love myself sometimes, is hard to be in charge…hey I’m not an easy person to please or to live with…No sir! LoL

The fact is that I’m okay with the reflection of myself in my mirror and also happy with the all package. . . most of the time. . . I think. LoL

I’m happy with my faults and my positive points, they come with the package…what’s to do?  I’m okay with that!

Do not waste your Now trying to fix the world’s problems, someone else’s problems or just in futile dreams of a better you. You are great as you are now . . . sure there is always room for improvement…always will be room for it…after all you are a work in progress in the hands of God. But the now is the time to grab and dance with…to fly, soar and land where you want to land.

No excuses . . .  no more excuses, no more procrastinations, no more missing on great opportunities …say “No” to all the excuses that are holding you where you do not want to be now. What are you waiting for? -For luck? Luck only favors the bold!

Keep on sitting on the same warm spot and chances are you will still there 10 years from now. Move you but out of this warm comfort zone NOW!!!

Move your wings; dance to the tunes you created, dream higher dreams for yourself. . Believe in yourself and no one else . . . After all, gone are the days when a doctor, lawyer, teacher or a pastor, could tell us anything that we could trust to be true. We’re truly living on miracle days . . . days that only favor the bold , the gentle,the strong and the ones that dream higher.

The kinder, gentle, meek and the ones that can truly love (themselves and others) will surely inhabit paradise. These are biblical words: Matthew 5:5.

Fly and soar higher Now . . . and have an enjoyable and safe landing my cookies
xoxx

Thought for Today –Freedom of choices.

“Understand that the right to choose your own path is a sacred privilege. Use it. Dwell in possibility.”


Lila

A miLLiOn PiEcEs Of Me. . .

A million pieces of me . . .

Am I really here enjoying my now or is that my imagination? -Not if I’ve chosen to aim for perfection every single time. As I see, perfection simply robes me of that unique, one&only, chance of having a life . . . a life that is by all means imperfect, it does not have all the good stuff that a “perfect” life should be made off, but nevertheless is a life tailored for my needs right now. What’s wrong with that? –Nothing. Simply nothing…It’s just a matter of too many expectations, and sometimes even unrealistic expectations of a life. I often get stuck on the start and the end…what about the middle? What about the nifty-gritty stuff that gets you from the start to the finish line? I call it the glue in the middle that everyone chooses to forget about, the messy bits that no one likes to talk about. The “middle “ stuff sometimes can be hard to digest, especially for perfectionist people like myself. You see, the last 2 months/6 years, have been a crazy roller coaster for me. I moved home like a gypsy, left beloved people waving at airports more times than I can count, changed my friends more often than my underwear, tossed personal favorites like rubbish . . . Boy I feel like there is no ground under my feet to stand on!.  Nevertheless I’m experiencing a new wave of clarity that is liberating and for some is even inspiring.

I am embracing everything about my life as it is now; the start, the messy and turbulent middle and the end bits. I’m already seeing a way through where I don’t have a hundred lives divided up in a million different pieces of me.

Is not easy…is not a smooth road to walk on .I continue to berate myself for errors and pat myself on the back for small victories (not often though). I’m learning to be present to enjoy my life with passion.

So much is “all wrong” now, but I’m here and awake and alive to start fresh and stand up tall every time I happen to fall…I’ve chosen the now instead of waiting for tomorrow. You see, Tomorrow may never come to many people… Do not forget our mortality and, for that reason alone, now is your best time ever!

The “messy” middle isn’t so bad after all and I’m starting to see a way through . . . where I don’t have to conform to anyone’s high expectations of me, including my own…lol

I am almost at a point were my now is my perfect moment . . . and as for my expectations of tomorrow;  I know  that my  “now” is too important to waste it on planning a “tomorrow’ …better to be present and enjoy a life that I have in front of me now.

My life still an unspeakable mess that would send anyone over the edge–but I’m hoping to love it anyway–along with all the people and choices that helped me arrive here . . . just on time. How are you behaving in that “messy middle “ space?  Are you kind to others and to yourself? Where are you  right now? Are you present? If not this is your wake up call my cookies! Wake up! ! !

I’d love to hear what you’ve learned about this in the comments

below.

Lila

xoxo

FoOd 4 ThOuGhTs. . .

Good morning my cookies….Happy enjoyable Sunday to you all!

Hey,that can’t be right, is that positive & happy person really me?-Sure is!

I figured, that if got a better attitude towards life,then life will start to get some interesting colors. . .And,did I hear you asking; where is your Mojo now Lila? – It is on vacation still!- but I have a feeling that it is on it’s way back home…In fact I have a feeling that we both needed a little vacation away from each other. I’m cool with it now!

Sometimes, if you do not know where to go next or what’s to do next, stop everything and let life lead you for a change. Follow the flow; it will all come to you when you are ready to take life by the horns. “When the student is ready the teacher will show up.”Agreed on that too? LoL

Any way, today is my “Food for thought Sunday” and I can hear you asking me; And ?

-And I will give you something to think about, something to enjoy reading(I hope) and a great link to uplift you today.

Shell we begging? Okay?

Yesterday I found this quote from Anne Frank and today I want to share it with you: “Everyone has inside of him a piece of good news. The good news is that you don’t know how great you can be! How much you can love! What you can accomplish and What your potential is!”
-Anne frank.–Fabulous, don’t you agree?

Here is your food for thought; Do you know how much potential you have to do greatness in this life? Do you? I know that I have to think really hard about this one! sign.

Ya see,we are, by far, our hardest critics,in fact, we are never enough or will ever have enough to be really happy with whom we are  or have in the present moment. . .and our today will be gone empty on the hopes of tomorrow being the ” D-day” for us. Have good news for you too; the “D” day is today.. . . in fact right now!
Do not let the sun go down on you without Going out there and doing all you can do to be happy .being all you can be to be happy and loving all that you can love to feel happy. Gotta  do it kiddo! LoL

Today I also found an incredible blog dedicated to help woman to build their self-esteem. It may or may not be your cup of tea and you will only know if you drop there for a little visit…. what are you waiting for?

The blog have a great selection of reading material for all of us and is such a lovely girly place. And when in there,grab a cuppa and a comfy chair and relax will you?So please drop at Self-esteem for a visit, and if it’s not your cup of tea, maybe it can offer some help to a friend, a relative or anyone that you think that could benefit from it.
How about a funny blog to start a great Sunday on a funny side of life? I simply love a good gig ; gotta have them!
Check this one out The Travelling Bra and tell me  later if you enjoyed reading it. . . in fact I know you will have a good laugh..LoL
Enjoy your Sunday!!

“May you be blessed with a day where no one speaks negatively, including you!”

Lila

ThInGs I lOvE. ..

1) This book Here simply fabulous

2) My memories ofMaldives, of the salty sea air and the gentle waves lapping at my toes that always cleared my mind and made me feel overflowing with joy. Thank you dear God for the last 5 years I had inside this  paradise


3) Summer and Spring, gotta love them.

4) The wordJoy.  I just truly love this word. I like finding a new word every week that uplifts my soul, and this week is Joy.


5) I really love the idea of kindness, of being kind to others and to yourself, I came across that video  at Kind Over Matter and honestly love it so much I have to share it with you


6) You know how much I love photography, right?. . . Actually Photohography is one of my passions in this world, What would I do without my Canon? -This camera is my second pair of eyes and best travel friend at the moment, gotta love it even more .Lol


7) Speaking of joy, I cannot leave here without mentioning the beautiful, soulful, special woman Georgianna Lane :Here..

She is one of my most talented Flickr’s friend and a photographer with a huge heart.


8) This beautiful Youtube videoSee for yourself , I found it last week and I am already addicted to it.

9) My daughter Celeste, she is simply the best friend a girl can ever have…Love u girl!!


10)Yoga. . .OOOHMMM! !

xoxo

…