31.Jan: Quite a month!

May I say that I took some time to reflect on the whole month. It's been a while since I felt a month this long. Did this project contribute? I hope you have had a more mindful month of at least a little less sleepwalking than usual. 

30.Jan: taking it easy

Especially when A reads to Sami! I also get to listen in and enjoy the minutes of peace and quiet before he's up climbing couches, chairs,  walls, ceilings and sinks again....aaaah....

29.Jan: Bulgarian breakfast

I love it! Stopped by a place I've never been in before to buy some remedy for my hangover? headache. Found Burek! sold by a Turkish guy! If you don't know, it's best eaten with yogurt. Thankfully the grosery store was next door and I had the perfect breakfast! Yum!

28.Jan: Yours truly got a job offer today!

Not only did Sami have a second great day at school today but also I got a job offer for July when my peoject runs out! Yeeah! It's now sure that we won't starve to death in one of the most expensive countries on Earth! 

Education pays! I'm so glad we left Vegas!

27.Jan: first day of school

So proud of my boy! Changed schools today. He took it so bravely!

26.Jan: Sami and daddy day of fun

I am thankful for every quality moment as a father. They are few and I know they won't last long. Thank you, son, for the excitement and joy!

25.Jan: so hard

It's almost impossible to be trankful today. The morning started with a shattered iphone screen. It didn't progress well. 

I'm actually thankful that we went on a three hour walk and Sami didn't complain. He must have been feeling too guilty. 

Let's see how tomorrow goes. It's Australia day after all. Of course it doesn't matter. I'm just saying it's a day off. No picture today. You can imagine what a broken screen looks like. 

24.Jan: out and about

I'm That's what Queensland is all about! Mountain and beach in the same day. Not bad. 

23 Jan: got the little plastic car that Sami got his finger stuck in properly removed without a doctor

Yes, the entire morning revolved around this little shit:

22.Jan: pizza party

Ok. Above all I completed one of my six reports that were part of my profession for the past 3.5 years. This one was number four and I only have two left. Proud and happy!

So, we are celebrating with home cinema and pizza! The best pizza I have ever made!

Ok, I'll share the recipe with you:

1. I made wallnut pesto: basil (handful), wallnuts (handful), a small handful of sunflower or pumpkin seeds, half a lemon- good size- squeezed thoroughly, salt, some water and olive oil. Blend! You need a semi-runny liquid that you can spread on the pizza just like you would tomato sauce. 

Spread it. Not a super thin layer. Make it properly cover the pizza. 

Step two: two pizzas

Pizza one:

Over the pesto drizzle a TOUCH (literally, touch the honey and drizzle tiny little staces over the pesto. 

Ground black pepper on top. Some. Not much. 

Leave it now. 

Chop onions and mushrooms. Caramelize them quickly on super high heat with salt and olive oil. No water or sauce in the pan! Just the onion mush and oil/salt. (I had truffle olive oil but any will do). 

Then spread over the pizza, and top with goat cheese, any odd yellow cheese (sliced, not grated) and a touch of parmesan. If you don't have any, skip it. 

Preheat the oven. Bake at high heat (250 Celsius) for about 13 minutes. 

Pizza number two:

Same pesto base, same honey drizzle. Little pieces of blue cheese here and there, thin slices of nectarine. Top with the same yellow cheese and that parmesan if you have it. 

That's it. Bake the same way. Drink lots of red wine and pause at every sip and every bite. 

Yum!

21.Jan: Fuck everything! Let's have some wine!

After a difficult day that's the way to resurface. Love+food+wine. Fuck the world!

20.Jan: declutter

We get so piled with THINGS that we can bury ourselves if we forget to do a reality check from time to time. Today I decluttered some spaces and my mind feels less cumbersome. 

The little moments of emptiness....thankful for them! 

It's time to enjoy a walk along the Brisbane river. 

19.Jan 16: Rehearsal

I've been missing this. We haven't rehearsed for over a month and it feels good to scream your demons out!

18.Jan 16: New uniform

We are moving Sami to a new school and just bought the new uniform! We can't wait! He's so brave to start getting to know brand new people, teachers and places...and in a way he does it all alone. 

I am thankful for my amazing boy!

17.Jan 16: bookfest

Overwhelmed by books, cds, dvds and even vynil! Thanks for the bookfest! Felt good to dig. 

16.Jan 16: punk

Happy to be able to live my youth at the job I do. It's always been welcoming to my crazy preferences for hairstyle, sleeping in and being stress-free. 

Here's my new little mohawk. 

15.Jan 16: food market

Ever since we became parents going out became a huge luxury. Today we managed to pull it off with Sami. What a great feeling to break the pattern of Friday-night-stay-at-home-ness. 

14.Jan 16: phd?

Thankful for having the opportunity to talk to a music psychologist expert about starting a music-related PhD in less than a year. 

Will I make it in? It was a great meeting. Check the research that came out of her research group: 

http://musicfeeds.com.au/news/heavy-metal-increases-positive-emotions-reduces-stress-australian-study-finds/

You think it's my cup of tea?

13.Jan 16: already hard

Well, today I'm struggling. Maybe it's normal but it took 13 days for me to forget to remember to be mindful and thankful. 

So today went like a dream. I'm thankful that I remembered to remember to be thankful :). 

Let's see if this works. 

12.Jan 16: Vinyl love

Oh how I love my records and the ritual of playing music on the turntable. Pausing>cleaning the vinyl with a cloth>gently placing the needle on the record and hearing the slight cracking. 

Remember to go slow. And then remind yourself again. 

11.Jan 16: mail call

Love it when the mailman rings our bell with a delivery! Thankful for the little joys of life and collecting skate decks.

#ericnash #simsskateboards

10.Jan 16: wild parties

Well, more wildlife at parties. Nature in Australia is everywhere!

A mother and baby possums crashed our friends' party. This is their highway they said. And the spikes on the fense are not a problem. They just step on each side of them. 

9.Jan 16: Pain makes you feel alive

Today I'm thankful for skating, falling, hurting myself and bleeding! 

I wanted to feel alive, to experience some pain, to realise I'm not done with childhood! Here's to blood and pain! I am thirsty for more strong emotions! Not ready to be flat inside yet and that feeling's been haunting me for a while. 

#Lovelife

8.Jan 16: coffees

Ah the morning coffees where we sneak out before work for a little amazing coffee and talk! Somehow we always make it happen and it's always awesome!

Love my deer!

7.Jan 16: ALF

Beat part of the day: watching ALF with Sami. It's so much fun seeing it with him :)

6.Jan 16: Spiders

I am most thankful for Australian nature! Oh, how I dreamt all my life to see places unspoilt by humanity! Oh how abundant they are in Queensland, Australia! 

But oh, how thankful I am that these spiders are not in my house. 

Well, they are RIGHT next to the front door of my son's vacation care but kids don't seem to mind them... 

There are 21 or so spiders in this web. Here's some:

Piggy, Fatty, Gruesome, Wriggly, Angry, Scary and Sami...I mean Charlotte. 

5.Jan 16: a good friend

It's a rare thing...finding good people you really seem to click with. Got a totally unexpected present from a good friend! Such a great feeling!

4.Jan 16: Prepare!

Thank my dear wife for reminding me to take a breath before I dive right back into the work currents. Because they are relentless and unstoppable. So, today we paused. 

3.Jan 16: Sami

My 'Thank You' for today goes out to my dear boy who let us sleep in this morning. The age of having to wake up early with a young child is now over :). Sami woke up and kept quiet for two hours so we could have some sleep. Thank you, my boy! You are really growing up awesome!

2.Jan 16: Survaki

Thankful for finally finding the time to make a 'survachka' for Sami! We missed this Bulgarian tradition for a couple of years. Glad we made it this one!

1.Jan 16: Let the games begin again!

Ok the warmup lap is over! Let's begin! 

Happy new yeat! Let's see if we make it happen. 

Today I'm thankful for a calm day if looking at photos from 2015 and regaining strengrlth after very little sleep! 

Happy new year!! 

Let's hope it's more mindful, present and appreciated! 

Thanks also for this guy's reaction when he saw his 'New Years luck' from the banitza!

Also thanks for continuing our tradition of bingocon 1st of Jan. Sami won!