Author Archives: sherrinicholds

Saying Goodbye to the Pallet Pavilion, Christchurch

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I have said in previous posts that one of the most encouraging things about being in Christchurch is the inventive and creative ways they have come up with using the devastated empty spaces left over by the earthquake. The Re-Start Mall is still one of my favourites, but closest to me is the Pallet Pavilion. Sadly, this came to an end this weekend.

 

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The Pallet Pavilion is exactly what it says on the tin: a community event space built out of pallets. Part of the GapFiller project, it was one of many temporary pieces of architecture created by volunteers to utilise a space that would otherwise have remained a dull and depressing piece of waste ground.  It has also been a lot less temporary than first intended; so popular that it has been kept open until the cost has simply become too much.

Being halfway between my apartment and the library, I have probably walked past this structure more times than anywhere else in the city. From the moment I arrived it became part of my psychological landscape. I know that the next time I walk past it will be gone and that’s going to be a sad thing. But it also means that there is progress. The city around me is rebuilding even as I sit here, three months in, and it is ramping up to an even faster rate.

Created by a population that was coming together and building something out of nothing, I hope that spirit continues on as winter comes and the fourth anniversary of the biggest and original quake – a cracker with a magnitude of 7.1 – rolls around in September, with so much still left to do.

New Pen: Wooden Purple Heart

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Another impulse stationery purchase. Once again, I am holding the Pen Addict Podcast entirely responsible.

Whilst looking for Christmas ornaments (don’t ask) I stumbled across this little beauty in a small shop along the seafront. Field Notes included for a sense of scale:

 

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It is made from Purple Heart wood and feels perfect in the hand. Did you know that Purple Heart is the colour of normal wood when first cut and then becomes purple with exposure to UV light? No? Well, you do now. This pen is already a lovely rich purple colour, so it will be interesting to see how it changes with time.

Not only does the barrel feel great, it is a nice little writer too. I’ve come to learn that a pen can look amazing, but if you don’t actually enjoy the experience of writing with it, then there is really no point. This has a nice smooth ink flow for a standard ballpoint.

Apparently it was handmade by someone named Ron Peterson, but I have been unable to find out any more information than that by browsing the interwebz. I’d be intrigued to find out more.

Things To Do In Christchurch: Akaroa Kayak Experience

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Me in a kayak? Anyone who knows me also knows the concept of me doing anything requiring balance is an amusing concept. After a particularly bad bout of vertigo several years ago which left me unable to stand upright for a few weeks, tightrope walking was most certainly ruled out as a career option.

Still, being brave, I signed up for the kayak adventure with Pohatu Penguins. Unsure of what to expect, my main goal was not falling in the water. Firstly, the drive to get there was amazing. The Kayaking itself was in a marine reserve, so finding it was deliberately difficult. But the scenery from the top of the mountain was breathtaking. Unfortunately, the slight haze and the fact I only had my iPhone meant that I couldn’t really do it justice.

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Following the descent back into the bay, there was surprise sheep feeding (why not?) and an up close experience with two tiny and adorable penguins that were being nursed back to health after being found weak and exhausted. Discovering that during breeding season they would make the way to the top of the mountain certainly gave that some perspective. I’d want more than a few fish to recover from that.

With only one other couple in the group, it was a very personal experience and we had the bay to ourselves. Having done mass tourist experiences a handful of times in the past, I would always forsake the slick and commercial for the small and passionate. There was plenty of time to chat with the guide and the whole experience was fun and informal. I would certainly consider doing the bigger package next time and getting to see more of the wildlife. Getting splashed by a playful seal whilst out on the water certainly gave us a taste for the great outdoors that was missing after spending so much time in the city. Having spoken to the guide, they also do a slightly modified version for cruise visitors to the area. Companies such as Royal Caribbean tender here now, due to the port damage in Christchurch caused by the earthquakes.

I can also recommend getting fish and chips from Murphy’s on the peer afterwards. Kayaking is strenuous activity, after all.

Book Review: Quitter by Jon Acuff

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I first read Quitter about 6 months ago whilst on a two week vacation in Spain. It had been mentioned on one of the productivity blogs I listen to (I can no longer remember which) so I thought I’d give it a go.

You see, I’ve had a dream job for as long as I can remember. Like many people who have a dream job, it is something without a definite career path or guaranteed outcome. It’s not like being a lawyer or a doctor. A lot of being an author comes down to luck and timing, which is the worst thing about it.

But in order to take the chance when it comes along, you have to be as prepared as possible. You have to have already put in the hard yards. That was what I had been doing and I knew that it was time to really build momentum.

I took heed of Chapter 1 – Don’t Quit Your Day Job, I really did. Then the universe gave me an opportunity to live just one element of my dream and so quit the day job I did.

Jon is very good in this book at not shying away from the harsh reality: there is no smooth and easy path to getting your dream job. It is not all unicorns and puppies. It is hard and it takes work. You have to be prepared to hustle. You have to have a plan. More than anything, you have to really, really want it. Enough to be prepared not just to hustle in your free time, but to appreciate the gifts that the ‘day job’ gives you. This book reminds you to have perspective when it is very easy to lose sight of it down there in the weeds.

You can find more about Jon at his website.

Serendipitous Field Notes, Black Estate Winery

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I have been hearing an increasing amount about Field Notes, first brought to my attention by the amazing Pen Addict Podcast. Whilst they have achieved cult status in the US, getting hold of them internationally is not so simple. Especially somewhere the back of beyond like New Zealand.

I was therefore surprised and suspicious when I saw that there was an alleged supplier a mere hour’s drive away from here at Black Estate Winery. I had to go past it on the way to somewhere else, so I decided to pop my head around the door to just double check that I must be mistaken. Which is where I found myself wrong and now the proud owner of:

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I wasn’t sure what to expect as there is only so much you can do to judge a notebook without actually having it in your hands. In some ways they should be bland and nothing special. Yet the moment I first picked them up, I knew I could be completely sucked in. (I also stayed for a very nice cup of coffee, because I didn’t want to seem like someone with a notebook problem. I’ll go back there again and do a separate review at some point, I’m sure).

I opted for the graph paper, having used both plain and lined pocket notebooks plenty of times before. It feels like a natural fit; providing some structure if I need it, without being restrictive. Depending on how it goes, I feel this could become my format of choice.

I’ve decided that it is the perfect size to test on my trip to the US and Canada that is coming up. Marketed towards being rugged and durable, a road trip should be the most exertion I would normally put it under. If it holds up to that, then I might just be tempted to buy more once I’m out there. The new Shelterwood collection would be a no-brainer for me.

 

Book Review: Down Under by Bill Bryson

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Confession: this is not the first time I have read Down Under. The first time was just before I visiting Australia a decade ago. I didn’t actually buy the book for me. It was a Christmas present for my mom after I somehow got confused about her request for the latest book by Bernard Cornwell. Don’t ask.

The book itself gave me so much help in planning my trip. I had twelve months to travel and the guidebooks were all so uniform. Catering to either the backpacker (party!!!) or the high end tourist (out of my budget), they were great for the overview. There was something different about Down Under though. It made Australia seem alive to me before I even got there. It certainly made me want to visit places I would never have normally considered.

Now I find myself tantalisingly close to Aussie again, but yet still so far away. Despite the fact it is closer now than it has been in a good many years, my next planned trip out of New Zealand is going to be to the States and Canada. That’s been planned long before my sudden move and not going to change now. So, in an attempt to remind myself of what I had been holding onto for so long, when I saw Down Under in the library I couldn’t resist getting it.

Even for those that have never been, Bryson’s storytelling is instantly accessible. He is evocative without ever being grandiose and at times brutally honest in a way that anyone aiming for a commercial tourism book would never be.

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From his terrifying assessment of the wildlife (why is it so likely to kill you anyway?) to exploring the cities (I personally think Canberra gets an unfair rap), Bryson covers it all. Plus he’s right; unless you live there, you never remember the name of the Prime Minister. Sometimes, I suspect, you don’t remember even if you’re Aussie born and bred.

So, this wasn’t the first time I read it and it won’t be the last. Hopefully, at some point in the next twelve months, I’ll be in a position to see it all for myself again too…

Finding Stephen King at twilight: Christchurch post-earthquake

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It is a very surreal experience when you take a wrong turn down a city street as the sun slips below the horizon, and find yourself inside a Stephen King novel. Really, that was how it felt. An entire row of abandoned shops, dust settling eerily on furniture that was just left after the earthquake struck. Like this florists, where the flowers were now most definitely dried rather than fresh:

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As if the spooky quiet and cracks in the walls weren’t enough to deter entry to the abandoned block, this friendly graffiti  sprayed onto the window was sufficient to send me hurriedly on my way…

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…before I could get invited in by a curious old man who would no doubt drag me into an eternal nightmare….

I Didn’t Sign Up For This…

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I thought moving down under from an English winter would result in something that was fairly consistently summer-ish. Instead, we are about to finish day 2 of gale force winds, thousands of properties outside the city have no power and the water on the balcony is several inches deep and rising.

This just about sums it up, courtesy of tvnz:

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Tracking Goals: Going Analogue

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Along with Lift (edit: now coach.me), I’ve also found something analogue to help with my habit formation and personal development. This is the cool Goals Journal from kikki K.

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It takes some time to set up, but the process of doing so is really worthwhile. Instead of just coming up with random goals, it starts with the premise of trying to define your dream life. There are several helpful examples that talk you through the process, for example, stating your core values:

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The dream life itself has a few key factors, one of which is explicitly stating when you want to be living this. That took me a bit of thought. I obviously wanted to pretend I could get my dream life as soon as possible. Next week! But reality kicks in. So setting the balance between plausibility and so far in the future you’re not actually motivated to start straight away is a thought-provoking act in itself.

 

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Once you’ve worked out where you’re going to be, there is a section for each month where you define 4 goals. Only four for the month, so as long as you do it sensibly, it always feels achievable. The key part here is stating why you want to do this – how does it propel you further towards your vision?

 

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Of course, we all know that setting out goals is not enough. If only it were. But no, you actually have to take action to achieve them. To combat some of the most common excuses (I don’t have time etc etc), for each month there is a timetable. This urges you to set time aside for your goal work in the same way you would schedule an appointment for all the other areas of your life. This highlights how much time you really do have in your life if you want it badly enough.

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So, tomorrow being the 1st of March, I have completed everything and now it is all set up. At the end of the month, it’ll be interesting to see the progress I’ve made on my four defined goals (and if I gave myself the reward regardless…).

Lift App: Building Habits For Success (Review)

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So, I have started using the Lift app to try to get into the habit of doing the little things that count.

Research has shown that having small goals, such as to drink more water daily, can have a big impact on your overall success. The thinking is that by making small changes and succeeding, you gain a sense of momentum that spreads to other areas of your life. Plus drinking more water is really good for you.

I know from personal experience that having a routine and using habit to achieve a goal can work. So, from a personal development perspective, I like the idea of having a tool that reminds me and rewards me when it comes to habits.

The ’21 days’ thing has been pretty much debunked as a myth, so there is no definite habit formation period that is universal to human experience. With my morning writing, it started to move from pain to pleasure after about two weeks, but I had a strong emotional attachment to the goal to start with. Other things, like going to the gym, I’m going to do because I know the benefits, but there is still an underlying sense of doing because I have to, not because I want to. Logic tells me that this habit will take way longer to cross over from the pain threshold.

The rewards feature (don’t break the streak! High Five!) are nice little touches to keep you engaged. Many of the preset goals have plans attached to them, so you don’t even have to figure out what you need to do from the get-go. This gives you a nice motivational sense of support that you can do the first few steps.

I’ve been using it for around two weeks so far and like the results. I have been to the gym more, read more and have done things to take myself out of my comfort zone. So, even if I haven’t achieved daily perfection I have still made progress, and that is what this kind of thing is really about.

You can read more on the blog here, or follow the guys on twitter.