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So, here I am, a fortnight out from my final exam on this first paper and I’m not freaking out just yet. I re-enrolled today for next semester. I’ve picked up two papers – both are core papers for the NZDipBus with accounting focus, and one of the two is a core paper for the other qualification I’ve decided to aim for which is the NZIM Diploma in Management.

I worked out that with clever picking of my papers, I could get two diplomas for the cost of one. So, that is what I am going to do! Also, doing two papers per semester now means I can do them in a faster time than I anticipated. However, the harder paper of taxation, will be done as a single paper one semester. I’ve been warned its very hard and may make my brain explode. Lol.

Motorsport has been okay. Tiring. I haven’t been in the best of health the past week, so working the last three days at Pukekohe has knocked me for six. It was stressful, and tiring, but I loved that once again it challenged me. I also got the news that I’m being up skilled to another radio channel. I’m excited and incredibly nervous all at the same time. Last night I kept waking up in a panic over safety car procedures.

Something I did get to try on Friday at the race track was Race Radio. I’d never paid any attention to how race radio works, so had to take my queues from someone who doesn’t normally do it either. Comment was passed that I am a natural. But don’t worry, I’m not after that role anytime soon.

Hopefully I get better soon. I’m skipping going to camera club tomorrow night. Given that my final exam is looming and I’m unwell, I’m going to curl up with a text book.

Did I mention I finished my assignment? That was an effort. Phew!!

Anyways, one day I will give this blog more attention, tonight I’m just looking at hotels and flights for a midwinter break in Aussie. Any donations to the ‘Alikat needs a holiday fund‘ will be greatly appreciated.

I’m a bit bored and watching the F1 from Korea on tv. I tried to finish one part of my assignment today, and to be fair, I’m struggling, with the content and with the actual sitting down and putting in the effort. My goal tonight is to finish the first part of the assignment, which leaves the harder part, worth more marks still to do. I’m wondering if having a desk, away from distractions like TV etc will help me focus more on the task at hand. The dining room table doesn’t cut it for me anymore. Specially not since I broke one of the chairs!

I also nailed my exam – 98% – which is awesome. I’m doing really well and I’m quite enjoying accounting.

Settling into the new job has been a bit harder. It’s tricky to settle into your new job when you’re still visiting your old workplace three times a week. I am missing the boss there, but, not much else.

Speaking of missing things, I have found myself missing attending class while I’m on mid-semester break. I look forward to picking up two papers next semester, but I might do one paper and then switch straight to the bachelors degree. Not sure. Will chat with the programmer director at some stage.

I also got another first place at camera club.

I took a gamble on entering a plane photo with a judge who specialized in portraiture, and it paid off with two honours. Which puts me at the top of the intermediate grade. Next weekend I have a workshop with Eva Polak I believe at Karioitahi Beach. Can’t wait to see what I get in the camera. I’ve splashed out in a Cokin filter system, about time I got one really.

Nothing else is really new. I’m now thinking about how to do a takeover of an area upstairs to make it my study zone. Thinking of the end bedroom and packing up the now unused desktop PC. I have a small IKEA desk, but it should be fine. It’s actually slightly bigger than my dining table! More thinking required. Thinking = procrastination. Will sort out desk thing over summer.

I did this last year and got a handful of most excellent shots, and so the opportunity came up again this year to go on a walk. I decided on the walk at the viaduct again because I got some great shots last year and since then the ‘tank farm’ area has undergone extensive redevelopment – from industrial tank farm to large inner-city park and dining precinct.

And for this walk, I’d managed to convince underwater photographer, Tara, to join me. And being women who march to their own beat, we did the walk backwards!

Because the Oval Ball World Cup is being held in New Zealand, the Wynyard Quarter (as the redeveloped Tank Farm is now called) was buzzing with fans and the general population even on a grey and slightly miserable day.

As walkers, we photographed marching bagpipe and drum bands and Clydesdale horses! And when the weather turned bad, Tara decided that we should head inside and play with our food instead.

I’m personally happy – I had a tiny wee play with my ND filters. Instead of carrying a tripod, I had packed a small wheat bag (obtained from any physio/pharmacy/supermarket) to keep the camera still and steady.

Working in lightroom will keep me occupied for some time and I hope to have something to enter for camera club in less than a fortnight and something to enter into WWPWD competition as well!

• My WWPWD Set on Flickr
• Tara’s WWPWD Set on Flickr

It was also decided that we will do this again and not wait another 12 months for Photo Walk Day

Does one quote carry the ability to change your life?

A little over a year ago, I saw a quote and I it has stuck with me. That instead of trying to find who I am, I should take charge and create myself. Instead of looking inwards, look outwards and indulge in the things that bring me joy, bring me happiness – because that is what will go part of the way to defining me. Not bloody navel gazing.

So, over the last 12 months or so, that is what I have done. I’m over trying to mould my life to fit around other people. I am who I am, and I am evolving. I’m done apologising for my life.

Last week, I saw another quote:

Don’t go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first. – Mark Twain

And that struck a chord too. I know many people who should read this quote. They’re victims of the grass is always greener and they carry some sort of sense of entitlement, when they really should just drop the act and be happy with their lot, and they’ll find that the riches of a happy life will come their way.

And there is my personal quote, which roughly translated from the latin means ‘I Aspire to Greatness’ which, even though I wasn’t aware of this quote, is something I lived by anyway. It is the Moffat Clan motto – and being from Clan Moffat, I find it incredible that my personal belief in life, is the same across the clan.

Spero meliora

Are there any quotes you live by or have shaped your outlook on life?