Is there anything wrong being nostalgic?

I don't think there is anything wrong being nostalgic. Every now and then I love going nostalgic. I often remember the times when I was happy (sometimes the sadder moments). I like analysing my past faults as well as my achievements. Remembering them gives me a lot of strength.

According to Wikipedia, nostalgic is defined as a yearning for the past, often in idealized form. Nostalgia is often triggered by something reminding the individual of an event or item from their past. The resulting emotion can vary from happiness to sorrow. The term of "feeling nostalgic" is more commonly used to describe pleasurable emotions associated with and/or a longing to go back to a particular period of time.

Nostalgia is comprised of several mixed emotions! We cry, we smile, and we cherish our past moments. We cry remembering the unfortunate or bad moments we have passed through; we cry even remembering the extreme joyous, buoyant moments of our past life. Some live in past, some go ahead in life keeping nostalgic moments in the deepest core of their heart. Even hard-nosed, pragmatic persons can’t help remembering their past moments of love, joy or celebration. Nostalgic moments and moods are indispensable in everyone’s life unless one is suffering from amnesia!

Honestly, I think we should all take time off to remember the small happy moments. We are always in a hurry today, running around ignoring the wonderfu things in life. 

Something I too don’t understand. It seems so much these days we hear how we aren’t supposed to be nostalgic because it means we are living in the past instead of the present and that we are “attached” to times long past. I don’t understand this. I’m still living here and now. Visiting with the past to me isn’t something “wrong”, even when I visit some of the sadder places. Which sort of brings me to an interesting thought…it seems to me more and more people are trying so hard to find ways not to feel…even if you were feeling kind of sad in your nostalgia over the week, what’s wrong with that?

Anyway this my thoughts, let me know what you think - do you think there's anything wrong being nostalgic?

Recipe: Choc Chip Banana Muffins

So I didn't just stop at making scones, I decided to try another recipe from MasterChef - yummy choc chip banana muffins.

Makes: 12 muffins

Preparation: 10 mins

Cooking: 20 mins

300g (2 cups) self-raising flour

150g brown sugar

200g milk choc chipa

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 large ripe bananas, mashed

125g unsalted butter, melted

125ml (1/2 cup) milk

1. Preheat oven to 200C. Cut out 12 x 15cm square of baking paper and use to line a 12-hole (80ml 1/3 cup) muffin pan.
2. Combine flour, sugar and choc chips in a large bowl.
3. Whisk together eggs, bananas, butter and milk in a large jug. Add to flour mixture and stir until just combined.
4. Divide batter among paper cases and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown and firm to the touch. Stand muffins in pan for 5 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool.

Recipe: Scones

I woke up this morning (OK..afternoon) and had this urge to have freshly baked scones. So I decided to make some..and this is the recipe I tried. Trust me, its to die for!

Makes: 12 scones

3 cups Self Raising Flour

1 tbsp caster sugar

80g butter, chopped

1 cup milk

jam & thick cream to serve

Five simple steps...

1. Preheat oven 200C, sprinkle self raising flour over a flat baking tray.
2. Sift self raising flour into a medium bowl. Add sugar. Using your fingertips, rub butter into the self raising flour mixture until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
3. Add milk. Use a flat bladed knife to mix until dough begins to come together. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently until dough comes together.
4. Flatten dough with palm of your hand until 2cm thick. Use a 5cm cutter to cut out scones. Place onto baking tray 1cm apart. Bake for 14-16 minutes or until golden and cooked through.
5. Serve warm with jam and cream.

Ahh.. it was lovely. Sitting out in the winter sun with our outdoor heater is a perfect way to spend our Sunday afternoon.

Hello God

I have been thinking about this post for some time. It's a Sunday afternoon, so I thought it would be a good time to blog.

I wasn't really brought up in a Christian home. My mother sent me to Sunday school every week which was where my faith was based. But I only really started to know God a few years ago when I was studying in Auckland. In my time in New Zealand I have learnt to trust God with all my heart and I held him close to my heart. I learned that if I "put my life in his hands" everything will happen as it's supposed to. 

Unfortunately when my grandfather passed away, I allowed my faith to slip away. I felt like it was the worst thing that ever happened to me (oh boy, was I wrong!). My heart was broken. I was mad. I was furious. I remember asking God to show me the lesson. What was I supposed to learn from this? Why did it happen?

Someone then told me that God has a plan and I wanted to belive that God was leading me, was guiding me. Whatever I was telling myself to feel, I knew then that my faith in Christ died.

Even when times were rough, I still feel like I could rely on God and that he would take care of us. A few years has passed since my grandfather was put to rest. I have learned that in life we face the ups and downs.

Recently my life has taken another turn. Losing Mike and the problems at work changed my perception in life. I am trying, very slowly to re-invet myself. As time goes on and when I think about my life more, I have come to realise some things. I will write more about that in my coming posts.

What I am trying to say is that I know God loves me and that is my biggest blessing. He knew was he was doing. He knew then, and he knows now.

Beautiful Sydney

One thing I love about Sydney is that almost anywhere I go, it's beautiful. Almost every walking path, every trail, every sidewalk in the city is beautiful to walk on.

The beauty of this place has inspired me to get outside more. My office is smack centre in Sydney CBD and I enjoy going out for short walks during my lunch time. I have visited a few parks around the city and explored areas through  walking and all of it has been fun because SYDNEY IS SO BEAUTIFUL!