Family Affairs

NATIONAL DECISION DAY

Yesterday was National Decision Day. Thankfully, I’m on holiday in Australia and the biggest decision I’ll be making is whether I can be arsed to put sun cream on my nose or not. I’m rapidly deteriorating into annoying on holiday person – my friend asks me what I want to do next and I can barely rub two brain cells together to respond in an acceptable manner.

I’ve never been very good at making decisions to be honest. I was sent the following article about decision making, BUT I think that following your gut instinct is very important….I just think we tend to override our obvious feelings in order to try and make logical sense of the situation, but in the end, if we’re honest, it’s our gut instinct that we should follow every time:-

“Tuesday 30 March is National Decision Day, a time to stop dithering and start deciding

30 March 2010: After a fun-filled weekend the nation writes off Monday and finally snaps back into action on a Tuesday, as 49 per cent of Brits claim Tuesday is the most decisive day of the week. Encouraging the nation to get straight to the point, make quick decisions and save time, Microsoft‘s search engine Bing launches National Decision Day today, helping Brits to get decisive.

Aimed at everyone who struggles with decision making, this call to action is supported by research that reveals Tuesday’s aside, we tend to dither or react in haste when it comes to decision making. Life-changing choices seem to take a fraction of time and small ones can fill the day, with the study revealing two thirds (66 per cent) pick a political party without hesitation. However, not all campaigning will go to waste if Brown and co focus on youth, as 45 per cent of 18–24 year olds do spend time weighing up their voting options, compared to 78 per cent of 65+ who are set in their ways.

Another decision that requires more thought is ending a relationship, but a third of people (32 per cent) dump their partner on a whim, even though a quarter (25 per cent) will umm and ahh over what sandwich to have for lunch. After the recession the one decision the nation doesn’t take lightly is a change of job with almost two thirds (63 per cent) putting strong thought behind their next work environment.

The sexes are split when it comes to matters of the heart, with only 12 per cent of men thinking long and hard before proposing to their partner, but 91 per cent of women will instantly accept. Maybe they are guided by their women’s intuition as almost half of females (48 per cent) claim they make a decision based on a gut feeling.

Age also plays a part during the decision making process with 55 per cent of 16-34 year olds said to be led by their heart compared to a jaded 17 per cent of 55+ who’s life experience has taught them to take a more rational approach to decision making.

Political figures aren’t immune to indecisiveness either with Gordon Brown (28 per cent) topping the list as the ultimate British ditherer. Celebrities are also seen as unable to make their mind up, Kerry Katona’s (21 per cent) and Cheryl Cole’s (10 per cent) personal relationships have catapulted them into prime ditherer status.

Paul Stoddart, Bing’s Consumer and Online UK Search Lead said: “We’re faced with an average of 107 decisions a week so the choices available can be overwhelming with the added pressure to make the right decision. A quarter (25 per cent) of Brits look to the internet for help with decision making and often the first port of call is a search engine. Bing works by organising results in a more logical, user friendly way that reduces internet clutter to provide the most likely response and with the clever refining tabs it means less redundant clicks and quicker answers. Tuesday may be the most decisive day of the week but Bing is available anytime and encourages the nation to embrace National Decision Day.”

Neuroscientist, Dr Jack Lewis said: “Many people believe they make decisions based almost entirely on what they think about the merits of one choice over another. However, the influence of our subconscious or gut feeling on the subject can cause indecision or rash judgements. Every decision combines a measure of rational evaluation which, more often than not, is hijacked by impulsive, emotional responses. The exact mixture of emotional and rational influences that govern a person’s decision making is influenced by age, gender, group attitudes, culture and personality and of course the type of decision being made.”

MELBOURNE REVISITED

I went back to visit my old house in Melbourne today. The one I lived in 15 years ago. The one I lived in whilst pregnant with my firstborn child. The one I sat up all night in breast feeding and rocking my son back to sleep night after night after night. The one that still holds many many happy memories.

I was a little concerned that I would be miserable. You know, going back. Remembering happier times. Looking at that house again. But it was fine. Things are just different now. Very different.

If somebody had told me that one day I would be back in Melbourne, having my picture taken outside my old house by a very good friend that I know from London who now lives here – without my firstborn child and my husband, but with my two other children and that incidentally, I would be the smallest person in the photograph, well, I wouldn’t have believed them, would I.

Funny old world.

From there we walked around the corner and sat having coffee in an old haunt “Cafe Domain” which does one of the best lattes in town and we bought flowers from “Domain Flowers” where I used to work and that whole area of South Yarra is still very, very cool.

Then we strolled around the Botanical Gardens – one of my favourite places in the world and the weather was perfect.

Just a lovely day.

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GUILFOYLE’S VOLCANO IN MELBOURNE’S ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS

We went to The Botanical Gardens today as part of my retracing my steps programme because they are one of my favourite places in the world and I used to live right by them. My daughter took a lovely picture today which sums them up:-

and coincidentally William Guilfoyles’ Volcano (originally built in 1876 – part folly/part reservoir) in Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens was officially opened today so there was lots of media and ministers floating about:-

It has taken three years for an overgrown mound (which is how I remember it) to be transformed into an artistic display designed to represent a volcano. This restored reservoir will now help with water conservation and improved water quality. In the centre of the exhibit are floating islands which form part of a natural treatment system and will eventually become part of a wider irrigation project.

A timber boardwalk winds down the mound providing spectacular views of the city and surrounding gardens and many cacti and succulents in all of their fascinating shapes and sizes dominate the flower beds:-

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WE’VE ARRIVED IN AUSTRALIA!!

We are actually here! In my friend’s house. Just so lovely to see her and be back in Melbourne after all these years. I was last here 15 years ago. So lots has changed. So far, I haven’t recognised anything in fact.
Now we’ve got to work out the best approach [...]

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There is an article in The Times today all about the rise of the “six pack” and how desirable it is.  I am very pleased to see that one of the best recommended ways of developing a six pack is by doing Pilates.  This is very good news for me as a newly qualified Pilates [...]

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One of the MAJOR disadvantages of deciding to become a “stay-at-home” parent is the demise of The Christmas Party. The Work Do. At EMI in the 80’s the parties were huge. They’d hire out the ballroom of a hotel and fill it full of giant chess pieces and vodka luges and cabaret [...]

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