KLM – the Dutch Royal Airways or Royal Aviation Company (tomato/tomatoe) its the Netherlands answer to British Airways but with groovy painted planes. From its founders in 1919 KLM is now the oldest running airline of all time. Transporting 29 million pieces of luggage a day its a rather large operation and aims not to loose your baggage although this can happen. With 29 million pieces what do you expect?!
There was a time when I put so much pressure on new year’s eve. It had to be perfect. It was the pinnacle of the the holiday season. All of my life I have lived by the idea that how you spend new year’s eve is how you will spend the rest of that year. And to some extent that’s always been true. Each new year I’ve been overweight and single and…yep, still am.
This Ball Drop was different (we don’t have a ball drop in the UK but I just love the reference of it!) We had a very sophisticated night in drinking diet coke and ribena and eating popcorn. Robbie Williams was our entertainment along with the 12 minute show of the 6.5tonnes of explosives that illuminated the Embankment and skyline of London.
The decorations are hung, the fireplace roars (ok well the electric fan whirls round a bit). Glitter now adorns every flat surface and the final prep for the onslaught of family, friends and frivolities has officially begun. All that’s left for me to do now is not kill my family when I feed them this year.
I was told recently by my optician that ‘I made things so easy.’ Now to some this might sounds like an assault on my character (trust me it wasn’t, I’m not *that* kind of easy), it was however a compliment to my attitude and organisation of life. Which got me thinking. I love finding new ways to simplify my life, I quite often watch motivational videos and listen to podcasts on organisation and simplicity, but for me I also like to be firmly in control of my life and my time as well as have everything in ordered whilst staying as laid back as humanly possible. There’s an inner conflict right there! What better way to share this with you all than a little post about my top tips for making your own life a little easy every day.
Of all the Christmas adverts, of which there seems more than ever this year, all of which I have shed at least one tear over there is one that has stuck in my mind. No its not the bouncing wildlife, its not Kevin the Carrot its this one…
Now I’m assuming that everyone has heard of the game where you put your phone, upsidedown, in the middle of the table and all of your guests stack them up. The first one to check their phone pays the bill. This is a similar concept.
Instead of being engrossed in Twitter or flicking through Facebook, switch off Tinder and give Instagram a miss for one night. The #PhoneDownChristmas is from the Rituals Group. They have see our ridiculous addiction to social media and technology grow and grow and to combat this, or at least make better use of our devices, they are giving out 1.2 million ‘phone candles’ or whatever you want to call them. Little devices that clip onto the flash of your smart phone – thus making you turn your phone over and let it bring something practical to the party instead of damaging to the soul. Phone Down, Light Up.
Its a great advert and one that has really made me think about who I give my attention to and how obsessed I’ve become with photographing everything and documenting where I am instead of living in the moment of where I am. If you’ve read my earlier posts you’ll notice that I’ve had quite a lot going on recently and that meant distancing myself from a lot of social media, although the importance of communication is vital sometimes its good to just switch everything off and give your undivided attention to a loved one. If you’re struggling for ways to put down your phone check out these 5 tips on from the experts in ‘you-time’.
So join me this christmas in, not only telling the ones you love how you feel to their faces rather than their hand held devices but to putting the technology away. Play with the kids, talk to your grandma, help your mom with the cooking (and washing up!).
There was a time when I put so much pressure on new year’s eve. It had to be perfect. It was the pinnacle of the the holiday season. All of my life I have lived by the idea that how you spend new year’s eve is how you will spend the rest of that year. And to some extent that’s always been true. Each new year I’ve been overweight and single and…yep, still am. 
Maria Victoria Smith 