Breaks | S Studio by Shai Coggins

Tag Archives: breaks

On Life Changes and Extended Breaks

12 May 2008 – 11:16 pm

Daddy's Girl Late Friday evening, life as I know it changed in an instant.

My Dad suffered a stroke. Some stranger found him unconscious in the streets of Manila, and brought him to the ER. There, they tried to treat him. He has been in a coma and on life support. And, even after 72 hours of hospital care, my father’s vitals just kept going down. That’s why even if we long for a miracle, we were already told to expect the worst.

Expecting the worst while living a few thousand miles away just seem to make it so much harder.

So, tomorrow, I’m off to see my dad. Possibly, to say goodbye. And admittedly, I don’t even know how to do just that.

Yes, that’s how my very rough week had been capped. Little did I know that last week’s ‘tough day’ was just the beginning. The rest of the week just kept throwing one difficult thing after another my way. It made that ‘tough day’ appear like a walk in the park instead.

That’s why instead of returning to ‘normal’ blogging schedule this week as hoped for/planned, it looks like I need to go for a longer break. I already quit my 365 project today, to give me some room to mourn and breathe and regroup.

And, although I’ll be back in Australia next week, I’m still not sure when I can re-start blogging here.

In any case, I have been sharing some updates on my Twitter account, whenever I need to engage in catharsis or to be in a place where I can connect. It’s usually where I send mobile notes as well, even when I’m unable to go online. If you’re interested to receive such updates, I’d love to welcome you as a Twitter friend.

Also, if you’ve sent me an email or comment recently - and you’re still waiting for a response - I hope to be able to get back to you as soon as I’m able to catch up with it all.

Anyway, for now, I just want to say thanks to everyone who already sent in their warm thoughts and prayers. Your words of comfort and hope have definitely been helping me through this very difficult time. So, again, thank you.

The picture you see here is an SP, of me holding an old photo album. That’s my dad on the left hand side, holding me at about age one. That’s also me on the right, with my dad holding me up as he was just teaching me how to walk.

By Shai Coggins | Posted in Announcements / News, Personal Stories | Also tagged dad, hiatus, personal, pivotal life moments | Comments (34)

Mini Holiday Breaks for $0 - $100

1 May 2008 – 11:56 pm

Can you believe that it’s the first of May already? Just like that. I’m not sure about you, but I feel as though everything’s just rush, rush, rush. And right now, I feel as though I sure could use a holiday. Unfortunately, I don’t really have the time or budget to go on one.

That’s why I thought: “Hey, maybe I should start having mini-holiday breaks.” You know… The type where I don’t need to go away on day trips - or spend gobs of money. The kind of holidays that I can take in my own house, my own backyard. And, I will still feel invigorated, refreshed…

So now, I decided to list some ideas here. I’m hoping to do some (if not all) of them at some stage, whenever I feel I need a break. Please feel free to suggest more in the comments section, if you can think of anything else.

1. Get a massage. Anything from 30 minutes to 1.5 hours - depending on the time and money you can spare. A good massage is always a wonderful thing. Either a home visit one - or a trip to the salon/spa will be fine.

2. Find (or Make) a Reading Spot in the Garden. You can decorate it, as if you were in the Caribbean or someplace exotic. Tell yourself you’re going to sit in that spot at least once a week, for half an hour or so. Set a date/time/schedule, if you have to.

3. Take a walk or drive to the park (or beach) with a picnic basket. If you feel self-conscious about having a solo picnic, consider bringing a book, an MP3 player, a camera, a sketchbook… Anything that you can use to distract yourself with.

4. Go to the local museum. Get guidebooks, bring a notepad, etc. You can always pretend you’re one of the tourists when you go there.

5. Get a manicure/pedicure. Clean, pretty nails can help cheer you up. And make you feel all nice and beautiful.

6. Get a facial. Just like getting a manicure/pedicure. Except it hurts sometimes. But, nothing beats the fresh-faced feeling after the session’s done.

7. Get a drink - or mix yourself one. And, drink it in the bath. Yep - you can also put music, candles, and scents if you want to go the whole lot.

8. Call someone who makes you feel special. Allow yourself to be praised and patted on the back. Celebrate the good stuff.

9. Invent a holiday and celebrate it. It doesn’t matter what it is - do an International Paper Clips Day, if paper clips make you happy. Or, hold a National Tacos Day, if that’s something you love. Just go with whatever you feel will cheer you up best.

10. Book yourself a tourist trip in your local town. Get on a hop on/hop off bus. Visit a chocolate factory. Shop for souvenirs that you can mail to people.

11. Put on fresh sheets on the bed. And, take a nap in the freshly made bed.

12. Pick flowers from your garden - or buy some cheap ones from the local shops. Put the flowers in a vase where you can often see them.

13. Get a makeover. Sometimes, having a new hairstyle, some highlights, or getting some new clothes/make-up can make you feel like you’ve been a given a breath of fresh air.

14. Look for shopping bargains. It always feels great to feel like you’ve got a great bargain. Especially for something you really, really want to get. Thrift shops, auctions, flea markets… they’re really fun too.

Any other mini holiday tips and ideas you can share?