Anita Heiss's Blog, page 12
January 13, 2019
2019: a year of running experiences
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Amazing start to the last day of 2018 – taking a run at daybreak with my new extended family from Canada, Julia and Nicko!
Following on from my Happy New Year blog listing all my proposed challenges and my ‘Bucket List of Experiences for 2019’, there will be a lot of running pics due to health and fitness being an important part of my life, and that I am now in training for the Hapalua Half Marathon in April.
With that in mind, I thought I’d start the ‘running experience’ side of things by sharing a few pics from the last run I did in 2018. It was 8.30am on New Year’s Eve in the Sahara Desert. It was about six degrees Celsius when five of us headed out with layers and gloves to do something none of us ever imagined doing. Talking as we strode, we warmed up quickly repeating to ourselves and each other, ‘We are in the Sahara Desert!!!’ No amount of exclamation marks can do that phrase justice.
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Mike and Mark ended up running faster and further than J, N and myself… 
HAPPY (belated) NEW YEAR!
Click to view slideshow.
A belated Happy New Year everyone. Or as we say in Wiradjuri – Girrgirra Dhalangirr Yiradhu – happy new day. I truly hope that this is your best year yet, and whatever you want for yourself, I want for you too!
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I apologise for the delay, and truth be known, I did start writing this blog on a Morocco Magic tour bus as we headed towards Fez. But I decided not to finish this while traveling because I wanted to be present on the journey and with the beautiful people I was traveling with – my brother Mark, my friends Becky and Sharon, and the new friends I made while away.
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This blog isn’t about the trip as such, rather it is about the revelations, the reflections, the reframing of my life that occurred while away. It was the time to think, the time to really unpack my life when away from home, that was as significant as the sites and sounds, people and landscapes that I experienced.
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I was incredibly fortunate to see in the last hours of 2018 and the first day of 2019 in the sand dunes of the Sahara Desert, where Morocco meets Algeria. The silence among the sand dunes provided the perfect setting for reflection, for planning the coming year, for being grateful for all that life continues to offer me, when I allow myself to see what is in front of me. It also provided a beautiful opportunity for me to experience one of life’s greatest adventures with my baby brother (who stands much taller than me), and to me, that was more significant than any of the medinas, mosques, mountain views, market places or chicken, lemon and olive tagines I enjoyed.
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For me, life is special because I have special people in my life. And travel is so much more meaningful to me when I can share overwhelming moments like sunsets over sand dunes or flying the Aboriginal flag to represent our mob while paying respects to the Berbers, the Amazigh peoples of Morocco.
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I have not set resolutions for 2019, rather I have written a bucket list of experiences I hope to complete; everything from doing a no lights no lycra class to organising a karaoke reunion with friends from the 90s. I’ve also set myself serious fitness challenges including the Hapaulua Half-Marathon, the Gold Coast Half-Marathon and the City2Surf. In terms of personal growth, I’m committed to making a concerted effort at self-improvement including less negative self-talk, honouring my existing qualities, being more kind to myself and others and to putting an end to contemptuous eye-rolling. The eye-rolling pointed out to me by my brother on one of the lengthy bus rides we had in Morocco.
Living the best life I can
Many of you will know that I try to live my life true to the affirmation and hashtag #livingthebestlifeican
Most of you won’t know that I have two beautiful friends who are amazing humans who have been dealing with breast cancer the last year. Watching their courage, humour and dignity have inspired me in ways I cannot even articulate. They remind me daily of the importance of living every day with purpose, with love, with kindness and with gratitude. So, I am dedicating this year to them.
Deadly Bloggers
As the first blog for this year, I’d also like to give a shout out to Leesa Watego and her Deadly Bloggers initiative which I am proud to be part of. I don’t blog because I think the world needs to read my thoughts. Rather, blogging is a way for me to demonstrate a commitment to writing something other than my novels. It’s a way for me to cement some of my goals in writing (once you write and publish it becomes real), and it’s also a way to connect with my readers internationally who can’t attend events but want to be part of writing journey. We all write through a lens. We read though a lens. And while some feel that blogging has passed its due date, I disagree. People read differently. Some people read newspapers and magazines. Some read books. Some read tweets. Others read blogs. My blog is for the latter. All reading matters.
I look forward to sharing a small snippet of my journey in 2019 that will include stories from Wiradjuri country in central New South Wales, India and Hawaii to name just a few settings.
If you too are living the best life you can, please let me know where and how. I find inspiration in others every day.
Yindymarra (respect).
P.S. I have literally hundreds of photos, some I have put in a slide show above, others with all the beautiful colours and landscapes that Morocco offer can be found on my instagram account. I hope you enjoy.
November 29, 2018
An Epic Good Farewell
Three years ago to the day I woke up and wrote a blog about beginning my new role as Manager of the Epic Good Foundation. I already loved a job that I hadn’t truly started! The job was my reason for moving to Brisbane, and while I knew it would provide me with many opportunities to make positive changes in new ways via philanthropy, I had no idea it would have such an epic impact on my personal life, developing into a chapter that is incredibly difficult to close.
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Thanks to Cathie Reid and Stuart Giles, EGF co-founders and good friends of mine, the last three years have allowed me to work with organisations doing extraordinary things in innovative ways. Through my role I ran on a treadmill for Very Special Kids, I ran my first marathon at Uluru for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation, and also ran the New York Marathon simply because Stuart inspired me to do so. Actually, there was nothing ‘simple’ about it, it was quite hard, but crossing the finish line is up there in the top 10 moments of my life.
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As Manager of the EGF, I’ve debated the value of books and balls, locker-rooms and libraries, all in the name of raising awareness and funds for Indigenous literacy. I’ve helped young Indigenous students based in Katherine and Healesville (but from all around the country) to find their voices and tell their own stories on the page. Together we created Shock ‘Em: stories of the Big River Hawks and Deadly Sisters of Worawa.
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Through the partnership between the Epic Good Foundation, Hawthorn Football Club and the Indigenous Literacy Foundation, I’ve also had the good fortune to work alongside deadly ILF Ambassadors like Shelley Ware and David Lawrence, to help build self-esteem and capacity with students who continue to be part of the Hawthorn Indigenous Program.[image error]
At the age of 50 I purchased my first bike – in my favourite colour – made safe by a group of extraordinary students enrolled in Traction Builds workshops supported by the EGF. I’m looking forward riding my way around the Brisbane River in soon!
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And today, three years to the day, I am handing over the EGF Managerial reigns. But it’s not easy to let go of something you’ve put your whole heart into, something you believe in, and want to see continue to thrive. But as much as my heart wants to remain, it also wants to be writing, to be telling the stories that ‘Anita-the-Author’ has brewing in her chaotic mind, desperately waiting to be given life on the page. And so as of today, I will take myself back to the writing desk, the white board, the endless notebooks, my researcher’s brain, and I’m giving myself the space to write an important historical novel, about two Australian heroes – Yarri and Jacky Jacky. These Wiradjuri men have inspired me to delve deeper as a writer, and some of the dialogue in the novel Rivers of Dreams (out in 2020) will be in the Wiradjuri language.
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BUT – I need to also be honest, I’m not letting go of my love and commitment to the EGF completely, for I can’t. More importantly, I don’t want to. For while this chapter might be ending, the story is far from finished. So, I’ll be hanging around at events like Kick on for Literacy and the Outback Marathon, where I’ve seen some of our greatest impacts in the last few years.
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Right now though, I’m taking some time out to reflect on the amazing, epic good experiences I’ve had thanks to Cathie and Stuart, and the EGF board – Heather Watson and Andrew Reid – and all of the partners who have made the journey to date beyond epic good.
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And I want to thank you for reading my words today, because there are many colleagues, family, friends and strangers across the globe who have been part of this epic good ride. I hope you’ve enjoyed it as much as I have.
If you’d like to follow my writing career you can find me at: www.anitaheiss.com
November 17, 2018
Happiness is your novel finding a new platform
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In 2014, my novel Tiddas was released by Simon & Schuster to some wonderful reviews and a number of fabulous events around the country. It was optioned for television and I found a new group of readers, particularly in Brisbane.
I loved writing that book, because it’s about a group of women – all of whom I see some of myself in – and it’s set in both Wiradjuri country – Mudgee – and my current home, the city of Brisbane.
I’m super excited now that the novel is being released as an audio book via Ulverscroft in 2019. It means the work is now accessible to the visually impaired and can be read listened to while people are driving or exercising. And I love the new cover (above). The paperback version of the cover is below.
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The synopsis for those who want to know more:
Five women, best friends for decades, meet once a month to talk about books…and life, love and the jagged bits in between. Dissecting each other’s lives seems the most natural thing in the world – and honesty, no matter how brutal, is something they treasure. But each woman harbours a complex secret and one weekend, without warning, everything comes unstuck. Izzy has to make a decision that will change everything, whilst Veronica, recently divorced and dedicated to raising the best sons in the world, has forgotten who she is. Xanthe, desperate for a baby, can think of nothing else, even at the expense of her marriage. When their circle begins to fracture, is their sense of sisterhood enough to keep it intact? How well do these tiddas really know each other?
So, in a nutshell, I’m a very happy author today
November 13, 2018
An epic row for the deadly heroes of the Great Flood of 1852!
On the weekend, I rowed with an amazing group of people along the Murrumbidgee. It was a tribute row for the Wiradjuri heroes Yarri and Jacky Jacky who saved many lives in the Great Flood of Gundagai in 1852.
I’m currently researching an epic historical novel that beings with the floods – it’s called RIVERS OF DREAMS – and I wanted to get a feel for what being on the river was like. Of course, the weather was stunning, not flooding, but I did end up capsizing with my rowing partner Fleur – so I got a tiny taste of the fear that would’ve rushed through the veins of those during that time.
It was an incredible experience to share with my Wiradjuri Language Course family, locals from Gundagai, and a few others who travelled from Forbes, Condo and Newcastle.
My novel is due at the publisher in October 2019 and well be released in May 2020 (all going to plan!).
I’ll be blogging my research and writing practice along the way. And we will be rowing again next year… so if you’re interested in joining is, please let me know!
November 4, 2018
Finding happiness in Doctor Who!
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My friend Jenine is mad about Dr Who. I find this a bit odd only because I don’t recall ever watching an episode (and if so, definitely not a complete episode) of what is an internationally appreciated sci-fi television show with a cult following. Writing this now I feel like I’ve missed out on something wonderful.
When Jenine posts pics of anything related to Dr Who on Facebook, she looks like she is in her element, at home, happy! I’m interested in notions of happiness, where we find it, how we define it, how it’s subjective but valid to each and every individual.
I asked Jenine if she might write a few words about her love of Dr Who… and she did, firing these words off to me no time at all.
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Why Dr Who Makes Me Happy
My first memories of Dr. Who dates back to my childhood in the mid- 70s. I used to eagerly rush home from school, swiftly do my homework and chores, all in readiness for my imagination to be transported to the many corners of the universe and join the Doctor on a new adventure. These scheduled escapes from reality became a happy place for me.
The creative yet unorthodox architecture of the series captivated me, not knowing what to expect with each new episode. Those who know well me know that I still feel this excitement to this day. Whether it be from my random Doctor Who references, which typically results in eye-rolling, or my oversharing of knowledge from the series (sorry not sorry), to even the fathom memorabilia when you walk into my physical happy place, my own ‘Tardis’ home office.
Gone now are the days of special effects entailing metres of foil, cellophane and robots made of cardboard… oh and debatable acting. To more up-market screwdrivers, robotic technologies i.e. the Daleks and CGI. In these instances, and over time it is the personality each actor brings to the Doctor’s DNA that has retained my love for the series.
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You can follow Jenine on Twitter @GodwinthompsonJ
And to you reading this today: does Dr Who make YOU happy? Or any other television series for that matter?
October 7, 2018
Author Ashlee Donohue on what makes her happy!
Recently I blogged about how happy I was that my dear friend Ashlee Donohue had finally released her book, Because I Love Him. On the day we had breakfast in Brisbane to celebrate the release of Ashlee’s book, I asked her if she would send me a few lines on what made her happy. She stuck to the few lines, and this is what she said?
So what makes me happy? My three grand children. The joy and happiness they bring to my world is insurmountable to anything … they ensure my bloodline continues and I love them beyond measure… their laughter, tears and tantrums keep me well grounded and present in the now 
September 26, 2018
Happiness is sharing the joy of authorship
I just wanted to take a moment to congratulate a very good friend of mine, Ashlee Donohue, who has recently released her memoir, Because I Love Him. It was a long journey for Ashlee to write, edit and finally get this important story into print and into the hands of readers. I am so proud of her drive and strength in doing so.
The story: Because I Love Him is a privileged insight into strong and sacred family ties, and the intricacies of relationships and expectations within urban Aboriginal communities. It is a personal account of love, addiction, motherhood, domestic violence, and the impact on women, children and families.
Ashlee is going to share some of her own happiness here on my blog in coming days, so you can learn a little more about the woman behind the story.
Happiness is signing a new book deal!
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So, the ‘A-Team’ are back together. Very much looking forward to working with Roberta Ivers and the team at Simon & Schuster on my new novel Rivers of Dreams, due for release in 2020. Thanks to my amazing agent Tara Wynne who has been such an important part of my writing journey since 2004.
Toasting a new contract always makes me happy
July 14: Happiness is NAIDOC in Hyde Park
I started this “Happiness blog” project on January 1st, and it was meant to be happiness in a photo every day. As I headed towards my 50th birthday I decided I needed to just relieve myself of the pressure to blog every day, even thought I always had something to be happy about. Of course I did / do. I have a pulse for starters.
Anyways, I had some draft pics lined up and although it’s two months since the last ‘happiness post’ I’m posting now because it seems I’m getting a massive amount of traffic to older posts…
So, on July 14, the team at Creative 33 on behalf of the City of Sydney, put on this amazing day of NAIDOC celebration in Hyde Park. I even managed to kick a footy!
The smiles say it all
