Author: Amanda Viviers

Place: the bathroom

Poison: nothing

Favourite Things: hotel rooms and trying not to wake people up…

Today I watched the state funeral of sr edmund hilary and I was completely spellbound. Maybe its because I am in kiwiland and it was the national anthem that drew me to my hotel television set, or maybe it was this hunger for purpose in my life that stopped me in my tracks to recieve from someone great.

His funeral from start to finish was breathtaking. The way people spoke of him, particuraly the Shirpa’s from Nepal who spoke about the public grief that was being expressed in Nepal right now challenged me to the core.

What will people say about me at my funeral? What truly is the essence and greatness of my lifes work? What challenge am I overcoming today, that will make someone elses tomorrow brighter.

These were the questions that were so easily answered about Sr Edmunds life.

The way he lived his life as a father, friend, adventurer, lover, philanthropist, humble kiwi. Who lived his life in the same shack he built decades ago, despite the honour, awards, books, films, knighthood and the public honour he was bestowed throughout his life.

Inspiration for me is something that captures and holds my attention…Today my attention was more than captured, it was enthralled by the life of an ordinary individual, that lived an extraordinary life.

Breathtaking

A

Place: airport inn hamilton

Poison: lemon grass and ginger tea

Favourite Things: honest friends

We spent hours in a polonesian spa yesterday and it was AMAZING. You go into these mineral spas, that come straight from thermal, volcanic spas in the ground and they are meant to have therapuetic properties.

I loved every minute of it.

Reminded me of the need to stop and reflect.

My friend Hannah and I sat and chatted about everything that has been happening in our worlds. We listened and reflected and that is truly the essence of true friendship.

I have been really thinking about the art of listening lately. In a computerised world it is so easy to communicate out all you want the world to hear, but not listen.

its a art that is learnt

A

Place: Parachute Office, Auckland

Poison: Long Blacks and licorice bullets

Favourite Things: Claudine

We are doing everything we can to make our way down to Coli’s families special land, that is where she is buried.

The memorial service this weekend will be quite emotional, but an amazing opportunity to come together as a crew and celebrate our beautiful friends life!

I can’t believe that in a couple of weeks, it will be one whole year since she left us here, but continues to party on in heaven.

Celebrate life with those nearest to you, it is fleeting.

However I firmly believe eternity is set in the heart of man.  It gives us a taste of what is to come.

Search for your piece of eternity…It may be in a new born child’s eyes, you may find it on the edge of a cliff mesmorised by nature, in the touch of a loved one or in the innocence of a child’s pondering…

Cultivate it…those who have gone before us dwell there.

A

Place: Parachute Office

Poison: Berocca

Favourite Things: Facebook

I have just found John Mayer’s latest song release, that was written for the movie ‘The bucket list!’ Its amazing and the basic message is say what you need to say.

So often we spend our lives not actually saying what we need to say. Doing what we need to do, engaging in the moments that we are destined to engage in.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTpy_L1dALA&eurl=http://fb.ilike.com/facebook/artist/John+Mayer/song_frame?song_name=SAY&fb_sig_in_iframe=1&fb_sig_time=120055255

The bucket list is a movie written about a man who writes a list of what he wants to do before he kicks the bucket. I chose to say it very differently…I have had a list of 75 things I want to do before I go to heaven.

I love to strike of these acheivements of my list, but also it brings perspective into those days when I feel like I have been driving around and around the same round about endlessly!

go on, say what you need to say!

A

Place: Parachute Offices

Poison: Water, Water and more water

Favourite Things: my swatch watch

Well I’m sitting here surrounded by the crazy last minute event management madness of coordinating a festival of 20plus thousand!!

I havent slept as I flew through the night to New Zealand, for my lovely Coli’s one year anniversary and to be around my crew as they madly coordinate the unbelievable parachute festival!

Its a music festival, where last year 28,000 crazy kiwi’s rocked up with tents, eskies and their sheep in tow. (ruth if you read this am only joking!!) Its such a great event with headline band ‘Switchfoot’ arriving in less tha 7 days and the crew around the offices are running flat strap.

Sleep deprivation is such an unpredicable state of being. You can either crack and yell, and snap at all and sundry, or you go the other way and go silly, stupid, laughing and crazy.

I am choosing the other.

Caffine and Coffee and Sugar are not my friends, when I havent slept in days.

Water, water, water is my motto.

Love ya’s

Kiora

A