These last few months I’ve been driving home in the dark. I got used to frost on the grass and icy windshields in the morning, and torrential cold rain in the afternoons. It was a common thing for me to put layer upon layer on as I got ready to go out. I wore scarves everywhere and drank hot chocolates like water.

Well last week it appears the golden hour is happening when I drive home. And also? There were lambs when I drove through the park. LAMBS!

Looks like Spring is here already . . . where has the year gone?

Oh goodness, what a month! I’m still finding it difficult to find the momentum to keep going, even though I’m SO CLOSE! 35 to go! Madness, I can’t believe I’ve taken that many photos of myself, really. This month was all about projects, I did the Week of Upside Down, and the Week of Reflections. I definitely wasn’t feeling the Week of Reflections, and was pretty disappointed in the photos I took, but ah well.

What have I done this month? I went to Waiheke for the Blues Fest, I discovered how to make an amazing (almost) foolproof Carrot Cake. I mailed some letters, took part in my first (less than) subtlemob, and snuck into the semi-permanent after party. I’ve had a stupid amount of cocktails, taken up an interest in Jazz at the bar on Thursday nights. I watched Lyth play League (and freaked out when he temporarily went mad and tackled people bigger than he). I volunteered for Habitat for Humanity. I got my portfolio up and running. I submitted an expensive and scary visa application, and started a Couch to 5ks attempt and drank cocktails from teapots.

Another month passed. One more and I’ll be done. Goodness, what an idea . . .

1st of August 2010 to 31st August 2010. 330 down. 35 to go.

Past Months: October, November, December, January, February, March, April, May, June, July.

There is this guy that I read, Ryan from Pacing the Panic Room. He’s a pretty good guy, I think. A brilliant guy, figuring out how to get his photography career off the ground, doing the best for his family, doing so in a funny and clever way. An all round stand up guy, really.

His step-son, LB, has Smith Magenis Syndrome. What I love about Ryan, is that on his blog he seperates the boy from the syndrome, while still acknowledging that LB has it. LB is a boy. He just also happens to be a boy that has SMS. A sweet, gorgeous little character. Though sometimes the glimpses he allows into LB’s life, well, it sounds hard. And I admire the attitude that Ryan and his wife Cole have. Like I said, an all round stand up guy.

To help spread awareness about SMS, and to raise funds, Ryan, with his music connections (as a record label guy, booking manager for clubs – he’s got an interesting past!) has put together an album. A KIDS album. An amazing kids album, actually. A kids album for parents too, the kind that is okay to listen to, and doesn’t make you want to tear your face off. No seriously.

100% of the proceeds from the sale of this album will be used to establish a SMS Research Fellowship that funds a graduate student to study SMS and support the SMS community.

Sounds good, right?

If you want to know more, visit pacingthepanicroom.blogspot.com.

If you wanna get on the bandwagon, get the cute green monster widget that plays the tracks, directs you to itunes and tells you where to make a donation? Go to dofunstuff.net or click “Share this widget” on the monster above for the code.

If not, that’s cool too. I like the idea of making a difference, but not everyone is into rocking the boat. However, I’m pretty sure most of you ARE into helping brilliant causes. So, please, visit dofunstuff.net. Check out their cause. Listen to the tracks. Buy the album. Learn. Love. And Do Fun Stuff.