Happy ROO-YEAR!!!!!

Hap-hap-happpeeeeeeyyyyyyyyyyy ROOOOO YEAR!!!!

Since we’re a day a head of our family and friends back home we decided we wanted to see if we could film the festivities and put it online before New Years’ Eve back home! *Fingers Crossed* We don’t have too much Passion Pop, and get Passion Pooped out!

Jill and I have almost been in Australia now for 3 months. Our concept of time seems a bit off though because it feels like we’ve been here so much longer! But we still have so much to do so I’m sort of glad its not flying by!

Sitting on our balcony I was just looking up at the sky thinking how different everything is in my life. It’s crazy to think that so much has changed in such a short amount of time.

Last year this time I was still working at a bar on the Danforth hating my life, wondering when things would finally start making sense. I had quit my job in Advertising a year previous to that and had been struggling with a “career” choice. To occupy my time I did Stand-up comedy every spare chance I could (it was like cheap therapy) I was on Jill’s web show “TwentySomething”, and I was trying to detox my liver, and plan the Roo. 2008 was not my greatest year. I hate to say it but I was in a downward spiral of negativity. I didn’t even know where or how to get out of it; the only thing I did know was that my life needed major changes and A.S.A.P.

Jill had started reading The Secret after watching Oprah, and she made a goals list, a vision board and was trying to stay positive. She kept telling me that I needed to be able to visualize what I wanted and that I should make a list. (She’s list obsessed, she probably even keeps a list under her pillow every night so the list fairy can bring her more lists-seriously.)

Since Jill & I had started conceptualizing “Jill and Stacey Do The Roo” we sat down and made work back schedules on all the things that needed to get done, we divided up the tasks, and started getting to work. In February we moved in together to start saving money, we opened an account together and made weekly contributions, and started having weekly meetings. We even made a vision board on our fridge so we could imagine what it’d be like living in Australia. We had regular chats about what we wanted, what we were grateful for, and what we hoped to achieve.

Here were some of the things that were on our list:
- Create a company logo
- Create an interactive video website
- Create a theme song
- Create 5 part reality travel web series
- Plan a 4 week road trip with #16 locations + features
- Plan a production schedule
- Research Australia
- Research SEO techniques
- Plan a move X 2
- Plan a budget
- Contact potential sponsors
… etc.

Now looking back I think 2009 has been one of the most productive years of my life for building foundations and learning about my (our) true strengths and limits. One of the hardest parts of building your dream job from the ground up is making sure it doesn’t just stay a dream.

But “they” say: out of strife comes the best creativity.

I know at nearly 30 yrs. old our parents probably think we’re insane, I know they think we should settle down, I know they think that we’re making mistakes because money isn’t rolling in hand over fist. But times have changed for our generation. Pensions, benefits, and vacation time are becoming as obsolete as people staying at the same job for longer then 5yrs.

Traditional jobs are being replaced by machines, or being cut because of economical hardships. You need a degree to get a decent paying job, but if your family can’t afford to send you to a decent school you end up thousands of dollars in debt working 2 part-time crap jobs because nothings “available” in your chosen field.

I think its insane to expect someone to negate their talents, in lieu of tradition. Each and everyone of us are born with some sort of natural talent. Some are more conventional, or practical then most, and those people are lucky because for them its not as much of a challenge. It’s safe, it’s acceptable, it’s the “norm”. But what about those of us out there who have a constant nagging feeling that there’s more to life? That there’s something out there that needs to be uncovered? Or what about those who are shrinking away in cubicles, or on an assembly line somewhere wondering what happened to the dreams and aspirations they had in highschool, and that feeling of “ya, I CAN do that” when I grow up!

For 2010 I challenge everyone to make their resolution to develop at least one of their “natural born” talents. Reconnect with the simple joy of doing something because YOU want to do it and it makes you feel pretty good about yourself. Not because you have to, or because you’ll feel guilty if you don’t, or because you need a pay cheque.

Just do it for YOU.

Do it because it used to make you feel like YOU were spectacular at something and it was uniquely yours. I promise you it will bring more joy and substance than a crap resolution to lose weight, or keep things cleaner, or save more money, or blah blah blah… anywho….

Happy ROO-Year and I hope you all have a fabulous 2010!

Luv Stace
xo