First Dry Step Climbing Since Forever + No Makeup Required

First Dry Step Climbing Since Forever

#smilingontheinside – Thursday 17 July 2025

Yesterday was one of those learn to dance on a moving magic carpet type of days … one of those the best laid plans of mice and men days.

A day where careful timing was needed to fit everything when daylight mattered … otherwise working late was on the cards.

I ended up working late. But that’s okay, because…………

Two Thousand Steps Climbed This Week

Yup – I could’ve gone out first thing, in the dark and the rain, and climbed my steps wearing my new “RV Beanie” – the one a very special friend bought me for my birthday that has a light on it … but I chose not to. I figured everyone and their dog would be out early and those steps are hard work (narrow) when you have to share. So I didn’t go then.

Instead I planned on early afternoon … but that got bumped to mid-afternoon after a meeting was delayed because of a flat tyre. Not mine, the other person’s. An inconvenience for me but even more so for her. She was a tad stressed when we met.

The good thing though – this was the first time in I can’t remember how long, that I didn’t need to wear my raincoat! Wow! In fact, because I was carrying my raincoat – just in case – I had no idea that it’d swing around with each leg movement and work its way into a corkscrew like tangle I’d need to sort out when I got back to the car. Who would’ve thunked that would happen?

I kept my self-promise – to climb “my” steps twice this week, twelve times each. Two thousand steps. That’s gotta be good for me, right…? #smilingontheinside

I loaded up the car with my walking shoes so I could go straight from my meeting to Ann Street Reserve. These photos show the Samsung Health App geolocation feature downloaded from my Smartwatch + a creative view of changing shoes through the steering wheel of my car.

Samsung Health App from Smartwatch - showing geolocation of exercise - it's pretty spot on!

We Could Be Twins!

A special friend of mine put her hand up to be a “model” for a mutual friend who has a beauty clinic … one of her apprentices needed to practice … I sent this photo to my model friend. I told her if she’d had a facial then we could probably be taken for twins 🤣🤣🤣 because your hair always ends up looking a mess after a facial and climbing 1,000 steps 🤣🤣🤣

I’m #grateful and #smilingontheinside because I have people in my life who still love me when I look a mess… who are okay with me being me: no makeup required or expected. #blessed.

Julie - after climbing 1,000 steps - hair a mess - no makeup photo sent to friend who was "modelling" at at beauty clinic — *^{Julie – after climbing 1,000 steps – hair a mess – no makeup}*

Perspective vs Comparison

This morning as I was waiting for my Nespresso to strut its stuff I took a few photos. The order is pretty obvious and needs no explaining.

As I was marvelling at the power of surface tension stopping my coffee from overflowing, I realised that the photo could very much look like the cup was huge – when it wasn’t – barely 80ml – because there was no perspective.

Which got me to wondering about the necessity for perspective without the requirement of comparison… especially ourselves to/with others.

According to G-Gemini, in essence, comparison is a tool for analysis, while perspective is a lens through which we view the world.

Do I view the world that tells me I need to wear makeup to show-up…? Do I compare myself to women who do wear make up when they show up…? No doubt others certainly do compare me to others…? to themselves…? themselves to me…?

Imagine how hard life must be constantly comparing and contrasting yourself with others … man! exhausting!

I’m oh-so-pleased I’m able to remind myself (and take heed of) the fact I can’t do anything about other peoples’ thoughts… only my own. #powerfulreminder

Sometimes I wonder what our world would be like if it was okay for women to seriously show up as they truly are… no masks… no makeup.