22 year old Bridie Duggan lives in Katherine in the Northern Territory.  She is a national finalist for the Young Australian of the Year this year for her work in mental health awareness and suicide prevention.  When a friend of hers committed suicide, Bridie travelled around Darwin every day for a month and raised $27000 for the Livin Foundation.  Their motto is It Ain't Weak to Speak and encourages people to talk about mental illness. Bridie is also a qualified life coach and personal trainer who regularly volunteers in her community and runs fitness classes for kids with autism.

A wobbegong is a peculiar shark that is found mainly off the coast of Western Australia.  They are not fast or strong but when they need a feed, they lay motionless on the ocean floor and blend in with the sand (the one in the illustration is not doing a great job of this but at least you can see him). When a prospective meal swims past he snaps it up. This obviously requires a lot of patience.  Patience is definitely something that you need in life - waiting in queues, waiting for exam results, waiting for your birthday, waiting to learn to drive, waiting to save up for that pair of shoes that you want.  Patience is also something that seems to be lacking in people these days as nobody wants to wait, they want everything now.   Patience is something you need to practice - like many other things in life, it doesn't come instantly.

These guys to trick shots and stunts and get millions of hits on their YouTube videos.  Please note, the bottles are not made of glass - do not try that at home!

If your bedroom needs a makeover, consider a chalkboard wall (check with your parents first).  A can of chalkboard paint will set you back about $15 at Bunnings.  This one is from is from www.boredart.com. 

I was walking my dog this morning and looked up at the very cloudy and overcast sky.  I noticed a tiny patch of blue shining through a gap in the clouds and was reminded that behind the clouds is a lovely sunny blue sky. Clouds come and go but the blue sky is always there - sometimes you just can't see it. If life looks grey and bleak, remember that the clouds (troubles, worries, fears, etc. will pass) and the sun and blue skies are always there and will break through eventually.

It's summer in the Southern Hemisphere so if you want to escape the heat why not head to your local Ice Skating Rink.  You can find a list of rinks in Australia at www.ozskater.com. Most of them offer lessons too.

Diane Gottsman is an etiquette expert from the US.  She has an her website about etiquette rules that apply when using technology.  I have to admit I've been guilty of a few of these and will try to be more polite in future.  She suggests:

• People first - when you're out with friends and family, give them your attention, not your phone.
• Count to ten - before you hit send, count to ten, you make want to rethink your message, especially if you are upset.
• Remove your earbuds when you are speaking to someone or at the checkout.

​You can read the full article here.