Friday, October 18, 2013

Birthday Eve, D Day Looms

Birthday week minor crisis. It's an annual event in my life. It just comes with my birthday. I don't know how to get rid of it but I just get this sad feeling about the fact another year has passed by. Regardless of the milestone I think it reminds you of those idealistic dreams you had as a 10 year old about how amazing your life would be when you were older. And what you thought you would have achieved by now. Back then you always wanted to be older. What happened to that? 

And so it looms. D day Is practically upon me. Or "B"day as it is better known to most. Like that moment just after you've finished consuming that amazing coffee or delicious piece of cake I dread its occurrence. It's presence fills me with a kind of dismal disappointed feeling. 

Birthdays are just no fun when there's this pressure for it to be such a good day. The best day! But it's just another day with a painfully present reminder that another year has run past and the next one is sprinting at you even faster, it's going for a personal best. 

Okay. I'll quit the complaining now. Four hours left of being twenty-one. Better soak it up!

First world problems!

I did get rather spoilt today on my birthday eve though! At work they had a some lovely cakes and a cute card and present for me. And one of my co-workers left me a cute note. But what really made my day was coming home to a gorgeous bunch of flowers on my desk that my wonderful mother organised for me. I think part of my birthday dread is tied into not getting to see my family tomorrow. It'll be my first birthday that I'll spend entirely away from my family. Definitely beings on a serious case of homesickness! So I'm just gonna postpone my birthday until next weekend when I get to see my family. 

Dread indeed.


Saturday, October 12, 2013

Time Bomb

Gosh. It's practically Saturday an I'm barely ready for Tuesday to be over?! I feel like time is a ticking bomb right now and before I know it the remaining weeks of my folio preparation are going to be over and it's just going to all blow up in my face!

Sunday, October 6, 2013

Colour United

So last week was the biggest day on anyone's AFL footy calendar. Especially if your team dominated the season enough to get through the finals and get their shot at premiership glory. This year the Hawks were pitted agains Fremantle. Hawthorn against Perth. Brown and yellow against the purple army that flooded into the most liveable city in the world. 

Being a Richmond supporter at the root of it all I was shattered when Carlton wiped us off the board back in the qualifying finals. You might not think I would be too fussed on the outcome of the grand final.

But as I sat in fed square watching on the big screen I was definitely a little more than vaguely invested in the birds taking out the title. The week before when they scraped through a close struggle with Geelong you may have enjoyed seeing me jump around and do a little dance when the final siren confirmed the hawks chance of contention the following week.

But with Hawthorn as a very close second team (and as I say this I hold up my thumb and index finger to show you just how close a second they are) I swapped my black for brown and donned a hawthorn jersey and scarf borrowed from my cousin to support the boys. And it makes me think how connected we are by the design of this. Whether its an official jersey or you've knitted your own scarf of your teams colours, we paint ourselves with this coding system that defines your interest. Instantly as you pass a total stranger the fact they are wearing the same colours almost invites a friendship, even if only momentarily. Side by side you cheer on your team, united in supporting your favourite side to a victory and when they do fall, commiseration together commences. And it's just such fun. To be united as strangers by a few stripes of colour.

Anyway, it was certainly an exciting occasion and an experience to be had in amongst the excitement of it all. Fed square was full of committed and passing by onlookers. i even manage to make friends with a cute little family that generously shared their umbrellas when it got a little drizzly. We were all very excited and relieved when the siren finally went with the hawks on top abd we rushed down to the MCG to go into the ground and soak up some of the atmosphere  passing a flood of purple people as we made our way. The atmosphere was amazing!


This year is the closest I've ever followed the AFL and I'm already missing the fact that there was no footy to watch this weekend! It's going to be a long off season!

Go Hawks!


Saturday, September 28, 2013

I hope not sporadically

It's been quite a while. All my blogs seem to start like that these days.

Insert usual rant about time going by way to fast. I'm sure it should only be March....

So anyways I just came across this video over on my favourite blog, swissmiss...


I'm definitely guilty of being a #hashtag-a-holic. I thought it was quite funny though.

And to keep this on the random side of things these coffee lid coasters are pretty cool!

But yes. Life is hectic. And the business end of the year is about to fall on top of me.... and I'm not sure that I'm quite ready for that...


Monday, September 2, 2013

Scary Exciting

It's been a while since I've really sat down and actually written a blog. It's something I literally think about every single day. What I'm going to write about. New themes I could have. New structures. More of a plan. Lots of ideas. So many things I want to share!

It's the final trimester of the year. About to begin the second week and it's a little scary. Scary but exciting. Nerve wracking but inspiring. Not only is it the last trimester of 2013 but it's also the final trimester of this studying adventure I embarked on just almost three short years ago. When I think back to the things that have changed, not only in my own life but in all the people around me, from my family and closest friends to the celebrities and the world environment in general. Not only was I three years younger and coming to live down in Melbourne, just a small town girl living in a lonely world but people like Miley Cyrus was certainly a far more innocent Hannah Montana and no one had even heard of One Direction yet! My four year old baby brother was much more of a baby and my ten year old little sister didn't know all the words to the Nicki Minaj rap and my other now 12 year old little brother didn't know how funny How I Met Your Mother is. But I'll leave the little flash back at that for now.

It's scary but exciting because the end of the course is near, I nearly have an advanced diploma, yet it's the end that brings many new beginnings(the exciting part). Many decisions to be made(the scary part).

Anyway. I shall leave you with a few little totally random things I'd like to share.

Firstly this gorgeous Leica camera that I've seen is priced at $50,000! But it's so beautiful!

This totally awesome wallpaper by IEVA over on Etsy. Coolest pattern!

Also on Etsy McKeon Studio has some gloriously gorgeous scarves! Especially this map of Melbourne one!

Keeps your eyes peeled! Many ideas that I'm hoping to action soon!

Hope you had a lovely fathers day with your dad too!

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Constructively Alone

“Every kind of creative work demands solitude, and being alone, constructively alone, is a prerequisite for every phase of the creative process.”
- Barbara Powell


Here I sit. It’s a Friday night and you know what, I’m doing one of my favourite things! I’m not heading out. Too much of a nana at the moment for that. Going out is of course one of my favourite things though. But not tonight. It’s the end of a typicaly busy week for me and one of my favourite ways to spend my Friday night is at home pretty much by myself just flitting around doing whatever I want and relaxed by the fact that I don’t have to get up to an alarm tomorrow morning. Not only do I not have to get up to an alarm but I don’t have to walk out the door before lunchtime if I so desire. Not sure that this particular alone time becomes very constructive but then again I do think that as long as you're doing something you haven't done before even as simple as reading an article that you haven't already read then all time become constructive to an extent.

Friday night is always good.


Thursday, June 27, 2013

Craving crazy!

As I was working away on placement yesterday as it hit early afternoon I had the most bizarre food craving. Not because it was a crazy food combo like peanut butter and celery or even corn and Nutella sandwiches which was one I heard on Triple J yesterday. Not was this craving something wickedly sweet and rich like a Lindt chocolate ball or a tasty baked New York cheesecake like I would typically long for at any given moment. Hungry yet? If you are this may just put you off! I was in fact craving a piece of homemade bread (normal right?) all soggy in home made vegetable soup! No idea where that came from except that it reminds me of how much I miss home with the family. Must miss it a lot since ten years ago I definitely turned up my nose at both aforementioned foods and my eleven-year-old heart would have sunk when it was announced that this was in fact on the menu for dinner. It would have been a painful twenty minutes for Mum as after we had gobbled down the bread dipped in the soup she would have to persistently stand her ground and make sure my siblings and myself consumed our ten mouthfuls of soup before we could
Have anything else for dinner! Screwed up faces would mumble 'what's in this?' As other sour faces were made as the ridiculous effort went into swallowing this disliked bowl of nutritious (and I will tell you now also absolutely delicious) soup. 'Well I made it with lots of love' Mum would respond.

Oh how times have changed. Kids are so funny! Sorry Mum!

Sunday, June 9, 2013

20 years of Triple J's Hottest 100

So the other night as I was putting together the LINKspired post I began to ramble a bit when I mentioned Triple J's Hottest 100 from the past 20 years. So to avoid the ramble in that post I have given it a post all of it's own! Look out, here I go getting all nostalgic about music and being a teenager.

20 years of Triple J's Hottest 100! Wowee! Gosh it's almost as old as me! Established only two years after I was, this annual countdown began in 1993 when to place your vote you actually had to make a phone call! The voting system has certainly evolved since back in those days! Personally I feel the annual 'indie' countdown has become a strong staple in the Australian music scene. Amazing to think of all the fantastic music that has been produced in this time. All those songs that just from hearing the start of the tune play through your speaker you know what is coming for the next three and a half minutes. That is unless you choose to hit that switch and change the channel or jab at that skip button on your iPod.

I'm left feeling like quite the newb as I only really got into Triple J's selection of music five years ago when my brother (who had long been a listener) bought the Hottest 100 Compilation CD that year. My music taste before this time had been limited and innocent in many ways as I would have far from strayed from the typical top 40 tracks that are forever hashed out on the radio. The first album I ever purchased with my own pocket money was Britney Spears Oops... I Did It Again. And I'm still more than into all that mainstream music. I still buy Britney Spears CDs as I label my music taste as un-selective and very broad. Just don't expect me to listen to heavy rock or death metal and I'll be happy.

So at the age of sixteen I was exposed to Volume 15 of the hottest 100 and I recall having it on repeat as I fell in love with the difference in selection to my common listening habits. It was 2009, the year that Mumford and Sons claimed it was not your fault while Bluejuice were walking around on a broken leg, and Lisa Mitchell was sitting in a Coin Laundry. Vampire Weekend were singing about Cousins and Lily Allen was complaining that it's not fair. That whole album was the soundtrack to that year and I still listen to any of the songs featured on it and like a time machine it takes me back to those innocent days of being sweet sixteen.

And here we are five years later and it is definitely one of the most exciting parts of the year compiling that short list and indecisively trawling through all the tracks you fell in love with that year and chopping down that list to vote for your ten favourite songs while there are about 30 others that you had to cut off. With this count, hottest 100 from the past twenty years they were a bit generous and let us put in twenty of our favourites but then again the list of possibilities increased tenfold! It was so challenging to vote as I'm sure you found if you did. My list was heavily based on the last five years of music... or even three maybe.... my afterthoughts were filled with regret as I realised all the music I hadn't even considered! Go check out the final list. And they've even compiled it as a YouTube Playlist for us!

Now the count is all over and I've just spent the entire afternoon enjoying the fantastic selection it became as song after song popped up that I repeatedly wondered how I hadn't come to consider it in my own list!

All I can say is thank you Triple J! Thank you for playing the music you do and being the radio station that you are and making the Hottest 100 list that I'm sure will age beautifully far beyond another 20 amazing years of music!

Talking about it over on The Project

Friday, June 7, 2013

LINKspired #012


Just read this article about designer Dieter Rams,  and his philosophy in his design work where Good Design is as Little Design as Possible and was rather inspired by it. I'm now actually making a poster based on his ten principles to "good design" featured in the article.

Made Chocolate chip Cookie in a cup a few weeks ago and I'm so addicted to this one! Totally delish!

Pretty excited to find out tomorrow what has been voted as the Triple J Hottest 100 of 20 years! Go and check out the history of it all! It's so cool you can go and check out the entire archive and check out what was going on in the music scene since 1993.

Scrolling through Lovely Stationary and came across these delightful designs. The James Hotel. Love the patterns in the variations of the backs of the cards. Heart Affair. Love the retro feel to this identity. Science. There is just something about rounded corners that does it for me! And the blue is just gorgeous!

Totally keen to see The Great Gatsby! The Art Deco style identity of the typography they have used is gorgeous! Read about it over at desktop. Aaaand over at Like Minded Studios on Behance. So Striking and pretty!



Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Terribly patiently...

It's been a hectic but awesome week since I've shared anything on here. There are a few things I'll try to cover without waffling on too much...

Firstly Trimester One is done! Which is exciting. I'm pretty sure I passed everything and even had a particular teacher a little bit impressed with one of my projects so that was rather satisfying! Apart from that there are definitely some briefs that I shall be carrying on with in second trimester as there are just so many things I want to change and develop with them! Perfection is unobtainable but still I strive to achieve as close as I can get!

Then there was the big AGideas conference in the later part of last week. In some ways it's odd as it's such a student orientated event and all things going to plan this time next year I'll be a totally working woman and won't be classified a student and therefore am unlikely to be attending the event. It's an odd feeling as you went through it as if it's to be your last. At least for some time perhaps. This year was really interesting as there was a particularly mixed line up of speakers. With such a range of niche disciplines we had a few speakers that were practically scientists which a few of us found a little hard to connect to our own line of work and to work out it's relevance.

But all in all as usual there was certainly some amazingly talented people that presented impressively and definitely left some inspiration and extra knowledge in my brain. Particularly loved Gemma O'Brien who you can find out all about on her blog for the love of type and also go and check out her work as part of the Jacky Winter Group! SHe is just amazing with type! Then there was Stony Cherng a graphic designer from Taiwan who was definitely up there with the most entertaining along with some gorgeously stunning work on show and a fabulous performance of singing that she keenly serenaded the crowd with! Nadine Chahine was another interesting one with her work on Arabic type. I could go on and on... There were many fabulously interesting people to see!

Then there was my attending of the Groovin' The Moo music festival over the weekend! Grand times did proceed before the most disappointing moment of my life when it finally came to The Temper Trap coming on stage I was feeling quite physically ill and couldn't possible continue on in the chilled weather and had to go home. Possibly one of the most regrettable and frustrating moments of my life! I could cry just thinking about it. Will be waiting terribly patiently for them to return to Australia again! They were pretty much the reason I bought the ticket! That being said, those that I did see were fudging awesome! Especially Tegan & Sara, The Kooks, Seth Sentry and The Hungry Kids of Hungary. Probably a bit of new music to add to the collection there I think! Great stuff Bendigo! Couldn't believe how many people were out in their onsies! I was definitely wishing I had mine on as the day wore on and it got really cold!

Now I get to be back home on the farm for the week as I take some time out for my trimester break. So far it's been fantastic. It's always good to be home for a bit no matter how much I love Melbourne.

Today I had a wonderful time on a little movie date with the girls. We went and saw The Big Wedding. It was mixed anticipation as we went and saw it just as much because there was no other films of interest showing as apposed to being desperate to see it or it being a film we had heavily been anticipating which is much more commonly the case when we go and see something. My main attraction to the film was Katherine Heigl's starring role as I'm terribly biased and adore the woman. She was good in it but I wouldn't say it was the best work of any of the cast. Or more just the entire storyline or film in general was just missing that special something because really the cast was fantastic! 7/10.

I also purchased the new Rudimental album, Home. So far in love with it. Already love the singles Not Giving In and Feel The Love and so far haven't heard a track I haven't enjoyed. This will likely be played non-stop for the next few weeks! Have just been streaming Vampire Weekend's new stuff on iTunes too. Modern Vampires of the City. It's pretty cool. Adding that one to the newbie list too!

Anyways, time to go and get some delicious cheesecake that my sister made and curl up in my onesie with a few of the sisters and a movie. Blissful!

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

The true Secret of Happiness

Quick post. Busy busy!

Trimester one is almost done and dusted, but the best bit is the work part is done as I put in my final submissions today. The dusted part is like a sweet sprinkling of icing sugar that is attending the AGideas conference for the rest of the week! Hopefully it lives up to the past few years and exceeds expectations. I love the conference and am totally keen for the injection of inspiration that it provides. So lucky to be a design student in Melbourne with conferences like this so close to home!

In other news I am totally in love with Bastille's track, their debut into mainstream popularity it seems. But if you haven't already heard Pompeii, and perhaps fallen in love with it as I have then you have quite possible been living under a rock, yes? Another sweet as track right now that is repeating in my head is Daft Punk's latest offering of Get Lucky. So so catchy!

Anyway I will finish with this quote which I think rings rather true...

“The true secret of happiness lies in the taking a genuine interest in all the details of daily life.”
-William Morris
SwissMiss



Friday, April 12, 2013

Infinite

So it's Friday all over again. It's funny how sometimes it seems forever away, especially on Monday mornings but then you get there and realise that last Friday doesn't feel like that long ago...

Except now it's Monday and although Friday isn't quite as distant as it was when my alarm broke into my slumbering bliss and stole my dreams it sure seems yet again plenty far away. Today really dragged on to. Somehow my body clock is out of whack entirely and despite it only being barely 7.30 I already feel like it should be 9!

Despite the drag the day became I did enjoy a productive morning which did involve me getting a bit carried away with a brief I'm particularly excited about as my mind went crazy with ideas of the above and beyonds of the brief I could do with it. The sky isn't even the limit. Take it out to infinity! Though all this enthusiasm is a fabulous feeling it can also become asset back in briefs as your mind carries you off into outer space with all your ideas and it takes some serious concentration to cut the engines and pull yourself back to planet earth to ensure you get a solid foundation, a quality base station before you set your sights on landing on the moon.

Anyway, needless to say, excited I am! It's going to be a busy few weeks with the end of treaters just around the corner and major deadlines looming large! And I love it!

I also love that not only did I get my hands on Paramore's new and self titled album yesterday but also got a copy of The Perks of Being a Wallflower and have finally watched it! And I adored it. Definitely wasn't disappointed and would highly recommend viewing along with reading the book. It was a ready evening last night actually as not only did perks get me going but I also got up to the season final of greys Anatomy which is the devastating episode that leaves Izzy and George's lives both hanging in the balance. Talk about torture. Despite knowing exactly what happens with these things it still seems to bring on some decent waterworks which isn't fantastic on top of this silly cold that I haven't quite shaken off yet!

Also slipped in a little shopping yesterday as I was beyond keen for some retail therapy. So much gorgeous Autumn fashion and accessories! Especially this gorgeous jacket I found in Jeanswest and fell in love with. Its in the stunning rich red wineish purple colour. Unfortunately my penny saving conscious prevented me splurging on it yesterday but I may just have to go back. But then I also saw a very nice few jackets in Myer so may have to scout about a bit and get one. I am due for a new jacket I'm sure!

Oh to be filthy rich!

Was a rather productive Sunday I had actually as I managed to give my room a good going over and got out all my beloved winter clothes! Kind of keen for the chill!

Sunday, April 7, 2013

The break that was...

Here I sit on a bus again, another Sunday commute back to the 'big smoke'. Definitely more than a little bit sad that my 'mid trimester' break is over and it's back to classes tomorrow. I'd be lying if I said even though I'm literally hours from home that I'm not already missing the family and the farm. You'd think after two years of this already under the belt that it wouldn't be so bad. I think it's all a bit magnified at the moment as I've managed to contract a lovely cold and am feeling just oh so fine and dandy from the awesome symptoms that come along with it.

Having said that, as usual I'm keen to get back to it. Keen to be productive and be back at school working on the briefs that I'm quite excited about!

It's funny, a few months ago I was wondering whether my blog title really still applied... I don't know why as it probably applies now as much as it ever has. To an extent it really applies to anyone and everyone. Life always has the good and the bad, the bitter and the sweet. I don't think that it will ever become an experience that has more or less of either of the two.

So holidays were fabulous. Got to share Easter with the family and spent most of the week chilling with them and watching a lot of Greys Anatomy! It's funny as we have about six seasons and everyone's up to different seasons so we're all seeing different blocks of episodes all out of order. It's so good though. Boy do I love that show!

Although chilled it was in parts the week certainly came with its fair share of stress as I had some work to complete and then had to try and share these large files back with a team of people. We got there in the end but I have to say I certainly feel like I learned a few valuable lessons from the experience too. Can't knock back a learning experience. Without learning we just wouldn't grow. Sometimes we stop ourselves from trying new things because we don't know how to do it but people seem to forget that without trying whether you fail or succeed, if you don't attempt you won't learn. If you don't learn you just can't grow. We've all got to start somewhere, right?

As usual there is a long list of bits and prices I surely intended to do over the week but by the end of it a got this cold an fell in a heap and typically didn't quite get to everything or everyone that I wanted to!

Anyways, I'll leave you with an inspiring quote as I feel the need for some inspiration at the moment...
http://pinterest.com/pin/309270699380746691/

Friday, March 29, 2013

Let the Groove Get In

Happy Good Friday to all! And Happy Easter! Hope you have a wonderful one regardless of your activities throughout.

It's the end of another busy week and I'm so excited. Excited for the week ahead as time off with my family back home. It shall be grand!

I'm also excited as its been quite a good week. Finished my very first internship and have been able to leave the door wide open with likely continuation of some freelance work. This week also involved quite a significant moment in my interning experience in which through collaboration with a fellow intern, friend and designer we both gained some valuable experience in the world of designing. Overall it has been a fantastic experience and an opportunity I'm very thankful to have had.

Along with this I'm just excited about general school stuff. The only frustrating part in it all is that I like all the projects so much it's hard to know what to prioritise and work on at one time as my mind races and wonders around with ideas for other projects no matter which I'm tying to concentrate on. My only concern is I can see myself constantly leaning in a certain direction with my current design work and so can see in the next lot of projects I really will need to push myself to totally jump in the deep end and do some work that is out of my comfort zone so I can broaden my folio work.

Oh how I love that it's Easter weekend. Just so keen to see my family. At the same time I'm a little shell shocked that it's already the end of March and therefore a quarter of the way through the year! I can see this is just going to whizz past like nothing else. I'll turn around and it'll be June a blink!

Thought I'd spoil myself a little and I went and splurged on Justin Timberlake's new album, The 20/20 Experience. It's so good! Recommend giving it a spin. The single releases so far, mirror and Suit and Tie are fabulous. Especially loving the chilled tracks Strawberry Bubblegum, Blue Ocean Floor and Spaceship Coupe. Other favourites are Tunnel Vision, Don't Hold The Wall and Let the Groove Get In. But the entire album is fantastic. Full of catchy lyrics and sweet tunes!

It's nice to be alive!

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Tired turning

So it's nearly half past nine on a Saturday morning and I've already been up for three and a half hours. Call me crazy! Should i add in the part where i was up late last night dessert-nighting and watching movies. probably managed four hours of sleep. ye i have issues. On account of wanting to make it to a train at Southern Cross and allowing extra time for any possibility of public transport unreliability I got up quite early this morning to get out the door before seven. As usual I was quite on time and with an hour up my sleeve once in the city I ended up just going for a wander to pass the time. I love the city so much and as I walked around all I could think is how gloriously wonderful it would be to live in the city. It is definitely my ideal for the near future rather than later! Oh how I dream of living in the city. I just want to be in there so bad!

The reason for my early journey this morning is in relation to a celebratory visit to one of my favourite people for their 21st birthday! Happy birthday Danielle! Shall be a good day!

Last night I had a lovely evening with a friend. We went to dinner at this lovely cafe, QPO in Kew Junction where I did order a vegetarian pizza with lamb on it! As I read through the menu and forced myself not to get my default menu choice of a chicken parmigiana, the pizza selections grabbed my attention and as usual the vegetarian option sounded pretty good. I was desperate for some meat though and the lamb pizza only had rocket and onion on it compared to the varied and delicious spread on the vegetarian version. Such a rebel I am! The waiter did give us a funny look at the request! But it was so delicious! Had a lovely time. Such a cute place! As we payed on our way out the amazingly ravishing dessert selection caught my eye and since I was having one of my dessert nights I splurged on a little lemon cheesecake which was absolutely delicious! And was served by a nearly as equally delicious young man who did claim that the desserts were addictive and so he thought I would be back again soon. Cute!

It has been an interesting week to say the least. Frustration, disappointment, accomplished and surreal are words that could be used to describe it.

We'll skip over the disappointment and frustration.

Accomplished comes with the enjoyment of briefs that I'm working on with my studies. Really enjoying what the teachers are giving us so far this year.

Surreal comes from the (you'll have to forgive me as I may come across as a drama queen for this part) near death slash could have been severely injured experience that occurred as I was innocently crossing the road earlier in the week. Was at a crossing that I pass through every day and as I stepped off the curb after doing the usual checks that cars had stopped at their red light I crossed with my green man and with a slight lapse in my attention thankfully a car horn from somewhere alerted me to a grey ute that decided not to pay attention to his red light and speed right on through the intersection and whooshed past in front of me. I swear barely three steps from where I'd stopped still. Naturally as I finished crossing the road and continued on my way I went into total shock as I realised just how lucky I was. It made me think about everything I had done in the last hour that led up to that moment where I was thankfully walking slower than I usually would of been. Someone was definitely looking out for me this week! It was hard not see the scene replay in my head with a different outcome. One that involved a sickening thud as I could see myself get totally swiped up by the ute and imagining the kind of action that would follow. The drama that would unfold at the intersection before phone calls would be made and life really would have taken a different turn to that of which I would have expected when a got out of bed that morning.

You just never know what might happen to you today so be sure to embrace and saver every second of it! I recently heard that someone I know had a sibling die very suddenly. Late twenties. Gone. It's scary to think of what could be missed out on...

Hope you enjoy your day and live it to the fullest!






Saturday, March 16, 2013

Such Adults

One of my brothers is celebrating his nineteenth birthday today. Somehow it's hard to believe we've already made it this far. Is it really that many years, practically a decade(now we really do sound ancient) since we were playing dress ups and acting out many an interesting life as if we were already such adults. His character would always be named John. It didn't matter who he was playing, a dad, fireman, doctor or robber. This kid was fixated on being a John.

It certainly doesn't seem that long since we played in the sandpit and built our imaginations into the city's and planes that we would one day live. Not that long since we would pour the gagillion pieces in our vibrantly varied Lego collection onto a sheet on the floor and along with our older brother dive at all the "good pieces" calling dibs on the "best boards" and "body parts". They would default be yours should anyone else come across them. We built our dream homes, architects and builders in our own right creating magnificent dwellings and vehicles for our centimetres tall and terribly yellow tanned plastic people. All before we would play out dramatic stories, directors of the plastic world we would create. Or even the games of "little cars" with every kind of matchbox and hot wheels car you could possibly get your hands on. Gosh we did have fun. Having an older brother and younger brother either side of me meant many of these boyish games were the basis of our daily playing. But I did have Barbies and I did have a Ken doll and they did both step in to play the part on occasion.

Anyway, back to my not so little brother! My my how time flies. Can't wait to see where this young man goes in life. He's one of the most focused people I know and an inspiration and fantastic role model for my other younger brothers and sisters. I literally have to look up to him but also find him a role model of my own.

Happy birthday Joe!

Sunday, March 10, 2013

Ed A Plus

So it's Friday night and I'm on the common commute back home. It's one of the best parts of the week with the entire weekend of possibility ahead!

So I may have started this post on Friday and now it's already Sunday night!

This week has been rather busy as per usual and did in fact involve an exciting visit from my sisters and an adventure at Festival Hall featuring the one and only Ed Sheeran! Talk about an amazing performer! We had tickets for the mosh, like many others, keen to get as close as possible to the glorious talent that he is. Of course this involved an early arrival to ensure decent cue positioning accompanied by a seat on the floor as we waited for the event to get underway. Unfortunately after getting into Festival Hall we had only been sitting down for about ten minutes before a slight movement on stage caused a premature mad dash as everyone burst from their seated position on the floor into a sudden leap towards the stage. This then involved the next three hours standing body on body and holding your ground and positioning in the crowd along with making sure my youngest sister didn't faint from shock and exhaustion! My little extra height was definitely a plus in this situation! I kept telling my sister she needed to hold her ground like on the netball court. Think it's safe to say she won't be moshing again any time soon!

Despite the frustrations of not getting right to the front as everyone in the pit so keenly desired and regardless of the effort it took to hold my sister together and our spot in the crowd as close as we did get. I still loved it. It was an experience to be had and I would do it all again. Especially for Ed Sheeran. What a talent. He was fantastic at working the crowd having us join in for some songs but then also performing to a room of silence that it was embarrassing when someone would call out something silly. Amazing. The atmosphere was just electric.

Love Ed Sheeran! If you've never herd of him and like a bit of acoustic stuff go check him out!

He was supported by Passenger who I haven't really heard before now but apparently is well known in the UK. He was quite good. The other support was Gabrielle who sings Please Don't Say You Love Me, heard it quite a bit on Channel [v] lately. Quite like that song.

So yes. Good times!

Sunday, March 3, 2013

Caffeine Rambles

Dancing on the platform to Ed Sheeran because I can. On a caffeine high from the most coffee I've had in one day in ages and thankful for the fresh though barmy air after a long stuffy vline trip!

It's been a great weekend chilling with the family and road tripping to a friend's 21st. Chilling with an edge of guilt as I now stand in front of my tower of work which threatens to fall into a mess if I don't get into a bit of it when I do finally make it home tonight. It's a pretty tower though.

But that's ok. It'll be ok. Gonna be another crazy week but I've got my keen gloves on ready to get into it all. On top of the usual schedule this week I've also got an exciting concert date with my sisters to see the very same aforementioned Ed Sheeran. Am pretty keen for that one!

Can't believe March is upon us!

Hope you're enjoying your Sunday Bliss!

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Dodging Snowballs

It's been a bit over a week.
I've been a bit more than a mess.
But I'm pretty good right now.

The pin board is still rather full but I'm feeling more in control of it after a weekend of nothing but home time, blissful alone time. Sometimes alone time is just far to enjoyable. Perhaps there is something wrong with me. I've become so very independent over the last few years. But at the same time as much as I enjoy my own company I wish to have a few more people around to play with without having to leave my house. I really just wish a few of my sisters could come live with me! In an ideal world...

But yes, after an interesting but awesome time last weekend back home involving much loved family time and a friends 21st which I'm not even going to pretend didn't get very messy indeed and entail copious amounts of vodka and me walking away with an injury of sorts that I couldn't even blame on my sexy 5 inch heels, that has left me feeling like quite the cleverest of a person for the week. Thank god for the amazing friends I have! This somehow resulted in a very messy start to the week as I was almost feeling like I was in the snowy mountains standing at the bottom of a steep hill tied to a tree and there was a massive ball of snow not only growing in size but gaining momentum as it rolled towards me and seemed to hold my doomed fate in it's very cold core... But I think I dodged it... or someone came from nowhere and untied me from the tree.... Not someone visible... someone or something...

But by Thursday I was feeling far better. Got into a bit of Paramore listening which tends to make me feel better in such moods. It's a juggling act that I am trying to master at the moment. And I think it would be something I would have mastered a lot quicker by now if I had my personal matters in order. But as I don't it continues to be a struggle between the two as I try to best prioritise things. It's like I'm having my pre-quarter mini life crisis or something. And I just let it get to far before I finally pulled myself up on it. It's funny though, how at this end of the week I'm trying to work out why I was feeling so horrible on Monday... Life is a funny thing!

This weekend I have been attempting to get through some urgent briefs but it's always a struggle as I get distracted by so many other little projects and things to be done. And it always takes me five times the time I think it will to do things.... you'd think by now I would have compensated for this slight time issue by now! But oh well. I've certainly enjoyed being able to just do whatever at home and not go anywhere. I've got through a bit of stuff and have been half watching movies and catching up on The Carrie Diaries (which I am totally loving! Love watching AnnaSophia Robb and her gorgeous co-stars) all the while. Better get back to it.... will possibly continue on this rant later...

Sundays are the best though. Probably because no matter what is going on I always give myself permission to just take Sundays off. A day off of everything and a very much do whatever I want.

Anyway, for now I shall leave you with a hopefully inspiring quote...

“Don’t think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it’s good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art.”
- Andy Warhol
Swiss Miss

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Pinning

My head is a mess right now.

Maybe not so much a mess as a muddle. A muddle of papers, of lists, of ideas. Like a pin board where things just keep being pinned on top of each other until it's just covered in many different wonderful things but you don't really know where to start un pinning first to get to the stuff underneath.... and I really need to clean off the pin board and get it more organised!

In other news I am more than excited for the new releases of some of my favourite musicians latest works! Justin Timberlake is shortly due to release a new album titled The 20/20 Experience in just over a months time, March 19th. Loving the bight he's given us so far with Suit & Tie! So very catchy and smooth! Paramore are also due to release a new self titled album early in April too. Keen!

I'm also super keen that it is nearly the weekend and am more than excited to go home and see my family! It's been a few weeks now and I'm missing them like crazy!

In the mean time I best attempt to unpin some of those pins...

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Lovely lovely lovely

This weekend I was honoured and thrilled to share in the witnessing and celebrations of the Marriage of one of my lovely friends. There really is something to be said about being part of a wedding, whether you're in the bridal party or simply a guest as I was, especially in the intimacy of a small scale wedding. The atmosphere is just so lovely.

The ceremony was held in a lovely garden in which you simply could not of asked for a better day of weather! Definitely couldn't help shedding a few tears throughout. It was just lovely. The Bridesmaids and Groomsmen were looking rather dashing in electric blue ties and aqua dresses along side the stunning Bride and handsome Groom. It really was just so gorgeous!

Amazing food too! Not only did we have lunch but a dinner was also on the menu. Lunch was massive with the most delish sour dough rolls with chicken, lamb and salad along with this scrumptious little pie type thing that was so good. All of this was also accompanied by brownie, a little cup cake, a little lemon meringue AND some strawberries! Of course I couldn't eat all of this so the desserts went a miss but i heard they were pretty good! Then dinner I had some delicious Salt and Pepper calamari as the entree (why do entrees always have to be so big?!) and then some rather tasty salmon!
So much good food!

Such a lovely occasion to be part of and I felt quite privileged to be there. It's wonderful to see friends in such wedded bliss.

Love Weddings!

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Poker Face Breaks

Life is hard. Some people make it look so easy but sometimes I think those people may be the ones that struggle the most.

It's kind of funny but also really frustrating. It's like one big game of cards. Poker. There is an amount of skill involved but a lot of luck comes into play too. To enjoy the game you need to take a bit of humour, be able to relax and enjoy but also bring a serious note to it too. Your here to play aren't you?

Like the addiction you get to winning and you begin to constantly go all in even though you know it's not right. You know it's only bad for you. And you reach that point where you know in your heart that its time to turn back. Time to fold the cards and change the game plan. The hard part is folding because folding feels like a failure. Like your giving up on something. But it is okay to fold and wait for the next hand. Playing that extra hand might just be the end of it all and you wouldn't want the concentration and good fortune to this point to be waisted. So you fold. You fold and wait for the next deal and change the plan. There's no point in losing everything and there is no shame in changing the plan while you're ahead. Even though until this point where you've hit the edge and only have a few chips left on the table in front of you, things seemed to be going well. You know deep down its time to change. Change is hard. It's hard to change. But you know you need it... Sometimes we all need a change.

I've hit this point. Well and truly crashed into it really. It's been coming for a long while. And I've known that deep down. The part of my life that needs to change is my commitment to the gym and my routine. I'm there more than I need to be to the extent that it actually is bad for my health. Physically and mentally. I've let it get out of hand, and I know it. Instead of me running my gym program I've come to let it run me. Isn't it ironic that from working so hard to be as healthy as possible you can actually become unhealthy...

The first step is admitting you have a problem. Not just to yourself but to other people. The next step is doing something about it.

I'm doing something about it. I just need to re focus and get a better balance.

Time for a new game I think... Deal me in!

Saturday, February 2, 2013

The Silver Lining

It's been an interesting week in the life of me. A trying week in some ways. A week of endings and beginnings. Frustration and excitement. Many mixed emotions. On a roller coaster at the moment. But I'll go into that another time.

Feeling quite accomplished today as I finally finished reading The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick which has taken me just under two weeks to read. Pretty good for me as I tend to take quite a while! But not only did I finish the book, I even went and saw the film which only came out on Thursday! It sounds so funny to feel so accomplished over such things but I do! I really do!

It was kind of funny really. I was at work yesterday contemplating my evening ahead and how I'd like to see the film and had about 40 pages of the book left. So I got onto my friend hoping she too would be keen. We arranged our date and I literally read the final pages while I waited to meet her! I wouldn't recommend doing that though because with the book so extremely fresh in your head it is a little harder to take the drastic changes they make to the story in the film. Having said that the film was fantastic. I just love Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper and Jackie Weaver was also brilliant and Robert De Niro is always fantastic.

If you haven't already read about it without giving much away The Silver Linings Playbook is about a Pat Peoples, a recovering mentally ill sports teacher who is trying to be a better person so he can get back with his wife Nikki and end 'apart time'. Meanwhile similarly 'crazy' Tiffany comes into his life with her own baggage but oddly trying to help Pat reach Nikki.

It's kind of funny, as I read the book I imagined some of the scenes being played out because you already knew the cast, in your head you watched your own film as you read the book. My film was quite different to the actual film. I'm going to be hanging out for it to come on DVD so I can watch it again and again to process it better. Right from the start it just goes a bit differently. But I can see why it was altered the way it was. I think one of the big differences to me was in my head it was all so much more serious in the book but the film brings out a lot of comedy (it is classified a rom-com) in it which is fantastic. Many moments where the cinema just burst out laughing. I love that! It's quite a confronting read and watch for some with the issues of mental health being addressed and what it's like living with these issues. We all know someone or have first hand experience of mild or more serious cases of these so it hits home hard on some. So it was good to be lightened up. It was really good. Its funny for the book to be a film because throughout the book Pat, the main man, constantly talks about his life being a movie. I really loved it. The more I think about it the more I like the book and the film for different reasons. Overall very content with both. Props to the screenwriters and director and all involved really. I think it's just brilliant.

Bottom line I give it a 9.99 out of 10. Go read the book. Go see the film. I honestly recommend it to everyone and anyone. Do it in whichever order you prefer because they are quite different. Either way I hope you find it as uplifting as I did.

Every cloud has a silver lining.

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Talks Like a Gentleman, Like You Imagined...

So yesterday I attended the Melbourne Big Day Out for my second time. Early on hadn't planned to go. Last year was amazing but the line up this year didn't grab me so I thought I'd save my pennies and give it a miss. It was kind of late planned as another friend was super keen for the line-up and after not having gone to any other festivals this season I thought why not. Unfortunately in the end the keenest of my friends wasn't able to join us on the adventures of the day but I am so glad that we had bought tickets anyway. It was fantastic. Just grand times really!

So I now definitely have a few cases of band love going on after seeing both Vampire Weekend and The Killers live I now feel a deeper love for them than I had before. Especially The Killers. The Killers were just absolutely amazing. Even though I wasn't on track with my listening and hadn't taken the time to get tuned into their newer stuff properly... Wow. The lead singer, Brandon Flowers, just had you in this trance the whole time! Could barely take my eyes off him! such a sexy man! And I'll never forget jumping around to their most established works. Mr. Brightside. Which they did open with. And of course Somebody Told Me. Originally I was keen to run over to 360 and catch his last few songs so we planned to leave The Killers early. Then I realised they would be doing When we were young as the closing song and we just had to stay! And I'm more than glad we did. It was probably the highlight of the day. The most memorable of moments. Wowee! The Killers! You've got me!

And Vampire Weekend were good fun and also played fantasticly. The squash of the crowd to get in for them was rather intense but totally worth it!

Shall be getting my hands on as much of The Killers and Vampire Weekend as I can!

We also checked out Sampology, Seth Sentry, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Animal Collective, Red Hot Chili Peppers and The Bloody Beetroots rocking it out till the very end an they were pretty bloody brilliant. So for a line-up I wasn't originally fussed on it sure was a fantastic Big Day Out! Great way to spend Australia Day 2013!

Check out my Instagram for pictures. Though stupidly didn't have my phone very hatched and was using the camera very sparingly all day!

Hope yours was as fantastic as mine no matter what you did!

Quite happy with the Triple J Hottest 100 number one, Thrift Shop by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Ft. Wanz. And good to see that they also came in at fifteen with Same Love Ft. Mary Lambert which is my favourite song right now. Keen for the CD to come out. It's always a wait that seems to take forever!





Friday, January 25, 2013

Arts.

“Go into the arts. I’m not kidding. The arts are not a way to make a living. They are a very human way of making life more bearable. Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven’s sake. Sing in the shower. Dance to the radio. Tell stories. Write a poem to a friend, even a lousy poem. Do it as well as you possibly can. You will get an an enormous reward. You will have created something.”
- Kurt Vonnegut

(via SwissMiss of course.)

Happy Friday-ing!

I've been almost feeling allergic to having this 4 day long weekend coming up...

Strange right?

I'm gonna make it super productive. It's gonna be good. My head is racing with lists I need to make!

First up Friday morning gym class.

Happy Friday-ing!

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Magnificently busy!

Life, as per usual has been busy! Magnificently busy! Of course this is tiring but also fantastic because as I'm sure you've noticed (I know you've been stalking me and reading all my blogs an paying a lot of attention ;) ) I love some chill time and a holiday as much a anyone else but I really do love being busy. In fact if I'm not busy I just feel kind of bad. Practically guilty. Like I'm just wasting time. Though I know its not bad for you and if you can afford not to be working all the time you should make the most of it...

Over a week and a half ago now I went for an internship interview which I'm more than pleased and proud to say that I secured and began the following Monday! Pretty excited and loving it thus far! I feel so lucky to have landed the gig!

Also, thankfully classes have gone back at my gym which is awesome because I've really missed my dose of exercise with the gym crew. I've been back doing my own thing for over a week already but there is nothing like the motivation of a group fitness class with a group of people you just generally enjoy the company of!

It's also been an especially fabulous week as I had two of my favourite people in the world, two of my best friends, two of my sisters come to visit me and join me for some grand fun.

After I put them through their paces with my gym class we went out for some tasty dinner where I tried to give them a bit of culture and try something they wouldn't always have. We had some dumplings and other bits and pieces. It was delish!

We hit up the Australian Open which unfortunately we could only go on the hottest day of the week. On Thursday with a forecast high of 39 degrees or so. We sweated it out court side on show court three despite the fact we weren't moving. It was the hottest part of the day and i still cant believe how hot it was. More than feel bad for all the players who had to play their matches that day! Watched Australian player James Duckworth battle through a 5 set match which after 5 hours and what looked like some painful cramping up he unfortunately couldn't close out the match with the score to his favour. Was feeling a bit sympathetic towards his opponent as he really did begin to cop it from the crowd as the match wore on an to his credit he managed to outlast the abuse and outrun Duckworth to progress onwards. As for the girls and I, by the time the match finished we were glad to go and find some shade. Thankfully our religious, on the hour sunscreen applying for the most part of the day saved us from the sun and we got away with little to no sunburn at all! We watched Del Potro breeze through his unseeded opponent and watched the very end of Gasquets match before heading home. Despite the heat it was still a good day but will definitely be more mindful of such a warm forecast next time!

Friday we made a real day of it and had a breakfast at The Coffee Club, breakfast at noon! A breakfast I will probably dream about for quite some time! It was the Gourmet bacon & egg turkish roll. It was just so amazingly deliciously good! Like tastebud crazy! Possibly because we had it so late and were super hungry by the time we had it! But still, soooo good! We then spent the rest of the day shopping and managed to find some brilliant bargains before the girls introduced me to another amazingly delicious treat... my new love... a frappuccino at Starbucks. I had White Chocolate Mocha one which was quite literally heaven in a cup! Divinely fabulous party in my mouth!

Wow I just love to eat so much! Also had a delish vegetable bagel which was tasty as! Don't think I've ever had a bagel before!

All in all I had the grandest time. Though when my sisters are involved I generally always do. Hopefully they had as much fun as I did!

I then went home with them for the weekend which was nice. I miss my family all the time and just wish there was a way for us to live closer but still live in the places we do. I really love Melbourne but I also really love home!

A bit excited I finally got my hands on the Puberty Blues book by Kathy Lette and Gabrielle Carey and have even already finished reading it! I know it's only a short one but I always feel accomplished after finishing a book no matter how short it is! So I shall finally begin watching the TV series which I bought ages ago and have been making myself wait to read the book.

Also watched My Week With Marilyn which was so beautiful and I just loved it. And also Rock of Ages. I shall elaborate on these in my next The Flave!

I'll leave it there for the moment though I could go on. If you got through all that, thank you for reading!