Musical car

Watch this video and tell me it isn't one of the coolest musical set ups ever?!

So seriously awesome! OK Go are the coolest! They tend to have the coolest of videos!

Today I was all good and threw together a salad for lunch. Perhaps it wasn't the best idea. First I forgot my fork. No big deal really, I do have fingers after all. But could you imagine my slight horror when I got to the bottom of my salad and found a little caterpillar?! It was slightly off putting. Lucky I had eaten the salad already!

Spent 3 and a half hours at the gym today. Perhaps I do have a problem?! Though that is including a Yoga and then a boxercise-ish class. That's not so bad right?

Chow!

More love

Happy Valentines day! I've never really had a reason to think much about Valentines day and am in two minds as to whether it's a day worth thinking of anything more than a good sales day for the florists and chocolate makers of the world. But hey, having said that, there are plenty of ways to go about Valentines without spending a cent more than you would on a normal day and why not use it as an excuse to show some affection? God knows this world needs more love! It is rather lovely to be on the receiving end of such affection.

Second day back was less odd and more awesome I feel. Thumbs up on that one!

;)
xo

It's odd

First day back was odd. Unlike the painstaking stress of the painting we did at the beginning last year we managed to finish the day with absolutely no homework. All tasks completed in class time. It's odd. I feel like ever since the first day last year right until the end of year final submissions we had briefs and work that was un finished and hanging over us. But I'm not complaining! Going to enjoy the feeling of being back but not actually having homework while it lasts! Just... feels odd. But it's awesome. Our class is bigger now which will take a bit for everyone to settle a bit I think. You feel more self conscious all over again. But I'm looking forward to it all. New beginnings with a knowing feeling. Like starting all over again... but your not.

I even joined the library today! Didn't borrow anything but just thought I may as well join for the future reading I plan to do. 2012 is the year of the reader after all!

The Flave #006

The Flave #006

Any Questions for Ben? is the first Australian film I've been able to go see at the cinema since Tomorrow When the War Began which was so very long ago! After seeing the trailer, which gave me a good giggle, I couldn't wait to check it out at the cinema. And I thought it was rather fantastic! I was a little wary after Margaret and David didn't really rave about it in their reviews on The Movies but I wasn't disappointed. It was just awesome to watch an Australian cast including Alan Brough and Jodi Gordon who respectively played their parts well, Daniel Henshell, Felicity Ward and Christian Clark who played Ben's best friends Nick, Emily and Andy were quite funny and then Ed Kavalee(who you would most likely know best for Thank God You're Here) who played archery Bronze medalist Jim was also quite funny. But the obviously awesome stars that played Ben and Alex, Josh Lawson and Rachael Taylor (who obviously I'm already biased towards because not only is she Australian but shares my name) were just perfect. Lawson is just a bit of a cutie and Taylor is just stunning! The story is quite funny as it follows Ben and his struggle to commit to life in general as he constantly has changed jobs, girlfriends and homes over his 27 years of life, In the midst of a quarter life crisis he realises how unhappy he is with it all and that he needs to change something. Recommend going to see it and supporting the Australian film. I'd definitely watch this one again. 8.5/10.

How Do You Know. So many questioning titles! This one stars the always impressive Reese Witherspoon along side the ever funny Owen Wilson along with Paul Rudd and Jack Nicholson. Witherspoons character Lisa is a professional softball athlete who after being cut from the team is left feeling a little lost in life as she tries to work out why she doesn't want the husband, settling down and children running around as fellow retired athletes have desired as they've gone before her. She crosses paths with the recently legally troubled George (Rudd) who's life is falling apart after being accused of business caused by his own father (Nicholson). An odd relationship is formed and the two are friends while Lisa tries hard to persist on a romantic relationship with the self absorbed and thick fellow athlete Matty(Wilson) all the while George trying to get his way into her heart. It has it's moments and it was funny to watch though it wasn't anything amazing it was an enjoyable film. 7/10.

Love Happens stars Jennifer Anniston and Aaron Eckhart. Aaron plays the troubled lead Burke, an inspiration speaker to those in mourning and struggling with the death of loved ones but little do they all know while he is inspiring them to move through their grief he is far from moved on from his own. When he meets Eloise (Anniston) she pushes him to face his demons. I did shed a few tears in this one. Wasn't a bad watch. 7/10.

Extreme keen!

So I clearly have problems. Despite my sweet food restrictions I am totally incapable of walking into a discount lolly shop and not purchasing a ridiculous amount of chocolate and lollies. I share them of course but last weekend I literally spend $40 within 10 minutes on various chocolates and lollies. Stocked up I did! Why does it have to be so bad for me to consume so much of it? It's such a challenge. I do really keenly look forward to the weekends just to have my little gauge sessions on a ridiculous amount of sugary, chocolatey goodness! I believe I have a problem.... but fixing it isn't a priority at the moment! Hence I am going to start a new branch on this bitter sweet tree of mine. Look out!

Two sleeps to go until finally (yes in all honesty I am sincerely saying finally) I get to go back to uni! And I am so extremely keenly excited. It's so different to last year, not as new an experience, but it will be a different one all the same. New teachers, and if we're lucky maybe some other new faces. Getting back to the old ones will be fun too. Very keen to catch up with everyone indeed! Holidays are great... but really, these ones have felt a little prolonged. I would have happily gone back two weeks ago. Having said that I won't complain, the holidays have been fantastic. Though there are some things I had hoped to do the stuff I did get to do was awesome fun and I've been able to take some serious time out and just totally relax which we all need to do ever so often.

So in going back I'm wracking my brains as to what I really need to organise to be ready. I can't think of anything important so hopefully I'm not forgetting something! Except for a keen enthusiasm of course.

Yesterday after going to see Any Questions for Ben? (which you can read my thoughts about in the latest The Flave #006, soon to be posted) we hit up McDonalds on the way home and though I wasn't buying anything my self as a driver I went through the drive through for the first time ever. I don't know if it's sad or odd that I've literally never driven through any drive through before... but there. The drive-through-ginity is all gone.

Anyway, off to get a trim to freshen up the hair, it needs it pretty desperately actually. Then off to do a little bit of shopping I think.

I will leave you with a quote I found particularly inspiring the other day from one of my favourite blogs swiss-miss. I feel it rings quite true.

“From my experience, you can’t wait around to find what you love. You gotta work your ass off. And then you find what you love by doing piles and piles of work.”
- Kate Bingaman Burt

The Flave #005

The Flave #005

I watched Love & Other Drugs weeks ago now. I thought it was totally charming! Or at least Jake Gyllenhaal who was the leading man, Jamie, certainly was totally charming. And along side the always stunning Anne Hathaway I feel this movie is a winner! The story is a typical one but the characters are relatable and loveable and I couldn't help getting wrapped up in it all. A totally enjoyable watch. 9/10.

One Day by David Nicholls. Second book completed for the year, totally psyched! And it was quite wonderful. I love how it covered so much time as throughout the book each chapter skips from one year to the next and you follow the characters, Emma and Dexter as they go from scared and unsure students graduating from college, heading off along different paths in life to middle aged successes all the while dealing with separate relationships, dilemmas and lives but always keeping in contact for all those years. I certainly shed my fair share of tears by the end of it and am totally excited to see this one in film. I think it is not long released on DVD so as soon as it is on a good sale I will be eagerly running down to the shops to get my hot little hands on a copy! I feel like because the story is spread over such an amount of time but with such regular and consistent updates I was rarely wanting to put it down. I feel like I got a lot out of reading this one. Another book I would totally recommend giving a go! 9.8/10.

Country Strong was fantastic! I really enjoyed this film. It was really sweet. I love Leighton Meesters and it was great to see her out of her usual Blair character on Gossip Girl and playing a totally different roll. And as always Gwenyth Paltrow was solidly convincing as her troubled character, Kelly. The story was quite touching. I even enjoyed the country soundtrack and I'm usually not into that kind of music. Garrett Hedlund played his leading man roll well, bit of a cutie! Tim McGraw was also very good. Recommend a watch! 8.5/10.

Now for some thoughts on what is perhaps the most suiting subject to review on The Flave: food! No I'm not claiming to be any kind of expert on the subject, I can only tell you my opinion from my own, quite limited pallet. Having said that my Grandma does make a pretty mean cake and various other slices and bakery items so I think through this I have gained some good taste! Anyway on with the job. This weekend I took some of my sisters on a bit of a drive in which we made a visit to one of the Beachworth Bakery's so here is our little review of what we tried accompanied by some dangerously mouthwatering images...

French Vanilla Slice
So I'm not sure if because it was French it didn't have icing on top like most other vanilla slice I have had but I certainly missed it. That along with the pastry being so hard that you couldn't cut through it without all the custard sliding out the sides was rather dissapointing. I like the pastry softened and the sugary icing on top! I think we all agreed it wasn't the best we'd had.
Rating out of 10
R: 7, J: 7, E: 7, A: Didn't try it.
21/30

Happy Face Biscuit
Typically cute with sprinkles and icing for hair and smarties for eyes the good old happy face biscuits take me back to being six years old and going into the bakery with Mum where you would proceed to pester her for one of those biscuits on the other side of the glass in front of you while pressing fingerprints all over the glass. Decidedly it was up to reasonable standard according to the youngest member of the panel gave an almost perfect rating. Though some of us felt that the jam in the middle wasn't spread across the biscuit well enough and that there could of been a bit more of it. All in all it was a typical happy face biscuit.
Rating out of 10
R: 6, J: 8, E: 5, A: 9.5
28.5/40

Death by Chocolate
This dark and rich looking layered mud cake had us all a little bit excited. Can't go past chocolate! This was a decidedly rich and indulging treat and we did think that perhaps it would have been a bit nicer had it been served with some cream as it was so rich it would have given it that little bit of extra love. Apart from quite a tough little critic the general consensus was this was possibly the favourite.
Rating out of 10
R: 9, J: 8, E: 9.5, A: 3.
29.5/40

Chocolate Eclair
This chocolate creamy filled item was a hit with all of us as it received the highest score. Though there was a little more than enough cream the whole thing disappeared the quickest and as we ate it murmurs of satisfied taste buds couldn't help but follow. The icing was delicious as was the pastry and it just all was so.... divine!
Rating out of 10
R: 8, J: 9, E: 8.5, A: 6.5
32/40

Overall a tasty experience at the Beachworth Bakery!

LINKspired #003

LINKspired #003

• A video I found totally inspiring The Future Belongs To Curious. I came across it on Swiss-Miss.

• With all these GIFs popping up on tumblr I was curious to make one myself so found this easy to follow CreativeTech tutorial! Give it a go if you want to make one! Find what I made here on my tumblr, Senseless Confessions.

• Tell me it isn't inspirational that two Canadian 17-year-olds managed to have a lego man fly into space?!

• Did you know that Faker have released their latest album, Get Loved, and you can download it for free? Yes. It's FREE.

• Love this clever little stock motion by Messy Design which I came across on desktop's website.

Hope you enjoy!