people who think they can blog.

Exhibit A: Me.
I'm the first to admit I'm a try-hard blogger~ don't try & take that away from me by saying it first! 
Judging on my previous posts, that's fairly obvious though, yes?
***
What is blogging?
A bit of fun, a bit of a vent, a bit of a mystery, a bit of a laugh?
Blogging is just graffiti with punctuation.
*often terrible punctuation.. yes, on my part.
Oopsie!
Alrighty so I'm not a perfectionist.
Yawn, how boring would that be?
I like to mix it up & keep it interesting.
Yep, i talk about random, dumb topics quite regularly, i talk about somewhat cryptic topics that you will never understand or even realise that yes, in fact i am referring to you.. ooh, the plot thickens!
Oh yes.
Hoping that people will actually be able to relate to or get a kick out of my topic of choice for the week.. it's actually trickier than you realise to think of something to ramble on about for a whole post that will pique interest.
To the people out there who love making fun of this blog, who laugh their lil' socks off when reading it, enjoy tearing it to shreds & would recommend an editor.. not a bad idea actually..
Cheers! I'll drink to that! (did i just steal some lyrics..)
That's another thing that blogger's do.. steal!
Steal life experiences, steal quotes, steal lyrics, steal your time, steal privacy from ourselves as we open up to the unknown. 
Don't get me wrong though, my blog is all original content. I take life experiences, thoughts, emotions.. all of that & elaborate.

Anyway, its good to be able to make fun of & laugh at yourself. Not to take life too seriously & enjoy the simple pleasures.
Because at the end of the day, it really is the simple things in life that matter most.
xox
ps- I love a good contradiction.

Taste of Summer*

*To my friends in the Northern Hemisphere who are about to head into a long, cold, dark winter... i suggest you stop reading right about now.
*Ahhh, summer. What bliss. Just around the corner... tomorrow, to be precise. 
I cannot wait! Finally after a gruelling year.
Holidays! Friends! Fun! Love!
Sun! Surf! Sand! Short Shorts! Red Bikinis!
What is it about summer that makes everyone so happy?
*Is it sipping cocktails with the girls, giggling & watching the world go by?
*Ice cold beers with the boys?
*Those balmy nights spent wandering the city streets with your nearest & dearest?
*Staying up to watch the sunrise over the horizon?
*Days spent snoozing on the beach?
*Or maybe its just the lack of clothes & amount of hot bodies to check out that give us all a secret smile?
Your guess is as good as mine :)
But there is no denying it, there is something about summer that puts us in a good mood.
Bring on the Vitamin D.
Even if you've had a terrible day, someone has treated you like rubbish or you are just feeling a bit downers on life.. 
For some reason, summer just makes it easier to deal with things like that.
A couple of days ago i headed into the the Big Smoke, aka the city, to meet up with a small bunch of friends for some lazy strawberry/apple ciders & vodka/raspberry's on the balcony of Madame Brussels.
http://www.madamebrussels.com/
It was brilliant.
Cool drinks, warm balmy day & good chats. The best!
Having daylight savings on our side, we wandered through the city, grabbed some takeaway pizza's & headed for the Botanical Gardens.
It was perfection.

To chance encounters.
This will be an unforgettable summer.
xox
ps- having said all of that... yesterday i was traipsing around the city in short shorts & today i am back to wearing jeans & boots. I was even greeted with thunder & rain when i woke up today *sigh. Thankyou Melbourne for being predictably unpredictable.

~loyalty~

Ahhh, that old friend.

It's the sort of quality that we don't really think about a lot in our general day to day life, yet it plays such an important role in all of our lives.

And all of us are tested by it at some stage or another.

It might be in something small or it might be in something major that our loyalty gets tested.

It's what you let happen next, that matters the most.

Yeah mate, you are actually in charge of what you allow to happen when faced in a situation that tests your loyalty.

But, what is loyalty?

~the state or quality of being loyal- faithfulness to commitments, obligations & people~

I guess that's a fairly big deal ehh!

Loyalty & trust go hand in hand. It's simple.

You lose loyalty to someone.. usually, it means you also lose trust in them too.

How do we let this happen though?

Maybe it just happens over time if we get burned, hurt or lied to over & over again by those who we thought were our nearest & dearest.

*ouch.

What do you do when someone hurts you in the most heart wrenching sort of way & then you are faced with a crossroad situation where you can either remain loyal to the person who has hurt you & stand up for them or you can totally ruin them..

They will never know whether you chose to diss them or if you do stand up for them.. even after being absolutely ruined by them.

What do you do?

You stay loyal to them.

Stand up for your friend knowing they will never realise what you have done for them.

Because at the end of the day, even if you have been hurt by them.. under all of that pain, you are still friends.

Never abandon those you love, even when it hurts & cuts you to the depths of your soul.

xox

i just got 'shot gunned'‏ ~a true story~

Whats that?

Let me fill you in.

I arrive at work... well, i arrive in the street where i park around the corner from work, I've got my RnB music pumping (don't laugh... it helps wake me up in the mornings!)

Anyway.

There's a couple of houses getting renovation's where i park so there have been tradies around in general over the last couple of weeks.

No complaints here.

I drive passed one guy & i cant help but gawk... just a lil bit.

By gawk i probably just mean stare... too much & too obviously... *oh dear!

Will i ever learn it's rude to stare?

In my own defence, it was a Friday. He's cutie. And he's looking at me. What am i supposed to do?
 After driving around looking for a car spot, i end up parking opposite the house getting renovation's that is full of tradies... feeling very conspicuous.

I finish my coffee in my car, I've still got some music on- i turn it down once i park so i don't look like too much of a twit.

I get out of my car... am too scared... aka chicken to even glance at the tradies working on the renovations.

(also hoping that i don't have any food, drink, marks on myself anywhere to be seen & hoping that i don't fall/trip over or something dumb like that..)

Then 2 seconds later as I'm walking along the street these 2 tradie guys are saying/yelling out loud: 

'SHOT GUN!!'

'SHOT GUN!!!'

And I'm like.. naaaa, as IF they're yelling about me.
That's really funny & quite an odd thing to be yelling out.

THEN.

..and then..

I hear one of the tradies say:

'I saw her when she was still in the car!'

Cue me walking off speedier now because I'm a little bit stoked/ a little bit freaking out/a little bit giggling like a 15year old girl about being 'shot gunned' thinking...

'CRAP! I gotta get in to work so i can email my girls!'

(and blog about it to you guys ofcourse!)

Happy (almost) Friday my loves!

xox

ps- Here is some trivia for you-

Back in the olden days~ I'm talking horse & cart era/ cowboys & indians era, there would be one guy up front who would be driving the horse & cart & sitting next to him would be a second guy who would carry a shotgun to ward off or even shoot any enemies who came along the way. (Or if in fact YOU are the bad guy, then it's to ward off the good guys trying to catch you along the way!) 

Therefore, when your friends yell 'SHOTGUN' as they're approaching your car or there's one piece of cake left, it means they just want to be riding up front with you or they get first shot on the cake.

Game on!

Marry me off. I dare you.

To my single friends:

Do people- friends, relatives, work colleagues- try to marry you off to random strangers?

It happens to me all the time.

For instance, last week a tradesmen came to my work to pick up something.. no, not me, & the lady i work with decided that he was a 'bit of alright' & that i should show some interest in him.

I didn't look twice at the guy.

The lady who made this suggestion is in her 50's.

Why do i suddenly get the feeling she is living, or atleast attempting to live, vicariously through me??

Perhaps it's because over the last few weeks whenever a new guy has come into the office, whether they be a young tradesman or someone signing some paperwork, she gives me the old wink from behind her computer screen & informs me 'Ooh, he seems like a nice young man for you!'

Darling.

What in the world makes you think that 1: i would take you seriously, 2: that i would take you seriously! or 3: that you know what I'm looking for.

Only i hold the key to that.

And i hold that key very close to my heart.

It also might make you wonder when people do this to you that 'hey, wait a minute.. do you think i am not capable of trawling through people to find someone who I actually really want?'

Are you dissing me as a person?!

That's a little extreme & honestly, i don't think that myself.

But do you sometimes think along those lines?

Does my friend/ work colleague think i am not capable of finding someone amazing & in turn making it quite clear that, YES! I am interested in them?

But then, when you do actually like someone, there's those people who tell you 'Oh, you deserve so much better than that person!' or 'You could do so much better than him, you deserve someone amazing!'
(Yes. I too am guilty of verbalising this on rare occasions. Yes I am protective to my friends & loyal.)
Even my boss said to me recently that any 'Prospects' will have to 'get passed him.'
Whats interesting is the people who make these remarks, never actually have a 'better' suggestion. They're purely telling me i 'could do better.'

The most annoying thing is, whenever i have liked a guy, i have always been told that he wasn't good enough for me & that i deserve much better than him.
Every guy I've ever liked, every one of them.

Are you serious? Who's to judge that?
Ahh, scusi' i know that comes from the kindness of your deep, deep heart, but if I'm interested in someone, it's not exactly any of your business.  And, shock horror...

To me, they are an amazing, smart, funny person.
That's why i like them in the first place. SURPRISE!
It's not some huge secret. I'm actually pretty easy to please.
If you wow me with life stories, you make me feel inadequate because of the big words you use (but i am secretly in awe) & you make me laugh, really laugh, from the depths of my soul...
You're in!

xox

ps- Don't get me wrong.. I'm open to any suggestions you may have! Go on, marry me off. I dare you.

FACEBOOK - ERADICATION

I did it.
I actually did it.
After procrastinating for approximately 1 year & having the thought bubbling away in the back of my brain..
I got myself an injection of Dutch courage & did it.
Not a literal injection you crazies! It's a metaphor. Dutch courage comes from within oneself.
(All you need is 20 seconds of insane courage & something good will come of it. I promise. That goes for a lot of things actually... put yourself out there, take the chance & see where it leads you. Often you'll get pleasantly surprised & wonder why you never took the chance earlier.)
What the hell am i talking about?
Well.. if the heading didn't already give it away... *drum roll please
A little over a month ago, i deleted my Facebook account!
I've been dry for almost.. 6 weeks i think.
But who's counting?
The reasons i deleted it, you really want to know?
Let's get one thing clear straight up- it was nothing personal against anyone on there.
I definitely still love you.
This decision was purely because i wanted to remove myself from the equation & just have a bit of a break from the constant stream of information, sometimes useless information, which i was definitely guilty of time & time again!
I'm the first to admit this.
And also i much prefer receiving a text or a nice phone call instead of someone posting a comment on my wall or poking me. (Whether i wanted to be poked or not.. )
Then theres that whole scenario where you meet someone new for the first time & they exclaim 'OH! Nice to finally meet you, I see you on Facebook all the time!' (and what they don't tell you is '..and i have already prejudged you on what i have seen on Facebook.' Preconception. It's ok, don't give me a chance to give you a proper first impression in person. That's totally fine. You've clearly already made up your mind about me anyway.)
To the people who sent me a text asking 'OMG!! Did you delete your FB? Is everything ok?!'
Yes. I am totally fine, nothing bad happened. Thankyou.

***

My new addiction now that Facebook is out of my life?
I thought you'd never ask:
http://www.lookbook.nu/
*Gawk!
You didn't honestly think that after deleting Facebook i would be sitting here all day long just twirling my long blonde hair & sipping lattes now did you? As fun as that is!
Silly! You know me better than that.
Not even sure how i stumbled across Lookbook, but what i do know is that it was love at first sight.
Some of the outfits on there are out of this world! Gorgeous.
I'm only brand new to it & it's highly intimidating. Yes.
Did i just say that? I am intimidated.
Little old me who doesn't get intimidated by anyone or anything.
Or if i did, you would never actually know it because I'm too stubborn to let my guard down far enough for that to be revealed to you. A girls got to have some secrets!
Let me get something clear, it's not so much intimidated by peoples looks as such, although there are many beauties on there, it's more intimidation of their amazing style & creativity in putting outfits together.
Perhaps it's jealousy & intimidation mixed with awe & respect..
Check it out for yourselves.
Inspire me!

Having said all of that.... I'll probably be back on Facebook by the end of the month!

xox

CT Scan My Head Please. Did you find anything?

Ok, so I've never really been the 'sick' type of person.

...well, in mind yes.. but physically, I've had it pretty good.

Chicken pox when i was little, the old cold/flu every now & then- just the usual.

Never broken a bone, never had a blood nose, never even been stung by a bee!
..which is somewhat surprising considering i was a
tomboy when i was little.

I'm pretty tough. I have a high pain threshold. Even invincible!

A couple of weeks ago, i had a CT scan.

I guess if you're going to be sick, you may as well go all out & start with a CT scan yeah?

I'm sure that's how it works.

I was chatting to my doc the other day about an ailment/ annoyance which i have had for... hmm, about 7 years on & off.

7 Y E A R S.

Every single time I've been to the doc in the last 7 years I've mentioned it to them but they've always shrugged it off & said it's nothing & not to worry.

7 YEARS.

I was at the end of my tether. Yes I am a patient person ('scuse the pun.. patient.. doctor's.. yeah, lame.) & no it's not life threatening... although, if you look it up on Wikipedia it says that in some random, chance, severe case it can kill you.

But, that's just what Wikipedia says.. i shouldn't worry.. should i?!

Naaa. I don't have time for stuff like that in my life.

Anyway, so Ive never had a scan before.

You lie down on this bed, the Nurse puts a metal sheet over your vital organs~ aka 'girly bits', says 'Don't move.'  Then she promptly leaves the room.

I was scared to even BREATHE! I could feel my heart beat & i thought even that was making me move too much.

Yikes.

Here's a pic of the machine they used:

You go into the scan machine & lie there for what feels like forever, singing silly songs in your head, wondering if there's a camera above your face & the nurse is watching you in the next room laughing, wondering how long you will be there for- 10 minutes? 20 minutes?

Then, everything stops, the Nurse comes back in & informs you that 'You did well.'

I did 'well?!' What does that even mean?!

I did well because... i didn't move? I did well because the scan came out ok? I did well because i didn't freak out & have a panic attack? What is it?!

The following day, after playing phone tag with my doctor trying to find out my results..

'Hi, I'd like to speak to doctor x please.'

'He's with a patient, try back in half an hour.

'Hi, I'd like to speak to doctor x please.'

'He's out, try calling after lunch.'

'Hi, I'd like to speak to doctor x please.'

'He's with a patient, I'll get him to call you.'

He finally left me a voicemail with my results.

Some clarity, finally, after 7 years.

Le sigh*

xox

...and now for something different! (i hear you say 'It's about time!')

So because i like to mix things up & keep it interesting..

~this goes for everything in my life by the way~

I have decided today's blog will be totally different to what i usually do & what you guys are accustomed to.

You see a couple of weeks ago i went away for the weekend to Bendigo.

Ahhhh. Escape.

Totally bliss.

Bendigo.

Quaint town in the middle of Victoria.

What drew me here this sunny weekend? My aunty & uncle live here & they wrote a book.

Yes. An entire book.

I was in town for their book launch.

Ta Daa!

(Yes, i agree with what you are thinking- clearly, my aunty got the brains of the family. Yes. *Sigh.)

Pretty exciting!

I've never been to a book launch before & my aunty & uncle had never had a book launch before.

The book is about Tibetan refugee's who had to escape their homeland~ Tibet, obviously~ when China took over. They travelled on foot over the Himalayan Mountains into India where they have now been living for over fifty years. My aunty & uncle sponsor a family & the proceeds of their book, which they had to publish themselves because no one else would, will go to help the refugees have a 'normal' happy life.

The book is beautiful- full of photos & artwork that my aunt & uncle did all themselves.

It is 100% purely all theirs.

An article in the local paper can be found here:

http://www.bendigoweekly.com/news/heart-to-imagine?Page=2&A=PhotoGallery&PID=6489&Items=4

While i was in town I stayed at this gorgeous lil' bed & breakfast.

Absolutely fantastic. So much character, cosy, homey & good spot close town. http://www.blissb.com.au/

The owner even gave us art supplies, which i took full advantage of.

It has been years since I've sketched/drawn/painted.

It was good to get the arty juices flowing once again.

Theres something peaceful about sketching & being in your 'own little world' while doing so. It has a calming effect & makes you forget about your current woes.

Here's the something different, a whole stack of photos that i took around town.

It's very easy to take beautiful photos here.

I hope you like them.

:)

xox

 

The following day, their book was already in the local Dymocks Bookstore. 



The End.

xox

You Get Under My Skin

Dear Excellent Blog Readers :)

Do you know someone, have a friend or even just an acquaintance who just gets under your skin every time you are in 

contact with them?

Whether its a text, email, online chat, phone call or face to face.

Boy or girl.

I do.

Although, i would never admit that or tell you who.

I'll just continue to let you think I'm referring to you.

And by doing this, maybe i will get the upper hand over you.. but then, if you don't realise it's you, then it's my loss. Again. But we'll both never know.. have i lost you with that ramble?! I do believe i just did a full circle.

***
They always seem to have the upper hand & be one up on you.

Always.

You feel like you have to claw your way back to some form of normality & resistance only for them to irritate you again & again, shoot you down over & over.
Tearing you to shreds.
Teasing you.
Is that the best you've got? Come on.
Give it to me.
Do your worst.
***
Yet... all you want is more of it.
You are hungry for it, ravenous.
What's a bit of banter between friends?

You get under my skin & i hate it!
Or should that be, you get under my skin & i love it..

And for some idiotic reason i cannot for the life of me not react.

You know that saying 'Every action has a reaction.'
That's me to a tee.. well, only in this instance.

Usually, i can easily turn the reaction off so you would never know.. but this is something else.

Is it because I find them a challenge & therefore want more & more to do with them because i feel like i need to prove myself to them, even though i know i don't have to prove myself to anyone?

I'm going to go with.. Yes!
What would this blog be without a shout out to good ol' Blue Eyes, Mr Frank Sinatra?

I guess it would just be another blog really.
He sang 'I've got you under my skin...'
..and I do.

And ofcourse:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1AHec7sfZ8

Peace out Tiger.

xox

My Personality: Introverted, Intuitive, Thinking & Judging. "Rational Portrait of The Mastermind (INTJ)"

Here's something different for a change to my usual blog:
Today, i did a Myers-Briggs style personality test, it was interesting:
http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/jtypes2.asp
My results as follows:

*They tend to be stable, reliable, and dedicated. Harmony in relationships and home life tends to be extremely important to them. They generally withhold strong emotion and do not like to waste time with what they consider irrational social rituals. This may cause non-INTJs to perceive them as distant and reserved; nevertheless, INTJs are usually very loyal partners who are prepared to commit substantial energy and time into a relationship to make it work.


*As mates, INTJs want harmony and order in the home and in relationships. The most independent of all types,[16] INTJs trust their intuition when choosing friends and mates—even in spite of contradictory evidence or pressure from others. The emotions of an INTJ are hard to read, and neither male nor female INTJs are apt to express emotional reactions. At times, INTJs seem cold, reserved, and unresponsive, while in fact they are almost hypersensitive to signals of rejection from those they care for. In social situations, INTJs may also be unresponsive and may neglect small rituals designed to put others at ease. For example, INTJs may communicate that idle dialogue such as small talk is a waste of time. This may create the impression that the INTJ is in a hurry—an impression that is not always intended.


*All Rationals are good at planning operations, but Masterminds are head and shoulders above all the rest in contingency planning. Complex operations involve many steps or stages, one following another in a necessary progression, and Masterminds are naturally able to grasp how each one leads to the next, and to prepare alternatives for difficulties that are likely to arise any step of the way. Trying to anticipate every contingency, Masterminds never set off on their current project without a Plan A firmly in mind, but they are always prepared to switch to Plan B or C or D if need be.

*Masterminds-INTJs are one of the rarest of the sixteen personality types, and account for about 1–4% of the population, and they are rarely encountered outside their office, factory, school, or laboratory. Although they are highly capable leaders, Masterminds are not at all eager to take command, preferring to stay in the background until others demonstrate their inability to lead. Once they take charge, however, they are thoroughgoing pragmatists. Masterminds are certain that efficiency is indispensable in a well-run organization, and if they encounter inefficiency -- any waste of human and material resources -- they are quick to realign operations and reassign personnel. Only ideas that make sense to them are adopted; those that don't, aren't, no matter who thought of them. Remember, their aim is always maximum efficiency.

*Problem-solving is highly stimulating to Masterminds, who love responding to tangled systems that require careful sorting out.
Ordinarily, they verbalize the positive and avoid comments of a negative nature; they are more interested in moving an organization forward than dwelling on mistakes of the past.

*Rational women tend to be late bloomers on the dating scene. They are sometimes unaware of or don't wish to follow cultural norms which dictate what is considered feminine. As they get older, men often appreciate their logic and general lack of emotional outbursts, along with the fact that Rational women tend to clearly state what they think and want.

*Masterminds tend to be much more definite and self-confident than other Rationals, having usually developed a very strong will. Decisions come easily to them; in fact, they can hardly rest until they have things settled and decided. But before they decide anything, they must do the research. Masterminds are highly theoretical, but they insist on looking at all available data before they embrace an idea, and they are suspicious of any statement that is based on shoddy research, or that is not checked against reality
----------------------------------------------------------
*To outsiders, INTJs may appear to project an aura of "definiteness", of self-confidence. This self-confidence, sometimes mistaken for simple arrogance by the less decisive, is actually of a very specific rather than a general nature; its source lies in the specialized knowledge systems that most INTJs start building at an early age.

*INTJs are perfectionists. INTJs apply (often ruthlessly) the criterion "Does it work?" to everything from their own research efforts to the prevailing social norms. This in turn produces an unusual independence of mind.
----------------------------------------------------------
*Personal relationships, particularly romantic ones, can be the INTJ's Achilles heel. While they are capable of caring deeply for others (usually a select few), and are willing to spend a great deal of time and effort on a relationship, the knowledge and self-confidence that make them so successful in other areas can suddenly abandon or mislead them in interpersonal situations.

INTJs as Lovers & Relationships: "To love means to open ourselves to the negative as well as the positive - to grief, sorrow, and disappointment as well as to joy, fulfillment, and an intensity of consciousness we did not know was possible before." -- Rollo May

INTJs live much of their lives inside their own heads. They constantly scan their environment for new ideas and theories which they can turn into plans and structures. Sometimes, what they see and understand intuitively within themselves is more pure and "perfect" than the reality of a close personal relationship. INTJs may have a problem reconciling their reality with their fantasy.

They have a tendency to believe that they are always right. While their self-confidence and esteem is attractive, their lack of sensitivity to others can be a problem if it causes them to inadvertantly hurt their partner's feelings. If this is a problem for an INTJ, they should remember to sometimes let their mate be the one who is right.

Sexually, the INTJ enjoys thinking about intimacy, and about ways to perfect it. In positive relationships, their creativity and intensity shine through in this arena. They're likely to approach intimacy from a theoretical, creative perspective.

INTJs are highly intense, intelligent people who bring a lot of depth and insight into most major areas of their life. In terms of relationships, their greatest potential pitfall is the tendency to think about things rather than doing them. INTJs are likely to be in positive, healthy relationships, because they're likely to leave relationships which aren't working for them (unless other circumstances prohibit that).

Although two well-developed individuals of any type can enjoy a healthy relationship, the INTJ's natural partner is the ENFP. Simply because we could always do with more INTJ- ENFP threads. There appears to be none more fine-tuned match than the pair in question. INTJ's dominant function of Introverted Intuition is best matched with a partner whose personality is dominated by Extraverted Intuition.

*This happens in part because many INTJs do not readily grasp the social rituals; for instance, they tend to have little patience and less understanding of such things as small talk and flirtation (which most types consider half the fun of a relationship). To complicate matters, INTJs are usually extremely private people, and can often be naturally impassive as well, which makes them easy to misread and misunderstand. Perhaps the most fundamental problem, however, is that INTJs really want people to make sense. This sometimes results in a peculiar naivete', paralleling that of many only instead of expecting inexhaustible affection and empathy from a romantic relationship, the INTJ will expect inexhaustible reasonability and directness.

*Probably the strongest INTJ assets in the interpersonal area are their intuitive abilities and their willingness to "work at" a relationship. Although as Ts they do not always have the kind of natural empathy that many do, the Intuitive function can often act as a good substitute by synthesizing the probable meanings behind such things as tone of voice, turn of phrase, and facial expression. This ability can then be honed and directed by consistent, repeated efforts to understand and support those they care about, and those relationships which ultimately do become established with an INTJ tend to be characterized by their robustness, stability, and good communications.

*Feeling & Imminent iNtuition has a modest inner room. We may catch a glimpse of it in the unspoken attitude of good will, or the gracious smile or nod. Some question the existence of Feeling in this type, yet its unseen balance to Thinking is a cardinal dimension in the full measure of the INTJ's soul.


*Famous INTJs:
Isaac Newton
Stephen Hawking
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Bill Gates
Lance Armstrong
Augustus Caesar (Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus)
Jane Austen (Pride and Prejudice)
Rudy Giuliani, former New York City mayor
Emily Bronte, author of Wuthering Heights
Angela Lansbury (Murder, She Wrote)
C. S. Lewis (The Chronicles of Narnia)
Michelle Obama
Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State
Thomas Jefferson
John F. Kennedy
Woodrow Wilson
*Fictional:
Cassius (Julius Caesar)
Mr. Darcy (Pride and Prejudice)
Gandalf the Grey (J. R. R. Tolkein's Middle Earth books)
Hannibal Lecter (Silence of the Lambs)
Professor Moriarty, Sherlock Holmes' nemesis
Ensign Ro (Star Trek--the Next Generation)
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern (Hamlet)
Clarice Starling (Silence of the Lambs)

If you actually read all of this... you are amazing :)

And you also now know the inner workings of my psyche!

Now THATS a scary thought.

xox

I'm Sorry.

Such little words, such a big impact on life.

They can make you or break you to pieces.
When someone says:

ie: I'm sorry i hurt you/ I'm sorry i called you that/ I'm sorry i was inconsiderate of you..

OR

I'm sorry, we're just not meant to be together/  I'm sorry, it's not you, it's me..

See, it can make or break you!

But what if you are the one apologising.

Even on a good day it can be hard to do.

I'm not talking about the 'Sorry i rammed my trolley into the back of your legs' at the supermarket type thing.

I mean things that actually matter.

(not that you can get away with ramming your trolley into someone without an apology, that's just rude..)

To humble yourself, put pride & ego aside.. yuck, no one wants to come across as being soft or a pushover but if it's going to be a genuine apology, then get with it.

I had to do this recently.

Le sigh*
I am an embarrassment to myself at times!

You know when you say something that is highly inconsiderate of the person you are saying it to & it's something that could cut them to the bone in an instant?

That was me.

*Ouch, baby, ouch.

I am not stoked about my actions in any way shape or form.

I'm sorry.

...being me (yes, I'm the first to admit I am a bit slow on the uptake, even at the best of times) it only took about 1hr for me to realise I was in fact in the wrong.

Ah crap.
And then you go into that instant meltdown feeling where you have to absolutely fix the problem/apologise before it escalates into something that it should never have been in the first place & you go into overdrive & you feel like the worst person in the history of human LIFE.. yeah. 

But once the penny had dropped- I apologised instantly.
Apology accepted.

And it felt good.

Le Fin.

xox

L O V E~

Before you start snickering... I'll say it first...

I am definitely not an expert on this subject, that is for damn sure!
Constantly doing the wrong thing or saying the wrong thing & failing everytime = me!

(hey... atleast I'm consistent!)

Now that I've got that out of the way, you can stop laughing at me.

Today's blog isn't about my life/experiences.

It's about friends getting engaged :) being adorable & loved up.

In the last week, i have heard of 4 couples getting engaged.

FOUR COUPLES!

That's 8 people, 4 sparkly engagement rings, 4 nervous guys, 4 proposals, 4 ecstatic, amazing, beautiful women... & the guys are pretty good too!

To say that there is so much love in the air right now...

is a massive understatement.

It seems there is love in the air & the water & the food in Melbourne right now.

Everyone is getting an injection of it in their lives right now in one way or another.

Whether it's friends getting engaged & you're over the moon happy for them or if it is in fact YOU!

It's beautiful! There's an overflow of it.

I am seriously losing track of who's single, who's dating, who's engaged, who just got married & who's expecting their first kid!

It's actually ridiculous. Ridiculously good, ofcourse.

So this is a celebration for them!

To all the beautiful, gorgeous, loved up couples out there...

CONGRATULATIONS!

Huge hugs & kisses galore to you from the bottom of my heart.

Love. Love. Love. And happiness. To infinity.

xox

SYDNEY Vs 2x MELBOURNIAN WOMEN

What can 2 young, single women get up to with 5 nights in Sydney?
A lot. You would think.

Here are some short stories:

*After arriving in Sydney & turning on my phone, i noticed a friend had suggested cocktails.

I was off to a good start & i hadn't even collected my bags yet!

We went to Shady Pines Saloon~ it was cool.

Recommended is the Buffalo Trace bourbon, straight & shot, it will not disappoint. I promise. 

Follow it up with some Mexican & you've

had a brilliant night!*

~Upon leaving the Saloon, your friend informs you of a big celebratory night they recently had here & how they woke up with a mysterious permanent marker in their pocket the following morning. Random. But then a couple days later, you are reflecting on this conversation & realise that on this particular celebratory night, your friend sent you this picture:

'Get back in line' ...i can't help but wonder if this in fact was my friends handy work~

*I had very inconspicuously hidden a spare set of keys for my Smash friend, who was yet to arrive, under a sign post in the middle of the road outside our apartment. It was genius. Who would look in the shrubs for keys? Here is the link to our place, its fantastic: http://www.stayz.com.au/17128 ~this is our actual apartment. Totally gorgeous & i want to show it off to you!*

*If you check out that link, you'll notice there are windows in the bathroom.. all I've got to say is, it's a little bit awkward when you shower with the windows wide open to let out the steam & while you are conditioning your hair, you look out across the way & you spot a family sitting down to dinner. You think 'hmm, if i can see them this easily... there's probably a 100% chance they can see me & I don't want to put them off their dinner.' Windows closed.*

*We hit up a 3 day convention while we were in town which was very pleasant. On day 1, we got told we were 'Striking' & that we 'Stood out from the crowd because we looked different to everyone else.' As for the style in general, it wasn't exactly out of this world but to be honest, i would have to say people do know how to put an outfit together & look suave. Whether its a red leather tie or a pair of baby blue pants teamed with navy jacket,

it was nicely put together.*

*Then there were drinks at the Novotel. Being surrounded by the beautiful people & not knowing many there, definitely makes one feel insanely shy! Yes. That would be me I'm referring to. (As in, the shy one.. not the beautiful one) So instead of being all up in someone's grill, i chilled in the background sipping frangelico & lime while observing.*

*The Food: Mexican, Italian, Japanese. Win.

There is an amazing Japanese restaurant down the road from our place. In true Japanese style when you walk in, you are greeted with 'Irashimase!' (Welcome) & if you have ever been to Japan, you would know that when you walk into a shop, you are always greeted with that.

We found a nice Italian place called Love Supreme. And boy did we love it!

http://lovesupreme.com.au/

Get the YABASTA or ORECCHIETTE.*
~Although we didn't get it, apparently the Leone is also good~

*We ventured out into the glorious sunshine cruising around the city & Hyde Park. To our surprise, we got tan lines! We also hit up a pier right near the Opera House & Sydney Harbour Bridge. We soaked up the sunshine & were interrupted by an American guy asking us to take photos of himself holding up signs with mushy messages of love on them for his girlfriend! It was adorable! I wanted in on the cuteness so i jumped in a photo with him & made a love heart with my hands :) He then went on to tell us his name was Steadman & he was in a band who are playing a gig at Hisense Arena in Melbourne this weekend & he would get us free tickets.*

*Hitting up one of our favourite little spots- Gusto's at Fiveways- for breakfast/ brunch catch ups with a mate from Melbourne was lovely. It had been a long time between lattes.*

*How could i forget! The Lowenbrau. German Pub. German Beer. 2x Melbournian~European descendant women. Yes. It was as tasty as i rememebered. http://www.lowenbrau.com.au/

Sitting there minding our own business, a group of guys walked in. I took this poor quality, sneaky photo.. who needs pants? Seriously.*

*I think thats about it for now.

Thanks Sydney.

xox