L O S T

Have you ever lost something?
Your keys? Your phone? Your cat? Your car? Your friend?
It's the most frustrating thing to deal with!
'Hello?! Where are you? I thought i left you right there.. ?'
You wonder to yourself how on earth you could be that stupid to lose something that means so much to you.
Something so valuable!
Something that only comes along once in a lifetime!
Something that you need on a daily basis!
Something that you cannot live without!
Your life depends on it.
But maybe you don't realise that yet..
I guess time will tell.
For years it's been *right there* each time you needed it. So reliable!
And now, it's nowhere to be found.
Searching high & low for it, you feel like a fool, how could you lose it that easily?
It seems you've treated it lightly & thrown it away like it was trash..

After a while, you've given up hope.
It's lost. It's gone forever.
You are never getting it back.
Then one day you stop.
You have a good, long, hard think about this..
You actually open up your eyes & look.
And you realise that what you thought you lost, this thing that was so valuable to you, that you can't envision life without, has been right in front of your face the entire time.
You just needed to see it.
And grab onto it.
But is it too late?
Perhaps life has moved on just a little bit too much.
Did you change your locks because you lost your keys?
Did you get a new phone?
Did you adopt a new cat?
Did you buy a new car?
Did you find a new friend?
xox

GIRLS NIGHT~

Those 2 little words bring so much excitement to ones weekend.
'Girls Night.'
Oh the mischief we get up to!
I'm not talking about a hens night.
What i'm talking about is getting together with your girlfriends, dressing up, wearing heels & painting the town red.
Any other colour would not suffice.
Last weekend, i had a long overdue Girls Night.
It started out good & just kept escalating into euphoria as the night went along!
Let me share my story with you~ this is purely from my perspective:
So i met up with 2 chicky babes & we scoped out a hot, new, pretentious restaurant in Melbourne.
Ofcourse, being as 'cool' as it is, they don't take reservations & were fully booked.
Feeling disheveled, we headed around the corner to this little bar i know to drown our sorrows with a cocktail until the rest of our group arrived.
Now, have you ever been to a bar & instantly noticed the hot bartender? Yes?!
Well this is one of those very rare occasions when all of the bartenders were insanely good looking.
I actually couldn't cope with life.
This one in particular.. oh. my. heart.
He was ridiculous. Ridiculously handsome. Mesmerising. Mysterious.
So. I try to be cool, calm & collected as i approach the bar & HE takes my order.
Ofcourse HE does.
I had to turn away because i couldn't deal with watching him make my cocktail.
He was so suave.
Eating strawberries in front of me, a toothpick hanging out of the corner of his mouth, a grin every now & then..
Yes, gorgeous man, please continue your showy display of excellence.. 
After standing there awkwardly for what felt like a millennium & trying not to look too much like a pervert..
He had finished mixing my drink. Finally.
You know when bartenders make a cocktail & they taste test?
He dipped a straw into my drink, taste tested & staring me down with a glint in his sparkling blue eyes, he said to me...
'Yummy.' *cue grin.
I died.
It took every ounce of whatever is inside of me, not to collapse right there & fall into a pile of 'Im yours, take me now!'
I needed to leave. My girlfriends thought i was crazy, but i didn't care!
We met up for dinner with the rest of our girls & then hit up another bar afterwards.
To say we got VIP treatment is an understatement.
7 Girls. All in cocktail dresses. Smiling. Giggling. ahem *strutting* ahem..
We took a chance & asked for a private booth behind the bar.. 'Yes girls, right this way!'
'Oooh, thankyou kind sir!'
'Here, take this booth.. right next to the DJ & here's a round of delicious chocolately shots for you all, on the house, but ofcourse!'
So many smiles ensued & so many giggles were shared!
It was so much fun!
'Here, have this cocktail.'
We had our own little dance party~ to the envy of onlookers, aka, commoners who did not have their own booth.
We danced our little bums off all night long~ Requested our favourite songs & boogied away!
Stopping for a breather, a random on the opposite side of the bar noticed myself & one of my other girlies & within a couple of minutes, he'd ordered us a shot & had it delivered by our bartender.
I've always wanted that to happen & it finally did! It was a first for me.
~it really is the little things that count, trust me~
After a few more freebies from some friendly people, we decided to call it a night.
Feet aching, hair messed up & purses still full of cash, we ended it on a high!
Lets rewind & repeat x infinity, yes?

The only real problem with a girls night is..
They don't happen often enough.
xox
ps- This is the highly edited version because we all know, what REALLY happens on Girls Night.. stays on Girls Night!

'Run, Forrest, Run!'

Alright, first things first.
This blog post has absolutely nothing to do with the Tom Hanks movie,
'Forrest Gump.'
As much as i like that movie, I'm just going to borrow one of it's most famous quotes.
'Run, Forrest, Run!'
***
So anyway~
Let me explain the context for you..
I was watching a clip on YouTube that a friend of mine has just uploaded.
The clip is his brand, spanking new music video!
Celebrate! Pop champagne! Dance! Party!
After viewing it, someone had commented, that in the video my friend 'runs like a girl!'
Hilarious!
Instantly the synapses in my brain made the connection to the above quote.
It's funny what springs to mind when you read or see something random.
You can judge for yourselves if you think he runs like a girl (or not) click:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Su_fmyIOHP4
All that aside, it's rad, fun clip!
And!
This song is currently sitting pretty at #9 on he Australian Aria Club Charts.
That is MASSIVE!
Do your ears a favour & listen to more remiXes here:
https://itunes.apple.com/au/album/your-love-part-1-feat.-jamie/id585329023
My favourite, apart from original always being the best, would definitely be the Northie Remix.
Now get me to a festival
And get this awesome tune PUMPING!
xox

'Run, Forrest, Run!' ~Forrest Gump.

My Motorcycle Diaries:

Day 1:
Dear Diary,

My riding virginity got smashed yesterday.
And i loved every minute of it!
It was the BEST!
Why has it taken me this long to get on a motorbike?!
Argh!
It was seriously the most fun i have had in a very long time.
***
After an adventurous late night involving getting pushed up against a wall, going through road blocks, up & down dirt roads, getting slightly bogged, being lifted up onto a roadblock, hanging off a safety barrier, cliff edge, a shooting star across the bay, a 4am phone call, an impromptu overnight stay on the Mornington Peninsula & about 4 hours sleep, i put some leather on & got whisked away into the most glorious sunshine filled day.
(Or maybe that should be zoomed off into... ?!)
And yes, this was my first ever time on the back of a motorbike.
I was a bit scared before i got on but as soon as the engine started up, all of that fear just vanished & we were off!
I had complete trust in my companion.
It was the most perfect day for a ride.
Weaving in & out of traffic, cruising along the beach road & ending up at Portsea backbeach was spectacular.
*Aqua blue water, waves & sunshine.*
After a quick stop to check out the surf, we were off again.
Cruising along back roads on the Penny' we got up to a maximum speed of...

...I'll never tell!
This time we ended up in Flinders having a beer in the sunshine, just kicking back enjoying life & making the most of our day.
(Was this really the 'last ride?')
I couldn't wipe the smile off my face for the entire day. It was so much fun!
If i said i didn't feel like the coolest cat around while rocking the leather & getting my biker-chick on.. it would be the biggest lie in the history of untruth.
Now i completely understand it when people want to get on their motorbikes & just ride.
It's exhilarating. You feel so unbelievably free.
It's the most amazing rush!
Rounding out the day was a stop at Safety Beach for another quickie beer & then meeting friends at a little bar in Rye.
So tops off an excellent, unforgettable day~
Thankyou.
xox
ps- I was wearing cowboy boots.
Cowboys wear boots on horses & i was riding a steel horse, so i figured it made sense.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRvCvsRp5ho

Enjoy!

Parklife~ Afterlife

Melbourne in the warmer months can only mean one thing..
A barrage of excellent music festivals to fuel our cravings for fresh beats!
Why are they so damn expensive though, argh!
To go to all of them or a select few?
Why does it feel like this is one of the hardest decisions of our lives?
If you've been in Melbourne recently, you may have heard of a little festival called 'Parklife.'
I only decided on the day that i was actually going to hit it up.
3.30pm i bought my ticket at the door.
So started one of the longest festival days of my life!
Grooving to Chiddy Bang, refuelling at the burger tent, getting our grind on for some RnB, moshing to Nero & walking out on The Presets, we survived *just.


Photo donated by Jordan. The best guy ever!


A crew of friends battled through the crowds, the rain, the bodies, the dirt & grime, the hail. We made it! And when it was all over.. coffee was definitely in order.
Cruising into the city & stuck in traffic i spotted a girlfriend who i grew up with.
Shouting at her & inviting her into my car, we stole her away into the night.
Ofcourse, as always, we went to the European Cafe.
For some reason, tonight, my soy latte was accompanied by the smallest, most insignificant spoon i had ever had the disgust of using.
Over coffee, my kidnapped friend informed us all that the Napoleon Exhibition was open for 24hours tonight as it was the final weekend for it.
3 Double shot soy lattes later.. and we found ourselves lining up for tickets at the gallery. It was after midnight & tickets were $10. YAYSIES!
I'm glad we hit up the exhibit.. but to be honest, none of us actually took in a lot of it.
Delirium had set in. Hardcore.
Time for some tea. A nice cuppa to soothe ourselves at the cafe outside the exhibit.
How we managed to not get beaten up by all the weirdo's we were surrounded by & that we were laughing uncontrollably at, I'll never know!
There was the table of goth' looking vampires with wildly massive clunky, black shoes
Or what about the lady that Versace was mesmerised by~ she was completely off in her own world, sipping her tea like a proper lady.. she was like a magnet.
About 2.30am.. i think?! We decided we needed food. Badly. Otherwise the 4 of us were about to pass out.
2.30am, in Melbourne, for food.. options are VERY limited.
McDonald's it was.
It was hideous, as always. But tonight seemed especially hideous!
There was that lady that looked like a man, those prepubescent kids dressed up to the 9's in their skankiest clothes & then we have, what we now refer to as, 'Breast Flakes Lady.'
She. Was. Off.
Minding our business & instantly regretting getting McDonald's, we sat there & took in our surroundings.
Then we spotted her. Sitting with her boyfriend (?)
Typical yukky person. Dirty trackies on. Dirty hoodie on. Dirty hair & face.
And sores.
SORES.
On her neck & chest. Red & raw.
Which she then started to rub ferociously. It was terrible! Rubbing & scratching at herself.
Although we almost felt sorry for her, we couldn't control ourselves anymore, we were laughing too much!
Then! She got up & walked towards us.. that nervous heart-skips-a-beat 'am i going to get rabies from her if she comes near me?' moment..
Scratching & rubbing her neck/chest, she walked passed us.. not before giving us a 2nd glance.
That was our cue to leave and pronto!
We were gone. Melbourne's finest weirdo's were too much to handle at such an hour. It was now around 3.30am.
And then we remembered it was daylight savings.. so make that, another 4.30am finish.
~le fin.
xox

Those long, late night chats

Late night chats are seriously the best.
I love nothing more than a good ol' fashioned chat with a best friend, over a coffee or glass of wine, that goes long into the night.
Why is it that so often the best chats we have with friends are the ones that go into the early hours of the morning?
Perhaps it's because the lighting is physically darker at night time, even if you are inside, you would normally have softer lighting on, yes?
Mood lighting.
This could give us the illusion that we could almost hide in the shadows.
Maybe we'll become shrouded in mystery because we aren't in the spotlight, so to speak.
Our expressions are almost hidden from view & our eyes are harder to read.
Even the tone we use & the depth of what we are saying changes at night.
Or maybe it's just a form of reverse psychology we unconsciously use on ourselves.
It also makes me wonder why we tell our deepest, darkest, dirtiest secrets under the shadow of the moon.
~Figure of speech, darlings, but you know what i mean.~
Not that i have deep, dark, dirty secrets to tell...
Who am i trying to fool?!
Of course i have them.
BUT!
They're not necessarily my own secrets.
They're the secrets you've told me when we've chatted long into the night.
It's all of those things that you don't talk about at parties.
***
Maybe i should start my own Gossip Girl style blog...
***
It's a strange thing to divulge our inner most thoughts & feelings to a friend.
To put so much trust & loyalty in them, to honestly open up, to tell them raw things we wouldn't dream of telling another person.
Even those little embarrassing things that no one else knows!
Personally, for some unknown reason, i find it's easier for me to do so at nighttime.

Perhaps it's because i think (or is it hope) that my friend will be too tired to fathom what I'm saying..
Therefore almost forgetting the details the following day?
And yet, i still feel good because I've just had an excellent chat!
Good communication & good friendships~ it's always a winner.
xox

Fake a sickie & hang out with me!

Have you ever been persuaded by a friend to 'Fake a sickie' from work or school & spend the day with them instead?
Who am i kidding.
You are the person asking that of your friend aren't you?
Yes?
I figured as much.
Human nature is a funny thing isn't it? And no, I'm not making reference to the band.
I think it's safe to say we've all been there, done that.
What i was wondering though, is why we do this.
Whether we're the one asking or we're the one making 'that' phone call to the boss, what makes us even consider doing this?
And besides that, what right do you have to ask me to fake a sickie?
Recently i was chatting with a friend about this subject & it got me thinking.
Why would someone want me to miss out on a full days pay just so i could spend some time with them instead.
It's not like we haven't been up in each other's grille enough lately anyway & now you want me to fake a sickie to hang out some more.
Right.
What does it even mean when we want, nay, persuade our friend to do this.
Does it mean anything? Nothing?
Depending on the circumstances, is it almost viewed as a loyalty test as to what you put first in your life~
The quality time Vs that pocket change you'll earn in one day.
Deciding whats more important in life.
~I think my choice has been made quite clear~
As you may not realise, i am one of the lucky ones who works part-time.
It would be a lie if i said i had never asked anyone to fake a sickie & hang out with me instead!
Think of all the fun things we could do!
I could come over to your house in the morning, softly wake you up & whisk you away for a day of fun!
Coffee? Let's go! A movie? Sure thing! An adventure into the woods? I thought you'd never ask!

So, who's faking a sickie & hanging out with me tomorrow then?
xox

That Guy Who Gives Me Dirty Looks

So, there's this organic shop down the road from my work.

Wholefoods/organic goods- where everything for sale is twice the price of anything you'll find at Safeway.

It's the sort of pretentious little supermarket/cafe you would expect hipsters to shop in.. if they could afford it.

So pretty much the people you can expect to find here are health food nuts, gym junkies & ostentatious Brighton snobs with too much money.

They sell things like 'Organic artisan handcrafted sourdough (no, I'm not really sure what exactly that all means~ it was on a poster in the window. Why can't they just say 'We sell bread?'), Tahitian limes, organic bananas all the way through to Miranda Kerr's body lotions.

Are you getting a feel for the place yet?

If you are, you might be wondering why on earth I'm here.

No? You weren't? ...oh.

Anyway, it's simple really~ they do delicious toasted sandwiches. Easy.

Yes, that's right. The good ol' toasted sandwich is the drawcard.

And on a cool wintery day, that's just what i want.. or maybe the soup, which is also good here.

Every time i order a tomato, cheese &, dare i say it, ham toastie, the guy working behind the counter gives me the dirtiest, greasiest looks.
Every single time. I have come to expect it now.

It's almost like he's judging me & telling me with his eyes that i should be filling my body with healthy organic food- not with some dirty pig that one day used to roll around in the mire before finally making it's way into my sandwich.

I went there today for lunch.

They advised me they were 'Out of ham.'

Instantly I'm suspicious of such a claim!

He offers me some chicken instead. "Yeah, sure thing."

After paying, i find a seat in the sunshine, put my earphones in & get lost in my own little world.

'My Mate' comes over & informs me 'Yeah, we don't have much chicken today.. so here's a refund.'

I am now 100% convinced he's trying to turn me into a vegetarian.

Don't get me wrong i could easily be that & i am definitely overdue for a date at Vegie Bar, but i just like being a carnivore too much to give it up totally.

Rant over :)

I think I'll go back there tomorrow..

xox
ps- When you read the title of this post, were you expecting some "Ooh la la'esque" story? Shame on you! You should know by now that i don't splash my love life across my blog!
Or do i & it's all written in code...

*UPDATE!
I DID go back the following day.. and 'My Mate' redeemed himself & was nice to me.
He complimented me on my 'Cool triangle necklace.'
What a champ! ...if only he knew there was a ranting blog post about him.

those unexpected phone calls..

..that make you realise people actually do care.

And after you hang up, you want to have a little cry about it because that phone call (or text message) came at *just* the right time.

And the person who made the phone call/text has absolutely no idea just how much you really needed it & appreciated it.

Whether you realised it at the time or not, you really did need that little gesture of love & friendship more than even you knew.

You know how sometimes when you hit a bit of a flat spot in your little life & all you feel like doing is crawling into a hole & hibernating hoping that it will all go away or fix itself..

But instead of dwelling in your own dark hatred for life & your insignificant problems, you push through it, suck it up & get on with life?

You might even feel like no one has even noticed your lack of 'sparkiness' as of late.

For some reason you think you can fool people into a false sense of believing that you are A-ok if you just keep smiling, even if you're drowning on the inside.

Comfort is found in the thought that you can just fly under the radar, put on a facade to protect yourself for as long as you need to~ admit it, you've done this before haven't you? :)

Fake it until you make it?

There are a thousand thoughts, feelings, emotions racing through your mind.

Love, life, work, family, friends.. the list could go on forever.

Where do you even start to pick yourself up from?

By this stage you're probably tricking yourself into believing that there's nothing wrong.

***

I was chatting to a friend just the other day about all of this.

(Confession: that conversation was my inspiration for today's post. You know who you are.)

They had noticed someone wasn't their usual effervescent self & they seemed a bit flat the last few times they'd seen them, so what did they do?

Picked up their phone, rang them up & asked if they were ok.

'Hey, you seemed a bit flat the last few times i saw you.. is everything ok?'

A good old fashioned phone call. Straight up.

It doesn't need to be anything major.

Not a long drawn out DnM for 3hours on a Monday night.

Just the phone call in itself can put your mind at ease knowing that someone out there actually noticed & took the initiative to check up on you.

It's the best. And by that, i mean BEST.

xox

Wolfmother Vs The Cranberries Vs Lenny Kravitz.

Hello my LOVES!
You are all owed an apology... so here goes, I'm sorry.
I've been so tied up trying to figure out the silly new Timeline 'thing' on my Facebook page that i have been neglecting my blog.
Gah!
Ok, ok.. yes, that's just a lame excuse, there really isn't any reason other than I've had writers block!
Or maybe I've had too much to write about & don't know where to start?! Huh huh! Yeah, I'll go with that.
But! I've got a story for you.
Let's start at the very beginning.. a very good place to start
(Hmm, that line sounds VERY 'Sound of Music'esque' & a little bit 'Doe Rae Me')
Let's rewind to late last year. I'm casually driving home from a night out & am stopped at traffic lights.
I'm gazing around, off in my own little world & i spot a poster.
'F1 Rocks Lenny Kravitz Concert 2012'
My brain has a mini spasm as all of my synapses decide to join up & work (for once!)

'CRAP! LENNY KRAVITZ IS COMING TO MELBS!'
Must go. Whatever the cost. Must go!

The support act? Well, there were 2, which is quite odd, but hey I'm not complaining. 3 concerts for the price of one? Yes please!
Support Acts: Wolfmother & The Cranberries.

Now I'm going to be dead honest with you.. don't be offended if you like them, but..

Wolfmother = Wolfwhat? No thanks, not interested in the slightest.

The Cranberries however, yes. Just YES.

Got myself some tickets & then the long wait.

Why do tickets for concerts go on sale so far in advance?? Months & months in advance, thus driving me wildly insane playing the waiting game.

I guess the only reason it's good is because you can refresh your mind & listen to albums all over again so you have the right words to belt out when you are *finally* at the concert.

And belt out the words we did!

My sister & one of her besties joined myself & one of my besties for one of the most rocking, awesome concerts I've been to!

Now the last concert i went to with my sister was Justin Timberlake. We screamed our hearts out for him & he was freaking awesome!

(By now, you would all realise how lame i am, in general, so I'm not fussed if you judge me by my choice in music, go ahead!)

So now, we're at another concert together, mashed up against a barricade, under the stars at the Sidney Myer Music bowl.

*Bliss!

Wolfmother were up first. I think i was more distracted by the food i was eating to even notice they were on stage. Alright, i admit, that's a little harsh, they did put on a pretty good show & they can definitely wail when they want to, but they didn't really grab & hold onto my attention.

The Cranberries were up next.

Cool? Yes. They are the epitome of cool.

Dolores (vocals) has the most amazing voice! It pierces you~ i mean that in a good way! Her voice is totally amazing. I'm not quite sure how else to describe it? Me, stumped for words? Well, she must be good!

~Here's some background info.. i shared a bedroom with my sister when i was little. She's 12 years older than me. She always played The Cranberries & Lenny Kravitz music. (Thanks for the introduction by the way!) So being at this particular concert with my sister took me straight back to childhood. I was very reminiscent *aww.~

One of my all time favourite songs by The Cranberries is 'Linger.'

Check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6Kspj3OO0s&ob=av2e

So damn good. So damn 90's!

We screamed our little lungs out to them while they belted out some tunes, it was awesome, would definitely see them again without a doubt.

Then, finally! It was time to rock out to Lenny Kravitz!

*screaaaaamms galore!

He is hot. Hot. Hot. HOT! Sizzling.

Ridiculous!

It had been 18years since he was last in Melbourne & it was definitely worth the wait (Yes, my sister saw him 18years ago & she said 'he is as good now as he was then!')

Rock god.

I was hanging out for 'American Woman' & i didn't have to wait long at all, it was the 2nd song!

My poor little lungs really got a work out!

From the start to the end of his set, screams.. screams.. & more screams, it was fantastic!

And so, so much fun!

Then, THEN.

He decides he's going to walk through the crowd.

He's getting closer & closer to us.. my heart was having palpitations by this stage..I'm not sure if that was from the excitement, from the screaming or the fact my sister was standing behind me crushing me against the barricade (it was hilarious!)

Lenny walked up to the crowd & was about 2metres away from us.

You know how at concerts or on TV you see those crazy girls SCREAMING, waving their arms & being embarrassing in general towards a musician?

Exhibit A: me, my sister & our 2 friends.

Unfortunately, Lenny, the poor darling, must've been blinded by our beauty, got disoriented & walked the other way.

He'll know better next time.
He put on such a great show that we were all considering going back the following day for concert #2.
(FYI, no we didn't. I'm not sure we would've coped with THAT 2 nights in a row. le sigh*)

Bottom line is, if you like him, go to his concert. If you don't like him, still go to his concert~ it's just fun!

Here's one for old times sake:

Only Lenny can get away with wearing a red jumpsuit, platforms & dreadlocks in his film clip for 'Are You Gonna Go My Way.'

Check. It. Out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLhpHjmxNw8&list=FLiML1ZFDS4ni5d26WgufT9A&index=24&feature=plpp_video

Until next time,

xox

*New Album* Review: 'Mountains to Masses'~ Justin Hunter

Darlings, it's time i did something different.
As opposed to my normal rambling, ranting fit about an obscure, ambiguous subject that you don't care about, this will be something I've never attempted before..
You'll either enjoy it or hate it. Either way, I'm not fussed.
My friend, Justin Hunter, who is a signed musician to 'Source Music,' has a *NEW* album out! 
So i thought i would try doing an album review for him!
The *NEW ALBUM*
drum roll please~
"Mountains to Masses" by Justin Hunter.

Release date: 12th March 2012
Get your copy here: JB HiFi stores, ITunes
http://itunes.apple.com/au/album/mountains-to-masses/id508831984?ign-mpt=uo%3D4
& also here: http://www.vitamin.net.au/albumdefault.asp?ai=512

He says this album '..is symbolic of my leaving my beloved Blue Mountains and moving to the middle of Melbourne City."
His record label says 'Justin Hunter is a passionate lover of life, absolute adventure maniac, marathon runner, electro music fan & instrumental pianist.' And 'His new album ‘Mountains to Masses’ is the musical unification of the two places Justin holds dear to his heart; the dramatic beauty and spaciousness of his home in the Blue Mountains, and the vibrant, chaotic (yet at times lonely) city that is Melbourne.'
That's what they say.. here's what i say: 

Now, because of a loop hole, i actually got a copy of the new album months before it's release date.

I was stoked, to say the least, when it arrived in my letterbox unannounced.
Racing inside, i ripped open the package & started listening.. 

When Track 2 started playing, i instantly got 'X Files' vibes.

For some reason, that was my initial thought.
It was only in the first few seconds but it sounded eerie & it reminded me of something 'X Files'esque. You know that sort of ambient, warped, electro sound? Something like that.

Going through the album, it all seemed a little moody, a little mellow, a little darker than i was expecting & a lot more refined compared to his previous albums.

Each track rolled smoothly into the next.

Until.
Until i got to Track 8.
'Courage.'
I had been going about my boring, daily business while listening to 'Mountains to Masses' playing in the background. I was enjoying it but it hadn't exactly 'grabbed' me yet.
As soon as 'Courage' started to play, i stopped.
It got my attention straight away.
I actually listened to each note.
It's a far more upbeat, uptempo tune as opposed to earlier tracks.
My immediate reaction~ i loved it. It was an instant favourite & always will be.
Imagine watching a pianist's fingers dance gracefully across a keyboard. With faultless precision. Each note more perfect than the last.
That's what 'Courage' is to me.
It's the sort of track you would play if you were racing through the bush~ or the mountains~ on an adventure, trying to reach your destination~ the city perhaps?~  through thick & thin, trials & tribulations until you reach the finish & hit that euphoric sense of achievement.
You made it. Everything will be ok.
Filmed in Amsterdam, watch the music video for 'Courage' here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QuqehepSd4&feature=uploademail
***
Coming from me, someone who is definitely not a muso' of any sort, don't take this as gospel. You are all definitely smart enough to make up your own mind about his musical genius.
And honestly, if i told you i had never cried while listening to his music.. it would be a massive lie.
Even in the toughest of hearts, the most guarded of hearts, Justin's music evokes abysmal emotions that you didn't realise existed.
Let each note wash over you & enjoy the ride.
I must admit, after actually listening to the album properly a few more times, i realised how sophisticated it was.
In a word, the album is: Fabulous.
This is just my rabid opinion.
 If you think this review sounds good & you want to keep updated, 'like' his Facebook page at this link: http://www.facebook.com/justinhuntermusic 
He has also joined the weird & wonderful world of Twitter~ Follow here:
https://twitter.com/jhuntermusic
xox

*SNEAKY* Airport SURPRISES!

Feb 14 2012
Marks the 2nd day this year that i have surprised friends at the airport on their Melbourne arrival!
Why do i do it? Because its FUN!
Its the unexpected. The thrill. The excitement of it all!
The first time, i was carrying an arm load of brightly coloured balloons.
The second time, i was wearing a big red bow tied around my body like i was a present.
I love surprises!
More importantly, i love it when i am the one giving the surprise.
In the lead up to the surprise day, you get to be all sneaky & be like a secret agent trying to find out much needed information so that it will all run smoothly on the day.
I started working this out about 2 weeks in advance.
Observe:
You need to put your friends off the trail completely before they are even on your trail.
'So, when do you get home? Cool story. Let's go get a beer.'
~seems random, but you found out the date they come home.
'So, what time do you get home? Cool story. Let's go get a beer.'
~seems random, but you found out the time they get home.
Next, you need to work out what airline they're flying with, if it's a domestic flight or international flight & where they are flying from. 
'So, is Jetstar taking you home via Perth again? yuk!'
~seems random to ask that specifically, but you still find out the needed information in your friends reply.
It seems everything is in place & ready to play out.
Excellent.
Oh! How could i forget to tell you this.. while all of this has been going on, you inform your friends on the day they are due to arrive that you 'don't want them back.'
Ofcourse you are only joking, but it does add a little more depth to the surprise i think...
The day has finally arrived.
At the airport with a carload of friends, sipping some beers, snacking, chatting & laughing away at how terrible we look wrapped in a big red bow.. you decide to go for a wander, thus separating yourself from your 3 friends.
'I'll meet you guys at the gate in 10 minutes!'

You check with airport staff about flights.
You go to the gate.
There is no one as far as the eye can see.
It's now 10 minutes after they supposedly landed.
You are alone, at the opposite end of the airport, wearing a big red bow & ignoring the strange looks you are getting as you walk through security.
cue *PANIC SWEAT*
Then.
THEN.
There's that heavy feeling in your gut.. no, not from what you just ate... 
Where the hell are they? Have i missed it completely?
No. Surely not.
Hell no. It was planned to a TEE.
It was PERFECT!
You decide to head back to where you left your other 3 friends.
On your way, you make a quick phone call & are told 'Yeah, we're here with them now. Where are YOU?!'
..and then there's that awkward moment when you realise you are at the wrong gate, you got told the wrong airline, which in turn makes you nearly burst into tears & you show up 5 minute's after everyone else has done your big SURPRISE!
FAIL.
No, you weren't there for the initial surprise.
But your friends were stoked to see you.
So i guess at the end of the day.. mission accomplished?!
xox

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