'Clever Boy' // Justin Hunter // New Single.

As many of you may or may not know, the Blue Mountains in New South Wales, Australia are currently burning.
I'm not even kidding or saying that in a metaphorical way.
The Mountains & surrounds are literally on fire. Bushfire.
And have been for the last week.
Firemen have swarmed the area & are doing their best to control it.
And they are doing a brilliant job!
'Burn, baby, burn!'
Has never been more relevant!
But here, i would like to focus on the positive, not the negative.
I was privileged enough to visit the Blue Mountains over xmas / new years last year.
Can i just tell you how amazingly, rugged & beautiful it is up there!
WOW.
The first time i ever went, i was about 4 years old so i remember absolutely nothing!
This time had a different impact on me.
Sitting on a cliff edge, a cider in hand & the sun shining on my body.. looking out into oblivion, mountains & valleys as far as the eye can see, the sun streaking down..
I felt free. For just that moment, i felt absolutely free.
Nothing else in my life mattered except just 'being.'
I was lost. Completely lost in the moment.
It's amazing how easily i can take myself back to this very moment & relive it.
And calm. An overwhelming sense of calm washed over me as soon as i sat down, took a deep breath & devoured my surrounds.
I could've stayed there for days just sitting, just taking it all in, just being & it would not have been a waste of time.
It's an amazing feeling & if you ever get the chance to visit the Blue Mountains, i promise you, you will only get caught up in the magic of the moment.
The only regret would be not going.
I would go back in a heartbeat & look forward to the day that i do.
***
Something else positive has recently come out of the Blue Mountains in the last week or two.
Local Katoomba boy Justin Hunter has just released his latest music single!
Drum roll please.. introducing 'Clever Boy.'
And is it a treat for your ears & eyes!
If you don't believe me, have a look at the music video~ which yours truly helped film.
Justin has grabbed some of Melbourne's hottest & put them all together in one almighty clip: http://youtu.be/uNK_trhZCkc
There's a lot to take in, a lot of different faces & it really does make for an interesting music video.
It leaves the viewer guessing until long after it's finished..
Who won the arm wrestle? Why is there someone wearing motorbike gear? Why is there only 1 brunette girl? Who is the song about? Why aren't i in it?!
I had to throw that last one in.. just for kicks, you know.
If you liked it enough, here's the itunes link:
https://itunes.apple.com/au/album/clever-boy-single/id723137801

Before i forget, i also took the photo for the single cover~ Proud!
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!

Just when you think everything is perfect...

BAM!*
You get screwed over. Just like that.
Ouch, this one hurts.
Hurts all over like a thousand daggers stabbing you.
Hurts all over like those stings you get in the middle of winter when you're freezing & get into a steaming hot shower.
Hurts like a paper cut.
If you don't want to read my whinges, take my advice & stop reading *now.
Seriously, stop now.
Don't be hassling me about whinging on my blog~ you have definitely been warned.
In the words of Bruce Wayne in 'Batman Begins,' ~ 'Please leave.'
***
For the last 5 months, i've been working 3 days a week.
I wont lie, it's been absolute bliss!
My days off involve: volunteer work, taking myself on dates, being a lady of leisure & just having that work/life balance.
3 days of work / 4 days off.
*Finally!
Working 4 days a week for the last 7 years was awesome but then going down to 3 days a week... it was the cherry on top.
Doing volunteer work on Tuesday & Wednesday mornings has been lovely.
A great start to any day off.
You feel good & like you've accomplished something, even if you don't find all that many people at home or who are willing to listen to you.
Yesterday morning (Wednesday) i did some volunteer work with a friend & we had a fantastic morning & some awesome chats were had with lovely people.
It really sets you up for the rest of the day.
We finished around lunchtime & we were ravenous, so we took ourselves out for lunch on Acland St where we devoured our food with minimal words being spoken.
Food. Coffee. Get it in us!
Later in the afternoon i was telling my friend how enjoyable it was only working 3 days a week & how it really helps you keep your sanity!
Little did i know, that 24hours later... this was going to change.
Arriving at work this morning, i notice one of our fulltimers is missing.
I figure she's just running late.
No.
I am advised that 'she no longer works for our company.'
That selfish woman! Doesn't she realise how this will impact my work?
My world is coming crashing down around me.
Not only this but a thousand other things right now too..
I open up my work email & there it is.
An email from my boss titled 'WORK DAYS.'
*shudder.*
He wants me to work 4 days a week again. Yuck!
Doesn't he understand i have places to go, people to see & things to do on my midweek break?
The nerve of him.
I haven't replied to his email.. yet. It will need to be acknowledged soon though.
Maybe i should quit & leave my boss high & dry?
Thats the advice i've been given from my nearest & dearest..
Or how about this:
Who wants to give me a 3 day a week job, blogging for them?
(Im also good at going to cafe's & getting you coffee, multiple times a day... )
Im not joking.
You say the word & im yours.
xox

ps- Welcome to 2013 xox

'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

That annoying friend you want to punch in the face

Is there someone in your life that you want to punch in the face every time you see them?
No?
You're not mean like that.
Then why did you instantly think of someone just now who fits that bill?
Ahh yes, that annoying friend you just want to punch in the face.
I know i am definitely that annoying friend at times & very much deserving of a punch.
But so are you!
You know when someone is just annoying the absolute hell out of you?
Whether they are physically getting all up in your grill,
Or teasing you verbally.
And even though you tell them many times to stop & not to do that..
They keep annoying you to the extreme.
More & more. Over & over again.
Pushing & pushing you.
Physically & metaphorically.
They think what they are doing to you is absolutely hilarious!
Laughing in your face, they keep going.
You don't like being in a headlock? Excellent. I'll get you in a headlock then.
So, it continues.
'Stop it! STOP IT!'
They keep pushing you thinking that you're having 'fun.'
'PLEASE STOP.'
You don't listen to me.
You never do.
'PLEASE STOP! This is NOT fun.'
Ofcourse, it continues.
WHAT do you want from me?
A blood nose? Tears? For me to snap?
What is it?
Why don't you do this to anybody else?
Why is it always me?
W H Y ?
***
I'm at the end of my tether.
I'm done. So done.
I'm gone.
A little respect every now & then would be nice thanks, Champ..
***
Reaching your limit, all you want to do is turn around & smack them across the face.
*Snap.

This one time i did inadvertently punch someone in the face.
And then their lip bled because i was wearing a massive silver ring.
Then i felt really bad about it.. kind of.
But they deserved it.

And then sometimes, i think that a punch wouldn't be enough.
Wheres my cricket bat...?
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

To quit or not to quit, that is the question.

*Sigh.
It's Friday. Finally.
Im telling you.. this has felt like one of the longest weeks of my life.
The reason? Actually, i have no idea why as i have been quite the busy little bee!
But last weekend definitely feels like an eternity ago.
What did i do last weekend? My memory fails me.
It's also been an eternity since my last blog post~ a thousand apologies.
I've had major writers block & am in desperate need of a muse.
Any takers? Im open to suggestion!
So the hunt for a muse continues.. but until i find one, i've had to dig into the core of my brain to try & find something... anything to write about.
And then it came to me.
(Although, i must confess- i definitely have some juicy tales i could tell you, but in this instance, i choose to protect the 'innocent.')
***
After a somewhat sleepless night, a few irritating phone calls at work this morning & realising i am due to fly out of the country in a matter of weeks, I found myself taking more notice of my darling friend who keeps asking me 'When are you going to quit your job?'
They have been saying this to me for weeks.. months even!
Their little voice has been etched into the back of my mind..
So coming to the end of a gruelling, busy week the idea of typing a short & sweet letter to my boss informing him that i am resigning is actually a teasing temptation.
Imagine that~
'The last 4 years working here have been nice but it's time for a change so here is my 2 weeks notice.'
(Do people even have to give 2 weeks notice anymore?)
And in 2 weeks i fly off to South America for a long awaited, much anticipated holiday.
The plan is to be back home in August but if i quit my job do i really need to come home?
Oh how the plot could thicken!
Or perhaps im just totally & utterly bored this afternoon & the day dreaming that my brain keeps running off to do is taking precedence over my logical thinking process.
No, surely that's not it.
In an ideal world, if i did quit my job i could sleep in every day, meet up with friends for lunch dates all the time & squeeze in a few coffee's too.
Ultimately?
Thats just all rainbows & unicorns.
How could that possibly be a reality?
I would still need to find an income of sorts.
*Work phone rings* bringing me straight back down to reality.
Argh, will this day never end?

~If anybody else can spot an angry face in the above picture, you are a champ!

xox

~School times are good times

Ahhh to be young wild & free!
Without a care in the world!
*Pause blog. Aren't i still all of those things?! Why am i talking about it like it's millenniums ago? Hmm.*
I was thinking the other day~
Yes, i know, shock horror but i do like to try to use & abuse my brain on occasion.
Anyway, so i was trying to think of what to write my blog about today.
'School' has come up trumps.
You think that's lame? Yeah. Probably.
But for some reason you are still reading this aren't you?!
I was talking with a friend just yesterday about school.
Let's have an adventure~ an exploration, like you learn about in Geography class.
Oh the mischief you can get up to!
Getting out of school late because you were far too caught up with all the fun activities you were doing with your friends.
Looking for excuses, any old excuse, to do it all again the following day.
Going home & being sore all over your body from wrestling with your friends all day long!
Then there's those times where you discover massive scratch marks on your leg & you wonder how on earth you got them.
Or all those random bruises on your legs.. 'oh, hello there. I don't remember seeing you yesterday.'
And going home & being asked 'Whats wrong with your hair? It looks like a birds nest.' *Ohh.. That's probably from that annoying friend who just loves grabbing your hair & messing it up. Oh Good. Excellent. Brilliant.
And you thought your hair was looking ok? Ha!
Fool.
What about when you go home with a massive, fat, puffed up lip from where your friend head butted you? That's always fun.
How dare i forget! Knee high socks. Whether you are in primary or secondary, I'm sure you girlies out there would understand the ol' knee high slipping down your leg & having to snap it back up again. Over & Over & Over. *Snap.
Being tackled & pinned down & only THEN realising how small you actually are.
And your friend has the nerve to ask you 'Are you ok?' Seriously. 'Im STUCK!'

And ofcourse, it would be unfair if i didn't mention those ratty boys who only want to kiss you.
Boy: 'Lets play kiss-chasey!!'
Girl: 'Ewwww, boy germs! Go away! No!'
Boy: *cue INSTANT chase.*
Good memories until the end of time.
6-6.5 hours of fun everyday? Yes please!
Schools in Vs Schools out.
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.

JUST TEXT ME ALREADY! ARGH

You know when you don't hear from someone for ages & it drives you WILDLY insane~

Friend. Family member. Loved one. That cutie you gave your phone number to..

No text, no phone call, no email, no snail mail, no carrier pigeon messages.

And being the stubborn dutch girl that you are..

I mean.. being the stubborn girl that you are..

I mean.. being the girl that you are..

I mean.. being YOU.. whoever you might be..

You refuse to contact them first.

Out of spite? Yes. Ofcourse. What other reason even exists?

Ahh, so lame. So very lame!

It's such high school level stupidity.

But you know that if you leave it long enough you figure they'll have to contact you first.

Wont they?

It's almost like that game you play at school, 'Mercy,' where you hold your friends hands, turn your arms inside out & whoever hurts & yells out 'Mercy' first, is the loser? Even if you are hurting, you still refuse to yell out because you don't want to lose..

Why do we play this silly little mind trip game?

Or should that be.. why do I play this silly little mind trip game?
I haven't the faintest idea!
As time goes by you start to think about other people, places, life, planning that trip overseas..
You may even totally forget about said person who hasn't contacted you.
Who??
Oh yeah, i used to know them. I wonder what they're up to these days..
And then casually minding your own business one evening while sitting on your friends couch, your phone buzzes.
'Oooh!! A text! I wonder who it's from!?'
Oh. It's you. Really? YOU. That's so damn random!
You sit there staring at your phone for what feels like millennium's.. REALLY?!
I just got THAT message?! From you?!
That's awesome!
So nice to hear from you, it's been a while.
I can't help but wonder why you are now suddenly wanting back in my life though, ahh the plot thickens.
The moral of this story? There is no moral of this story. It's just a story. And it's also a complete contradiction of last weeks post.
What?
You have to mix it up & keep it interesting!
xox

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

small *BRIGHT* stories!

Well Hello there! Blog readers, are you ready for some short, sharp stories about my weekend adventures?
No?
Well i suggest stop reading this instant.

So it begins:
-Destination: Bright.
-Days: 4
-Attendees: i lost track
-To do: camp, explore, enjoy, relax, survive.
-Amenities: None.

*Bliss.*

*Everyone was arriving at random intervals during the day, so we decided to stay in town pottering around & exploring our new home. After starting off with a delicious breakfast of pesto toast, poached eggs, shredded beetroot & feta at a quaint little cafe called 'Coral Lee' (best.name.ever.) we began exploring. There was a huge market full of unpretentious country people, it was lovely. They sold everything from fleecey clothes, jams, chutneys, sheep skins, crepes to homemade soaps. There's something nice about wandering through a country market in the sunshine... except for the part where your annoying friend is trying to beat you up, push you into other people & try to make you fall over. Thankyou Captain Annoying!*

*Our campsite: was on a massive block of land. On one side was a pine forest. On the other side, was an old abandoned building. Oh yes, we definitely explored that! According to 'legend,' it was used for some crazy cult years ago. It was really quite strange. You walk into a big hall with bright blue carpet, a stage at the front & wood panel walls. There are two hallways running along the side each with multiple rooms coming off them. These smaller rooms have carpeted walls. I'm telling you, it was WEIRD. The rooms were maybe 3m x 3m, perhaps? The place had been trashed with the obligatory spray paint everywhere, broken windows & smashed walls. Strange. Very strange. I was hoping to find hidden treasure but all we found were some dead birds.*

*We set up our camp & started a bonfire. Super chilled, snacks, chats, toasting marshmallows, song writing, guitar playing & a full moon. Ahh, then there's that awkward moment when you are relaxing on a tarp, next to the bonfire, under the stars, sipping some American Honey whiskey, you roll over onto your stomach & the friend sitting next to you informs you that 'You have white, sticky marshmallow all over your bum.' Awesome. How did i try to fix it? By rubbing dirt into it. Fail!*

*Under the moonlight, we played 'Hide & Scare' in the forest. Everyone goes into the forest & then you have to hunt each other down & try to scare one another. The only problem with this is, it's dead quiet & you can hear someone creeping up on you from miles away. Except for that one time when i was walking along thinking i was being sneaky & my darling friend gave me the fright of my life. I screamed down the forest. 'ARGHHHH!' She got me good.*

*There is also a hedge maze near Bright. Usually, i am rubbish in a maze. Not this time! I think a highlight was finding the 2nd tower & waiting.. waiting..waiting for everyone else to find it 'Hey guys, what took you so long?!' We had a mini tower dance party & then moved on.*

*Possibly the biggest surprise of my weekend away was discovering that my friend has a fear of feathers. Oh the joy i got from this & will continue to get from this!*

*On the last afternoon we decided a trip up to Mt Hotham was in store. And boy was it amazing! Climbing the mountain along winding roads, it was getting colder & colder with each bend in the road. The views were spectacular! Mountains as far as the eye can see, hidden under a sea of clouds. Then, snow. It was actually snowing! The further up the mountain we got, the more snow there was. Looking out across the mountains, it looked like white frosting had been sprinkled everywhere, it was magical. We finally reached the top & it was absolutely freezing! But despite the icy'ness, it was so beautiful having snowflakes fall softly on our faces. Amazing. Beautiful. Mesmerising. Peaceful. We grabbed some snacks & hit up the pub. Overlooking the mountains, snow softly floating down from the sky, a guy playing guitar & singing us songs, it was the epitome of bliss.* 

*The mountains took away my breath :)*

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