Sunday 31 August 2014

Siem Reap Reaps Amazement

Let's be honest, other peoples' holidays are shiiiiiite so if you don't enjoy a good temple, sunrise or food shot then look away now because this is what I'm bringing you from my earlier travels to Cambodia this year. Looking at these holiday snaps makes my heart yearn to go away somewhere again. A timely reminder, I think, to never underestimate what a good getaway can do for your mind, heart and soul.

Nonetheless please enjoy a snippet of Cambodia, this mystical place full of beautiful, happy people. So poor yet always smiling and approachable and caring. The stillness of Angkor Wat temples, the absolute rarity of experiencing calmness combined with wide eyed wonder as I watched that hot ball of fire rise up over such an ancient structure. The photo-bombing talents of my sister. Young children at 'work' selling whatever they can, with the finance skills of Mark Bouris - if they cannot afford school uniforms they do not get an education. Unbelievable. Also young children around the age of 8 balancing babies and responsibility on their hips like a true mother - this concept of cultural difference blew me away. The simplicity of transport, so ridiculous yet efficient. The stark personality contrast between my sister and I, as I had a Sydney style mental breakdown at being lost in a tuk tuk in the backstreets while she giggled it away, taught me to keep perspective (yet hopefully taught her not to trust 12 year old boy drivers in foreign countries so easily!).
Pub Street, my absolute favourite venture as we received $3 massages whilst having a beer and enjoying wifi, our pretty rogue night out at this street party where I had a surreal moment of being a part of hundreds of people from around the world all uniting in some Gangnam style dancing and drinking out of buckets. Buckets that left me sobbing the next day over my tombstone reading 'death in Asia' (didn't die, just a bad hangover FYI).


Pure magic.




Authentic as!


Traditionally awkward...



For mummy dearest - the tree aficionado 
Cheesy fries...

Sunday 24 August 2014

Single In Sydney


As winter fully sets I find  myself really investing in my Single in Sydney behaviours. Want to know what these include?


  • No leg shaving or moisturizing
  • Ben & Jerry's Phish Food...all the time + getting it on my dressing gown but continuing to wear gown for a few more rotations 
  • Fridays and Saturday nights in with mum and dad
  • Reading magazines all day
  • Not getting changed out of my pjs on the weekends
  • Hours of TV series
  • Entire days spent shopping and pampering oneself
  • Many a train ride gazing at males daydreaming ideal meeting on public transport success scenarios (yet flinching and whipping my head in opposite direction when we accidentally make eye contact = smooooth)
  • Burning smelly candles for hours
  • Living amongst my clothes as it's too cold to tidy up
  • No makeup, no bras, no brushed hair, month old nail polish on my toes
  • Boredom sessions on Tinder (but ignoring any points of contact)
  • Watching my succulents grow like they were my children
  • Buying outfits to wear on potential nights out (yet opting to stay in most weekends)
  • Eating on a wicker tray so as to avoid getting crumbs in my bed
  • Using the boyfriend side of my bed as a desk/storage/bookshelf/wardrobe
  • Social media. Work and personal channels. All. the. time. 
  • Napping
  • Listening to festivals on the radio. From my bed.


W.O.W if that doesn't inspire you I don't know what else will!

I would say I am in a routine funk but I'm actually pretty happy thriving in my indoor child behaviours. When the weather warms up perhaps motivation will return to make oneself useful on the weekends but for now, bring on another packet of Tim Tams (and mum, hurry up with the gown wash)!

How are you thriving in hibernation this Winter? Can you beat me?

Sunday 17 August 2014

Bad Hair Day

Sigh. Winter doesn't agree with my hair.


(not my head but very similar representation of irit hairs)


Currently I have new hair growth so no matter how much hairspray I use, I still look like this by the time I get to work:


Although it could be worse:




What's your magic formula for taming unruly locks?

Sunday 10 August 2014

Act Yo Age


I've been thinking this week. What do you like that you think maybe you 'shouldn't'?

It was recently put to me by someone that a lot of my interests are in line with a teenage girls, and that as I steamroll into turning 27, perhaps I 'should' start to align myself with a more mature consumption of interests.

As first, my head started to dig around for grown up interests that I could justify my wayward tastes with... like oh well I...I...I don't mind cheese and wine nights...and...oh well I read the newspaper often...?



But then I thought oh firetruck that! For a second, a brief second, I let this person make me question who I am. And that my friends, is something no friend should ever make you do.

So here are some of my interests that I thoroughly with my whole heart enjoy/obsess over - and I like them all, I like them so much that I would happily not act my age for them! 

Boy bands:
Lets be honest, One Direction takes the cake but I am also partial to Backstreet Boys, Nsync, 5SOS, Boyzone, The Vamps, Jersey Boys the musical and many more. You know why? Because they make me HAPPY - how could someone singing about living while we're young, as long as they love me, dancing, dirty pop and being larger than life not bring a smile to your face?


Lame ass words:
I regularly sprinkle my sentences with a dose of invented words, cliche sayings or casual colloquialisms. I don't care if it annoys you, I am not structuring my sentences for your enjoyments, it's for mine!
See: toodles, doll, ridic, fo shiz, & pet names; see Pooface, Nunkhead, Slav, Lolo, Shedizz, Baz, Johnwa, Corbags, JC Dubs, Wan Wan, Jessmeenda etc etc


Reality TV:
Yes, I gladly guilt freely devote hours of my life to watching Kardashians, The Bachie, The Block, Jersey Shore, Rachel Zoe and many more - I don't do it because I am trying to find meaning within the shows that I can then analyse, assess and deconstruct for a cultural comment, I watch it because it's frickin entertaining and an escape from the trappings of actual reality because yes I know these shows aren't real - that's why its enjoyable!!


Festivals, gigs and concerts:
I am a groupie, a fan girl, I ride and die for the music (tongue in cheek) and that's never changing. (Also throw in here buying merch at all of the above -that's a like that's also never dying out)


Impulse buying: 
I buy anything and everything. I am in marketing and I am passionate about my industry. If someones hard work or creativity captures my intrigue then by the divine guidance of The Universe and the willingness of my credit card, by golly I will hand over my money to find out more.

Speaking of, The Universe:
Yes, I believe in karmic values. I believe in a greater force making things happen. I believe in trusting The Universe to lead the way and I believe in seeking a higher meaning of life through reading inspirational things, horoscopes, psychics and thought provoking articles - any words that ignite a spark within me or help my mind find reason in a situation.



Street chic/Urban hippy/Skater Girl/Frocked Up/Gangster:
I like wearing whatever the firetruck I want, and that will rarely be anything that is plain and sensible merely to show others that I am 'mature'. Screw that, you only get one life and I am not going to spend it wasting time dressing for others. Actions and accountability will prove that for me, not my choice of dress, taste in music or my choice of hairstyle.


The Shire:
I still live at home and most likely this will be for some time. I don't need to justify this, my circumstances do not me permit to live on my own unless I suddenly have a strong desire for street corners, milk crates and binned food then no, I will not be able to sustain living on my own. This is in no part to not having a huge desire to have my own place, but I choose not to sacrifice location and lifestyle, happiness and finances on living somewhere I am not comfortable in for the sake of being an instant adult. So I wait.

Kmart: 
Who doesn't love buying things at a rounded off low dollar price with the option to do this 24 hours a day?!

Girlpower: 
Beyonce (current alter ego Yonce), Florence, Kelly Clarkson, Katy Perry, Lily Allen, Gaga and the like, inspire me to get out of my head. They remind me with their strong pop empowered lyrics not to get caught up in the little situations, as they are not sitting around ever feeling sorry for themselves, sad over spilt milk or worried about minor work struggles. No, they are teen girl superstars getting out and making something of themselves with a f**k it attitude, so yes in that capacity, I like these girls.

That's it for me and my youthful taste of life, to be honest I wouldn't know who I was if I didn't like some of these things. I'd imagine I would be quite a boring person.




Tell me your oh so sinful interests! Do they match up to your age bracket or like me do you not giving a flying hoot about acting your age?

(and if anyone ever makes you question how your life interests represent you and your worthiness as a whole person, then they my dear friends, need to be the first and only thing you cross off your interests list)

Sunday 3 August 2014

Mornings



I've been thinking lately about morning rituals. When I take the time on a Sunday morning to get the paper, get my coffee and go for a walk and eat healthy for the day I feel so still and calm. Self love at its best.

Do you have a morning ritual? They always say the best part of the day starts at 5am and whilst I'm a little while* off voluntarily getting up at that hour, I must admit that lots of my happy moments are best spent sitting with the stillness and freshness that a new day brings.


So I'm going to put an intentional focus on doing more 'morning' things. I'm going to make sure that I spend my Sundays doing what I know makes me feel present and grateful for the exact moment I am a part of. I am going to continue to get to work early and settle into my day in my own time so I can choose how it is going to pan out - I have started that and so far had such success giving myself a bit more time to just go about the day. I am going to take 30seconds to do a big stretch as I wake, before jumping into transforming from bed chic to public chic.


What tidbits do you think would help start your day off right?

*define: little while - most likely in another batshit crazy life