New Year Giggles

My sistah and I stumbled across a best of autocorrects page the other day, and oh my did we reap the benefits of giggles to our festively plump bodies!
Here are some of my highlights:

Visit here to see where I found these as well as read some of the naughtier ones that are well worth the giggles and the tummy toning benefits!!

Dot Points

As the new year looms my head is doing a mental clean out and prepping itself for what could be in store. One thing I have decided is that everything from my past will stay in the past and not come into 2013. By ‘everything’ I mean da boys.

Looking back this year has been a year that extracts the sound ‘pifssshhhpossfffhhh’ from my mouth, similar to the sound of exasperated air leaving my body. Life for me is never dull, I admit when the oober original question ‘and are there any boys in your life?’  is asked, I do always have some sort of humourous/dramatic/never-ending stooorrryyy to tell. However, I am B-O-R-E-D!! The boys of this year’s past are what I refer to as 'time fillers'. I feel like it’s the Universe dropping them into my life like a puppet-master dangling strings and teasing saying ‘how bout this one? No? Ok fine cause it wasn’t happening anyway’. 

To give a better picture to those outside my inner circle who have not yet enjoyed the 2012 Chronicles of Leeshs' boys here is a brief dot pointed summary:

•  Started the year with Smokey Joe who although was a very nice boy, and had all the same future dreams and values as me, was also not without the cancer stick in hand and turns out, this is something I do not value.
  
  
•   Took myself off to the US of A for a getaway and had the token Vegas hookup with a nice English boy, again nothing really wrong with this one, mesmorized by the goddess gal that is Leesh, he immediately offered to come to Sydney for me, and took all forms of communication deets off me i.e facebook, email and US phone number. (Ok this one was my fault, growing up in the shelter of the Shire doesn’t really equip you for knowing how to deal with an international admirer).
  
  
•  A continual facebook (romance at its best), texting and casual hang out relationship with The One Who Got Away from ghosts of boyfriends past- but me thinks this one should remain The One Who Got Away (which was a nice discovery actually that knowing I will not die wondering)
  
  
•  An annoying Will They, Won’t They Situation with long term best friend. Still annoying and without conclusion (although again, a lot my fault for being indecisive and holding onto a distant fantasy of finding someone new, on my own without relying on the ol textbook besty to step in)
  
  
• The odd innocent/inappropriate crush on my part with boys on trains, lift boys, office building boys and older men- generally amounting to a facebook status.
  
  
• The "reoccurrings": random repeat offenders with no progress, or purpose other than being a funny confusing 'what the' story.  Some of these are the usual phone happy handful of Shire boys who turn to Old Faithful Leesh for the odd texty text, upon what motivations I have no clue (a drop of the alco sweet stuff might play a part) but you gotta give props for consistency, and spare a thought to what on earth made them message me? (again, probs just the liquid courage)
  

Yes, my milkshakes bring all the boys to the yard, and the above tends to read a little like scenes from many a rom com movies yet the movie has not ended and I am fairly unimpressed with this years events.

I do wonder after past woes, having become very self aware, stopped caring so much, and established my standards accepting nothing less, I am now making my own life until some One comes along and can even better my life and self- is that to romanticised?

The boys of The Shire are fun, visually delightful and have a lifestyle and personality that I am more so inclined towards, but is that ye old catch 22 of the south- how many fish can you throw back in the sea? The boys of 2012 have been amusing/time filling but in no way take me breath away-ish.

In reflection, this year I have also experienced new levels of happiness is surrounding myself with some really good female eggs; gigging, DJ Leesh-ing, dancing retro and enjoying laughter and ‘virtual’ affection with my soul sistah lady friends and that in itself has been amazing and proven that I Don’t Need A Man to make me happy. (semi cringe at the single lady anthem just there but you get the point)

Hence, in 2013 none of these dot points are coming with me and I vow to continue through enjoying a focus on my career and loving life with my lady friends by my side. When and if, the Universe decides to give me something worth excitement, well then, I will be well and truly grateful for the Lucky Lad (and he will be my Squishy and I shall call him Squishy)

·    *  Kelis, Pussycat Dolls, and Nemo references all for your enjoyment

Merry Christmas

Inspired by this Decor8 post I thought why not ask myself the following questions and get in the festive spirit!

 

 

What does Christmas mean to you?

Christmas to me is all about enjoying friends and family. In particular at mid twenties I am finding more and more importance in developing my own traditions and customs to do each Christmas, I love a Christmas catch up with friends, going to the Carols and then spending Christmas with my fam and lazing around on Boxing Day. I love Christmas movies; Elf, Miracle on 34th St and Love Actually. I love the feeling of giving, making people feel loved and happy and buying gifts for all my loved ones, I love a last minute shop to enjoy the Christmas mania and then I love buying myself the odd treat as well!

What doesn’t Christmas mean to you?

 

A cold wintery day!

What three dream items would you love to be gifted with this year?

Hmm that’s a tough one, “dream” items would be a trip to an island destination, with a great companion, I would LOVE an apartment of my own and I would actually love to speed up time so I could get Pitch Perfect on dvd!! (I’m guessing I would have to be super good for Santa to give the above!)

What are some special things that you do with your family and friends this time of year?

Each Christmas Eve I celebrate locally with friends which I really enjoy, being all dressed up and seeing people you wouldn’t usually see as often as you like, wishing each other well and feeling the holiday spirit. Later on I also enjoy going to my aunty’s house where tradition has it that we celebrate with a Dutch midnight supper, and that’s always a nice spot of calm in the middle of the mayhem. (I still look out for Santa's sleigh in the sky on the drive home -young at heart much?) Christmas day is generally at our house which also makes me feel festive, seeing my Dad get excited to theme it and Mum prepare all the food and just generally being the hosts to everyone’s enjoyment. I used to always love going to my counsins house on Boxing Day as well for a swim and a chilled out family bbq to unwind.

 

What will you do on Christmas?

This year Christmas is at my cousins house so I will enjoy being able to relax and play with the little cousin’s, laugh with the elder cousin’s and catch up with the family over nommy food!

 

What is your favourite food to eat this time of year and why?

I love the abundance of salads at the Christmas do, as well as the yummy desserts whether it be a pudding or a pav! And the lead up to Christmas I definitely eat my fair share of Christmas ham.

 

What memory do you associate with Christmas the most?

I remember one year I had eaten pizza the night before, probably over ate, and then threw it all up on Christmas morning in the reindeers water bowl! It was a fair few years afterwards that I decided I was no longer ‘allergic’ to pizza and the love fest began again! Our Christmas morning is always very traditional to the Bourke family, we wake up and do our presents, usually to the Hi 5 christmas soundtrack, our nan used to stay over the night before as well and then Father Bourke gets in the kitchen and does a massive brunch. I love how the day has a global happy feel to it, the sun shines and everyone is feeling love, peaceful and relaxed! I think the best words to describe Christmas are magical, love and family/friends.

 

New Year’s Resolutions! What are your goals for 2013?

I actually have a few that I am so focused on achieving this coming year. Numero Uno is I am very excited to continue to work my butt off to finallymake my career dream of becoming a marketer a reality. Two is to get on top of my finances and finish the year with some dollarz in the ol bankaroo and three is to continue to be creative and explore new learning opportunities, enjoy my single life and everyday be grateful for the little things.

That’s my Christmas thoughts. Wishing everyone a healthy, festively plump Christmas break and hope your New Year kick starts with fireworks, bangin beats, lots of love and a drop of the sweet stuff

x

 

 

 

When the middle bird flies the nest

This 2013 will bring a pretty big change in the family household. My middle/baby sistah has been posted up North, a decent flight away, to launch her new career as an everyday hero (paramedic). How she does this job, or even how she loves this job, baffles me as the sight of blood on a mere episode of Embarassing Bodies makes me feel woozy, she obviously scored my portion of the tolerance genes. Her career choice is admirable, and at such a young age she is set for life making millions every time she clocks on and now living in a cute coastal town similar to that of Summer Bay, myself and the remainder sistah are sitting back in awe of her life falling into place.

But what happens when the first sistah flies the coop? This has never happened before so it is a brand new experience for all members. The extent of my worldly travels has only ever been for a month at a time as first world problems kick in and I miss my home, meals cooked for me and the comfort of a routine lifestyle. We have a mother who cries when one sets foot in the airport, let alone actually taking off anywhere. We have a father who generously and tirelessly dotes on the duties of pandering to our every needs, delivering our requests in the 5 star level that we are most privileged to receive (demand). We have a sistah relationship that rivals the Kardashians.

Unfortunately I am Kim due to my ‘princess behaviour’ and my ugly crying face. The departing sistah is the Khloe, the rough and tough, uber positive, rarely fazed fun middle child. The remaining sistah is the Kourtney, strong willed, entertaining and with a very mature black/white view on all of life’s issues. Also another carefree one. So what happens when the sensitive mum, doting dad, royal old soul and cool cucumber are left without their golden child to glue everyone together in her neutral manner?

It will be an interesting change to deal with, yes people do it every day but our family has never had to and prior to this career, we would have assumed the first move would be on me, the eldest’ shoulders. (Due to lack of finance and life partner there has been little promise of this happening before 30 so for a while there, our family nest was safe!).

This is the first step in three very sheltered birds having to spread their wings and fly. It’s scary the cloud of uncertainty it brings. Im nervous for my Khloe and how she will cope, hopefully with nothing less than flying colours which I have no doubt she will. Im nervous for the girl who was my rock during my hardest time when she was only a kid herself, her not being there anymore to guide me through. Where will the jokes at my faults and daggy errors come from? Who will force awkward hugs upon me? Who will rip into me for not knowing the newest Triple J unearthed band/song. Who will nom the leftovers?  Im excited she gets to be a domestic goddess, and experience what a life outside of the Shire could mean. That’s big. I’m excited the relationship will develop on a deeper level with instead of being forced to live together and be close we now can choose that option, and that means something.

I will miss her a lot and the challenge will be in now putting the energy into making sure we stay strong and still as close as ever. If not in the least, I will now get to say “the eagle has landed” when she returns home for visits. That, and mum and dad might also chew mine and Kourtney’s food for us to make eating more efficient.

Bible.

The Happiness Project

See: Happiness Project

If, by the end of 2013, you could magically change one aspect of your life, what would you change? What single thing would add the most to your happiness?

How hard is this question!

One, because it means there is a whole other year to live before I could decide if anything needed changing to make me happier.

Two, without sounding super dooper wanky, I’m not sure if there was anything I would want to “magically change” to cater to my happiness levels.

I definitely could not come up with only a single thing. I would like to achieve a few small changes that could also be viewed as goals otherwise known as New Year’s Resolutions:

·         Open a first home owners account and put actual money into it.

·         Put actual money into current savings account and attempt to leave it there in order to have a substantial amount at the end of the year (sometimes referred to as life savings).

·         Learn all the words to Rock of Ages soundtrack and have a concert (for one) performance in my car

·         Finally get into a marketing role at my work, in my actual team= dream role achieved (for now)

·         Continue to find enjoyment in this little ditty of a blog.

·         Embrace another year of domino effect engagements and weddings.

·         I would like to judge people less, for who am I to judge (yet it just provides so much amusement...)

·         I would like to focus on gratitude every day and acknowledge the small things that I am grateful for in life.

·         I would also like to think that the New Year might bring along a NEW and IMPROVED male companion for a new stage in life however if it doesn’t I beginning to be content with the single life and enjoy all the time I have to myself- I almost wouldn’t know what to do in a relationship!

·         I would also like to show my Kim Kardashian workout dvds just who’s the boss.

·         Clock up a few more appearances at The Retro and own that podium.

As you can see these are all only minor changes to my life, and nothing that really requires the Genie from Aladdin needs to step up and grant my wishes.

 
What would you change in your life?

All Aboard

Lately I have felt like a sheep.

Why?

Because my train station is implementing new event style marshalling to help control the morning peak hour crowds. This did need actioning as prior to this, most mornings on the train felt like I was a blip on the Bangladesh population scale. I am not affectionate at the best of times let alone dealing with the accidental hand hold, the nose wind on the top of my head and being jammed in so much so that you are literally head to armpit with someone  and making direct eye contact with a third party also squished in.

This is how my week has gone:

Day 1- arrive to platform to usual spot and note blue markings all along the crowd. Whilst JUST noticing these markings I was then promptly yelled at by a man in a high vis vest and a clipboard to "STEP BEHIND THE LINE MA'AM". Voice in my head: oh god I totally just got yelled at in public how embarrassing. Where the frick is this line? I make it on the train and am pleased at how I can breath and not cop a mouthful of curry flavoured air.

Day 2- prepared for any yellings I immediately stood in the blue painted square minding my toe did not dare touch outside the box. The train pulls up and a Maori lady in a high vis vest parts the waters (minions) and with one very strong arm, holds us all back as her other enthusiastic arm waves, waves, waves, waves the people off. Whilst waving she too yells “STEP THIS WAY PLEASE, STAY LEFT, HEAD UP THE STAIRS YES THAT’S RIGHT KEEP MOVING AND HAVE A LOVELY DAY”. Me and a fellow minion exchange a giggle at her vocal yet polite shepherding. I get on the train and again, am enjoying my space but a little gobsmacked at the staff member telling people they cannot get on the train and to wait for the next one. (there is room for them on this one…)

Day 3- I come down the stairs to typically be in an awkward situation where I find myself trapped in a caged off area. I have apparently come down the wrong side of the stairs now and am instantly “directed” to go back and come down the right side of the stairs. Again, the voice in my head: oh no you’re being yelled at again and people are looking at you and good one, you were just in a cage. Upon making it to the ‘right’ side of the stairs I then get hustled along by a staff member who literally was just missing the sheepdog as he yelled “GO FURTHER DOWN THE PLATFORM”. Oh my god, I am flustered, I have just been in a cage and now I have to walk along the platform past millions more people and as a creature of habit, this little sheep just wants to get on her regular carriage! The train comes, the crowd surges and as I go to step on I am weeded out by the bigger sheep and then informed “STAY BACK IN THE SQUARE PLEASE YOU CAN GET THE NEXT ONE”

“I DON’T WANT TO GET THE NEXT ONE I WANT THIS ONE!!!!”

Day 4- I am feeling strong, I come down the right side of the stairs, avoid the cage and stand right in the middle of the blue square. The train comes and after a quick interview “DO YOU NEED TO GET ON THIS ONE OR NOT?” I am permitted to hop on this one. I am enjoying the space but I am also feeling more and more anxious each day and I brace myself for the next nip at my heels.

I see the point and I commend the goal, they have managed to get two extras trains in the hour now due to this new '60 second’ policy, however the loss of freedom while at first, was entertaining, has now become almost degrading as majority of the crowd have stopped fighting it and we all stand mute munching on some grass until the next dog barks.

Take A Picture

Better late than never, but LAST weekend I had the pleasure of being able to partake in a Blog Photography Workshop hosted by my always inspiring marketing/blogging mentor, colleague and friend Jaclyn over at Little Paper Trees along with the wise photographer guru Emma of Emma Scamell Photography.

This class was such a lovely way to spend my Saturday, learning the skills that don't necessarily come along easily once you invest in the wanky pro camera. An intimate setting with fun classmates, cute, colourful decor and a nommy lunch PLUS a surprise discount to shop downstairs at Little Paper Lane made the classroom environment one that you could go to every weekend! Below are some of the snaps that I took- I'm addicted and can't wait until the next class (and coffee).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*this one was an accident of testing how far I could take a setting but it turned out to be my favourite shot!

 

 

**Annnnd I have literally only just twigged that this 'SNAP' might have meant like the snap of a camera shutter- ohhhhhhhh...I get it now!

 

 

 

Matchbox Hunter

Hello hello! Last weekend I escaped to the Hunter Valley with a couple of girlfriends to stay at the Crowne Plaza and make the journey over to Hope Estate to watch a trifecta of Evermore, INXS and Matchbox Twenty. As a child of the 90's following in my older cooler cousin's footsteps, I was always partial to abit of Rob Thomas (visual treat via link), I may have even started my own one instrument band with my 'own' songs that sounded very similar to that of Matchbox's catalogue just with different lyrics. Now as an adult and avid lover of all things beats, I need to make a public declaration of how underrated Matchbox Twenty are! They were AMAZING, FAULTLESS and for the past week I have had their music, new and old on repeat. If they come back to Oz again my Lord I will be chasing them on tour!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

  

 

As you can see after such a lovely day relaxing and enjoying abit of the old Cessnock township, once the gig started and the wine flowed (abit too easily being a winery-when in Rome...) there was nothing left to do but enjoy the tunes and the *scenery* (lust after Rob Thomas).Oh babehhhhh it's 3am....  

L.O.V.E

As a single lady the most given piece of advice I receive is 'when it's right, you'll know' and 'it won't take work, it will just happen'. What baffles me about love is that the people who are in these relationships, only know that once you have it. If you are on the other side of the fence you have no clue. Lately I have been pondering this fact on the relationships around me.

For example, Doting Doris met her fiance on a blind date thus proving the tried and tested theory of 'once in a blue moon' and with similar family, height and values, they are happily engaged. They have it.

Affectionate Antoinette was in a four year relationship with a good friend of mine, one of those couples that are just adorkable and you think suit each other so well. But things went downhill, bad and fast. No sooner had this cherub fallen from the love nest then in swooped a lovely Prince, and now THEY are a couple that you can only hope to be like and ridiculously perfect, their deep love and respect for each other oozes out in their presence. They have it.

Glorious Gloria is in a relationship with her true equal, same interests, same style and same beautiful personality. They have it.

Long term Lucinda had her heart broken by her love. But then fate intervened and like a true Prince he spent the better part of a year making it up to her and now as simple as that, they too have it.

But then I have friends like these:

Chasing Cheryl who instead of hanging out for that true soulmate, just wants a relationship for the sake of having ownership on someone and devotes all of herself to giving up everything for these boys. Every man met is an instant lover and all else is forsaken in the chase for claiming the Frog.

Passive Patty who is so blind to what she has had to sacrifice for her relationship, that she still stands by her man and at the peak of putting up with less than average treatment, still troops on, whether through a belief he can change or whether she too, just needs a man, I am not sure.

Fix-it Fern who persists with a completely unavailable married man, pours her own money into helping him out, loses so many personal identifying things and still devotes herself to this man. In between, she also devotes herself to men of similar calibre to fill the need to take care of someone. She just does not get it.

I too have been known to have many a crazy lady moment but it does make me wonder how come the rational lady cannot shine until she is in a settled relationship? I suppose the answer is because of the 'journey' and that's all fine and dandy. When you have it, you have it, things are clear, they are meant to be and it just works. But until then, all the singles and the should-be-singles will send that drunk texty text, they will justify every dodge piece of manly behaviour, they carry around the emergency makeup kit so they can look casually hot, they will wait 16.23 minutes to coolly reply to a message and they will sit on his facebook page monitoring his actions.

LOVE indeed, works in mysterious ways.

New York DVF style

How fabulous are these pics from designer and global icon Diane von Furstenberg's New York abode? First seen here and then here, I just had to share them as well!

 

You can check out the awesomeness of this label here