New Blog

I officially will no longer be posting on this blog. But anyone still reading and following me, please check out and read up on my new blog.

http://lifelustandotherstuff.blogspot.com.au/

cheers!

New changes. Hopefully, new blog.

That moment you realize you haven't blogged in what seems like FOREVER!

Every now and again, I feel super guilty for having worked so hard at figuring out html editing to make this blog the best I can possibly make it, and I have sort of left it to collect dust. Shame on me.

With every change though, comes a bit of a new person and as I have been through so much change over the last 9 months than I have in a period of 2 years, I reckon it's time to really and truly try to keep up with this lovely blog of mine.

I wish I had more to say now, but I don't. I just hope that this time I am here to stay!

Dear Future Me

Dear Future Me,

Hello from the past. I hope you have achieved all that you’ve had your heart set on. Remember that letter I told you to read when you were 26? It wasn’t thought through very well, you and I both know that. We also both know that in this reality, you might not ever be friends with your ex again and that’s okay as long as you’re civil and friendly, it’s what matters and probably would keep R quite happy. We probably had high expectations for your future when that letter was written. What was it, married and hopefully having two kids by 26? Maybe we plan too far ahead, don’t you agree? Right now (as I am writing this) you don’t even have a boyfriend and you’re almost 21. Those are pretty high expectations since marriage isn’t even in my prospects, I don’t know about yours.

I sincerely hope that by the time you do read this, you will have it all. And by all I mean a stable relationship with someone who is actually worth your time, most importantly I hope you are where you feel you belong; whether it be somewhere abroad or right home in Canada in the arms of someone who actually cares.

Please tell me you met an honest fella who treats you right. He doesn’t have to be super romantic but if all he does is take you out to an average food chain restaurant and then pay for you to see some movie with him, he probably isn’t worth your time. You and I both know the kind of person you are and the kind of person you deserve. So don’t change to suit what he wants or needs. If you aren’t into doing the dirty all the time, I hope he knows that because otherwise one or both parties will always be unsatisfied. If you haven’t been smart in choosing the right fella, let me remind you (and if you have met the right fella, see if he has fallen into these categories) of the kind of man you need.

He has a big heart – he will do anything to make you happy and will always try to make others happy without sacrificing his own happiness. He can make you smile, if he doesn’t already do this maybe you need to re-evaluate your whole life up until now. Which brings me to my next point, he has a sense of humor that only you and his closest friends (and parents) understand, and it doesn’t matter if anybody else understands it. He supports you: financially, emotionally and sometimes physically. He knows what you want and understands your feelings even if they don’t mirror his own. Even though you’re skinny, slim, fit, whatever you call it, he knows that you can eat and eat a lot when your stomach allows it. He will not limit you at how much you eat or order for you unless he knows your usual order and is always overjoyed you aren’t like other girls. He will never stop you from eating as much as you want and instead he expects it and does it with you. But he will also eat a salad with you if you’re having a skinny day.

He doesn't always understand your emotions and that’s okay because girls are sometimes hard to read but tries to make you feel better no matter the situation. He knows you have your days where you just want to cry but are afraid to in front of him. Even though he doesn't like them he will watch chick flicks with you because you usually watch B rated movies like Mega Python Vs Gatoroid, unless you’re feeling emotional and want to watch movies that can and will make you cry.  He can give a good cuddle when you’re sad and is super romantic at making out, if there is such a thing. He does his best to help you complete the things on your bucket list because he is as adventurous if not more adventurous than you and knows that your heart has a soul eating desire to explore. He’d never take that away from you.

He'll be the one who makes you HIS number one. That's the one you should hold on to, if you don't have him already. 

Sincerely, always and forever;

You

 

Inspiration Wednesday III

I know I haven't been the best or most consistent blogger lately (I blame the excitement that is Australia) but I have promised last week that I would make a great Inspiration Wednesday post. Maybe this isn't GREAT but it is still good nonetheless. If I do say so myself.

I spent most of the day thinking about what would be best to write about for you guys. Then I remembered the much needed Skype date I had with my BFF the other day and realized that it was exactly what I should write about. Maybe not exactly that conversation (I'm already saving that one for a later date) but I came across an article about friendship. Something that only BFFs would understand.

5 Unspoken Rules Between Best Friends
There are things you share with your best friend, and then there are the things you never even have to utter because they’re understood.  Whether you see each other every day or go for months without hanging out, there are some same-wavelength BFF relationship rules that always seem to be in place. Mutual understandings and expectations that we know—but maybe don’t say. It’s time we laid them all out on the line. Here are some unspoken rules that define the bestie relationship.

1. No judgement, only unconditional love. This one’s a biggie. When we feel judged, we don’t feel safe. We want to feel full acceptance when we turn to a BFF for support, advice or a shoulder to cry on—flaws and all. While we can’t expect our friends to agree with every single one of our decisions, we do expect their friendship to be unconditional.

2. Always tell the truth, even when it’s tough. It can be hard telling your best friend she’s drinking a little too much or not taking her job seriously enough—but it’s these times when our BFFs need us the most. When everyone else is just trying to keep the peace or take the path of least resistance, it’s important to tell your friend the truth. You’d want her to do the same for you. (Quick footnote: Telling the truth is particularly important in the dressing room!)

3. It’s not a competition. This can be hard but it’s important. Once you start comparing houses, cars, jobs, boyfriends—resentment and jealousy can creep into the relationship. Be psyched your friend just landed that amazing job. Help her celebrate if she gets engaged. It’s camaraderie we all want, not competition.

4. Don’t belittle boyfriends, husbands or children. You might not like her husband and she may think your son is incredibly annoying—but those thoughts just don’t need to be shared. While BFFs have an incredible bond, married couples do too. Bashing a friend’s husband, even if she’s mad at him too, never ends well. And no matter how irritating a friend’s child is, she’ll never forget a passing comment about his “unseemly behavior.’

5. Just be there. No matter how crazy life gets with jobs, marriages, break-ups, kids, health scares and everything else, it’s nice to know our BFFs will step up when times get tough. Even if she’s swamped at work or juggling four crying kids, if a BFF needs her, she is THERE. (And vice versa.)

It certainly makes me thankful grateful for my BFF. We have been best friends going on 12 years this year. The last 3 years have been our best. I was her person when she was away studying in England our first year of college and now the tables have turned. Even with me being on the other side of the world, she is still there for me. We make the 14 hour time difference work. We are brutally honest and say it like it is. We have stuck together over the years (even with a minor pitfall). If that's not friendship, I don't know what is.

Love this woman. <3

I'm "Weird". Whatever that is.

Recently I read a post on Brittney Breaking Free (you can check it out here) about all the quirks about her. I went off and read where she got her idea from. People have some crazy quirks. And I thought that in the spirit of originality in unoriginality I'd list off my own quirks. Hold the applause.

+ Ever since I was young I have swished every thing I drink in my mouth before I swallow it. Coffee. Beer. Juice. Milk. Tea. Slurpees. You name it. I never noticed until she pointed it out, and when I catch myself doing it, I mentally spite my Mom for telling me this. Don't you hate noticing your habits only after someone points them out to you? Especially when it's your own Mother.

+ When I change my clothes, I stop for a second and look in the mirror to check myself out before I proceed to put on the day's outfit. So my ego's planets are finally aligning again. Erika did say my ego had its own solar system.

+ I'm really OCD when it comes to organizing movies, my movies more specifically. Even more specifically Dvd's and VHS. They always have to be alphabetized. It makes me really uncomfortable when they aren't. On the plus side, I always know when one is missing. And most usually it's missing in someone else's place. Hey, at least I'm organized and I do seriously feel the need to alphabetize everyone else's Dvd collections. You'll thank me later.

+ I'm weird with cheese. No, I don't get freaky with cheese. But I have a thing with eating cheese only if it comes in certain forms. Block. Parmesan. Grated. String. Swiss. Cheddar. Mozzarella, They are all fine. But you shouldn't be able to spray it or spread it and if you have even the option of either eating a piece of cheese as is or spreading it, you should be questioning what it really is that you're eating. Need also remind you of that cheese that comes individually wrapped in plastic? How far away is it really from being plastic itself? So maybe I am just a bit weird about cheese.

+ I have an anxious knee shake. Weird right? It shakes when I'm nervous. Shakes when I'm anxious. Shakes when I'm bored. Shakes when I am just sitting down. I don't know why I do it, it's a habit I suppose. I do it with my foot too.

+ I trip over my own feet. Like a lot. There doesn't even have to be a raised bit of sidewalk or a crack on a pathway. I'll be walking and I'll just trip. Like what the hell feet? Sometimes I think my legs/feet forget how to walk.

+ I can sing the alphabet three ways. Forward. Backward and en Francais. I can sing it two more ways than most. As far as I know and have practiced, even drunk I can still sing the alphabet backward. Anyone care to challenge me? Seriously, bring me a bottle of cheap wine or a pack of beer and I'll take you on in an Alphabet challenge. ECE FTW!

To think that I could probably go on, but then I'd have nothing left to share in future posts! I would love to see some of your quirks in the comments.

'Stralia Bucket List

The past couple days I have been thinking and wondering about what I did with my real life bucket list and while I was searching for that, I also realized that I didn't even know where my Australia Bucket List was misplaced to. Even still, while my real life bucket list is still MIA (somewhere deep within the recesses of my bedside table drawers probably) I have found my Australia Bucket List.

I thought that since I know I can't see everything Australia has to offer, I would make a list of all the places I want to go and want to see before I leave Australia. The places that I'd be content seeing if I saw nothing else about Australia. Just the other day I learned that Australia has so many beaches that you could visit a new beach every day for twenty seven years without seeing the same one twice! That's ridiculous. So, yes there is a lot of things I'd like to see, I have made a realistic list of the most important things in my mind for me to see/do.

'Stralia Bucket List

Uluru

 Drive along the Great Ocean Road

Visit the Sydney Opera House

Dive/Snorkel/See the Great Barrier Reef

Visit Kangaroo Island

See Gold Coast (I admit, this is mostly just to see the beaches)

Visit/Climb the Sydney Harbor Bridge

Go to the Australia Zoo

Visit the Koala Sanctuary and hold a Koala

Go to the Whitsunday Islands

Ride the Giant Drop (Held the Guinness World Record for the tallest drop ride from 1998 to 2012) 

I must've left all my courage back in Canada. This one will probably be among the first of the things I do.

See Surfer's Paradise

The Outback (Apparently there is more than just the one we have always seen on tv.)

Get up close with a shark, preferably in a cage

See some of the "Giant Things" (I guess I can sort of cross this one off, I have seen "SOME" of the giant things)

Bondi Beach (Australila has a show called Bondi Rescue, and can I just say Yumm! I wouldn't mind drowning if one of those lifegaurds came to save me)

I do promise that I'll be crossing things off on here as I go. 

You can all just live vicariously through me.

(It wasn't until now that I realized most of those things are within a one or two hour drive from me, Bondi on the otherhand, is a two hour flight)

Not so Inspired

So I was sitting here checking my emails, having a look at my blog views (which are consistently inconsistent) and I realize OMG, I haven't done an Inspiration Wednesday post yet. It is now Thursday and I haven't even really put much thought into what my inspiration could be this week.

I've been so busy with this AuPair thing (which I am loving by the way) that I have had my mind in other places, like the kids, the manscapades, planning my next trip locally, in Australia. But not to worry, I promise, promise, promise, promise that I will come up with a great inspiration for next week's Inspiration Wednesday and I will actually post on time.

After this week, I'll be sure to have inspiration to share next week. Or I'll be standing on the street corner wearing a white tee that says LIFE and handing out lemons.

Regardless, something will find it's way into the Inspiration Wednesday post slot.

Postcards to Home

Being so far away from Canada, it seems that constant Facebook updates and hundreds of photo uploads just aren't enough to let people back home know what I'm up to. I feel that I am constantly collecting postcards or souvenirs any time I go out just so that friends and family can have their own tokens from theirs truly in Australia. 

I think I spent a good hour or so writing each of these postcards. How is that there never seems to be
enough space to get your thoughts out, no matter how small you write? There is always just so much I want to say and never enough space. I wanna write about everything I am doing, but I also want to write about how beautiful Brisbane is...the photos don't do it much justice. There is never a good balance, especially it seems that I am constantly rambling when I'm writing home; I guess when you have such little space, it's hard to choose a healthy balance of life and beauty.

Speaking of which, I picked up these gorgeous postcards from a vintage fair I went to last Sunday over in one of the other suburbs. Huge vintage fair and these were my favourite finds. The one with the lady and the man is my favourite. It has old handwriting that I can't even decipher. I can only imagine that it was a love letter, could you really think of anything else? 

They found their way into my journal (which I have been so terrible with keeping tabs on) last Sunday and I figured that since I was on such a roll with my postcards, I'd write about what's been on my mind the past week. I still don't understand how I can go so long without writing, the whole idea was to write down everything I have been doing in Australia on a daily basis. I've been a bit lazy. It even showed today when I finished my writing with a cramped up thumb and forefinger. 

I figure that if friends and family deserve to know what I'm up to, shouldn't future me know as well?