I am I; he is He - and we get on just famously!

My Boy is away this week, but a few horrid things have happened to him. Hopefully he comes back to me sooner than expected and everything is set right.

On other notes, its our happy three year anniversary in 8 days. I love him, but he never reads my blog - so he probably won't see this.

Silly boys.

xx B

Frankie 'Fatuation

Ahh Frankie... Because everybody deserves a little bit of you.

I intend to buy their newest publication - Spaces - as a housewarming present to myself when I move into my new little home, in Melbourne. I just can't wait!

Schooolies

The above is a poster advertising a guy I know from school... He does a fair bit of that stuff down in Brisbane. I just love the design, I wish I could do that kind of thing for a living.

Schoolies '10 is coming up, next week! The only reason I care is because my boy and his band are playing over at Agnes Waters as part of the festivities. You can check out their new stuff here. They've also just finished recording their fabulous EP (they've been away on 'band stuff' three weekends in a row). So, when it comes out of production I'll stick a link on here, so you can pick one up, or what have you.

You have a good afternoon. xx B

Rainy days of summer

Photos courtesy of me :)

I got another job. Its at the local drive-through, down in an alley in the center of town. It's just two days a week... thought it might be a good idea to try and earn a little extra money when I could, towards the move. I used to work here when I was 18.

I'm left to my own devices. On Monday and Tuesday afternoons there isn't a lot going on up here, so I usually bring my laptop or some magazines. I remember when I used to work here I'd rip pages out of the exercise book used for orders and just write little things all over it, in tiny writing. What I wanted to do later on, stories about people I knew, how I felt about boys... well, one boy in particular. All those sorts of things. I've still got them somewhere.

It's raining today. Its so humid, and all the windows in the fridges are fogging up. 

I'm staring out into the rain and down the alley. I think I'll pretend I'm in New York, selling flowers in the street.

Just Putting My Face On.

I know I don't tend to blog about my beauty regime very much. I think this is due to a preponderant lack of confidence when it comes to my history and knowledge, with and of, beauty products in general. My mother was of the firm belief that natural is better, and I guess I never really disagreed. I did insist upon hair removal though, at quite a young age, however it took a lot of coaxing to convince her to regress. 

Oh, I got to exercise most of the little rights of passage we all seem to partake in during our younger years. I still remember getting into mum's lipsticks and eye shadow and begging her to let me wear 'just a little rouge' on my lips, on one of our trips to town. She never let me though... said little girls that wore lipstick looked silly. They were from the 80's anyway.

So... I basically learnt everything I know from my school friends, and from trying different things and fiddling around on rainy days. And the fine-tuned result? The following is my current routine, with product listings.

Cleansing, Toning and Moisturising

I am a huge fan of Garnier's facial care products. These are the ones I like the best, and use every day during and after my shower.

The first (excuse the french, literally) is the Blackhead Clearing Scrub from the PureActive range, which is applied in the shower and rinsed off with cool water. It leaves your face feeling clean, refreshed and... minty? My shower is then followed by the application of the Pimple Reducing Toner (using a cotton pad) which helps to close pores tightly and mattify the skin, while also targetting impurities. I then apply a moisturiser, which is decided by the time of day:

Jour for morning (or 'day'), and Nuit for night. Also, as a note, I always try to apply moisturiser within 15 minutes of cleansing to prevent any excess oil production by my face! If you take the moisture away, you need to replace it - otherwise your body will. As I said, I love Garnier. Any impurities or breakouts are predominately banished when I follow this routine.

I purchase all said Garnier products from Woolworths.

Foundations and Basic Daily Make-up

Napoleon Perdis is my go-to guy for face paint. Oh yes, he and I? Going on 6 years strong. First off, foundation. NP stop it! I know you have Primer and it's really amazing and I do like to use it, but I am also a lady on a budget and I can't always afford these fine things!

I use China Doll and dust with Camera Finish - these give amazing cover. Then I use NP's Mosaic Bronzer to give definition to my cheeks and a sun-kissed glow. Finally, a swipe of mascara - only Maybelline. I am so into Colossal Volume Express Mascara. It is, hands down, the best mascara I have experienced so far in my young life. Eyelash-heavy thick is the best way to wear, and I swear, people are convinced I am wearing fake eyelashes. I've only ever worn fakies once, for a hair show, and I felt just that - fake. But they are fun to flutter!

Nights Out, Occasions and a Lipstick

Those are the basics, and I really don't elaborate on them much. I own two lipsticks - both Revlon Matte (<3) - Pink Pout and Nude Attitude. Two classics. When I go out I will a) nude my lips out and go with a slick of liquid eyeliner, coupled with a subtle smoky eye; or b) go with frosty, light pink lips and heavily liquid-lined, winged eyes. I love the idea of doing my make-up at home, then leaving it all behind and conquering the city with only coin for a cab and my trusty stick of nude lipstick. 

And Finally, My Christmas Wish List.

Only a few things left to mention. I think I've pretty much pulled my skincare regime apart with pointy eyebrow tweezers and laid it all out here for you to see! Products I'd love to try in the very near future?

I definitely need some new brushes - I'd like to have a decadent Blush Brush and a new Bronzer/Powder Brush. I'd also love to get my hands on Revlon's Really Red... I'm yet to find the perfect matte red lipstick, and until I do I refuse to wear rouged lips in public. Perhaps this will be The One (Actually, I should really hit up Poppy King, she knows about this stuff I've heard!). And finally - but absolutely not leastly - NP's newest foundation creation: Sheer Genius. Promising perfect coverage under even the harshest of lights? well, I think there are a lot of lovelies who'd care to give this a whirl. So maybe when I finally have a go, I'll write a blog about it.

Just remember - in the words of True Beauty's Tyra Banks - 'true beauty is what's on the inside'.

xx B

On that Alicia Silverstone Note:

I saw this look in a magazine about a million years ago, and I just wanted to say that I am still crushing on it. She puts the 'cute' in couture. Haha oh yeah, I just went there. And I can't believe the critics were claiming it was 'fugly'. Who uses that term, anyway?

Also, is it just me, or is it actually almost impossible to tell her age, no matter what picture you are looking at? xx

He makes my heart sink...

I hate finding things out about people that you didn't even imagine could be true... and then your perception of them is tarnished, and you begin to feel like you couldn't really trust again... not anyone. I feel so naive about everything. Am I really so clueless?

Clueless! Great movie...

Makes me wanna bust out an 80s-90s movie marathon, you know! Bravo Alicia Silverstone. You make me love again!

Summer Sacrilege, In search of the perfect roadtrip.

Like they say: "This box on wheels has the aerodynamics of a sliced loaf and the rich throaty rumble of a sewing machine. Downhill with a following wind it might touch 70 and at best you'll squeeze 25 miles to the gallon from it, and yet we surfers love it - it might drip oil, but we know it oozes cool, and air-cooled cool at that. It's a freedom trip - our board gives us freedom of the ocean and our bus gives us freedom of the road. Who cares if we don't get there just yet? Traffic jams - pah! Just park up, get the lid up, brew up, maybe even stop overnight, we'll get there eventually - that's real freedom of the road."... and we love it!

Its summertime again, Babycakes! xx

Le Smokin'!

The following is an insistant proclamation from the Horoscopes section, for the star sign of Cancer (Harper's Bazaar UK Edition September 2010). I read it as I was travelling into Melbourne on the Skybus, excitedly about to embrace my favourite city for a week. It has really struck a chord, especially since I spent the weekend prior with my Best Friend, Bop, who always makes me feel more confidant about myself, exactly when I need it.

In other news, my darling boyfriend is in the last day of his band's recording session down in brisbane. They've been recording two weekends in a row now, but today should be the last. This morning he informed me that the album art they selected depicts a pin-up girl, covered in tattoos, in grayscale. I don't know why, but I particularly loathe this idea. I guess I was hoping they would pick something with a little more substance; I can't help feeling disappointed and a tiny bit chagrinned by their choice, and I didn't hide it in my texts. He comes home tonight, so hopefully I'm a little less cock-sure come then. He probably won't be getting lucky, unless he makes some ridiculously valid points in a very short amount of time. Unreasonable? I don't really care at this point. Perhaps I will more understanding tomorrow.

xx B

Little Bit of Gorillaz Love. Because I'm so loving them at the moment... sorry!

Feel th Funk

It's the day after Halloween and I'm sitting just inside the door of my flat, feeling softs wisps of summer breeze brush past me and watching little finches as they play in my garden. As they flutter around, their tiny wings dash and send yellow flowers into a scatter, but when they are still for a moment they regard me suspiciously from black gleaming eyes.

I've been trying to write for about two hours now, but again, it is one of those days when everything that comes from my brain sounds shit when I actually extract and write it out. I'm a bit deflated. I have lost all inspiration and even when I find others to inspire me, it won't carry over into what I would like to do or write that day. I am going on like a robot. The only way I can keep on without losing it is to prepare excitedly for my move in May. I am so excited, but apart from my general dislike of moving, a part of me is also worried that I may not regain my mojo by moving to a new city. I have to remind myself that I will, of course. There will be new things, new people and new places. Change is going to take care of itself and wrap me up in throes of inspiration and deluges of happy sentiments! Then my poor little blog won't know what hit it. I will be able to blog every day, because I will actually have something to blog about!

Until then, though, I am going to continue to tack and paste stuff here, because I don't want there to be a blank spot in my life, and I'm hopeless at keeping a journal. This will be an important chunk of time leading up to one of the biggest, most exciting changes of my young life so far, it would be ridiculous to leave it out. So forgive me if I seem shallow for the next six months. Hopefully I'll regain my extensive vocabulary and writer's sense soon. 

So lets listen to the Gorillaz and have a peek at Kelly O's delicious Derby Day outfit (what a hero! She flies in from America, dives right into the Melbourne shopping, gets all done up for the races, has a fabulous time and is back home in LA for breakfast the next morning!). I'm off to get ready for another big night in the kitchen, cheffing away for every extra dollar to go towards my move.

xx

IT Crowd Season Four

Its only one of the greatest shows to happen, ever. And its only part way through screening! Can't wait for episode 3.

Wild Weather!

Well, correct me if I'm wrong, but Szohr just never fades. I love it when NYLON pops her in, and I'm sad to say this last issue is the first one I've bought for quite a time. They cost a lot in our town, and I'm a woman on a budget! Suffice to say, I got my little surge of joy from this issue on my trip home from holidays.

I am one happy chicken this week. Having just returned from my city of love, Melbourne, I am refreshed and excited at new prospects and hopes for the next 12 months. My plans are these: to have a monster garage sale with some friends in February 2011. Then, when my next lease comes up at the end of April I will be ready to pack what belongings I have left into boxes for an impending move. Said move, as of this last week, is now strongly headed in a determined direction. So I'm feeling a little more purpose filled than usual, because this time I really believe that I can do this, and that it is the right time. Nothing inspires like a little purpose!

Steering away from the norm, I shall give a quick recap of my doings on vacation in bullet point format:

1. Saw Powderfinger live, performing their last tour - Sunsets - in Rockhampton on Thursday
2. Purchased my dream, life-changing wrap-around dress from Sportsgirl on Friday
3. Saw 'Tomorrow When the War Began' with Barb. It was good, didn't disappoint.
4. Flew to Brisbane and caught the train right to Bop's 21st venue to help decorate on Saturday
5. Partied the night away, danced to a live funk band, made a new friend and got ridiculously drunk in the process of celebrating, rainy
6. Recovered on Sunday (and attended a bbq with my second family), rainy
7. Flew to Melbourne and caught the bus, then the train straight to my cousins', on Monday
8. Went to Chadstone on Tuesday (biggest shopping centre in Australia)
9. Saw 'Eat Love Pray' with J and S (also had bad, bad mexican for dinner), rainy
10. Met Barb at the bus stop on Wednesday, rainy
11. Saw Paramore live (great), supported by Jury and the Saints, and Reliant K (who weren't so great), rainy
12. Met up with Mumma on Thursday, trawled Fitzroy for quirks (rainy) and 'did' Chapel St
13. Queen Victoria Markets on Friday - Hot Chocolate, Salami, Cheese and fresh Turkish Bread for brunch, RAINY!
14. Afternoon in bed trying to kill a bad cold, brought on by all the rain
15. Dinner at Grandma Funk's
16. Bridge Rd on Saturday following a long brunch at Tweek
17. Flew home Saturday afternoon - met by our loving Bfs at the airport (kisses all round)
18. Recovered all day Sunday (spent the whole day in bed)

And those, friends, were my holidays. I am still trying to ward off the cold a week on, but it was totally worth it! I had a fabulous time. One of the highlights was Bop's birthday party, god that was a fun night. I got up to all kinds of mischief and danced until my feet couldn't feel anymore. I got two hours sleep.

This trip really kicked off my plans. I want to move to Richmond. It is perfect for me - just on the outskirts of the City with public transport coming out it's ears, and the home to a number of my favourite haunts; Tweek, Grandma Funk's, Bridge Rd, Chapel St and the river. As an added incentive, the Australian Institute of Fitness has a campus literally just down the road from where I hope to live. I have been considering studying with them for about 6 months now, but didn't want to do it via distance ed. Maybe its the solution to my studying dramas.

Bring on the Garage Sale plans! xx OTIG

Some of Dylan Moran's Best...

The First of October.

If I lived in Brisbane, I would be going here tonight ^. Instead, I'm going to a Hypnotist/Illusionist show and dinner at our local club.

A few changes have come about in the last week or so at work. I'm no longer the manager of my little coffee shop :( however, I've been promoted to a full time chef's position in the kitchen. This means split shifts every day, and working most weekends still, but it also means a lot less stress and the chance to learn heaps of new skills - another notch on my now rather extensive resume. Upon hearing the news, my 12 year old brother was rather impressed - 'Wow, she's really going somewhere with her life! She can do everything!' This made me feel a bit better. I must say, that coffee shop was my baby, but its time to move on.

I go on holiday in 5-6 days!

xx B