Resolutions?

So we're now an entire month into 2011, and I'm wondering... How many people have already given up on their new year's resolutions? Have you all kept your minds on your goals? It has occurred to me how easy it is to just give up, and I know that's totally obvious, but it depends on how badly you really want it to work out for you in the end, and that's not always obvious.

Perhaps the time has come to re-evaluate the goals you had set out for yourself a month ago... Are you sure your grades are going to get higher just because you want them to, or should you be aiming more towards spending more time studying? And I know weight-loss is a popular one, but perhaps it's a matter of working on your self-esteem rather than your abs that should be a priority.*

It's easy to put a resolution out there that you're going to improve some aspect of your life, but the difficult part is realising why you want it. I'm sure that whatever your goal is, there is a way to get there. Just remember to start small; life isn't the easiest thing to change overnight. And always be sure that you're doing it for the right reasons, and you know the benefit you're truly looking to gain from it.


*Footnote; I would like to remind you that - despite the cliché - everyone has something unique and beautiful about them. And to the social obligations and general public views that say everyone should be anorexic and frighteningly skinny like those sticks on the runway, I say get real.

Please.

Dear People of the World,

 

I don't mean to sound slutty, but please use me whenever you want.

 

Sincerely, Grammar.

Hate is a strong word.

Challenge Post 06 - Ten things you hate dislike.

Yes, I'm aware I haven't done one of these in ages, but I'm kind of only doing it 'cause I'm not admitting defeat. And I am making this one simple, I promise :)

Egh. This shouldn't even classify as food.

1. Licorice.

2. Lies.

3. When it hails on pool parties.

4. Cafés that make their drinks way too scalding hot to even drink.

5. The imperial measuring system.

6. Clichés.

7. Distance.
8. Faulty internet connections.

9. Airplane "food".

10. Him being away from here.

Strange & awesome words #1.

Polyglot (noun):
A person who can speak many languages.

Pretty sure polyglots are awesome. I have serious respect for polyglots. I attempted to learn Italian in school; studied it for about 5 legit years. The only problem was that I spoke Italian already within my family, which was our own dialect from the region which my family comes from. This caused way too much confusion at school and so I gave up at the end of my prelim year.

So for someone to be able to speak a whole number of languages... Kudos. In my eyes, it's probably one of the highest and most awesome skills out.

Tomorrow.

Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love you, tomorrow. You're only a day away...

Middle-child syndrome?

I hate when people say I have "middle-child syndrome." What the heck is that even supposed to mean? There is no such damn thing. Just because we weren't the first or last, doesn't mean we have some kind of disadvantage... or advantage for that matter.

We are not louder or shyer, not clumsier or more graceful, not smarter or dumber... we are who we are. Personalities, not age. Don't judge me based on whether or not I am a middle-child. GrRrr.

Okay, yes, I am aware this is not a common occurrence; quite rare in fact. It is just frustrating. I hate when people judge by appearance, and that is a common occurrence. Whether it's judging someone on which child they are, or what school they go to, or what they wear... It's pathetic.

Seriously, keep it to yourself. My mum always told me, "If you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all." If only more people could be so wise...

Mango tree.

I wish I had a mango tree, in my backyard.

                  With you standing next to me. Take the picture.

                                      From her lips I heard her say, "Can I have you?"

                                         Caught up on what to say, I said "You do."

- Angus & Julia Stone

Creating ourselves.

I was recently faced with a confronting question... Someone asked me "Who are you, really?" And it made me wonder, are we ever able to really define who we are? I think the most difficult thing is that we are so many people embodied in one. We are all someone's child, we are all loved, hated, missed. We are all loud and we are all quiet. We can all be restless, and all need rest.

But looking even deeper into it, we see that we are each someone different to each person we know. I read a book a while ago, Paper Towns by John Green, and it talks about looking through someone's window. It made me realise that the way we look through someone's window is always different to how someone else may look through it.

Whether there are curtains hiding the corners, or the glass is smeared, or there are cracks in their window... through every one, there is a new and different light that comes through for each of us. And so we all have many windows that are looked through when someone sees us and knows us.

The trouble is, do we hold onto the windows others see us through, or do we create our own definitions for ourselves? I don't think it's that easy. George Bernard Shaw once said "Life is not about finding yourself. It's about creating yourself." I could not agree more.

The reason we have so many different windows and the reason we are able to place these windows on others, is that we never show ourselves completely to anyone other than ourselves. And the changes to this are always vulnerable. We can never define ourselves for longer than a moment, because that's how fast it changes. So right now... who are you, really?

Just an update.

I just thought I'd fill you in... I looked into what I have to do to transfer into B Arts (Media and Communications), and I have to maintain a distinction average for a year, then transfer... *sigh*

USyd.

I made it in! :) Yes, that's right. Me. I'm going to the University of Sydney! *happy dance*

Although what I'd really love to do this year is B Arts (Media and Communications), the cut-off was 98.5, which - put simply - is insane. And so I put my first preference as B Arts. I really don't mind as I can just do that for a semester, then transfer. Which is the great thing about it all... Even if you didn't get what you wanted, there's always time to change.

Ahhh, the sandstone buildings, the green, green grass, NO UNIFORMS! Oh, and hello? It's Hogwarts. I'm stoked and so excited. I love USyd... and now I've made it. I'm so proud of myself, and of all of you who've gotten into your courses. And even if you weren't able to get into your preference, remember, there's always time to change and work towards where you want to be.

Is ignorance bliss?

Why do I read the news anymore? Seriously, it's just too disheartening. I sometimes find myself avoiding it, walking past it every so often as it patiently waits for me on the kitchen table every day. But I just can't face it sometimes, because almost every story is about loss or hate... or both.

The stories tell often about people just like us. People who work to live, have families, and sometimes live in our areas. This is what makes it harder for me. It makes it real. It makes us realise that these things are possible, are real, and could happen to any one of us.

It scares me to death. Sure, it's always good to know what's going on in the world around us, but it's always the sad, bad or horror stories that stick with us, and remind us that such things can happen to anyone... And so I ask, is ignorance bliss?

Things that win my heart #3.

Spontaneous explosions in action films. They generally have no cause or real purpose, but come on, they're exciting! And the dramatic dive away from an explosion... Simply awesome.

*In no paricular order

I hate goodbyes.

They hurt too much.

Myself, Cristina, Sabrina, Lucia, Joe, Donata, Daniel... Skywalk experience, NYE.

Fifteen people in one house... I'll admit, it was crazy at times. But I miss it, and I miss you all already. It's not fair that so much distance should stand between us. That's the way life is sometimes though. And we live on seperately, but always still together.

And despite the distance between us, the memories will stand forever. I'll never forget these few weeks that came and went so fast... Thank you for everything.

Clichés.

I hate them. I hate them. I hate them.

Why? They no longer have any meaning! They're used so much that they lack the original beauty of description they once contained. You now have to break down a cliché and really think about it before you understand what they are saying.

I wish people would srop taking advantage of such sayings... or what will we be left with?

Consider "Once upon a time." Look at it closer and you will get what I mean. We just hear it too much in stories and fairytales and movies, that we forget how beautiful it actually is.

It's odd, you know.

How easy it is to miss you.

Things that win my heart #2.

Carnivals. The rides, the cotton candy, the crowds. I love the atmosphere.

*In no particular order

Home is a person.

Not a place.

Left Unspoken.

Probably one of my favourite short films. :)

There is a difference.

There is a difference between following someone's lead and being empathetic. What I mean is, if someone you love and respect hates someone, do you follow their lead and hate them for their sake? Or is that just entirely judgemental?

I believe that if someone you love and respect was hurt by someone, then that should be enough to dislike them. When someone hurts my friend or family member, breaks them down into tears and whatever else their wretched souls possess them to do, that's it. I cannot bear their presence. And why should I? Evil people do evil things, and I can't stand by and watch idly as if nothing is wrong.

And that is also many people's unbearable fault... being fake. Being absolutely plastic and elastic. Why pretend everything is okay when it's not? Why pretend to like someone when you cannot stand them? What is the use of wearing that shiny plastic smile? Sure, maybe some will believe it, but you know you're not happy. And all your real feelings are going to build up, and one day... KABOOM! It all just blows up in your face.

And what are you left with then? Nothing. You weren't really happy with your plastic smile, you're not happy now because you have all this built up anger... But it is then you realise, and you learn from your mistakes. Silver lining? I suppose. But why start this whole thing in the first place? Just be real, and if you don't like someone, don't. We can't be friends with everyone. Why lose yourself and get hurt?

But to go back to where I started with this entry, don't hate someone to follow someone else's lead. If you don't like someone, it's for your own sake. Did they hurt you or someone you love? I have your back then. Listening to stories and rumours, and basing your feelings on such idiocy will get you nowhere.

Things that win my heart #1.

Sour lollies. Nom nom nom.

*In no particular order.

10 randoms.

It has just occurred to me that I've completely dismissed my whole 'Just a Challenge Challenge' thing :/ Hmm, writing a letter to my 7 year old self in September was the last of those... It's me. I never get through things like that. Like journals. Do any of you do journals? I can never dedicate to writing in it often enough. It gets to the point where it becomes too long between the last entry and the day you decide to write in it again, that you don't even want to bother, because months of catching up is just too much.

It's pretty silly I suppose, but I continue to start journals every year or two. And so I have a pile of half-full journals describing my life between January and about April of each year! haha. Hopeless. Anyway, here it is, the continuation of my 'Just a Challenge Challenge.' Oh, for anyone who has no idea what I'm talking about you can read the beginning in a post called Challenge written in August.

Challenge Post 05 - Put your iPod on shuffle. First 10 songs that play.

I know, it sounds so typical... I will attempt to make this challenge post as a-typical as I can ?

1. Hungry like the wolf - Duran Duran
Haha. Wow. Way to show off my musical taste, huh? In my defence... Big Fat Liar. When Amanda Bynes and Frankie Muniz get that director guy, Marty Wolf back and he's swimming in the pool! haha. And on the topic of that film, my gosh, I would kill to hang out in that warehouse that they stay in! Awesome. If you haven't watched it, I recommend you do. :)

2. Story of a girl - Nine Days
One of those songs that came out around 2000 that are up there with Teenage dirtbag (Wheatus) and All the small things (Sum 41). They will never get old for me.

3. Thunder - Boys Like Girls
One of my favourite bands ever. I love Boys Like Girls. If you haven't heard of them, check them out. And they are AWESOME live! :)

4. Two princes - Spin Doctors
This has been one of those random songs for me that I've just really enjoyed listening to over the years, like Closing Time (Semisonic). I recently looked into some of Spin Doctors' other music, and Pretty baby is probably one of the nicest if you feel like checking them out.

5. Play - JLo
I used to love JLo! What young girl in the 90s/2000s didn't?

6. Jack and Diane - John Cougar Mellancamp
What was his name in the end? Or "now" should I say? Did he end up dropping the "Cougar" after all? haha. Oh well, whatever. He was pretty awesome. This is probably one of my favourite songs ever.

7. Ay chico - Pitbull
Oh gosh. How did this get on my iPod? Haha. It is a good song, rhythm-wise I guess... *sigh*

8. Happy ending - Mika
I love Mika :) Though I hate that he had his concert here in the middle of my final Prelim exams! Grrrr. And this song is one of my favourites of his. Oh! You should check out his French version of Grace Kelly. Pretty cool in a French kind of way :)

9. Silver screen romance - Good Charlotte
I only downloaded their new album a little while ago, and may I say... It is awesome! There is no other way to explain it. Seriously, check it out. This song, plus 1979, Counting the days, and Sex on the radio are probably my faves on the album :)

10. Undercover martyn - Two Door Cinema Club
Dearest iTunes Free Download of the Week, thank you for your awesome selections (...sometimes). Exhibit A. Undercover martyn. Exhibit B. It's your move (My Escapade)

New year, new beginnings.

Ahhhhh! I haven't blogged in like a thousand years! Well actually it's been ten days, but it feels like ages. Sorry, I currently have family here from Canada visiting, and fifteen people in one house can be a bit crazy sometimes so I'm hardly on the computer while they're here. Even just writing this one post, it's taking me three attempts amidst tickle wars with my little cousin, Toy Story viewings, cannoli eating, and everything.

Although it's six days late, HAPPY NEW YEAR! New year, new beginnings... That's what I hope for every year. Though, new beginnings can't always be relied on... we often have to make our own beginnings. So what are you hoping to start in the new year? And do you have any new years resolutions?

Do you aim to change anything in the new year? Or was what you had in 2010 good enough? Perhaps you want it all to stay the same... Whatever it is, enjoy it! :)

My new years resolution? Courage. Just to be brave in everything I do... particularly following my dreams and pursuing all the great things in life I want to achieve. By this time next year, I want to be able to say that I knew what I wanted and I went for it.

Good luck with 2011! And I promise to try and post more often despite all the insanity surrounding me. haha :)