a.lot.of.little.random.things&thoughts.

It has been a while, i know, i know! why has it been a while? that, I dont know! but i am back and that's the main thing right? 

Here I have for you a.lot.of.little.random.things&thoughts that have been with me these past few weeks..

Lets start with something that came to me about 2 weeks ago when i was filling my little car up with petrol.. There I was standing there in the cold, hating every single second of the petrol slowly pumping into my car (I might add that I have no patience whatsoever for this boring, time wasting task) and thinking to myself, like I always do when I'm partaking in this exercise, "Make sure you're conscious of when you're near the end Justine, you don't want it to overflow" & suddenly i thought, hang on, how on earth does the inside of my petrol tank or this pump in my hand know when this bad boy tank of mine is full?? How does it know when to make that GLORIOUS "click, i'm finished!" sound? How? And I tell ya it's been on my mind ever since! I'm sure if I googled it, or even went to the good old "Dad Google" I'd find my answer.. But the answer has to be technical right? And if its technical then what's the point cause there aint no way I'd understand some technical petrol pump answer!

And while we're on the topic of not understanding things, I guess a comment a senior partner at work said to me last night kind of ties in.. Kinda.  As she was dictating over my shoulder into a 125 page awful document which was full of yucky footnotes and yucky formatting (but an immaculate table of contents that was another secretary's baby), she asked me to insert a quote and when I said "In talking marks?" she giggled and said "Talking marks? I have never in my life heard inverted commers being referred to as 'talking marks' and I had no idea what you were talking about when you first said it!".. She wasn't being condesending, not one little bit.. But it really made me scrunch my face up a little and think, huh, she has never heard of talking marks before? Where do I come from? Where does she come from? And who comes from the better place? Hmm...

Last week I baked an amazing (amaHzing even) cake for my gf at work's 30th birthday.. It was quite fabulous.. I decorated it with a mask to keep in theme with the masquerade party she had the weekend before but aside from the fact that it looked quite special, the taste was just to die for! Everyone kept telling me all day how delicious it was & my reply was always "I know, it's great isn't it?".  This made my gf giggle for some reason.. I'm still not quite sure why.. It was a yummy cake, I knew it, so I agreed! No credit to me - I just baked the thing! Credit to the creator of the recipe! Anyway, that's not my point... Getting the cake into work was a bit of an experience! There I was frosting my cake quite late the night before when I suddenly realised that I had no cake container.. How was I going to get this masterpiece into work tomorrow? It was too late to go to Kmart and buy one (well I guess it wasn't, but it was late, I was tired and my pyjamas were so cozy!) and there was no way I'd get up early enough in the morning to go to Kmart and buy one, so I had one solution.. Carry it on my lap the whole way there & just hope to god I:  A) dont drop it B) it doesn't rain C) no feral on the train coughs on it and D) every tom, dick & harry doesn't stare at it! So, as predicted, I didnt get up early enough in the morning to go to Kmart to get a cake container & I set off on my journey to work.  All was fine.. My masterpiece made it to work in one piece and, as mentioned above, was a hit (even though my gf predicted I'd bake one, so surprise factor gone) but the one thing that concerned me that morning, with that whole experience was something I did on the way to work whilst holding the little hit.. I couldnt actually believe it when I did it & I'm sure the people around me couldn't either, but at one point, as I was getting ready to get off the train & steadying myself & the cake in a standing position I .. I ... I accidentally (or is the word subconsiously?) spoke to my cake! I did. I really did.  I can't remember what I said but I know I must have said something along the lines of "dont move, come on, we're almost there" & as soon as the words left my mouth, I was mortified. WHO TALKS TO A CAKE, THAT'S NOT EVEN IN A CAKE CONTAINER, ON PUBLIC TRANSPORT??! Who??? Mortifying.  

While we're on the subject of trains do you know what I hate? Well I have been catching the train to and from the city for about 7 and a half years now and after 7 and a half years I have become quite picky on where I sit, I can't help it.. I even go as far as referring to certain seats as "my seats".. So one of my major hates on public transport is when some joe blow, non-regular-train-comuter, hops on the train infront of me, chooses a seat at random, totally not phased by where they sit and sit in MY SEAT!! How dare they and why do they think it's ok? They're not even appreciative of the amazing seat they have picked.. They don't even make use of the prime lean-on-window position they've got themselves or make use of the i-can-put-my-legs-out-in-this-seat seat! I just can't stand it. It's really funny on trains these days though.. When I first started catching trains EVERYONE read, it was the done thing and at least every second person had their head down in a good novel.  In fact it was on the train where I developed my love for reading (Oh, Bronze Horseman there was no turning back after you).  Anyway, these days the main done thing on the train is either stalking or playing games.  By stalking I of course mean Facebook & by playing games it's either on iPhones, iPads or laptops.  Today I saw a chubby man playing some game on his iPad that required him to shake it prefusely every 5 minutes or so and I tell ya it wasnt a pretty sight in his skin tight tee with wobbly belly and man boobs jangling about everywhere! But watching people stalk is the funniest (by watching people stalk am I too a stalker?).. The first click of the comments on someone's status, to them then clicking on one of the comment poster's profiles, to them then checking that person's info to see if they're in a relationship & then when seeing that they are clicking on it to check out if their partner is hot or not oh it's all just so obvious! And you can tell some people are ashamed of the Facebook stalking they're doing because they hold their phone on a certain angle to avoid people seeing their screen and have such an ashamed look on their face.. It's like everyone knows that by going on Facebook for phone in downtime is somehow sad.. That it somehow shows you have nothing better to do...

I downed some Twisties the other day at work.. I was having such a busy day at work and there was an afternoon tea going on around me which I had organised but couldn't be apart of because I was too busy running around trying to meet impossible deadlines (which I made by the way) that by the time I finally stopped & afternoon tea was over I ordered the bowl of twisties to be delivered to me (thanks, Bree, you couldnt just do it quietly either could ya?) & I packed myself full with as many delicious, cheesy twisties as I could get in my mouth until I felt all better about my bad day. It wasn't until I was sitting in the waiting room of the dentist a few hours later that I thought to myself, hmm twisties before the dentist.. Prob not such a great idea! The dentist was a gentlement (or he just knows who pays him) and of course didnt say anything, but I know he saw them, the orange gunk stuck in the backs of my teeth & I'm glad he let it go.. If he had have made some funny remark about orange stuff stuck in my teeth, I know I would have gone into my standard lets-justify-why-i-ate-junk-today spiel and embarrassed myself even more so I'm glad he didn't and let the memory of the amazing twistie intake stay sacred in my mind ;)

#clearlyfoodobsessed

xO

imwatchingthefootball...by choice.

what have i become? why oh why did i choose to stay home tonight and make myself comfy on the couch in front of the tv to watch the football? WHY? gone are the days when i can blame my boyfriend - especially not this time.. he's not even in the country! im sitting here yelling things like "go eddie!" and "ball!" & trying to ignore my father's amused expression every time a comment like that comes out of my mouth.. "so you're a carlton supporter now are you juzza?" .. why do i feel so ashamed to answer this.. why do i feel like such a phony-baloney at my new found love?  did i just say love? i did, i did! oh how cute eddie betts looks in his (apparently far too big) shorts & wow isn't carazzo a full blown Italian H-O-T-T-I-E.. you see this? can u see this? I know their names! I know their names!!!!

this is ok isn't it? it's ok to suddenly, at age 25, be into a sport that only 1.5 years ago i couldnt have cared less about? apparently talking about it makes for good conversation.. ok, i admit i have even proved this theory to be true BUT i have never been short of conversation have i? before i started talking to random guys at work about football and "how great carlton played on the weekend" i was great at making other random talk, so why do i enjoy flaunting my new-found knowledge so much these days? 

so here are some random things i have learnt along the way .. you may find these juzzy-footy-fun-facts quite amusing actually:

- if someone is tackling you while you have the ball you must get rid of it or else the whole crowd will go crazy and scream "ball!!".. (if its always "ball" why do they never let go??)

- you're not allowed to tackle "too high".. this means above the shoulders i believe (so why do they still do it? darr.)

- if you miss a good goal you have missed a soda!!! (a soda?? try as i may i still do not understand why the word soda is used here?)

- sometimes you kick it through the opponent's goals deliberately? deliberately!! this i will never understand.. that could be the winning point!!

- you must not knock, hit or tackle someone while they're up in the air - otherwise they'll get a free kick.. (is this only when they haven't got the ball, or when they have it too?)

oh and my favourite juzzy-footy-fun-fact, which even my footy-crazed bestie didnt know... when a team gets a goal and then it goes back to the middle ... the ball guy can't do the bouncy thing until the flash thing goes off from the window directly across.. this means the advertisement on live tv has finished and its safe to resume play ;)

so in a year and a half this is what i've learnt.. it may not sound much - but for someone, like i said, who couldn't have given 2 hoots once upon a time - i think it's a lot!

go the blue "bangers" xO 

whycantistopeating...

For as long as I can remember, ever since I was a little girl, one of my aims has always been to be thin... So now at 25, still wanting it so bad, I ask myself this:  WHY CAN'T I STOP EATING? 

You see with me, it's either all or nothing - I'm either on this crazy healthy diet, you know one of those ones when you're on such a roll with your healthy, no carb, rabbit food eating that when you see someone else chowing down on something like a potato cake or a bit of chocolate you subtly scrunch your nose up in disgust and think to yourself "my gosh that has so many calories, I can't believe they're eating that, I am so fine with my tuna" (note:  this is usually always a girl (guys don't count)).. OR I'm the other way, where I eat everything in sight with no thought whatsoever as to how many calories I'm consuming as I'm devouring every amazing mouthful and when I see people eating "just a salad" think to myself "look a salad is all well and good but it's just no way to live, you need to have some carbs! gosh!" Am I the only one that thinks like this slash carries on this way? I can answer that myself actually...

Take tonight for example, a girlfriend and I had dinner and as we're chowing down on our roti bread, rice and curries (emphasis added) we spend most of our time complaining about how bad we need to lose weight! The funny part is though, it wasn't until half way through the night I recalled the conversation we'd had just yesterday about how we are both fine the way we are and how we need to stop putting so much pressure on ourselves to be so skinny...

So I think to myself - are all of us out there, that are battling the same weight "problems", just as crazy as each other? Looking in the mirror and only being able to see our problem areas and telling ourselves "this diet starts as of now" and 5 mins later devouring something delicious.. Are we seriously all just messed up? Do we have no will power? Or do we really not actually care that much?

I don't know what it is but right now, sitting here typing this, fully aware of how heavy my Thai filled tummy feels.. I could still go a little dessert xO

[Image note - I always use to believe in this quote, but now I'm not so sure.. Some food really is THAT good..]

i think i might come to really like this...

Hello hello!

So this is my second.ever.blog & i think i might come to really enjoy this as my title says!

Well I must say, I am pretty mortified today.. Here's why:

Every Wednesday morning I endure an excruciating personal training session with my sister.. It is hell and we have to get up crazy early but once it's over boy oh boy do we feel good! I pack my bag each Tuesday night and as I'm packing I say to myself "one day I am going to forget to pack something pretty vital".. Well I have had a pretty good run, but today.. today... TODAY I forgot to pack my bra!! So here I am, sitting at work in my corporate clothes wearing my SPORTS BRA underneath!! No big deal you say? No big deal? Now listen, I am not a princess with my clothes in any way shape or form, nor am I a fashion queen but I do know that wearing a sports bra under a Portmans corporate top is just not the done thing & I am fully aware of the thickness of the straps poking out and how hideous they look (thank god it is my black sports-bra and not my hideous skin colour one that makes my boyfriend nearly vomit every time he catches sight of it) Is there anything I can do about it? No! I mean, I could walk down to the shops and buy a bra but am I gonna do that? No! Typing this I think well if I care that much then why don't I? Is it laziness or do I just really not care that much? I think it's the latter which contradicts this whole little story and it's significance really doesn't it....

Moving right along!

I had my first singing lesson, post-op, last night and it was F A B U L O U S (pronounced fab-youuu-less please).  It's going to be a pretty long trek until I am producing quality sound but I know it will be worth it.  Lots of exercises, lots of spoonfuls of honey & in a few months time I will be singing like a superstar (well that's the plan anyway).

Not too sure how I feel about my 3 "go-to's" all being away on holidays at the same time.. It's actually quite an odd feeling! My 2 best friends and my boyfriend.. All of them.. Gone! Lucky I'm such a cool cat with loads of friends to keep me occupied ;)

I can't get this song out of my head, so why not share it.. The fabulous Gotye, Somebody That I Used To Know featuring Kimbra.. I have been listening to it for months now on the one and only Triple J but it now seems that finally, the rest of Australia has caught on and all the radio stations are finally playing it (that's pretty standard though isn't it - Triple J knowing good music from get go).  It's a great song and Kimbra in it makes it all that more spectacular.  Great lyrics, great feel.. Enjoy! xO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UVNT4wvIGY

first.blog.ever.

So, as mentioned in my title - this is my.first.blog.ever

Why am I blogging? Hmm I think I am yet to figure out the entire answer to that question yet, but I know that, in part, the reason for my blogging is to journalise in some way my life & where I'm at! Perhaps to keep me motivated and on track? Perhaps to just be able to put into words and share all the random thoughts that go through my mind & all the random things I often want to shout out to the world? Like you know when you discover a random little fact that you never knew before and you are just so excited by? Take this for example - something I learnt 2 weeks ago .. I never knew that "Tenpin Bowling" was called "Tenpin Bowling" cause there are "Ten pins".. Fascinating hey? I mean, maybe subconsiously I did know, but had I ever thought of it? No! These aren't the kind of random thoughts I want to share on facebook though.. Facebook can just be so lame & I never want to be one of those people on facebook that posts lame and uninteresting facebook statuses about meaningful things like tenpin bowling! I figure though, if you have come this far and you're still reading then this blog is definitely the place to put random things like that ;)

I am pretty excited because in less than 48 hours I take my first official singing lesson since my throat op (I had a polyp removed - no fun I tell ya!).  I am so keen to get my voice up to scratch and at performance level because I am ha-ha-hanging to start gigging! I think I am really ready and it's funny because pre-op I really wasn't.  Bring on Tuesday!!

I am getting some new headshots done in November and I pumped for those - they are going to be more fun and out there than head shots I have done in the past so I am really looking forward to the shoot and the finished product. I am getting them done through ic captured - he was recommended to me through my singing teacher, Richard Kant.  Richard is amazing so I figure anyone that he recommends has to be amazing too!

My showreel will soon be in the making too .. An old high school acquaintance is going to help me with it and I just know that it is going to be awesome. 

I stumbled across a website before - weheartit.com - how awesome! Such amazing images.  Especially the indie section - wow.. Can't wait to decorate my place with similar images one day!

So I think that just about wraps up my first blog & here are my comments on it:

- interesting to read? hell no!
- interesting to type? yes - i was putting all my thoughts into writing so of course it was!
- future blogging aims? topics, video blogging perhaps?

Until next time..

justiNe xO