30 before 30 - PART THREE

Today's the last day of my '30 before 30' list which is all about my past, tips I've learned and complete randomness. I've mixed it up a series of questions that Jane from always with yoo tagged me in and which are italicised below.  Can't believe it's the day before my birthday and also Prom Party Day! I'm off to go help set up for the epic-ness that will be tonight - I've got one balloon arch calling my name - wish me luck!

21 // What does your life so far say about you? 
I hope it says that I try and embrace change and have fun.  I like the idea of letting things unfold but also swaying fate, to create something magical.  My life definitely could be more action packed but I crave the balance between comfort and adventure :)

22 //  My favourite thing in life is love - hands down

23 //  What is a really great advice you've received?

I heard this one from Brandon Stanton who is responsible for the awesome photography series Humans of New York - he talked about being in that situation where you feel incredibly awkward and self conscious, like walking across the lunchroom where everyone else is already seated and every eye is on you.  The key in this situation is to turn it back onto them. I've since tested it out several times, like when I was standing at the lights waiting for the green man, I simply starred back at those people in their cars - goodbye awkwardness :) So simple, so good.

24 // I've held a koala, patted a tassie devil, seen a platypus in the wild, been kissed by a seal (twice), fed an elephant and swam next to a reef shark (or frantically swam away)

25 // If you can't open a pistachio shell use an old shell to pry it open (thanks pinterest) 

26 // What is a favorite local place you would recommend to your friends should they ever visit your town/city for the first time?  I'm going to say Noosa, despite it being a tad pretentious it's actually earned the right to be so.  It has amazing beaches, cute places to eat and a really nice national park to walk wander through. 

28 // I had to go to speech therapy as a little kid because I couldn't say my consonants properly, definitely got picked on because of that during primary school but nothing overly excessive.  I still say some words quite strangely and get self conscious if I can't pronounce words right.  I also can't for the life of me do accents and trying to speak other languages I find really challenging because I can't get the tones right.  I also really struggle with numbers, if someone tells me there number quickly there is zero chance I can write it down in correct order - I actually think I could be dyslexic to a certain degree but than I also self diagnose everything to the point that it's a running gag between Ben and I :)

29 // "The reason why people find it so hard to be happy is that they always see; the past better than it was, the present worse than it is and the future less resolved that it will be" - Marcel pagnol (that's one of the quotes I have above my work desk and love)

30 //  Sometimes I like blogging more than socialising :P

So party tonight (fun type of socialising), birthday tomorrow (also fun), few days to recover and then sharing some prom photos with you guys? Sounds like a plan - have a great weekend everyone :) 

read more "30 before 30 - PART THREE"

30 before 30 - PART TWO

Continuing on from yesterdays '30 before 30' list - all about my past, tips I've learned and complete randomness. I'm mixing it up with a series of questions that Jane from always with yoo tagged me which are all those italicised guys below - enjoy!

11 // What was the strangest thing you believed as a child? 
I'm sure there are plenty but the one that comes to mind was during a 12 hour car trip to Sydney.  My brother told me about how his science teacher mentioned if you pick a mole off your face you could die.  Since I'd thought I had just picked a mole off my face (probably more likely a pimple in hindsight) I proceeded to sit scared in the car expecting to randomly (combust?) at any moment - that was a long trip. 

12 // I'm a big wuss but I've managed to man up a few times, skydiving, white water rafting, lip ring, nude in an onsen you know those kind of things :P I love that photo above because everyone looks like they aren't having fun except me which must have been a fluke camera click because it was pretty darn intense from memory!

13 // Have you ever won an award? what was it for?
I've won a few awards over the years but my fav has to be winning the Art Prize in Highschool (well tying for first anyway).  It was amazing to have such support with my art throughout high school, it helped in deciding to go onto study Creativity at Uni (yup that's a real degree) and even more than that I was given much needed confidence and belief that I was on the right track. Thanks teachers!

14 // Oil helps an oily face, I was in denial about this for the longest time but after wining some amazing products from Trishie's blog Under Lock and Key I can happily say after several months of use, adding the extra oil has definitely helped those darn spots! 

15 // What is typically in your bag? 
Arghh I never really wanted to do this photo because my bag contents are super lame and boring compared to what other people post - please tell me people doctorate the contents just for the photo!

My camera, sunnies, lip balm, pen, mirror, paper, headache tablets, puffer, mossie clicker, tissues, tape measure(?!?) wallet and phone

16 // I heard this tip on the radio and is maybe a little cringe/laugh worthy but helpful hopefully.  I have horrid posture, I went to a physiotherapist back in the day who gave me a bunch of exercises (useful but I'm lazy) and told me the way to get my posture improved was to straighten my back (yup!) and push my chin in till I had a super double one.  Now I'll admit I only went in the first place because of aesthetic reasons and I think I came away looking worse than I started.  Fast forward to a few months back where I was listening to some bad pop radio station and they were having a segment on when professionals use baby terms for anatomic parts, in this case the host's physiotherapist used the word "spots" for her nipples - ANYWAY - super long side track, the gem I picked up here and that has helped me ever since with my posture is to imagine your "spots" are super perky and high and hey presto - awesome posture!

17 // I got a tattoo when I was 19 that I don't regret. The first tattoo agency flat out refused to tattoo my design onto me which I thought was weird - since it was only a name in a heart (my name btw)

18 //  I suffer mad allergies but have found a few things that help, one being,  rocks in the freezers (say what!) If I ever get the urge to itch, I pop a frozen rock on the area and it helps relive it.  If that doesn't help then my mossie clicker all the way - essentially it createa a little current from the compression or expansion of the quartz inside.  The current is very minimal which I can say on good accord because I'm a weiner but it's enough to stop the itch.  You also get something crazy like 50,000 clicks from one so its shelf life is pretty epic. That's me "using" the clicker above.  I say using loosely because anywhere on your hands or feet the clicker hurts more than normal so I try to avoid.

19 // Five breaths anywhere - great if you're super stressed!
 

20 // And last point for today, I go a little bit silly when I see old people holding hands - without a doubt I'll always point them out to whomever I'm with and make some sugary sweet commentary to go with the visual. Like these guys above, I can't even remember taking it but it was on my flickr account when I typed in "old couple".  Super love their matching yukatas which is the word for an everyday kimono and I'm thinking they are most likely off to a spa together :) Isn't that super sweet!

One more part-er after this post to go!   

 

read more "30 before 30 - PART TWO"

30 Things before 30 - PART ONE

In the lead up to hitting 30 in three days time I wanted to jump on the bandwagon and do one of these "30 things before 30" lists.  My list is about my past, tips I've learned and complete randomness. I'm going to mix it up and add in a series of questions that Jane from always with yoo (awesome blog) tagged me in which I'll put in italics.  I'm also splitting this into a three part-er so I don't melt your brains with fee overload!

01 // Where were you born? 

Brisbane, Australia 

02 // I'd consider myself an extroverted introvert. I really appreciate (and need) time by myself but I do alright in social situation (hopefully anyway).

02// If you could listen to any conversation between two famous people who would they be and why? 

I'm going to go full lame on this answer and say (judge away) Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield - Purely because I feel like they would have such super fun and silly conversations that would make me smile :)

source

08 // The worst food I've ever eaten and I don't recommend you do is raw prawns - especially if you love cooked prawns as much as I do. My Dad's Mum used to call me the Prawn Queen :)

04 // If you always manage to smudge nail polish because you can't sit still for a messily 10 minutes (like me) painting your nails in your car, well before you start driving, is awesome.  You need to make sure everything is ready before you paint, your seat belt is on, sunnies, etc. as you don't want to be fiddling with freshly painted nails.  Just make sure your trip is 10 minute + for the polish to set and you're set!

05 // What does your name mean and is there a story behind it?

My Mum named me Fiona because she had a childhood friend with that name and had a fondness for the name after that.  I always introduce myself as Fiona but within two weeks most people are calling me Fee - I like both equally and refer to myself as both but never at the same time :P

06 // Crystal deodorant! I'm lucky in that I don't really sweat too much and I've heard people say that crystal deodorants don't do anything for perspiration but if you're like me and just get the BO stink happening, crystal deodorant all the way! Why? Well ever since someone told me about the low breast cancer rates for Japanese women and a possible link to breast cancer (Japanese deodorant rarely has aluminum) I jumped on the crazy natural bandwagon.  To be honest I did absolutely no research on the breast cancer subject, I just thought it was a simple switch and why not?  The crystal also lasts ages, so even if the cancer link is false it's a money saving tip for sure :)

sneak peak of the next collection series to come!

07 // what was your first job ever? 

Brumby's which is a bakery (check out the badge above) though it was pretty awful. I had a creepy owner and was given way too much responsibility for a 16 year old - locking up the joint by myself, with a safe full of money.  I may or may not have set off the alarm on my first close as well, I then proceeded to go to a pay phone to ring Dad to ask him what to do whilst the alarm was going off in the background, no mobile phones back then, or none that I owned or took to work :P

09 // If you don't want to cry in movies the answer is hard maths, or at least maths that you can do in your head that's semi challenging and thus distracting.  I normally start with a number, add other numbers to it, multiple, subtract - you name it until the sad scene is over.

10 //  What was the most recent compliment you received?

"You're more cute than Gremlin" - Ben.  Even though I know he is being silly I thought it was pretty sweet :) 

I'll be back tomorrow with part two and the next ten random things about me - stay tuned!

read more "30 Things before 30 - PART ONE"