I'd Wear That.

I'm having an "I'd Wear That" moment... where I'm dwelling on how well I would have fit in in the 1940s/50s/60s in terms of fashion had I been around in that era.  I mean seriously, this fashion is coming back now, as "vintage", I'm in my element!!  So I thought I'd try and find some outfits from way back when, to show you what I mean. :)

Ok so I couldn't find a photo of exactly what I like, but these are pretty good! :)

Thoughts?

It's THAT Time of Year.

Yes.  I'm going to do this.  Really really.

You see, normally, I make resloutions (ugh yes that dreaded word!) at the start of the year, and don't stick to them.  But I never tell anyone what they are, so that way, I only disappoint myself.  

However, this year I'm game for something a little different.  After all, it is a year of new challenges (see http://keepingthemindatplay.blogspot.com/ for my other new venture with a lovely friend of mine! It's super exciting and cool, I promise. To us, anyway. :D ) so I'm going to publicly list my resolutions.

1. Get my health under control - ie go into remission with my illness - which involves being responsible for myself, taking my pills like I'm supposed to, and eating good things.

2. Achieve a reasonable level of fitness, and in the process, lose enough to look like I did when I came back from USA last year, when I was a size 10ish (NZ size)... I'd be stoked with fitting size 8 too!  :)  (Currently I'm size 14... ugh)

3. Maintain a B grade average at university so that I'm eligible for a university exchange in 2012 to USA (hopefully!!!)

4. Don't get into debt anymore than I have to.  Student loan is a must, but no more credit card use!

That's all I can think of for now, but that's enough to keep myself busy! :)  

What are your resolutions for 2011?

I'm in Love!

I already knew I was in love.  But this festive season has solidified my adoration for this.

I love New Zealand!

It's just so beautiful here, I keep running into it wherever I go...

Glorious skies, beautiful rivers, lush trees, green paddocks, fluffy clouds... Sigh.

I'm so glad I live here!!  You should all come see it someday! :)

These pictures doesn't do it justice, but really, it's beautiful.

Change of Heart?

2011.  

University.

Bachelor of Arts Degree.

Majors: Social Anthropology & Religious Studies.

Minor: French.

Duration: 3 Years.

Career All That Will Lead To:  NOT A CLUE.  Hopefully something overseas?

HELP I'm possibly having a change of heart?!?!

So if you know me, you know I love photography.  As a hobby.  Nothing more.  Or so I thought.

Now all of a sudden, my dad says my photos are good and I should look up some photography competitions to enter.  There are two problems with that.

1. I am no way near good enough to compete with people whose full time profession it is to capture the daily goings on of this world, and who know what they're doing when it comes to technical jargon and things like editing on Photoshop (I tried to use that once, I gave up) and light and stuff.

2. I do not have a decent camera.  Yes, it's a Nikon Coolpix L20, 10megapixels... but that's about all the specifications I can roll off my tongue (to be honest I don't even really know what megapixels are, all I know is the more you have, the better the photo).  Other than that, I just point, shoot, and hope for the best.  

So, what does this have to do with my university studies in 2011?

Well.  That is the problem.

Social Anthropology sounds good on paper.  But there is no guarantee I will enjoy it.

I love taking photos.  But I know nothing on the topic, except you need a camera, and you point and shoot.

What do I do?!  I'm already enrolled for University in 2011, student loan is applied for and everything, so I can't pull out now, not that I would, I do want to study Cultural Anth and Religious Studies, but I'm just thinking about other options...

But if that doesn't work out, maybe I can take a course in photography and see how that pans out?  Maybe I should look up some of the adult classes you can take at the local high school, I think they do a photography course.

Either way, if I'm serious about my photography, I need to do something!!  I can't flounder in ignorance of the topic that is supposedly my hobby...

Dreams Are Free

Last night, I had too much caffeine, and didn't fall asleep until 2 hours after I went to bed.  I slept fitfully, but when I did, I had the most amazing dream.  

I dreamed that I was back in Paris (I went there in 2009 as part of a 46 day Contiki tour of Europe, so my dream was pretty accurate - see below!) and actually had time to walk around and soak up the culture.  And luckily for me, dreams are free.

This is me at Notre Dame Cathedral. :)

But, right now, I'm pretty poor, and for the next 3+ years it's not looking any brighter.  I'm going to be studying, so that means no money for anything except essentials.

So what is my point in this blog post?  Well, that dream, combined with a conversation with my mum yesterday, got me to thinking.  What would I do if I won the lottery.  I mean, of course, it's never going to happen, I never win anything, but I like to plan how I would spend the money given the chance.  Because, as I said, dreams are free.

So here's what I would like to do, if I did in fact win.

I'd pay off my parents mortgage, and then give them some more money so they can build their dream house, with land for my mum to have a horse.

I'd buy myself a house (not too big, a modest size).

I'd buy a car - VW Beetle, yellow convertible of course.

I'd pay for my study, no loan!  Woohoo!

I'd put some into savings, and live off the interest it earns.

I'd also travel a lot. :)  PARIS.  Say no more.

I'd help out some family and friends.

I'd give a lot to charities.

There's so much more I could do, but it would depend on how much I won haha :D

Anyway, thats just dreaming.  But if you won the lottery, what would you do?! :)  It's just fun to think about.

I'm A Nerd & Proud of It!

What comes to mind when I say "nerd" or "geek"?  Bad fashion sense?  Glasses?  Acne?  Obsessions with role playing computer games perhaps (no offense to my friends who enjoy this pastime)?  Or someone being put up a few years in school because they were too smart for their own age group?  Someone who lacks social skills, has few friends, reads too much, is very quiet, spends lunch breaks in a library, works at a university... help me out here... I'm leaning towards stereotypes and characters off The Big Bang Theory (which, by the way, ROCKS).

Well anyway, there are many types of nerd out there, and I'm not talking the sweet crunchy kind, because whilst those are delightfully tangy and tasty, they are not relevant to this subject.  What I'm really talking about is the latest trend, that it's becoming fashionable to be considered nerdy.  

And while that isn't what I'm going for, I find my self releasing my inner nerd, and reverting back to the people-pleasing-note-taking-dictionary-reading geek of my youth (I know I'm still young, but I'm talking even younger!).  

I got very excited when I received a book in the post today, which I ordered online (of course, how else do you do it?!  Ha.)  It is "Anthropology for Dummies".  Now that may sound brilliantly boring to the average Joe Blogs (pardon the pun), it is so cool for me!!

Yes, that is my duvet cover, and no, I couldn't decide what colour nail polish I wanted. :)

  

In case you didn't know, next year, I'm starting my first year of university.  I'm going to be doing a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in (you guessed it!) Cultural Anthropology & Religious Studies, minoring in French.  So I figured I should do a bit of background reading on the subject, so I know what I'm getting myself in for when I start class next year.

Everything is coming together in terms of university for me now.  I have a rough timetable.  I'm essentially fully enrolled now, and have almost finished applying for a loan to pay for it all.  I know when I will be able to fit in work, I've looked at transport costs, and I've even got some stationery ready to go.

I'm READY.  And waiting.  So thinking I would use this time wisely, I bought this book.  I can't wait to begin reading, to see if it really is my cup of tea.  If not, uni is flexi, I can just change classes. :)

I'm kind of enjoying being nerdy again.

Organised Freak

I think I might be that freak who is organised for Christmas well in advance... I mean, it's not even December yet but I've got all but one present, my Christmas cards are sitting on my desk already waiting to be written, the Christmas tree is down from the attic, plans are already made for Christmas day itself... I'm ready!

This may be because I hate leaving things til the last minute, I can't stand going shopping when every other man and his dog is shopping, and I like to enjoy the build up to the festive season without having to battle for a parking space to spend exorbitant amounts of money on presents for people who won't remember what I even gave them in a few years time anyway.

So I'm having none of this panicky crap in my life.  Organisation is where it's at!!  Come join me on the other side, where there is light at the end of the tunnel, where you can look forward to festivities rather than dread the Christmas shopping. :)

PS if you need a shopping maniac, please, take me.  I'm good at weeding out the crap. :D