This morning I heard my parents talking about how they think I am a failure and incapable of doing anything for myself, including eating properly, personal hygiene and getting a job. I overheard this because for the sixth time in the last couple of days they were having a conversation and then suddenly dropped their voices, which was a pretty obvious indication that they were talking about me and didn’t want me to hear them. I know that I shouldn’t eavesdrop, but frankly I’m sick and tired of them bitching about me behind my back and wanted to know what I was up against, so I listened from the hallway.
GTTLFD: Cake!
I entered the cake competition at my work (between staff) and even though my cake looked appalling I still won because everyone liked the taste so much! $50 gift card yeaaaaaahhhhhhh!
But now I have a chest infection and feel pretty dead so I’m just lying on the couch under my blanket feeling sorry for myself. I seriously haven’t been properly sick like this for ages, I forgot how bad it is.
But mostly I am ok. I’m actually looking forward to going back to uni now, which is nice, and things are rolling for a good semester and Christmas holidays 🙂
~ L
GTTLLW: SUCCESS
I did really well at uni this past semester! Three distinctions, a credit and a pass when I was overloading and had a pretty stressful time overall. I’m really stoked and now feel okay about next semester, which I was kind of dreading.
I’m kinda sick, which is balls, plus I have a sprained back but WHATEVS. I finally have a bit of money, which is good too because credit card debt sucks and I had some due to having to buy a new computer at the end of semester.
Adam told us about this really cool app called Lift and I love it! It’s really great to keep track of things you want to do regularly, like reading or drinking more water. It’s reminding me to blog! I would recommend it to anyone who wants to keep tabs on their daily activities 🙂
~ L
GTFWILP: Haaaaaaaaay
Oh hay there, this blog is a thing.
I have been reading heaps, which is great. Uni has been alright, but I’m pretty wiped all the time now so it has been hard.
I recently decided to try getting up early every day in order to go the gym and do things like check email before my day properly starts. I like how much control this gives me over my day, and I certainly get a lot done. I feel good about myself for exercising in the early hours.
Me
I do feel pretty unwell though, so it’s a constant game now where I try to decide how much energy I have to expend and what I should use it on. It’s what has been termed by the chronically ill community as ‘spoon theory’ and I didn’t think I had need of it, but now I think about it all the time.
Happy thoughts, happy thoughts … We are watching the Tony Awards tomorrow morning, which I am excited about!
~ L
GTT: Spendy
Hey while I’m here let’s play pretend like I’m going to update this regularly again 😛
Today I slept in til 11:30, which was pretty good given I had no sleep the night before. My #1 priority was to watch Game of Thrones because I had been told there was something that I would probably be spoiled for if I internetted before watching it. So I did that. I can’t believe I wasn’t spoiled at all for the events of that episode. I mustn’t have been doing internet right.
Afterward I went to Whitfords with Dad for some mad shoppiiiiing. I really needed new undies and socks, shoes that fit me, dry shampoo and to check out the City Chic sale AGAIN. I went two weeks ago and got two dresses but they have new sale stock in. Que. The full price stock in that store is always upward of $100, but twice a year they have sales where fuckloads of great stuff is $20-$40. This is when I buy all of my clothes. I spent just over an hour in there and ended up with $220 of new clothes that I am excited about.
This wacky velour-y peplum, and these jeans.
This dress. The silhouette is more flattering that the photo shows.
Target was having a sale on undies and socks so that was perf. Got a pair of cute flats. Had a yummy chicken pesto wrap and a mocha. Got a Sally Hansen cuticle cream, strengthener and bronze coloured polish. And also a taupey Rimmel one that I don’t like oh well it was less than $4.
Watched half of Mad Men and then improvised a pretty yum frittata for dinner.
A good day. I’m so glad for City Chic’s existence. It has improved my confidence in dressing myself tenfold. Also I’m an XS there.
❤ Nicola
Cough choke splutter gasp
*creaks door open*
*dust cloud*
Well. It’s been roughly five months since I last checked in, with my Things I Was Thankful For In 2012 and Things I Want To Do In 2013 post. Today I finished the last of my responsibilities for my first semester at ECU, and I feel really good about it. I mean sure one of the assignments was one working day late, and I pulled a full all-nighter to finish it and start and finish the other, and they’re probably not to the best of my abilities because I did procrastinate like hell on them, but the fact that I didn’t give up on it is actually a real achievement for me. Now I’m facing two months of holidays. So many possibilities. I’m all fidgety.
Shall we do a summary recap of 2013 so far? Yes let’s. I do love to have records, even though I don’t love to record. My new course is great. I dropped my scriptwriting class mid way through after not being able to bring myself to write the first assessment stuff- will spend time getting myself into a disciplined routine writing, and get somewhat comfortable in it before I pick it up again. I think I will be able to. My directing class was excellent, my video production class was wonderful, and the core unit I did was PURE TORTURE Year 10 English rehash that I only sporadically attended and missed a whole 5% assessment for but am still impressed with myself for making it through it. I ended up doing the final essay for it on Mean Girls, so it’s not all bad :P. I didn’t make a whole lot of friends but I bonded with a couple of girls on the first day of our film production class and I really enjoy them. Reasonably friendly with others in other classes too.
I’m not yet in the ideal state of mind, organisation and dedication to really excel and not dig myself into pits of despair with my studies, but I’m worlds better than I have been since I went on exchange in 2010, and I think I’m developing the resilience and attitude to push myself on through and continue improving, without dwelling on setbacks. It looks bright, and I’m proud of myself. My course is awesome and most of my assessments are fundamentally a pleasure, I must continue to appreciate that.
I had a pretty lengthy period of improved fitness and weight loss at the beginning of the year but that fell by the wayside as usual. Still, I’m getting better at noticing my body craving exercise and decent food, and in times when I’m not depressed-eating I’m doing an okay job of looking after myself. Was doing dance classes a few months ago, too. Shall get back into those eventually. It’s all a matter of organisation, and I’m not giving up on my ability to organise my life, even though attempts have never been successful before. Again, I can only improve.
It was nice being as involved in Panto as I was this semester (not very, but present to film throughout production week, and involved in making the excellent promo video), and I’m looking forward to writing, acting in and assistant directing next semester’s- it will certainly be a test of those organisational skills I’m trying. I’m excited about the next show and especially about acting again.
I feel like we’ve had so many more parties and gatherings this year than usual, I am super for it because everyone is great and some of the drunken funtimes are drunken AND fun. So many Disney singalongs. We got to go back to Newton’s house for a party and I played (and won) a 20 minute game of air hockey and Mike vommed through the trampoline IT WAS GREAT.
I’m still utterly apathetic toward the concept of a romantic aspect of my life, and it is so much more convenient than the alternative 😛
The important stuff: TV.
-Arrested Development came back holy shit it is magnificent and I adore it. Weird state of wanting to talk about it but also avoiding conversations in case I get spoiled for jokes and details I am yet to notice, as picking up more and more on every rewatch is half the fun. Arrested Development: The show you can still get spoiled for even when you’ve watched it all three times (so far).
-New Girl has been an absolute fucking delight this season.
-Happy Endings was the other Funniest Show of the regular season, and now it’s been cancelled and USA isn’t picking it up so it might actually be gone forever which is terribly tragic but WE’LL ALWAYS HAVE WHAT WE’VE HAD.
-Veep is marvellously entertaining and I love it and highly recommend it
-SNL has been patchy but with flashes of brilliance, as usual. Justin Timberlake episode was particularly notable. The rise of Cecily and Kate is riveting, and the departures of 3 or 4 of the Old Guard dudes is going to make for an excitingly fresh upcoming season. Who will take over Update ahhhhhhh.
-Parks and Rec remains a jewel in my heart, constant.
-30 Rock ended, I cried, it was wonderful, I’m collecting all the DVDs and up to somewhere in Season 3 in my rewatch, I think.
-The Office ended, there was kind of a sufficient amount of nostalgia to give me positive feelings by the end.
-Community has been a fascinating study, and shall continue to be
-Bunheads was a fucking delight and I’ll be appalled if it’s not renewed, which it doesn’t look like it will be
-Mad Men and Game of Thrones, my two dramas so far this year (until Breaking Bad returns and I get into House of Cards) continue to prove themselves more than worthy of my schedule
-Maron and Zach Stone Is Gonna Be Famous, two new shows featuring two comedians I like a lot. Good shows.
-Why am I doing a rundown of my opinions of practically every show I have watched who knows.
Ummmmm what else do I need to talk about. My job is growing increasingly dull, but is fine. I don’t hate nail polish anymore, which is nice. I got to see Daniel Kitson again at the comedy festival. That was my fourth time seeing him now, and he continues to astound me.
I’m going shopping tomorrow and I’m going to buy new socks and undies, and shoes that fit me. I”m a bit too excited about that.
❤ You all forever,
Nicola
Sydney!
Hey! Things have been going on!
We went to Sydney and had a lovely weekend. I was excited to see Lana again because she’s been in Canberra for a whole FOUR WEEKS and I could barely take it, so just watch me try and suffer through the rest of the year without her. And then the years after that WAH CHANGE THE SUBJECT.
Sydney is weird, it has a really varied vibe. I enjoyed hanging around the SydneyTheatre, it was a nice crowd of very specifically attractive men and cool peeps. Megan Mullaley’s show was EXCELLENT. Girl can belt like nobody’s business. She sang so much Sondheim, and a highlight was definitely the long lost song from the scrapped Karen Walker the Musical. She’s a bamf.
Free cocktails!
Breakfast doing a good job
The shopping was also magnificent, I got all the things I wanted to get and then made Nicola take them home in her carry-on because I’m a packrat okay. Emily’s flawless urbanspoon skillz led us to an Italian restaurant on our first night there which was MIND-BLOWINGLY GOOD. Still dreaming about that polenta and prosciutto oh man oh man. Café Sopra at Fratelli Fresh on Macleay St, GO THERE, HYPOTHETICAL PERSON READING THIS AND/OR FUTURE ME.
One of my favourite things about holidays is going out for breakfast, and we did it both mornings aww yiss. Other stuff we did included taking a taxi to the casino at 11pm to get on the Zumbo dessert train, finding joy and hope for humanity on notebooks at Morning Glory, accidentally finding ourselves at a place which gave us free drinks and front row seats to a zany dragon dance, becoming bffs with the Illamasqua counter guy, being soaked to the bone all day Saturday and looking at landmarks from a distance and.
Emily doesn’t like the dragon
Chillin’
The plane home had obviously sensed our general disgruntled tired-ness and surprised us with A FREE MEAL??? and FREE MOVIES?? and like ALSO FREE DRINKS?? It was weird and amazing and Emily and I wept through Monsters Inc like children.
So since then my body has decided to hate me and just totally shut down all functioning muscle systems so I’ve been a painful ball of pain for the last four days. Featuring a rock-hard lump in my glands which was causing all kinds of extra problems just for funsies YAAAAAY.
In other news, OSCARS! They happened and they were predictable but what can you do. Seth’s hosting was a mix of ‘holy shit you are a sexist douchebag’ to ‘HA. GOOD SOUND OF MUSIC JOKE’ but I’m probably crediting the latter to the producers. It was really funny though. The best thing that happened was Ramin Karimloo popping up in the Les Mis performance OUT OF NOWHERE and we screeched and thus missed Russell Crowe’s solo. So. Everything went better than expected. JLaw and DDL are excellent human beings and I would like to keep them around doing press and winning awards forever kthx.
I watched Anna Karenina and it was the most beautiful thing ever and I want to marry it. I’d also like to marry easter egg displays at supermarkets.
(Yes I just straight up stole photos from Lana’s instagram)
Fringe Lyf
HEY EVERYONE WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING.
I’ve been living at Fringe for the past three weeks. It’s been a beautiful time and I’m going to be crazy sad when it’s all over after tomorrow. WHY CAN’T IT BE FRINGE ALL THE TIME? I would like to blame my friend Michael for contributing to my Fringe obsession, as he’s a filthy enabler who’s always like “YES I WILL DOUBLE TEAM THESE RANDOM TWO SHOWS AND SIT IN THE FRONT ROW WITH YOU.” We are planning on packing up our lives and following our favourite acts around until they are worn down enough to hire us. It’s also Lauren’s fault for volunteering and getting us recommendations and discounted tickets. I refuse to take responsibility for my insanity.
My favourite show so far has been Briefs, which is this all-male circus vaudeville burlesque act, which gives me hope for humanity and joy in my life and I want it to always be in my eyeballs. We saw it twice and the second time lined up crazy early so we could secure front row seats. It’s a super interactive show so we were all ~involved~ and it was great. I got to hold the microphone for the emcee at one point, so what I’m saying is the show couldn’t have gone on without me. My number one favourite boylesque guy (who I’m a leeeetle obsessed with) grabbed me a couple of times, spat beer at me, dropped his hula hoop on me, SAT ON ME, and then covered me in his sweat and glitter when I met him afterwards. IT WAS A GREAT TIME, OKAY. All I’m saying was there was some sliding off of chairs for everyone involved.
The face of a girl in love.
Second favourite show would have to be Trixie and Monkey which was an incredibly creative and polished circus burlesque act that featured a karma sutra trapeze routine. It was mind-blowingly good. Basically I’ve been coming home every night covered in sweat and glitter and lust and adrenalin and it’s inhumane that we have to wait another year for Fringe to come around again.
In other news, not much. Just been working and sleeping and partying it up and watching all the Oscar noms. Also we’re going to Sydney this weekend! So that’s fun.
I went to a 90s party and wore this yay.
END TRANSMISSION.
So I haven’t blogged for ages because I missed everyone’s gratitude end of year posts while I was wallowing in self-pity in England, and then I have been surprisingly busy with stuff since I got back like seeing Les Mis and eating pizza 6 times in as many days and not having a job.
Uhhh that’s literally my life right now. Lindy Hop classes are fun, Broadway Jazz was really challenging, and I’m enjoying both of them and I want to keep doing them and then get into WAAPA but money and time and idek any more.
GREAT MOTIVATIONAL POST EMILY.
Actually I am doing well with learning Italian online because I wanted to do something productive while I am at home all day and that is the easiest thing to do from the comfort of the couch.
Oh! I also read The Perks of Being a Wallflower today. I really liked it, but I wish I hadn’t watched the film first because the ~big reveal~ was less impressive. I think I prefer the book narrative but it was ruined by the film having made things more dramatic and switching the order of events around. So, there’s that. It only took me three hours to read (probably, I read 30 pages last night and then finished it in two and a bit hours today) so it was nice to know that even though I haven’t read a book for ages, I am still good at it.
The Years of Self Love 