101 Things That Are More Important Than Your Grades.

Any year 12 student in Victoria would have dreaded this morning. I know I did. This morning was the morning that our final results were released, the little digits we all feared so much. At 7am we either awoke to a text from the VCAA, or logged on to our VTAC accounts to check for ourselves, but either  way, we all had to brace ourselves and confront those mean little numbers that carried the importance of the whole world on them.

But they don't really.

I realise that today is probably a sad day for some people; people who worked really damn hard throughout the year, who studied and studied and studied, who made sacrifices, who set goals and tried their absolute best- and maybe didn't quite get there. In fact, that was me. I gave it my all and yet was still a little less than pleased with my score. But only a little. I'm still able to get into my course and do what I've wanted to do all year, and for the moment, that's all that matters.
But some people mightn't have been so lucky. Maybe some people missed out by a lot, or even a few marks. And now they probably feel miserable.

And that's why I'm writing you lovelies a post. This is for everyone who might have cried this morning, everyone who checked their results then rolled over in bed and wished they could disappear, everyone who feels disappointed, everyone who feels worthless, everyone who feels let down and ashamed.

It really is just a number. It's just a number to get you to the next phase of your life, and hey- if it wasn't the right number, then there sure as hell are other ways to get where you want to be. And while you figure out how you might go about getting there, here are 101 things that are far more important than your final score. They always have been, and they always will be. Don't let a little number dictate the rest of your life. It's all yours. Seize it, and run with it.

1. Waking up to a new day
2. Having a roof over your head
3. Hot baths
4. Having food to eat and clean water to drink
5. Having a family to love and support you
6. Having friends to share your life with
7. Scented candles
8. Being well and in good health
9. Being able to receive an education
10. Being able to complete that education, and graduate
11. Good music
12. Being able to love and be loved
13. Having the world as your oyster, and the freedom to travel it
14. Being blessed with endless opportunities and possibilities
15. Making memories
16. Being able to enjoy the summer
17. Being able to meet new people, make new friends and form new relationships
18. Being able to work and earn money
19. Finding inspiration
20. Having the freedom and independence to set goals
21. Being able to give back to the world
22. Finding your passion
23. Really soft pillows
24. Finding cool stuff on sale
25. Getting handwritten letters
26. Laughing until you cry/snort/pee (I usually do all three)
27. Giving and receiving hugs
28. Realising who you want to be
29. Falling in love
30. Making the most of each of your days
31. Cuddling your pets (if you don't have one, you're welcome to cuddle my rabbit Gizmo)
32. Having options and choices
33. Getting up in time to watch the sunrise 
34. Being able to set yourself challenges
35. Being able to inspire people
36. Being thankful
37. Sleeping in fresh bed linen
38. Chocolate
39. Feeding your soul
40. Holding hands
41. Being someones role model
42. Finding what makes you happy
43. Allowing yourself to dance
44. Freshly painted toenails
45. Helping people
46. Pistachio flavoured gelato
47. Having the right to vote, and speak your mind
48. Having a plan B
49. Knowing that Christmas is only nine days away
50. Being able to spend Christmas (and other important occasions) with loved ones
51. Making people smile
52. Being able to change someones life
53. Donating to charity
54. Finding your gift
55. Finding someone who makes you happy
56. The promise of a new year
57. Having a mind of your own, and the ability to create your own views and values
58. Finding something that adds meaning to your life
59. Having integrity
60. Making a difference
61. Finding hope
62. Giving hope
63. Being able to add value to someones life
64. Banana bread (my mum just made some and it is deeeeeeevine)
65. Being a good friend
66. Watching The Simpsons
67. Opening your mind
68. Finishing a good book
69. Finding sunglasses that actually suit your face
70. Receiving help from a stranger
71. Giving compliments
72. Receiving compliments 
73. Cosy and warm beds
74. Exploring the world
75. Making progress
76. Finding motivation
77. Baking choc chip cookies
78. Accidentally doing a killer job on your hair/make up/outfit
79. Connecting with people
80. Morning jogs
81. Being able to let go of your past
82. Keeping promises
83. Finding faith
84. Saving a life
85. Humility
86. The smell of tinsel
87. The beach
88. Lying in the sun
89. Finding positivity
90. Road trips
91. Watching fireworks
92. Collecting sea shells
93. Baking cupcakes (and eating them too)
94. Helping someone find their passion
95. Growth
96. Overcoming your fears
97. Seeing the bigger picture
98. Making people laugh
99. Second chances
100. Choosing to be happy
101. Being alive

If you can tick off at least five of those, I guarantee you're gonna be okay- regardless of your score.

Much love,

X

How much yoga do I need to do 
before my mind becomes 
as free as my body?

Sydney.

From top to bottom: 1. Some of the beautiful foliage and apartment buildings in the street parallel to ours. 2. The lovely little town houses across from our apartment building. 3. Quirky street art while out exploring. 4. Some of the beautiful flowers in Hyde Park. 5. Fro-yo with cookie dough chunks and a Lindt ball (aka, heaven in a cup). 6. Emerging Designer Market at the shopping centre we visited. 7. The incredible view from our apartment balcony. 8. Cocktails! 9. Happy Hour at the Kings Cross Hotel. 10. The Coca Cola billboard that caught my eye on the way to our apartment from the airport. 11. Spicy Thai rice on our first night. 12. The beautiful palm trees lining Sydney Harbour. 13. The Harbour Bridge. 14. And of course, the Opera House. 15. Food, wine and cocktails at the Opera Bar. 16. The picturesque Opera House. 17. A shot from our ferry. 18. Some of the boats in the harbour. 19. Adriano Zumbo's cookbooks. 20. Zumbo! 21. Darling Harbour by night. 22. Chocolate, pistachio and almond gelato. Still the best I've tasted. 23. Salted caramel gelato on our last day... still second best.

The Post With No Name.

*creaky floorboards*

*cough*

"Hello?"

~

Dear God, where do I even begin?

First of all, sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry for being the world's shittiest blogger for..oh, about eight months now. In case you hadn't heard, I was being eaten alive by my final year of schooling and the workload and pressure was absolutely horrendous. If it makes you feel any better, I sacrificed plenty more than just blogging. My job was another thing I gave up, and unfortunately, even after completing all my exams and what nots, I'm still depressingly broke and currently job-hunting. At least I could pick up blogging again..

What's pathetic is, I feel like after all this time passed, I feel as though I should at least have something exciting to tell you all. Sadly, I actually just spent a lot of my time studying and/or crying. Hashtag 'year 12'.
However, here's what you may have missed:

• I turned eighteen. I think I may have touched on that in an earlier post, but I'm really starting to feel all grown-up-like; for example, the other day I ordered a Cosmo at a restuarant and didn't get asked for ID, and on Thursday night I bought a bottle of Moscato from the liquor store and didn't get asked then either. *
• I celebrated one year with my boyfriend. Not surprisingly, we spent it doing what we do best: eating. 
• I also went to Sydney him the following month. It was an absolutely wonderful weekend, and miraculously, we are still together (somewhat happily). Pictures will be up soon. 
• I got an A+ on a film a wrote and directed for school. It's no masterpiece, but I'll post you lovelies the link anyway. And masterpiece or not, an A+ is fine by me. 
• I had my first exam panic attack. During the exam. Yeah, let's not even go there. 
• I made some friends.
• I lost some friends.
• I got back into fitness, finally. My Christmas wishlist consists of a punching bag, boxing gloves and a whole lot of Nike gear. 
• And last but certainly not least, I graduated. Photo's will be up soon.

So now that I have endless time on my hands, I have time to not only address every one of those dot points in a proper post, BUT, I also have time to re-vamp Jack's House. This is all very exciting, and grossly overdue.

In closing, I solemly swear/pinky promise/cross my heart and hope to die that I will never abandon you Jack's House or any of you darlings ever again. Unless of course, it is in the event of horrific and unforseen circumstances that ruin my life and keep me from blogging...such as my final year of secondary school..

I'll be back soon.

Lots of love,

xxxxxx

*= I'm not an alcoholic, I swear.

" I want to be all that I am capable of becoming." 

- Katherine Mansfield 

Word.

Finished all my history homework and discovered a new artist that I adore. Tonight is a good night. 

     

                        

♡

What is it about flowers that makes me so happy?

♡

Tonight is a constant back and forth between kitchen, living room and bedroom, Facebook, iMessage and Instagram. 

I have become the epitome of pathetic. 

Webcam selfies on a cosy night in. 

♡

Happy Birthday To Me!

Yes! It's my birthday!

Okay, it was my birthday last Saturday. But I'm still claiming this post-birthday week.

It seems that seventeen came and went so quickly, and eighteen is already here- and it hasn't yet sunk in. Eighteen. What do I do now?

Birthday party planning consumed much of the weeks preceding my birthday, as it would be my last birthday shenanigan before perhaps the big 'three-oh'. (That's right, no 21st for me. Hopefully I'll be spending that birthday somewhere else in the world.)
So there was the food and the drinks, the decorations, the seating and the heating, the cups and cutlery and crockery and bits and bobs to put on tables, then there was the tables themselves, the cake, and of course, the music.

By Saturday afternoon, I wanted to curl up in a ball and go to sleep.

But alas, I did not. I got ready for the night and partied on.

It occured to me, however, while I farewelled friends with the usual "Thank you for coming!" followed by the "No! Thank you for having me! I hope you had a good night!" that I was in fact not sure whether I'd had a good night.

See, I'd been planning my birthday for weeks- months even! I'd been looking forward to it, and was so excited to celebrate turning eighteen, that by the day came, I was so busy and stressed with setting up and getting things ready, that I'd forgotten to relax and get myself ready. I was so fed up with the day that- and it all came so quickly- that I suddenly just jumped right into it, and before I knew it, half the night was through.
Now I wasn't drunk (boo!) but I don't quite remember what I spent most of the night doing. I recall dancing a little bit.. taking some photos.. chatting with a few people... being made to skull a glass of pink champagne... giving a terrible speech and cutting my cake.. but all of this is only in snippets.

...so perhaps I was drunk.

But I shouldn't sound like a total grouch. Despite the fact it wasn't a perfect birthday like I'd wanted, I was still surrounded by the people I love who were wonderful enough to come and celebrate with

Proverbs 31: 25-26

What do we think of this, bloggers?

In a few short weeks, this verse, 

in this font and this size

will be inked onto my right

index finger. 

Eeeeek, excitement!

Sunshine & Pretty Melodies.

Sorry, that was probably a bit misleading.

This post isn't going to be about anything related to sunshine or pretty melodies. I just named it that because sunshine and pretty melodies are what I would rather surround myself with right now.

Because currently I am surrounded by snotty tissues, textbooks and pens.

It's Monday, it's cold (and I have a cold) and I'm halfway through my senior year and drowning in books and study notes. So I'm taking a break, partly because I've lost all traces of motivation and partly because I've had a rotten weekend and homework is absolutely no cure for that whatsoever.

Friday night was spent just how I'd like all my Friday nights to be spent- surrounded by friends and music, a little bit drunk and very much happy. It was a friends 18th birthday, and it was just the night out I required after a long, boring, arduous week. "I feel like getting a bit loose" I recall saying to my friends, who raised their eyebrows (and rightly so) because Anoosha never professes to wanting to get "loose". Perhaps they sensed the beginning of a drinking problem. After meeting Friday night's happy little version of myself, I sure sense one.

Nevertheless, Saturday morning was a struggle. Feeling (and looking) a little bit like a slug, I dragged myself out of bed and made a start on finishing (does that make any sense? I don't know) the psychology report that sat ominously on my desk. Three hours later, it was printed and stapled and ready to go- much like the raging cold that had beaten my tipsy immune system to pieces and made me sick. So it was bedtime from 2pm onwards.

To make my day just that little bit shittier, my poor dear bunny broke his leg. It's still a mystery how he broke it, but the poor little furball spent his weekend limping around with his leg dragging behind him.
(I suppose having said that, I really should be complaining about having a cold). Tonight he spends his first night away from home as he waits for surgery tomorrow morning. I promise I'll post some photo's of Limpy and his bandaged leg as soon as he comes home. Oh my poor little bun-bun.

On top of a tonne of homework that remains untouched, a stubborn cold and a broken rabbit, that good old time of the month also springs itself on me, leaving me twice as grumpy and four times as hungry. And angry and fat is always desirable.

So, to end my whiney post on a happier note, here's a list of thank-you notes, for the little things that did go right this weekend.

• Thank you to my best friend for buying me drinks on Friday night, even though I realised I was too broke to pay you. I promise your payment is coming soon.
• Thank you to my business management teacher for allowing me to sit for my SAC at lunch time so I could take my rabbit to the vet instead of going to class.
• Thank you to the Salvo's op-shop in Cheltenham for that jaw-dropping jumpsuit that made me the recipient of endless compliments on Friday night.
• Thank you burgundy lipstick for completing the outfit, every single time.
• Thank you OMAM, Snakadaktal and Passion Pit for coming together and playing in Adelaide at Spin Off in August. Yaaaaaay, roadtrip!
• Thank you to the lovely shift manager at work for giving me half-priced sundaes when I popped in after school today.
• And thank you to the even lovelier boy who kissed my hand after I told him what a poopy weekend I had. 
• Thank you to our wonderful vet who's taking care of my little bun-bun tonight, and fixing his broken leg tomorrow.
• Thank you to my aunty's friend, for the pretty Peter Alexander pyjama's. 
• Thank you to my friend Allison for always listening when I need to have a cry over the phone
• And thank you to God for allowing me to maintaing at least a sliver of sanity all this time. 

See you soon, bloggers. Take care.

x

Hey hey,

it's May!

And I bet you read that in a much cheerier voice than I had imagined in my head when I typed it. 

It's been an absolutely rubbish start to the month, and I'll tell you why later tonight. 

Watch this space, friends. 

x

5 Reasons Why I Would Rather Be A Fish:

It came to me whilst in the shower this afternoon. As I lowered myself onto one knee, to begin shaving my legs, it occurred to me that there is much to loathe about being a female- like shaving ones legs for example. Further consideration revealed to me that there is, in fact, much to loathe about being human.

So as a result, here are five reasons why I would much rather be a fish.

1.) First and foremost- fish don't need to shave. Fish don't have legs, therefore they do not need to shave them, but then again, fish do not need to shave anything. 'Gee, my scales are getting pretty long, better shave them before I go out tonight' said no fish, ever.

2.) Fish don't even need to shower. When's the last time you came across a dirty fish? At the butchers*? On the side of the creek? Right, and it was probably dead. I rest my case.
*- if you're coming across dirty fish at the butchers, you could probably sue. Or find another butcher.

3.) Fish don't have pregnancies. At least, not in the way humans do. A fish lays some eggs, her hubby does his job and neither of them have to worry about their offspring until they hatch. Just find yourself a nice safe nook, like a rock or something, and go paint the town. None of this get-fat-for-nine-months-and-then-stay-fat-for-a-couple-more business. I wish I could leave my embryo in a nice safe place, like the back of my pantry cupboard, and not worry about it for a good two-thirds of a year. Hah. Fat chance.

4.) Fish aren't expected to do much. Except maybe look nice and taste good. Fish don't need to work, or maintain a home, or have an education. Fish don't need to achieve much in life. Basically, if you can live out your life expectancy without being eaten by a shark, you're one successful fish. No pretentiously shiny sportscar necessary.

5.) Fish are allowed to be naked. All the time. No one can catch a fish out for indecent exposure in public. Enough said.

P.S- I should probably mention one of the only downsides I came upon while pondering how lovely it would be to be a fish. It occurred to me that fish occasionally eat each other. In fact my last two goldfish ate their brother. At least that's something we don't have to worry about.. often.

Happy Easter everyone!

Birdies In The Tree- Photo Walk #1

The Road Not Taken.

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear,
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I marked the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference. 

Robert Frost

return 
my 
fierce 
love,




let 
me 
feel
it
too~

Lazy Girl Is Doing It Right.

In case any of you doubt my suitability to write this post, considering its title, please note that I write this while I lie in bed, wearing undies and an oversized t-shirt, knowing full well that I would not be writing a post at all, if it weren't for the Blogger app on my phone.

This week was not a pleasant week. It wasn't a particularly bad week, now that I look back retrospectively, but I certainly didn't enjoy it. Lesson #1: if your mental breakdown occurs within the first half of the week, it becomes imperative that you brace yourself for a terrible week thereafter. This I now know.

I think it all started with a literature SAC, or an important test, for anyone clueless in regards to Victorian educational jargon. The book, let me tell you, was rubbish. And this is coming from a passionate reader and writer, who endeavours to read as widely as possible. While I won't bother mentioning titles or launching into a review, I'll just let it be understood that I did not enjoy the book. If it weren't for the writers fabulous use of literary techniques, I might truthfully have paper cut myself to death. Truly.
So, being the Lazy Girl, I left the reading of the book until the very last minute. Literally. Wikipedia- bless it and its creators- enabled me to breeze through class discussions and practice essays by allowing me to completely fabricate my knowledge of the text. However, I knew it was probably best to read the book for myself before the SAC.
And so, with the SAC commencing this morning at 8.55am, I concluded that godforsaken book at 8.30pm on Wednesday night. Giving me only one day to consolidate knowledge and prepare. Well done, Lazy Girl, that's the way to go.

I can't be entirely sure of the content of my essay, nor can I be sure whether I really responded to the topic; however, when I left that classroom at 10.30am this morning, two things were bleedingly obvious: 1. I was going to set that book on fire as soon as I arrived home, and 2. I had most likely developed carpal tunnel in my right hand.

On arriving home, I remembered I'd promised my mother I would help her at her afternoon job, which involves cleaning a local school just across the freeway from my house. Not too bad, but certainly not too good on a day as mind-numbingly hot as today.
I felt myself generate tablespoons, cups, litres of sweat just standing in that damned aircon-less classroom, wondering how in God's name children were supposed to be able to concentrate.
When it came time to vacuum, however, Lazy Girl was not impressed. Lesson #2: never ever reproduce. Children have absolutely no concept of tidiness, and it is impossible to successfully vacuum an area of carpet covered with minuscule scraps of colourful paper, especially when the tiny pieces just become tangled in the plush surface of the aforementioned carpet.
Lazy Girls solution? Put a chair over the area.
Solved.

Don't tell me I never help you.

So anyway, the evening concluded with Lazy Girl (who, should I mention, is also Broke, Tired and Sweaty Girl, thanks to the influencing circumstances) making a little trip down to the shops. For what? Who cares? It was a shit week, I would have bought a cheese grater and have been happy about it.
But alas, Lazy Girl didn't need to settle for a cheese grater, because she found a nifty new purse- a purse she had been looking for for months. It ticked all the boxes, AND had a nice little single digit price. And after a crapbag of a week, $9 is damn okay with me.
Taking my soon-to-be buddy to the counter, I was even more overjoyed to hear the cashier announce that "oh, this ones down to $5 now."
Win.
Lazy Girl gets a purse, Broke Girl does a little dance.



And so concludes my week, as annoying and as unpleasant as it was. And as I lie here in bed in my underwear and t-shirt, contemplating all manner of deep and meaningful things, such as how in the world I manage to have a boyfriend, to what I might have for dinner tomorrow night, I realise that being lazy probably doesn't have all that many perks, but that truly, I am too lazy to change.

P.S- while vacuuming one of the classrooms, I found $2 on the ground which I picked up and put into my bra for safekeeping. Of course, I forgot about it, and later when I took off my bra to have a shower, I was rather alarmed by the little shiny gold disc glued to my boob with Friday afternoon sweat. Upon realising it was a $2 coin, life became a little more wonderful. That, and I felt like a hooker. Oh, how I love rediscovering money that I've stashed away in places.

The end.

Oh, where do we begin?

The rubble or our sins?
- Bastille

Hello? Are You All Still Here?

Oh my, how long it has been.

Although February was without a doubt one of the best months in a long time, it was also undeniably the busiest- which has consquently led to my lack of blogging and complete absence from Jack's House.

Being terribly ashamed at my apparent lack of commitment and time management skills, I'm also very sad. It has been a very, very long time since I have let an entire month go by without a single blog post.

For this reason- among many others- I do not know where else to begin, but with an apology.

I suck, I know.

But I promise it wont happen again- pinky promise, even- and those things are serious.

Please stick around, I'll be back very soon.

Much love, X

Things I Wish I Could Do Forever:

- sleep
- drink tea
- bake cupcakes
- decorate the cupcakes
- listen to Flume, OMAM and Bat For Lashes
- sew
- write poetry
- work on my nonexistent novel
- knit
- be cuddled
- forget about school
- have my hair played with

Thursday Mornings.

Cappucinos taste better in your own mug, 
and the air is cleaner when you're alone
The air that spills through your window
-not filtered, delivering every atom of the world
it holds in itself,
and spreading it shamelessly across your unmade bed.

Today bitterness and dishevelled hair
are your friends.
Just you,
and lazy, disencouraging Thursday mornings.

Thoughts That Run Through My Mind While I Run Through The Neighbourhood.

Me: *walks out of driveway* Oh, I want to be done already.
Me: Pwoah, it's a bit hot..
Me: Fuck me, it's so hot, why do I do this to myself?
Me: Okay, not a lot further to go.
Me: Just kidding, I have about 2 kilometres..
Me: Can I get some breeze at least?
Me: Oooh look, another jogger!
Me: I'll smile at him.
Me: Bitch, why didn't he smile back? What a jerk.
Me: I am so hot.
Me: Asdnfkjfkj, I just want to be naked right now.
Me: ...can I run naked?
Me: Oh a second jogger!
Me: Wow... look at him go..
Me: Yeah okay, you just stride right past me, Mr. Marathon. Yeah that's right, you just jog on by.
Me: You and your incredibly fit physique..
Me: Gee, you haven't even broken a sweat..
Me: I'll just plod along here, you just carry on, do your thing bro.
Me: Fuck you, I hate you. And your biceps too.
Me: Stupid fit people.
Me: IT'S SO HOT.
Me: I'm going to die out here.
Me: Oh my Jesus, there are magpies.
Me: Don't make eye contact, don't make eye contact..
Me: Ugh this is such a crap song, I should make a better playlist.
Me: My ponytail is annoying me.
Me: I'm going to shave my head.
Me: OMFG THERE ARE SO MANY FLIES ON ME.
Me: I am so sweaty.
Me: No seriously, I'm sweaty in places I shouldn't be..
Me: I want to be home.
Me: Oh my God, I'm home.

It would make me prodigiously happy 

if I could own a YSL Arty Ring

~

Happy (belated) New Year!

Oh shoosh, I'm only, what, four days late?

...sorry.

I kid you not, I have just come out of the busiest two weeks of my life so far. That may or may not be a slight exaggeration, but none of you will know any better anyway.

In my desperate attempt to get my hands on my own iPhone (without letting my bank balance dip too much) I took up a great bunch of shifts at work so as to earn me some extra moula. I won't go into too much detail, but after two eight hour shifts, back to back, plus several other long and tiring ones on the side, I would have undeniably prefered to eat a bucket of live beetles than work any longer.

But pay-day should be splendid.

But, New Years! I always write to you on New Years Eve or at least the 1st of January, and I did nothing of the sort this time. And for that I apologise a thousand times. I don't like breaking tradition either.

Looking back in retrospect, 2012 was nothing short of a good year. I'll say good because it was better than O.K and it certainly wasn't particularly bad either.
In the area of my schooling and school life, I pushed myself, I challenged myself, I put myself out there, I failed, I succeeded and let's be honest- that's high school in a nutshell. Year 11 treated me pretty well, I must say. I averaged an A in all my subjects, with the occasional B or C, and so for that I can't complain. I won a bunch of awards, including some Excellence in Literature thing, which I'm particularly proud of, seeing as most of my literature essay were pure rubbish and ramblings. Additionally, after trying out for school captain, I gained the position of vice school captain, which made me a little bit sad, but ultimately, I know it's for the best. I get a fancy little blazer and a badge, so I'm pretty chuffed.
One thing that I do regret with every atom inside me is my performance in year 12 English. English has always been my gift and strong point, and after blitzing year 11 English, I felt like I could take on anything. I was a little bit wrong.
What I learnt after beginning year 12 three weeks early at the end of last year, was that physically being in year 12 changes things for you. When I did units 3 & 4 of English with the year level above me, as a year 11, I was never included in their year level meetings or their talks or workshops, and nor was any of the other year 11's. My own cohort was still breezing their way through year 11, while the year 12's were being thrown into 'super focussed study mode' via dozens of pep talks, powerpoint presentations, workshops and lectures from their teachers- all of which I missed out on. And so while they were all getting into the right headspace and frame of mind to tackle their huge year, I, like the rest of my cohort, was not doing anything of the sort.
However in the 3 weeks of year 12 that we completed at the end of last year, I was amazed at how big a difference those pep talks, powerpoints and lectures made. I was amazed at how suddenly, I was in the frame of mind that I should  have been in at the beginning of the year when I began year 12 English, and I realised that things suddenly become a lot more serious and a hell of a lot more different when it's your year with your peers. And so I began to wish I could have another chance at units 3 & 4 English, because now I know I'm ready for it.

In the area of friendships and the sort, 2012 revealed a lot to me about those who matter and those who really do not. Trials and tribulations showed me those who genuinely cared and made an effort to support, as well as those who never once offered a word of encouragement. Those friends who suddenly care more about their image and their popularity, than you or the friendship they once had with you. Those people who suddenly don't really want to be seen with you, because you're just not that cool. Needless to say, some friendships began to crack in 2012.
But the year also made way for a brand new friendship, which I seem to treasure more and more every day. Some people come into your life, I think, and you like them for a while, but you're not too fussed as to whether they stay or go. Usually these people end up going anyway. But then some people come along and bring you so much that you just never want them to go, which is great because these people are usually the ones that stick around. I'm lucky enough to call one of these people my friend, and I really do hope she sticks around.

Additionally, I fell in love in 2012. It snuck up on me ever so quietly, and it sprouted from the most unlikely and odd coupling, but here it is and I'd sing it from rooftops if people wouldn't look at me strangely.
Sometimes people like to imagine their ideal person- their dream man or woman. Someone who is everything they could have ever wanted, and then that person comes along and it's so wonderful and surreal and everything is lovely. I always thought that would happen to me too, but it did not.
I found a boy who is absolutely nothing like me. He doesn't read books, he doesn't like to write, he hates the music I listen to and he will never step into an opshop. We disagree on everything and sometimes we fight too. If I'm black, he's white and if I'm the ying, he's the yang. We contrast in every possible way, but dear God I have never loved anything or anyone like this.
In all my creativity, I could never have imagined someone like him. He is perfectly imperfect for me, and I would not have him any other way. I like to think we balance each other out, and I sure as hell know I needed some balancing.

In regards to my hobbies and the little bits and bobs that I make and do... nothing was actually made and nothing was actually done. My poetry and stories and painting and quilting and designing was all put on hold, and probably will be until the end of this year. However, 2012 did see a lot of big ideas emerge for potential future business endeavours. I won't say much, but watch this space. (Do you like the name Läsha?)

However despite all the wonderful things that 2012 held for me, I was still more than ready to say goodbye to it, and welcome a new year with eager, open arms; so much so, that as we counted down to midnight, for the first time in many years, I didn't shut my eyes and say a silent prayer or make a silent pledge to the new year. Instead, too eager to see 2013, I just counted- no silent prayer or wish or pledge. And I know I might say this about every year, but I think 2013 will be amazing. Not necessarily easy or fun, but amazing. It will be a year of firsts, a year of achievements, a year of adventures, a year of trials and struggles and challenges, but ultimately- hopefully- a year of wonder.

Have a wonderful year, bloggers.

I'll see you soon, x