Happy Belated V day

I baked gingerbread people and a V-day cake for my friends

and I gave a cute boy my number
(well, my friend gave it for me...)

Are you kidding me?

My Chemical Romance has completely ruined Bob Dylan's Desolation Row.

Birth-day

"i like birthdays. i like them more for other people but i'm glad we celebrate them. At the heart of it is the opportunity to tell someone "I'm glad that you were born", which is also to say "I'm glad that you're alive." Those are powerful statements. The world would be a different better place if we lived that way, if we said and showed those things, more than once a year.

i hope TWLOHA can be something like that, an attempt to say those things more often, to say that we are thankful for life and stories and certainly yours. i hope that we can be something like a gift, something like a favorite song or some show that you remember, some piece of hope or life or strength to hold against the walls when they feel cracked or falling. i hope we can be a reminder that life is worth fighting for, that your friends and family are worth fighting for, that love and beauty still happen, that change still happens. We'll only ever be part of the process, words on a screen in the middle of the night - i hope they find you like a friend. A t-shirt pulled from one of your drawers early on a tired silent morning - i hope you feel less alone when you look in the mirror. i hope it reminds you of community, that you're part of a bigger thing. i hope it sparks some conversation that brings change like a fire on the coldest night.

You'll need more than us. You'll need more and better. You'll need other people. You'll need people to help you process, people to help you let go, people to help you remember what's true and people to help you forget what's lies. You'll need the stories and advice of people with gray hair or white hair or no hair at all. Don't buy the lie that suggests they have nothing to offer or nothing to say - they were young once too. They are stories still going and they've seen the places you will go. They've been stuck at times as well, just like you and me and everyone.

You'll need coffee shops and sunsets and road trips. Airplanes and passports and new songs and old songs, but people more than anything else. You will need other people and you will need to be that other person to someone else, a living breathing screaming invitation to believe better things.

We're saying the story doesn't end here, that the air in your lungs is there for a reason. Perhaps we're all in the business of better endings, you as much as us, the business of redemption. Yours and mine and all the characters around us, and perhaps that bigger thing. i'll steal from Bono here and tell you that i believe we're far from alone in this, that God's been at this for a long time, this business of buying things back, making things new. If this is starting to sound too Churchy or spiritual, i'll simply say that i believe God gives a shit, about your life, about your story, about your pain. And if those possibilities feel too far or they just sound weird, then rest now and we'll get back to people.

We give a shit.

The darkness wins too often. Broken things build themselves in silence. People feel alone. People give up. People talk about this stuff like it's math or they don't talk about it at all.

So what are we doing? Why this page? Why the shirts? Why did a group of young people put their lives on hold and move to Florida a week ago? Why would they trade everything they know, all their normal comfort and quiet, for a crowded house and endless hours of this word "community"? Why would they want to join a conversation that most people run from?

We're trying to fight for people with kindness, with words that move, with honesty and creativity. We're trying to push back at suicide with compassion, with hope. We're pointing to wisdom, pointing to medicine, saying that hope is real, help is real. We're fighting for our own stories, our own friends and families, our own broken hearts. We're saying there's nothing we can't talk about, nothing off-limits. We're kicking elephants out of living rooms, making room for life.

You. It's about you. This is for you. It's crap unless it moves you, crap unless it connects with your story, meets you in your pain, reminds you of your dreams, reminds you what's possible.

We're still alive, you see. You and i on this night that's never happened before, spread out across a giant circle, winter on one side and summer on the other, day and night the same. And then it moves and turns and changes. Things are always changing.

We are glad that you were born.
We are glad that you're alive.

Don't give up. Don't give up on your story. Don't give up on the people you love. Hope is real. Love is real. It's all worth fighting for.

Peace to you tonight.
jamie

PS: If you're wondering where the heck this came from, i turned 29 today. It's enough to make you think... : )"

- Jamie Tworkowski (To Write Love On Her Arms)

Just For Fun

Last weekend I went for breakfast with these two amazing people. I have the most inspiring friends :)

66th Annual Golden Globes Awards

So just in case there hasn't been enough reviews on the Golden Globes fashion, here is another one!

Best Dressed -
January Jones - January looks like a modern-day Cinderella. Her hair looks stunning, and the red lipstick tops it all off. Easily best dressed of the night.

Worst Dressed -
Angelina Jolie - Oh, honey.

Most Fun -


Heidi Klum - Love Love Love it! She looks like she could be Carrie Bradshaw

Honorable mentions -Elizabeth Banks - The colour, shape, detail of the dress are perfect. The hair is beautiful and accessories are right on.


Kate Beckinsale - I don't even know where to begin with the dress, everything about it is perfection. I just think something different with the hair could have worked.


Anne Hathaway - There are no words.


Cameron Diaz - love the dress, hate the hair. Kudos for the colour though!


Amanda Seyfried - The dress is lovely, hair and make-up are stunning but the something is missing which makes it breath-taking.


Vanessa Hudgens - Although she looks a little tired and well, sick, Miss Hudgens has definately got style and this dress is absolutely stunning.

Horrible Mentions -


Blake Lively - The dress could have been nice, if it fitted! The hair looks too ratty for the dress and even though you can't see them, the shoes so don't go.


Miley Cyrus - Euck. Hair is horrible, Dress is awful, and she looks like Pamela Anderson with her tits hanging out like that!


Olivia Wilde - Let's not even go there.

dayum africa

I know I haven't blogged in a bit but I haven't really had anything TO blog about!

Last week on thursday I went up the coast to stay with my little friend Bella and her family at their caravan on Dicky Beach.
I stayed untill staurday and one night for dinner had a deep-fried mars bar :D
AMAZING!

Today I did my first ballet class for about a month. Wow, that hurt.
But apart from that I haven't done much else minus helping Damon unpack his house and home office.

Hopefully will have some interesting things to blog about soon and some pretty pictures...

Have New Years Resolutions Called It A Day?

Happy New Year!
Is it just me or is anyone else already over saying that? Maybe it's because I spent all day on the lounge watching daytime tv and every news bulletin started off with wishing everyone a happy year.

So welcome to 2009. We are nearly at the end of the 00's. Another decade has come and just about gone. I can still remember the hype surrounding the beginning of the year 2000. And quite frankly, I am really freaked that 8 years has passed so quickly.

Today being the first day of the new year, most people are nursing hangovers and headaches from the night before, a night of champagne, parties, fireworks, fun and celebration. Today it is out with the old and in with the new, and time to start those new years resolutions. I have already broken mine, which was to get out of the house at least once every day. Some resolutions are big, some small, and some just plain ridiculous. However I couldn't help but notice the amount of people not setting a goal this year. Have New Years Resolutions called it a day?

This might sound completely "miss america" but I think that new years resolutions are good way to help make the world a better place. Lately all we are thinking about is the economic crisis, and what with the "going green" movement being forced down our throats every other day people don't care for things like new years resolutions anymore. However, if we were to combine both the NYR and doing something for either the environment or being more responsible with our money, that is already making a difference. Say for example, your NYR was to do something simple like turning off all electricity when it is not being used, that is being eco-friendly and helping the world and is an easy way for you to keep your NYR.

So with that said, who HAS made a NYR and do you plan on following it through if you have?

a pretty boring post

December 28 2008.
There are 3 days left of the year.
holy shit.

Christmas was wonderful, I didn't get a skateboard but I did get a hammock and some other fun things. Dad's side of the fam came over for lunch, as well as our friend Damon and his mum Lorraine and step dad Jeff plus Martyn and Trace. We all ate too much and had lots of fun on the wii fit (even grandma joined in). For dinner we went to my uncle's house for dinner with Mum's side of the family, plus Damon.

Yesterday Trace and Martyn came over and we had an intense round of bowling and skiing on the wii as well as making gingerbread and going for a swim. We planned to go to montville with Jake today but there was storms forecasted so instead mum, myself, trace, martyn and my sister went to a place in west end called tempo for breakfast. Two coffees and a huge plate of bacon eggs and toast later (not to mention the amount of coffees we had altogether) we went and had a look at the mini cooper dealer a few streets away.
We then went to the emporium in the valley and went to a bookstore/coffee shop before venturing to new farm to go to the "best barista in brisbane". So more coffee. And coke and pizza in that case. We also went to the bookstore there, and unfortunately my friend Casey wasn't home because if he was, we would have been able to see him as he lives directly above the coffeeshop! (Well not directly above, but the next level up)

Going to montville on tuesday!

I heart rangas

I love red hair...

photos courtesy of weheartit.com

housesitting

that's right, I am housesitting. By myself. Starting boxing day, I have Bella's dogs and house to look after for a month. That's a long time. Good thing is, she lives down the road from me. (Well, kind of down the road, technically only a few streets away but the streets are long and windy ones). Basically about a 15 minute walk away from my house. I have to feed the dogs and keep the house clean and free of robbers and get to do whatever I want. The idea is pretty exciting, its almost like I'm going on holiday, but without my family! I'm basically excited for the fact that I can sleep in a different bed each night! :D (Bella comes from a family of about 7 kids and two parents). And I am ony a few streets away from home so I can go for a swim or come back to my room whenever I want. It's gonna be fun, Tracey and I are going to have a "slumber party" and eat lots of lollies and Jake is going to come hang out and sleep over so I have a snuggle-buddy.

I can't wait

my birthday!

So today is my birthday!
I am officially a red-head once again!
I got it dyed this morning, then came home and had a nap for about 2 hours before going to my favourite cafe the three monkeys for dinner with friends

And although I asked for everyone not to buy me anything, some people don't listen and gave me stuff anyway, so here's some fun little snaps

presents

(from left: beautiful keys from peach, yves saint laurent "baby doll" perfume from jake, necklace from mum, photo album from peach, necklaces/ring/bag from martyn and trace)

the "birthday cake" aka slice of cake with a sparkler on top

Zac, Myself and Casey

Trace, Myself and Jake

and again with Martyn

Casey and Zac

Chai tea with honey :)

Me and Jake

It was a fun night, we sat outside at the table next to a band from brisbane whom I love, but was too shy to say hello to. We all shared a piece of cake which the cafe put a sparkler on top of and afterwards walked to a gelati shop. Even though not everyone who I invited was able to come, it was still a great night :)

happy birthday to me

Seeing as it is my birthday next tuesday and everyone has been asking me what I want, here is my birthday wish list:

Skateboard

A life-size gingerbread house

Bicycle

Itunes vouchers

Rip stick

Free coffee everyday for the rest of my life

A new guitar

A frangipani tree

The ability to surf and a surfboard

A new pair of black flats

A new pair of black skinnies

SO if any of that can be arranged, it would be greatly appreciated

:D kidding.

I know I am definately getting my hair done, (Damon has decided he is going to dye it red again like it was last year) and going to dinner I don't think I am doing much else, I'm too tired and busy to organise anything plus I don't really want a huge debacle over my birthday mum is working at a conference all day and night on the monday and tuesday anyway so something small is the way to go :)

high on life

wow, the past 3 days have been amazing!
monday we were at the theatre from 9am-9pm for dress rehersal, lighting and tech run, spacing, meeting and putting David Hudson and Mark Mannock in the show etc. Then on tuesday Nigel the percussionist flew down from cairns to be part of the show too so we had another dress rehersal with him, and that night we had the show! Before we went on stage the whole cast got together in a circle and David had us repeat after him in his indigineous language "good luck and may we be limber on our feet" (or something of the like). The show was amazing, I was on a high for hours and hours afterwards, we got so much amazing feedback, people were coming back the second night to see it again. There was quite a few important people in the audience too who loved it so that meant a lot. David, Mark, Nigel, Martyn, Tracey, Myself and a few of our family members all went out for dinner afterwards, which is sort of a ritual for us.

Yesterday we had a run through of some of the dances, the ones that were a bit messy, and we did a ballet class to get warmed up. Before the show Jake and I burnt some insence and meditated before getting ready. The sick feeling from being nervous soon came back and before we knew it, it was over! Once again we all went out for dinner, more of the cast came this time.

Good news is we are going up to cairns to do the show there, plus we got asked to do it in a festival in noosa and at the convention centre in brisbane.

Now we have "Alice in Wonderland" for the next three days and then its all done!
and then my birthday! :)

just life at the moment...

This saturday after rehersals, Myself, Jake and Shell are driving up the coast to the spend the afternoon on the beach! I'm so so excited, I haven't been to the beach in about two years Jake's going to teach us how to surf and we are going have a well deserved break from rehersals and all the drama which has occured these past few weeks.

I would also like to point out that it is almost holiday time! I'm pretty pumped seeing as my holidays this year have been basically non-existant
This is the plans for the holidays so far (I wonder how many of these things will happen...)
- my birthday
- learning to surf
- going to "danger point" with Jakey
- Spending a week or so with Jake and his mad as dad, going to the beach to get in touch with the ocean, meditating, sleeping in hammocks and being organic
- going to Jake's waterfall in the middle of the (rain?) forest and jumping from the top into the water
- myself, Shell, Jake and possibly a few others looking after Bella's house while her and her family are on holiday
- Queensland National Ballet summer school
- resting up for next year
- hopefully some gigs
- catching up with people I haven't seen in a long time

:D

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The flier for "Yidaki"
anyone in brisbane should come see it!

wow.
next week is performance week.
the week after is my birthday.
the week after that is christmas.
The week after that is 2009.

:0

um,

I graduate next week.








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Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday Mum!


Love you lots

thoughts

Wow. I have known for a little bit that christmas is close, but it only just hit me earlier this week that it is november. The second last month of the year. Almost december. Almost my graduation from my cert 4 course. Almost production time. Almost a new year. I am still trying to catch up with the last couple of months which seemed to have slipped right through my fingers.

When I think about it, I feel like I haven't achieved very much this past year. Although when I look back, I sat and passed three practical exams (as well as other exams just for the course I'm doing) as well as plenty of eisteddfods throughout the year, and in 4 weeks I will be performing two separate productions with the Queensland National Ballet Company. But I still can't believe we are in november. It freaks me out. Earlier this week I got asked by one of my teachers (for theory) why I dance. I wasn't the only person asked, but it really got me thinking. He said, "Why do you dance? I want to hear a real reason, not just 'because I love it' "

This actually stumped me for a bit. I had never had someone ask me that before. So abruptly. I had never even thought about it. I realised (and my response was) that when you do love something so much it becomes a part of you. You get up in the morning and come to the studio, it's just what you do. It's like breathing. You don't even realise that you do it, but without it you aren't who you are.

I love rock n roll

I have decided what to dress up as for halloween - Joan Jett!


bring it on
I DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT MY REPUTATION!

wow

Today my cousin found me on facebook. thing is, I haven't seen her or her brothers/sister in literally about 8 years. It's crazy. So crazy we started a facebook IM and couldn't think of hardly anything to say but hi, how are you etc.

I'm very weirded out right now. but in a good way.