Gift

So, I successfully purchased a camera today. The salesman was dodgy, but I came out of it without too much of a hole in my (mum's) pocket. I also picked up a new folder for holding mail, some Moleskine cahiers and a cute little notebook (for drawing something in once a day each day in 2010) among other things. Now, here's what I wanted to show you - this little bundle of joy arrived in my mail box this week from Arizona. Check out this mail bag! (it's already got some of my mail in it);





And here is what arrived in the mail bag;





Including postcards, magnets, bubblegum, delicious peach mints, scented bookmarks, a cupcake shaped notepad and various other wonderful miscellanea. I really can't thank Garci enough for such an incredible generous gift. It was overwhelming to open. The mail bag is made by a cute little place called Blue Q and it's made from 95% recycled post consumer material which definitely gives it another tick from me. It's going to come in ridiculously handy - I'm going to use it to store my 'mail kit' when I go away and put mail in when I go to the Post Office. I love it!





Definitely one of the best things the postman has ever delivered to me. I hope one day I have the funds to send something as equally awesome back her way.

Outgoing

^ a photo of this morning in Newcastle, by my friend Josh.

It's 8am, probably my earliest blog to date. A delicious, dreary-skied, wet, cold Summer morning. C is still asleep. We're going camera shopping today - just something small and inexpensive. Probably hundreds of photos to come. You've been warned.
Today's outgoing;



^ Travelling to miss Milly.


^ A 'Decorated Envie' swap to Denmark.


^ A repurposed record cover envelope to lovely Julie.

I wrote out this simple list for a penpal as she requested it and thought I'd share;

And a little drawing I did of all the things I did on a particular day (I have an interesting life...);

People In Order

I have nothing to say except that I adore this video;

Fields of Gold

^ 'Tulip fields just outside Alkmaar, North-Holland, Netherlands. Must be at least one colour of your liking ;-)' by Allard One, (via Kind Over Matter).

Today there was no mail and money that should have arrived, but was hindered by the public holiday, never showed and therefore our planned outing to buy a camera didn't eventuate. Minor disappointment all round. I did however receive one of the sweetest packages ever in the mail yesterday, so really no mail for a week would be a fair exchange. When I do purchase the aforementioned camera I'll show you its amazing contents. I spent most of the day trying to copy episode after episode of 'One Tree Hill' for my sister, as she borrowed the whole season from a friend and as a Christmas present I'm going to copy it all and burn the discs for her. With approximately 22 episodes per season, and 7 seasons all up, I'm going to be up for... *does simple maths in head, fails*... lots of discs! I'll have to buy a whole spool. What a nice seester* I am. As well as this I started writing a long letter, had an extended nap and watched as C tidied up our yard, *yawn* such a big, busy day.

*I've picked up this spelling from Micaela.

Internet gems I am enjoying today:

♡ Gin In A Teacup is one of my favourite blogs at the moment and she's doing a very cute giveaway you should take a peek at.

♡ I really like Skine Art, quite inspiring. Lots of spreads of peoples Moleskines;

^ This page by Lady Orlando.

♡ Enjoy things Obama related? Do you like Super Mario? Then you will love SUPER OBAMA WORLD!


^ from Phlocks. Boy, I wish I was a 1950's housewife.

♡ No Time Wasters : A guy who places ridiculous ads in the classifieds.


♡ Speech Accent Archive : I found this website sometime ago and it never fails to amuse me. You click on a particular continent, country and then a particular region and listen to various accents from those places, and even submit your own accent. I really want to do it, even though I don't think a Novacastrian accent is particularly different to anywhere else in Aus.

♡ Readable Book of Hotel Bedcovers : @ Dornob.


♡ And this couch that can be rearranged into various shapes;

+ this roll-up frying pan + this bath mat made from real moss.

♡ "Replacing world landmarks with cheap souvenirs";


♡ World Beard and Moustache Championships. I think C should probably enter when his beard gets a little longer;


Hope everyone rings in the New Year with a bang (for me that will probably mean at home, watching Six Feet Under)!

Blackberry Stone

^ +.

Listening to: Jesus the Mexican Boy - Iron & Wine.
Drinking: Hot chocolate x 2.
Eating: Partially cooked banana bread (I hate cooking failures).

I just got back from a very pleasant day (and night) trip to visit my family in Dungog and catch up with my friend Timmy, who is up from over the border for a few weeks. I came home lugging a whole lot more stuff than I had brought with me, a beautiful hand-made fine silk wall hanging from my Nana amongst other things, and my mum gave me a hilarious crockery teapot shaped night light for our hallway. I am now feeling plagued by vertigo and what feels like the beginnings of a stomach bug. Ick. Without any prior thought about it, I asked my sister to cut my hair last night and now it's about a third of its previous length. Short! It was so long beforehand, the longest it had been since I was a kid. A new haircut for the new year I guess. Change is good. I took it out when I got home and waited for C to notice (he's usually super observant), but after thirty seconds I had to just tell him. We're having pasta with vegetarian mince bolognese (TVP) for dinner for the hundredth time in the last few weeks, I keep asking for C to cook it for me every night. So delish.

I've been ever so slowly catching up on replying to the influx of letters received while I was away. My first hand-drawn airmail envelope is travelling to lovely miss Mary of Bowling Green, KY;






^ And this makeshift postcard I made out of cardboard and pen is going out to the postmaster of The Art of the Postcard, a great little blog. It actually took around an hour to make.

Received;

This gorgeous vintage postcard arrived in my mail box last week from Algeria and it's very sweet;



And another lovely little card from Lauren (she spoils me with mail);




^I love the stamp smothered envelope, especially the 'P.S. Write Soon' stamp.

Letter writing aficionados might already be familiar with it, but I just came across and signed up for the next round of the Penpal Party organised by Susie of BoyGirlParty, looks like fun! (Thanks for the heads up Robyn).

Also, I'd really like to buy this tool set for C from V&A. He'd love them;



I've been downloading some interesting mixes from Mixtape Madness of late (not the Christmas mixes so much though), and I love submitting things to the Mixshare Livejournal Community.

A friend pointed out to me the line up for this years Bluesfest and it looks pretty damn fine (esp. The Swell Season, Buena Vista Social Club, Angus & Julia Stone & The Avett Brothers), but not at the exorbitant price. C and I are going to try see The Avett Brothers at their Sydney side-show;



Hope everyone is ready and looking forward to twenty ten! I can't believe the two thousands have passed and I can't imagine what this past decade will be remembered for - what music, what fashions, what events, what celebrities? What do we call the new decade? The tens? The teens? Fill me in?

I just came to the realisation that I may have extreme number dyslexia. I can't even say my own phone number right. Perhaps that's why I was so horrible at maths in high school.
Now to get back to Six Feet Under.

'09

^ unknown.

Obligatory review of '09:

1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?
Started university, dropped out of university, found a permanent abode, wrote lots of letters, watched Buffy, fell in love.

2. Did you keep your New Year’s Resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I can't remember making a single one. I think it was just to 'be happy' and I think I did well achieving that. I'm much happier now than this time last year. My makeshift resolutions for next year are: Be active, be creative, be happy - and I'd like to successfully complete my first year of university.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes, I now have a very small, very cute niece called Rose.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No thank you.

5. What states/countries did you visit?
Made an impromptu drive up to Queensland to visit my lovely friend Sophie, flew to Tasmania earlier this month and stayed for two weeks, then had a stop over in Melbourne between flights, so that counts right?

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
More funds?

7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
I'm not sure, I always forget dates. My birthday was memorable.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Having a great, comfortable, happy year. Meeting someone who makes me happy, when I wasn't looking for it.

9. What was your biggest failure?
I dropped out of university after one semester (I'm going back in March 2010) but I didn't feel like it was a failure, I felt like it was a necessary step.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Eep, yes. Can you say forty minute operation involving my tail bone and a doctor's scalpel without any pain medicine? I can, in screams!

11. What was the best thing someone bought you?
I bought myself a Macbook, best self-present.

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?
A whole bunch of people, C especially.

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?
Somebody comes to mind, but it's been mostly resolved.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Bills and stamps!

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
My birthday, travelling.

16. What song will always remind you of 2009?
According to Last.fm my top songs of the year were:

1 Why? – Rubber Traits
2 Why? – The Hollows
3 Why? – Simeon's Dilemma
4 Jeff Buckley – Forget Her
5 Jeff Buckley – The Boy With The Thorn In His Side
6 Josh Pyke – The Doldrums
7 Bon Iver – Blood Bank
8 The Avett Brothers – The Ballad Of Love And Hate
9 Yeasayer – Tightrope
10 Feist and Ben Gibbard – Train Song

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? The former.
b) fatter or skinner? The former :(
c) richer or poorer? About the same, still poor.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Letter writing (even though I did a lot) and making music.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Probably sleeping, I do a lot of that, but I did enjoy it.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
Very quietly. I slept most of the day, called some relatives, ate some food, a friend came over and then it was over!

21. Did you fall in love in 2009?
Indeed.

22. How many one night stands?
Zero.

23. What was your favorite TV program?
Dexter, United States of Tara, Dollhouse, Six Feet Under, Buffy.

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Nope. I actually have less “hate” than this time last year.

25. What was the best book you read?
Gosh, I can't even remember anything I finished this year, it went by so quickly. Wait, I finished the Twilight books... how embarrassing. I read Long Hard Road Out Of Hell by Marilyn Manson and I enjoyed it.

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Refer to earlier post.

27. What did you want and get?
A lovely boy.

28. What did you want and not get?
Employment! More funds!

29. What was your favorite film of this year?
I saw a lot of good movies at Film Society, most notably The Orphanage. But I also loved 500 Days of Summer.

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Nineteen @ The Cambridge Hotel with friends. Having a room of 200 people, many of whom you don't know, sing you a happy birthday while you're being dragged on stage is quite an experience. I think I'll celebrate my twentieth quietly.

31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Slightly more funds.

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
Red, comfortable.

33. What kept you sane?
A lovely boy, great food, music.

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I have a big ol' crush on Zooey Deschanel.

35. Who do you miss?
I'm not sure, I'd like to see a handful of people more often, and visit my family more often in 2010.

36. Who was the best new person you met?
Sophie, again!

37. What was the best thing you ate?
A delicious meal every night since we got together made with love by C. I can't cook, so finding someone who likes to cook for me was wonderful!

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009?
Be honest with yourself, take time off to think, don't compromise your own happiness for others.

39. Where did you spend most of your time in 2009?
Home!

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
Highly cheesy, but...
"Honey, lovin' you is the greatest thing,
I get to be myself and I get to sing,
I get to play at being irresponsible,
I come home late and love your soul,
I never forget you in my prayers,
I never have a bad thing to report."
- Funny Little Frog by Belle & Sebastian.

Hope you had a great year :)

Sounds

^ She & Him.

2009 music survey;

What song sums up 2009 for you?
Funny Little Frog - Belle & Sebastian.

What albums did you listen to over and over?
- 500 Days of Summer Sountrack
- Emotionalism by The Avett Brothers
- Alopecia and Elephant Eyelash by Why?
- The Hazards of Love - The Decemberists
- Memories and Dust & Feeding the Wolves by Josh Pyke.


^ Josh Pyke.

What was the best gig you went to?
I didn't see much this year, but I did have a ticket to see Tim Minchin, Ladyhawke and Why? gifted to me and they were all glorious.

What songs did you have on repeat?
- Rubber Traits by Why?
- Forget Her by Jeff Buckley
- The Doldrums by Josh Pyke
- Tightrope by Yeasayer
- The Ballad of Love and Hate by The Avett Brothers
- Oh No by Andrew Bird
- Wrapped In Piano Strings by Radical Face
- Growing With Love by George
- The Hollows by Why?
- Blood Bank by Bon Iver
- Glass by Bat For Lashes
- The Vowels Part 2 by Why?
- Boy With The Thorn In His Side by Jeff Buckley
- I Know It's Over by The Smiths


^ The Avett Brothers.

What was your best musical discovery this year?
Why? (again), The Avett Brothers, Josh Pyke, Fionn Regan, Grizzly Bear, Neko Case, Bat For Lashes, Andrew Bird, Belle & Sebastian, Bon Iver, Iron & Wine, many more.

What 5 musicians/bands did you listen to the most?
According to Last.fm, I listened to most (in this order): Why?, Josh Pyke, Morrissey, Death Cab For Cutie & Jeff Buckley.

What was the best CD you bought?
I rarely buy CDs, but C does so that counts right? He bought Veckatimest by Grizzly Bear and it was great.


^ Death Cab For Cutie.

Did you buy any music DVDs this year?
I don't think so.

What are the best lyrics you heard this year?
Absolutely everything by Why?. That guy is a lyrical maniac.

Did you stop liking any musicians/bands?
Less heavy stuff, more 'quiet is the new loud' stuff.


^ Kate Miller-Heidke.

Did you learn an instrument this year? If so, did you play any gigs?
I didn't play much, but I think I played two or three gigs.

What band did you hate this year?
Nickelback is always up the top of that list for me.

Did you have a musical guilty pleasure this year?
...Rah rah ah ah ah roma roma ma ga ga ooh la la.


^ Bat For Lashes.

What was the worst song of the year?
I didn't listen to mainstream radio or video shows so I was probably sheltered from the brunt of it. 'Party In The USA' by Miley Cyrus gets burnt on my brain and I can't get it out of my head, so I hate it for that.

What was the coolest music video you saw this year?
Totally out of my music taste, but the video for Bad Romance by Lady Gaga is pretty bizarre.

Did you watch Idol/the arias/grammys/mtv awards?
The Arias sucked. Idol is my guilty pleasure.


^ Neko Case.

What was the worst musical comeback of the past year?
I can't think of any. Oh wait, I heard Creed reformed this year, that sucks.

What was the best musical comeback of the year?
I can't think of any.

Who were your favourite female vocalists?
Neko Case, Katie Noonan, Natasha Khan (Bat For Lashes), Leslie Feist, Clare Bowditch, Zooey Deschanel (She & Him), Adele, Duffy, Kate Miller-Heidke.

Who were your favourite male vocalists?
Angus Stone, Yoni Wolf (Why?), Steven Morrissey, Josh Pyke, Jeff Buckley, Ben Gibbard (Death Cab For Cutie), The Avett Brothers, Glen Hansard, Colin Meloy (The Decemberists), Sam Beam (Iron & Wine), Erlend Øye and Eirik Glambek Bøe (Kings of Convenience).


^ The Decemberists.

What radio station did you listen to most?
None.

What was the biggest band you saw this year?
Eh, I didn't see anything really big. I saw Def Leppard this time last year though, ha.

If you have one, how often did you listen your iPod/mp3 player this year?
My mum gave me an iPod for my birthday, I don't use it much, I just used the stereo.

What was your favourite soundtrack to a film this year?
The 500 Days of Summer soundtrack has had a lot of plays for me this year.


^ Why?.

What was your favourite music themed film you saw this year?
I watched Boyzvoice last night actually, it was funny.

What was the best local band you heard/saw this year?
Mojo Juju and the Snake Oil Merchants never disappoint.

Did you meet any famous musicians?
Does Wes Carr count? Ha.


^ Kings of Convenience.

Did you put up any music posters around your room/house?
I picked up a sweet Why? poster the other day.

Totalled, how much do you think you spent on music this year (cds, merch, tickets, etc)?
Not much, I'd love to have more money for that kind of thing.

What type of music did you find yourself listening to most this year?
'Quiet is the new loud' kind of stuff, soft rock, some hip hop.

Best song to be happy to you listened to this year?
It's an oldie, but I love 'You Make My Dreams' by Hall and Oates. So feel good.

Best song to be sad to you listened to this year?
Lover Spit by Feist.


^ Iron & Wine.

Band/singer with the best style this year?
I still love Kate Miller-Heidke's style.

What shows are you looking forward to in the new year?
Lots that I can't afford.

Did you buy any band merchandise this year?
Nothing I can recall. I really wanted a Why? shirt but my bank account said no.

Did you pirate any music this year?
Indeed...


^ Feist.

Did you miss out on going to any really good concerts this year?
Probably a whole heap, but I'd rather pretend I don't know.

What was the last gig you went to?
Why? at the Annandale.

How many songs are on your computer/itunes?
A few thousand.

What are you listening to now?
Now, Now by St. Vincent.