A tourist for a week in Melbourne City.

Last week my friend Nicole came from Singapore to visit me here in Melbourne! She was on her summer break and somehow managed to find tickets (return, inc taxes) to Mel at ~SGD470 (such a steal!!) and therefore decided to visit me! It was so tiring to be out for hours, it made me realise how much of an old soul I am physically. Nonetheless I enjoyed myself tremendously bringing her around and exploring parts of Melbourne I had always put behind on my to-do list :) It was so much fun taking the train and acting like a tourist with one of my bestest friends even though I was already two weeks into school! 

Nic was here for a week and I can safely say that we mostly spent our time indulging in food. Lots and lots of food... Too much food that I wasn't able to capture it all in my camera.

I only met up with Nic on her second day because she spent the first with another friend who also studies in Mel. Considering how we were both still children at heart, we decided to go to the Werribee Open Range Zoo on the second day! :D Ive always wanted to go there because I've heard such good reviews from friends who've visited the zoo before. Overall, I'd say the experience was different from others I've had due to the open range concept. It was so cool because at one point we were right next to the giraffes!! That was also the first time I'd seen a giraffe run and it was such a hilarious sight hahaha.

Wild Dogs. Not related to Hyenas at all.

Favourite animal of all time.

After that, we made our way to North Melbourne to have some hot chocolate from Mörk Chocolate Brew House. I've heard so many positive reviews about this store, but I've never actually tried it. I'd like to say right now that it was ABSOLUTELY DIVINE. The chocolate wasn't too thick or creamy, but was just about the right consistency and creaminess. I absolutely loved it, I drank a whole cup of it and didn't feel sick in the stomach as I would have if I had purchased a hot chocolate from San Churros. 

Sweet staff from Mörk Chocolate.

The next day, we headed out to South Melbourne to eat brunch at the most lovely Chez Dre. Chez Dre remains one of my most favourite brunch places of all time. Plus, they now have a separate store purely for desserts called Bibelot. Bibelot is situated just next door to Chez Dre and the amount of desserts they have there is simply amazing!!! It was such a feast for both the eyes and the palette. From cakes to macarons to ice cream, there's something inside there for everyone! You don't have to be a fan of desserts to enjoy something from Bibelot. 

Yummy desserts from Bibelot.

After brunch and dessert, we strolled about the South Melbourne Markets. If there's something an Asian like me loves about markets like these in places like Australia, it's that the products available are so fresh and natural! Plus, there's a certain energy that radiates from these places that I enjoy and love so much :)

After strolling around South Melbourne, we rushed over to the Queen Victoria Markets because Nic wanted to try the infamous Market Lane Coffee. I love coffee, but I can't declare myself a true lover of coffee because all I ever drink is Mocha and that's 90% chocolate so... :P Nic however is an ardent lover of caffeine and she loved the bitterness of the flat white that she purchased. I've tried Market Lane Coffee before but found it too bitter for my liking. I do think fans of coffee will enjoy what they have to serve in this store very much because the coffee they sell sure is strong!

Us in the onesies we purchased from Queen Victoria Markets.

If you're looking at purchasing souvenirs for friends and family back home whilst in Melbourne, I'd reckon you can get some fancy stuff from QVM! Apart from selling fresh fruits and vegetables, they sell crafts and clothes too! Nic and I purchased these onesies from one of the stalls there because they were rather cheap and of good quality. I've used it everyday since the purchase, I'd wear it outside everyday if I could get away with it. 

The following Wednesday saw us travelling out all the way to Dandenong for scones, waffles and some good ol' hot chocolate at Miss Marple's Tearooms! It was an absolute delight and worth the hour journey out to the suburbs. Quite possibly one of the best hot chocolates I'd ever had, the fluffiest scones whose texture and fluff was akin to sponge cake and belgian waffles that were super crunchy and complemented with the vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce. I'm drooling right now...

Whilst waiting for the bus to take us to Miss Marple's, we visited the Puffing Billy to take a few pictures :) 

Decadent scones and Belgian Waffles from Miss Marple's Tearooms.

Can you spot Miss Marple?

Such cozy interior makes a good and satisfying experience :)

I had school on Thursday, so I wasn't able to bring Nic around as much as I would have loved to. We did make time for some good ol' brunch at Krimper before my lessons began :) Once lessons ended and after we had our dinner, we made our way to Crown and walked along the Yarra River.

French Toast from Krimper :)

On Nic's final full day in Mel, we started the day by going for breakfast at The Breakfast Thieves. Nic treated us to breakfast that morning :') What have I done to deserve such friends in my life.

When friends are busy editing photos for Instagram, you take photos of the restaurant instead.

After breakfast Nic and I visited Hosier Lane before boarding our train to visit the Brighton Bath Houses. I was so disappointed with myself for not having realised that Hosier Lane and Union Lane are both not the same thing. I was also disappointed with how, in the two times that I've been to Mel as a tourist and in the three years I've been here as a student, have not once stepped into Hosier Lane.

Don't get why I was so disappointed? Here's why.

The graffiti and street art was so incredibly beautiful!!! I think graffiti, if done for the right reasons is such an amazing way to express yourself. It's not an easy skill to master and the ones that were present at Hosier Lane was definitely high in calibre and not done by any amateur. What's incredible is that the art changes frequently whenever another artist draws over the walls. The story never ends!!! So glad I finally finally realised where Hosier Lane really was.

Colourful bath houses.

The bathing houses were the last stop on our agenda before Nic headed off to Southwharf for some last minute shopping. I've always wanted to visit Brighton, but had always put it off because there was always "some other time". Despite it being winter and ridiculously cold that day, I wanted so badly to jump into the water and swim. It must be such a treat to be there during summer!

All in all, I enjoyed myself tremendously when my favourite boob was around and I'm missing her presence here so much. So glad she was able to make it despite it only being a week, and even more grateful I managed to do some touristy things in one of my favourite cities in the world with one of my bestest friends :)

Now, it's back to reality and back to work. No surprise that I've got lots of catching up to do :P

Till then,
xx

Photos for all (with the exception of the one at the Puffing Billy) were taken and edited by me.

What is this.

Image Source: Pinterest

I think I'm ready to just sit down tonight and share with you something that's been bothering my mind for quite a long time. I don't have any reason to write this post out, and by this time there's no emotion of hatred or emptiness or sadness. Rather, it's an emotion of numbness to what has been and picking up the pieces to move on from life without constantly going back to that same place, same time.

I've been wanting to write this out for the longest time, and yet for the longest time I felt I had no right too because it was not even a relationship to start with. We were not an item, we had only gone out twice and yes he bought me something once and I for him. There is no reason to be as upset, so what if it didn't work out? I deserve better, right?

Right.

I believe I must have been saved from something that may not have been right for me. I definitely know that God is saving me and only knows the best. And as far as I am concerned, I no longer go back to those times and wonder why it didn't work out or what went wrong.

Yet I get dreams in which he appears, and once in a while the time we spent together flashes back into my mind. What frustrates me is that these images keep on coming back to haunt me. And sometimes I wish it wouldn't. I guess I am sad because now I've lost a friend. I can't be myself around him anymore because hey, I've received news from people that I can be "over friendly" with the opposite sex. So what should I do? Just not be myself? I can't do that. I admit at times I may be over friendly but its definitely not to the point that I openly flirt with them. Trust me, flirting is definitely not my forte and in my lifespan has only been done a handful of times and even then only to guys I'm interested in. A stranger walks up to me and compliments me and I awkwardly smile and say thanks and walk away. It's not something I'm good at. If I'm openly friendly with you chances are I'm just comfortable being around you. Perhaps I don't know what the right limit is, I've asked people around me and everyone thinks its alright and nothing more than friendly. So what is wrong?

Why am I crying typing this out? I don't know why I'm feeling such thoughts at this time on this month, maybe four months after everything. Perhaps I'm in denial and the truth is that I'm still affected by what's happened. I'm so stupid, it was only two measly outings and meeting each other once a week for an event. That's it.

If I thought typing and sharing everything out would help me to solve my problem then I thought wrong.

Wonders of Tassie

Three weeks ago I had the opportunity to visit Tasmania for a short five day getaway with family. I was lucky enough that my examinations ended earlier than normal, and as a result was able to accommodate the trip into my schedule :)

With regards to popularity, I'm not too sure how much Tasmania fares on that spectrum. All I did know about the state was that it isn't quite the metropolis of a city if you're looking at having a vacation that revolves around that aspect. That said though, there were a few art galleries and museums that were worth visiting. However, we didn't have the time to visit these places as we were only there for a very short period and our main focus of the itinerary was to visit the Cradle Mountain.

Altogether, we spent the first two nights in Hobart before spending the next two up in the Cradle Mountains. The final night was spent in a hotel next to the Hobart airport before catching our early morning flight back home.

Hobart in itself was quite an interesting city. Not the type of city I would live in, but picturesque-wise it was definitely breathtaking. The city centre isn't as congested as the other cities around Australia, and there aren't a lot of high-rised buildings either. Given the hilly nature of the city, I doubt high-rised buildings would be safe. Mountains can be seen from almost every spot, and the number of stars that could be seen at night was just magnificent. It was beauty beyond compare and in this aspect, Hobart has lots to offer. My dad was the main driver throughout the trip (curses Aisyah, you should have your license by now!) and I think he was pretty taken aback by how steep some of the slopes were!

We stayed at a nice little two storey motel / apartment whilst we were there. It was located atop a hill and the view was just gorgeous at night as it overlooked the city and the Tasmanian Bridge. However, seeing as we were only there for two nights, we weren't given the unit with the better view. It wasn't too bad however, the place was really cosy and (rather big) for a pax of 4 people. I think I should mention now that my dad actually made bookings for five people as my aunt was originally supposed to join us on the trip but due to personal reasons backed out at the last minute.

We technically only had one full day to spend roaming around Hobart. We arrived Hobart at around 4 in the afternoon on the first day and as it was winter, the days end really early in this part of the world. The sun sets at around 4.45 and by then there's hardly anything to see at the time. So we made full use of our second day in the city by visiting Mount Wellington and roaming around the weekend markets (Salamanca Market).

The highlight of my short day trip in Hobart has to be the journey up to Mount Wellington. It is during times like these that I am grateful to be the passenger in the car because I get to enjoy the beauty of the scenery around me whilst my dad drives us up to safety. I'll let the pictures below do the talking :)

The view was simply breathtaking from the top of Mount Wellington. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who's visiting Hobart. It wasn't too far from the city, it took around 30 minutes to get there by car. I love places like these, it really reminds me of how vulnerable we humans are as compared to mother nature. Such beauty :)

The Salamanca markets was quite an experience too. Over in Melbourne it reminded me a lot of the South Melbourne markets, except that the vibe was a lot more relaxing somehow given the live bands and the number of people that were chilling by the grass. That, or maybe it was the overall feel a person gets when she's on a holiday :P It was nice to walk around and view the crafts and food that were available, it was a nice end to the day :)

The next morning saw us leave bright and early at 8.30 to head over to Cradle Mountain. This without a doubt was the highlight for my dad. I'm pretty sure he travelled all the way to Tasmania to visit the Cradle Mountains. 

The journey to the mountains wasn't exactly the smoothest one. Weather wise, it was cloudy and gloomy that day (and for the rest of the time we were there) and the mist was really thick as well. That, coupled with the long windy road and five hour drive took a toll not only on the driver but on the passengers too. I was the navigator for the trip, so my responsibility was to make sure my dad was alert the whole time. This also meant that I had to stay awake the whole trip too. 

The mist that we saw for three straight hours.

We arrived Cradle Mountain at close to three in the evening. Sadly, the weather up in the mountains wasn't the most welcoming. It was raining the moment we arrived and pretty much stayed the same way for the next few days we were there. I find that this isn't so weird in Australia where the weather tends to get wet when they're in the midst of changing seasons. There is also no scientific fact or proof behind my previous sentence so don't quote me please :P

We stayed at one of the lodging places there. Besides the tourist information centre, Cradle Mountain hosts several different lodging sites. The place we stayed at was really cosy, and we particularly liked it because of the indoor heating that was provided. Though I'm pretty sure all the accommodation sites had indoor heating given the location. But really, we were very satisfied with our place. 

Seeing as how it's a nature park, getting along the cradle mountain was fairly easy. Should you wish not to drive up to the starting points of each hiking route, the only journey you need to make is to the information centre (there is only one there). A shuttle service is provided for anyone who wishes to get along the mountain, and all you need to do is purchase a ticket for the shuttle and you can bring yourself around the area the entire day. There are several different passes that are available depending on how long you're going to be there, but we purchased the day pass as we were only going to be tackling a 2hr hike. 

We took the Dove Circuit, and I was really bummed out that the weather was not in our favour because it voided us from what would have been a beautiful view. Needless to say, I was just very grateful then to have been safe and sound where I was and tried not to complain too much. Besides, it was still very romantic in its own way despite the wetness of it all. 

In the evening we visited a conservation centre that housed the MVP of the wildlife in Tasmania - the Tasmanian Devil. Now I'd seen a tasmanian devil before - not personally but in pictures - but I'd never heard the sound the animal made. We took a shuttle to the centre (the shuttle picked us up straight from the reception of our accommodation). Our driver warned us to not be alarmed upon hearing the cry of the animal, a warning I took almost too lightly.

I don't have any photos from that night as it was freezing cold and we were out in the open to view the animals. What I can say is that the photos wouldn't have done any justice to the sounds that I heard that night. The Tasmanian Devil without a doubt was given the name "devil" because of the way it sounds. I wish I could describe it aptly, but the closest I can get is to ask you to imagine every possible sound you'd ever heard an animal make and mix all that up together.

One thing I enjoyed the most about being up at the Cradle Mountains was the amount of wildlife I got to see right up close. There were pademelons, wallabies and wombats everywhere. In fact, we saw a few paddy's right in front of our deck.

As opposed to the mainland, majority of the wildlife in Tasmania have a high survival rate as dingos (the main predator) isn't found there. In fact, we saw several more whilst we were hiking along the Dove Circuit. Our driver also brought us along for a little sightseeing session after our conservation trip. All we needed was a spotlight really, most of the animals were out hunting at night and it wasn't too difficult to run across one. That said, the speed limit up in the mountains was set to about 40km/h for most of the areas. Mainly for the safety of the drivers but also due to the animals that cross the roads on occasion. May I add that the pace in which a wombat waddles across is really really slow?? It's so ridiculous... ly adorable!!!! :P Imagine a stubby square lump waddling across the fields hahaha how cute?!

We left early the next day to make our 5hr journey back to Hobart. We stayed at the airport hotel as our flight was at 5.30 in the morning the next day. We arrived Hobart in the evening, had dinner and then slept before waking up and leaving at 4.30am for the airport.

Overall, I'd definitely want to visit Tasmania again. I'd love to go to the Cradle Mountains once more in a better season and hike up their other tracks. There is so much to do up at the mountains if you're an enthusiast about nature, hiking and camping. It's also really friendly for families with children as they have several trails that cater to people of all athletic levels. I'd also love to explore Hobart a lil more and travel to Launceston because I've heard that city has lots to offer too. All in all, Australia's just a beautiful country that has lots to offer :)

Looking very much forward to my next holiday in the future. I enjoy all sorts of holidays, but it's always a different sort of relaxation that comes with a holiday that exposes you to the beauty and wonder of mother nature. Just me, the sky and the trees.

I hope this lengthy post makes up for my month long absence, I've missed this space very much.

Till then,
xx.

Photos taken and edited by me.

I believe everything is okay.

Image Credits: Pinterest

Moments like these, you remember that you are but a small tiny human living in the world of your Creator. Very often, I tend to forget how small and insignificant I am until something big happens. But just how many times do big unfortunate events have to take place before I finally learn?

May the victims and families of the #sabahquake find peace and comfort in the days to come. That is all I would like to say about said string of events.

It has been hard to concentrate on my work, but I am grateful for friends who have been helping me along the process. If there is one thing I've come to realise, its that I have learnt to accept that this is what life is. To not complain that it has happened to me, but to realise that it is beyond my grasp and control and that I eventually have to submit to Him.

Which then brings me to my next point. I am who I am because of what I believe in and the values that make me. To give credit to my parents and family who've so tirelessly raised me definitely holds true, but I think it cannot be denied that the underlying factor that makes my entire family what we are are the values behind the beauty of the religion we believe in. Needless to say, we try to be better people of faith and it should also be remembered that what one person of faith does is not representative of the entire religion.

I guess I brought this last point up because if you left because of the commitments that were involved, then I don't think I've made a loss. It still hurts, but I will get through it as time passes. Never again will I feel sad for being who I am, that's just not right. But if you do change your mind...

...what am I hoping for? I don't even know if that's the reason why in the first place. I guess attraction dies faster than I thought.

xx

Shinee - An Encore

So, it's officially the first Saturday since school ended. It's the annual week of leave for students to study at home before the examinations begin. I'd like to commemorate a post to what this semester has been and meant for me but I feel like I should be investing that time towards studying instead :P #procastinationatbest

Anyway, I felt like sharing a lil song that's been on replay for the past two days. I'm not sure how much people like K-pop, but as I always say, don't judge Kpop based on the plastic surgery, pretty boys and editing that goes into post-production. Also, Kpop isn't just Psy and Gangnam Style. 

I love listening to foreign songs when I study because I find it to be less distracting considering how I don't understand the language. It calms me down, and this song in particular has had very therapeutic effects on my soul. In what I thought was a period of stress and worry, this song has helped me calm down and think a lot more rationally. Basically my point is this: 

This song is amazing and everyone should listen to it. 

Needless to say it's sung by the very first Kpop group I fell in love with and grew up with. I can't believe it's been 7 years since I ventured into this world of Kpop. I don't regret it. It's brought me a lot of happiness over the years and I'm glad to see the artists that I support grow in the process too. 

I'm so in love with this particular performance too because Shinee was flawless. Such a beautiful song with beautiful voices and people. Much love :) 

Ah, I better get back to my statistics now. Till then, I'll see you guys real soon :) 

xx

Settling for less.

Image Credits: Pinterest

Whilst we very often think that true love / love finds its way into the lives of people, the harsh truth is that there are some people who don't get the opportunity to have such experiences with a significant other.

The love I'm referring to here does not include familial or friendship love, rather I'm speaking of a romantic love, the type of love two people feel strongly about each other for.

When a person remains single for too long, he eventually starts questioning if the problem lies with him. Could he possibly be so unattractive to the point that there isn't one trait about him that's likeable for someone else? Basically, your attitude is shaped accordingly and I personally think that it creates higher and harder walls that are more difficult to break down if someone does eventually come along. And yes, I use if because I know that my hopes won't be too high if I were in that position...

But that's not the point of this post. Rather, I've begun wondering what "settling for less" means. When someone who hasn't had the chance to experience such love before finds someone who shows interest, do they simply settle for that person? So yeah, he likes me and I like him too. But are you settling for him because he likes you or because he genuinely is good to you? Just because someone likes you doesn't necessarily equate to them being good to you :/

This idea and concept was clear to me as a teenager. Stupidly enough, whatever I saw on the television / read in books was what set the bar as enough for me. Along the way, friends started falling in love and judging from their experiences, the books and shows seemed pretty accurate.

However, at an older and (hopefully) matured age I slowly am beginning to question my definition of the phrase. You see, the chase would most definitely be different according to the age group you fall in. Should a forty year old pursue a woman the same way a sixteen year old does, chances are he'd be viewed as a creep / immature man. Or as they say, he's thirsty for something. You're expected to be more matured and adult in dealing with relationships as you get older. I don't think this is a problem, it's just something that comes with age.

That said, I've come to realise that I don't know what the bar is any longer. It also made me wonder why you can't just like someone and enjoy your time with them simply because you actually like them. I mean, if it is clear that he isn't interested in you that way after you've shown him signs then obviously you're only hurting yourself by spending so much time with him. But if there is that slight chance, does it matter if he isn't fulfilling the things you've seen in the television / read in books?

Then there's the social construct of how girls shouldn't chase after the guy and invest more in the relationship during the early stages because chances are thats how its going to be for the rest of their lives. Well, lets just say I've known friends who started their relationship that way, but five years down the road the tables have turned. The boyfriends I once wished my friends saw were bad for them are now so committed and invested into the relationship. That's why I think it doesn't matter who confesses first, #girlpower.

I guess at the end of the day, I know that my definition of less would refer to him treating me with no respect. If he sees me as an object rather than a person with feelings and emotion, then I'd only be embarrassed to have seen something in him in the first place. With regards to romantic gestures and the like, I've long since lowered my expectations.

Follow your heart, but also remember that everyone expresses their emotions differently. But if at some point in time you feel like you're really settling for less, then don't ever be too afraid to end things because you're worth so much more than that.

I wish I could explain things better. What kind of blogger am I?
xx.

When is it time to grow up?

Image source: Pinterest

I don't think I've ever been a rebellious kid my entire life growing up. Rather, if my parents were to ever tell someone I was rebellious, I know for a fact I'd strongly rebel against them for making that statement. I'm not the most well-behaved, but as far as being rebellious, the most I've come close to is maybe just coming back half an hour later than the time I promised.

Yep, #thuglife.

For someone who's centred her parents blessings around her life, I guess you could say I'm the sort of person who'd tell my parents things that I'm up to (for the most part, you can't possibly update them on everything) and ask them for their permission before doing certain things. Firstly, they are the ones supporting me financially and I only feel it right to ask them for permission regarding doing certain things that involves spending. Secondly, because I truly believe in a parents' blessings and I know that if I were to do anything naughty without their knowledge nothing good is going to come out from it.

Lately though I've come to realise that I don't feel the need to tell them or ask them as much as I used to. For instance, there are things that I am ashamed to say I have done recently (nothing major) that I know they would not have approved of. Furthermore, there are some things I have been doing independently and decisions that I am considering to make (life changing ones) which I have not yet discussed with them.

I blame the long distance for the poor communication between my parents and I, but I guess the truth is that I want to make these decisions for myself. I know I am going to make mistakes along the way, and sometimes it may cause a lot of harm and damage but isn't that a necessary stage and process of growing up? Perhaps it's Asian parenting, we kids grow up listening to our elders and doing things to make them happy. I don't discourage or dislike this practise, and in fact am hoping to someday raise my children with this mindset. Yet at the same time, I feel like it is time for me to make some decisions by myself without constantly worrying about not having told my parents or asking them for their permission.

When is it the right time to do things by yourself?

Perhaps I have been too sheltered (I disagree on this point personally though), but the truth is that I think I am too afraid to venture into the vast unknown by myself. Thus, by making it seem that my parents prevent me from taking on certain opportunities, I give myself a valid excuse to stop myself from giving something a go.

As my mum always said, if I wanted something, my mind would have already been made up and I would fight my way for it no matter what. If I didn't want it badly, no matter what anyone said - parents included - I wouldn't pursue it if something came in my way. I suppose this statement rings true for a lot of people, but if this is the case for me then I must have not wanted a lot of things...

Alas, I am 22 now. It's time to grow up buddy, time to face the real world. Gotta take it one step at a time. I guess I won't stop from ever telling my parents my decisions as well as ask them for their blessing and permission on certain things. But if there's one thing I really need to work on, it's making a concrete plan to present to them to have them see that I know what it is I'm talking about in the first place.

The last paragraph just brought my attention to the underlying problem behind this entire post. Good job Aisyah.

Anyone in a similar predicament?

xx

Quarterly Review

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It's madness that a quarter of the year has flown by just like that. And as always, I sit back in my chair and reflect on the things that I have / have not done and accomplished thus far.

There's a weird feeling and emotion that's attached to me. Since turning 18, I find myself unable to move forward as the years go by. I don't mean that I'm unable to put the past behind and face the truth of what life is (perhaps to a certain extent, I am very wary of the future and may explain my unwillingness to face reality), but it's inclined rather towards my inability to see myself at any other age but that. 18. E-I-G-H-T-E-E-N.

Mentally, I know I'm far beyond that. Well, at least I'd like to think so. Yet at the same time I can't seem to step out of this mental understanding and bubble that I am no longer a teen but I am already in my twenties. In three years I'll be celebrating my 25th birthday and heaven forbid where I'd be at that point in time. Most probably would still be feeling stranded and helpless as always. I only pray and hope I'd be more grounded by then.

So, a review of what the past four months have been like for me. I think it's important to reflect on what I've accomplished and done for improvements. I don't know if I speak for most people out there, but I know I'm a lot more productive with my life if I set goals and targets for myself. And as always, these goals need to be checked up on every once in a while. So, let's get started.

1) Health - Physical
I'm definitely putting this first because this is one aspect of my life that I've been consistent with for the past few months. I'm usually inconsistent with my exercise regiment, often I'd be active for one or two months and then I'll have a long period of inactivity before pursuing it again. I've made some changes to my fitness regiment, and I have a post about it coming up real soon, so stay tuned for that! :) Basically, I've been exercising at least three times a week plus eating a lot healthier than before. So kudos to me!! And I'm glad because I can see the difference in my emotional state as well as physical state, and it makes me feel so powerful inside out. I now lust after workout gear and sports shoes more than I do for other types of clothing products...

2) Health - Spiritual
I have to include this in because this past year has seen a huge improvement in terms of my spiritual health and mental well-being. Where I used to slack off, I'm so proud of how much I've improved. At times it comes back, but I remind myself of why I'm blessed to be where and who I am right now, and that I'll always return to Him at the end of the day. Enough about this, I just felt I needed to write it in to remind myself that this has played a significant role altogether in my life this year :)

3) Health - Mental
Tying up to the previous point, I find myself a lot more at ease with the things that are beyond my control. Jealousy, hatred and anger have been replaced with understanding, love and patience. I won't deny that these emotions creep up on me at times, but I can honestly state that the number of times it's happened can be counted with my fingertips. It's ironic that the one thing that's assisted greatly with this issue is social media considering this blog I'm attempting to run :P

Many great things have happened to me over the past four months. I've been blessed with new experiences, things that I never in my wildest dreams thought would happen to me. I've learnt to open up my heart to love more, to understand people better and to accept them for who they are. To truly invest time in those who are important to me and to remain respectful and friendly to those who aren't. Let's face it, you can't possibly love every single person in the entire world, but there is so much more you can invest in emotionally than hate towards another person.

Academically, I've been coping well. I've also strengthened and made many new friends the past four months :) I've said this time and again, but when people leave, new ones enter. And I'm going to emphasise once more, those who I categorise as having "left" are still there in spirit, they're just no longer physically with me here down under.

There are many more things to look forward to in the coming months. I've a new source of income and I'm hoping that this would only provide more opportunities to buy new stuff to share with reviews with you!! I kid you not when I state that I've hardly spent any money on make-up or clothes (proud of myself!!!) this year so far. I am however itching to buy some new lipsticks since winter is a-coming and I'm dying to use some really dark colours.

With that, I suppose the past four months haven't been so bad :) I still haven't accomplished my wanting to learn a second language fluently yet. Neither have I fully accomplished my want to stop walking so fast. I forgot about it the past month and subconsciously went back to my bad ways. I'm glad I went back to that post because now I am going to take more effort into reminding myself!!

It's 11.11pm, Sunday the 10th of May right now as I type this sentence. They say to make a wish when it's 11.11.

***

I've made my wish :) Silly of me, I know.

I really do love blogging so much, it's such a form of catharsis. A few nights ago I was feeling lost and troubled, and tonight I feel like I've let it all out through this post.

Now that I've sorted out my thoughts, it's time to put the plans and targets out on a piece of paper. Did you know that writing out your goals on a piece of paper makes it a mission for you? Once the ink has dried on the piece of paper it's confirmation that you've set these goals out for yourself and hence should complete them. Just something I learnt :)

Till then, much loves and I'll see you real soon! :)
xx.

Confused and stranded.

Image Credits: Pinterest

One of the greatest ironies of life is when you like to help others but fail in doing so to yourself.

How fast do feelings come and go? You spend years of your life trying to get rid of your low self-esteem. You start saying good positive things, you spread these thoughts throughout the entire course of your body. And then finally, after years of positive reinforcement, you finally trained yourself to start seeing and thinking good thoughts. Just when you think you've reached what's the highest point in your life, something good comes your way. You are beyond excited, exhilarated even at the thought of what could be. Things feel good, you feel it in your bones. Your intuition is never wrong, so why worry about it when you know everything will be alright?

Then just as you think it couldn't get any better, it starts to fade. You're confused, you've never experienced such a thing before, never had any experience yourself to give you advice on the next course of action. Friends? Who do you turn to? Asking someone for help is as good as giving it a reason to be a problem. It's the last thing you want to be a problem.

You spend the next few days trying to stop thinking about things. Your intuition tells you by now that you should give up, that there is no point. You smile to hide the pain, you cry inside but you refuse to give in. You distract yourself, you question and ponder. You avoid any weird articles from thoughtcatalog. You don't want to admit that it is a problem, that it affects you more than you want to believe so.

Maybe you're not smart enough. You question if there's something wrong with you. Maybe you come across as a bimbo. Or maybe you come across as too aggressive. You could also just be an annoying whiny person who is too high maintenance. You question and question and just when you think you have it all, you slowly find yourself falling back to the motions of the past that you so long worked to eradicate.

But today, today I tell myself that I can't help what happens in life. I can't choose to make the decisions made by others, neither can I choose to make the decisions people feel. I'm frustrated because I can't give myself any advice and I don't know if I deserve to ask others for help for the simple reason that I myself am unsure if there was ever a problem to begin with. Maybe it's not a problem, but even if I were to ask someone for advice, how would I phrase it?

Perhaps I look into things a little too much. I fall easily, and for that reason I keep my walls up very high. I knew I wasn't going to repeat the same mistake I did before. Getting hurt may make you seem like the bigger person, but the truth is no one wants to go through the emotional pain it brings. Fret not, for I don't think I am at that stage of fatality emotionally.

Only time will tell, and time alone will heal. I'm not going to stop being the person I am, and despite what comes my way I truly believe that I did what I could. This post most probably - and definitely - does not fully encapsulate the emotions and thoughts that are currently clouding my head.

I'm confused, and I only wish I could understand things a little better.
xx.

The Script - No Sound Without Silence Tour

Last Wednesday, my friends and I had the amazing opportunity to watch The Script live at the Rod Laver Arena. I didn't have any expectations for the concert, but I knew beforehand that the band was well-known for throwing ridiculously good ones.

T-5 days to the concert, I found myself furiously memorising every single song that was in their line-up. I didn't want to miss out on a single lyric, not after my experience at the Ed Sheeran concert a month earlier.

Pre concert, looking highly excited!!

We didn't purchase General Admission tickets seeing as we were old women, but I have to say I regret not doing so. My feet were thankful, but I think The Script is worth a GA ticket for the next round.

The concert was amazing. I enjoyed every single second of it. I was on a sugar high the entire night but blood was coursing through my veins throughout. The songs were perfectly performed, plus the Script and all their Irish beauty were 'blerdy entertainin' the entire two hours!! The best part yet was when Danny performed a song for an ex-boyfriend from one member of the audience. The guy hung up towards the end but Danny called back and called him an asshole for putting it down. It was great!! If I were on the other end, I'd just be enjoying the free song to be honest.

It's been close to a week but I'm still suffering from post-concert withdrawals. I've been replaying the entire line-up over and over again. The Script is definitely a band you should watch live. I value bands that are able to engage the entire crowd as well as they did. Plus their songs are amazing, what else is there to that??

We had a bloomin' good time The Script!!!!!! Please come back soon, I'll definitely go for your concert again.

Photo credits: Myself and Megan Lim (general admission).

xx.