A New Chapter

Hi guys. I've delayed writing this post until now as i wanted things to get to a certain stage before sharing it with you guys. Some things have been going on in the background since May that led to a slight change all round that's a bit difficult to pin point. But while it was all taking place, i knew that it was time for me to take a risk and try a different path than the one i'd planned for myself. I feel like i've changed in some way. I've always used by blog as a form of therapy for myself; i like to call it free therapy. And at some point in time, i always feel the need to change my therapist to suit the state i'm in.

I promised myself that if i passed my exams and became eligible for graduation, i'd start a new blog without deleting this one as i want it to serve as a reference point for me in the future. I'm glad to say that my graduation eligibility was confirmed today so i will be graduating on the 20th; i am excited and nervous at the same time because i know that i am entering another phase in my life and i'm not sure what to expect. But i know that i have to give it my full attention and commitment and see where that leads me.

Having said all that, i won't be blogging on this site anymore. But, i will be journal-ling on my new blog so feel free to follow if you're interested. I've had an amazing 3 years and i can't wait to see what the future holds. I hope you all have an amazing week. My new blog is:

A Daily Dose of Cashmere

I have an unexplained love affair with cashmere so i could not afford to let that out of my blog name :)

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Not A Fan of Long Holidays

This is usually the case when i have nothing to do. I thought i had planned out this 4 week break from uni to a T. But i haven't had a shift since the holiday started and i feel like my brain matter is slowly melting. I'm already tired of walking around town like a lost puppy, a few locals are slowly beginning to recognize my face when they see me on the road and i don't consider that as a good thing because it just means to me that i'm beyond bored!

I've been trying to go for a walk about on most days for an hour while i also hunt for another job just in case. But right now, i'm sick of doing either of those things. I just want something to do that's going to set me off on a great high that i can ride until the end of July when uni starts again. The fact that i'm looking forward to getting back to uni work makes people give me the side eye, but i don't care at the moment.

I really need to come up with things i can do away from my laptop that excites my brain. I hope you all have a lovely weekend.

My Thoughts on Stevia

I usually use low GI raw cane sugar when i need to add sugar into things like tea, custard and porridge. But recently, i've been contemplating switching from sugar to something with an even lower GI count. This is mainly because i have PCOS and Syndrome X so it's always better to consume things that wouldn't be making my insulin resistance worse. For those who know anything about Syndrome X, you'll know that insulin resistance makes it more difficult for you to shed any weight and that the carbohydrate you consume is mainly turned into fat. But if you follow a low GI eating plan, you're more likely to be less insulin resistant without the need of medication.

My doctor mentioned that Stevia doesn't have any GI value at all so it'll be a good substitute for sugar. With that in mind, i was quite excited when i went to Woolworths to purchase the stevia brand pictured above. My excitement was soon cut short when i tried it with tea. All i can say is that it had a really sharp taste that made my tea taste so bad i had to pour it down the sink.

Don't get me wrong, it did have the sweet taste of sugar but it was accompanied by a sharp bitter taste. I already feel like i've wasted my money purchasing this but i refuse to give up any hope. 

Does anyone know anything that's like stevia out there but doesn't have the same sharp bitter taste? I would hate to give up my search so quickly and return to sugar. I'm looking for something that has 0mg of carbohydrates and fat as recommended by the doctor, thanks.

Image   via Shopmania

Pale Skin: A Love Affair

For those of you who are unaware, i have a thing for seriously pale skinned girls. I think it might be because in my first year in England, i lived with a girl for a few weeks who was quite obsessed with fake tan. I never understood why people talked about girls looking orange until i met her. Due to that experience, i dislike the smell of fake tan and my love for pale skinned girls just grows stronger and stronger. 

For some reason, i love how Emily Browning almost looks ghostly in these pictures. But i have to say, i'm not quite sure of her outfit. I don't understand what that bag is doing there, even though she was at the LV show. I really like how her hair looks at that length on her facial structure. We do have a similar facial structure and my hair is only a few inches longer so i'm tempted to pull out the hair straighteners and give it a bit of a work out. But i've been working out often and i'm not sure that straightening my hair at the moment is a good idea because i'm just going to sweat it out; and my roots would end up puffing up.

Here she is with Marc Jacobs and her main squeeze Max Irons

Images via Just Jared

Simplicity

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"Simplicity provides a fine line between eloquence and plainness" - LL Cool J

I feel like Cameron Diaz's outfit brings this quote to life.

Blogger Is Being Difficult

I think Blogger might be suffering from some sort of emotional breakdown because i can't seem to post anything with pictures at the moment. This is a lesson to me that i should consider creating drafts on Blogger as a way to save my post ideas. Hope everyone is having a lovely Wednesday so far? I only have 1 hour and 9 minutes left of Wednesday :)

Learning Patience From Dogs

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I've been doing a lot of people watching lately from my kitchen counter top. You see, the benefits of living on the 3rd floor with lots of windows in the kitchen (which i had a hard time getting used to because you can see in from the road) is that you get to observe people daily while they go on about their business.

I've always noticed the people who walk their dogs for two reasons. The first being that i want a pet. I didn't really grow up with a pet; we did have an Alsatian puppy for a while but he sadly died. We only had him for a few weeks so i never really knew what it felt like to have a pet. Back home where i grew up, most people didn't have one; dogs are mainly used as protectors as opposed to pets. The second reason i noticed these people (which is the main reason for this post) is how their dogs always seem to be in charge of the walks; especially those without a leash on.

If you went walking with a kid, you can always tell the kid exactly where to go and frown when they vie off that chosen path. With dogs, it seems to be a completely different scenario. I'm sure you could train your dog to be obedient and all, but they always seem to follow their nose. And that's when i see the dog owners being really patient. No one's there yelling at the dog to stop sniffing and continue with their walk; instead they wait patiently until the dog is ready to move on.

There's this particular man who walks his dog pretty much everyday just early into the afternoon. I've noticed that his dog always stops to smell an area that has something that wasn't there before. Today in particular, his dog stopped for almost 3 minutes to sniff around the lamp post outside (yes, i was timing it). I sat there, whilst sipping my milk tea, how this tolerance for the dog's need to stop and smell would translate into patience in their daily lives. Maybe they end up being more patient with the people around them? Or rather become more tolerant of people's attitudes and needs that they mightn't understand?

Now, i've never walked a dog in my life so i have no idea what it's like. But i'm sure there are some pet owners reading this who might be able to chip in and say a few words.

Until next time, do have a lovely Monday

My Exams Are Over!!!

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I finished my final paper as an undergraduate student (hopefully!) on Friday evening and it feels like so much weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I can't even begin to imagine how much sleep i've clocked since Friday. All i can say is that i really needed it; my neck still feels a bit cranked from exams but it'll pass. I'm so glad i didn't have to work last week, with all the stress of exams, i don't know how i would have coped.

All i need to do now is sit tight and wait for my exam results to come out in July. But while i wait, i've decided i'm going to apply to some universities in England for a masters program. Aside from that, i'm hoping and praying that i'll be roster-ed into some shifts for this week and also be back to blogging more. 

I hope you're all having a lovely Sunday

Couture Arabesque: Fab Friday Finds: The Simply Luxurious Life!

Couture Arabesque: Fab Friday Finds: The Simply Luxurious Life!: "We are closing out this very long feeling week with Shannon from one of my favorite blogs, The Simply Luxurious Life . This blog is chalk f..."

Decadence for Divas: French Chic versus Inspirational Italians!

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Absent Blogger

I know it's been a while since i've posted anything. But a lot has been happening behind the scenes. I got a part-time job and i'm currently in the middle of completing my final exams. I honestly don't know how most people that work full-time juggle that along with studying and life in general. It's been quite hectic over here, but i haven't completely neglected the blog.

During my study break (and a few sleepless nights), i was able to come up with an idea that has been lingering on my mind for quite sometime. Without giving away too much, i've decided to go along with this idea and it'll come to fruition sometime at the end of July, i'm thinking the 24th of July. But i'll definitely give you guys a heads up before it happens.

Until then, hope you are all enjoying life as it is. To all the blogs i follow, don't worry, i've been reading every single post, just haven't gotten into commenting yet. 

Just Do It

For as long as i can remember, procrastination has always been my thing. I always seem to wait till the last minute before i start something. Even on the occasions i try to start early, i always feel crippled and incapable of completing the task if there's no pressure around the corner. I guess the fact that i've always done well under these pressures meant that i didn't put much effort into facing my procrastinating demons.

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But recently, things have changed, albeit at a slow pace. I'm getting much better at doing things earlier instead of waiting till the last minute for that pressure to set in and get me going. I usually start by writing a list of all the things that needs to get done and the deadlines i have for them. In regards to university assessments like reports, i draw up a plan/ draft of how i want to structure my work. With the basic footprint in hand, i simply dive straight in and get on with it.

Previously, i'd take a while to think it through and psycho-analyse it to see if it's possible or not. But i noticed that this habit led me to procrastinate even more. By going ahead without giving it too much thought, it makes me work through it. It was quite difficult at first and some days it still is, but then, i'm a work in progress

Generating Ideas...

...and moving on to implementation. As i type this, i'm on a 10 minute break from listening to an online stream of my International Business lecture. It's quite an interesting lecture as it's covered Plato, political economies, Thatcher-ism and Regan-economy in the last 60 minutes. But that's not what this post is about...

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My little brain has been churning some unexpected ideas over this semester and i took the opportunity to jot some of them down at the time. But as of last night, i read a few of them and it got me thinking of putting some of them into action. My problem at the moment is that my ideas are just all over the place. There doesn't seem to be some sort of pattern that i can work with. This means, i have to actively try and create that pattern for myself.

I seem to generate ideas unexpectedly which leaves me taking notes on my phone so i can jot them down when i get home. The beauty of listening to my lectures online is that i actually generate academic and non-academic ideas during the process, so it always helps that my laptop is right in front of me to take these notes. While listening to this lecture, i had an idea of something that i could do with my blog come next semester; i'm actually quite interested in it at the moment.

So, do stay tuned as i'll be sure to let you guys know if i choose to go through with some of my random ideas. But until then, they'll remain my baby secrets. Just out of curiosity, is there anything you'd like to see me blog more of?

Bored With My Current Meals

Has anyone ever gotten to that point where they're so bored with what they eat that you're no longer motivated to cook? Well, that's me right now. This picture totally explains how i feel

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I have no idea why i feel this way. I'm not aware if this has happened to me in the past or not. With this in mind, i really do need your help. Can anyone please recommend recipes to me that i can make for 2? And also some great snack ideas for me? Thanks in advance :)

Books, Books...

...and more books. This is pretty much what my week has been like. I took a break from job hunting to focus more on studying for my exams.

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I've got three exams this semester and my first one is on the 11th of June. For some reason, i feel like i have too much to cover and too little time to go about it. I don't know if it's because my flatmate is busy panicking about her exams, so through some form of psychological osmosis, it is affecting me. I've been spending some time at the library much to my surprise. I personally hate studying in the library, everything there just distracts me right from the people to the atmosphere. I generally feel more sleepy studying in the library than i do on my own bed; and when i'm not feeling sleepy, i'm watching people come and go.

But recently, i've convinced myself to study in the library by bribing myself with a nice cup of coffee. I used to be a caffeine addict so i decided to stop drinking coffee unless necessary. And in the situation of the library, i think it's necessary because it stops me from falling asleep. Or, am i just making silly excuses? Who knows? All i care about now is being well prepped for my exams next month.

I leave you all on a happy note, i got an offer to study a Masters in Strategic Human Resource Management at my uni :) Hope you all have a lovely weekend

Grad Outfit Ideas

This post is quite late; but here are the ideas i currently have for my graduation

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My mum has offered to make me this dress if she's able to make it to Australia for my graduation {this is just one of the few things i want her to make for me}. This is great cause the sleeves are long and we'll be in the middle of the Australian winter during graduation. I should note that in the 3 years i've lived here, i still don't own a winter jacket. I get by just fine with a blazer and a cardigan; the reason behind this might be the fact that i moved here from the UK.

 

These pictures are from Tumblr. I think i can recreate a similar look with my black blazer, twill trousers from ASOS and a white shirt OR i could wear a simple cream cotton blouse underneath OR a breton stripe cardigan. But since i'm a lazy dresser, i won't be shocked if i opt for a long sleeve tee :)

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This simple linen dress from ASOS comes in 4 colours so i'm spoilt for choice. At A$77.06, it seems like a very reasonable investment for my scanty wardrobe.

I'm Drowning...

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Drowning in my mind's eye

Drowning in my emotions and everything surrounding me

I'm trying so hard to swim but it feels like i'm going against the tide

Everything seems like such a hassle and demands so much energy

It's like everything's slowly been washed away

I want to run away

Far away from it all

Right to the end of the earth with only a book and my glasses for company

Where i can get away from it all and calm my mind and unravel my thoughts

Breathe in some fresh air...

I feel the need to spring clean my life and surroundings

A bid to starting afresh as a means of creating some much needed balance...

Adopt the mantra of less being more

But where's the time for that?

How do i carve out this much needed time when i already feel short of time?

While i try to figure it out, i have to face the reality of today...

...and the weeks ahead...

Textbooks, application forms, presentations and exams

Girl About Town

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One by One

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The bulbs in my apartment are dying off one at a time. As i type this, all the lights in the kitchen are out and i cook with the light on the hood. Last night unfortunately, the one in my room went off as well; i was living off just one as the other three went out. But now, its all dark except from the light coming from my laptop screen. I can't even imagine the amount of times i've called the real estate asking them to send someone over to fix all the lights. I would have fixed them myself, but unfortunately i can't. 

Whosoever designed the fixtures for the lights doesn't like me at all. I can see so much wiring from where i stand; and what the bulbs attach to is so tight and fixed in too deep that i can't reach it properly. A runny nose and several tries later, i've given up. So, i have to wait until Monday to make another call (and possibly go to their office if i'm feeling any better) to see if someone can come fix it ASAP

I'm lucky that i love turning off my room lights at night. The only problem now is i have to do all my studying in the living room, with the TV as a major distraction (not like there's anything fun on free TV). Maybe this will help me plan my time better and go to bed earlier

Sick Baby

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I feel like i haven't experienced this week at all and it's already Saturday afternoon here in Australia. I've been sick all week although i managed to sit my weekly tests on Monday and Tuesday. Since then, i've been home curled underneath my duvet with my heater next to me and my laptop for company. My birthday was on Thursday and i couldn't celebrate much or make myself anything special because i was too weak to cook. But then, that's the least of my worries because i plan on celebrating it sometime later.

I haven't had the chance to do any of my assessments because i've been ill. So, i have to apply for special consideration because i won't be able to hand any of them in by the due date. I have so much catching up to do. I really hate being sick and it feels like i've been in bed for years already.

I know i promised to post my graduation outfit ideas but i haven't gotten round to it yet. But hopefully i'll do that next week when i feel much better.

Hope you all have an amazing weekend :)