Get To Know Me Tag

1. Do you have a middle name?
Yes; it’s Anne!

2. What was your favorite subject in school?
German and French

3. What’s your favorite drink?
Green tea or water

4. What’s your favorite song at the moment?
Sparks by Reuben Hudson *-*

5. What would you name your children?
I’m not really sure. I love the names Audrey and Josephine

6. Do you participate in any sports?
I like running and dancing?

7. What’s your favorite book?
Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami

8. What’s your favorite colour?
Green

9. What’s your favorite animal?
Owls!

10. What’s your favorite perfume?
Petrichor

11. What’s your favorite holiday?
I’d say Christmas

12. Have you graduated from High School?
Yes, last November

13. Have you been out of the country?
Yes, I’ve been to the Torres Strait Islands and Germany, but I need to travel more!

14. Do you speak any other languages?
Yep; German and French

15. Do you have any siblings?
One younger sister who’s 10

16. What’s your favorite store?
Ummm Kinokuniya?

17. What’s your favorite restaurant?
Somewhere I can get nice vegan stir-fries and pad thai

 
18. Do you like school? 
I did like it, but in terms of the learning content, I prefer uni.

19. Who are some of your favorite YouTubers?
Carrie Hope Fletcher, Zoella, and Hannah Hart

20. What’s your favorite movie? 
Maybe something by Wes Anderson

21. What are some of your favorite TV (or web) shows?
Parks and Recreation, Carmilla, Nothing Much To Do, Pushing Daisies, and Bee and Puppycat

22. PC or Mac?
PC

23. What phone do you have?
No idea it’s some Nokia. I’ve never really been interested in spending heaps on something newer.

24. How tall are you?
163cm (about 5’3-4)

25. Any pets? 
A cat named Lily, lots of nameless fish and snails, and two guinea pigs named Sarah and Josie

Summer Bucket List ’14

What time is it??? (SUMMERTIME!)

Hello any lovely people who still check up on this! How have you all been? If you can’t guess by my excitement, I finished my last exam yesterday, which means that my summer break can finally begin!!!

I felt pretty alright with all my exams and know that I at least passed everything, so I have nothing to worry about and December 15 (when we get the results) isn’t some big looming date.

So far I’ve vacuumed the house and cleaned the mirrors, and am currently reading The Wind-up Bird Chronicle, drinking lots of water and making friendship bracelets. Maybe in the next few days, when I’ve come up with some more ideas, I’ll do a big summer bucket list post.

Oh and I forgot to mention; I’m brainstorming a super secret project with one of my best friends. Won’t that be interesting… :p

Wherever you are, I hope you’re all having a fantastic day or night!

Slow down. Breathe.

All my assignments are finished and marked. I have six days until my first, of three, exams. I think it’s time for a breather.

• The warmer weather has made for more difficult times with going for walks, but it’s still been nice to go at around 3pm; it’s a lovely time for meeting cute children and petting dogs.
• I have been drawing lots and I think (????) it’s getting a lot better.
• There’s been a little bit of study, but everything else is better to do.
• Watching lots of old favourite movies! I watched Beetlejuice with the family last night and little Winona Ryder is just so cute.
• I’m rereading Jessica Watson’s True Spirit and oh my, that girl is just incredible. I wonder what she’s doing now.

I’m really surprised with how quickly, and well, this year has gone.

A Shift In Routine

I feel like I’m fitting into the “arts and social sciences” stereotype quite well. I’m falling in love with learning how people develop, and am relaxing with lots of tea (and water) drinking, yummy food eating, and little arty projects. I feel like I’m more experimenting with different styles than improving one thing right now. It’s still very enjoyable.

Dirty Girls

I watched this fascinating documentary last night about a group of 13-year-old Riot Grrls of 1996. From an aesthetic point of view, I loved the amateur shots and 90s grunge looks. Having left high school, I also found the people who were different being targeted with the strangest rumours being rather amusing, as it definitely hasn’t changed.

An “outsiders” look on feminism definitely hasn’t changed either. When confronted with the ‘zine, all but a few found it pointless, as why would you bother making a stand about this when life is so grand. I was absolutely horrified at the reactions to the “Rights” piece, as I connected with it so strongly, only to have these girls I don’t even know make fun of it and consider it an overreaction.

I found it to be a reminder that you will always have to rebel and be loud to make a change. You can’t just be like “Oh, women got the vote so there’s nothing else we need to do.” You need to keep pushing for change and make it happen. Always fight for what you believe in.

Yummy Yum Pizza!!!

With pizza, you usually think cheese and tomato paste, however, I had left over refried beans and didn’t want to use either. So here is a delicious pizza with a twist!

Ingredients

• Lebanese round flat bread
• Cherry tomatoes
• Chopped lettuce
• Diced onion
• A few tbsp refried beans
• Diced capsicum
• Spray olive oil

Method

• Spray oil on bread
• Spread on refried beans
• Add some diced onion
• Heat in oven at 180C for approx. 15 minutes
• Take out and add lettuce, chopped cherry tomatoes and capsicum
• Serve with lemon juice

Aligning my actions with my morals

In early April, I watched half of the documentary Earthlings. It was in the evening, and after hearing people on Tumblr talk about it, I felt like I had nothing better to do, and just went for it. I always had a vague understanding of the industry, but it wasn’t until that moment when I saw and felt the pain and suffering of all those animals. There was, initially, anger as to how we’re not told this information and how could people do that as a job, but then it became shock. I was consuming those products, and paying the industry for slaughter. How could I? I have mixed feelings about my following actions, which was to become vegetarian the following day. It only lasted a week or so, but that immediate change made me feel really lethargic and I got lots of headaches. Now, after 3 months, I have been coping well, if not thriving, both physically, and emotionally.

However, there has been a constant guilt. Meat is not the only product of harm; all animal products have a very negative impact. This year I’ve learnt about the sexual assault, diseases and emotional trauma of dairy cows and the “disposing” of male chicks in the egg industry. I have also discovered about the environmental impact of consuming animal products. Feeding one omnivore requires over 50 times more farmland than a vegan; the world has even been so desperate to allow more land that they’re clearing the Amazon Rainforest. Yes! The AMAZON RAINFOREST.

I haven’t fully transitioned yet (I’m still a vegetarian), but I’ve decided to make a bit of a masterlist with support and information for people who want to make such a positive change in their lives.

Recipes

• http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/vegan-recipes-ideas-for-the-perfect-picnic/
• http://www.buzzfeed.com/expresident/easy-vegan-recipes#2buxyn0
• http://theveganstoner.blogspot.com.au/
• http://www.thekitchn.com/recipes/vegan
• http://www.theppk.com/?s=vegan
• http://nourishandevolve.com/
• http://www.superfoodsiobhan.com/

Facts and Statistics

• http://saveourbones.com/osteoporosis-milk-myth/
• http://www.rense.com/general26/milk.htm
• http://www.news-medical.net/news/2005/09/12/13120.aspx
• http://www.prevention.com/food/healthy-eating-tips/10-reasons-stop-eating-red-meat?s=1
• http://veganfaq.blogspot.com.au/2008/02/problem-with-honey.html
• http://sustainabletable.org.au/Hungryforinfo/Factory-farming/tabid/106/Default.aspx

Videos and Literature

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDdlDYWG7no&oref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DoDdlDYWG7no&has_verified=1
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19qSsUI79Ro
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=friwGYNRKBc
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=es6U00LMmC4&feature=youtu.be&t=1m45s
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4HJcq8qHAY
• http://rawfoodsos.com/category/china-study/
• http://worldpeacediet.org/download2.htm

I hope this has helped people!!

Easy Peasy Snackorini – NanaNut Sandwiches

I just came back from a nice long walk and really felt like a snack. All we really had in the pantry were chips and I felt like something that would give me more longer lasting energy, considering how tired I was. I realised I felt like banana and peanut butter, but didn’t want another sandwich. Therefore… the NanaNut Sandwich was born! As you can tell, it’s nut butter between two slices of banana and is super duper easy and fun to make. I definitely recommend for everyone (without nut allergies of course)!

Things I’ve Learnt From My Parents (And Other Influential Adults)

• Alcohol isn’t something to rely on. It’s fun to occasionally get tipsy/a bit drunk, but regular drinking can affect relationships and make a big hole in your wallet.
• Be physically affectionate. When you’re really close to someone, you can tell they love and care about you, but it just feels tense if there aren’t hugs and the like.
• Fuck traditions. Listen to the younger generations. They’re not stuck in routine and far more willing to learn more, especially if it goes against the norm. You obviously don’t have to take everything they say to heart, but contemplate and research it.
• Form your own beliefs and stand by them.
• Look after your mind, body and soul. You’re not a fitness nut for valuing exercise. The energy from a healthy lifestyle feels amazing.
• Make new friends and stay in contact with old ones you still value. Friends never go out of style.
• As long as it’s what you want, do whatever to your body. It’s yours and you should be happy with it.
• Talk to people. Be it calls, internet, doesn’t matter. Keep in touch with friends and family on Facebook, greet strangers on the street, just connect with people.
• What is offered on the internet doesn’t stop the need to travel. The world is huge; explore every bit of it.
• Stay true to who you are, but also accept that time moves on and things change.
• Continue to enjoy the things associated with kids. You’ll find they’re wiser than you think.
• Educate and be honest with your children. Tell the truth about how babies are made, explain that body hair and pimples and all that are completely normal and even that sex is more than baby-making and is pleasurable when done right.
• Teach them to be assertive and to say no when needed. Don’t let them think that they have to do things just to make a person happen.
• Don’t use schoolyard bullying as an excuse for fancying someone. If you’re into a person, be nice; don’t pull their hair and stab them with pencils.
• Rather than going for the easier option, always consider that no one is the same. Punishing a boy for wearing a dress may discourage him from being himself (or even her/themselves), emphasising that little girls should dream of finding their handsome prince charming not only forces them to believe that they are nothing without a man, but may also label a girl interested in other girls as a freak.
• Laugh. Loudly. Laugh huge crazy guffaws. You’re happy; show it.
• Don’t sexualise everything. Girls are not “sluts” for wearing shorts and singlet tops. Rather than bitching about your sisters, try being nice. Or at least don’t say anything mean.
• Keep reading. Time goes a bit crazy sometimes, but always make time for books.
• Go on adventures. Big, like trying a new sport or travelling, and small, such as eating new food or changing your walking route.
• Continue to love yourself. You’re a majestic human and deserve to treat yourself with as much kindness as possible.