Went to Listen Out on the weekend. Main acts (or the ones which mattered to me) included Rufus, Disclosure, Duke Dumont, TNGHT, Classixx, Miguel Campbell and many more. Azealia Banks walked of stage with a “f**k this” within a minute of getting on stage, because someone threw a water bottle at her. Apparently, the same thing happened in Sydney. So, unfortunately one bad apple spoiled it for the rest. In saying this, Listen Out as a whole was amazing. My ticket was around $100 from memory (very affordable), drinks were cheaper then most clubs, it began later in the afternoon (could have a sleep in), was located at the Botanical Gardens a mere 15 minute train ride away and the small set up made it easy to get around and find friends. All round it was a GREAT day. 

I hang my clothing. Folding is a timely process and it always looks messy. More importantly folded clothing, is hidden clothing to me. Unless I can see it, it doesn’t exist. Literally, everything on my cupboard shelves hasn’t been touched in several months. This includes clothing I don’t wear but can’t yet part with, books I would like to read but simply can’t because I am over committed to reality television, and other miscellaneous items. The same goes for my jewelry. For this reason, I purchased six lovely hooks (or two sets of three) to hang my necklaces and bracelets on. Not only are these hooks practical, but they display my jewelry like art. They are a nice little feature in my bedroom and one that receives many compliments. I purchased these hooks from ‘Bed, Bath and Table’ because they go with the shabby chic look of my bedroom. Honestly, they were a pain to put on the wall. . . according to the handy man that was paid to hang them. But, not all hooks are tricky. Small hooks like these aren’t difficult to come by. Ikea and other home ware stores usually have them. You could even go to your local hardware store. I highly recommend you invest in some.

My darling (cough) younger brother has returned from 5 months in England.

Red sky at night; shepherds delight,
Red sky in the morning; shepherds warning

This week in ‘Journalism Ethics and Regulations’ some people from ‘Mindframe’ came to talk to us. Mindframe is an Australian Government initiative which provides guidelines for reporting on mental illness and suicide in mass media. It was interesting to learn of the link between suicide deaths and the way stories are reported.

Repeated coverage of suicide deaths can normalize this behavior. It can also trigger this behavior. For this reason, journalists should not provide the method and location of suicide deaths. The more ambiguous you are, the less likely someone is to copy the behavior.

Given the distribution of mass media, someone will always identify with the characters in your story. By using images of individuals who have committed suicide and their funeral, journalists are sensationalizing suicide. Instead, journalists should show images of the grieving families and communities. This illustrates to individuals that they would be more of a burden if they were to commit suicide.

There are also many stigmas attached to suicide and mental illness, and journalists can unknowingly promote these. For example, journalists often make links between mental illness and violence.

Mental illness and suicide are sensitive topics that need to be reported as such. Journalists should also include the information of national and local helplines in their coverage.

Have tonsillitis so feeling blah. My creative juices have been stifled, hence this lackluster post. Can I even call this a post?

Socks and sandals have become socially acceptable and I am taking full advantage of that. Now I can wear sandals or open toes shoes all year round without losing my toes to frostbite. I have many pairs of what I call ‘special socks.’ Special socks differ from gym socks, or school socks because they are visually dynamic and perhaps a little impractical. People Friends and family have commented that perhaps I have too many special socks, and that it is a waste of money. I have have sparkly socks, sparkly striped socks, sheer black socks with love hearts, sheer black socks with stars, sheer black socks with polka dots and the list goes on. Collectively, I may have spent a bit of money but if you know where to look they often only cost a few dollars. ASOS is great price wise and they have some interesting designs. The problem . . . I like sheer socks and without a reinforced toe they rip quite easily. The socks in the image below are my favorite, I have them in grey too. It is difficult to tell from the image but they are completely sheer minus the detailing. They aren’t warm at all but I’m not complaining. I purchased them from Kinki Gerlinki a few months ago. I went to three Kinki Gerlinki stores before finding these. I saw sheer socks for the first time last year at Fat and they were around $30.00. My sock obsession had yet to begin and I thought this was a complete rip off, still do. Since purchasing the shoes in the image, I was desperate to find a similar pair of socks though. I thought Gorman or Kinki Gerlinki would be my best bet. Gorman had lovely socks but they weren’t sheer. Luckily for me, I scooped up the last two pairs Kinki Gerlinki had and I haven’t looked back.

When it comes to food, I am anything but adventurous. To me, there is nothing worse than paying X amount of dollars for a meal and not enjoying it. But, last Thursday I went out on a limb and reaped the rewards. I was out to lunch celebrating my father’s birthday. We decided to go to ‘porgie + Mr Jones,’ a hip café in Hawthorn. My family have raved about their smashed avocado dish for years, and often try to recreate it. I had only been to porgie + Mr Jones once, years ago for a quick coffee and honey joy. I loved the eclectic yet refined décor of the ex violineri workshop but, hadn’t had the chance to return.

Anyway, Thursday was freezing so I inhaled a generously sized hot chocolate on arrival. I then tossed up between poached eggs with a side of roasted tomato and mushrooms or Shakshuka. Poached eggs, tomato and mushroom is my go to order at any café. I figure it is a dish you can’t really stuff up, and breakfast is great any time of day. Shakshuka, however, is something I had never tried before. For those of you like me who have never come across the dish, it consists of two baked eggs with spiced tomato. Porgie + Mr Jones version also includes slow roasted red onion, silver beet and feta. My desire for warmth saw me gravitate towards the ‘spiced tomato’ but I was unsure if I was prepared to venture out of my comfort zone. I quickly trolled the internet for images and information on Shakshuka, hoping that this would help me make my decision.

You may think that I am being a tad dramatic, and I may very well be, but you simply don’t understand the bad luck I have when it comes to food. Typically, my meal is the last to arrive at the table or what does arrive isn’t what I ordered.  Then I will undoubtedly find something wrong with the dish, a hair, a bone or it will simply not be to my liking. This isn’t because I go to bad cafes or restaurants, because I don’t. Bad food luck just seems to follow me. My friends and family think I look for things to complain about. I am fussy I will give them that, but even they cannot deny that more often than not there is something wrong with my meal.

Now, back to the Shakshuka. The waiter had arrived to take our orders and I was still umming after everyone had placed their order. Then my dad said “come on, we’ll both try the Shakshuka.” Not wanting to disagree with the birthday boy I said okay, and was somewhat relieved that this decision had been taken out of my hands. The dish arrived in a timely manner and the presentation was lovely. The dish was served in a shallow, rustic green bowl. Some sort of thin pita bread accompanied it. The dish itself was lovely, to say the least. The tomatoes and egg melted in your mouth. There was a beautiful crumb scatter over the translucent eggs which provide a crunch. The spice was somewhat sweet and the pita was perfect to mop up all the juices. Added bonus, I didn’t find a hair. It was the perfect winters dish and I am desperate to return. At a reasonable $16.50 it was money well spent, especially because it wasn’t my money.

Though this experience was a pleasant surprise, I don’t think it has cured my trepidation towards new foods. It is however, a step in the right direction.

Nothing gets my blood pumping more than discovering a good buy. I love nothing more than strolling down Chapel Street or forging my way through crowded laneways of Melbourne’s CBD. But, my search for ‘good buys’ is now seeing me look no further than my computer screen.

New to the online world of shopping, I haven’t discovered all its pros and cons but my experiences so far have been positive. When ordering a skirt from the UK last week I was a tad skeptical. Would the skirt I ordered differ from the one I received? Was it all a scam to empty my bank account? Now the happy recipient of a new skirt, I cannot ignore the advantages online shopping has over traipsing store to store.

The navy body con knitted mini with cable knit finish, received many compliments when worn for coffee with the girls. Frequent victims of same-outfit-syndrome, they were curious why they hadn’t seen the skirt before. Being the wonderful friend I am, I told them about the website.

Price competiveness and convenience are the driving forces behind Internet purchases. Savvy shoppers are trying on clothing, only to go online and order the same piece cheaper. The strong Australian dollar is allowing Aussies to buy cheaply from offshore websites, and money conscious individuals have grasped the opportunity.

Those with little time, who live far from mainstream stores or hyperventilate at the thought of pushy shop assistants lingering outside their changing room, listen up. Buying online offers the chance to save some pennies and experience leisurely shopping.

Every clothing size and colour is at your fingertips. Gone are the days of driving a mile to find what you are looking for. Online shopping offers instant gratification, and will surely increase the number of shopaholics. The bonus of having purchases delivered to your door cannot be denied either, and who doesn’t enjoy receiving mail?

It seems as the retail industry is beginning to peter, the simple of joy of snail mail is being revived. To think the advent of online shopping has led to letterboxes being filled with more than just bills. Mornings spent waiting by the front gate for the mail have been resurrected and people have been reintroduced to the thrill of tearing open whatever has arrived.

Rose coloured glasses aside, the recent surge of Internet purchases caused Australia Post to upgrade its parcel delivery service. Australia Post was flailing with the 10.9 per cent increase in parcel deliveries they noted last year and the system was given a serious overhaul. Twenty-four hour collection facilities and happy Aussies were the result.

The popularity of online shopping has exploded over the past few years and is evident why. Research undertaken by the Australian Communications and Media Authority, found nearly 62 per cent of internet users bought something online in the six months prior to April 2011.With winter fast approaching, why not snuggle up by the fire while revamping your wardrobe?

Next time I find myself dealing with a surly shop assistant or queuing for the cash register, I don’t know if I will be as patient.