I was on another business trip on Thursday and didn't even realise until it was March that, well, it was already the end of February. It's a bit late to do a February-appreciation-post but hey...better late than never.
So here we go:
Another new feature on my blog. A monthly one, obviously....
10 reasons why February was awesome
1) I sold 18 pairs of shoes on eBay
The amount of time that is involved with preparing and processing a sale on eBay is nerve wrecking, to say the least. But the thrill of selling something I have bought for very little for a lot more or something that is, well, VERY pre-loved to someone who will further appreciate in the future makes up for the hassles of taking extra photos or pre-paying hundreds of $$$ of postage. Kind of.The real reason I sold all these shoes was more a spiritual one, than a financial one. It's great to make some extra cash (that's why I decided against donating), but making space in your closet, in your life, and not making that space for new stuff, but just to breathe - it's the most incredible feeling! We clutter our lives because we need a distraction from something uncomfortable that might be passing our ways from time to time. That realisation, a reaction and a result - that's what February was all about for me.
2) I discovered how amazing Lush is
There are a lot of discussions online about how organic Lush cosmetics actually is and to be honest, I really don't care. I have been using brands that normal people can only afford in duty free for the majority of my life. I was hesitant about using Lush because I thought it was even more expensive (ignorance and lack of curiosity will be the death of me!), than these high end brands. But turns out their pots are priced at an affordable "less than $ 20" and the quality justifies the price. For the moment I have turned to these two product, a cleanser and a scrub/cleanser. 1) Angels on bare faces 2) Dark Angels (images via lushcosmetics.com)
3) I saw a band live I never even thought would reunite
It feels like ages away now but it was only a fortnight ago that Blink182 played their Soundwave sideshow. The circumstances in which I acquired a ticket (or more, how the ticket was acquired for me) were already quite amazing - Dan had only gotten one (last one!) and put his name on the waiting list for me. I was a bit bummed out to be honest. I mean, Blink182, that's essentially my teenage years of wanting to impress everyone, especially myself, watching the boys skate in the high school backyard, trying a bit of skate boarding myself (kick-flip was my most advance trick...wasn't really into it much at all haha) and not admitting that I liked mainstream music (yeah, that's them) in a tea pot. As it turned out fate wanted me to attend the gig after all and so it happened that I got a ticket off the waiting list. Needless to say it was a great gig (see below) and I am currently in the process of accumulating every Blink182 album ever released. Too cool in 2003, not cool enough in 2013.4) I took on a writing job
Yes, it was only something little, unpaid and something I do every year but it just teaches me a little bit of much needed discipline outside of work.Now my deadline was EO Feb, but I actually finished it on March 1st. Because I am a loser. But at least it is finished now. It's always a good thing to try out, what once was "your dream job" in order to remind you that, well, writing about stuff you can't relate to, or you don't even want to research in the first place is really difficult and draining. And hey, that's basically the job description of a rookie journalist. Even though I enjoyed writing for this particular job, I still had major difficulties with self-motivation. Because I am not 100 % commited. I suppose that's a lesson learnt right there.
5) I went to the Buddhist temple for Lunar New Year
And to say I was moved by this alien culture and celebration of belief is an understatement.The whole place was vibrating with positive energy and an overwhelming feeling of content accompanied me for the rest of the day. It was truly a unique experience for me and made me aware that there are lots of spots to discover in my temporary home. I seek to travel as much as I can in my lifetime but I shouldn't oversee the miracles that happen in my neighbourhood.
6) I started playing Ni No Kuni
I suppose this is kind of a good and bad thing, as it consumes my life at the moment. But to be honest - I never play video games and to dedicate so many hours to this so shamelessly is in a way a freeing experience. My readers should know by now that I am constantly accompanied by a feeling of restlessness and a need for achievement on a daily basis, so for me to just play a game and not care about what's going on around me is really quite relaxing.I will do a post about Ni No Kuni once I have finished playing it but if you are a Ghibli fan or a fan of video games that are diverse and challenging and require you to think (not talking about ego shooters, dude) this is definitely for you. The animation is so amazing that even if I continuously loose in a boss fight the visual effects and attention to detail still turn me into a happy and content little chap. (Although I might have thrown some air punches in the past) Oh, and I need to mention the Wizard's companion. It is the spell book in the story of the game, but because I invested in the Wizard's edition, I got an actual book with the game, which I use during play. The Wizard's edition currently trades on eBay for around $ 350, with it only being released about 30 days ago that's already a major increase (3 x the purchasing price) in value. Imagine how much it'll be worth in 20 years!
7) I went on two business trips
Yes, it was only Mackay and yes, I had to work all day and yes, these days always turn into 20 hr days but really, it's just a nice way to break out of routine.I am saying this now, but on the actual day I curse the fact I have to fly on a tiny plane into a humid part of the country, where the road is always bumpy with unexpected turbulence and drunken mining employees on the way home...
Still, seeing how proud my parents are when they hear that I get paid to fly up to one of my shops and that all expenses are paid on the day....it kind of makes up for the trouble.
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| and there's always torrential rain when I get off the plane!!!!!!! |
8) I deleted 30 odd blogs from my Google reader
I love the old Google reader but coming home to 150 unread blog posts every night turned into a responsibility of its own. I am supposed to enjoy it, not turn it into another thing on my daily task list. I have gotten rid of a lot of what I felt were empty, narcissistic blogs that seemed to have been created for the sole purpose of showing off inherited wealth and thigh gaps. This might sound cynical but I don't think I am the only person who is turned off by a lack of personality on somebody's blog. And they all bought that damn lamp shade hat from the H&M x Marni collection. I mean. Seriously.I have also replace a few of these body image and social status slashing blogs with platforms such as XOJane, Jezebel (although I am still not 100 % convinced), Frisky and The Conversation. It's a healthier approach at staying informed. In fact, it's much more healthy than looking at someone's "New in" weekly post, adding up what everything they were able to purchase in one week cost, then comparing it to one's own yearly salary, then thinking that this particular person has enough spending money than one has rent expenses for a year, then curling up and dying a little inside. Or something like that.
9) I went to a vintage shop, which turned out to be a vintage house
It's basically a massive two story house filled with Vintage goodies, the kitchen counter is also the sales counter and the owners are two absolutely gorgeous ladies, vintage hair and clothing included. On the way to the downstairs area, I came across this little fella below. I am not sure what this fire truck's purpose is, but I just know that this photo is my favorite ever instagram photo.
10) I introduced three new features to the blog
I was struggling to fit this little blog into my life for the last 2 months, having this still "new" job with a lot more responsibility and a much greater urge to do only as I please when I get a day off. I knew I didn't want to continue blogging about random stuff on a daily basis, even though it was really fun to do so over the last year. I thought it was time to format this baby a little bit, adding a few features, something my readers can look forward to (or actively ignore, whatever you want to do) and something I could prepare and work on over a longer period of time. I am taking away the daily dead line, I am adding a bit of content and much more personality. Be prepared for Life lessons, in which I will share with you some of the most important things I have learned in some of the most ridiculous situations. There is also Adventure time, a feature that is solely dedicated to places I get to explore or visit and that of course is a shameless reference to the animated series. I love this feature so much, it's just such a great motivator for me to get out of my house and do stuff. And the third feature you are reading right now. I will wrap up every month in a "10 reasons..." post. It's not super original, but it's fun to read and it reminds me of the fact that life is super awesome at the worst of times!5 Songs I was addicted to in February:
- Tegan and Sara - I'm not your hero
- Blink182 - Feeling this
- HAIM - Don't save me
- Kanye West - Clique
- GIN GA - Dancer