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It will be another year gone in merely minutes.  Perplexing how as you grow older the year just seems to disappear without a chance for you to comprehend what has happened.  Or perhaps this happens only when you’ve had a year like mine.

If you told me this time last year that I would find myself in the most livable city in the world, with a whole new set of friends, a slightly more different lifestyle, having dropped out of my program to pursue the same course in a different university then my jaw would have hit the floor out of shock. Or, remembering who I was just a year ago, laugh and shake my head in disbelief.

God has done the most interesting things to my life in the span of six months.  Even with this time to think, I’m not sure how to feel about having uprooted myself from the security of Adelaide—of the familiar and comfortable—to the whirlwind that is Melbourne.  However I did promise Him that I would stay open-minded.  And open-minded I will be.

I will—following my newly created tradition—have a little fun and look at the insane year that was 2011 with the help of Tumblr’s ever so faithful Archive feature (because I have such a poor memory xD).  There will be some laughter, pain and tears, all necessary in the reflection and growing up.  Here we go…

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New Discoveries

• SHOP
  Well, I do work in the busiest shopping centre in Melbourne now (36-hour Christmas season trade anyone?).  Apart from loving where I work, there are a couple of places I frequent.  I love Zetta Florence to bits and I’m so glad that they do discounts for people who work in the mall ^_^  Now I know where I’ll be getting my sketchbooks and wrapping paper!  Special mention to the awesomeness that is Happy Lab (I’m there so often that the workers actually know who I am xD).  Because of them I’ve got my workmates hooked on Cola flavoured jelly beans!
• WEB DESTINATION
  I’ve known about Photojojo (through Tumblr) for a while now, however I’m planning to get quite a few presents for friends in their shop some time soon so they definitely get a mention as a new discovery here.
• TV SHOW
  The Australian version of “The Amazing Race” :)  Props to those guys for having made it through because the challenges were even harder than the ones in the original American version.
• SKILL
  GLASSBLOWING!  Yes, this cool cat had the opportunity to take up a rare (and expensive, mind you) skill and learn how to blow hot glass as part of a uni free elective in the first semester of second year.
• PLACE
  There’s this quaint alleyway off Elizabeth street in the city (I don’t remember the name) but I’ve had breakfast and a wander there with some friends a couple of weeks ago and I’m looking forward to taking Ben to see it when he comes down from Rads.
• HANG OUT
  Koko Black.  I just checked out what I put under this heading last year and it’s also a chocolate place xD
• FOOD
  The Iced Chocolate from Koko Black.  Come see me in Melbourne and I’ll treat you to one ;)
• DRINK
  Teadrop’s Honeydew Green Tea
• BOOK
  “Reaching for the Invisible God” by Philip Yancey.  Absolutely changed my spiritual life.
• ARTIST
  Tyler Ward.  I’ve known about him for ages but didn’t get a chance to buy his music until just recently.  No regrets, folks!
• ALBUM
  “Let the Music Play” by Stan Walker.  I’m not a mainstream dance music fan but from time to time I make exceptions.  Especially if it’s for my favourite Idol winner ^_^

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Favourites of 2011

• WEB DESTINATION
  Tumblr :) Still.
• WEB SHOP
  Etsy.  Still xD  I’ve bought so many presents, make-up, clothes and what-not there and still find myself not only satisfied but with a need to rave about the coolest online community of artists and craftspeople in the world.
• WEBLOG
  Unka Glen.  The most inspiring, funny and real Christian brother I have ever had the pleasure of learning from and talking to.  If you aren’t following him, there is something terribly wrong that must be rectified.
• MUSICIAN/ARTIST
  I’ll say Blu Mar Ten (still), London Elektricity, Ella Fitzgerald, Tyler Ward and Stan Walker.  What?  I couldn’t just pick one!
• ALBUM
  “Let the Music Play” [Stan Walker]
• TV SHOW
  We got into Ugly Betty recently and I now rekindled my Eric Mabius crush xD
• FOOD
  Cola Jelly Beans from Happy Lab :3
• THING TO PASS TIME WITH
  Photoshop.  No joke, I can spend ages just playing around with one project!
• APP
  Ahh…I really love Incredibooth.  A good way to bring people together to be silly :D  Oohhh and Blueprint 3D!
• CARTOON
  Goofy.  He’s actually been my favourite original Disney character since I was a child.  Why else did I splurge a bit when I got paid and bought myself a classic Disney watch with Goofy on the face?  His arms are the hour and minute hands :D
• DRINK
  Honeydew Green Tea
• FILM
  “The King’s Speech”. I was beyond happy when they won all those Academy awards. It was also the first film I saw by myself in the cinema ^_^
• PIECE OF CLOTHING
  I’ve only worn it once this year but the red skirt with the black polka dots over a white crinoline that I donned for my 21st is my favourite piece of clothing.
• ACCESSORY
  Actually, there are three things I wear nearly every day now and they’re my favourite accessories: the Goofy watch (the strap is brown faded Italian leather), a turquoise ring set on a simple silver band given to me by my closest friends back in high school for my birthday and a pair of pearl earrings that my grandmother gave me two years ago.
• BOOK
  “Reaching for the Invisible God” by Philip Yancey
• SONG
  For awesome days: “Light It Up” - Stan Walker
  For rainy days: “Hide and Seek” - Imogen Heap (and just about every version of this song)
  When I need to fall apart for a while: “Between the Lines” - Sara Bareilles
  When I’m having an attitude: “Somebody That I Used to Know” - Gotye feat. Kimbra
  Zoning out: “Sweet Little Supernova” - Blu Mar Ten || “The Light” - Seba & Paradox featuring Kirsty Hawkshaw
  To escape: “Breathe Again” - Sara Bareilles || “Edge of Desire” - John Mayer
  When I want to belt out like a diva: “Galaxy” - Stan Walker and Jessica Mauboy

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Memorable Moments

• Our annual family Barossa trip.  Rest and relaxation.  And we hit some amazing cellar doors.  We even made the extra hour trip up to Clare Valley and came back with the most amazing whites.  Brought back a lovely dessert port for Tristan.  The drive back through Adelaide Hills brought us to Bird In Hand, which is now my favourite cellar door and winemaker when it comes to Rieslings and Traminers.  And bought the best Moscatos from Grand Burge (in my opinion) for friends we were going to visit in…
• Brisbane. Oh my goodness, the dreaded Queensland floods.  The people who lost their lives and homes.  As awesome as it was to visit friends there early in the year as well as hit the theme parks, the devastated people were never far from my thoughts and heart.
• Wet’n’Wild.  I have never loved a water park ride quite like “The Tornado”.  There’s a video somewhere of us hurtling down the tube, screaming our heads off.
• Warner Bros Movie World.  “The Superman Escape”  You’ve seriously got to try it.  Shooting up to sky from 0-100km in 2 seconds at a near 90 degree angle, I went on the ride twice (more if the lines weren’t so long :P) to quench my craving for roller coaster rides.  Royal Adelaide Show rides don’t even really constitute as a proper thrill ride.
• Dinner with Geoff and Yak in Brisbane. My favourite young married couple.  Very committed to each other and God.  I admire them so much and I’m glad that we have remained friends despite being swept up in the busy-ness of life.
• D’Arenberg. I went on a long lunch with my parents and it’s officially my favourite restaurant in McLaren Vale.  Their scallops are absolutely divine.  I was still dreaming about them days after!  Beautiful Riesling to match too.
• STING!!!  I had the immense pleasure of seeing Sting perform live with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (part of his ‘Symphonicities’ tour) under a starry sky during the Barossa Food and Wine festival.  Now I can cross that off my bucket list ^_^
• Botanic Gardens.  I was extremely upset that morning about how things were going at home and didn’t want to be alone.  One phone call to Ben and within an hour he was out of his PJ’s, catching the train down to meet me.  Saw crying, messy me and took me in his arms to let every frustration and hurt out.
• Being reunited with Tristan.  I can’t believe we managed to go a year without talking because of a stupid fight. I learned how to have a real, honest and deep friendship with him by accepting how different we are and appreciating who he is.  He is one of my dearest friends.
• My first date.  Because hey, I’m going to call it as it was.  The first time I held my beloved’s hand and opened my heart.  I remember everything down to what we ate (or didn’t eat, since I was so nervous that I couldn’t bring myself to put anything in my mouth) and wore, how nice he smelt and looked.  How cold it got at night, how peaceful the beach was.  How close and tenderly he held me.  His kind and sincere words.  It was the first time the person I liked actually liked me back.
• I knew the high I felt was too good to last because the tension at home was just unbearable and with the possibility of moving interstate I had to end it with him.  Actually, that didn’t hurt as much as finding out that in merely weeks he managed to find a girlfriend and he had been dating her for a month.  Hey, we’re not children and don’t need permission or validation when it comes to any decisions we make.  But we’re friends and I just wish he didn’t wait so long to tell me.  Actually it was pretty terrible because I had to find out from someone else—who found out from someone else—before he told me himself.  Not your brightest hour, dude.
• Jogging with Tristan the day after not-so-great news.  Not my brightest hour either.  There was so much screaming and running and crying and venting.  All in the hope of moving forward after heartbreak mentioned above.  But I did appreciate my best friend talking me through my messy thoughts while running in a dark oval on a cold night.
• My first adult conversation after said heartbreak.  Still was not in the best state of mind but we got out what we both needed to say.  Suffice it to say I was still upset and a little hurt.  However I think the break up that happened a week after was karma enough for him.  I also didn’t want to waste the little time we had left to hang out being weird and mad.  Our friendship was different but worlds better and deeper because we got that out of the way.
• Telling my friends we were moving interstate.  The variety of reactions could quite easily make a hilarious movie montage.  The hardest to sit through were with my best friends; where they were really quiet or could only repeat ‘you’re really moving to Melbourne? how can we meet up now when I’m upset?’  I was quite heartbroken about the fact that I won’t be having proper haircuts anymore from my best friend’s mum, Joh.
• Having my Yikes face published on London Elektricity’s page.  Ace!
• Blackwood site visit for Design Studio 3.  It was absolutely beautiful at Shangri-La.  Their 80-year-old vines had the sweetest and most delicious grapes I had ever tasted.
• Hot Glass Techniques and Processes.  My glassblowing elective.  I certainly had the most interesting elective in 2nd year architecture (actually, not true, my friend Matt was able to do awesome stuff with Solidworks in his Multimedia course).  I can successfully blow animals, goblets and various other vessels out of hot glass.  I even met a heap of interesting, cool cats in the Visual Arts courses.  Worked with a famous glassblowing artist!  And because I know I’m going to be at Monash Caulfield next year, I could possibly do a similar elective ;)
• Melbourne Road Trip.  Our scouting trip.  We looked at houses, schools, hung out with our very close Filipino friends…well, more like family now.  Got used to the different energy and atmosphere.  It was tiring but so much fun!
• Saying goodbye to Adelaide.  Pulling out of uni (it was weird calling myself a college drop out).  Having the picnic in the park with my friends for the last time.  Packing the house up with an exhausted and heavy heart.  Catching the 200 home from work one last time.  Hitting the road for two days with my grandparents in tow.  It was a necessary but excruciating process.  I thought I’d be used to it already after having lived in so many places but it gets harder and harder.
• Moving in to the new house.  It was a lot larger than it looked in the pictures.  And if you didn’t already hear from previous posts, I love it because I have a pretty rad view of the city from my room.
• Love Never Dies.  It was my first full-fledged musical theatre show in Melbourne and I saw it with my wonderful grandmother.  No words.  Just…if they’re touring and you get a chance to see the show, take it!
• My first official date.  Granted it was a group date where we made pizza together and talked but it was the first one where I was properly asked by a brother who went the whole nine yards.  Picked me up from the house, opened doors, pulled my seat, helped clean up.  It was a bizarre new experience but I had a great time.
• Hanging out with the interns from America.  They are an awesome bunch of spiritual young folks with great hearts.  I had an amazing time getting to know them and have Bible studies with them.
• Date number two. This was absolutely hilarious.  I was asked by a younger brother who picked me knowing we had to do something artistic.  I was flattered that he was more confident about my creative skills than I was.  But he is very mature and understanding.  Very giving and warm and funny.  I enjoyed this date too.
• Prepping for uni applications.  Stress! But an important learning curve.  I became more confident in my projects and experience.  Completely necessary to go through :)
• Campus Friday Nights. We’ve had everything from a baptism (yay for Jarryd!), chocolate fountain party, Signs (man were we addicted to that game), karaoke, eating 4 litres of vanilla ice cream with chocolate and caramel sauce and sprinkles, netball and indoor soccer with the singles.  We’re a little wild, us Melbourne campus peeps.  I’m looking forward to Go-Karting, badminton and laser skirmish next year xD
• Getting the job at L’Occitane!  It was so weird because I felt like I was already being interviewed when I met our manager for the first time.  Job was heaven sent, despite being insanely busy during the Christmas season.  Hey, at least we get freebies and really good pay :3
• Phone calls.  My gosh, I seriously didn’t think about how often I’d be on the phone to people back in Rads.  However, I love it and look forward to surprise phone calls from my best buds.  It’s weird but I became a whole lot closer to Jon over the phone xD maybe it’s because we didn’t have hang ups anymore.
• Mail!  I love sending and getting things in the mail.  Orders from Etsy.  Sending presents to friends.  Having pen pals.  I’m so old fashioned xD
• Taking part of the architecture and design walk in the city.  No words describe the moment you see the Adelphi Hotel’s swimming pool in person after only seeing it in uni lecture slides.
• My first pursuer.  I can’t even—I just don’t.  I don’t actually have words.  Except that, flattering as it is, I cannot let it get too far.  I just don’t care for him the same way that he does for me and I don’t want him using up his precious time, energy and love for someone who isn’t ready or receptive.  I know what it’s like to be in his shoes and honestly it’s the most painful place to be.  Hilarious for my friends, extremely awkward for me.
• My 21st, 1950’s themed party. I had very dedicated friends from Radelaide fly over for the weekend to celebrate.  The brothers dressed up super nice.  I had people send me lovely things in the mail, call me up to see how I’ve been and greet me.  I felt truly beautiful and loved.
• Finding out I got an offer to study Interior Architecture at Monash University.  And that I was qualified for the Interior Design course at RMIT.  Whoa.  Just…whoa!
• Survived the insanity of Chadstone’s annual 36-hour Christmas trade.  I cannot for the lifeof me understand the need to have the malls opened a full 36 hours non-stop.  Worked 12 hours on the 23rd and 5 on the 24th before heading to the Pinoy Noche Buena.  Needless to say, I was glad we were doing nothing on Christmas Day because I was bummed out after having worked every day for over a month.  Funniest family gift-giving session ever.  Opened my present from mom and dad to find a nerf gun.  Fernan had in his hands a hairdryer, straightener and curling iron and Emil had a Nigella cook book.  Good one, parents, good one!
• Survived my first Chadstone Boxing Day sales.  I don’t think I was really concious throughout the ordeal though xD  But it wasn’t as bad as I imagined in my head.
• Dyed my hair red! Granted it’s a stubborn little thing so it still looks black but depending on which light I stand under, you can see that it’s reddish orange-ish brown ^_^ Huzzah! I’m going to try for more obvious red in three months so I don’t kill my hair from the dyes.

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Well, I’m off to see the fireworks in the city from my room with my family (sans Dad who unfortunately has to work :P).  Thank you so much for interacting on this blog; the likes, reblogs, comments.  Even all you anonymous readers that only drop by every so often.  Thank you again for allowing me a space to be myself.  I hope you have a safe and wonderful start to 2012 and that God continues to comfort, love, encourage, support and bless you all!

♥