Wednesday 29 February 2012

Happy Leap Day!

Once again, we find ourselves in a leap year. I actually did a double take when I saw the date on the screen  of my iPhone this morning. It's something that everyone tends to forget about, until it comes up again.

Everyone goes on about the 29th of February being a special day. It is considered the only day that it is socially acceptable for a woman to propose to her boyfriend. Everyone also goes on how it is the day to do something you've never done before. I think that it is extra special if it is your birthday because it only comes up once every four years.

The way I see it is that a leap year is just an average year with one extra day to screw everything up. Or make it better. It's completely up to you. For me, I'm hoping for the latter.

As soon as 2011 ticked over into the early hours of 2012, I had this feeling that 2012 was going to be an amazing year, possibly the best one yet. So far, it has been going great! At school, I'm doing all the subjects I love and have chosen to do (Design and Technology, French, Advanced English, Geography, General Maths and Modern History). I'm doing absolutely no sciences which I am loving! I have found that I enjoy school so much more now that I am doing subjects that I like and am good at. I also have free periods which are great!

I'm hoping that 2012 will continue on in the same way, getting better and better as each month goes by... well, a girl can dream, right?! My main goals in 2012 are to get into the high seventies or even eighty percent region for all of my exams and to meet One Direction. It can totally happen. And fingers crossed it will.

Happy Leap Year! Make the most of it my lovelies!




Tuesday 28 February 2012

Once a dreamer, always a dreamer.

For those of you that don't know me, I am a dreamer. I tend to have my head in the clouds and my dreams are larger than life. To say that I am ambitious and determined is to say the least.

Dreaming provides an escape from reality. It gives us control in a world were we have seemingly no control over our fate. We can dream about we want our lives to be like in an ideal world

Our dreams are like goals; what we want to achieve and who we want to become. The path we take in the pursuit of our dreams is what shapes ourselves and our lives. I've found that the bigger I dream, the more determined I am to reach it. My dreams also give me motivation to do well in school and to get into the university of my dreams.

The sky's the limit. Dream big, Angels!

Saturday 25 February 2012

Why I love my friends

This is a random post but here goes. My friends are definitely some of the most important people in my life.

1. They get me. They put up with my weirdness and craziness.

2. They are so much fun to be around. They know how to make me laugh and smile like no one else. Whenever I feel down, I can definitely count on them to make me feel better.

3. They are freaking hilarious! We honestly laugh so much when we catch up. I end up in laughter-induced tears more often than not.

4. They give the best advice and are supportive of me no matter what.

5. They have seen me at my best and also my worst. The fact they have stuck around means a lot.

6. They are amazing and lovely and wonderful and fun and great and special and fantastic and perfect in every single way!

These are all of the reasons I can think of right know. I know it isn't many, but it is all I can manage in my sleep-deprived state. It is currently 12:03am here in Sydney and I have been up since 8am so I think I better turn in soon.

Back to the point, my friends mean absolutely everything to me. They are my rocks and I love them for that. You guys know who you are, and if you are reading this (which I hope you are) then believe me when I say that you are absolutely incredible and I want to thank you for everything you have done for me. I love you all so much  ♥

Monday 20 February 2012

Around the world; Geneva, Switzerland.

This weeks travel post is about the beautiful city of Geneva! Well renowned for its Swiss chocolate and watches, Geneva does not disappoint. It is very picturesque, from the churches, to the lake and even the snowcapped alps, this city has it all. Geneva is most well known for being the financial capital of the world, as well as being the most neutral country during the wars.

Geneva is one of the best places I have ever been to. It is quiet and really relaxing. I went during winter and the weather wasn't amazing so the photos (majority were taken by me) look a little bleak.


St. Pierre Cathedral:

The front of St. Pierre Cathedral

St. Pierre Cathedral first opened sometime during the 12th Century. It is extremely beautiful and the interior is very detailed. All the stained glass windows were very interesting. We climbed to the top balcony of the cathedral and the view of Geneva was magnificent! Despite the grey weather, we could still see the snowcapped mountains through the fog.



The view from the top balcony


Lake Geneva:

Possibly the most iconic lake in the world, Lake Geneva certainly deserves the attention it gets. The city is pretty much centred around the lake and it is really nice to walk along the banks. When I was there with my family, we came across some people in bathing suits about to go for a swim in the lake, despite the fact that it was about 4 degrees Celsius outside. From a distance the water looks murky but when you get up close, you will see that the water is actually emerald green in colour and crystal clear. You can almost see straight to the bottom. Instead of sand, the beaches are compiled of pebbles. It is also very common to find ducks and swans in the lake.



Snow:

Whilst in Geneva, my family and I were staying in the Mandarin Oriental, located on Quai Turrettini. Our rooms had a great view of the city and was just on the lake which was great. It was nice to wake up to such a beautiful sight. We were in Geneva for a few days and on one of the mornigns we woke up to snow! It was incredible!

The view from my room
 When we went out that day to continue exploring the city, it began to snow again when we were in a beautiful little park by the lake. There must have been some sort of exhibit on, as the park was filled with various art installations by local artists. My personal favourite installation was the street lamps which had been wrapped to look like Chuppa Chups. I also liked the white bubbles which were placed in a few of the trees.

Snow falling in the park
I hope that one day I will be able to return to Geneva. I really enjoyed my time there and would love to go back soon.



Sunday 19 February 2012

Stolen off intheyesofninjainu :)

I saw that Courtney Ninja Inu had done this and it looks like fun so I thought I'd give it a go!

1. Height? 
5'7 .
2. Have you ever smoked heroin?
Nope
3. Do you own a gun?
No
4. Who would you let eat crackers in your bed? 
No one. Crackers leave crumbs and they are a nightmare to get rid of
5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments?
Only if there are needles involved
6. What do you think of hot dogs?
Can't say I love them
7. What’s your favorite Christmas song?
All I want for Christmas is You - Mariah Carey
8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning?
Orange Juice
9. Can you do push ups?
Gosh no.
10. Is your bathroom clean?
Right now, it is cleaner than usual.
11. What’s your favorite piece of jewelry?
Don't make me choose! Probably one of my silver Tiffany necklaces, a rose gold and diamond ring that is a family heirloom and a silver locket with pearls and emeralds on it that dates back to the 16th Century. 
12. Do you like painkillers?
Only if I am in pain, 'cos you know... they kill pain.
13. What is your secret weapon to lure in the opposite sex?
If I told you, then it wouldn't be a secret ;)
14. Do you have A.D.D.?
Although I have an attention span shorter than the average goldfish, no.
15. What’s your name?
Phoebe
16. Middle name?
Elizabeth
17. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment? 
What are three thoughts I am having at this exact moment
It's getting a bit cold
Man, I love marshmallows.
18. Name the last 3 things you bought:
A movie ticket for "This Means War", a Glasshouse Gardenia scented candle and a Gloria Jeans Ice Chocolate
19. Who is your favorite visual artist?
Monet
20. You’re stuck on an deserted island with two other people, who would you want to be stranded with?
Someone who I like (Mel, Winnie, Emma, Courtney, Emma, Bella, Ondine, Claire, Alice or Suzannah) and someone I dislike, so that if the time comes when me and the person I like must resort to cannibalism, then we can eat them.


21. You’ve won a major award and have thanked your family, who else would you thank?
My friends
22. Current worry?
I may not have enough time to watch both Beauty and the Beast and the newest How I Met Your Mother tonight. 
23. Current hate?
Pretty much everything at the moment
24. Favorite place to be?
Venice, New York, Geneva, London, Phuket, Bathurst or Paris. Take me to one of them and I'm happy.
25. How did you bring in the New year?
At the intersection of 43rd and 7th in New York City with one million of my closest drunk friends.
26. Where would you like to go?
Spain, Greece, Morocco, Jordan, Egypt, Bora Bora, Hungary, Slovakia, Kenya, Uganda, Germany, Sweden... need I go on?
27. Do you own slippers?
I have uggs, does that count?
28. What shirt are you wearing?
I'm actually wearing a dress... awks for you question.
29. Do you burn or tan?
Bit of both
30. Favorite color(s)?
Pink, pink and pink.
31. Would you be a pirate?
Not particularly. Only if I could be a pirate that looked like Penelope Cruz's character in Pirates 4. 
32. Are you gay?
Nope
33. What songs do you sing in the shower?
I don't sing in the shower 

34. What did you fear was going to get you at night as a child?
Like everything, literally. Spiders, monsters, prison escapees... 
35. What’s in your pockets right now?
The dress I'm wearing doesn't have pockets, so nothing.
36. Where are you?
In my lovely home.
37. Best bed sheets as a child? 
I distinctly remember a spotty bedspread I had which was really cute.
38. Worst injury you’ve ever had?
I sprained my left thumb once
39. You’re on a trip around the world and have to select five landmarks to visit, what would you pick?
The Pyramids of Giza, the Dead Sea in Jordan, Stonehenge in England, Mount Vesuvius in Pompeii and Macchu Picchu in Peru.
40. How many TVs do you have in your house?
One
41. Who is your loudest friend?
Probably Mel
42. Who is your quietest friend?
Bella, I think.
43. Does someone have a crush on you?
Probably not
44. Do you wish on shooting stars?
When I see them, yes.
45. What is your favorite book?
The Great Gatsby
46. What is your favorite candy?
Peanut Butter M'n'M's, Berry Blast Mike and Ike's and Gummy Bears.
47. What song do/did you want played at your wedding?
I've never really thought about it.. probably something nice and romantic
48. What song do you want played at your funeral?
The saddest Adele song ever.
49. What were you doing at 12AM last night?
I was probably just about to fall asleep
50. What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up?
Why is it so early.



Saturday 18 February 2012

Phoebe's perspective on being tall.

Being tall is a blessing. The world looks pretty darn good from up here.

My whole life I have always been one of the taller kids and I have always stood in the back row at photo day.

I've never had a problem with my height but it throws me off a bit when people complain that I am "too tall".

The one and only downside I believe is heels. I adore shoes and high heels have got to be my absolute favourites! When it comes to heels, the higher the better I say! Some of my friends who are taller than me don't like wearing heels as they feel too tall and out of place. I still wear them. I'm not really fussed if I stand out. Let them stare.

If you are insecure about your height, or anything else then don't be. Everyone is beautiful and everyone should embrace their individuality.

The rules of Fashion are made to be broken.

Well, most of the time anyway.

I honestly think that if you follow every rule in the book, you are boring. Have some creativity! If someone tells you that you can't wear those shoes with that dress, then wear it. Who cares about what people think, the only opinion that matters is yours.

I believe in taking risks when it comes to fashion. So what if you make mistakes, how else are you going to learn? Fashion is a form of self expression. It can convey our mood and personality to the people around us. This is why it is important to make it your own.

If I ever inspire the people reading this, I hope to inspire you to be individual with your style. Don't be afraid to push to boundaries a little bit, be adventurous and daring. After all, rules are made to be broken.

Love,
Phoebe xo

Friday 17 February 2012

Even when we think we've seen it all, life can still surprise us.

I am so grateful for all my friends right now. I was hit with some sad news tonight and I have been a bit of a mess and my amazing friends stepped in and helped me out.

Firstly, I want to say a massive thank you to you guys again, you know who you are! You are all so nice and it is great to know that I have people here looking out for me and supporting me when it really matters. It is always nice to see that the people you love and trust are there for you, through the good times and even the bad. I want to remind you all that I will always be here for you no matter what!

My friends are my rocks. The way they handle the things I put them through is incredible. I can be completely irrational and crazy and it's nice to know that they are here for me despite all that. My friends that have been there since day one are even more special to me. I hate to break it to you guys, but you are officially stuck with me. Good luck. I'm just kidding, I'm not that awful.... I hope.

It is always important to recognise your real friends from your fake ones. Life is precious which is why it is important to spend your time on people who love you and have your best interests at heart, people who will stay by your side through the good, bad and the ugly. Don't waste your time on someone who is only there for the good times and doesn't appreciate you. The hands of time cannot be turned back so don't waste countless hours on people who aren't worth it. Find your true friends and stick with them. I know from experience that your life will be a whole lot better!


Monday 13 February 2012

Valentine's Day

I'm a bit of an anti-Valentine's day person, so sorry to rain on your parade if you are really into it this year. I honestly think that people in relationships take Valentine's Day a bit too seriously in the sense that they decide to shower their partner in love, chocolate, flowers and cheesy presents, like ginormous stuffed bears that are good for nothing, except wasting space on one specific day. I personally think that if you are with someone that you truly love, then you should treat everyday like Valentine's Day. I think if you only wait for one day to show how much you care for someone, then you mustn't care about them that much.


I am currently single so I spent today sans boyfriend but I was at school with my friends and we had fun. Right now that is all I need, a group of amazing friends. Besides, with me being in year 11 this year, I barely have time to myself, let alone enough time to spend with a boyfriend. I am enjoying being single at the moment and I am in no rush to get a boyfriend. 

Love is meant to be special, so it isn't something that I want to rush into while I'm still young. I know that the guy who I will marry is out there somewhere and when I meet him, I know it will be amazing. Once a hopeless romantic, always a hopeless romantic. 


Nevertheless, I hope you all had a good day.


Saturday 11 February 2012

26 days and counting...

Have you ever been so excited for something that it is all you ever think about? I am currently in one of those phases.

Every year since Grade 5, a bunch of my friends and I have been going up to Bathurst for a Mother/Daughter Horse riding weekend at a property owned by one of my moms best friends. This year marks the 7th year, so it is basically a tradition now. Every year I get more and more excited about it and this year I feel like I am about to explode! I am so ecstatic about this you have no idea!!! This year's weekend is scheduled for the 10th & 11th of March. 26 days and counting...

The group that goes with us has shrunk to about 10 girls and their mothers, so in total there are about 18 of us (there are two sets of twins, me and Em being one, and therefore two less mothers). It is nice that it is small and I only ever see most of the girls once a year when we go on this weekend. It is always a really fun weekend. We go horse riding about four times over the two days and the rest of the time is spent swimming, chilling in the spa, watching Disney Channel and Nickelodeon (Suite Life On Deck and Spongebob are our ultimate faves), feeding the ducks/pigs/horses/sheep etc., laughing, talking, roasting marshmallows, creating new and delicious culinary creations (last time we made "Smoreos" which are pretty self-explanatory), taking photos and videos, wearing our pyjamas and ugg boots.... a lot, singing, playing Truth or Dare, dancing, playing foosball, playing pool/billiards, playing table tennis, playing actual tennis with a giant mushroom and occasionally a tennis ball, freezing our asses off in the winter weather, getting dizzy on the tire swing, being loud (we scream rather than speak to each other because we are hyperactive and full of sugar) and eating junk food galore! As you can see it is jam-packed and totally fun!

It is always nice to get out of the city, put everything on hold and escape out to the country. An added bonus about rural New South Wales is that I get hardly any phone reception, so no one can contact me, disturb my peace and disrupt all the fun that I am having.

I have been friends with these girls since primary school, so I definitely cherish their friendship and don't want to lose contact with them. Well, most anyway. One of the girls we go with is my ex-best friend and we can't not invite her because most of us are still good friends with her twin sister. Talk about dilemma, right? If I didn't have to invite her, I wouldn't but seeing as I have to, I just have to make do, mostly by just ignoring her, which is pretty much what I did during the last year of our friendship before our fallout. Oh, snap. Nevertheless, it is still awkward. Last time, she kept trying to talk to me which makes it hard for me to stick to my whole "ignore her" plan. I'm hoping this year will go smoothly with zero awkward encounters... or zero encounters period. I actually had a dream the other night that she dived across the couch and strangled me in front of everyone and I completely flipped out and was screaming to everyone about how crazy she was. Lets hope that doesn't happen. But, in the off chance that it does, I now know how to react to it (thank you sub-conscience).


I'll post some pictures and tell you my stories when I get back.


          

Wednesday 8 February 2012

Around the world; France.

As a self-confessed world traveller/travelaholic I thought I should make some posts on here about some of the divine places that I have been lucky enough to visit during my 16 years. I am fortunate enough to have parents who take me and my siblings overseas almost every year, to amazing places unlike anywhere I have ever been before.

One of my absolute favourite places that I have been to has to be France. It is such a beautiful country full of the most incredible little towns and the people are so nice. My favourite cities in France are Auxerre and of course, Paris.

Auxerre
Auxerre is a small, medieval town located in North-Central France. My family and I visited it when we were driving from Paris to Switzerland. It is the cutest little town I have ever been to! It is like some of the little towns in Tuscany, Italy which is all the more reason to love it! The locals, Auxerrois as they are known, were also incredibly kind and friendly which is always really nice when you are travelling in a foreign country. I definitely want to go back one day, preferably when I am fluent in French!



Paris
Paris was amazing too, but on another level. Paris is a big, busy city and the architecture is absolutely breathtaking. All the buildings are of a similar style and they are just beautiful. It was said that Hitler refused to bomb Paris during World War II because it was such a beautiful city, and once you have been there, you can totally understand where he is coming from. One of the things I noticed was that the Parisians dress very elegantly. They look classy no matter what, which makes it harder for the rest of us. No wonder it is a city celebrated for its fashion designers.

These are some of my favourite places in Paris:

Ladurée
Ladurée is a must-visit during your stay in Paris. Their macaroons are to die for! It is pretty popular so there may be a queue, but let me tell you that it is completely worth the wait! Even just being in the shop is amazing. Their deserts are so perfectly made, it is almost a shame to eat them. But luckily, they taste better than they look, if that is even possible. I highly advise getting some caramel, chocolate and raspberry macaroons, ils sont fabuleux!! You may gain a few kilos, but it is totally worth it! 


The Musée de Louvre
Located on the Right Bank of the Seine, the Louvre is pretty much in the heart of Paris. The building in itself is a work of art. It echos the architectural style of the city and therefore doesn't look out of place or like an eyesore. The art inside it is some of the most famous and most beautiful in the world. Some of the paintings and sculptures date back hundreds of years which is incredible to think that they are showcased today and people still want to see them. My favourite piece was the Victoire de Samothrace (Winged Victory of Samothrace). To me, it stood out from the rest and is by far my favourite piece of art ever. It is at the top of a staircase which is at the end of a hallway and from the second I saw it 500 metres away from me, I was drawn to it. It is so detailed and powerful. All you Audrey fans may recognise it from her movie Funny Face.




The Champs-Elysées
Perhaps one of the most well-known shopping streets in Paris, the Champs-Elysées does not disappoint. The street is full of life and all the shops are worth having a look at. The added bonus about the Champs-Elysées is the fact that the Arc de Triomphe is at the end. The Arc is definitely worth walking all the way down the street for. It is so intricately decorated and surprisingly bigger than you might expect. 




Et voilà, my favourite places in France! I highly recommend visiting these two cities if you are ever in France. I know that when I go back one day, these will be the first two cities I go to!

I hope you enjoyed my first travel post, it shall be the first of many!

Merci pour lire!
Bisous,


               Phoebe xo


(Note: none of the photos used belong to me. I therefore do not take credit for them)

Tuesday 7 February 2012

School days;

I've never really thought about it but I think that once I finish school late next year, I will actually miss it. Well, not school in general, but the routine. It has taken me about four years to perfect my routine but now that I have it down pat, I actually won't be needing to follow it much longer. Shame, right?

I am actually really happy that we wear school uniforms to school here in Australia. It makes getting ready in the morning at least ten times easier and you don't need to worry about judgemental people criticising an outfit you spent 20 minutes perfecting and piecing together. It also makes weekends more exciting as you obviously don't wear your uniform when you go out. Well, I guess you could but that would be weird...
And, by everyone wearing the same thing, you can express your individuality through your personality, rather than through the clothes you wear. I think that is truly important.

The other thing I have grown accustomed to over the years is teachers telling you what to do and which things to work on for homework. In university, you are pretty much left to your own devices when it comes to working out what you need to work on. Well, so I've heard. I'm not exactly the most focused person around so I think that university will be a big step up for me, especially if I am planning to do a fast-tracked course. For those who don't know what I'm talking about, I want to do a Journalism course, which generally spans four years, but the university I am planning to go to crams a four year course into two years. It's good that I will get it done in shorter time, but bad as it means that the workload will be bigger.

Love,
               Phoebe xo

Wednesday 1 February 2012

Hello year 11!

Two days into the year and it is already busy as hell! I knew Year 11 would be busy but after two days? Seriously, what ever happened to a bludge week?!

I must say, my timetable is great. My subjects are: French, Design & Technology, Advanced English, Geography, General Maths and Modern History. I think they are a good mix and I am loving them already! I also have extremely good teachers this year, especially my maths teacher. Every time I tell someone I have her their jaws drop to the floor or they tell that I am lucky to be in her class/they learnt heaps from her/they wish she was teaching them (she was promoted to Deputy Head this year, so she is only taking one class, which is mine). I cannot describe how glad I am to have a decent maths teacher. I am not exactly pro-mathematics but with an amazing teacher, I am planning to top my class (hopefully the course, or even state) in the HSC. Fingers crosssed!

Another thing I am looking forward to about Year 11 is the free periods. Yes, I know, it's the small things in life hat make me happy. I get three every 10 day cycle and I also have Rec once a cycle, during which we do stuff like bowling, laser tag and classes at Fitness First. 

It may seem crazy, but I am actually excited about knuckling down and studying. I have an attention span shorter than any goldfish so motivation is key for me so I can concentrate and subsequently improve my marks. I am aiming sky-high for the HSC so I'm gonna need all the study hours I can get!! I think that the main motivation for me is university. I have my heart set on Bond University and I need to step it up a bit if I want to get in and graduate successfully. Luckily for me, Bond offers a half scholarship to one student in Year 12 each year so I will definitely apply for it and hope for the best! I have been told that it is not solely based on academic ability, but I know that a high ATAR will definitely improve my chances.

It is insane to think that this year is my second last year in high school. I cannot believe that I will be out of school and off into the big wide world in a year. When I put it that way, it kinda freaks me out! It feels like only yesterday that I started high school and now I'm a senior in my intimidating white ribbon. For those who don't know me, at my school you wear a blue hair ribbon if you are in the junior school and years 7, 8, 9 and 10. When you get to years eleven and twelve, you get to wear a white ribbon and can get a jumper with a red stripe around the neck. It is something you wait for ages for and it is totally worth the wait! I much prefer the white ribbon; I think it looks much better. Plus, it intimidates the new year 7's. 

Anyway, to those of you back at school, enjoy yourselves this year. I wish you all the best for everything you try. 

Love, 
               Phoebe xo