L'amour

Let's just say that this week was significantly better than the last.

P.S. I know I've been saying I'll post my 'CHLOE'S AMAZING ULTIMATE DINNER PARTY' list for the last century and a half, but I'll actually dig it out tonight and post it tomorrow! Here's hoping my little note with scribbled names hasn't been chucked out. Fingers crossed (because that list was dayum finee).

I'll leave you to enjoy a song I'm in love with.
Chloe xx

The one where Chloe had a terrible week

You know those weeks where so many bad things happen that you keep thinking to your self "can this week get any worse", and then it does? The week that has just ended was one of those weeks for me. It was so bad that Phoebe lent me money. That's saying something. Allow me to tell you about CHLOE'S TERRIBLE WEEK 2012.

1. It all began after Saturday night when I got into a little bit of a pickle with the parentals (make that a pretty large pickle...with chilli sauce). Got grounded and my coveted Coldplay ticket got given away (they did buy it for me after all). Yep, the ticket to the concert that is written in giant letters on the calender plastered on my wall as 'COLDPLAY AND TEMPER TRAP OMGOMGOMGOGM', and the concert I always wrote about on here because I liked rubbing it in your face that I was going (I blame it on my excitement). Well who got the last laugh? NOT MEEEEEEE! HAHAHAHA. HAHA. HA. WAH. 
2. Failed my first uni assignment. At this point I was already having a terrible week (see above), so this was like a big fat poisonous cherry on top of a disgusting cake (let's make it a lemon, pecan and eggplant cake with oil icing).
3. Spent all my money on comfort food and coffee, then woke up on Thursday to realise that Topshop was opening that day, and that I had 80 cents in my wallet. Loving life!
4. After thinking to myself "I wonder what could happen to make this week worse", I got to my Myer interview at 3pm on Friday to discover that I misread the email...and the reminder email...and that it instead had started at 2! Go me!
5. I was at my friend Beth's house on Friday night for a much needed cheering up session (this involved Paul's Famous Hamburgers and Crazy Stupid Love). We decided that my terrible week had officially ended. After saying this, I hopped onto the bed and smacked my knee on the corner so hard that a not-so-lovely, big fat bruise began to appear after less than a minute. THANKS KARMA?
6. Gangam Style won't stop playing everywhere and it's driving me insane. If was kind of funny the first time I saw it, but what is with everyone's weird obsession with it?

I believe that the government should give out financial scholarships to people who have weeks like mine. I'm walking a 'DEVO WEEK SCHOLARSHIP', where you fill out a criteria that you submit to the government (like my five points above), and if they agree that your week was terrible they give you money to do something nice over the weekend. I feel that this would be a fantastic initiative, and I plan to write a passionate letter to Julia Gillard.

Much love,
Chloe x

Take your 'judging cap' off for when I tell you that:

THIS SONG AND MUSIC VIDEO MADE MY CRAPPY DAY SO MUCH BETTER. It's so catchy and the video clip is hilarious. Always love a bit of T-Swizzle.

The Casual Vacancy

After somehow magically finishing my assignments due this week two days earlier than my To-Do list had scheduled, I found myself wandering around the city thinking of things to do. One of my shoes broke whilst wandering, so that was a nice excuse to buy a new pair of loafers. 20 minutes later I walked past Dymocks, and $28 later I had The Casual Vacancy in my hands (J.K. Rowling's new book). I spent the rest of the warm afternoon reading it in Hyde Park...well, the book had half of my attention. The other half of my attention belonged to the three tweenagers conducting an awkward photo-shoot (which included pulling sultry faces whilst holding a tree). It was the perfect way to end the mid-semester break.

I am currently faced with a really profound dilemma. Topshop is opening on Thursday morning, and I have $15 in my wallet. My plan is to either camp out to receive freebies (this is looking unlikely due to the fact that I have a media assessment that day), or just go in and take photos of things to buy when I actually have cash, and wallow at the fact that I spend all my money on coffee. The latter is looking far more likely at this point in time. I'll let you know how it goes. Probably not too well, judging by the outcomes of most things I attempt.

I am now off to pretend that I didn't waste all my money today, listen to Muse's new album for the trillionth time, drink some Green Tea (it makes me feel less guilty about being addicted to coffee), read some more of The Casual Vacancy, continue to be happy that the Sydney Swans won the grand final, and jam out a bit more to Muse's new album (I really like it in case you can't tell).

Love,
Chloe
x

Big Freeze.

"We destroyed something beautiful.
We have faith, but our truths are not the same.
Don't give up, don't let the magic leave us,
Stop the loneliest force becoming the king of the universe" 

THE 2ND LAW

So I'm currently listening to Muse's new album, and I have one thing to say: IT IS ABSOLUTELY INSANELY INCREDIBLY EPIC. I'm actually so happy right now-after hearing Unsustainable (dubstep..) and Survival (their song for the Olympics), both of which didn't really 'tickle maa fancy', the album is so...Muse. I love it.

That's my two cents worth.
Chloe x

THE WEEK THAT WAS.

So here is my second attempt at writing about last week. I have finally regained the energy to recount what I got up to during these past seven days, partly from the copious amounts of coffee I have consumed today, and partly from blasting One Direction's new song way too many times than what's considered appropriate for an eighteen year old. May I add that for an innocent boy band, I think it's absolutely hilarious that one of the lines in the song is "if we get together, don't let the pictures leave your phone". Nevertheless, it's a really catchy song, even if the thought of them makes you want to stick pins in your eyes. Click here to listen to it. 

THINGS I WENTED AND DIDED IN THE PAST WEEK.
1. Watched the first episode of Downton Abbey season three. Matthew and Mary. Need I say more?
2. I interviewed an AMAZING professor at uni for an article I'm working on for my journalism unit. His name is John Keane, and I spent about an hour chatting to him in his amazing office above the quadrangle at my university (just think of Hogwarts and that's a pretty accurate picture!). He was named by The Times as one of Britain's leading political thinkers, and he is also a bestselling author...he saw me eyeing off some of his books on his bookshelves, and let me choose one which he continued to write a lovely message on the first page. He was so generous with his time-I got everything I needed for my article and more-and I left his office feeling so inspired! For those who are interested, I'll post a link to the article when I finish it!
3. Speaking of being in the presence of awesome people, interning on Friday afternoon wasn't too bad either. Basically I spent a couple of hours hearing the Global CEO of the advertising network I intern at talk about the future of advertising WHILE drinking some very nice champagne! As both a marketing student and someone who wants to go into advertising, it was SUCH an incredible opportunity to hear one of the leading figures in advertising speak! Six months ago I never would have thought that I would be experiencing that!
4. You know how a couple of posts ago I told you I was campaigning for JAM, a ticket running to be the editorial team of the Honi Soit, my university's student newspaper? WELL THEY WON! I'm so happy for them-they all really, really deserve it! Every ticket campaigned SO hard over this past week-you literally couldn't walk five metres without having a campaigner come up to you and start chatting about policy. So glad that Jam's efforts paid off!
5. When I was walking my dog with Phoebe today, we walked past a pre-school where a bunch of kids screaming things like "LOOK A WITTLE DOGGY!!!!!!!". We continued walking, and I stated 'With my patience, if I worked at a preschool I actually think my career would end in murdering one of those children'. To my horror, an old woman was standing next to me watering her garden, and gave me the mother of all grandma-dirties.

This week is my mid-semester break, but it actually isn't a break because of the amount of work I have to get done for uni. I am now off to watch the next episode of Downton Abbey and listen to One Direction's new song a couple hundred more times because I'm really cool like that.

Ciao,
Chloe

Well that's great.

I just wrote an awesomely awesome mega-post on THE WEEK THAT WAS (this past week). Five paragraphs and a solid spell-check and edit later, I clicked 'POST'. Five minutes ago I got my blog up to double check that it posted. It didn't. And it didn't save as a draft either. Again, WHY WHY WHY do I have to be so technologically challenged? This is a question I struggle to answer every day of my life.

With my fingers exhausted from typing the post that never posted, I am going to post-pone my mega-update 2.0 until tomorrow. Life is tough when you're technologically handicapped.  For now, you should all go and either enjoy the sunshine or watch the latest episode of Downton Abbey. It's up to you. #YOLO.

Love,

Chloe

On repeat.

Life changing realisation

After exiting the lecture theatre yesterday following my hell of a Marketing exam, I headed straight for my favourite cafe at university to purchase some comfort food. I bought a brownie and a large coffee, and began to eat/sip them whilst being busy feeling sorry for myself and the marker who has the task of marking my paper. I then got on a bus to interning and bought another coffee and McDonalds (the ultimate 'Feeling Sorry For Yourself Comfort Food'). It was when I was walking down George Street, on my way to interning, clutching my Maccas and coffee which was spilling onto my feet, that I had an epiphany.

Eating crap makes me feel even more crap.

Yes. Mid way though eating my Chicken 'N' Cheese burger, with my coffee in my other hand, I realised "This food isn't making me feel any better about that exam. Now I feel crap about the exam, feel crap for eating crap, and feel crap for spending money on crap that has only made me feel more crap". Fast-forward 10 seconds and I had chucked these items in a bin and went and bought a Boost, which has fruit in it so in my eyes is healthy. Despite feeling guilty spending even more money, just eating something healthy made me feel good. My new philosophy is that if you eat good food you feel good. And by 'good' food I mean GOOD for the body, not necessarily for the taste-buds (I'm talking to you $2 Chicken 'N' Cheese burger). With the weather warming up I have officially initiated my 'EAT GOOD FEEL GOOD LOOK GOOD' program. We'll see how long this lasts. I bet 48 hours.

In other news, I went to a band competition at uni last night. My absolute favourite band of the night was Beaten Bodies, and being the annoying force-friends-to-listen-to-music-I-like-er I am, click here to listen to their single. Pronto. So good! And one of the guys who plays the saxophone does my course at uni. Another reason for you guys to check out their music!

Chloe xx

Best movie. Best song.

Last night I rediscovered my love for the film He's Just Not That Into You. The couple in the clip below are one of my all-time favourite movie couples, so you can imagine my reaction when I realised that the song playing during their final scene is Somewhere Only We know. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. Perfect song for a perfect couple.
Chloe over and out.
x

INSPIRED.

This sudden warm weather has made my happiness levels sky-rocket. To celebrate, Eleni and I undertook a much needed shopping expedition to the shopping centre near uni to stock up on some summer clothes. It turns out that shopping as a pair proved to be quite the money saver-there were tonnes of '2 for [insert price]' sales. Winning. Charlie Sheen style. Next step is NEW BIKINI which I am hoping to get this weekend, in time for our planned adventure to the beach next Wednesday night where we will sip some cider as the sun sets. If you can't tell from this paragraph, I am most definitely a Spring and Summer gal. AND PROUD OF IT.

This past week has been pretty chaotic. I know I always say that, but I preach tha truth sista. I got in the last of my media assignments (for a while) which nearly killed me (I'm never touching the Australian Film Industry ever again). Also, over the past few days I have been busy campaigning for VOICE (for SRC) and JAM (aspiring editors of Honi Soit-our student paper). So yeah, basically I'm a walking advertisement wearing their respective T-Shirts (on different days, of course), and just being all round awesome so people see me prancing around and think "DAYUM SHE IS SO COOL I'M SO VOTING FOR VOICE AND JAM WHERE IS THIS VOTING BOOTH???!!!!!!".

OTHER REASONS WHY I AM HAPPY AND INSPIRED:
-Radio show is going super duperly awesome. Last week we had TWO callers to weigh in on our random debates! All of you should call up next week and make me even more happy. Like our show's page here.
-Warm weather
-Michelle Obama's kick-ass speech at the Democrat's convention. It was so incredibly inspiring! Click here to watch it.
-I bought a dress I had been eyeing for months on sale for $10!
-Warm weather
-I finally decided my essay topic for my Renaissance assessment. TIME TO GET CRACKING.
-The next season is Summer
-Lots of other things, including gradually becoming less attached to my Blackberry, being hooked on Puberty Blues (best show ever), having my first Easyway since the end of year 12, certain people (wink wink), coffee beans, power smoothies from my new favourite hipster cafe near uni, Muse's new album coming out next month, Two Door Cinema Club touring at the end of the year, and FINALLY being on top of Marketing..I never thought I'd see the day.

I am now off to listen to Passion Pit's new album for the 56983405982390423th time (I need an intervention people) and study a bit of Marketing. Then go to sleep in my SUMMER onsie because...you know...THE WEATHER IS WARM

Laters,
ChlobeWanKenobi
xx

A LETTER OF HATE TO TECHNOLOGY

Dear Technology (Samsung Laptops and Apple's Macs in particular),

It's Chloe here. You know, that girl whose life you make hell for laughs. That girl who you made have a mother of all meltdowns when she couldn't upload her journalism assignment onto the university's intranet on Wednesday night. Did seeing me cry bring warmth to your heart? Also, did you get a huge amount of satisfaction from putting up the infamous 'spinning rainbow of death' when I was working on my other media assignment on my Mac and hadn't saved any of my changes? Did you feel absolute joy when you didn't save any of my footnotes for my industry report, meaning I had to go through every single one of my books/journal articles to re-find all of the sentences I referenced? I hope it made you really, really happy. As in like OMG ROFLLFJSDIOFJSDIOFJDIOS HSHFSUIODHAHAHA happy. Because believe me, I didn't see the funny side and boy did I wish I did! I REALLY WISH I COULD BE AS FUNNY AS YOU!!??!/!/!/?/

I don't understand what I ever did to make you hate me like you do. I understand why Samsung (laptop) hates me, because hey, I wouldn't want to be dropped on concrete either. Or have coffee spilt on me and have my owner lick it off because she doesn't want to see it wasted.  But Mac-I feel betrayed. I thought we really did have a great relationship. I guess now you're just somebody that I used to know.

Chloe

Bloom.

"Shall I write it in a letter?

Shall I try to get it down?

Oh, you fill my head with pieces 

Of a song I can't get out"

Here comes the sun (do do do do)

So it's the 26th of August...which means that it's nearly September...which means that IT IS NEARLY SPRING. Spring is by far my favourite of the four seasons due to fundamental reasons:
A) The warmth. It's not insanely, disgustingly hot like Summer, but just warm enough to wear summery clothes and feel comfortable.
B) The smell of the flowers. When I was babysitting yesterday morning, I took the little girl for a walk in the sun and we picked two bouquets of flowers which SMELT AMAZING. They looked amazing too. I was a little bit too keen on getting great photos of them for Instagram when we got back to the house...so much so that I didn't even notice that she was putting lip gloss on her teeth.
C) The metaphorical meaning (if you could call it that). Freshness, regrowth (not of the dyed-hair type) and happiness (that's not a metaphorical meaning but Spring makes me happy so I just wrote it. FORGIVE ME). I don't think this reason really makes much sense, but you can't just have A and B without a C.

I've been pretty busy for the past week. The other day I was trying to figure out HOW I AM ALWAYS BUSY when I'm only at university 14 hours a week? I guess once you throw work, homework, the radio show, stalking the Game of Thrones cast, bleeding my little heart out into my journal and interning into the picture, my free time becomes the size of a 5 cent coin. That said, whenever I schedule time to do homework I end up socialising. Both in real life and on Facebook. And Instagram. I heart Instagram.

OTHER THINGS I'VE BEEN DOING FOR THE PAST 168 HOURS:
1. Successfully completed my first radio show with Alisha. Despite working out what we were going to do on the show in the hour before-hand, it went really smoothly. I always knew that it was going to be fun, but boy did the time fly! The two hours went by way too quickly. All of you should like the Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/surgfm.chloealisha), and tune in for the show this week!
2. The book that we have to read in my journalism unit, The Universal Journalist, arrived in the mail on Monday. I started reading it on Tuesday and finished the entire thing. It. Is. So. Good. If you're studying/interested in journalism BUY IT NOW. Please take notice of the sense of urgency that those capital letters exert. I don't plan on being a journalist, but after reading that book I found myself typing a way at an article during my Marketing lecture. Very motivating!
3. When the weather first started to warm up this week, I threw on some yellow nail polish to celebrate. That nail polish had been sitting on my desk for two months after I randomly bought it for $2. Let's just say that it is the first cheap nail polish I have ever bought that looks cheaper than how much I bought it for.
4. I CANNOT STOP LISTENING TO PASSION PIT'S NEW ALBUM. I've literally had it on repeat for the past 168 hours. Carried Away never fails to lift my mood. I've posted it below so it can lift your mood too (if the warm weather hasn't done so already). It has got one of those choruses that when you're listening to it full blast you can't help but do a special dance like the guy in this video [click here]. Or like this girl [click here]
xx

I have no words....

...apart from the fact that the video that I have posted below is by far the most relaxing thing I have ever listened to/experienced in the entire duration of my existence. Don't take notice of weird-ass name 'Relaxing Make Up Artist Role-Play' that sounds more like a porno than a relaxation video.  When the video was first linked me to it I was just as cynical as you, BUT then I put in my headphones...sat on my bed...and before I knew it the video was over and I was more relaxed than a sloth in a hammock in Hawaii. I'm not joking when I say PUT IN those headphones, GET LYING on your bed, PRESS PLAY to this video and GET RELAXED!

Also, my radio show with my friend Alisha (click here for her blog) starts tomorrow! Tune in to SURG FM from 4-6 tomorrow (Tuesday) to experience our hilariously witty banter that is essentially music/sex to your ears. When we make our show's Facebook page tonight, I'll post it here along with a link to listen to our show on the internet! Very excited.

AMAZINGNESS.

I have made the title of this post 'Amazingness' for two significant reasons:
1) On the way to Edmunds and Greer this morning with Phoebe (I POWER WALKED there to buy my coffee. Kudos to me and my seemingly amazing exercise habits), an elderly man DIPPED HIS HAT AT US and said 'Good morning ladies' with a smile. So adorable. I had the biggest smile on my face long after I had finished that coffee! Nothing quite beats old fashioned manners.
2) The cover of Keane's 'Somewhere Only We Know' that I've posted below is the epitome of amazingness. I've had it on repeat whilst attempting to battle my way through the copious amount of reading for Renaissance. The cover is perfect for a Sunday afternoon! Get listening. Oh, and please ignore the fact that the YouTube channel that uploaded this video is called 'EmotionalMusicTV'. No, I don't spend my days listening to that channel whilst crying and eating ice cream-it was the first video of the cover that came up! That said, who doesn't love a good old wallow under your covers while listening to Adele? Everyone should be entitled to a classic Adele wallow.

Sorry, what?

While interning the other day, I was trawling the internet conducting some research on some clothing brands, during which I stumbled across some images which made my blood boil to a degree even hotter than Harry Lloyd (the 1800BABE from Game of Thrones). It was the new '8Fourteen' range avaliable at Witchery. In marketing last week we were looking at complaints regarding Target's 'skanky' clothes for 8-14 year olds, however it wasn't the actual design of the clothes in the Witchery range that made me particularly angry. It was the look of the girls modelling them. Not only do they all look many, many years older than their actual age (I don't think any of them are older than 13), but the girl in the middle looks like she could be 18. They're probably still in primary school for goodness sake! Let them be kids! When I was that age I was too scared to kiss a boy in the fear of getting a life-threatening disease, jamming to SCLUB7, and learning my two times tables. How much of an 'It Girl' can you be at 12 years old!? And SMILE GIRL! Stop with the pout! What have you got to frown about at your age? Not being able to find the perfect dress to your year 6 farewell?

In other news, HOW INSANELY EPIC WAS THE OLYMPICS CLOSING CEREMONY? If you pretend that the randomly pointless 'supermodel' segment never happened, then it was literally perfect. Muse owned that stadium, and the Spice Girls completely and utterly won me over. I'm currently suffering from Post-Olympics Depression. HOW am I going to survive my mornings without my daily Olympic catch-ups on TV over coffee? Life goes on, I guess. Hoping to actually be at the Rio Olympics, so I better start saving!

Passion Pit strikes again

RANT.

While shopping on Friday, my eyes fell on something which nearly made me spit my coffee out (and it was an amazing coffee so that's really saying something). "What was it?" You're probably thinking. "Fifty Shades of Grey? Crocs? A former Hi-5 member on the cover of Zoo Magazine?". I can confirm that the item is far worse than any of the things listed. Sneaker wedges.

They were actually at every single shoe store I went to. They were everywhere, basking in their heeled-gym shoe glory. Not only are they ugly as hell, HOW are they practical in any way? Are you going to wear them to the gym? No. Are you going to wear them out to socialise? No. Are you going to wear them IN PUBLIC!? If you were going to answer yes to that question, I recommend that you seek professional help. Pronto.

I returned home and Googled "Fugliest shoes ever" to seek more information on the weirdness that are these new styles of shoe. They didn't come up in that search, so I tried "sneaker wedges". To my horror, MTV Style has named them the "It Shoe of the Season", and apparently Beyonce is their number one fan. I guess motherhood affects you in more ways than one.

Musical-esque-post-don't know where I'm going with this blog post title

This past week has been insanely busy, hence the lack of any sort of random videos/photos/music/text. I have finished my first week back at university (minus tutorials), and as much as it hurts me to say this...I AM ALREADY BEHIND. I left it until Friday to buy all of my textbooks and readers, and to my horror the two books that I really needed for journalism were sold out at the university bookshop. I then trekked it into the city and literally went to every single bookshop I could find, all of which had sold out of the books too. I have now resorted to buying them online, which is going against every single moral and value I have regarding the purchasing of books. I am now re-evaluating my life. 

OTHER THINGS THAT I HAVE BEEN DOING INSTEAD OF BLOGGING IN THE PAST FEW DAYS:

-Listening to a lot of music (hence my attempted 'Musical' blog post title). I'm talking Two Door Cinema Club and General Fiasco's new albums, Temper Trap (I know I'm 848230578 years late but WHO CARES THEIR MUSIC IS PHENOMENAL and I'm seeing them support Coldplay YIPEE), and Ed Sheeran...I spent two nights in bed listening to his music wallowing at the fact that I missed out on tickets to his concert. 

-Watching the Olympics. I'm not really the type who watches a lot of sport on TV (I stick to quality TV like Being Lara Bingle and Masterchef), but I am actually hooked on the Olympics. My favourite events to watch are definitely the gymnastics and the athletics now it's started...let's just pretend for the sake of this post that Australia isn't experiencing a 'flop' of an Olympics. 

-Enjoying the warm-ish weather (by Winter standards). Despite everyone around me still wearing jumpers and scarves, I've spent the past three days walking around in dresses and sandals in an attempt to embrace this warm weather while it lasts! Warm weather definitely has an impact on my mood-just having the temperature raise itself a couple of degrees resulted in me becoming multiple degrees happier (that sentence doesn't make sense does it? Oh well). 

-Had an AWESOME day interning on Friday. I got given a creative task to spend the whole day on and IT WAS SO MUCH FUN. I can't talk about in detail (I cannot help but feel special saying that...kind of like a spy in the FBI), but let's just say that I got to help brainstorm potential names for a new product! So. Cool. 

-Dying my hair. It is now kind of chocolate brown again. It's actually pretty funny because whenever I die my hair darker, I have about 570000x more blonde moments then I have when I'm actually blonde. I'm weird like dat bro. Wot of eet. 

-Reading The Hobbit. On Monday I had the life-changing realisation that I've all but stopped reading fiction, so I sprinted to Dad's bookshelf and ripped the Hobbit out of it's cosy cave on the bottom shelf. I'll let you know my verdict once I've finished (which probably won't be for a while when I remember all the uni readings I am yet to do...).

For those who care about my ever-changing taste in music, below I've posted my favourite Temper Trap song as well as my favourite Two Door Cinema track off their new album. Enjoy!

No Moet, no goet

So the holidays have officially ended, and I can confirm that they ended with a bang. A literal bang. On Sunday, the final day of holidays, I went along to the Christening and 1st birthday of Dad's cousin's child. You're probably thinking "how is that exciting in any way?!". Well, my friend. Phoebe and I were the first people to walk outside upon arriving at the 1st birthday party...and what did we see? Bottles and bottles of Moet. I FINALLY got to have my (much fantasised about) glass (es) of Moet. Consider life made.

That isn't the end of the story though. It only gets better. You see, Phoebe needed to use the bathroom so we wandered into the house...and five minutes later Phoebe was locked in the bathroom. An hour later, she was still locked in the bathroom. An hour after that and she remained locked in the bathroom. This is where the 'bang' comes in-15 men in suits were trying to get her out, trying everything from credit cards and pliers to screwdrivers (they took the entire handle off). After two hours, the crow-bar came out. Yes, you read that right. They had literally resorted to either smashing the window of forcing the door open with a crow-bar. By this time there was a crowd of about 20 spectators, all waiting for the 'big rescue'. Just as they were about to break down the extremely expensive door, someone thought of bringing in an "emergency locksmith". Forty minutes and $200 later, Phoebe was free. She can never pay me out for my embarrassing moments ever again. Toilet Girl.

Yesterday was my first day back at uni, and it was only when I set foot on campus that I realised how much I had missed it (more specifically, hot chips from Manning Bar). I had my first Renaissance lecture which was really enjoyable, despite making myself look like the biggest idiot when I realised that Leonardo Da Vinci kind of painted the Mona Lisa. After that I had an intense catch-up session at the uni bar, and then wandered to my first journalism lecture which was insanely awesome! I have never been more excited about studying a subject, and our lecturer used to work at the New York Times (I fangirled a little). It's nice to finally be studying something in Media that's practical!

To top off an awesome day, I went for dinner with friends from high school to celebrate an eighteenth birthday [HAPPY BIRTHDAY CAROL! ^.^] at Jamie Oliver's Italian restaurant...all I can say is that HOW HAVE I NOT BEEN THERE BEFORE!? The atmosphere was awesome, the waiters look like Italian models and the food was DELICIOUS. It was just so lovely catching up with all of my friends too-I haven't laughed so hard in ages!

I am now off to have a bath, eat chocolate mousse, and freak out over the fact that Ed Sheeran is on the same continent as me.

Talk soon,
ChlobeWan

OPENING CEREMONY

Definitely WITHOUT A DOUBT worth waking up at the crack of dawn for (i.e 5.30am). To be honest, I wasn't expecting it to be that great...but I was blown away! Below I've posted what may or may not have been one of the most brilliant things I've ever watched.

Rowan Atkinson at Olmypics 2012 Opening Ceremony from Babu on Vimeo.

So I wented and gotted Instagram

Naturally the first photo I uploaded was an image of food, however this particular bowl of pasta was special. Quite special indeed. In fact, it was so special that I would go as far as to say that it is more special than special itself. Why? Uhhh because I KINDA SORTA COOKED IT ALL BY MYSELF! Yes, you read that right. I produced food which required the use of the stove. My next mission is to conquer the oven (I.E. work out how to turn it on). Your next mission is to follow me on Instagram (my username is chloesaintilan). It gets lonely only having three followers. I cry myself to sleep every night.
I am now off to NOT eat Betty Crocker icing from the cupboard, and to prepare myself for the pure amazingness that will be the Masterchef grand finale.
Ta ta!
Chloe x

UM WHAT.

I get my blog up whilst trawling the internet so I can watch the Samsung ad with George Craig for the fifty trillionth time, and then saw when I posted it-A WEEK AGO! I didn't even realise that it has been a week...these past few days have absolutely flown by. Now you're probably thinking "UM WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN UP TO IN THESE PAST FEW DAYS JUST TELL US CHLOE OMG DON'T KEEP US HANGING OMG I CAN'T STAND NOT KNOWING!?!?!??!?!!?". Well, my friend. If you calmed down a bit perhaps I'd tell you. Take a deep breath or two. Here we go:
1. I took my little brother and two of his friends to go and see the latest Spiderman movie. Dearest Andrew Garfield, will you please have my children?
2. I played the role of supportive sister on Tuesday when I went to my little brother's last ever primary school athletics carnival. In the 100m he bolted from the starting line when the gun sounded and I began to scream my lungs out cheering his name, only to have him yell "SHUT UP CHLOE!" as he ran past. Yeah, he yelled that out DURING his race IN FRONT of all the parents and students. Feeling the sibling love!
3. I was watching Rage whilst babysitting, and all of a sudden a video clip came on which I decided was the most cringe-worthy thing I have ever sat through. It's called 'On Top' by Johnny Ruffo. Not only does the video clip have the most dry plot ever (a valet/waiter/slave to girls at a mansion), he dances like a creepy uncle AND the main lyric of the chorus is 'I feel like I'm on top of the world when I'm on top of you'. Click here to watch it. 
4. I was walking along Circular Quay with some friends and we literally got guilt-tripped into participating in an ad for the new series of X-Factor. Prepare yourself when watching TV in the next couple of weeks-the ad is going to be more awkward than Jessica Watson thinking she's a celebrity.
5. Some of my friends and I went to see The Birds at the State Theatre which was SO much fun. The special effects were so bad that everyone in the audience was just laughing, but overall the film was actually really good! Watching it in the old and insanely beautiful theatre made the experience all the more pleasurable. I'm definitely going back to see some of the other old-ish films they're showing at that theatre to celebrate 100 years of Universal Pictures!
6. I've been reading 'The Psychology of Love', and I've folded the pages of things to write about here. I came across an essay in the book on love as an 'addiction'. I thought this sentence was particularly interesting/hilarious: "He (Liebowitz) argues that passionate love brings on a giddy feeling comparable to an amphetamine high. It is phenylethylamine, an amphetamine-related compound, that produces mood-lifting and energizing effects of romantic love. He observes that "love addicts" and drug addicts have a lot in common: the craving for romance is merely craving for a particular high. The crash that follows a breakup is thus much like amphetamine withdrawal". I think this gives a whole new scientific meaning to Kesha's song 'Your Love is My Drug", no?

I am now off to read the 20 Cleo magazines that the lady who works at Edmunds and Greer gave me. I hope you all are having a splendiferous Monday.
Muchos love, Chloe x

Successful Advertising

Gold star for Samsung. Just whip George Craig into an ad AND I'LL BUY YOUR PRODUCT JUST TAKE MY MONEEYYYY I LOVE GEORGE CRAIG ARGHGHGGHGH.

Back to reality.

So I'm officially back in Sydney town. Well, technically I've been back for two days, but those 48 hours don't count because I was lying in bed watching Game of Thrones (I finished season one which was profoundly epic in the epic of most epic levels). I'm now sitting inside on this beautiful day typing this post with a very old Apple keyboard that I plugged in especially because it's just so much fun to type with. It may sound silly, but hitting these chunky white keys and hearing the noise it makes kind of makes me feel like I'm in a movie. I like it...

Broulee turned out to be just what I needed in terms of clearing my head. I was on the verge of a mental breakdown before I left due to reasons I'm not even sure of (probably watching Game of Thrones for an abnormal amount of days in a row?), and as soon as I hit that highway freedom-bound it was like a huge pile of bricks had been lifted off my shoulders. I sound like I'm trying to be the woman in Eat Pray Love. But seriously. Nothing quite beats the feeling that you get when you drive around the corner on Mossy Point and catch the first glimpse of Broulee Beach, and leaving my phone at home turned out to make the  week all the more splendid. The weather was absolutely BEAUTIFUL, meaning that despite it being Winter we went for long walks along the beach every morning, went kayaking with manta rays (I will admit I nearly died of a heart attack the first time I saw one by the warf), ate lunch down on the water at a sea-side cafe, went bushwalking, had daily walks to the Muffin Shop (best coffee and raspberry and white chocolate muffins in the world), ate the famous fudge at Mogo, and just made the most of the stunning views/fresh air. Definitely succeeded in clearing all the smog out of my head. Oh, and I successfully talked Eleni into getting a second piercing on her left ear.

Along with these outdoor activities, I must say that I watched one too many romantic comedies. I'm the number one advocate of romantic comedies-I'm all for cheesiness and unrealistic romance (movies are supposed to be AN ESCAPE afterall, no?), but You've Got Mail and What Women Want were so cringe-worthy that I found myself sitting there criticising it like a pain-in-the-ass aunt at a family barbeque. Crappy movies aside, I also watched The Help and Robin Hood, both of which were absolutely fantastic. Kind of balanced out my movie watching palate, you could say.

So there you have it-Chloe's Broulee Adventures of Winter 2012. I've arrived home feeling refreshed and rejuvenated (Not on the scale of Eat Pray Love), however still need to fulfill two goals I've set to complete by the end of the holidays:
1. Get my L's (two years late)
2. Cook a dinner USING THE OVEN (which I currently don't even know how to turn on).
My cooking HAS improved since the dessert I made before Broulee-Today I cooked Phoebe a grilled Asparagus and Bocconcini sandwich thing, and I bought a couple of custard apples which I hope to make something mind-blowingly brilliant with.

I am now off to NOT lie in bed watching Season 2 of Game of Thrones or destroy the tub of Betty Crocker chocolate icing in the fridge.

Laters,
ChlobeWanKenobi x

Bon Voyage!

Yes, it's that time of year again where I run off to Broulee to clear all the Sydney smog out of my head and come back as fresh as a watermelon (couldn't think of an other way of putting it, sorry...I like watermelons). I have spent the last week lying in bed watching Game of Thrones, occasionally walking outside for a coffee, and last night even cooked dessert which, to my surprise, the members of my family actually ate...AND ENJOYED?! So yeah, this past week was my official 'doing absolutely nothing' week of the holidays, and I am now more than ready to run away to Broulee, which is without a doubt one of my favourite places in the entire world. I'll be gone for a week, so don't miss me too much. I'm leaving my laptop AND BLACKBERRY in Sydney, because I've decided that I've become too attached to them and it's just a bit sad really. I also like the idea of being uncontactable for an entire week. If your Chloe withdrawal symptoms are getting the better of you, go to your nearest cafe and order a large skim cappuccino with one sugar (the coffee I drink every single day), and it'll feel like I'm right there with you. Love you all! I'm now leaving you with some photos of Broulee last time we were there that I stole off Eleni's Facebook page. 

Sorry to disappoint...

But I DO NOT have a major crush/am in love with Fred Niles. This won't mean anything to you if you didn't catch the post on this blog that Phoebe wrote when she hacked it (before I deleted it an hour later), but for those we were (un)lucky enough to read it, I am here to say that:
a) I do not go for older men
b) I do not go for leaders of the Christian Democrats
c) I do not trawl the 'Fred Niles' tag on Tumblr all day

In other news, I have spent the last two days enjoying doing absolutely NOTHING. I have really, really missed being a full-time bum. I've slept in until 9.30am both days (that's a record sleep in for me-I usually wake up at 6.30), and have enjoyed spending the days watching Pride and Prejudice (the one and only BBC version), spending too much time at Edmunds and Greer (I swear they're going to stop letting me in), getting overly excited at the fact that I successfully converted Eleni to Downton Abbey (welcome to the dark side), and not exercising (making my days all the more better).

I am now moving on to my rant for the day. In the town where I live you will find three major things:
1. Spoodle dogs
2. Old people
3. Cyclists
My rant for today centres on the latter of these three things. Cyclists. I don't even know where to begin. I know that cycling is healthy for you (I should try doing it sometime..nah), it helps prevent global warming, and that it helps with the traffic. BUT THEY MAKE MY BLOOD BOIL TO A DEGREE HOTTER THAN JOHNNEY DEPP. They think they OWN THE ROADS, that they can do ANYTHING THEY WANT ON SAID ROADS BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT REGISTERED SO I CAN'T REPORT THEM, they take up EVERY SINGLE SEAT at Edmunds and Greer and nearby cafes on Sunday mornings, and they fail to realise that bikes ARE NOT cars and shouldn't act like they're top of the food chain. The worst part is that in my area they travel around in packs wearing matching tshirts with the 'logos' of their cycling groups, so I'll be walking down a road to see a stampede of bike riders forming in the distance. It's like a horror movie.
I think Hitler sums up this rant pretty well. Shane Warne speaks the truth. (I actually nearly died laughing at this video. Watch the whole thing if you haven't seen it).

HELLO THERE, FELLOW CYBER CITIZENS

This is Chloe speaking. Chloe, who has kinda sorta actually kinda like finally FINISHED HER FIRST SET OF UNI EXAMS. I had my last exam yesterday afternoon, and after it had finished jumped on a train and headed off to babysit FOUR boys. We had a pretty intense game of murder in the dark. Except the part where I smacked my knee on the corner of a timber table and had to act cool and collected. Doing so was probably harder than my exam.

I cannot believe that Semester One of university is over. It was SUCH a big step in my life, and so many things have changed that it's hard to comprehend that I have only been at uni for one semester. I am actually in love with my uni, have met some absolutely INCREDIBLE people, have actually ENJOYED studying my different units (just ignore my rants about the subjects), got an internship when I wasn't expecting to get one for a couple of years, have a radio show lined up for next semester, and have just had a really lovely time embracing university life. As much as I'm going to enjoy these holidays, I cannot wait for the second semester-I'm picking up my second media subject, am studying the Renaissance (I currently don't know anything about it so it'll be interesting), and Marketing (random decision but the senior units are amazing). Woooo!

OTHER THINGS IN MY LIFE THAT MAY OR MAY NOT INTEREST YOU:
1. I watched the Downton Abbey Christmas Special. I have no words. Except for the fact that Matthew Crawley is my future husband. The fact that he is fictional is completely irrelevant.
2. Johnney Depp is single. I feel stressed knowing that he's single and roaming around the other side of the Earth, and I'm here sitting at my computer not doing anything about it. Let's just forget that his daughter is only a couple of years younger than me. And the fact that he's older than both my parents.
3. I am completely obsessed with Missy Higgin's beautiful song 'Everyone's Waiting'. It is so amazingly amazing that I get goosebumps every time I listen to it! Also, Muse has released a song that's going to be the official song of the London Olympics, and to be honest, I don't really know what to think of it! Click here to hear it.
4. I'm SO excited because I'm running away once again to Broulee for a week of these holidays with Phoebe and Eleni (click here for her blog). Just incase you missed my million other posts on the wonderous place that is Broulee, all you need to know that it is DEFINITELY my 'happy place'. I also find it all the more beautiful in Winter, because it's just the escape you need. It's only a couple hours away from Sydney, but it literally feels as though you're somewhere far, far, FAR away. Cannot wait! Prepare for a barrage of photos upon my return.
5. This week involves lying around doing absolutely nothing, with a bit of partying and Downton Abbey in between.

DON'T STOP ME NOW!

So basically I've chucked a medical and discovered the perfect cure to exam stress. You press play to the song below (one of my all time favourites), turn it up full blast (if you have a sibling like Phoebe who tells you that you'll go deaf you just ignore them), then just quite simply dance like a psycho/sing along like there's no tomorrow. Not only does it purge you of any stress, it's a good work out and also motivates you to HIT DOOOSE BOOKS! 

Near death experience

Caffeine-induced. Never having three coffees and four cokes in a day ever again. I got into bed with my heart beat sounding like dubstep at around 11pm after babysitting, and lay awake staring at my ceiling until the early hours of the morning literally awaiting a heart attack. I've learnt my limits! I think these holidays will involve a serious attempt at caffeine detoxing...!

Today involves studying for my exams which are now uncomfortably close (first one is on Wednesday), and eating scones which Phoebe has kindly baked (a rare expression of sisterly love on her behalf! Cutest). I am now off to read my Middle Ages textbook in an attempt to aquire some last-minute knowledge, eat some scones and NOT drink coffee.

Hope you are all having a splendid weekend,
ChlobeWanKenobi

Andrew McCarthy appreciation post

Going through an 80s movies phase (again). Even though Andrew McCarthy is old/a dad now, please spend just spend a few moments to appreciate how amazingly, insanely gorgeous is was back in the 1980s. If anyone owns a time machine and is willing to lend it to me, please flick me an email to the address listed on the 'contact me' page. Thanks. 

DUBSTEP

I'll openly admit that I hate dubstep. Now you're probably thinking "UM THEN WHY DID YOU MAKE IT THE TITLE OF THIS POST HUH???!!!". Well, my friend. I made it the title of this post not just to declare my hatred for it. It's because I'm having a dubstep-induced crisis.

1. I was scrolling down my newsfeed and a girl who I'm friends with on FB (one of those people that you can't remember when you became friends with them/who they are) posted a link to Justin Bieber's new single 'As Long As You Love Me'. I clicked play to discover that it's dubstep. Yes. Justin Bieber dubstep. I was about to click cross, thinking to myself 'WOW Justin Bieber has really managed to hit a new low trololol', but then a strange thing happened. I became hooked. I LOVE THE SONG. And it's Justin Bieber dubstep. And I can't stop listening to it. I need an intervention.ASAP.

2. Muse released the trailer for their new album The 2nd Law, and watching the first half of it gave me the chills because of it's awesome Muse-esque anarchic awesomeness. Then it turned into dubstep. NO WONDER I HAVE TRUST ISSUES MUSE. I'm really hoping that Matt Bellamy is trolling and that dubstep isn't on their album, but I guess that if it is on the album I should remember that anything Muse produces is epic in the most epic of epic senses, and thus the said dubstep will be epic. 

Here is the trailer: 

If 'brilliance' was a video..

Long Weekend '12

So it's the Long Weekend, and instead of spending this lovely (but freezing) Saturday night out partying, I'm chained (psychologically, not literally) to my desk in an attempt to revise the content of my Middle Ages unit to avoid a repeat of my Archaeology exam last Wednesday (was a bit of a fail. Literally). Exams are near, and it's a severe case of HSC REVISITED. Kind of looking forward to the big fat month of a break following the exam period.

THINGS ON MY MIND:
-The Long Weekend is the one reason why I appreciate the royal family-YAY FOR PUBLIC HOLIDAYS!
-If you didn't pick it up from the paragraph above, the Archaeology exam on Wednesday was a classic fail. I had studied pretty solidly and could literally attempt less than half of the questions. Currently awaiting my High Distinction. But hey, ARCHAEOLOGY HAS OFFICIALLY EXITED CHLOE'S LIFE
-I was walking around the library at uni trying to find some books that will aid my studying for my media exam (never found any), and I came across a book called 'The Psychology of Love'. I started reading it on the train and it is so interesting that I began to fold the pages of parts to write about on this blog. I always thought that you couldn't really study 'love', but this book has succeeded in doing so, and in a hilariously interesting way.
-I've openly admitted my hatred for Lana Del Rey, but my friend showed me a girl's cover of 'Video Games' and I absolutely CANNOT get enough of it! This girl should have released the song instead of Lana Del Fish-Lips, because she actually sings it with purpose/gives it meaning. Click here to listen to it! Listen to the whole thing and prepare for amazingness.
-I am now off eat an awesome slow-cooked dinner and watch Midnight in Paris (one of my all-time favourite movies). Be jealous.

Love,
Chloe X

So it gets better.

A kind person just inboxed me on Tumblr to inform me that in my last post I forgot to press the DAMN 'C' BUTTON SO IT SAYS 'Turns out I forgot to lick the button to turn the darn italics off". I think that it's officially safe to say that:
a) This is a dark day for Chloe and technology
b) I don't use my tounge to press my computer keys (that said, I did just type that using my tounge to see if it's possible to type with your tongue. Mission complete).

I have now read this post six times to check that there is nothing wrong with it. If there is, then I may just throw my computer at a wall. And then throw myself at said wall.

I am now off to eat Tiny Teddies and study Archaeology until Downton Abbey starts.

Goodnight world,
Chloe x

P.S. For anyone who understands my love for George Craig (if you don't, he is a British musician/frontman of One Night Only/my future husband who I've been in love with since I was 15), you should and will be excited for me when I inform you that HE FOLLOWED ME ON TWITTER AND I PRIVATE MESSAGED HIM AND HE REPLIED. I asked him if they're coming to Sydney for a gig soon and he replied "We have no plans to come to Sydney yet but we would love to come xx". LIFE MADE.

Lives of the technologically challenged

So Phoebe just kindly informed me that half of my last post is in Italics. Turns out I forgot to lick the button TO TURN THE DARN ITALICS OFF. Oh, and now Blogger won't let me access the page to edit my posts (thnx hunni), so now you'll have to put up with the 'funky post that is half written in Italics' until I can edit it. Currently trying to figure out the reason as to why technology hates me.

In other news, I've spent the afternoon avoiding Archaeology study and forming a playlist page to on this blog. Should be up in the next couple of days. WATCH DIS SPACE BRAH.

Hope you are all enjoying this dreary and seemingly lazy Sunday afternoon!

VIVID.

Friday was pretty eventful. Unlike most Fridays, where I head home and snuggle up in bed and watch Pretty in Pink while trawling Tumblr and just be generally anti-social, I ACTUALLY DID STUFF!

In my break from interning I met Phoebe at The Rocks and we went for a wander to find somewhere to quench our hunger (quench in that context doesn't sound right, does it?). We stumbled across what is now one of my favourite places in Sydney. It is a little Irish café called The Tea Cosy, and believe me when I say that as soon as you step inside you feel as though you've somehow left Sydney and have wandered into Dublin. The café has SUCH a homely feel, with the place decked out with Irish paintings, decorations, lanterns, street-signs (in Gaelic) old fireplaces (with little knitted scones in them), with a soundtrack of Irish folk music (click here to hear some and understand the vibe of this café). Oh, and their scones were voted the best in Sydney by the Daily Telegraph. Boy did they deserve that title. They were ABOLUTELY PERFECT, and this is coming from a girl whose Nan can make a killer batch of scones. And what topped off the experience was our tea that came in a tea pot with a knitted tea cosy! So. Cute. NFUJIDNGFKJNGF.

After finishing interning for the day I headed down to Circular Quay to meet a friend at the Opera Bar. I was a bit early, so I wandered around the Quay and checked out the Vivid Festival which is insanely brilliant. Whilst I felt a bit 'forever alone', strolling by myself amongst a sea of couples (huuu needz a man aniwayii the lights are just SO beautiful (and the projections on the Opera House are kind of freaky-it looks like two humans are lying on it!). I then met said friend at Opera Bar, where I had a pretty insanely tasty cocktail called Opera White Tea. One word=Awesomeness.

I am now sitting at my desk hiding away from the rain, studying Archaeology (another exam on Wednesday...), and wondering why everyone is celebrating the 'Jubilee' of a woman who won the sperm pool competition (i.e. The Queen). Got to love how we live in the 21st Century and they still live in palaces, wear tiaras and travel in carriages!

ChloebeWanKenobi x

Eurovision

Even though I didn't watch this year's competition (yep, I know I'm terrible), I found myself re-watching old favourites. I think that there are two performances that perfectly sum up Eurovision:

1. Ukraine's 2007 entry. If the term 'WTF' was a video, I'm pretty sure this would be it. Everything about it screams Eurovision. The glitter. The music. The crazy costumes. The absolutely incredible randomness. Click here to watch it!

2. France's 2007 entry: I genuinely cannot watch this performance without clutching my stomach due to the pain as a result laughing so hard. The two main guys are just pure gold, and the guy in the pink suit is an absolute LEGEND. Everything about this video is just hilarious... Eurovision spirit at its very best (and SO catchy...). See below.