Albums That Have Influenced Me

Albums that have influenced me and have a place on my playlist:

Grinspoon - Thrills, Kills + Sunday Pills

Grinspoon was the first gig I ever went to back when I was a baby teenager and our parents dropped us off and picked us up.

AQUA - Aquarium

The first album I ever bought. Classic 90s pop! 

Good luck trying to get 'Barbie Girl' out of your head now...

Kisschasy - United Paper People

'Black Dress' is my favourite song off the album and possibly my favourite song ever. ❤

I met Kisschasy at an after party of a gig they were support act for (I was more excited to see them). I was way starstruck and not sure that actual words came out of my mouth. I also lost a shoe that night. Good times.

PNAU - self titled

At their peak PNAU ran a competition to win the chance to be a wild dancing strawberry on stage at one of their shows. My deepest regret in life is not entering said competition.  

Shania Twain - Come On Over

No shame... I've always been a Shania fan. When I eventually get the balls to sing a karaoke solo 'Man! I Feel Like a Woman!' will be my song of choice. 🎤

Pink - M!ssundaztood
 

I think of Pink's music as pop with a purpose. She has things to say and I like to listen. Her lyrics are honest and raw, showing true vulnerability. When I listen to her songs I feel like I'm listening to her personal diary. In particular 'Family Portrait' really tears at the heartstrings.

 

 

Red Hot Chilli Peppers - By The Way 

 

'The Zephyr Song' soothes me. 'Can't Stop' excites me.

 

I'm currently reading Anthony Kiedis' eye-opening autobiography 'Scar Tissue' and crossing my fingers I can get tickets to the bands first Australian tour in over 12 years. Wish me luck!

Michael Jackson - Thiller

The King of Pop! How selfish of him to die before I could see him perform live. I mean really.

I guess the old videos will have to do - my favourite moment of which being when Michael (and by Michael I mean his stunt double) flies off stage in a jetpack! Mind blown.

Bruno Mars - 24K Magic

There's nothing like a Bruno Mars song to lift my spirits!

I know 'Uptown Funk' isn't included on this album, but it should be so I'm going to talk about it anyway. In my old Zumba class this song became our favourite track to dance to and was regularly requested.

Bruno Mars' commanding showmanship, charisma and style make him a likely candidate for the current King of Pop!

Avril Lavigne - Let Go

Every angsty teenager needs an angsty soundtrack. This was mine.

For a friend's dress up party I dressed as a skater girl and brought my brother's skateboard with me to complete the look, which was no doubt Avril Lavigne inspired. I couldn't skateboard to save my life, but whatever.

Triple J Hottest 100 Volume 6 - 1998

What a year! I was and still am obsessed with these songs:

Addicted to Bass - Josh Abrahams and Amiel Daemion
I Don't Like It - Pauline Pantsdown
Intergalactic - Beastie Boys
One Week - Barenaked Ladies
The Rockafeller Skank - Fatboy Slim

I've never voted in the Hottest 100 and to be honest probably never will, but I still love listening to the countdown each year on Australia Day.

A Present Under The Tree

 

Don't feel sorry for me

When it's Fathers Day

I'll have letters from him

Until I'm old and grey

 

Don't feel sorry for me

When I reach for his hand

Because he'll always be with me

Through the lines in the sand

 

Don't feel sorry for me

On my wedding day

When it's time to dance

For he taught me the waltz

When he had the chance

 

Don't feel sorry for me

That he's no longer here

What if his place in the world

Is now for someone else dear

 

Don't feel sorry for me

For I have not lost

If you knew my Daddy

You know what I've got

 

I've still got his songs

His voice in my head

Saying carry me with you

In this journey ahead

 

I'll carry him always

Like the clothes that I wear

Every day in my thoughts

This, I swear

 

He left me a present

Under the Christmas tree

A little baby sister

A sister for me

 

A sister to love

And a sister to hold

To hold hands with

When we cross the road

 

Thank you Daddy

For our present under the tree

I know you'll always

Be smiling with me

 

 

Written through the eyes of a 5yr old girl who's Daddy was an amazing musician, gave
the best cuddles, told the worst jokes, had the biggest heart imaginable and also had Cancer.

Beautiful People

 

I've made it out alive after 4 weeks of working and playing as a photographer onboard YachtLife this summer!

 

You never know how a trip will change you, you just know that it will. The places I've visited throughout Turkey, Greece and Croatia have taken my breath away.... but even more beautiful than the landscapes I've seen is the people I've met.

I'll be forever grateful for all you amazing people, and to Life Before Work for this incredible experience.

 

 

Happiness Is Fleeting

Happiness is fleeting,
We must enjoy it while it lasts
Appreciate these moments
As they will soon be in the past

 

Semi-Naked Succulent Cake

As a wedding photographer, I often get to photograph the most beautiful looking wedding cakes!

I was so excited to have the opportunity to learn how to decorate one myself at a class taught by Anita at Across The Board Cake Decorating. I'm a little obsessed with succulents, so this was the perfect class for me!

As a complete beginner (I've never in my life decorated a cake before) I found the class was equal parts fun and challenging! The six hours we had went by super quick!

The ever popular semi-naked cake trend is still going strong at the moment. I really loved learning the technique of getting the cake underneath to show through the buttercream just that perfect amount for a rustic effect.

I can certainly appreciate even more so now the energy, time and skill it takes to make a professional wedding cake. My hat goes off to all the talented, committed cake makers out there!

Here is end result! My cake made it 90% of the drive home perfectly intact... until slipping on the last corner turn before my house. Good thing I got a quick photo at the shop before leaving :)

The Hair Files

'Mercock' (a cross between a Mermaid and a Peacock)


Fairy Floss

  Red Wine...

  

Caramel Swirl

Peach

 Which colour should I do next? ...

30 Countries By The Age Of 30

I've reached my travel goal of visiting 30 countries by the age of 30! Woohoo!

 

Here they are listed in order:



                            Australia                                                      Vanuatu

 

                             Indonesia                                                    New Zealand

 

                             South Africa                                               Botswana 

 

                            Zambia                                                        Malaysia

 

                             England                                                      Ireland



 

                             The Netherlands                                         Germany  





                            

                             France                                                         Switzerland

 

                             Italy                                                            Greece

                             Vatican City                                               Monaco

                             Spain                                                           Thailand

                             Chile                                                           Argentina

                             Bolivia                                                        Peru

                             Ecuador                                                       Nicaragua

                             Costa Rica                                                  Panama

                             Turkey                                                        Croatia

 

 

What's your travel goal? 

Tony Robbins: LIVE

 

It’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for. The anticipation is at an all-time high. The excitement in the room is palpable. After months of looking forward to this, and 1 ½ days gone at the National Achievers Congress, Tony Robbins is about to take the stage. He’s bouncing on a mini trampoline backstage as we speak, pumping himself up and getting himself into what he calls ‘Peak Performance mode’.  

The host announces, ‘It’s the man who needs no introduction...’ It’s happening! It’s really happening! My dream of seeing Tony Robbins LIVE is about to become a reality. I’m so excited for what’s to come, I can barely contain myself. There’s nowhere else in the world I’d rather be right now. I clasp my hands together and stare intently at the stage. What was to be some of the best five hours of my life had begun – the learnings start NOW. 

 

 Tony walks out to everyone in the crowd standing and cheering. Tony’s booming voice and seemingly endless energy commands the room (of over 8,000 people!) like nothing I’ve ever seen. Tony seldom spends time on the stage and instead walks around the room, in a somewhat unconventional yet refreshing manner. Tony says to us, the audience: ‘You know when you’re exhausted, you’ve had no sleep at all, and suddenly BOOM! You’re awake all night. How many of you can remember a night like that? You’re about to have another one right now. Let’s do it!’ The type of night he described was the exact night I’d had the night before. I feel as if he's talking directly to me.  

We’re encouraged often throughout the afternoon/evening by Tony to be active instead of passive. We stand, we shout, we jump, we clap, we high-five, we dance! Boy do we dance! The room is electric. It truly is something else. After a short time my hands are red from clapping, my throat hurts from screaming, my arms are shaking with adrenaline, my eyes are sparkling with wonder and excitement, and my heart is truly happy. I FEEL ALIVE!

We engage with total strangers sitting next to us as if we’ve known them our whole lives. We share with them our hopes and dreams. We talk and we listen. Life techniques are taught and thought patterns questioned. I take notes at such a rapid rate I’m surprised they’re at all legible!  Answers to big life questions are answered, both by Tony and by myself. We scream, shout, jump, fist-pump and dance some more. We use more energy than I ever thought possible on an otherwise ordinary Tuesday afternoon.

By this point I’m really warming up, so I take my jacket off. In preparation for Tony’s arrival that day the air conditioning in the room was set to COLD FREEZING (and I’m from Canberra)! Now I can see why. I have a quick drink. I need to pee so badly I fear one more jump in the air could cause a situation... so I rush to the toilet. No joke, people (including myself) are RUNNING to the bathrooms. It’s the first time in my life I’ve ever been in a line at the ladies room that moved QUICKLY! No one wants to miss a moment of Tony Robbins LIVE. I make my way back to my seat.

Tony’s presence is that of a rockstar – everyone wants a piece of him. As he walks through the audience he high-fives some lucky audience members who unknowingly sat in just the right seats earlier this morning. As time goes on, I start to crave that connection for myself. I want to touch the hand of the big man (seriously, he’s really tall!) who has changed the lives of thousands of people and coached the likes of Oprah, Nelson Mandela, Princess Diana and Serena Williams, just to name a few. I want to high-five him or hold his hand for a moment and simply say thank you. At one point, he stands within mere metres of me. I’m so close, yet so far. I start to think maybe I will leave today feeling disappointed. The show is almost over and time is running out!

Tony then tells us: ‘Close your eyes and think of something you could feel really grateful for if you wanted to.’ The lights dim. I close my eyes. Immediately I see the faces of the people I love most smiling back at me - the faces of the most beautiful, kind, amazing people in this world. I feel overwhelmingly grateful to have them in my life. I realise they are all I need. I feel extremely comforted by this. Tears fall down my face, for I couldn’t stop them even if I tried. Emotion flows out of me like Niagara Falls in full swing. I let go. I feel it. I truly feel it. The lights come back on. I turn to the lady standing next to me. It seems I’m not the only one – she too is crying happy tears. We embrace. We connect. We exchange contact details.

Tony may not have touched my hand that day, but my god he touched my soul. He truly showed up for us. Tony Robbins, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.