I always knew that February was a short month (a couple days less does make a hell of difference), however, this month I truly felt the time slipping away from me. That being said, February has been a very fun, exciting and full-on month that I look forward to sharing with you all.
To kick things off I turned 21. So, now I'm legal in Australia and all 50 states of the United States of America (plus, a large selection of other countries - of course). 😉
My birthday consisted of three full days of celebration shenanigans. I ended up visiting the Hunter Valley and checking out some amazing wineries, eating and drinking my way through the Hunter Valley, Newcastle & Central Coast and celebrating it alongside my favourite people on earth.
I was very spoilt and it made for a very memorable 21st birthday experience. Thank you to all those who wished me a Happy Birthday and have been by my side these 21 years - it truly means the world x
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| The view from the top of the Audrey Wilkinson winery - whether you like wine or not, this view is not one to miss. One of my favourite places. |
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| We visited a quaint chocolatier in the Hunter Valley, Cocoa Nib, which not only has incredible chocolates & pastries but is also aesthetic goals! |
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| On the Saturday (my actual birthday) my beautiful best-friend and her girlfriend treated me to lunch at Merewhether Surfhouse in Newcastle. The view was great & the company was even better. x |
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| On the Saturday night, my Mum & brother treated me to a beautiful Italian meal at Bombini. It's tucked away on the Central Coast, easy to miss, but I highly recommend you find it if you're a foodie. |
Whilst my February revolved around my birthday and attending my Dad's wedding, there was horror, pain and sorrow on the other side of the world with news that, yet again, another school yard shooting had occurred in the U.S and had taken the lives of far too many innocent souls.
These kinds of events are beyond tragic and I cannot even begin to apprehend how those who have been affected by such incidents are feeling and coping. It further enrages me when the issue that needs addressing, a.k.a U.S. gun laws, are being glossed over when it has become so apparent that guns are such a lethal weapon & that their use and acquirement needs to be controlled. The issue has moved far beyond one's '...right to bear arms' and it's time the U.S. tighten their gun laws to protect their people and promote safer communities.
I've been binge watching...
Grace and Frankie | Season 1-4 (whoops)
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| Source: Netflix News |
On a much lighter note, I began watching Grace and Frankie this month after one of my good friends recommended it to me and said that "..it will make you look forward to getting old" - quite a bold statement, but she was right.
The show follows these two older women, Grace & Frankie, who have come to find out that after 60 years of marriage, their husbands have been sneaking off and having a secret affair with one another. It takes this quite unconventional event to bring these two women closer and it shows the trials and tribulations of divorce, getting old, love & sex (yes, 60+ year olds have a libido too).
The show wouldn't work without the personalities of the two tycoon comedian figures, Jane Fonda (Grace) and Lily Tomlin (Frankie), who bring a lot of honesty, humour and fun to the show.
I know I have often thought of the elderly as 'fragile', 'reserved' and 'boring' - but this show has instilled in me a newfound appreciation for the older generation. They aren't all cranky buggers, they were 20 once and they too know a thing or too about having fun & living life. Thank you Grace & Frankie for getting me to realise that getting old is not all bad and that we will always be young at heart. Plus, if I am looking as good as Jane and Lily when I'm in my late 70's, I will be cheering!
Where to watch: Netflix (Season 1-4) (new season coming in early 2019)
The show follows these two older women, Grace & Frankie, who have come to find out that after 60 years of marriage, their husbands have been sneaking off and having a secret affair with one another. It takes this quite unconventional event to bring these two women closer and it shows the trials and tribulations of divorce, getting old, love & sex (yes, 60+ year olds have a libido too).
The show wouldn't work without the personalities of the two tycoon comedian figures, Jane Fonda (Grace) and Lily Tomlin (Frankie), who bring a lot of honesty, humour and fun to the show.
I know I have often thought of the elderly as 'fragile', 'reserved' and 'boring' - but this show has instilled in me a newfound appreciation for the older generation. They aren't all cranky buggers, they were 20 once and they too know a thing or too about having fun & living life. Thank you Grace & Frankie for getting me to realise that getting old is not all bad and that we will always be young at heart. Plus, if I am looking as good as Jane and Lily when I'm in my late 70's, I will be cheering!
Where to watch: Netflix (Season 1-4) (new season coming in early 2019)
Flipping Through...
First, We Make the Beast Beautiful: A New Story About Anxiety - Sarah Wilson
Before I get into talking about this book I want to preface by saying that I in no way wish for this book to be something that triggers or acts as 'treatment' for your anxiety/OCD/depression (or the other plethora of mental illnesses), rather I am sharing this book to encourage you to some new insights, perspectives and some re-assurance, as it has been a benefit I have found throughout reading this book.
With that being said, First, We Make the Beast Beautiful: A New Story About Anxiety, has been such an inspiring and insightful experience for me. You could say 'life-changing' but I'd rather relate the experience to that of a mind-shift.
What this book does, and what I really have come to appreciate so much about its narrative, is that it doesn't sugar-coat the hard truths and what it's really like to have anxiety. It also isn't flooded with medical and academic jargon, it comes from a place of authenticity and experience - for that, I thank you Sarah Wilson.
I won't go into the details about my own personal struggle with anxiety, but I can say that after what has been years of dealing with anxiety, this has been the first moment I've come to realise that accepting anxiety as part of myself is beautiful and it doesn't make me a 'freak' or 'monster' - but is actually a big part of me that shouldn't be shamed.
Wilson throughout this book outlines her personal struggles, how she 'dealt' with anxiety and ways of working with and through anxiety - making our inner monster, beautiful. A truly wonderful way of looking at anxiety is to understand that sometimes the 'worst' parts of one-self aren't all that bad and actually help to make you the beautiful person you are. This is a perspective I wish more people could adopt, hence, why I recommend this to you. Whether you have anxiety or not, it will just make you see the world with an open-mind - we could all use a little bit of that.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 - When you can write a book that changes the way you perceive the worst parts of yourself and turn that into something positive, you provide a beacon of hope to those who have ever felt helpless & alone. No amount of stars can replace that feeling - but 5/5 wraps it up nicely.
Before I get into talking about this book I want to preface by saying that I in no way wish for this book to be something that triggers or acts as 'treatment' for your anxiety/OCD/depression (or the other plethora of mental illnesses), rather I am sharing this book to encourage you to some new insights, perspectives and some re-assurance, as it has been a benefit I have found throughout reading this book.
With that being said, First, We Make the Beast Beautiful: A New Story About Anxiety, has been such an inspiring and insightful experience for me. You could say 'life-changing' but I'd rather relate the experience to that of a mind-shift.
What this book does, and what I really have come to appreciate so much about its narrative, is that it doesn't sugar-coat the hard truths and what it's really like to have anxiety. It also isn't flooded with medical and academic jargon, it comes from a place of authenticity and experience - for that, I thank you Sarah Wilson.
I won't go into the details about my own personal struggle with anxiety, but I can say that after what has been years of dealing with anxiety, this has been the first moment I've come to realise that accepting anxiety as part of myself is beautiful and it doesn't make me a 'freak' or 'monster' - but is actually a big part of me that shouldn't be shamed.
Wilson throughout this book outlines her personal struggles, how she 'dealt' with anxiety and ways of working with and through anxiety - making our inner monster, beautiful. A truly wonderful way of looking at anxiety is to understand that sometimes the 'worst' parts of one-self aren't all that bad and actually help to make you the beautiful person you are. This is a perspective I wish more people could adopt, hence, why I recommend this to you. Whether you have anxiety or not, it will just make you see the world with an open-mind - we could all use a little bit of that.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 - When you can write a book that changes the way you perceive the worst parts of yourself and turn that into something positive, you provide a beacon of hope to those who have ever felt helpless & alone. No amount of stars can replace that feeling - but 5/5 wraps it up nicely.
Vogue - 'In Her Own Words: Lena Dunham on Her Decision to Have a Hysterectomy at 31' - Lena Dunham
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| Source: Benjamin Lowy / NY Times |
It's often unusual for me to place an article and/or an op-ed piece in my 'flipping through' section, but when I came across this particular piece it struck a chord with me.
As women, we are biologically made to produce life - a beautiful responsibility and one that can be to our demise and/or our greatest pleasure. When we are young the very thought of having kids is either a naturally present maternal instinct, like in Dunham's case, or is met with disapproving shakes of the head that shut down the very prospect. However, we are told that when we get older and when we are ready, we will have the option. But, what if that option is stripped off of us?
This is what Dunham tackles in this article, as she recounts the lead up and events that conspired that ultimately led her to have a hysterectomy at 31 - a procedure often reserved for cancer patients or women over 50.
Dunham's account is deeply emotive and raw, touching on the difficulties of having endometriosis, plus a whole heap of other health issues, and having a relationship break-down all whilst trying to fight through the pain, just so that the prospect of kids were on the table. Just reading this article and hearing of the pain Dunham endured, it's no wonder the choice to have a hysterectomy was necessary - even if unconventional, painful and shattering.
I guess I wanted to share this article because I think it's important for us all to be aware that fertility and bringing life into the world isn't a possibility for all women - even if biologically that is what we are supposed to do. It's unfair to place a huge responsibility, such as life, onto women and have them identified by such acts and held accountable to "hold up their end of the bargain". Whether women have children or not, it would be nice to know that some still see these people as women, who are much more than their genetic disposition.
As women, we are biologically made to produce life - a beautiful responsibility and one that can be to our demise and/or our greatest pleasure. When we are young the very thought of having kids is either a naturally present maternal instinct, like in Dunham's case, or is met with disapproving shakes of the head that shut down the very prospect. However, we are told that when we get older and when we are ready, we will have the option. But, what if that option is stripped off of us?
This is what Dunham tackles in this article, as she recounts the lead up and events that conspired that ultimately led her to have a hysterectomy at 31 - a procedure often reserved for cancer patients or women over 50.
Dunham's account is deeply emotive and raw, touching on the difficulties of having endometriosis, plus a whole heap of other health issues, and having a relationship break-down all whilst trying to fight through the pain, just so that the prospect of kids were on the table. Just reading this article and hearing of the pain Dunham endured, it's no wonder the choice to have a hysterectomy was necessary - even if unconventional, painful and shattering.
I guess I wanted to share this article because I think it's important for us all to be aware that fertility and bringing life into the world isn't a possibility for all women - even if biologically that is what we are supposed to do. It's unfair to place a huge responsibility, such as life, onto women and have them identified by such acts and held accountable to "hold up their end of the bargain". Whether women have children or not, it would be nice to know that some still see these people as women, who are much more than their genetic disposition.
Listening To...
This month I have a new appreciation for a couple of artists from Australian turf - Mallrat and Allday. I can't say I listen to a lot of indie Australian artists, but after discovering Mallrat, I'm starting to think I should. I especially love her new track, which features AllDay, called 'UFO'. It's just a really great track with some nice synth-beats to bop your head to.
I've appreciated Allday for a while now, but I've especially been getting into his stuff this month. As far as Australian rappers go, I think he's making some pretty big moves in the industry and I can't wait to see him when he comes to Newcastle. Getting keen!UFO ALERT 🕵🏻♂️ NEW @lilmallrat SONG FT ALLDAY comes out tomorrow !!! And it’s on @triplej tonight in Australia !!! pic.twitter.com/tvRIbA3Xtk— Allday (@alldaychubbyboy) February 8, 2018
Some of my favourite tracks from the month can be found in the playlist below...
Side note: As you have probably noticed, this month I didn't include a 'Bits & Bobs' section as I didn't have anything 'new' or of significance to highlight for the month of February. Hopefully next month I will be able to share a 'new' and exciting discovery with you all. 😊
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