The beginning of the end...

Unlike my last Sunday... today was not lazy! I decided to be studious and have started completing my second-last university assignment EVER! (that is before I graduate in my cap and gown in December). And it just 'hit' me: this is the beginning of the end. The beginning of my new journey in life as I enter the workforce and the real world as a journalist, but also the end of the life I've made for myself here in Central West New South Wales for the past 3 years... the end of university, living on-campus, seeing the people and friends I spend time with every day (among many things). It's just hard to believe that time has flown by so quickly, as it just seems that yesterday, I had packed my suitcase and made my way to a new, unfamiliar town for the whole university experience. It's weird ...to think about your different life chapters. Looking back on mine, all I can remember is wanting to be at university while I was in high school... only to be at uni and wish I was in the workforce... and to now be on the homestretch of finishing uni... and dreaming of being a 'fresher' or 'freshman' all over again. Well, kinda.. (Haha).

I'm happy though, with where I am in life right now... And I'm grateful for all the experiences and opportunities university life has given me. Not grateful, however, for all the assignments, stress, anxiety... (hahaha just joking!). All experiences, good and bad, have taught me something about myself and I've grown as a person because of them. I'm hopeful for the future and the road ahead - especially if it looks anything like the one below.

À la prochaine foir...

(Til next time)

Meeting the family...

Wanna meet my family? Sure, you do! (Well, I hope so). I thought it would be a good idea to introduce everybody to my nearest and dearest family members... *drum roll please*

Introducing the most gorgeous German Shepherd puppy to ever grace the planet... HEFNER! (Affectionately known as 'Hef'). I love him dearly. He can be the cheekiest boy, but no matter what he does, he still looks cute. Hefner loves to chew shoes, toilet rolls, DVDs, and socks. He also loves barking at our vacuum cleaner (Don't know why! Weird, much?!). But Hef's favourite game is chasing after our beautiful Himalayan cats, Stevie and Jimmy Choo...

And there they are...My lovely boys, Jimmy Choo (Left) and "Grandpa" Stevie (Right). They have completely different/opposite personalities from each other! Stevie is quite snobby (and rightly so, as he is from a distinguished line of Red Point Himalayans). He loves to strut his stuff around the house...But his favourite things to do mainly involve, sleep, sleep, sleep...and did I mention...more sleep?! Oh and eating dog food. He has a very big appetite (hence, his pot belly!). Never mind, "Big boy...You are beautiful!" as Mika would say. Moving on.. he doesn't really like cuddles...Unless, you're in the kitchen and he knows there is food (Sad that you're being used, but nonetheless, it's true). Jimmy Choo (a Seal Point Himalayan), on the otherhand, is very loving and affectionate... and has stalker tendencies. He follows you everywhere around the house, and I mean everywhere! (I'm talking shower/bathroom/toilet, etc). It is pretty sweet though, because he talks to you as he follows you around to let you know he's there (not that he needs to, because he is so gorgeous!).

So there you go... You've met my family. Wasn't that scary, surely! I love my little family members - and I wouldn't alter/change/imagine them different in any way at all. They are so, so precious to me.

(Above: Hef and I having some Photobooth fun! Isn't he sweet!?)

À la prochaine foir...

(Til next time)

Lazy Sundays & 'Kindred Spirits'

I love lazy Sundays... It's my favourite day of the week (besides Friday of course). Seeing as this is my first blog post, I thought I'd keep it pretty relaxed/do the usual 'what I did today' sorta thing that most bloggers do.

Anne of Green Gables was my lazy Sunday.

I've loved the book series since childhood, and adored the more recent movie series, just as much. I still remember the first time I laid eyes on L.M. Montgomery's books, and the friendly, freckle-faced Anne (with an 'e') Shirley. It was at my primary school's library when I was a little girl. Call it foolishness or judging a book by a cover, but from the moment I saw the book, I had a feeling that I needed to read it. And I did! And the rest.. as they say, is history. I've always felt like I connected with the character of Anne, because our personalities are so similar. I loved that I could relate to an imaginative dreamer with a great love for books... that also mirrored myself. As a little girl, I remember admiring her strong-will and independence (something that I still love about Anne today). But Anne's great friendship with Diana Barry would have to be my absolute favourite element of the entire book series.

"Miss Barry was a kindred spirit after all," Anne confided to Marilla, "You wouldn't think so to look at her, but she is. . . Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It's splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world."

And like Anne, I also have had the pleasure of knowing a truly kindred spirit in my lifetime. Last week, I received some very devastating news from a friend of mine, that one of our friends had sadly passed away. To be respectful for my dear friend, I will call her Amber instead of actually saying her real name (Amber was her favourite name). Amber was one of few kindred spirits that I've been blessed to meet and befriend in my lifetime. I first met Amber in high school (maybe known as junior high for any Americans reading this!) and from that very first moment, I could not only see that she was a beautiful girl, but I could feel it too.

The one thing I'll always remember about my lovely, dear friend is her big, happy smile, contagious personality and kind, caring nature. But I think the most beautiful thing (among many) about Amber was her ability to befriend anyone and everyone - something that not all of us are able to do or want to do. We all know that there's a school yard hierarchy in high school. Well, that didn't faze Amber - not at all. She was friends with everyone - no matter if you were the stereotypical 'nerd', 'geek', 'popular' or 'jock' ...She welcomed you into her life and heart. And that is what I truly loved about her. She loved you and appreciated you for who you were. I know that many people affectionately call their friends 'angel'... but I know with all my heart that my sweet friend, Amber is a true angel. Spread your wings, sweet girl, because we all know that angels are meant to fly.

As Anne Shirley would say.. "True friends are always together in spirit."

À la prochaine foir...

(Til next time)