New and old blog love

So.....I kinda sorta lost my mojo there for a bit - and I have no excuse other than I was just too damn busy this year to keep up with this blog. Hahahaha not like I was ever really consistent anyway!

I'm going to try something new....go and peep the new blog yo!!

Aaaaand I will try and be a little more regular on here too, gosh so many sign-ins and passwords #icanteven

Love you long time
xx

Beach, birds & the Korean

Random early evening Friday drive to the beach with Mr. Library (aka The Korean).

Took a much needed time out from assignments and went chasing sunsets. Turns out the sunset was pretty average but the company was good and the break was just what I needed to clear my head.

The drive back was a full on kpop battle - I was at an obvious disadvantage but secretly I think I killed it! aaaaand I had Carl's Jr. for the first time - Philly cheese steak = hells yes!!

Have a two week "break" (still have assignments) coming up and after all the sickness I've had I'm gonna need it! Two more months and I'll be done! Shiiit time flies...and I've been back in NZ for just over 1 year - I can't believe it!

xxx

Library life...

Shir is getting real...assignments up to my armpits and bags the size of Africa under my eyes.

This is my life...living in the library. Like of it was open 24 hours I'd totes be there with my sleeping bag.

Pintrest Lately

Back into the swing on things at uni, and still extremely slack on the blog front. #soznotsoz

Excitedly waiting for my online shopping to arrive from 'Muuuurica and my lovely Sugar Foot Myia. In desperate need of a fashion update, and NZ fashion is far too uninspiring, spennies and everyone has the same shit.

Do you notice a theme?! Denim. Also loving the pop of yellow, and the casual yet still dressy vibe. 

On the look out for the perfect pair of ripped jeans and a yellow skirt. 

xx

Half way!

Officially half way through my grad year and my journey to being a primary school teacher (haha insert ironic teacher hashtag here!).

So far this year my life has been consumed with late night sessions in the library, not having a life, study, going to class, studying some more, spending all weekend in the library from open to close, going to the gym when I can, trying to eat well, making my lunch every day, going away for the weekend and studying the whole time, oh and did I mention study?!

Hard work pays off. I've finished this semester with A's in all my papers including maths! I know right?! Maths! It has taken me a degree in sports, a post grad degree in sport management, a couple of years of mind numbing admin work, four years teaching English in Japan and then a stint of unemployment to get here and I now know that this is what I'm supposed to be doing! #growingup shiiit I must be getting old.

Now excuse me while I spend the next two weeks of mid-year break doing absolutely nothing but watching TV, reading for pleasure, drinking coffee and sleeping in until 9am! #letthegoodtimesroll

Makeup by sunrise...the small joys of Winter - i'm up early enough to see the sunrise!

Sunset on the drive home - time for a rest and a sleep in!

x

Pintrest pining

With the reality of becoming a 'real' teacher fast approaching, and because I am actually teaching in school atm, my teach fashion needs some inspiration. If my teacher style game was a sports team i'd be hashtagging it on facebook and insty #getup .

So much of the last month has been late nights/early mornings (subtle Marsha Ambrosius reference) in the library getting assignments done, I have had no time to do much more than study, eat, drink coffee and sleep. So now that I am in school and not at university I have had a little bit more down time, and have been pintresting up a storm re. teacher fashion inspiration. 

My Japan teacher wardrobe was constrained by what was deemed appropriate by the BOE, what I could find that could fit me and the drastic season changes. Now that i'm back in NZ I have more options (although I am still buying online from America...) and less money! #thelifeofastudent

Here's some of my latest inspiration..

x 

instaLATE

Lots and lots happening..uni is crazy busy & I don't remember at time when I was this busy for this long! Better get used to it coz I've got 9 more months to go..and it's only gonna get busier!

Currently looking for ways to get rid of the massive bags that have formed under my eyes.

I have a to do list as long as a piece of string that gets longer by the day which includes cleaning the house, dying my hair, calling the physio,  send easter packages...

I'm really surprised at the lack if photos, I usually am soap happy but going back through my Instagram and the gallery on my phone I just realized I haven't been on my pic snapping game!! Here's a few pics from the last few months!

Top left: homemade scones and jam with vintage tea plates and bone handled knives. #sodomesticbabes

Top right: School holiday temporary tattoo fun #zap

Bottom left: Sunsets over PaknSave Palmy.

Bottom middle: Homage to Japan and my former life.

Bottom right: Great eyebrows and pink lipped selfie in the car.

I left the lights on.

Today was a test for sure!

Alarm. Snooze. Alarm. Snooze. x100

Get up. Shower. Dress. Hair & Makeup. Hair all over everything. Make lunch.  Change outfit. Make toast. Burn toast. Make coffee. Grab my 50 bags. Look like bag lady. Lock door. Unlock car..strange all doors don't unlock. Turn key in ignition. Nothing. Panic. Try again.  Nothing. See I didnt turn lights off properly.  Battery flat. Text friend to pick me up. Wait on the steps in sun. Too hot, get headache. Mum calls. Remembered I didn't set alarm in house. Put coffee down. Unlock door.  Still on the phone. Set alarm. Lock door. Go to pick up coffee.  Coffee all over the grass. Hang up phone. Go inside. Make new coffee. Friend arrives. No time to jump start car. Go to uni. Day improves.

So today could have been horrendous,  but it turned out pretty good. It's a mindset shift.

Even managed a 5km run tonight! Not a bad effort!

Ebs & flows and positive vibes! Hah must be those endorphins talking!

Settled.

These last few weeks have been pretty hectic but I am finally starting to feel settled.

Finally moved to Palmerston North (yup the big Palmy) - which is only slightly better then living on the farm with the parents, the day before I started back at University as a "mature" student...gah that makes me cringe! Although I sit nicely in the middle of the age ranges on my course I still fall into the mature bracket - mainly because I like don't, like, talk like, you know, like this like? Yeah there are a whoooooole bunch of those types on my course..and I have a year with them! The ones who dress up like they are going out to the club EVERYDAY..eye rolls. I won't however be that mature student that sits right at the front and asks ALL the questions ALL the time, I'll just keep it low key gangster somewhere in the middle. 

So, finally feeling like i have a purpose, a goal, a direction and it feels pretty damn good! Trying to get into a routine of not sleeping late even on the days I don't have class till 11am, going to bed at a reasonable hour, getting into good study habits and making my lunch everyday to save money. Haha I'm becoming an adult. Shiiit. 

Just some things..

• NEVER underestimate the PRIVILEGE of a working, hot shower - NEVER! and having unlimited water. #ruralliving #truth #bucketshowersallround
• Got the cutest mugs the other day while out "shopping for school stationery" (I also brought pants..)
• Finally have jandal tan lines - this indicates summer, oh and said jandal tans lines are from my super cute new havaianas that I have been waiting to buy since my last two pairs broke beyond repair (yes, even that stupid pintrest like hack fix your jandals with a bread tag didn't work! huurgghhff).
• Found the nicest shampoo and conditioner at the Warehouse, the smell is amaze, I like the sound of the ingredients, the conditioner made my hair super soft as soon as it made contact with my hair (yuuussss), it doesn't dry my hair out or strip it and it does wonders for my curls - yeah I wore my hair curly out in public for the first time in forever! More on this later.
• Quinoa is my jam. 
• Going to start doing monthly resolutions - example for the month of Feb I will go to one 6.15am class at the gym per week.
• I have far too many note books and tote bags.

Just have to find a new car, my old faithful Christopher Rino's days are limited. Am currently cruising around in the Mercedes and as much as I love it, it guzzles gas like nobodies business, I'm a broke student I can't afford to be paying for all that gas! 

Love ya and leave ya

xx

Jandal tan lines and chipping nail polish

New Havaianas - finally wooooo!

My new hood - ima need that map err day

Palmy tryna give me some sun....about time motha phaka!

Haha and then it got cold again - it's supposed to be summer bitch! Unimpressed.

Bit of light reading. My fav subject too...NOT!

My hella cute book - getting it done on the gym floor at TKD.

This stuff is AMAZE. I can't.

Organised.

With this new chapter of my life getting underway, I'm starting to get a handle on the mountains of work I have to do, my room slowing coming together (bought a new bedside table today...ohhh faaaancy) and I'm becoming such an organised adult!

Becoming a student again was a great decision & I'm so happy with what I'm doing but my budget has taken a serious nosedive! In an effort to save money, be a bit healthier & be more organised I've been making my lunch for school everyday.  Pssshhhttt you say? That's nothing new!  Weeelll for the last 4 years I haven't had to worry about lunch - it was provided for me. Before that I pretty much would buy my lunch daily...even back when I was first at university! Being back in NZ I'm enjoying the range of food readily available and at the same time missing all my fave foods from Japan & the convenience of the kombini!

I'm loving quinoa at the moment..it's my jam! I whip up a big try of roast vegetables, cook some quinoa in the rice cooker, throw it all together once it's cooked and tadaaaa lunch and dinner for days! #sodomesticbabes

I spend a good amount of my day at uni...snore...so I gotta have snacks too. Cherries, nectarines,  bananas, nuts & maybe a sneaky chocolate? Don't judge. .I gotta get through math class somehow!
I've also been taking my own coffee in my hella cute travel mug from typo..although it's not leak proof dammit! Having Havana coffee daily makes me so happy. #littlethings

Maybe one day soon I can make Japanese style kyara-ben (character bento). Shiiiit I'd make a great Japanese housewife. .but that's another post for another day.

Love ya & leave ya.
ILY babes
xx

It's the new year already?!

I can't believe it's the 2014 already...shit these last 5 months have gone super fast and yet painfully slow at the same time. 

2013 ended as undramatic as 2014 started. Christmas came and went with a flurry of homemade jam, limoncello and DIY body scrubs and hair treatments courtesy of Pintrest, turkey, pumpkin pie and cider and I rang in the new year in bed farewelling the year with tears - haha ok so maybe I was a little dramatic, but in my defense I had just watched The Butler and that is one emotional movie! Sad to leave behind all that was 2013 - the ups and the downs, the loves, and drama and one of the the hardest decisions I've had to make - leaving Japan and returning to NZ. 

I must be getting old coz I was rather happy to stay home on New Years, mow the lawns, have a couple of ciders and go to bed and watch movies - no raging for me (haha this also could be due to the fact that I have NO money!).

This isn't going to be a resolutions post, coz I never make resolutions it's soooo cheesy, I mean who even follows them anyway. Y'all cray! I am however, going to set monthly personal challenges starting in Feb, once I get through this month and sort out all the needs sorting...and believe there is a LOT that needs sorting! I will try and get back into the blog on the regular though. Soz about the neglect.

I've got one more week and a bit left of freedom before I officially become a "mature", broke student! Long term benefits, bigger picture blah blah blah!

Blog overhaul and update coming soooooooon.

xxx

Is it summer yet?

I've been back in NZ for 3 months..yep that's a whole 1/4 of a year and I haven't done much. I'm starting to go a stir crazy and not being able to find a job is really starting to get me down. Don't get me wrong waking up everyday when ever I want, living a life of semi luxury is great - long lunches in a cafe with a good book and great coffee, going to the gym whenever I feel like it, having the freedom to do small things like take my niece to school and run her around to her various activities etc. is great but now I'm starting to get bored. There is only so much I can take - I want/need a regular job. I've never been very good at managing my time so give a whole bunch of free time and I end up being less productive then when I have no free time at all. Not to mention the lack of money which constrains me to this town....aarrgghhh. I am teaching part time, but right now that part time is not enough! Anyway I do not want to rant any longer I have exciting things ahead and as long as my pension refund comes soon i'll be happy!! I'm also trying to look at this transition period as a time of growth for me and that what I am doing is worth something. Taking time out to think about what I really want to be doing and what I need to do to get there..watch this space.

Among the boredom and over thinking there has been beautiful sunsets, gymming - having a gym buddy is great (although I still prefer to run alone), making new friends, getting my tan on in this weird sporadic is it summer is it winter weather, getting crazy headaches, dressing up just to go get coffee, wearing my Hiroshima Carp straw hat which made me miss Hiroshima so much, feeling nostalgic about Japan and putting my Hello Kitty Hiroshima key chain and the Sakura one from Disneyland on my keys - seeing that everyday makes me so happy, learning body pump, teaching my body pump class, watching the Breakers, school holiday fun, weekend trip to Wellington on the bus (that's another post), giving my vege garden positive vibe to grow, receiving a box of goodies from my wonderful friends in Japan and baking, baking, baking!

Things will look up...trying to stay positive and looking for ways to fight my boredom. First things first come Monday I will be setting a regular bedtime (and sticking to it!) and wake up time. Oh and the diet starts again...

School holiday cupcake factory

Vege garden is coming along!

Tae Kwon Do selfie

Practicing Body Pump on the bus

Guess which keys are mine!

Presents and the cutest card from Japan!

Those clouds!

Hiroshima Carp Selfie

xxx

September Instagramming

September went by in a blur, but with it came some warmer weather and it brings me closer to getting my pension refund!

1. Being from G-City the gumboot capital of the world and finding these spray painted boots on the footpaths around town.

2. Road trip selfies with my fav taller but less beautiful cousin.

3. The last of my boxes arrives from Japan!!

4. Beautiful sunny day from my office - the floor of my bedroom!

5. Obligatory selfie. #soartsy

6. Spring daffodils in bloom at the marae.

7. First visit to Satay Village in over 4 years and the guy still knew my order.

8. Sunday morning selfies with the 10 year old post birthday party sleepovers!

Brazil nuts and things i'm loving lately

Is it just me or are Brazil nuts the most disgusting nuts there are?! Urgh they leave such a strange after taste and have the grossest flavour ever! When i'm buying the nuts from the pick and mix bins I take far too long because i'm trying to avoid the brasil nuts (and the walnuts - although I don't harbour as much hate for those I just don't partucularly like them). Anyway enough about the nuts...the last week has been pretty busy and yes I am still unemployed, still not luck on the job scene!

Things i'm loving lately (I type as i try and get rid of this foul Brazil nut after taste from my mouth)...cherry blossoms (and other spring blossoms) are out everywhere and they look mighty pretty - I look like a tourist trying to take pics of the blooms but it brings me so much happiness and reminds me of Japan, finding a lone plum tree on the farm and picking the branches to have the flowers in my room, finally unpacking and arranging everything in my room, my new desk/work area, listening to rain on the roof as I fall asleep, watching devious maids, body pumping my heart out, having small things to look forward too, getting my car fixed and blasting my music like a cool kid of a Friday night with the windows down doing laps through town (except it's the middle of the day with the windows up in the middle of the country side...) and warmer days but the nights still cool enough to have a hot water bottle and drinking green tea with jasmine & white tea with rose petals in my newly acquired (fathers day present for dad that I have commandeered) mustache mug, freshly juiced apple/carrot/ginger juice, getting my vegetable garden ready for planting and getting lost in a good book.

Trying to stay positive about not having found a job yet. Something will come up and I need to keep my chin up and keep applying! Remembering to be grateful for all the wonderful things I have in my life right now and that I am fortunate enough to have somewhere to live, food to eat and people that love me.

xx

vege garden almost ready

plum blossoms

mustache mug on new desk with date scone!

afternoon juice on new desk in the sun

blossoms!

Mini holiday

Having a mini holiday in Tauranga/Mt Maunganui. Being unemployed (yes, still!) has its perks..aside from no regular income you're free to head off into the beautiful spring sun on a whim with a friend for a mini getaway! 

Caught up with a friend for the first time in years eating delish food on The Strand. Our food went cold from the non stop talking! LOVE.

Sightseeing, shopping, eating sushi (totally not up to my standard but hey I'm not in Japan anymore!), sun bathing, hiking, movies, wine & Mexican food for dinner was a great way to spend Thursday.

Leaving tomorrow so back to reality & job hunting but I have an international festival to look forward too on Saturday if the beginnings of this cold I've suddenly developed in the last few hours passes! 

xx