Welcome to 2012

Hope you all had a wonderful New Year. Mine was quite possibly the best I have ever had, and there I was worrying I was in for another let down!

I've decided 2012 is the year in which I will save save SAVE to start the beginnings of a house deposit/ general lump of money. I'm not too bad with saving at the moment but I have gone ahead and drawn up a fabulous budget to work with this year. Helps so much to write it all down and set some serious goals!

Now there is another concept I am going to roll with this year . Instead of purchasing the things I want when I want, I am going to put money aside and get them when I have earned them. I hope this will help me stick to my budget and cull unnecessary purchases. And after all, I do enjoy buying nice things and this is a good way to continue doing that. 

I've got two things on my mind so far, the first being a Kindle. 

I am an avid reader and I love it dearly but the last few years between work, uni, seeing T and life in general I barley read a book anymore. This is so disappointing to me! In 2012 i'd really like to stop playing on my iPhone every night ( or waking moment.....) and read instead. As books are quite costly and I can't get to the library as often as I would like, I think this will be a perfect solution!

Won't take long to save for this one!

Secondly, I am in dire need of a new wallet. I have a Mimco wallet that is cream, or should I say WAS cream and has seen better days. Also, it is the type that fold into itself which I find quite annoying, I'd prefer a long style wallet. 

I have two contenders in mind, both fiercely biding for my attention. 

Large YSL CHYC Wallet

YSL Y-Mail Zip Wallet

These are certainly bigger ticket items which will take longer to save for, but as I stick with the same wallet for years I think it will be well worth it. I love them both which is the only problem!

I have certainly noticed a change with myself over the last year, I am less inclined to impulse purchase. I am hoping that by saving for the things I really want I will continue to make wise purchases and limit the amount of junk I bring into my life.

Are you saving for anything special? Do you have a Kindle? Which wallet do you prefer?

Friday Ramblings

Firstly, check out this song. Amazing. AMAZING. I am in love. Of course I just found out Lana Del Rey is playing a show at the Oxford Arts Factory in Sydney in February and the tickets went on sale and promptly sold out this morning. DAMNATION!

Totally suits my mood at them moment- but I won't even start on that for fear I will never stop!

Thought I was getting to finish work for the year on Monday, that has now been changed to Wednesday. I can barely get out of bed in the mornings. Gah. 

For the first time in my ENTIRE life I submitted an assignment a day early this week. It felt so GOOD. So that is what it feels like not to be finishing off referencing 30 minutes before it's meant to be turned in haha? Might have to do this more often. 

My oldest friend from back in my primary school days texted me this morning to let me know that she is being induced to have her first baby this morning. SO EXCITED! BABBBBBIEEESS! Nothing cuter than a baby I tell you. I was thinking about my three best friends from when I was around 13-14 today. The one I just mentioned is of course having her first child, another is married and has two children and the last one is getting married next week! It would seem I am a bit behind haha? As I am 22 I am not worried! 

Next thing: OVER SHARERS. I've discovered throughout my life that I have a special quality. Apparently if there is someone within a two kilometer vicinity who loves to share every single detail of their life, I shine like a golden beacon and they come talk to me. At the work Christmas party this week I had a man tell me all about his two knee reconstructions, how his sister donated a kidney to him, how his Endone tablets make him feel like he can fly and that the last time he ate prawns he had gout so bad he couldn't walk for a week. Not only did I have no clue who he was, I don't even know how he started talking to me. WOW. But hey, that's nothing compared to the girl who decided to give me the full rundown on her psychotic episodes and a detailed history of her past drug use as well as dysfunctional family life the week before last. Hey chick- I DON'T KNOW YOU SO WHY ARE YOU TELLING ME THIS!

I'm sorry, my life has been so boring lately and I have nothing to blog about! Now excuse me while I continue to consume the contents of Christmas hampers with great enthusiasm. 

Pride and Fear

I didn't get around to taking any pictures this weekend, it was one of those weekends where you feel like you are doing nothing but in actual fact you are quite busy!

Instead I thought I would share some some thoughts on the weekends events.

PRIDE

On Saturday my little brother ( well, he ain't that little at 20, and he is so tall!) left to go to the NSW Police Academy to begin his training to become a police officer. I am such a PROUD sister right now! One day , not too far from now, M will be a boy in blue.......nope sorry, I can't imagine it!

I even got a hug goodbye, I must say the shock nearly killed me. Goodluck M!

FEAR

T went out on the weekend with the boys. I was expecting a call from him at some ridiculous hour as I told him I would pick him. Well I received a call from his phone in the middle of the night, but it was not the call I was expecting. Instead, it was one of his friends telling me that T was in hospital after being king hit and he wasn't sure if he was alright. CUE HEART ATTACK! 

Long story short, T walked out of a pub, some stranger ran from across the other side of the street and knocked T out stone cold! Luckily the police were nearby and arrested the jerk whilst T was carted off in an ambulance. He has no recollection of the whole thing and woke up hours later in the hospital with no idea how he got there. It was a long night, but thankfully all his scans came back clear and no long term damage was done. He has a cut up mouth , some swelling and a sore neck but it could have been much worse.

I have heard enough horror stories in the media to know that all it takes is for someone to hit the ground the wrong way and that's it, it's all over. Terrifying.

I really think it would be challenging to be a young male and about on the weekend. Honestly, people seem to just want to pick fights with you if you are apparently looking at them the wrong way or just for the fun of it! Of course that's not to say you won't get beat up just because your a woman, but I feel people would be much more likely to step in for us!

What do you think?!

ETA: The stupid jerk has been charged with assault and grievous bodily harm! GOOOOOOD!

Tick It Off

As I slowly loom closer to my 22nd birthday I feel I am perhaps more inclined to think about my interests and what kind of direction I would like my life to take.  I've been thinking a lot about what kind of things I can involve myself in to achieve a sense of growth and self exploration in my life.

Here are a few things I have been considering.

Volunteer:

I have wanted to start volunteering for the longest time, specifically with one organisation which I have an interest in starting a career with but it has proven to have the worst communication system in the history of the world so my efforts have been fruitless.

Instead, I recently started volunteering for a program called SAIL ( Sudanese Australian Integrated Learning) which provides free english as a second language tutoring to primary and secondary students. There is a growing Sudanese community in my local area, so a program of this type is extremely valuable. It's run on Saturday morning which means I don't have to schedule it around work and so far it has been a fantastic experience with some really great kids. It is run in both Sydney and Melbourne so if it sounds like something you'd be interested i suggest you check it out!

Attend adult ballet classes:

Have wanted to do this for a few years now but haven't been able to find anywhere close by to home/work. Now I have, I can't wait. I must add I am terribly nervous about the whole idea of dancing in front of a bunch of strangers, not under the influence of vodka sodas in the middle of a club . I thought it would be a great way to add to my physical activity and hopefully when I get the basics down pat, fun!

Get a tattoo:

OK I guess this doesn't really count but I have been Google imaging the shit out of tattoos this week so it is fresh on my mind, ha ha.

I'm considering I am doing this while I am in NYC, just to add to the thrill of getting my first tattoo by doing it on the other side of the world.

Travel:

I think I bang on enough about my upcoming trip ( 6 WEEKS TO GO!!!) that you'd all know I'm about to kick this goal off.

Figure out what I'm going to do with my life: 

Le sigh..... a work in progress!

I should add that this little blog has been fantastic, sometimes my brain feels so blergh and stale, it's great to come here and write about anything and everything and even better that you lovely people read it !

Have you got something you have always wanted to try? Or are you doing something at the moment which makes you HAPPPPPPPPY? I'd love to know!

Things That Make Me Happy

"Oh helllooooooo"

Going to the local RSPCA Care Centre and obsessing over the little cuties that need new homes! Eeeeek! 

Being cute and adventurous and stuff.

Moustachio is a lucky, if not the luckiest, RSPCA cat ever. We love him so much! I already loved cats, but he has turned me into a total cat lady. Trying to convince others that he needs a friend.....or five. Say hello to my future self!

Byron Bay Trip

Have just returned from the most amazing 3 day trip to Byron Bay with T to celebrate our sixth anniversary.

Words cannot describe my happiness! Our accommodation, the weather, EVERYTHING, was perfect.

We stayed at 'Summerhouse' which was the most perfect place about a 10 minute drive out of the centre of Byron Bay. It is a HUGE house with separate rooms and shared common areas. Luckily for us there was only one other couple there who checked out the next morning after we arrived so we had the place to ourselves. The view was absolutely breathtaking ,photos don't do it justice.

Each morning we woke up and wandered out to the common area where breakfast was cooked for us! Youghurt, delicious muslies, fruit salad, hot breakfasts ,coffee on tap and pancakes anyone?!

Sitting out on the deck with a plate of cheese and a glass of wine was heavenly. The weather was so warm , I didn't want to move.

 View from our balcony off our room. 

 If it has been summer, I would have been in this pool all day long.

Apart from driving around town ( we hired a car) we also drove up to the Bryon Bay Lighthouse which apart from being the most easterly point of the Australian mainland, has stunning views. The hike back up the stairs nearly killed us , it got soooo hot. 

Looking out from the lighthouse.

My beloved ♥

Forcing T to take photos of me doing jumps. May have nearly killed myself attempting cartwheels.

 Main Beach, Byron Bay. Best place to sit and eat fish chips and people watch.

 Love you T, you crazy kid! xx

Spending Ban Progress & Some Tips!

I am now into my FOURTH month of my spending ban! I say spending ban, but I guess it is more of a conscious effort to save more! I thought I would share a few of the things that I have been doing that have really helped me work towards my savings goals. I'm no expert that is for sure, but I try my best!

• Sit down and work out exactly what bills/expenses you will have for each month. For me this includes things like petrol, phone bills, car insurance payments, CC payments, gym membership and personal training etc. If you pay something weekly work out the monthly amount. Deduct the total amount from your monthly income and you will get a rough idea of that amount left you have to play with. I then aim to save most of the excess!

• I withdraw cash for things like petrol and personal training and keep it in separate envelopes so the money isn't sitting in my account and is less likely to be spent on an impulse purchase.

• Open an online savings account with a high interest rate. I use UBank and I find it to be extremely useful. UBank have the option to set up financial goals and watching your savings progress is totally motivating. Each week on pay day I transfer what ever money I have left over to save straight away.

• Be realistic about setting aside some money for entertainment. I learnt early on that it is unreasonable to expect that I won't go out and about on the weekend and might get a coffee, or see a movie with my boyfriend. I put aside a small amount for this each week and leave it in my everyday account.

• Birthday presents have always been a source of weakness for me. I love love LOVE buying people presents and sometimes go overboard. Spending less on presents has been a real challenge for me and I still feel quite guilty about it but at the end of the day it has to be done.

• If you are an impulse purchaser, stay away from credit cards! My biggest regret was getting a credit card last year. Looking back at the statements it is obvious that I spent it up on clothes and other crap that I barely use now. It is a lot harder to pay it off than it is to spend it. My CC is currently covered in layers upon layers of sticky tape so I can't whip it out and use it!

• Bring your own lunch to work. Enough said. Have also stopped buying the shitty coffee from the closest shop as a pathetic attempt of a caffeine fix! Easy money!

• Have goals! My goal is to save as much money as I can for New York, pay off my small CC debt and start up solid savings in general. Without a goal things get wishy washy quite quickly and it is easy to loose track. Think of the thing you are most passionate about achieving financially and strive for it!

If all goes continues to go well I will be buying  delicious things like this Alexander Wang Deigo Bucket Bag when I am in New York. Come to mama. 

That’s about all I can think of for now, but if you have any savings tips I would love to hear them! Is anyone else on a spending ban?

ABC Of Me

The darling Jade of Jade Musing posted this recently and I decided to join in! Quick fact: Jade's blog was the first beauty blog I read and made me want to start my own, so I did! You can read my old Tumblr blog here if you wish.


A. Age: 21
B. Bed size: King single.... sad I know.
C. Chore you hate: Washing Tupperware or anything that can't go in a dishwasher.
D. Day: Saturday.
E. Essential start to your day: Pressing snooze, then checking my phone :/
F. Favourite colour: Green.
G. Gold or Silver: Silver
H. Height: 168cm I think. 
I. Instruments: Failed guitarist.
J. Job title: Secretary.
K. Kids: None
L. Live: Western Sydney.
M. Mum’s name: June.
N. Nicknames: Lila, Gill, Gillpill
O. Overnight hospital stays: None.
P. Pet peeve: People who turn the lights on when they get up at 5am in the morning and you're still asleep ( aimed directly at my BF hahah).
Q. Quote from a movie: Yipeee ki-ay motherfucker! Closet Die Hard fan right here.
R. Right or left handed: Left is best.
S. Siblings: Younger brother and sister.
T. Time you wake up: 6:50am
U. Underwear: Whatever I can find, usually Bonds.
V. Vegetables you dislike: Red capsicum...ergh. 
W. What makes you run late: Snoozing , blowdrying my hair, or trying to make something for lunch at the last minute. 
X. X-Rays you’ve had: Teeth, hand. 
Y. Yummy food you make: Polenta dishes, beef stroganoff, profiteroles. 
Z. Zoo: To be avoided during school holidays. 


Man this week is going so sloooooow. Bring on Friday!


I am hating on this whole 'leaving work when it's dark' business. I'm blaming that for the lack of beauty swatches lately, I aim to rectify this soon !

Morning Sunshine

This morning was a glorious morning indeed my friends! Instead of slumming it at home making do with some porridge and a distinct lack of coffee my friend E and I headed to Cronulla for a beachside breakfast. YUM!

E told me about HAM ( Harry & Mario) a while back and as we were due for a coffee date I suggested we make a trip and try it out.

I had the most delicious 'deli breaky plate' of sourdough bread, prosciutto ( BE STILL MY BEATING HEART!), avocado, ricotta and fresh tomatoes for around $12.00 plus my coffee staple, a flat white which hit the spot. 

It was so warm and sunny and laid back and how I wish all my mornings could be.

I planned on taking a photo for ya'll but two things happened.....

1. I feel like a tosser taking photos of food in public places.
2. I ATE IT ALL TOO QUICK!

Went for a quick stroll down to the beach and sat in the shade, growing more and more sad about the fact I live in the suburbs as the minutes ticked by. 

If you ever find yourself in Cronulla on a sunny morning I suggest you check it out:-

Harry & Mario

3/17 Gerrale Street

Cronulla NSW 2230

Does anyone else feel like a fool taking photos of things for your blog while out and about? I can't be the only one!

Write it Down

So over at Hollypop's blog she posted an example of her handwriting for all to see and I decided I want to do the sameeeee. So I did and here it is, all fancy and whatnot on plain office paper with a lame excuse of a pen haha....!!

My writing always changes and as I hardly ever hand write anything anymore it hurts my hand! If I had written this on card paper it would all be a big smudge, such is the curse of a left hander *sigh*.

Heres what you've got to do:-

• Name and blog name
• URL
• Write, "A quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog".
• Favourite quote
• Favourite song
• Favourite bands/singers
• Anything you want to say!

And then spread the love and tag someone else! So do it, do it now!

I'm camera-less at the moment, meaning my boyfriend stole his own camera back to take on holidays. How rude, no? Really need to purchase one but I am currently obsessed with SAVING!!! SAVE DON'T SPEND !!!

New Home

Ahoy there!

I've made the move over from Tumblr ( http://gillpill.tumblr.com) to Blogger as I was so sick of the Disqus comments never showing up properly and I found it really hard to personalise my layout. It was also a tad confusing having a different URL name and blog name.

I've still got a few tweaks to make here and there but I am really loving having a sidebar, which is something I couldn't figure out how to put on my Tumblr layout ha ha.

So please add this link to your bookmarks and update your blog rolls. Why not add me on Bloglovin while you are at it....you know you want to!

If you have any suggestions for me, I'd love to hear them :)