• I believe that nice things made from leather are under-appreciated. A nice thing made from leather, and well looked after, will last a long time. I am a fan of things that last a long time because I am a big believer in sentimental value, and also I have the hoarding instincts of a squirrel readying for the winter, so I think that a nice thing from leather is the way to go to head up the under-50 super awesome 5. I'm sorry if you are a vegan with ethical objections, but there is nothing lovelier than some buttery-soft leather. Also, cheese is extremely tasty, and dairy cows like making milk, it's what they do. This slim-zip case from Antonini is made in Florence from buttery-soft leather. It's just the right size to carry around some nice pens (soon to be featured in a super awesome list of things quite expensive), and it's just the right price for this list: $49.00 AUD.  I'd go for the green, but that's just how I roll; it comes in lots of colours.
  
  
  
  
  
  

• I am a fan of perfume. I am a fan of manfume. I am also a fan of  funny names for everyday objects, which imply their masculine use. For example: mandbag (my italics), mandigan (that's a cardigan for a man), and manfume (it's perfume for men, not cologne, because cologne reminds me of skeezy old men on public transport who rub up against your leg "by accident"). To that end, I love Lancome's Hypnose. I am very sad that the small bottle I had got broken, although it does seem like the perfect reason to try the new version, Senses. There was a point there when Hypnose was over-done (I feel that Gucci Flora, which is beautiful, may be the same at this point). Everyone was wearing it which made it seem a bit cliched, although that may have been related to the timing of its launch and my working in "a Large Department Store" near the cosmetics section. But in a flash of inspiration, I have found a solution, allowing its inclusion in the list.... buy the manfume! In fact, buy it here, for $42.50 AUD, and you'll get a free gift with it (and it's 30% off retail).
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Yesterday I watched Pride and Prejudice. The movie, not the BBC version, which frankly was a mistake; let's face it, Mathew Macfayden is cute and all, but only Colin Firth can do real justice to Mr Darcy. Anyway, here's what I think you should do to remedy this situation (ie. a serious lack of Colin Firth), if you think there's a chance it chould arise for any of your friends. Friends of mine for whom it might happen include Helen, and my mum, just in case you know me in real life and are trying to figure out where this fits in as a super awesome gift idea under 50 dollars. First, you should get the Penguin Pride and Prejudice mug, for $20.00 AUD. Then, you should get the actual Popular Penguin Pride and Prejudice, for $9.95 AUD. Finally, you should get some tea from T2 to go with it. Get one in an orange box, and then all three will be matchy matchy and it will look like you thought about it super hard, instead of blatantly stealing my idea. Oh, and you should probably make it Earl Grey tea, $10.95, just to be twee. By the way, there are some wonderful books in the Popular Penguin series, and it's not often that you can buy a truly good book for $9.95, so another option for this list would be to buy 5 Penguins. Or, you could just change the book/mug combination, there are many other titles available (in the mugs).
  
  
  
  
  
   Oh God this is exhausting, does the 3-in-1 make this list 5 already...
  
  

• Ok, so I know there is also a cute zippered pouch in this super awesome list, but I have another one for you, with slightly more utility. What you're going to do, is get this cute little cosmetics pouch from Witchery, for $19.95 AUD. You can choose the colour, although I'd go silver or feather, because the gold is a bit fuggers. Inside the bag, you're going to put this Clinique eyeshadow quad, $17.00 AUD. It's unboxed, but that's ok because we're going to make it look like you filled the bag with goodies, so it's not supposed to be in the box... and ok, this is going to put us 45 cents over the limit, but seriously, I have searched my heart out for you people and these items are seriously below retail, so fill the rest of the baggie up with some Benefit lip gloss, $13.50 AUD. Again, the colour is up to you, but I think you should choose Streakin' because I am juvenile, and it makes me giggle. Also, because I am good at what I do (being cheap), the quad and the gloss are from Strawberrynet, the world's number one seller of below-cost luxury cosmetics.... and as mentioned in the manfume section above, new Strawberrynet customers get some free stuffs, which you can also put in the baggie, ergo, it will look like you spent a lot more than $50.45, so give me a break about the extra 45 cents.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• I feel that what follows is potentially a unisex gift. I try not to discriminate, but obviously it will only work for a man who likes cooking. I've heard that they do exist. Somewhere. Having just waxed lyrical about how wonderful and cheap Popular Penguins are, I need to now make a contradictory generalist statement: sweet Jesus, books are expensive these days. But never mind, stick with me and you'll be able to make this next one work. You're going to need a cookbook, and you're going to need a pan. That is all.  Cookie Magic, $24.95 AUD, has good reviews, and a pretty cover (I am that shallow). Pair it with an Anolon SureGrip cookie sheet, $24.95 AUD. I like Anolon pans (they're usually much more expenso, but like I said, I'm cheap and found you a good price), they're very heavy duty, and the Suregrip ones have a little silicone grip that you can touch ergonomically bare-handed to pull them out of the oven. Fancy.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  So there you go. I am quite pleased with myself, and we're only talking about the under 50 bracket, for people whom you quite like but aren't quite prepared to go all out for! There are some super awesome things on that list. Go forth, purchase, and wrap. And stick around, because five super awesome gifts under 100 dollars, for people whom you really like, or for some reason really really need to impress, is coming sooooooon. It involves a bundt pan, and you just can't go wrong with a bundt pan.
  
  
  

Lately I have found myself with free time. I don't know what to do with this concept.

I have not had actual free time for 5 years. Even on weekends I would feel guilty that I wasn't in the library, or the lab. And so, even if I was too lazy or procrastinatory to make it to either of those places, the guilt in the stomach would end up eroding the free-ness of the time.

So you know, I've ah.. been making collages and stuff. I'm also half way through some curtains that seemed like a good idea at the time. Many of my half-start endeavours seem like a good idea at the time. I think I need to work on that in future.

But we should talk about blue things, you guys. Otherwise the title of the post makes no sense. There's not really much sense to be made from it in general, other than to say it is a great song by The Weepies (see below, embedded for your convenience).



Also, like a bowerbird, I like things that are blue and I have been collecting pictures of such things to make into collages and stuff.


I also like IKEA a lot (but you knew that already) and have been collecting up thoughts in order to write another IKEA post mostly about meatballs. I bet you just can't wait!

You know guys, I keep reading things about how modern day Gen Y women (I think I am Gen Y, but can no longer tell, and anyway, I am more than just a letter) are against feminism because it is radical in a bad way, and let's face it, why would you burn a bra if it's pretty and lacy and cost more than the GDP of a South East Asian country.

Not that my bras cost that much, because I am cheap, but you get where I'm going.

I've got to be honest with you. I like cooking, although I don't really like cleaning. I am organised, and I like things in my house to match. But I would say that I am a feminist etc for reasons I won't bother elaborating etc. Oh and also, I find doing laundry relaxing.

Anyway, here's the thing: secretly, I like it when builders whistle at me. Furthermore, I am disappointed if they don't at least check me out when I walk past.

That is all.

I'm getting there with the list of super awesome gifts under 50 dollars. My intertube browsings have been somewhat limited in the last few days by the moving of the house. Not the actual house, you understand, because that would be some kind of effort involving big trucks and me actually owning a house that could be moved. I'm sure we're on the same page though.

Right now, it is 30 degrees. That's 30 degrees celsius for my many and varied American readers. 86 degrees fahrenheit to you. Not so remarkable in itself, except that it's 11.45pm and we don't have air-con.

Today was a bad day in general. It was extremely hot. Like, extremely hot, and we were moving furniture. Then it started to storm, and I thought it would cool down, but instead, it stayed extremely hot and then got extremely humid. I think I cried, but I don't know if they were tears or my eyeballs were sweating.

Right now, I am sprawled on the bed in front of a fan which Rob is keeping covered with wet towels. I am fragile after all. Even so, the ice cold shower I took 2 hours ago was nothing short of life-changing.

It wasn't the heat that ruined the day's mojo though. No, that would be the fucktard who broke into Rob's car sometime last night while we were out getting dinner. And you know, he didn't do it by breaking the window. Too easy? Who knows. No he jimmied out the lock, and broke of some door handles. And had a go at one of the windows too. And you know what? He got a GPS. Like...all 200 bucks' worth. Asshole. So you know, waiting around for the cops made it a bit of a bad day. As did waiting for the forensics lady, who took one look at the door handle and its disassociated lock lying on the ground, then said, "Fuck, I saw this last week. He used gloves."

He did; textured gloves.

He also (we realised this later in the day) took Rob's nav bag, containing maps, 2 pairs of prescription glasses, medical papers, licence etc. Street value: $0. Asshole. And a baseball bat too, but we didn't tell the cops that.

So that was today. I'm thinking tomorrow should be a bit better. Unfortunately though, I made the mistake of looking at the extended weather forecast. Sunday I am going shopping. I do not care where, I do not care what for. All I care for is airconditioning.


A 39 degree day in November concerns me. At this rate I will be dead before Christmas. I am fragile afterall, and we don't have air-con.

I can't believe I'm actually looking forward to Monday.

What follows are gifts ideal for people to whom you don't feel particularly close, but are obligated to acknowledge. And also people who you like lots, but are too poor generally to be all extravagant and that jazz. I have been accused of populating these lists (I say "lists" because I have a whole series planned out) with items that I like. To which I reply, shut up Rob, I never give things that I don't like myself, so in that sense I'm actually being extremely caring and sharing. Etc.

Let us begin. And yes, most of these are lady presents, because I am a lady, and that's how I roll.

• From Kikki-K the Vastkust 2010 diary, $29.95. Until I got an iPhone and became dependent on iCal, I was addicted to diaries. The thought and planning involved in each year's purchase was serious business and so I don't take this recommendation lightly. But you know, it's blue, which is good. And it's from Kikki-K, which obviously is even better. Plus it's week-to-a-page, which is really the best way to go. I used to be a day-to-a-page person until I realised that when you're dealing with high quality pages and leather binding, day-to-a-page equates to a 3kg brick in your bag each day. Also, it's called Vastkust; that means west coast in Swedish, so for novelty value alone this diary wins in its own right.

• An almost identical option along the same vein is the Cykel photo album, also from Kikki-K, $19.95. It's supposed to be good for the young at heart. That's people like me who are juvenile but somehow manage to keep people fooled. The album isn't really my first preference, I quite like the blue 4x6 cloth brag book, which is also $19.95, but I feel that the cykel has greater present potential because it has some stickers inclued. I'm all about the added extras. I could also launch into a story here about my beloved orange cykel from Sweden, that was a composite constructed from multiple parts of other cykels, but I'll spare you the details. Anyway, the great benefit of this album is its price (same with the brag book I might add), because that means we can add a few extras and still come in under budget. I think the 4-pack of coloured, matching cykel gel pens is just the order, for $9.95.

• Moving away from Kikki-K (it had to be done, although it's probably going to reappear down the line....), the most delicious smelling candle in existence. The sweet pea & jasmine soy wax candle by Ecoya is, I swear to god, the best smelling candle around. Buy the one in the jar, $29.95, because it burns for 50 hours, and then the purty jar will look nice with other purty things in it. I'm not going to lie to you, the other flavours smell nice and all, but sweet pea and jasmine is the best. That is all.

• For someone who likes taking pictures, these tripods are awesomes. You can put them anywhere. Well not like...anywhere... but each to their own. If I were buying for someone with a compact point-and-shoot I'd go for the Monkey Grip Flexi, $19.95, and get them 10 bucks worth of printing too. Not sure of the logistics of this idea exactly, but Big W Photo uses Fuji paper stocks, and their 6x4 prints are only 15 cents each. So that's about 60 prints for 10 dollars, which ain't too shabby. I've printed there before, large sizes too, and the quality was better than some I've had done at a camera store.

• I used to love the smell of all the L'Occitane lemon verbena products, but when I worked at Myer, they used it in the liquid soap dispensers in the bathrooms. As a result, I no longer love the smell of any of the L'Occitane lemon verbena products. In fact, after an unfortunate encounter in Gardemoen Airport duty-free with the eau de toilette of their other fragrance ranges, I discovered not only that I don't particularly care for the smell of any of them, but also that said fragrances are extremely persistent when it comes to my skin and their staying power. That said, I am a fan of lovely things that smell lovely and I don't think you can go past any of the body products in Crabtree & Evelyn's La Source range. A testament to this is the fact that we sold it in another place I worked, and it was the only thing I was ever tempted to shoplift (note that I didn't, since I don't do that kind of shit, but the thought was there...). I think that it would work also for a man of the metro persuasion, since it's not particularly feminine, but obviously one must judge such things on a case-by-case basis. I think the relaxing body lotion, $26.95, is the way to go.

I'm telling you now, it's going to be big.

Hello. It's been a while. I was going to give you a reason for my absence but ah.. yeah... well, I got nothing. I'll give you a little run-down though, things have been all go of late.

I handed in my thesis. Phew. I even decided not to care about the pages that Word decided would look better with fluoro green borders, rather than black, on the pictures. And then I defended my thesis a few weeks later (actually that part happened yesterday) and felt a wave of relief because I never have to think about it again. Except for when I start writing up our paper about it, but that can wait.

I went to Grafton too, helping to pack up the house my grandparents have lived in since 1957 and attempting to ignore the concomitant emotional guilt-tripping and martyrdom, whilst simultaneously organising to get the electricity disconnected. I also went to the hospital every day while I was there, to visit my grandfather, who broke his hip 6 weeks ago, and who told us he was being released on Friday, even though he wasn't really. Lucky me, in the process of all these doings, I contracted some kind of hideous chestal infection. And that's enough said about that whole kettle of fish.

Then, somewhere in there, I started packing up my own belongings, getting ready to move house again. Once again, I am amazed by how much crap I own. Even when I throw bags of it out, the piles don't seem to shrink. It's a very concerning anomaly of the physical universe. I'm sure one day it will be the subject of someone's doctoral dissertation.

Since I handed in, I haven't really had much to do with myself, except to trawl the intertubes looking at pictures of nice things. Since it's November now, which means it will be December next, I have decided to do you all a favour and give you some Christmas gift ideas.


We shall start with the under $30 category. Gifts in this category are appropriate for when you are poor but would like to look like you care, siblings' new partners, friends from whom you have drifted slightly, and people who you don't really like but feel obliged to acknowledge (eg bosses, colleagues, frenemies etc). Do enjoy.

Actually, stay tuned and enjoy them tomorrow. Writing this post has taxed me, and now I'm going to take a nap. More to come.

I love Glee. I can't help it.I am not ashamed. There is nothing wrong with being uplifted. Absolutely nothing. So bite me.


And while we're at it, Sam Tsui is some kind of a legend. I think I love him. All of him.



That is all. Also I love power ballads, but that' clearly a story for another time altogether...

People, things have suddenly come unstuck. Panic has begun to set in and I've just developed a terrible headache.

I might be moving in two weeks (this is obviously a good thing, and is dependent on some pending external factors); my flatmate did not take this news well. In fact, I would go as far as saying..he took it badly, and was fairly pissed. I hope he doesn't suffocate me in the night.

I have a dirty conscience.

You see, in August I said I would stay until January, but that was before a number of other wheels began moving, and also before the great soy sauce swindle of Sept 09. Now I want out big times. When I moved in, the deal was 2 weeks notice. I'm not on the lease, I didn't pay bond. In theory, I could leave tomorrow and be done with it. However, my flatmate, who is going to India in 3 weeks, does not see it this way. He wants me to stay/continue paying rent until January. Said he, "I don't have time to deal with this now. You have to stay until January."

That is not going to happen.

But, unfortunately, I just can't bring myself to be all like, "you know what, fuck you, I'm moving out in 2 weeks whether or not I've found someone to replace me. Suck it." My conscience is too guilty. Damn, I should have been a Catholic or something.

Thoughts?

A common misconception about Armidale is that it is hot in Summer. People, it is mild. Think, 27 degrees in November, a jumper on at Christmas. So don't get all up in my face about how I should be able to stand the heat. I am melting in this hellhole. But this is beside the point.

I went flying. Yes. Me. In a plane. At the controls. But it's ok...I didn't actually do any controlling: Rob told me I wasn't allowed to touch the stick thing or the pedals. I felt no particular compunction to do so either.

Turns out I'm quite terrified of flying. But well..I did actually know that already. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, although when I realised we had to land the effing thing my heart-rate increased somewhat.

I have some more photos coming. I'm going to make a pictorial essay. It will be like a manga, but without the cartoon sex. Actually...it won't be like a manga at all...it will be like photos with captions in between.

Here are some teasers though.

Out over the Gorge. The gorge photos are a bit crap because I was feeling a bit off in the tummy, and my battery was going flat and I was having exposure problemos. You get that when you're inside a tin can over a gorge and the terrain alert is flashing.

The baron..ooohh so shiny...

Not dead!

Stay tuned for more.