2.25am (I should really rename this blog to something to do with only ever writing in the twilight zone?)
Just a quick note tonight, because truth be told I'm supposed to be forcing my sleeping pattern back to normal. A lady at the pharmacy gave me strict instructions to lay down at 11pm and don't get up even if I lay for hours. I've already broken those rules, so whats one little write up, right?
I just had to share my little discovery for the night; I just came across a girl on YouTube who uploads videos of herself doing covers
(I know, their a dime a dozen)
But this one most certainly stood out, her entire rendition of every song was so beautiful! Her playing was beautiful and she has a set of pipes I would kill for. (Voice, not breasts people)
She even managed to pull off Hallelujah (A song that quite a few people avoid, so as not to be beaten down by the general public, nobody wants to ruin such perfect music) Anyway, I've officially uploaded all her covers into my iTunes for my tram listening pleasure. Lets not forget, I found my favorite band for the last 6 years this way!
Meet Juliana Daily;
I know right? I do enjoy me some raw talent! (Say that last part in a pirate voice please) Hopefully I can get my hands on some original stuff!
12:55am I'm having one of my late night epiphanies again.
I've decided people of this world are too uptight!
What happened to colour? What happened to being free? What happened to jumping, dancing and singing? Not caring what our families, the boys, enemies and haters thought? We shouldn't care, because "those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind"
I've always been like this on the inside, but always been reserved on the outside, for the sake of fitting in with the rat race of the world.
Who wants to fit in with rats??
I was not born to run with the rodents, I was born to fly with the birds.
Time to take a conscience effort to stop reserving myself for the sake of the rest of the rats.
So... I dyed my hair red, and got long red extensions. (Think Ariel from The Little Mermaid)
I got thinking, and figured every stage of my adult life can be separated into hair colours (Silly right?) Age 14: Purple: Just meeting my new friends, who are my best friends today, we were your typical 14 year old girls. Age 15: Burgundy Red: I started to break away from the norm and find my own style, my own music, my own attitude. I was also a very sad 16 year old. I just thought the whole world was against me. Age 17: Black: I got my first boyfriend, we lasted 6 months and had nothing in common. I learnt the never-say-I-love-you-unless-you-mean-it-lesson. Age 18: Platinum Blonde: This chapter lasted 4 years and was the longest to date. The start of my relationship with Case, where I lost myself, and instead merged into a girl-boy version of CaseyAndTara. Nobody knew us without the other. A very big mistake to make. Also, the passing away of my Dad happened in this chapter, to which Case was a big fat pillow too. I learnt a lot about myself during this time, nothing I will get into now. Age 21: Brown: I dyed it to go travelling overseas, a practical move, but my theory still proved valid. During my time overseas I realized how much I had turned into a twosome, rather than the onesome that I should be. I learned how much I didnt, in fact, need Casey. Age 21: I returned to Australia and dyed it back blonde. Very symbolic this one; I had learned that I very much didn't need to be in my relationship anymore, and that its time was coming close. But refused to accept it.
I am just entering a new chapter, so why not have new colour to match?
This chapter will be all about me, and only me. No more TaraandCasey. And I am ready to embrace it. It's all about me, living in Melbourne, meeting all new people, remembering my old friends, and picking up where I left off when I was 17. Finding Tara as she was supposed to be.
I'm so happy I was blessed with the ability to see a bright side. Thankyou Mother Nature.
One of my best friends, Corinne, told me she listens to sad music as she goes to sleep, thus going to sleep sad.
I mostly listen to happy music, and I am, quite honestly, one of the happiest and most positive people on earth. I never let anything stress me out or keep me upset. I'm not an idiot, my attitude has a lot to do with it, and everyone is different, but music sets up the vibe around you and makes you feel things.
Here is some of my happiest songs!
My best friends saw The Jezabels play at the Great Northern Hotel in Byron Bay a few days ago. This little band seems to be taking over, well done guys :)
Byron Bay is my home town. I lived there basically my whole life and its everything to me. I never thought I would be so in love with a place.
It's beautiful, and coastal, so naturally I'm a summer girl. I love the summer, the beach, the sand and the sunshine. This song just makes me wish it was summer already, and brings me back to happy summer memories, I wish they could go on forever.
Here is another;
I listened to this song all throughout my travels last year! It made me so happy all the time, even though I was so far away from my home, and all the people I love, it somehow cheered me up. Its just so freakin' cute and upbeat! Absolutely on the future wedding playlist.
And I overkill this next one to extreme levels, but can't leave it out if I'm sharing songs that lift my mood!
My favorite song since I was little. I'm talking like 6 or 7 years old. My Mum had the album and I just loved the song. I re-discovered it a few years back and properly listened to the words and was just overwhelmed at how it changed my attitude.
The whole philosophy behind it is exactly how I live my life; I CHOOSE to be happy.
"Perhaps this optimism will crush on down like a house of cards. I know that my decision has changed my life, its not that hard!"
I could be negative all the time, God knows I've had a rough and unfair road to where I am at now, but I don't see why I should waste time and energy being sad, when I could so easily be happy instead. Simple.
I remember getting on a airplane, quite a few years ago. It was drizzly and rainy and just a miserable grey day. The plane took off and went higher and higher into the sky, through the grey clouds and above them. The sun was out above those grey clouds, the sky was beautiful blue and it was crystal clear. I was young, but instantly got the message. The suns always out, you just have to find it.
I hope someone out there feels uplifted and cheerful. Love, Tea xx
I love everything about it. The clothes, the era, the music, the art, the comedy, the dance, and the fact that it's really just one big tease!
I think I just might have to hit up the Burlesque Bar in Fitzroy sometime soon, a friend and I discovered it not long ago, I think it would be a very fun night out! Will report back!
I was most definitely born in the wrong era. Who doesn't love jazz, feathers, fishnets and lace?
One of the greatest treasures I own, that belonged to my Dad, is his CD collection, mostly from before I was born, and in my early years.
They are old, some broken, mostly scratched, and most have a old dirty piece of masking tape in the top corner with "MARK" written in permanent marker (its funny to imagine our parents living in messy, old share houses isn't it?) but I love them all so much, because it fascinates me thinking about my parents lives before me.
His collection is filled with the likes of Bob Marley, Counting Crows, Simon and Garfunkel, and his favorite band; Noiseworks.
Noiseworks were a semi popular band in the late 80's, they never really made it big, except for a few hit songs that were quickly lost in time.
My Dad loved this band. He used to own a speed boat, and would race water skiing in competitions all through my very young years. He was such a fan of this little home grown band, he painted his boat up with "Noiseworks" written down the side and that was the name of his boat. That's love folks.
Being a child of the 21st century, I should apologize to the CD shop owners of the world, that we sort of ruined that side of the music business. We may all have a music collection 20 times larger than that of our parents back in the day, but we cheated our way there. What with iTunes, and knowing the ropes of free downloading (I mean, what?) we are all totally satisfied in the sounds department.
However.. Our "music collection" isn't really that aesthetically pleasing anymore. Album art is something nobody longer cares about. Nobody cares about the heartfelt thank yous the band writes in the album booklet anymore either. All people seem to care about is the sound, not the story that goes with it.
So, I've started my CD collection. (Again)
Yes, its true, I bring them home, pop them in my laptop, upload them to iTunes, put it back in the case and none really get opened again. But they are there and waiting, all the while collecting dust, to be moved from share house to share house, survive thieving housemates, and the turmoils of storage, and eventually be given to a confused looking future kid, who is ready and waiting to disregard the odd sounding old music saved onto them.
I am going to collect all the music I listen to now in its physical form, and remember that they, although all stupidly talented and deserve all the recognition in the world, are likely to be lost in time too. Lets face it, only a select few live forever.
So my future offspring can hold my dirty old plastic memories in their hands too, and wonder about the dirty old share houses I lived in, the odd clothes I wore, the strange music I listened too, and what I may have been like before them. What an exciting project!
So I guess we've all heard the story the media is loving at the moment about the GASP store on Chapel St right?
I am feeling a tad lazy, and hundreds of people have already told the story on the internet, so no need for me to add to it, so read on up and catch up; http://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/fashion/customer-complaint-email-and-response-by-gasp-clothing-goes-viral/story-e6frf8o6-1226151874005
I am never usually one to jump on the band wagon of mindless, mind-numbing media gossip, but since I work in fashion retail, I have a pretty strong opinion with this little blast, as do a lot!
So here are the things I would like to throw back to you GASP; Your dresses may be different and interesting, this doesn't make them fashion forward. So don't think your above the rest of the world and think your in front of us all in terms of style and trend, just because they are different. I could start making dresses out of minty wrappers and sell them as high end fashion under this theory. And how dare you state that your dresses are "inaccessible to the undesirable"? And here I was thinking we were in the 21st century and social classes were a thing of the past. Excuse me for my forward thinking.
Just because the likes of Kim Kardashian are wearing your dresses, this doesn't make you high end. It's well known fact that brands like you pay celebs to wear your dresses to get the name out. We aren't stupid. (And having an ex-sex-tape-now-famous-for-nothing trash bag wear your clothes doesn't exactly make me want to wear them?!)
Honestly, your dresses are made of polyester. You are just like other trashy brands like GUESS and Juicy Couture. You mark up the price and call yourselves high end, but stock more trash than a Supre warehouse ;)
And lastly, my strongest opinion; Chris, your so called "retail super star" really just didn't do his job now did he?
I work in fashion retail, and although I work in a affordable, high volume store now, I have worked in high-priced-$200-for-a-T-shirt kind of store before too. I've had my fair share of training sessions and inductions.
Correct me if I am wrong but, as a retailer, our job is to SELL. We get taught ways of helping the customer see that our product could benefit them. If they don't like something, we find something they will like. I was taught to go above and beyond for all customers. I was also taught to treat every single customer the same, no matter if they look like a millionaire or a homeless person, because you never know who might have that black AMEX card in their wallet.
This guy basically failed at his job to sell to the girls, so how exactly is he a retail superstar? Are you suggesting he is only capable of selling to people who are easy to sell too? Because that, on the contrary, makes him suck at his job. You sometimes gotta work for it sweetheart! If your good at it, you get there in the end!
That's why music gets me I guess. Tonight I've been listening to a band I have loved since I stumbled across on MySpace at the ripe age of 16; The Spill Canvas.
I am having one of those nights where music just speaks to you. (I think I may feel like this every day?)
So, I thought I would share a few old favorites that stand out tonight;
3685 is, bluntly, a break up song. It explains two people who have ended a loving relationship, and there is nothing toxic and nasty between them, they are simply saying thankyou for the time we spent together, but our time is up and we must be moving forward. Towards the end of the song Nick says he finds a new girl who "easily towers over you" which is a little brutal for a lovely song. But it speaks to me all the same I guess.
I just came out of a four year relationship.
I don't feel the need to get into details tonight, But although the breakup was horrific and I was very heartbroken, in the end, I knew in my heart our time was over. We were very much in love and I like that in the end we could both respect that. I think this is the most beautiful type of break up - one that looks at the time as a wonderful snippet of life shared between two people, and says goodbye, and walks forward as individuals onto bigger and better things.
I still maintain that we were soul mates at the time that we were together. But souls grow up too, and ours grew apart. That doesn't make the time we spent together any less significant.
The Spill Canvas - 3685. Enjoy.
Its as if they are the soundtrack to my life.
When I was in love, I would cry almost every time I heard the next song I am going to post. It had so much meaning to me. This song is about being in love, and how it absolutely rocks you to your core. Being so in love it hurts. In the happy days of my past relationship this is absolutely how I felt, so I could connect to such an intense level.
I have been thinking lately, I don't know if I'll ever feel that intensely again, as it was my first love. So hearing this songs reminds me that it was real.
When people break up, they tend to only focus on the bad that came out in the end. This song takes me back to a time when I had another person who meant so much to me I would have taken a bullet for them. I had a soul mate, and not many people can say they had what we had. You only had to see us together in the early days to know we were best friends in every way. As I said, I know we have grown apart and are no longer perfect for each other, we certainly were each others everything back then, and this song takes me back to that time. Even as I listen to the song now, I find it hard to even explain how in love I was, it was so intense a feeling.
The Spill Canvas - So Much (try not to cry)
(I must stress at this point, that there certainly were ugly points in our breakup, just so when I hop on here later with a massive session about him, which is no doubt inevitable, you are not taken by surprise. Realistically, its my good attitude that got me through and to the appreciative point I am at now) And just for kicks I thought I would add this next one to my post too, so its not all about my egotistic ass of an ex boyfriend. His head doesn't need to be any bigger ;)
The Spill Canvas - Tik Tok (Ke$ha cover)
So there you have it, my favorite band of all time, and a few of their many songs that speak to me on such a deep level, at all stages of my life. (I quite literally had to stop myself at 2, and post the Ke$ha cover because I knew it wouldn't be followed up with a rant about how ticking clocks 'speak' to me!)
Although I live in fear that Triple J will start to play them and then the worst will happen; my teeny boppy clothing store would start to play them alongside other previous underground bands that "used to be cool", but the boys, in particular their front and founding man Nick Thomas, deserve so much more credit than what they get, and if they ever came to Australia, I would make myself available for any candlelit dinners and desert by serenade they would like to accompany me too ;)
Failing that, I would just like to thank them for giving me a constant and beautiful soundtrack to my life. Muchos grazias chicos.
3.09am: I am easily influenced, this is not new news to me.
So after making a new friend who surprised me by listening to music while drifting off to sleep at night, (something I would never have previously done, I need silence!) I thought there must be something in it, and I am open to new experiences in this stage of my life. So on one particularly restless night, I gave it a try.
I haven't looked back.
I must now have more music that I acquire specifically to fall asleep to than anything else. I must have the most relaxing music collection known to man these days.
It started with Gotye's new album (as on said late restless night, it was the only album I had uploaded on my 3 day old macbook) Which was a wonderful first choice, slow soothing electronic sounds were almost hypnotizing me into sleep. It was such a wonderful feeling.
I've moved on to lots of other similar sounds-all soothing, slow and semi-hypnotic. But my favorite drifting off to dreamland music is now Air's Pocket Symphony album. It works a treat. 'Tis true, I detested their silly electronic drooning sounds a few years ago, but having found the time and place for me, I've found a place in my heart and in my playlists for this little french two man marching band.
Blow out your candles, shut your eyes, lay back and have a listen;
For those saying they could never fall asleep to music, and those who fall asleep to the tv sounds every night like I used to, do your sub conscience a favor; On a particularly restless night, put on your most relaxing, undistracting and soothing music, lay back, close your eyes, and let it absorb you. If you don't love it, the channel 10 late news isn't getting cancelled anytime soon.
Good morning. Or night. Depending on how you look at things.
It's 2am, and of course I'm still awake. I am a self confessed night owl, I do all my best thinking and working at night. If only the world operated the same as me I would be a fairly successful person by now, because, although my morning self would grunt and disagree while waiting in line for one of many coffees to keep her going along with the rat race that is the real world, I am actually a really hard worker.
What I find difficult however, in my prime time hours of sitting at home with not much to do, is finding something to throw all my unused effort into. Usually this is something completely bizarre (two nights ago I learned a few phrases in sign language using YouTube clips, just 'cause.)
Thus, a blog.
Although most of these online blogs have a real underlying purpose/theme whether it be fashion, food, photography or a love for yarn (yes, I've come across that last one for real) I have no theme I want to stick to. I just want to share with all the little people who live inside my computer what goes through the head of a 22 year old tiny gypsy, stuck in the city.
I plan to share thoughts, opinions, photos, stories, plans, secrets and maybe even a confession to a love for yarn. If I ever get one.
