A Return to Form

I kind of dropped off for a while there, didn't I?

Unlike the multiple other instances where I've disappeared from the Interwebs for a period, I have a real excuse this time. Events transpired IRL that have forced me to turn my attention away from my screen for longer than a few moments.

I hate to get too personal online in such a public way, but this is a personal blog, so I might as well go for it.

1. My boyfriend - of four years - and I broke up, got back together, then broke up again (for good). I am now single for the first time as an adult and it is scary/challenging/fun/exciting/heartbreaking/adjectives ad infinitum. I've learned so much more about men (or boys) in this past month than the last four years combined. It's fascinating. My life right now feels like every rom com I've ever watched, and every trashy chick lit paperback I've ever read.

2. I finished my degree(s)! After five long years, I'm finally ready to venture into the wild, armed with a somewhat useless double degree. I'm currently in job application mode and I'll be spending the next three months as a full-time grad job applicant. This is, of course, on top of my existing three part-time jobs. And I thought graduating would mean I would finally get to RELAX (nope).

3. I've kind of stopped watching television and started catching up on my reading. I set a goal on Goodreads for 2012 of twenty books, of which I thought, 'Pshh, this will be too easy, I will read twice as many!'. Of course, I completely underestimated how much time it actually takes to read that many books, and my final reading list fell well below that goal. So I went online, bought about a dozen books and got reading. As my deliveries arrived, I felt like my eight-year-old self after a trip to the library; coming home with a stack of books and giddy with excitement over which I should read first. So far, I've gotten through Madame Bovary (beautiful, classic, etc.), Austenland (embarrassing, but I secretly loved it), and The Marriage Plot (amazing, like Eugenides reached inside me and pulled out this amazing story which reads like my diary, if I was capable of such high quality prose). Right now I'm reading For Whom the Bell Tolls (emotionally draining, but in a good way), and next up is The Female Eunuch (which I read ages ago, but feel the need to revisit).

4. I'm moving out! Even though I can just barely afford it right this moment (I'm relying on the idea that I will get a decent paying job soon...), I'm moving in with a friend of a friend this week. I get to buy furniture, groceries, cutlery! I'm going to be a real ADULT. Stay tuned for updates on IKEA trips and DIY decorations! :):):)

Finally, here are some of my Insta's to keep y'all up-to-date (follow me @jessthechipster).

Believe in Zero collage mural - a Cyberman at the Doctor Who Symphonic Spectacular

Kissing booth at the new Newtown Hotel - my new eyebrows of which I was/am very enamoured

Super friendly adorable kitty - less friendly but still adorable kitty who I am soon to live with

Cousin's gorgeous new place in Wentworth Falls that used to be a B&B - studded loafers, yaay!

Hot tea on a rainy Monday - drippy nails, and floral wallpaper I will surely miss

I like to draw II

Well, I finally learned to draw pretty on my phone and it's kind of exciting. 

I'm very sad that I was unable to participate in the Halloween festivities this year, so I drew this creepy lady with her creepy doll to make me feel better. Also sad - Community being postponed which means no Halloween episode (my favourite) and maybe no Christmas episode (my other favourite - Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas is on my seasonal watch list, along with the Muppets Christmas Carol and The Polar Express).

Because I am creepy, I decided to draw this random young lady on my train. I thought she was super styling and I was jealous of her fluffy vest. Partly because I can't pull off fluffy vests, as much as I'd like to. Whenever I go into stores with faux fur items, I like to rub my face on them as a softness gauge. Yes, I know it's gross.

A lady and her pug. I love pugs. When I "grow up" I want to have a pug and a dacshund and they will be the best of friends and cuddle up together and make me YouTube famous, like Boo's owner, or Maru's. Also, please excuse my complete inability to draw hands. That's right, those are hands, not freakish mutant finger-claws.

Whitewashed

Despite the current state of my room, I like to imagine that my future home will be beautiful and clean and airy. The other day, my friend Kaari and I went to this store in Newtown called Octopus Designs, and she introduced me to the joys of overpriced scented candles. There was this especially amazing-smelling one called Bora Bora, which totally lived up to its name, conjuring up images of island resorts and empty beaches. I could definitely imagine having a bunch of those candles in my dream bathroom, which would be white and light-filled, with blue, black and natural accents. 

My dream apartment will obviously be fully stocked with all the necessary amenities, including the fluffiest of towels, pretty soaps and lotions, and bathroom reading material. 

I would suggest that this is everyone's dream shower. I love the window, the spaciousness, the blue brick-style tiling. 

Images from my Pinterest

|1| Ikea Lidan baskets

|2| Due shag bathtowels

|3| West Elm hooks

|4| Handgun toilet brush

|5| Neest bucket

|6| Old Faithful striped towel

|7| Glasshouse Bora Bora candle

Chipster Update

Clockwise from the top left:
1. There was the most beautiful sunset last week, all pink and purple and orange.
2. & 3. Sparkly nail polish! I have a mini collection of them. A note - it is really really hard to remove glitter from your nails!
4. Neon yellow nails. I wore this colour for about two weeks, which is a record for me.
5. Orange toes.
6. Totoro plushy. Sitting atop my Penguin Classics, next to my Rubik's cube. It's Chipster overload.
7. Cheerleader and sorority girls.
8. Rob had some eye thing and had to wear an eye patch. I think he will appreciate me putting this on the internet.