Organising my life

Today, I organised my life; my expanding file full of all the important documents in my life.

This expanding file in particular, a pink cardboard one, was falling apart, and it made me think, "Is my life falling apart?"

At the moment my life consists of:

-Staying up late, sleeping through the day

-Browsing the Internet all day, occasionally blogging

-Cleaning my room every now and then

-Not getting the stuff on my to-do list done

-Feeling sorry for myself

-A decent savings account, but not that much fun

So today, I've decided to turn my life around, as much as I can at short notice.

-I've rang up TAFE SA, and asked when mid-year enrollments begin, and didn't get much information out of the woman except for "keep an eye on the website".

So that's what I will be doing. I'm tossing up between three courses. Certificate IV in Interior Design, Certificate III in Tourism (Retail Travel Sales) and a bar course which may have to be done outside of TAFE, as there is not a course close enough to me.

-I've stopped biting my nails, so hopefully I won't be sick as often as I won't have gross fingers in my mouth! I'll reward myself with a professional manicure once they have grown. So I have something to look forward to!

-I am getting a few more shifts at work, but as I have been fairly sick over the past two weeks, I had to turn a few short notice shifts down :(.

-My savings account is looking healthy once again, and money owed to me will be payed back this week and next, so I can pay bills etc.

-I have a doctors appointment tomorrow morning before work, so that I can get some more prescriptions, and have a chat to her about my health in general.

-I am going to start exercising and get into shape! I've put on weight over the past year, and I'm now sitting at about 75kg, and want to get back down to 60kg. Basically I just want to be healthy, and avoid getting sick this winter!!

-Oh and I've made an appointment with my hairdresser (she does it from home, is absolutely excellent and cheap!) so I can get this regrowth fixed!!!

That's pretty much my life fixed.. for now.. in regards to my health, education, work life and happiness in general.

Hopefully this Friday night I will be going to the opening night of the Fringe festival, so that will be something exciting and different! 

I'm soon to start organising the dreaded top two cupboards of my wardrobe.

It will have to be done next week as this week my plans are:

Thursday: Doctors at 9.45am (eek early morning), and then work 1-9pm.

Friday: Seeing my good friend Kirsten and going to see the movie Valentine's day, then possibly the Fringe Festival with the boyfriend :)

Saturday: Work 10-5, not sure what to do Saturday night

Sunday: Work 11-5

Monday: Hair appt at 12.15 (YAY!)

That's about it for now.. I'll update after I get my hair done next week!

What makes me happy...

After one of the Simple Savers, Mellifluous Reflection (or Rach) (See her blog here), posted a thread asking what makes everyone happy, it got me thinking..

In your life, do you focus on the big things in life that make you happy, or the little things?

The big things in life that make me happy are:

-Family

-Friends

-My beautiful boyfriend

-My Gran

-My car, and the fact it's MINE!

-Life- Living, being alive.

But then, sitting back and thinking about EVERYTHING that makes me happy, big and small, I came up with this list..

-Being alive and relatively healthy

-looking at my new wall hangings I made the day before yesterday (see previous post :D)

-my dog, because even when he's being told off he wags his tail

-my boyfriend (most of the time anyway hehe)

-my family, especially mum because she is always there for me

-having a sense of humour and being able to laugh at myself

-knowing that even if I feel like crap and people say "smile" so I give them daggers, it eventually brings out laughter

-looking in the mirror and being able to look back

-having a list to write!!!

-having friends on Simple Savings

-my bed

-reading in bed listening to rain on the roof

-lipbalm! (Blistex especially)

-putting money in my tin and knowing that my future (whatever it holds) will be exciting and I'll have money to do exciting things

aaaannddd....

-flowers, teddy bears, chocolates, elderly couples holding hands, puppies and kittens, unwrapping presents, reading the newspaper, the satisfaction after cleaning, eating a delicious meal, kisses and cuddles, sleeping, breathing, my soft pillows!, giving back to others, making others happy, when I itch I certain spot on my head/neck and it goes tingly and feels nice, seeing others be happy, massages, nice smells, washing!, the smell of clean clothes, new sheets on my bed, seeing my boyfriend smile at me, the silky feeling my hair gets after it's washed, soft hands, long beautiful nails, jewellery, friends, the most amazing woman ever- my gran, remembering memories of those who I've lost, belief- in myself and others and most finally LOVE. the love animals have for humans, the love I have for my partner, the love I have for my mum and dad, the love/hate relationship with my sister, the love my dog has for me, the love I have for friends, the love of payday, the love of SS and basically love in general. Seeing love, promoting love, being in love, being loved.

After writing this list, I saw the cliche, "LIVE, LAUGH, LOVE", and I thought, that's exactly what I do. Every day. I live, obviously. I laugh, at big things, little things, myself, my dog, my sister, my friends, my boyfriends, watching TV shows, at work with the other staff and basically at everything. Most finally, love. I have so much love to give, so so much.. for my boyfriend, family, friends, my dog, etc etc. The great thing is, it's all different kinds of love too.

So I will finish with this statement, "If you live, laugh and love, what haven't you got to be happy about?"

Here's a few things that make me happy..

                 My gorgeous boyfriend, Callum and I.                

 

 Some of my beautiful friends and I

  

 My amazing dog, Patch.

 

And the silly things in life, like this photo..

My new creation and my room..

As I mentioned previously I was excited that my creative juices were flowing!

This is what I made:

They're wall hangings!!

I've had the canvas and fabric sitting in my room for a few months now, and it was driving me crazy!! So today, whilst in a creative and cleaning mood, I pulled them out and thought, RIGHT! That's it, I'll do them now. And that's what I did. I think it's the quickest.. and one of the best decisions I've ever made, because now I can sit there, looking at them and think, "I made them, I went and got all the materials, including the idea from my very own brain!!!"

I wasn't sure how to stick the fabric to the canvas, but in the end I used staples and thumbtacks as I didn't have anything else!

The canvases cost around $10 each, and the fabric about $10 for three metres, and I had plenty left over!

That means that I spent a total of $40, or about $13 for each piece. So happy with that!

They turned out fantastic and look sooo good on my wall.

Here's a picture on them in action:

If your next sentence is "they're not in line" then you're correct! They're not, but I never intended them to be.

I believe it adds to the atmosphere of the room.

They're also a bit wonky in this picture *grr*.

And with this creation, comes my boost to continue looking into a career in Interior Design!

Not sure where to do it, TAFE or a specialised school.. but will update you when I find out!!

I thought, since my room is looking so great now, I will post some pictures!!

Oops a bit blurry but oh well.

This is my gorgeous bed with my NEW wall hangings above. YAY!

My bookcase with all my little knick knacks together in 'displays'.

So much better since I got rid of my two huge piles of magazines.

The carebears were a present from my boyfriend which he got me at the royal show, I've got my handbag fund (which is empty because it's too pretty to break and thats the only way to get money out!), candles, perfumes, my sex and the city box set, monsters inc dvd, all my library books, and my own books down the bottom, a breast cancer love bear and two holy items- my back up hard drive and the bible, one which I received on my Year 12 graduation. It has the school's emblem embossed on the front. Something to keep forever.

My beautiful lights.

They look so amazing when the lights are off and give the room real ambiance.

My entertainment area.. 

My dressing table, more perfume, a beautiful jewellery box, picture of me and my gorgeous boyfriend in the background and pictures of friends and myself!

My forever friends 18 bear. Head got cut off :(.

On top of my diary I never write in, but all of the jewellery I wear is pictured.

Love love love it!

My bedside table- beautiful faux roses, again a picture of my boyfriend, Callum, and myself, my eye mask, hand cream and my new book I'm reading;

"Debt Free, Cashed Up and Laughing" 

So that's my room in enough detail for now.

It's almost perfect, just have to put up my floating shelves (chocolate colour just like all the furniture... mmm chocolate...) which will hopefully be tomorrow!

Then my shelves won't look so cluttered and I can play with my 'displays'.

I think I'm meant to be an Interior Designer.. I just love making things look pretty, and get such joy out of it.

Hope everyone's having a great Friday night.

I'm almost on the mend now.. still a bit chesty and sniffly, but nothing a few cuddles from the boyfriend can't fix up :).

Creativity flowing!

Yes indeed, the creativity is flowing today!!

I have made some wall hangings which I have meant to do for SO long!

I'm about to take some pictures of them too, off my wall and on my wall (hopefully soon).

Makes me feel good to get something done, that is WELL overdue.

I will add instructions with how I did them, when I post pictures.

I also have some floating shelves which I want to put up ASAP, so maybe if Dad is home tomorrow, he can help me..

Have also been playing around with different backgrounds on here!

It's looking good, will play more later.

For now, I'm going to make my bed with nice clean sheets, and clean my room properly!

Ciao for now...

Bucket list item completed- Start a blog

Today I completed an item on my bucket list.

"Start a blog"

Date completed: 11th of February 2010

Proof: 

So far I have really enjoyed having a blog, despite having no followers yet, and posting my fourth post in one day! I'm finding it to be an outlet, and a way to express myself.

I look forward to posting each day (or almost each day) and one day looking back on this and reflecting on my life as an 18 year old!

My bucket list

This is my bucket list in all its glory.

When I complete an item on my bucket list, I will post a picture and the item I have completed on here!

There is a total of 131 items, with more to come as I think of them.

You can see why I need to have lots of money, to do all the travelling I wish to do.


Travel

Travel to 100 countries and write about them

See all states of Australia

Visit somewhere starting with every letter of the alphabet

See all wonders of the world

Own my own house

See all major Australian tourist attractions and ‘wonders’

Go on a cruise

Have a white Christmas

Work in a bar overseas

Gamble in Vegas

See a musical at Broadway

Attend Mardi Gras in Rio de Janeiro

Be in Times Square on new years

Go to theme parks every where

Shop at Harrods

Shop on rodeo drive

Attend high tea at the plaza hotel New York

Go on a safari in Africa

Attend the Olympics in person

See the super bowl in person

Travel to all continents

Visit the pyramids

See a concentration camp

Travel without a plan

Buy my parents a holiday

Go to the Taj Mahal

Stay in the Dubai hotel

Dive to the titanic wreck

Go to the biggest mall in the world in Canada

Go to Machu Picchu

See the northern lights

Throw a coin into the Trevi fountain

Take souvenirs from every place I visit

Buy a map of the world and put pins where I’ve been

Go to Niagara Falls

Go for a horse and carriage ride through central park in New York

Stand on the International Date Line

Drive on the autobahn in Germany at top speed

Join the mile high club

Make a snowman

Future

Be debt free

Get married

Honeymoon in Hawaii

Enjoy my pregnancies

Have happy and healthy children

Take my children to Disneyland

Buy my children Barbie cars (9 volt working one)

Own a holiday home by the beach

Own a house in the country

Own a home with a pool

Start my own business

Scrapbook my children’s lives

Become a grandmother


Personal

Get down to and stay at my goal weight

Be healthy and active

Get down to and stay at my goal weight

Be healthy and active

Keep a photo journey of my life

Stop biting my nails

Take up yoga

Create a collection

Write down 1 quote per day and make a scrapbook of them

Do a job I love

Do a first aid course and keep up the certificate

Learn when to say yes

Learn when to say no

Own a pet

Make beautiful handmade cards

List one thing I'm grateful for each day for a year

Start a Blog

Write a letter to myself to read in 5 years

Learn my blood type

Have a shower in a shower with more than one shower head


Other

Write a kids book

Go bungee jumping

Go sky diving

Go scuba diving

Be pampered at a health spa for a week

Learn to say hello in 50 different languages

Learn a new language

Do an interior design course

Learn a martial art

Learn to salsa

Go rock climbing

Swim in the Dead Sea

Do a cooking class

Read 100 books

Get a great education

Have a street named after me

Donate blood

Donate money to charity

Get an article published in a magazine

Drive a Lamborghini

Buy a piece of art

Invent something

Own shares

Watch the sunset in lots of different countries

Watch the sunrise in lots of different countries

Break a world record

Be on a game show

Shower in a waterfall

Learn to ballroom dance

Visit a volcano

Go to a nude beach

Own a beautiful perfume collection

Buy a big ticket item

Own one designer item

Go skinny dipping

Have my portrait painted

Experience weightlessness

Own a convertible

See a live show filmed

Fly in first class

Own a beautiful jewellery collection

Stay in a penthouse

Go to movies alone

Design a website

Attend my high school reunion

Cook every dish from a cookbook

Win something

Do a pole dancing class for fun

Fly on a trapeze

Relax in a natural hot spring

Have a business card

Own a pen with my name on it

Read a classic novel

Go to the theatre

Go white water rafting

Relax on a hammock

Win more than $100 in a casino

Have a ride in a hot air balloon

See these animals in the wild (lion, tiger, giraffe, panda, elephant, hippo, rhino, bear, penguin, monkey)




Wish me luck!

My savings so far

At the moment, in my savings account I have $343.49.

This is $59.95 less than it was last night, because I saw some great things for my boyfriend on eBay for Valentines day, but I thought, "hey, why not!"

This will get back up to the amount that it was last night pre-eBay, and I will make sure of that!

Valentine's day only comes around once each year, and I had totally forgot that it was this week!

I ended up buying a fragrance for him, which I'm in love with (and he is too), which was $59.95 on eBay, with free postage. This particular fragrance is usually around the $130 mark, so I was VERY happy when I found this!!

Aside from my savings account, I also have a Winnie the Pooh money tin, that is getting quite full and quite heavy!! 

I put $100 in the other day, which was the remnants of my birthday money. I'm looking forward to opening it, as I put coins in it almost every day!

My system is that whenever a note is broken, the coins go into the bottom of my handbag.

Unless the coins are needed desperately I won't use them, and they go into the slot at the end of the day!

All of the money from my tin will be going into my savings account, which will be going towards my first overseas holiday!

My money tin saving started around the 1st of the December, and I'm hoping there will be around $300 in there! I will just have to wait and see though!! 

Each week I also deposit $30 (which has gone up from $20!) into my savings account, so that is looking much healthier! (aside from last night's transfer...)

I've also been sick since Monday so tissues, orange cordial and butter menthols have become my best friends!

If you're questioning the orange cordial- it's because I can't stomach any food, because I'm simply not hungry and my throat is KILLING me!

I've also found that this is a GREAT way to save money! As payday was Tuesday, and I haven't had a chance to go to the shops to spend money (except for my eBaying last night), and I still have my weeks spending money there!

I'm almost on the mend, I felt a little bit hungry earlier, so I'm off to make myself something to eat! 

Oh, I forgot to add, that I would love it if you joined me on my money tin adventure and forget that coins even exist! (until the end of the day when they are put in the tin!!)

I love having a money tin, because before you know it, you have quite a large deposit to put into your savings account!

I'll admit, I'm addicted to saving!

My first post- and an outline of my life

My name is Nicole.

I'm 18 and live in a small town approximately 45 minutes from Adelaide.

I have a younger sister, and two fabulous parents.

I have an amazing boyfriend of 1 1/2 years, and I'm in love!

I plan on doing a lot of travelling in my life, and have recently written a bucket list, which I will post when it's all typed up!

I currently work in retail, and get enough each week to get me by, hoping for a bit more so that I can save more!
I would love to work in a bar because I LOVE meeting new people, and this would help out in all the travelling I want to do, as I could work and travel.

I'm a member of Simple Savings (www.simplesavings.com.au) and hope to have enough money to live my dreams. This website has helped me out in SO many ways, and some of the tips on here are absolute life savers!!

Basically, this blog is to keep track of my journey through life, and will be hopefully something I can look back on later in life!

That's all for now...