What I look for in a guy

In the spirit of Valentine's Day, I wanted to do some sort of blog post. For all you lovers out there, celebrate and enjoy the day. As for the single ladies, we can all learn from Queen B and "put your hands up" to celebrate Single Awareness Day (well it could be a thing haha, except that it spells out 'S.A.D'... oh the irony).

Not being in a relationship doesn't mean that we can't think about it. I'm not saying to make a ten page list pointing out everything you want in a partner (or friend for that matter). Think about your three most important characteristics or personality traits you would want them to have. If you already have someone, you can still reflect (I can't believe that after all the reflections we pre-service teachers do at uni, I still haven't had enough of reflections..) on your relationship.

These would my deal-breakers.

1. They make you a better person.

 They put you in a better mood, you're more selfless and willing to help others, happy, happy for others, optimistic. I would ditch 'em if they're stressing me out more than making me happy.

2. They're independent thinkers.

They must have their own mind and be able to make decisions on their own. I'm a soon-to-be-teacher guiding children to make their own decisions, and I wouldn't want to treat my partner like my students. Sure, I wouldn't mind helping others with significant decisions, but at the end of the day, they have to be able to make small choices for themselves.

3. They're loyal and honest.

I've seen tons (tonnes? what's the Australian spelling?) of rom-coms, and I still think "once a cheater, always a cheater." If they cheated FOR you, they'll more likely cheat ON you (of course this isn't always the case). It would also be great if they can express their emotions and opinions honestly. Guys are confusing as it is, so keep it simple by being honest.

I know a lot of girls like guys who are funny, but would I want a funny guy who can't make any of his own decisions? Priorities.

Don't make an ass out of u and me

I rarely ever blog without a photo of some kind. It's time to switch it up a little. Change is good.

I was catching up with some friends who I have come to realise, are very judgemental. I hadn't realised this until now.

This is a conversation I had with them.

Friend: Is your brother still short?

Me: Well.. He has definitely grown.

Friend: Hmmm, he's a vegetarian as well. For his sake, I hope he grows.

WHAT??  Being a vegetarian means you're gonna be short?? I know plenty of vegetarians (who have been vegetarian since their fetus age, might I add) who are just as tall, or taller, than the average Australian. And what's the problem with being shorter than others?

Here's another conversation.

Friend: What does your mum do at home? She doesn't work.

Me: Nah, she's hardly home during the day. She visits family, friends and goes to the gym. She's always busy.

I distinctly remember a piece of advice from my year 8 history teacher. He wrote the word "assume" on the board. He turned around with the chalk still in his hand and said in a half serious tone, "Don't assume because you'll make an ass out of you and me."

On a more cheerful note (and less ranty, I couldn't help it), I experienced my first day of volunteering at a primary school. I can't believe that despite attending this school for a couple of years and knowing the ways around the school pretty well, now I return feeling completely lost in this environment. Since the eight years I've been out of this place, the school has modernised into a place where iPads and smartboards are expected to be used. 

I helped out with the kindergartens on their first day. The entered the classroom in their tiny uniforms, sat at the miniturised tables and chairs and learned the ways of sitting on the floor, demonstrating the 5Ls (raising their hands, crossing their legs etc), holding a pencil and writing their names.

Student raises hand.

Teacher: It's so lovely to see you raise your hand. What do you want to say?

Student: ... I don't know.

They're so eager to impress that they forget why haha. I can't wait to have my own classroom to mould children into little minions of the school.

2014 Blogger Challenge #3 | The maze runner trilogy + prequel

What's the 2014 Blogger Challenge?

It was started by Gaby from AnotherGirlyBlog. Two posts will go up each month (towards the beginning and middle), each with a different topic.

This week's topic: Once upon a time...

I mentioned The Maze Runner trilogy (The Maze Runner, The Scorch Trials, The Death Cure) by James Dashner in my 'A few of my favourite things' post, but I haven't dedicated an entire blog post to it. It deserves one. I read the trilogy (The Maze Runner, The Scorch Trials, The Death Cure) and prequel (The Kill Order) about a month ago, but updates on the movie are still exciting to me.

 

Left image. Right image.

  The Plot
This reminds me of The Hunger Games. I mean, it's not exactly similar, but they have things in common. They also run for their life in a contained setting, with 'cameras' watching their every move. Basically, each month a new person arrives in the Glade, knowing nothing about their past, except for their name. Each person has a job within this community, but the story focuses on the runners. They risk their lives running out into the maze each day, searching for an escape route and returning each night before the gates close and the Grievers go wild. They find out about W.I.C.K.E.D's role in creating the maze...

The Characters
They are quite similar to what you would expect in a dystopian society. There's Thomas, the brave one with strong morals, is unexpectedly good at the most important role and believes that he could have some impact on the world. There's Newt, the former runner and one of the 'leaders' of the group. He has been discouraged from running, but remains to be one of the vital characters in the series. And Teresa is the one girl who raises confusion amongst the boys. You don't know which side she's on until the end.

The Writing
The children of the community have developed their own version of English. I thought that was quite interesting because it adds some integrity to the story. It shows how they've created and organised their own community, and that part can't be controlled by W.I.C.K.E.D. The writing definitely sucked me into this world of fear and instability, but I wouldn't say it was the best. I connected with the characters and understood their reasoning when making decisions, which I believe to be really important. You have to understand their personality and logic to make the characters more believable.

The Books
I would probably say that you must read the entire series and the prequel to fully understand what went on prior to the maze. The government's reasons in creating this 'world' are clear once you read all four books!

The Movie
September 2014!
From the pictures I've seen, they look very similar to what I visualised when reading the books. I'm excited for the cast and the characters they are playing. Don't you just love it when a series you love is made into a movie?

What do you think of the Maze Runner series? Or what have you been reading?

Hello-worldxo

My students are artists.

When I was a wee little child (some people may argue that I still am haha) in primary school, I used to be extremely surprised when a peer was better at drawing than the teacher. The teacher was supposed to know and be able to do everything. I mean they taught every subject (at least at my primary school) and did all sorts of creative activities with us. As I progressed through high school, my expectations of teachers lowered. Don't get me wrong, there were teachers who could draw really well, but a majority of them could barely draw stick figures LOL.

Now that I'm studying to be a primary school teacher, I want to expand my artistic skills, but there will always be such skilled and imaginative children! The above drawings are an example of an ABC pattern. My example was of fruit, which all students would know and have experienced (and is easy to draw!). After completing an example on the board, students were given the opportunity to draw on their creativity. I was so surprised with this boy's choice of pattern, considering he was distracted and had some issues with concentration. Lobster, whale, crab, lobster, whale, crab. Such a pleasant surprise!

What can you draw really well?

Tis the season to watch tennis! AO 2014, RF and Friends, loser sympathy?

The Australian Open (AO) is in full swing in Melbourne, with many top seeded players still in the tournament. That just means there are many more awesome matches to watch!

Image.

Some stats during the AO:

Most aces - Anderson with 79 aces (crazy!), Williams with 39 (she's a beast!)

Most double faults - Simon 29 double fault, Sharapova with 37 (whoa..)

Fastest serve speed -  Groth at 234 km/h, Kichenok at 202 km/h

Men's tennis is awesome, with many top players being able to maintain the top positions. (Photos are from here)

     vs.      

 I haven't watched many of Dimitrov's matches but it might be an interesting one.

    vs.      

 This is gonna be an awesome match!

     vs.      

I'm most looking forward to this! Both awesome players, but with completely different strategies and techniques.

Although women's matches aren't as exciting and intense, there's one match I'm excited for.

     vs.     

I've watched a couple of Radwanska's matches and she can get on the offensive when she needs to.

Roger Federer and Friends

Finding out that Federer started a charity a while ago and is raising funds for under-privileged children in Africa just makes me respect him even more. Having 77 career titles (and more achievements) under his belt isn't enough, but now he's helping children in Africa?? What a nice guy..

His match with Tsonga (over a week ago now) was one of the most chilled and friendly matches I've ever seen. It's good to know that despite having to play against each other in a serious tournament (they battled in round 4), with pressure to win, they're friends outside of the arena.

 Loser sympathy

 I don't know if this is just me, but do you experience loser sympathy? When I'm rooting for a certain player (let's just say Federer haha) and they're in the lead, I start to sympathise for the 'loser'. Whoever they are, if they're losing, I begin cheering them on... Why can't everyone be winners?

Who do you think will win the Australian Open title this year? 

Do you experience loser sympathy?

January Bellabox 2014

What is Bellabox?
It's a $15 monthly beauty subscription box (only for those living in Australia and Singapore, sorry!) containing a couple of full size items and sample products.

I am extremely impressed with this month's products! I would actually use all the products... rather than add them to the 'give away' box.

Palmolive Shower Gel with Indian Mulberry and Lotus Flower
 It smells like juice mixed with shampoo! And it comes in a tiny bottle.

Yes To Carrots Lip Tint in Ready Red
I've already tried this and I love it! It has a minty scent, and has a cooling sensation on your lips. It moisturises really well and doesn't dry off instantly.

Avene Hydrating Cream & Soothing Moisture Mask

A moisturiser is always useful so I can't wait to try this one.
I don't quite know how to use the mask, which claims to calm, soothe and firm your skin. Sounds interesting.

Coconut Revolution Coconut Body Cream
I'm not the biggest fan of coconut scents so I won't use this regularly, but I'll see how well this works.

Model Co Fat Lash Volumising Mascara
 The wand seemed quite flimsy and cheap, but it's of pretty quality. It's interesting how it has a 'ball' at the end to get the 'hard to get' inner and outer lashes. I don't love how the bristles are quite far apart and doesn't work as well on my lashes. I've tried this and it does volumise the lashes, but I find that it clumps really easily (maybe because I normally use the Covergirl Clump Crusher). Perhaps using a different technique will help.

Wotnot Facial Wipes
I love the '100% wot's good, 0% wot's not' on the side! These are natural and organic, so I'm excited to see how well they take off makeup.

I can't wait to try these out! Have you tried any of the above products?

2014 Blogger Challenge #2 | Summer skincare routine

What's the 2014 Blogger Challenge?

It was started by Gaby from AnotherGirlyBlog. Two posts will go up each month (towards the beginning and middle), each with a different topic.

 This week's topic: Skincare
These are the skincare products that I've been using this summer. Since it has been fairly hot in Sydney (Australia; I'm talking about temperatures of about 32 degrees C, or 90 degrees F), and even eating is a chore, I've been using minimal products on my skin.

Cleansers
I tend to switch between the two. I use the Biore Pore Unclogging Scrub when I want to quickly wash my face before bed. Other than having to adapt to the scent, it works really well. It helps with gentle exfoliation, and doesn't sting when used daily. The Neutrogena Power-Cream Wash is used with my Clarisonic Mia (below). Both cleansers contain salicylic acid, which seem to clear up my acne (I have combination skin).

Clarisonic Mia 2
I've been using this for a couple of months, and it hasn't been a 'miracle tool' for my skin, but has helped smooth out bumps. I use it 1-2 times a week because I find that it causes breakouts when overused. This is possibly due to the normal brush head, but it works fine for now.

Nivea Moisturising Cream
This one that I use is affordable, has a great scent and prevents my skin from flaking (even in the winter!).

Palmer's Lip butter
I absolutely love this lip butter! It smoothes (or smooths... both look wrong. Hate it when that happens) even the most chapped lips AND IT SMELLS LIKE CHOCOLATE! Unfortunately it doesn't taste like chocolate :( I put it on before going to bed and wake up with super smooth lips.

Laroche-Posay Effaclar Duo
It claims to reduce acne and pores... and it works! I tend to use it between my brows and around my nose to reduce bumps, and it is smooth after a couple of uses. I've just been using this sample I received in my Bellabox a while ago, but I will definitely buy the full size!

What's the one skincare product you can't live without? Mine would be the Neutrogena cleanser :)