Currently Loving Linkup #2

I stumbled upon a blog (The Happy Type) who is new to hosting a weekly linkup.  Well, I'm new to participating in a weekly linkup.  (Actually, I've never participated until now.)  If I'm going to jump in as a newbie, I might as well jump in with a newbie host.  Check her out here. 

 

My contribution to things that I'm "currently loving":

Mount Franklin Lightly Sparkling Water - For the last few months, I've done a pretty good job at eliminating cokes and other sodas and energy drinks.  Because of this, I've been drinking lots and lots of water.  I've discovered that if I drink sparkling water it actually makes me feel fuller.  I don't know if it's the bubbles working magic or what, but it works for me.  Plus, Mount Franklin has these Jennifer Hawkins (former Miss Universe) sponsored wrapped bottles of water, so they look pretty while I'm drinking them :)

I don't regularly watch morning news/entertainment shows.  But, if I did, I'd watch the Today Show (Australian version).  Karl Stefanovic is a well-known television presenter in Australia.  Some love him, and some hate him.  I've found him to be somewhat genuine and entertaining.  I think he made news this week for a pretty awesome social experiment.  Watch here:

Butch Walker is an insanely talented musician that I (not just currently) regularly love.  He's got a new album coming out soon.  He's touring with Ryan Adams and playing awesome places like Carnegie Hall.  He's feeding his fans with new songs from the upcoming album.  This is one of them.  I love the guitar.  I love the vocals.  I love the lyrics.  Three reasons why I love Mr. Butch Walker.

Spring is my favorite season, and it's Springtime in Sydney!  The skies are blue, the flowers are blooming, and the weather has been pretty close to perfect.  I love that I have citrus trees in my front and back yards.  Here's a baby mandarin from my yard:

Sunday's Seven Snapshots #2

Monday was these girlies' first birthday. Sally & Dolly are one year old!  We were told they are 75% Great Dane + 25% German Shepherd. Now, after a year of growth, I'm convinced they are 100% mutt. Love these sweet sisters. 

Tuesday was Veteran's Day in America and Remembrance Day in Australia. These are pictures of my great-uncles who served in WWII. 

People freaked about the trilogy that began with Fifty Shades of Grey; I couldn't finish the book. Actually, I just didn't care how it ended, so I quit it. Now, fans are freaking about the movie trailer. The BDSM doesn't bother me. I'm just not fond of neat-freak, self-absorbed, anal-retentive people, nor am I attracted to them. Let's just say I would NOT be interested in a guy if his closet looked like this.

I commute daily by train. This is a typical view for me: book in hand, Lavendar Bay and North Sydney in the distance. 

It was time to put decorations out at the store. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas... (Shameless plug: www.polajewellers.com)

Ivy loves laying on her daddy's clothes (and mine too). If you can't find her, she may be in the wardrobe or closet, in a clothes drawer, or in the laundry basket.

In bed, with a book and my three kitties: My kind of Saturday night party these days.

Yes, this week had several animal photos. I can't help it. They are such cute subjects that I take a lot of fur baby photos. 

How was your week?

*okay, I wrote this Saturday night but didn't mean to publish until Sunday but hit publish on accident, so it published a day early. Thank goodness I don't have many people that actually pay attention to my blog. Ha!

List #15 - Live Music Shows

A few years ago, I made this crazy attempt to list all the live music shows I've seen. I tried to include only rock/pop acts (with a few notable country crossover artists...even though that's not necessarily "my thing"...but I am from TEXAS after all!).

AC/DC ~ Aerosmith ~ AFI ~ Against Me ~ Airbourne ~ Air Supply ~ Alice Cooper ~ Alice in Chains (w/new singer) ~ Alien Ant Farm ~ All American Rejects ~ Alter Bridge ~ American Anthem ~ American Hi-Fi ~ American Pearl ~ Anberlin ~ Anthrax ~ Avenged Sevenfold ~ Avril Lavigne ~ Axe

Baby Animals ~ Bang Tango ~ Beautiful Creatures ~ The Bellamy Brothers ~ Beth Hart ~ Better Than Ezra ~ Beyoncé ~ Biffy Clyro ~ Big Head Todd & the Monsters ~ Billy Idol ~ Black Crowes ~ Black Eyed Peas ~ Black Label Society ~ Black Stone Cherry ~ Blindside ~ Blink 182 ~ Blue October ~ BON JOVI ~ Boston ~ Bowling for Soup ~ The Bravery ~ Breaking Benjamin ~ Bret Michaels (solo) ~ Britny Fox ~ Bruce Springsteen ~ Bryan Adams ~ Buckcherry ~ Bullet for My Valentine ~ Bulletboys ~ Bullets & Octane ~ Burden Brothers ~ Bush ~ Butch Walker

The Calling ~ Camp Freddy ~ Cheap Trick ~ Chelsea Smiles ~ Chlorine ~ Cher ~ Chevelle ~ Cinder Road ~ Cinderella ~ CKY ~ Clay Aiken ~ Cold ~ Collective Soul ~ Counting Crows ~ Cowboy Mouth ~ Crazytown ~ Creed ~ Crooked X ~ Crosby, Stills, & Nash ~ The Cult ~ The Cure ~ Cyndi Lauper

Damn Yankees ~ The Darkness ~ Dashboard Confessional ~ Daughtry ~ David Allan Coe ~ David Lee Roth (solo) ~ Deadsy ~ Deep Purple ~ Def Leppard ~ Default ~ Deftones ~ Depeche Mode ~ Destiny's Child ~ Dexter Freebish ~ Dilana ~ Dio ~ Dirty Penny ~ Dokken ~ Dolly Parton ~ Don Dokken (solo) ~ The Donnas ~ The Doobie Brothers ~ The Doors (w/Ian Astbury) ~ Dope ~ Downset ~ Drowning Pool ~ Duran Duran

Eagles ~ Eddie Money ~ EndeverafteR ~ Enrique Iglesias ~ Enuff Z Nuff ~ Erasure ~ Eric Johnson ~ Eric Sardinas ~ Eve 6 ~ The Exies

Fall Out Boy ~ The Faint ~ Faith No More ~ Faster Pussycat ~ The Films ~ Finger Eleven ~ Firehouse ~ Flickerstick ~ Foo Fighters ~ Foreigner ~ Forever the Sickest Kids ~ The Fray ~ Fuel

Garbage ~ Garth Brooks ~ George Michael ~ George Strait ~ Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova ~ Girlschool ~ Godsmack ~ Goo Goo Dolls ~ Goudie ~ Great White ~ Green Day ~ Greg Allman ~ GWAR ~ Gwen Stefani ~ Guns N Roses

My girls and me at a music festival (and Camrin with the awesome photobomb!)

Hank III ~ Heart ~ Hed Pe ~ Hey Monday ~ H.I.M. ~ Hinder ~ Hole ~ Hoobastank ~ House of Lords

Ian Moore ~ Incubus ~ INXS (w/Micheal Hutchence and then later w/JD Fortune) ~ Iron Maiden

Jackopierce ~ Jackyl ~ Jane's Addiction ~ Jerry Cantrell (solo) ~ Jet ~ Jet Black Stare ~ Jetboy ~ Jimmy Barnes ~ Jimmy Eat World ~ Joan Jett & the Blackhearts ~ John Corabi ~ John Mellencamp ~ JON BON JOVI (solo...radio station private show!) ~ Jonny Lang ~ John Butler Trio ~ Josh Todd (solo) ~ Journey (w/Steve Augeri & Arnel Pineda) ~ Judas Priest (w/Rob Halford & w/Ripper)

KC and the Sunshine Band ~ Keith Urban ~ Kelly Clarkson ~ Kenny Loggins ~ Kid Rock ~ The Killers ~ Kings of Leon ~ Kings X ~ KISS ~ Kittie

LA Guns ~ Lacuna Coil ~ Lenny Kravitz ~ Lifehouse ~ Limp Bizkit ~ Linda Perry ~ Linkin Park ~ Lit ~ Live ~ The Living End ~ LL Cool J ~ Loverboy ~ Lyle Lovett ~ Lynch Mob ~ Lynyrd Skynyrd

Marilyn Manson ~ Maroon 5 ~ Marshall Tucker Band ~ Matchbox 20 ~ MC Hammer ~ Meatloaf ~ Megadeth ~ Melissa Ethridge ~ Metal Skool ~ Metallica ~ Methods of Mayhem ~ Michael Anthony (solo) ~ Michael Jackson ~ Midnight Circus ~ Mike Ness (solo) ~ Mike Tramp (solo) ~ The Misfits ~ Motley Crue ~ Muse ~ My Chemical Romance

One of my prized possessions ~ a pic of Nikki Sixx staring lovingly into my eyes...

Nashville Pussy ~ Neil Diamond ~ New American Shame ~ Nickelback ~ Night Ranger ~ Nine Inch Nails ~ No Doubt ~ Noiseworks ~ NSYNC

Oasis ~ The Offspring ~ Oleander ~ Orgy ~ Our Lady Peace

Panic Channel ~ Pantera ~ Papa Roach ~ Pat Green ~ Pearl Jam ~ Pink ~ Placebo ~ POD ~ Podunk ~ Poison ~ The Poor ~ Power Station ~ Pretty Boy Floyd ~ Priestess ~ Prince ~ Public Enemy ~ Puddle of Mudd ~ Pushmonkey

Queensryche ~ Quiet Riot ~ The Quireboys

Ratt (w/Stephen Pearcy & w/Jizzy Pearl) ~ REO Speedwagon ~ Revolution Theory ~ Richie Sambora ~ Ricky Martin ~ Rob Zombie ~ Robert Earl Keen ~ Rolling Stones ~ The Romantics ~ Run DMC

Saliva ~ Sammy Hagar ~ Saving Abel ~ Scorpions ~ Screaming Jets ~ Scott Stapp (solo) ~ Sebastian Bach (solo) ~ Sevendust ~ Shinedown ~ Silvertide ~ Sixx AM ~ Skid Row (w/Sebastian & w/Johnny Solinger) ~ Slash ~ Slaughter ~ Social Distortion ~ SR71 ~ Steel Panther ~ Steelheart ~ Stevie Nicks ~ Sting ~ Stone Temple Pilots ~ Stone Rider ~ Stone Sour ~ The Strokes ~ Stryper ~ Styx (w/Dennis DeYoung & without) ~ Sugar Ray ~ Sum 41

Tantric ~ Taylor Swift ~ Ted Nugent ~ Tenacious D ~ Tesla ~ Theory of a Deadman ~ Third Eye Blind ~ Three Days Grace ~ Tiger Army ~ Toadies ~ Todd Snider ~ Toilet Boys ~ Tommy Lee ~ Train ~ Trans Siberian Orchestra ~ Trapt ~ Tuff ~ Twisted Sister

U2 ~ Union Underground ~ Unwritten Law ~ The Used

Vallejo ~ Van Halen (w/David Lee Roth & w/Sammy Hagar) ~ Vanilla Ice ~ Vayden ~ Velvet Revolver ~ Vertical Horizon ~ Vince Neil (solo)

Warrant (w/Jani Lane & w/Jamie St. James) ~ WASP ~ White Lion ~ White Stripes ~ Whitesnake ~ Whitney Houston ~ The Wildhearts ~ Willie Nelson ~ Winger

Y&T

ZZ Top

311 ~ 3 Doors Down ~ 30 Seconds to Mars

I'm sure I'm forgetting some. I guess you could say that I like live music.  Oh...the memories, but there's more to come...my life will always have live music!  And, your valuable lesson for today is:

Photo from here

Sunday's Seven Snapshots #1

There are a lot of blogs out there who write a weekly round-up offering a re-cap of their week in one way or another. I'm not inventing the wheel. It is possible what I'm introducing is being done elsewhere. Each week, I plan to give you seven photos that will summarize things that happened to me, inspired me, interested me, entertained me, and more. I'm calling it Sunday's Seven Snapshots. Feel free to join in if you blog too.

I've joined a new book challenge. Read about it here. First book was this one I found at a secondhand bookstore. If you like thrillers, it's a good one. I'll definitely be reading more from this author. 

This is Shelby. I knew her in high school but through the wacky world of Facebook, we've reconnected and developed a friendship we didn't share back then. Shelby is having brain surgery January 2015 and has begun a blog to take you on the journey with her. She is smart, brave, and funny. Read about it here. 

Headline from this week's news regarding AC/DC's drummer, Phil Rudd.. Sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll. Yes, yes, and yes. Apparently, if you mix in an alleged murder plot, you'll get yourself arrested. 

Working hard, or hardly working. You be the judge. 

 Sydney is a fantastic, beautiful place to live, but the cost of living is ridiculously expensive. This exact bunch of grapes cost me $6.91. 

This happened. It's been an inconsistent, insane season for my Aggies. I miss many games because they aren't televised her much, but I follow many games on twitter. Thanks to @AggieFootball, @aggiefblife, @TxAgs, @TAMUGameDay, sportswriter and long-time friend @BrentZwerneman, friend and fan @winohamster, and more for keeping me in the game with their twitter feeds. 

This Sunday, my house took a long afternoon nap. This is a picture of Astro and me just before I got up to type this. 

Happy Sunday to you and yours!

List #14 - Foods I don't eat

I'm a picky eater.  Always have been.  In fact, I was much, much pickier when I was younger.  As a kid, I wouldn't eat hamburgers (I can't remember why).  As I'm older, I will try anything, even more than once, to see if my taste buds have changed.  Seriously, I'll give it a try, but I can't promise I'm going to like it.  Here's a list of things I still don't eat (I know other cultures eat intestines and toads and insects and much, much more.  I'm just touching on the foods that are culturally common to me):

• Eggs - Nope, not a fan.  I don't want them in things either.  Not in salads or fried rice.  The smell, the texture, the taste - don't like 'em.

  

  Photo credit

• Mushrooms 

  

  Photo credit

• Meat on the bone - I don't want chicken wings; give me chicken strips.  I don't want a T-bone; give me a fillet.  I don't want ribs; give me brisket.
• Fat on meat 
• Seafood - I live in a place surrounded by an ocean.  The fresh seafood that comes here is a seafood lover's dream.  Not mine.  This is something I continue to sample every now and then to see if I've changed my mind, but it still hasn't happened.  Because of this, you could add sushi to this list as well.
  

  

  Photo credit

• Coconut - Let me be more specific.  I don't mind coconut flavored things like piña coladas, but I don't like the grated, shredded, desiccated shavings of a coconut.
• Lamb -  Lamb roast is a staple home-cooked and pub-cooked meal for almost all Aussies.  I don't do lamb.
• Eggplant 
• Coffee - I've never had a full cup of coffee in my life.  I've had a sip.  I've had coffee ice cream.  I'm not a fan of anything remotely coffee or mocha flavored.

  

  Photo credit

• Australian (or Canadian or English or Irish) bacon - I want a big pile of crispy, almost burnt American bacon, but this ham-like cut of meat called bacon, you can keep it.  Oh...look at this graphic I found.  My blog is not only a useless bunch of ramblings.  It is informative too!
  

  

  Photo credit

 

Hi ho, hi ho...it's off to work I go

Work.  I'm not cut out for work.  I should totally be a lottery winner who splits her time traveling, shopping, cuddling animals, volunteering, going to concerts, eating, and reading.  BUT...I haven't won the lottery, and there's no trust fund that I'm aware of.  Work, it is.

My guy is a jeweler/jeweller (I'm a Texan in Australia; there's two spellings for things that my mind bounces between) who owns his own store.  He is jeweller, problem solver, designer, watchmaker, bill payer, and more.  I am his right hand WO-man.  I sell shiny, sparkly things.  I'm the visual merchandiser for the store, take care of the customers, run our facebook page (shameless plug: POLA Jewellers on facebook), and more.  I'm not all that tech savvy, but guess what I did... I created our website, and I think it looks pretty dang good.  Shout out to wix for making it as user-friendly as I could ask for. I worked really, really hard on it...so if you care enough to read this post, then you should care enough to go take a look at the page -----> POLA Jewellers.  Here's a piece of what you will see there:

Semi-Charmed Winter Book Challenge

I've been a reading machine in recent months.  I joined a book challenge earlier this year (I never even knew they existed, silly me).  Then, I hosted my own book challenge on facebook.  That was so fun because every participant was connected to me in some way.  I'll be doing that again.  In the meantime, I'm jumping back in the mix of Megan's fun at Semi-Charmed Kind of Life.  I am late by a few days, but that's ok.  I've been speed reading those few days anyway.

Here's my list of reading material for the next few months:

5 points: Freebie! - Now You See Me by S.J. Bolton
10 points: Read a book written by an author who has published at least 10 books. — Submitted by Megan. - Private India by James Patterson and Ashwin Sanghi
10 points: Read a book of short stories. — Submitted by Meredith. - The Dog of the Marriage: Stories by Amy Hempel
10 points: Read a book with a food (not a drink!) in the title. — Submitted by Megan. - Eye Candy by R.L.Stine
15 points: Read the first book in a series that is new to you (so no rereads for this one!). — Submitted by Crystal. - Slammed by Colleen Hoover
15 points: Read a book that was originally written in a language that is not your native language. — Submitted by Belle. - The Bat by Jo Nesbo (originally published in Norwegian called Flaggermusmannen)
15 points: Read a book written by a local author (either an author from your state if you live in the United States, or in your country if you live somewhere else—note: author must be from where you currently live). — Submitted by Katelyn. - Saving Francesca by Australian author Melina Marchetta
20 points: Read a "bookish book" (in which books play an important role, e.g. the setting involves a bookstore or library, a major character is an author, or a book that celebrates reading and books.  — Submitted by Jen. 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff  
20 points: Read a book with a direction in the title (e.g. north, south, east, west or any combination of those). — Submitted by Donna - North of Beautiful by Justina Chen
25 points: Read a book from a genre you don't usually read. — Submitted by Jenn. - The Girl with All The Gifts by M.R. Carey selected from goodreads nominations for best Horror of 2014
25 points: Read a book with a song lyric in the title. Be sure to tell us the song name and artist as well! — Submitted by Daire - Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (song with same title by Florence+The Machine)
30 points: Read two books with a different meal in each title (e.g. breakfast, lunch, dinner, supper, brunch; update: meals like feast, banquet, picnic will also count, but try not to get too "creative" with your meal words!). — Submitted by Amber. - Chocolate Cake for Breakfast by Danielle Hawkins and ... the second one? TBD  I'm going through every list submitted by the other readers to find one.