on spontaneity

{shots taken by my dear friend sonia, thanks bud}

Went out with the loveliest girls one day, purely for city adventuring aka walk around the city all day with no actual agenda in mind. As soon as we got into the city, it all changed. We spotted a random piano sitting right on the edge of the flinders train station on our way out, and of course like good friends would, these people who I believed were my friends two seconds ago were pushing me towards the piano and I won't say force, but you know how, ahem, convincing friends can be.

And let me just paint you a picture of what I was getting myself into: flinders is the main station of melbourne, center of the hustle bustle of the city, which means you can be sure I'd have eyes on me. But, you know, friends and their darn you'll-never-hear-the-end-of-this-if-you-don't-comply mantra. It won out, as usual. And thinking "hey, it's only once, what do I have to lose?" I played. And okay, it was pretty cool.

But as it turns out! that's not the only piano in the city. There were plenty scattered all over the city. It's part of this really cool art movement called "Play Me, I'm Yours" (check it here!), and has already reached nearly forty other cities in the world. So we went around looking for these pianos and before you knew it, I slid into the pianos like I was born to do it. It was just the coolest, and many times a day, we'd kick ourselves and think, "wow, this is actually real?!" Having kids singing on the either side of you as you play a childhood favourite do-re-mi, playing 'hey jude' simultaneously to the buskers playing it on the guitar a few metres away from you... oh, the beauty of music and people and the whole city vibes just sat so well with me.

It was the most spontaneous day, the kind that I wished I could relive again just because of how incredible it was, how light it felt and how full it made my heart.

lucky girl

Someone recently said to me, "You're living the life." It was probably the most surprising thing anyone has ever said to me, and of course, I did a double take "um, what did you just say to me?" for good measure. It's funny and flattering hearing that, but at the same time, I realised how lucky I am to be able to travel, go on adventures and roadtrips. In no way do I think I'm living the life, but I'm discovering that with each passing year, I have a greater resolve to live my life the best I can.

What does best mean exactly? To me, it's just doing the things that makes you happy and feel good about life. I'm learning that being happy also means being open. Doing things that you've never done before, doing things another way, and just carpe diemin' the heck out of life. When I went on this impromptu roadtrip to Cowes, I remember one night we just ordered a pizza and had it on the beach as the sun set and the boats reeled in, and it was just the best. I remember thinking to myself, "ah, life. you can be a bit of an ass sometimes, but today you're doin' mighty fine."

december grams

December has been a good one, full of prefestivities and time to myself, as well as taking time out to spend with the loved ones. Let's see... passenger concert, roadtrips, a getaway by the coast and channeling my inner santa -- gift wrapping and swinging my little santa sack and dropping gifts to friends. Oh, and of course, what would December be without me being under the pretense that I'm a gifted singer? Yes, my friends, I've been belting out Christmas tunes (as if I wrote them) all around the house, and sometimes humming in the public too. In other words, I'm gettin' my christmas spirit on. Big time.

And let me tell you, I'm not a shy performer. I do the whole finger clicking, staring into the distance like all A-class acts like Michael Bublé do. Only, I probably look pretty silly, but you know what? It's Christmas. Tis the season for shameless singing, daggy swaying to the perfection that are Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and ohhhh, the Bublé.

Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas ahead, friends. Have a smashing one, and please don't ever hesitate to pull out a daggy move or ninety to christmas carols, swing side to side as if your life depended on hip action, and just laugh and be happy and jolly with your family and friends. We only get to do it once a year, and for all you know, I'm probably pulling out waaaay more inventive moves, laughing away twenty times louder and making a waaaay bigger fool of myself than you are.

Whatever Christmas means to you, wherever you are, I hope you'll have a great day, friends... the kind of day that warms your soul, makes your heart flutter and blossoms all the feel-good parts of your life. You are loved, and tomorrow is here to remind you of that, and for you to remind the loved parts of your life that they, too, are loved.