Back to school

After spending some of my morning looking at all of Dita Von Tesse's Twitpic this does not feel like a glam post at all but tomorrow I am back-to -school after almost 8 weeks off! I know, spoiled rotten.

I love getting organized and in the mood to have a great year scholastically - maybe it has something to do with new stationary. Anyway I though I would share all the things that help me to be excited about beginning the new academic year.


You've Got Mail

The reason this film makes me want to go back to school is that it is set in Autumn and in January, when I am over the heat and looking forward to the end of summer all I want is for Autumn to come when I know that I will be busy with work and will not feel guilty about spending hours at my desk because it is too cold to go outside.

Tom Hank's character also talks about sending "bouquets if newly-sharpened pencils" and how much he loves the smell of Scotch tape. I have to agree and sympathize. You can never have to much pristine stationary - ready too be filled with ideas.




The Drina Books

I began reading the "Drina books" when I was in Year 5 at school. I have to re-read them every year (it takes about 2 hours to read each one). They are about a ballet dancer called Audrina Adamo -Drina and the books chart her career from joining a ballet school as a child to the heights she achieves as a principal dancer in a company.

Each book begins with the end of holidays and the return to school and all the subsequent scrapes she gets herself out of and how hard she tries to do well. Reading them now I smile at the earnest tone of a child wanting to do their best but I think that on reflection it was exactly how I wanted to be.



Mona Lisa Smile

I saw this film when I was a university - first or second year - and I loved it. Not only for the setting (1953/1954) but also the friendships the girls have, the architecture and again the culture of always doing the best possible and still pushing yourself that it depicted on both the teachers side and the students.

Now that I am no longer a student I wish that my students were as engaged as the girls are in the film with their lecturer. I hope that I can also foster relationships with my students where they view me as a trusted friend and look up to me as someone who is passionate about one subject and purses it passionately.

New Years

I know that this post is a bit late but I have just arrived back from my honeymoon to discover some nice surpirses in my inbox - not just bills. It was a selection of photos from New Years Eve. These photos have been taken by the photographer extraordinaire who did all our wedding photos.

For New Years Eve it's traditional in my family to head to my Grandma and Grandpa's to watch the 9 pm family fireworks from their balcony overlooking Manly. There is always a great buzz in the air with people camping out almost the whole day to get a good view from the beach - however as my family is obsessive about real estate and having views - I am lucky enough to get to watch the fireworks with the best view, without camping out, with air conditioning and a lovely bathroom.

I think that the city out did themselves as usual - with our family fireworks going on for almost 20 minutes. I do feel a bit sorry for all the bats and Lorikeets though that hate the noise.

For dinner it's usually salad, BBQ (rotisserie) chicken and buttered bread. My Mum made a pavlova for sweets - it's Nigella's and always turns out delicious. I made the same one for my husband to take to work on Christmas Day as he worked and it was a big hit.

The Pavlova

Before I started to get ready Mum and I were watching the 2005 Pride and Prejudice and I have fallen in love with another red head - Kelly Reilly. In the film she play Caroline Bingley and I just love the hair and skin and how they work it beautifully with the clothes. I also think the soft hair and flowing lengths of the gown really show that underneath her ice-cool exterior and acid tongue she has a softer side. I also wish my lips were as full as hers.



I tried to model my hair on the style that she wears during the day and the parting that she has at the ball.

Finally here is my Mum and I before dinner looking very glamorous.