Max's Release Partaaay,

Hey hey hey hey!! 

How you guys doing? As I'm typing this, Shantel is probably curled up in sick in bed drinking beetroot soup, so I'll do my best to sum up our Saturday night for you guys!

Max (Golden Vessel), held a release party for the launch of his first self-titled album at his very homely home. It was a fantastical night, held at his backyard with the yummiest homemade pizza, great music, interesting people and top notch dancing. 

Unfortunately, since both Shantel and I are horrible with directions, we got lost on the way to Max's. Fortunately for Shantel, the nicest stranger walked her there while I encountered a not so nice stranger, but nonetheless had an awesome dad in call with me the whole time from Taiwan checking google map. THANKS DAD. 

Here are some photos from the night, taken by Shantel and various number of Max's talented friends. 

Evie, Max's adorable little sister dancing the night away. 

Telly and Gracey Poo!

Some complicated stuff. 

Guys pretending they can dance and me at the back pretending I can take photos. 

Swag to the max. 

Here's a link to Max's song, Stairwell! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwOxYqjyNrQ

Enjoy your week guys, God bless! :D 

I'm all smiles

"It's been a while since every day and everything has felt this right,

And now you turn it all around, and suddenly you're all I need,

the reason why I smile." 

Smile by Avril Lavigne

Do you ever find yourself smiling while doing maths homework on a Wednesday night? If it were a normal person, probably not (I mean, it's maths and a Wednesday). But since I'm nowhere remotely near normal, I did in fact find myself smiling. I was a little confused at first as to why this silly smile was plastered to my face but then it hit me that it was because I am blessed with amazing people in my life that I call friendssss! What would I do without them.

Athletics carnival today, and the entire day was spent playing Taboo and uno, in other words, screaming random words at each other to the point where my throat hurts. It was more entertaining than it sounds, I swear. I love that I get to be totally insane and weird around my friends and I marvel at their ability to handle me at times. Luv u guise 5eva.

It really has been a while, since everything has felt this right.

Hugs and beautiful smiles to end this post. Have a great week guys!

With love, from Shantel

There are always two sides to a story and I feel that it's only fair that you hear from me too. Rewinding through my poor excuse of a memory, back to day one. Year ten, biology class, just back from summer holidays in Taiwan. I walked through the door of that biology class like a nervous yet anticipating little kid on the first day of school and just plopped myself down on the nearest spare seat that caught my eye. It was something so unintentional, a decision made in the spur of the moment because the entire class had their unforgiving eyes scanning me up and down (just because I missed a week on holidays, chill guys). And frankly, it was one of the best decisions I've ever made. 

I found myself sitting next to Joanne, that girl who was always in a few of my classes but never talked to. I didn't know a thing about her, and one of the things I despise most are awkward silences so I politely said hi to this girl that I didn't know. It was a comfortable silence, one that made you wonder if she felt it too or if it was just all in my head. So being the totally spontaneous and somewhat curious person that I am, I decided to say hi and that I liked her earrings. Which I did. (I was mildly disappointed when I discovered that they weren't real earrings because she didn't have her ears pierced.) 

So there we go, our first conversation. It all went by so fast, from my first, unintentional decision to sit next to her on my first day, to singing Kelly Clarkson 'Breaking Your Own Heart' every lesson, exchanging silly smiles and stories. I wasn't doing so well in grade 10, it was rough, because most of my friends turned against me as a consequence of my wrongdoings from previous relationships. I had nobody who wanted to listen to me, but she did. She listened to every single word I said, and told me everything was going to be okay, that mistakes can be rectified and that I was strong enough to get back up on my feet. For the first time, what's past is past. I will always be grateful for that spare table, spare seat, on the first day of biology, next to Joanne.

Little did I know... that she has a kissing fetish. I mean, she kisses everything and anything, like for instance, my knee. She just can't keep herself off me. Not that I can help being so kissable. Maybe it's Maybelline, or really it's just me. Sorry that was lame I had to call it. But in all sincerity, thank you so much for accepting my sweaty hands, listening to my pointless rants, crying together in bed because I tell really sad stories, bringing me closer to God, loving my imperfections away, and giving me really good high fives. 

With love, from Shantel

How I Met Shantel,

Most recent photo of Shantel and me. 

All throughout Grade 8 till the beginning of Grade 10, I admired Shantel from a distance. Though yes we crossed paths and always seemed to have a couple of classes together, we had only ever briefly exchanged conversation. She was one of those girls which you stare at if they sit in front of you in class, memorizing every lock on her hair, though never really uttering one word to her. Not saying Shantel is unapproachable though, no way hoooosaaay. That girlie can make any stranger or newbie feel so welcomed and loved it's worth muttering under your breath: "Dangit I wish I had her charisma!" 

It's true though, Shantel always had this aura about her I gazed from afar, (Sorry if this sounds like a love story, me pining and loving her from far away). A confident, a joyful zest for life is something I think everyone notices first in her! Oh and her height. Which I love. Whilst perhaps it may be something she is insecure about, the graceful way she carries herself, the way she fills a room is always something that makes me want to reach over and hug. Moving away from my first impressions of Shantel, and without making this sound like I'm lesbian (lesibhonest), I'm going to try recollect my feeble memories on my second impressions of this girlie.

I entered Grade 10 Science with a bit of disappointment, realizing not only were school rules changed and Grade 10s were forced to complete a full year of a combination of chem, bio and physics, none of my close friends were in my class. There was Matthew and Raymond, but boys will be boys and I could already foresee a semester of dully watching them play Tetris on their classpads. I had heard Ms Valdivia call out Shantel's name on the roll every lesson for the first week of school, but for some reason Shantel never turned up to class. I wondered for a while until I heard she was still off holidaying in Taiwan. The day she came back though, she chose to plop herself down in the empty seat next to me, with her floral pencilcase (later on she would tell me she had heckled for it in Taiwan at a bargain price), proceeded to open her beautiful notebook and print carefully in her print-type writing the date. She was just so intriguing. 

Our first real conversation: 

"Hey. I like your earrings."

"Oh... thank you." I replied in concealed shock. 

Then a few days later, 

"WOW WHY IS YOUR SKIRT SO SHORT JOANNE."

I have no idea how our friendship blossomed after that. It seemed to be derived from a mutual love for Kelly Clarkson, meaningful lyrics and smiles. She gave me a fresh outtake on life, and I was always amazed at the stories she would tell me (back when she was a reckless young teen of course.) that would leave me with my jaws open. I still remember clearly the day she rocked up late to class, and showed me her spontaneous freshly pierced helix piercing. Or the day she sauntered in with a small inkling on her hand: "H<3S" (back when she was in love with Harry Styles). She was so friendly, genuine and open; and when I needed help the most, she embraced me with open arms. 

So thank you Telly. Thanks for your amazing friendship, loyalty and sweaty hands. Without you I would never have someone who corrected my flaws, encourages me with beautiful hugs, and inspires me to be a better person. You are so beautiful. 

I'm sorry that this post turned out to be sappy and boring when it was meant to be funny and entertaining. Sometimes I forget I AM SAH LEWSE.

I should get back to maths now I reckon. 

p.s I named my cactus Telly because cactuses remind me of Shantel and hopefully now that I've named my cactus after her, I would take care of her better because who wouldn't want Shantel to live. 

A Brookalicious Encounter,

Hello.
At first when Shantel approached me about blogging together, I was giddy with excitement and ready to jump into this sailboat in adventurous capturings of memories! I feel like in a lot of ways, I live life in constant excitement of the bigger picture, and what there is to come, then feel a sense of fear that I didn't "make the most out of it" when the moment passes and I'm sweetly musing on it days later. So!
What better way to pause life for a moment and reflect on things that Made. Me. Smile. then blogging! (And when I mean smile I really mean minutes of squealing and stamping around in grass until I start wheezing and feel content of how much I am loved). Here goes then, a collection of vaguely interesting attempts at the "You had to be there" tales, understatement descriptions and mosaics of blessings, people, and misshapen journeys. And for those who live life to the fullest by procrastinating, and somehow are more than just a little interested in me -gasp-, here is my personal blog where I write shorter sentences and post more stolen images from people who are more talented than me in the creative aspect of life.
http://firefly-catching-days.blogspot.com.au/

Okay so here goes a grade 5 show and tell report of The Day I Met Brooke Fraser.
For those who don't know this magical, Christ centered, prolific, woman of God, Brooke is a Kiwi who somehow molds lyrics into beautiful breathy songs on whimsical characters and interesting perceptions of love/life, somehow magically fitting jigsaws of words that require googling; such as "succumbed to decrepitude",  "demeanour" and "colonnade". She has been my inspiration for quite a while now, after her glorious song "Love Is Waiting" turned my world upside down. Yes, go listen, now.

I attended Hillsong Conference at Sydney last week (which is another story altogether, I'll probably post soon on my personal blog), where although meeting a personal role model of my life may seem like a moment where a photo should be stamped "HIGHLIGHT OF MY LIFE", it was not, purely because of other encounterings.
My birthday, which just so happened to fall on a Tuesday, was originally going to be "The Day I Met Brooke Fraser", (wouldn't that be the best birthday present ever) but due to other factors that prevented Brooke from attending that Song Writing Session (perhaps she went to redye her roots), it was pushed back a little to Thursday. NO PROBLEM WITH THAT WHATSOEVER.
After another amazing, encouraging session of songwriting, which Brooke uttered my favourite funniest line of hers thus far "Songs are like poo. What you feed to yourself is what comes out.", she was guided on out by two menacing looking, black tied bodyguards. Tcha. Thank goodness for Chia-Chen's promptings. I finally mustered up enough strength and courage to approach her timidly and whisper "Um Brooke?" "BROOKE??!!", until she turned around and went "Yes darling? What's your name?"
The next few moments consisted of me mushing my face into her fur coat and lustrous newly dyed blonde hair, nearly sobbing out incoherent sentences of "Thank you for being such a blessing, your music has inspired my life.". Or at least that's what I hope I said. She rubbed my back gently in a tight hug and told me to keep believing. Gnaw. She looked like she was going to say more to be, but her bodyguards were ushering her out the warehouse room, so she repeated to be with her hand on the small of my back, "Walk with me, just walk with me Joanne." And as I walked with her, a couple of bouncy teenage girls, one with a fancy camera linked around her neck ran up to her and frothed with excitement "OMG BROOKE CAN I GET A PHOTO WITH YOU?" I stayed at the sidelines for a bit while her bodyguard snapped a few pictures of their teethy smiles, and after, while her bodyguard and husband were nudging at her to leave, hinting they were going to miss her ride, she exclaimed loudly "Yea but the car's not even here yet! Wait!" Bless her soul.
Then, a moment that surprised me, she turned back to me and went "Come on Joanne, you want a photo?" She hugged me again, turned to her bodyguard, who was holding my phone, narrowed her eyes at the sharp setting sun and went "Goodness these photos are going to turn out squinty!"

Which they didn't.
Thank goodness for that.

Mary's Sweet Sixteen

Friday Friday gotta get d- okay I'll stop there. 

Happy birthday Mary, for two weeks ago.

Sat in the Garden City library with Kev, Sungwoo, Jacky, Ray, Steven and Peter and did nothing for a good hour. I think I might turn into a guy soon. Then we went to Mary's and most of the night was spent dancing, playing pass the parcel, eating and just chilling.

Things I noticed:

• Monica K is a babe.
• She can sing and dance, at the same time, doing both of those things really well.
• Mary makes nice cupcakes.
• Sungwoo spent most of the night nodding his head.
• Amy has nice legs.
• "I Need Your Love" gets people off their asses.

So when the night finished, some of the boys crashed at Kevin's and Ray Nicholas Cage'd his Facebook. That is all. School is in two days and in all honesty, I'm so unprepared for another semester of stressing exams and mental breakdowns. But everything is okay because waffles and icecream exist. 

"For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Fearless

"I don't know how it gets better than this,

You take my hand and drag me head first, fearless.

And I don't know why, but with you I'd dance

in a storm, in my best dress, fearless."

Fearless by T Swizzle

Hey there sexy. So I spent a lovely day with Jenny, Ethan, Christian and Max.  We watched the Lone Ranger, the movie went for two and a half hours but it was pretty funny, so that and Johnny Depp completely makes up for it. The day consisted of eating, sitting on the grass, climbing trees on the kids playground (for me anyway). Half price waffles at Gelare makes everything better too. It was nice to just relax for a day. Oh, and Ethan seems to fancy the fashion sense of Gandhi, too bad I didn't take a photo of him. After the movie, Gandhi left us to go home because we're not good enough for him. I'm actually really tired, so forgive me for leaving you some photos of the day. :)

The only normal photo without both of them either looking extremely seedy or bursting out in laughter.

Which looks something like this.

Tree-climbing / Talking to my new friend, Tom the Professional Rock Climber

Pointless selfie. soz not soz

By the way, you should all check out a Max's new song called Stairwell ft. Anna Kirkman

https://soundcloud.com/golden-vessel/stairwell-feat-anna-kirkman

Hope you had a great day, because I certainly did :)

"Be on guard. Stand firm in faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love." 

1 Corinthians 16:13-14 

Looking For Alaska

So right now, I'm reading this book Looking For Alaska by John Green and I came across a seamless representation of how I often feel. Really able to relate to the main character except he's a boy and I'm a girl, but that really doesn't change things. So here it is.

"But I lacked the courage and she had a boyfriend and I was gawky and she was gorgeous and I was hopelessly boring and she was endlessly fascinating. So I walked back to my room and collapsed on the bottom bunk, thinking that if people were rain, I was drizzle and she was a hurricane."

Looking For Alaska, John Green, page 109

So apart from the boyfriend part that doesn't apply to me, it's so relatable right? How that person is perfect and way beyond your reach, so you just settle for being a drizzle while wishing you could be a hurricane too. How beautifully and realistically represented. The way John Green puts these feelings into simple words when I can't even put it into thoughts, I have no idea. 

Anyway, have a lovely week :)

Amazing Grace

"Hello, my name is child of the one true King

I've been saved, I've been changed, and I have been set free

Amazing Grace is the song I sing

Hello, my name is child of the one true King." 

Hello, My Name Is - Matthew West

Hi guys, I want you to meet Noah the Cactus and Levi the Aloe! So I have this infatuation for pot plants that I like to put in my room, I don't know why. When I went to Brisbane Markets two weeks ago, Levi caught my eye and he is now sitting on my window sill soaking in the modest sunshine. Anyway, enough about pot plants.

How strange is it that it's July already? Where did the time go? My holidays have consisted of going to Kid's Club, going to the gym (guns out when the suns out brah), daily visits to Kenten's house and watching movies. I think it's safe to say that Despicable Me 2 is the most adorable movie ever. In saying that, I now feel obligated to show you my minion plushie, along with Spongebob. I'm a sucker for soft and adorable things.

Swag. So before watching the movies with the girls, we went to a beautiful cafe in Southbank called "Flowers in the World Cafe". I always thought it was a florist but it's also a cafe. So just imagine drinking coffee on a cold, windy day with the best people in the world, surrounded by flowers. It was pretty amazing.

Going to watch World War Z tomorrow, really excited so hopefully I'll be back with more very soon! Joanne is having the time of her life in Sydney at Hillsong Conference, oh the things I'd do to be there. Just so you don't miss us too much, you can have a Jotelly selfie for now.