This fire, we let it all burn.

University's finished for the year! I've been getting marks back lately and feeling very satisfied with them. Classes felt more fun and alive despite comparison to my previous semester abroad; I returned this time around wanting to knuckle down and learn, and I loved what I found. Speaking of which, this is a product of some group work I was involved in. We pretended we were a travel company in different parts of the world and just had fun with it.

Something that I seem to have taken to lately is the phrase 'joie de vivre', which is roughly translated to 'joy of living', or 'joy of everything', depending on who you are and who you ask. I've realised that this seems to be my exact way of approaching and looking at everyday life. The small and quirky details are the ones that jump out at me and I've found that I've had a more positive attitude to looking at problems. There's a beauty in everything; though I've found that sometimes it can be quite exhausting, at least I can sleep well at night!

I can't help it, I've fallen in love with the world.

...now that I've stopping thinking everybody's out to get me.

My university life isn't quite over; I've gotten into full swing in preparations for my study tour abroad next month. I'm looking forward to ice skating in the States so badly, I'm so glad that I actually took lessons since I returned. I've started moving forward with my life and getting to know my own city so much better; but I'm so looking forward to being a tourist again and experiencing the crazy chaos that comes with it. I don't think I'll ever stay put for long, no matter what I choose to decide to do with my life.

My skating lessons have gotten really interesting now that I've mastered the mere basics; now I'm doing crazy things like crossovers and one foot gliding on outside edges.

I got inspired the other week and wrote this little piece on my Tumblr about the importance of sharing your love instead of depending on a singular love with another person. There's so much love out there; it's all about how you feel it and how you share it with the people in your life. I've found people have started looking at me and thinking things like 'inspirational' and 'accomplished'... in fact, everything I've seen and done in the past year has only just humbled me to how small my thoughts are compared to such majestic views and wonderful personalities I've experienced. I've learned to start really looking after myself and love myself, because that's where it starts for everyone; themselves. It's taken me such a long time to be comfortable with being in my own skin, and I've finally found it.

So if that's inspirational... then so be it. I'll take your word for it.

I'll just be over here reading my book.

The perks of being a cinema worker.

Cinema work is yet another perspective that I've taken for granted. One thing I'll say; popcorn off carpet has to be one of the hardest things to clean effectively and efficiently.

 

As I sit here with my regular cup of tea and ponder the future, new details come into knowledge and old ones end up helping define them clearer. I'm finally, definitely, out of that lost feeling of such a prolonged reverse culture shock. While I treasure my moments overseas and they shaped to become this new me; I know it means nothing unless I start moving forward and onwards.

I've been seeing tons of Melbourne lately and I'm loving finally being a tourist in my own city; Mount Dandenong, the Royal Botanical Gardens, St Kilda, Southbank... there's more to come and I can't wait.

Last assignments are coming up; essays piecing apart films, advertisement analysis and group work all complete. I find I'm feeling so productive when I'm on a roll, with some Sufjan Stevens accompanying my laptop's keyboard clacking away on a Word document. I've chosen Stoker and The Purge for my film essays, mainly because I've been so fascinated by the visual imagery and themes in both as of recently. I'll include trailers below of both for your interest.

Stoker (2013)

The Purge (2013)

The weather's getting warmer, the next season ice skating classes are coming up... and it's October! This time next month, I'll be full swing in last minute preparations for my study tour to the States. Remembering the necessary arrangements is a little scary, but it's oh so very exciting to be heading out again.

Take me, take me to the riot!

I passed my ice skating exam, by the way.

So I've had a bunch of crazy catastrophes in the past week or so. I've finally figured out how to utilise this part of my life; this strange, jetlagged heart of mine recovering little by little. I was sitting on the sidelines of my own life, looking in, waiting for my own life to start.

And it has. It took a while, but it finally has.

Sunday I went to the Royal Melbourne Show with friends. I'm glad I initiated plans and it turned out to be one of the best days I've had in quite some time. BMX stunts, rides, fireworks, showbags... I'd missed the chaos of a carnival atmosphere. It had been years since I'd previously gone to the show, and I was able to appreciate it differently with friends. One of my highlights of the day was finding a booth that was selling chocolate covered strawberries, which I'd taken to doing in Örebro as gifts and for fika.

It's funny, my two regular fika friends first laughed amusedly at the thought of 'fika' being an actual word for what we do regularly (sitting around catching up over coffee and cake for hours, Fika Fridays!), but they seem to have adapted the term and they've really embraced it, which is something I've delighted in.

Something else I've done this week is revisit my Melbourne bucket list. I still want to do the Eureka Tower, but some interesting circumstances happened and I ended up at the top of Mount Dandenong, looking out over the city below.

It's so much better in person, you could see the entire city skyline much better. It got me thinking how I saw so many views abroad; Barcelona, Paris, Poland, Venice, Florence, Russia, Tallinn, and even from the Örebro water tower, looking over the city I'd lived in for such a while. 

It was so comforting to see a view of a place I call home this time; being able to think 'I live somewhere down here' as I watched the city below - and practically cost free (unless you count parking) and great company. That's not something I could entirely get from going to the Eureka Tower, but I still want to do it.

Cinema work is something entirely new; yet another perspective I've taken for granted. Apparently though, I'm a fast learner and I'm doing well.

And my pre-departure session for the study tour in the States is this Friday! It feels so much closer now.

Well, hello there.

So things have been crazy for me, one more month left of university for the year and the US study tour happening in two months! Classes have gotten absolutely fascinating, and I have my ice skating exam in a couple of days (to pass to the next level!), so things have been very exciting. I also happened to win a double pass to see The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones thanks to Dymocks's recent competition! 

I've resigned from waitressing and I start my new job - at a movie theatre! - within the next week. I'm really looking forward to it. More information soon.

Musically speaking, I finally listened to Elbow's Dead In the Boot, the B-side compilation album. I'd listened to the majority of Elbow's discography while abroad, so listening to the various B-sides from those other albums at home seemed fitting. My pick would have to be 'McGreggor', simply for that slow, thumping rhythm setting the atmosphere. I can remember writing an essay with it playing in the background and feeling more inspired. 

I started listening to Stars, starting with Set Yourself On Fire and continuing with In Our Bedroom After The War. The absolute favourite so far is still going to be 'Your Ex-Lover Is Dead', but other favourites include 'Reunion', 'What I'm Trying to Say', 'The Big Fight', 'Take Me to the Riot', 'My Favourite Book', 'Midnight Coward' and 'Personal'.

I guess the concept of 'Your Ex-Lover Is Dead' is such an appealing concept to me - I mean, isn't it for anyone who's gone through a messy break up? That agony of not being able to move on, especially if you're the one wronged? Not to mention the first lines, "When there's nothing left to burn, you have to set yourself on fire", with the four last words referring to the album title.

That part seems to yell 'pyromaniac', but I can interpret that as self-improvement. You have to destroy parts of yourself for the sake of rebuilding and re-creation, right? Destruction as a form of creation. And often times if it's not for the destruction, you often don't find the better situation for yourself, am I right?

Not to mention the last verse of the song.

There's one thing I want to say, so I'll be brave

You were what I wanted, I gave what I gave

I'm not sorry I met you

I'm not sorry it's over

I'm not sorry there's nothing to save

I'm not sorry there's nothing to save

That process of self-recovery is so incredibly important, but being able to say 'I'm not sorry there's nothing to save' indicates the final level of growth needed to move on with life. Again, while the experience itself may have been terrible, it can lead to new and positive things, and that can be the sole reason why somebody may not regret a relationship.

 

Coldplay also released recently their new single for the next Hunger Games film, called 'Atlas'. This song feels more like their earlier stuff, which I'm a bigger fan of than their more recent stuff. It's hopeful, it's contemplative, and it carries a message of care. Not to mention, the lyric video is absolutely stunning.

 

This seems to be a music heavy blog post, stay tuned for more work and travel related posts!

Some big steps.

So I bought my own pair of ice skates. Unfortunately the rentals, while convenient to use until now, are not safe for learning how to ice skate properly. While the skates were expensive in this part of the world, I judged it was better to pay for skates now, rather than an injury later.

I also couldn't help but be frustrated on my first lesson, when the unpredictability of the rentals failed me and I couldn't perform the exercises properly.

I was well looked after by the place I visited; I was measured, fitted and sharpened within a decent amount of time. I couldn't help the excitement on my face as I left the store with my new skates, ready to try them out.

Putting them on and gliding along the ice...it's a bit difficult to explain, so I'll do my best.

Getting proper skates of my own was ultimately pricey, but worth it. I love being able to have my own things, and the joy of new equipment is something I've barely experienced (having never really done a sport like this before). I was told my skating would improve when I started using the skates - and it really did, as I noticed when I practised my turns. 
This new equipment had strengthened my purpose and motivated me in a new way to keep on skating. Isn't that strange? That we need physical reminders to soldier on and persevere through this thing we call life?
It was, perhaps, the joy of exercise as well. I was ecstatic as I tried manoeuvres I'd learned (nothing fancy yet) with this new set of equipment, and I knew I'd been right to keep up the skating. Even if I can't continue lessons, I know I'd keep them for recreational purposes. Perhaps I'll bring them to the States in November? Practice my skating there? That'll be a story to tell.

University's getting interesting and the study tour in particular is also quite anticipating as I wait for the calendar pages to flip by; impatient but ready. I've also got a ticket to the Muse gig in December; General Area Standing. It makes me think how I'll almost be full circle, what with Coldplay Area Standing B last year. It's turning out to be a cracker of a year, after the last one was such an emotional downturn for me. I've achieved so much in such a short amount of time; which is almost unnoticed by the amount that I still want to do.