February Reflections 2017

I find that, in the second month of the year, all resolutions have, uh, 'gone to hell,' but people tend to still be hopeful of a great year - the time it takes for the Earth to orbit the sun. I ended up doing quite a lot, in what also happens to be the shortest month of the year... (I am hoping that these facts are known to everyone...)

In anticipation of uni starting, (in early March) I felt that this February was all about 'starting the year off right' and getting inspired!

Here are some of the things I got up to in Feb 2017!

Lululemon and Collective Hub's - Practice to Purpose

On this sunny day, I had breakfast in Melbourne at the smart artz gallery event hosted by my favourite magazine collective hub and the active wear brand, lululemon. The event: From Practice to Purpose showcased innovative speakers with the initiative to focus on vision and goals. My friend, Michelle and I drove to the city early and were served smoothies, smoothie bowls and fruit, salad, coffee and more delicious foods, while listening to the speakers and getting some great motivation to jump into goal setting with a worksheet and an A4 quote - "Ideas alone won't create a life you love, putting them into action will!"

Birthdays!

I celebrated my mum and my beautiful friends birthdays - shout out to mum, Sarah and Andrew!

Devil Cat

The family cat - Mickey, got into a lot of mischief - half killing some birds, lizards and anything he could catch. I had a great time putting animals out of their misery and then keeping this fur ball locked up...

The McClymonts!

I saw The McClymonts live! An amazing country band (that I have worshipped for many years) went on their 'Endless tour' and I was close to the stage, just in euphoria, listening to these energetic girls!

The opener, Demi Louise was just as brilliant and I bought her CD too, one song of which - I relate to a lot Taxi Driver, Here I am with her in the bottom left photo and my mum and I with The McClymonts at the top!

Autographs and smiles all around!

The local show.

It's tradition for my dad and I to go to our local Agricultural show (which is now more of a general carnival) and I went again this year. I spent half the day with my dad and the other half with my friend and her friend, Michelle and Donna. The thing I love about this tradition is the little things, the community atmosphere and the fun! I always go in the morning when the livestock are being showed and graded, because that is just so fascinating to me - especially the cattle! Later in the day I watched all of the local talent perform on the small stage, including my super talented friend - Sunny, with whom I then watched the closing fireworks with! It really was a magical day - with me really focusing on the good stuff!

And that pretty much sums up that amazing month!

KK

December Reflections

I am doing a monthly challenge for the December of 2016 as I reflect back on not only the year, but my life. This month I plan to really knuckle down and look at the nitty gritty of who I am and who I want to be, so I am taking the advice of the amazing Susannah Conway and using this #Decemberreflections2016 list to achieve this!

I will be posting the reflections on my blog and some on my Instagram in the form of photos, art, writings, videos or other forms.

Here are the first few reflections and their stories:

Day 3 is 'Fave photo of 2016' and boy is this a tough one because I have a few... I live through the memories of photos, so I think I will do a separate post to sum up my favourite photo's because I can't choose!

So stay tuned and maybe take this month to reflect back on your year too!

KK

Motivation Monday: You are the glow

What do we all want in life? Happiness? A partner? The simple life? - That's the point ~ there is always something we want!

But is 'want' the answer to how we get it? There are many theories about who, what, when, where, why and how we achieve what we want, but I believe that best thing you can do is GLOW! Own your worth, create love for yourself, live in the moment and be thankful!

Trust me, I understand how hard it can be to own your worth, but if you want anything in life, EVER - you need to glow!

To get the things you want, you need to not only believe in yourself, but enjoy every moment you are alive.

Its only as lame as you make it, but your heart pounds when you are happy for a reason ~ you're glowing! I always try to imagine that my heart is glowing and warm sparks swirl around (like Rapunzel's 'healing') when I want to feel good.

If I am grateful and feel my heart glowing, I find that, no matter what, I have what I want - in the moment, because that is all it takes!

As you may have noticed if you have watched the above video, 'the glow' is referring to the Disney princesses (we all know and love) discovering who they are and what they want. Although there is total merit in wanting to be a Disney princess... you, as yourself, gender aside, have the ability to be the glow!

So try it! Take a deep breath, close your eyes if you want, focus on something positive and use your glow!

'You are the glow!'

KK

Motivation Monday: Sing!

I haven't spoken about my singing journey,

1. Because it is very new to me, I have only been singing regularly for 3 years (which is nothing in learning to sing)
2. Because this is one area in my life where I honestly do not think I am good enough to say that I am a singer....
3. Because I will not sing in front of you if you ask, I will be stubborn and only sing like a screaming idiot because I am too ashamed to sing properly just in case I stuff up a little...

So I have the most amazing singing coach! My 'teach' as I call her, is lead singer of super talented, The mac project and I am always in awe of her and the band on facebook.com/themacprojectband where she posts videos of her gigs, etc. However, you wouldn't know by looking at these sites, the gorgeous personality behind my teach, who makes me feel totally comfortable (an almost impossible feat) during my weekly sessions with her. We go through ways of getting the body to respond to singing, warm ups and actual singing, eeeek!!! 

So my motivation monday is all about singing, because hey don't we all do it? Don't we all love music of some kind? Music is just in our souls. 

I actually never seriously thought about singing until I went to Uni away from my family and got a little independant, some kids go clubbing, I started singing lessons..... (true story.) I haven't studied singing at uni, just to clarify. It was my hobby, while I did full-time Zoology a two hour drive from my home town. I lived just off campus and went to my lessons at night with a company farther in town at minuetmusicstudios where I did learn a lot, but i went through a few teachers and they slowly became less and less what I needed. Then life happened and I ended up back at home. 

I surprised my mum for Christmas that year by telling her that I was learning to sing. This classically trained woman's jaw just dropped (partly because there was something I hadn't told her "I was keeping secrets now... oooooh....." and partly because I am a shy little flower who would never sing out loud...ever...)

Then my singing drifted off a little because I couldn't find the right coach, (a little like therapy...), I got pretty shy and (ironically) I mentioned to my therapist (yes I did/do therapy) that I missed singing and in a separate session that I "just love theatre, I, grew up watching musicals on video and live theatre that I just...." "Oh I like country music too..." Looking back my therapist probably just shook her head and sighed, but she told me to find a theatre company and JOIN, do goddam theatre... apparently you can... who knew??

So little ol' proactive me, found a company that night and it just so happened that auditions for their upcoming show were... next week. "Go for it!" mum said. I was somewhere between horrified and ecstatic, I was auditioning for a bloody musical, with next to no experience....

But I was loud, (I have no clue what happened there) and this happened... a-beautiful-theatrical-beginning, yes I was cast and in a main (ish) role at that.... boy have I come a log way since then. Some of my best friends are in the company and I cannot believe how lucky I am to know them..... I really want to go off on a tangent here, but that would be... uh off point.

Anyway, I somehow made a decision after the show that I really wanted to pursue musical theatre and country music, I mean I wasn't a baby ( I had written lyrics and muffled a tune to them since i could write and I believed in my songwriting too, but it did seem a bit farfetched, seeing as I was pursuing a career in animal health...) but I did always want to sing and be an actress/songwriter/director, I just assumed I couldn't... I know, doesn't sound like me right?

Whoa, this is deep s**t and I should probably go to sleep since it is 2:17 am, oops,

Sing for you, sing for your soul, even if it isn't through music, sing your song through your passion,

KK

Wealthy Wednesday - Define your wealth

wealth

noun

1. a great quantity or store of money, valuable possessions, property, or other riches:the wealth of a city.2. an abundance or profusion of anything; plentiful amount:a wealth of imagery.3.Economics.

1. all things that have a monetary or exchange value.

1. anything that has utility and is capable of being appropriated or exchanged.

4.rich or valuable contents or produce:the wealth of the soil.
5. the state of being rich; prosperity; affluence:persons of wealth and standing.
6.Obsolete, happiness.

Thank you Dictionary.com! Once again you have helped me get motivated to blog! So Wealth - its not just about money. I am going to start off my new Wealthy Wednesday series by helping you to discover what your wealth is, what it is that you can have in abundance (apart from money...) and feel rich, absolute and just amazing!

For me it is a great number of things, but if I have to define it I can probably put it down to a few things, that, if I was surrounded, I would feel utterly amazing!!

1. Animals! Give me insects, livestock (as in horses/cows/goats,) fish, platypuses, reptiles... puppies and I am just in a state of euphoria!
2. Nature - nature in the weather, flowers, storms, leaves, trees, rain, a plant growing in the cracks of concrete. The way winds have carved stones over time, puddles, etc. Etc. etc! Nature in its purest form just makes me smile. As one of my favourite quotes goes - Water can carve its way, even through strong - And ancient Japanese proverb.
3. Books. If I am surrounded by books, I am truly happy, in fact, writings of any form inspire and enlighten me. From lyrics, to poems, to novels, to Shakespeare to a quote!
4. Images, sounds, tastes, smells and feelings (emotions and physical.) Everyone needs to get in touch with their senses more. I find that if I savour and taste my food, Look deeply into a painting, focus on the tones in my voice, Breathe in and pause through the fresh air, rub my cheek into my pillow or just acknowledge how I am feeling in a very moment, well, life is just unbelievably AMAZING!

I am going to leave you with that and tease you with the wait until my next Wealthy Wednesday! You don't need to define your wealth (literally or figuratively) but just remember you are wealthy in one way or another! Be grateful for that!

KK

Who am I doing this for?

I want a family, a husband and children and I want a house, with animals in the country on a farm. So I am very traditional, but am I constantly working towards that and trying to find my perfect man? No.

What is the point?

I have to work on myself and be the person that I am proud of before I can have anyone want me, first I have to respect myself. I have always, always tried to live this way and by 'this' I just mean life.

Every time I stuff up or feel guilty. I stop and try to smile. I will never be perfect, I am working on myself and learning. Everything is always eventually going to be okay!

So who am I doing this for? Who am I improving myself for? I certainly don't need a man to complete me, but I'm not just writing, waking up every morning, doing my thing and trying so hard for just myself either.... no its for absolutely everyone in my life! The want to work with animals is for the animals, the hours of writing is for those who love a good story or need some positivity. I do all of the things I do for myself and for others, as long as I enjoy them.

Ask yourself who you wake up in the morning for? It doesn't matter what your answer is, as long as you are content with it,

keep at it,

KK

What I love about:

Camping!

I may as well write this post as I am camping because I am in the beautiful midst of it, sigh.

I have a certain romantic notion associated with camping.

As I grew up camping with other families, partners and sometimes kids, I always wanted that for myself, lying in a tent, the river flowing, holding my partner, making Easter, Cup day or the Queens birthday fun.

The notion of reading a lovely book in the sun and listening to children laugh and play away from technology just warms my heart.

A little bit of personal music through headphones, the radio or just the sounds of nature always puts me in that nostalgic camping mode.

Even the hand-washing of dishes and sweeping of the tent/van every ten minutes makes me feel warm inside, because it was around those little (though annoying to my child-mind,) moments, that I had the times of my life!

Staying up late at night around the campfire was one of the best things about camping and still is. The giggling banter that occurred made us all hurt in the stomach. The snacks we ate were a rarity and the kids didn't really have a bedtime. In fact, most of the time we were allowed to be set free through the caravan park, screaming and tearing down hills, across grass and around amenity buildings!

Oh and the 'Time Out' chair... I can laugh about it now, but at the time, this was just painful. While the other kids ran around (running seemed so easy for us as kids...) my gullible self often got planted in the 'Time Out' chair because I always got in trouble by the fault of others, usually deliberately... I couldn't keep my mouth shut when someone made me laugh, especially when full of food and for this I was chaired much more than once...

For quite I while now, I have continued camping, but things have changed. Kids don't tend to go camping with their parents anymore, so it has mostly just been my mum, step dad, the dogs and I. These camping trips have made room for more peace, appreciation of nature and getting to know myself. I always get through books, read plenty of magazines and boy do I write - and I love it! My photography has only improved too! A lot of my camping breaks have inspired images in the form of my dreams and therefore inspired stories and emotions I can relate to and immortalize on paper. I really enjoy this more solitary side of camping, but as I said earlier in the post, I still have a romantic craving.

Every single time I start packing my bags for the car ride, I wish that I had a partner to share these moments with, to pig out in the car and turn up the country music, while taking the long drive, sun streaming on my face, his hand on mine...

As I sit in the backseat with the dogs, I often watch out of the window at the paddocks/forest/beach/city/desert or wherever we are heading and picture every scenario possible. Who has been here before me? What if I could run beside the car, like I was flying? Is my true 'love' waiting over there for me? are just some of the things I wonder.

And the towns, I have become a souvenir junkie, collecting pamphlets, shells, buying lollies and picking up anything small to remember the trip.

Camping for me, is a romantic, unique experience every-time and I usually never want to leave, when I get home, I am either very inspired, hopeful or refreshed, there are really no downsides :)

The food is always amazing, BBQ galore, the lot for breakfast, dessert and snacks! Just for sitting around too!

I also adore going for walks, to see the caravan park, then for a wander, just to watch other families, nature and life!

Bonding is always a special part of camping too and you can learn a lot by how someone reacts to the hardships of camping,

KK

What I love about:

Snakes

These beautiful, but mysterious creatures are so agile and gentle, its amazing. On first impressions it may not seem this way, but getting to know my pythons, they really are so smart, curious and well, cuddly!

Phylis the Jungle python

I loved the way my pythons would wrap around my hands and climb up my arms and just watch me. Contrary to popular belief, snakes are not slimy or creepy and I don't think that it's just me who thinks so. The skin of pythons (at least I know) is very smooth and shiny. they are very gentle once used to your skin and scent and their grip is so light, you barely notice they are there.

It may sound ridiculous, but I have always wanted a python because they are easy to handle. If you know me well, you know that my fine and gross motor skills aren't top notch, so something delicate or skittish is hard for me to handle - such as a bird or a lizard (but certainly not impossible!) and I really wanted a python because of their lack of limbs and special movement because I didn't want to grip something so small and hurt it, but the strong muscles in these gorgeous creatures is amazing!

Also their faces, I love looking into the personality of a snake, when I see one at stores, you can look into their eyes and see if they are aggressive or placid, most of the pythons are so placid and curious and the aggressive one are just so interesting too.

I adore snakes and I hope to one day own quite a few and treat them, getting to know them better.

fingers crossed,

KK

A beautiful theatrical beginning...

Princess 'Whatshername?' ....

May I introduce, uh 'Whatshername!

Cinderella (in rags)

I have just completed my first Youth production with the BATS theatre company and I had an absolute blast. I made so many amazing friends and my confidence sky-rocketed, it was a huge turn and beginning for me and I have never experienced anything so special.

Cinderella (before the Eastern ball)

I cannot compare the experience of being behind the scenes of a brilliant musical - to anything really. My FIRST performance (eeek!) was in the production of 'Princesswhatshername!' and I got to work with so many exceptionally talented youth and adults!

Cinderella and Prince Swavay

I felt so inspired by the team and loved every scene and all of the work that went into it. The passion that everyone has, while having fun at the same time is something from a dream :) !

I played Cinderella (Yes I know I look like Belle, but this isn't Disney...) A girl who wanted to party all night long and win the heart of her Prince Swavay, but was really just more interested in the party...

And so the story goes that a princess awakes from a kiss from her true love.... The characters that help her and cross her path along the way were original, imaginative and fantastic actors/actresses. I can't fault a single one!

Hansel and Gretel

Gretel

Hansel and Gretel and Lollipops* all very talented actors with multiple roles and wonderful expression and entertainment skills! Hansel awed the crowd when he grew more 'huggable' in a matter of scenes and Gretel's eye rolls of brotherly dismay were classical! The duet sung by the two was hilarious, harmonised and played beautifully with the theme of the classic candy house owned by the forest witch.

Candy-filled Hansel

Gretel, Hansel and the sleeping princess

The forest witch* gave an evil touch with a spark of comedy, a talented actress with a double role also and appearing in multiple scenes.

Rumplestiltsken was an all-round favourite of the audience with plenty of quirk and style. A magnificent actor with 100% effort into every show and second of it. Rumple was a very talented actor with a difficult rap sequence, multiple personality and all-round' wit. His charm affected everyone and his presence on stage was always magical.

Rumplstiltsken

'Princesswhatshername' sung flawlessly in her solo and blew the audience away. Her distracted heart and optimistic spirit shone throughout the entire show. Although dressed in rags, the princess didn't give up on finding her prince and asserting herself along the way, while in the meantime, her prince was also looking for her...

The Princess played her part very well, with feeling and hope and wonder in her eyes! Every movement this actress made was with grace and she was the perfect actress for this role. She owned the stage when she had to and gladly stood back when others were on stage, always wide-eyed! Beautiful.

Princess 'Whatshername' and Rumplestiltsken

Rumplestilsken and Prince Reveille

Prince Reveille (in flight)

Prince Reveille encountered many characters and fought for his princess along the way, never giving up by prancing, twirling, flying, hiding, dancing and running! This actor was fantastic and always knew exactly what he was doing, charming and full of smiles, the prince was always amusing and emotional.


The three bears, Father bear, mama bear* and baby bear* all played by talented, quietly confident two-part actors. Father bear had 'huggable' fur and stood tall with his adorable waistcoat and grumpy demeanour. A great actor with a quiet, but influential presence. Mama Bear* was the traditional mother, dressed in an apron and as an actress, was 'Too Sweet to be Sour....' and baby bear was the youngest of the cast and quickly warmed to everyone, embracing her role with a "roar" and doing all of the right things, knowing her cues and embracing the limelight. "She was a great little actress." - my grandad who came to the show stated.

Father bear

The other characters in the show included the seven dwarfs, (Rowdy, Flighty, Hippie, Whiny, Giddy, Nosey and Guilty) * All true to their characters and a class of comedy for all!

Rowdy

Rowdy was just that, a character with a boisterous attitude and troublemaking streak to stir the pot. An actor playing multiple roles, Rowdy embraced his dwarf character with excellent timing and perseverance.

Flighty was a distracted little dwarf with her mind on everything but what was actually happening before her. This little actress played her role fabulously and was completely lovable. She was cast perfectly for her role.

Flighty with the princess

Hippie was the easygoing, peacemaking dwarf with top chill factor. Played by a beautiful little actress with quite a few lines, acting stunningly and projecting her voice exceptionally well.

Whiny wanted everything her way and complained if it wasn't right. A gorgeous actress with attitude and resiliance. This girl definitely knew how to act and project. Her facial expressions and mannerisms were spot on entertainment.

Prince Reveille and the Dwarves

Giddy was a loveable little dwarf full of excitement and hugs! played by a gifted little actor with utter glee, great projection and always smiling, on and off stage.

Nosey was played by a sweet girl, with a curiosity and quietness about her. She played her part very well on stage, always watching, taking everything in and snooping around the other characters.

Guilty was brilliant in his mannerisms and came a long way, this being his first show as an actor. His character made us all want to hug him and tell him it was all okay! He projected well and was always looking up, so the lighting could catch his face.

Goldilocks and the Princess

Goldilocks was a a wonderful actress, a rising star with plenty of personality and flair, she always kept her cool and never lost her sly grin. Goldlocks was perhaps the most helpful of characters to the princess and as an actress, she was bouncy and excitable, just how goldilocks should be! She was very talented in her country-style getup, always in on the action and secure in her role!

Goldilocks and Cinderella

I had my beautiful Fairy Godmother and Step-sisters played by four gorgeous (who said ugly??), (though rushed, but always so poised) actresses fighting over Prince Revielle. Cinderella of course had back up by her stepsisters to help the princess on her way, because she was kind of useless at that and very vain...

Cinderella was only concerned about losing her shoe and wandering around in a ball gown. Blaming everything on and disrespecting fairy Godmother, who in her grace, just put up with her...

Cinderella of the East, Fairy Godmother

Prince Swavay of the East

Fairy Godmother was kind, helpful and the glimmer of hope for everyone, a talented actress, her voice also shone through to the audience. Here elegance showed and her English accent was impeccable. A proper fairy, putting up with Cinderella.

Queen of the West (In disguise)

Then came Snow White* Queen of the West and Rapunzel - played by two outstanding, talented actresses,

Snow White's Southern American accent was flawless and her singing amazing with parts in a duet among other songs.

Rapunzel could be heard high from her tower, both ladies projecting wonderfully!

Rapunzel was mad at her prince Adonis for taking so long to rescue her from her tower and she was slightly deaf from being locked in the tower by the forest witch.*

Prince Adonis

Rapunzel

While the princess continued to find answers by heading to the Northern Kingdom, a fight began between the lovable princes and princesses...

This was a hilarious fight with balloon swords, shields, slippers and other materials flying everywhere during a chorus of a bobby, country song. Everyone had so much fun in this scene and Prince Reveille was thrown around a lot. All of the Princes looked handsome and worthy of their princesses even though there was obvious confusion on who belonged to who...

Prince Hercules

The princes: Hercules, Adonis, Swavay and Reveille

Prince Hercules and Prince Reveille

Proposals were made and rescues attempted, but for some reason, these didn't follow through....

Prince Swavay and Prince Reveille

The fight is on! Who's prince are you anyway?

As we ran off after the princes, princess 'Whatshername' found herself at the Northern castle with the riddled Queen of the North and her baby daughter. She was trying to guess the name of the man who cursed her and her child so she could keep her. A lovely actress, showing stress and worry for her child and kingdom. A very talented, almost solo actress. 

Then the princess had a sudden flashback to when she was a baby.

The Princess as a baby, her mother and father, the King and Queen of the South and the Good fairies of the South

 Memories came flooding back of an evil fairy. The one who had cursed her to death. But the three Southern fairies changed the curse so that she would instead fall into a deep sleep until her true loves kiss.

 The Evil fairy was a brilliant actor with a loud, frightening presence and obvious anger at not being invited to the naming ceremony. So he cast a curse of death by a spindle on a spinning wheel on the princess. His acting ability was beyond fantastic, he took over the stage and sung smugly with a brilliant witchy cackle to finish!

The three fairies of the South had beautiful voices and harmony. All three were very talented and graceful in the spotlight. They granted their wishes to the princess. The princess had flashbacks of the characters she had met along her way and a haunting song struck the audience to convey this. It was a brilliant musical sequence by all.

There was a large monologue given by the King of the South and every word was spot on, he did a fantastic job showing concern for his daughter, yet staying stern for the kingdom. The King and the Queen of the South were both two fantastic actors as caring, concerned parents.

When these two finally found each other, this happened: 

The King and Queen of the South both played fantastic roles as royalty and distraught parents, rejoicing at the return of their princess and their new son in law!

Southern Fairy sister 1

Southern Fairy sister 2

THE END!

Again, my experience with this show was exceptional and I really enjoyed every moment of it. I made some great friends and everyone was really lovely and encouraging.

The backstage crew were amazing and the BATS staff too, Thank you also to the Director and everyone who was there for rehearsals, etc.

I wish I could thank you all personally and to everyone in the audience also.

Me and my beautiful niece after a show

Some of the beautiful friends I made and I hope we can stay friends for years to come!

I plan to write another post on my new friends and bits and pieces, so stay tuned!

KK

(Disclaimer below)

* Names and photos will not be printed due to unauthorised permission or absence of permission and general privacy. The photo's displayed have been from Mark Symonds photography(c) and have been authorised by cast and parents of those under 18 years of age.