tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43626553673559879662024-02-08T08:16:47.477+10:30Starts with CupcakesAndiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09885171397132460393noreply@blogger.comBlogger410125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362655367355987966.post-3222584688988542092016-10-11T16:03:00.000+10:302016-10-11T16:03:21.539+10:30it's OK to not be OK<br />
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<span style="border: 0px; display: inline-block; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 0px -9px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">“</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">We live in a world where if you break your arm, everyone runs over to sign your cast. But if you tell people you’re depressed, everyone runs the other way…</span></div>
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We are so, so, so accepting of <i>any</i> body part breaking down other than our brains. And that’s ignorance. That’s pure ignorance. And that ignorance has created a world that doesn’t understand depression, that doesn’t understand mental health.”</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">— From Kevin Breel’s TEDxKids@Ambleside talk, <a href="https://www.ted.com/talks/kevin_breel_confessions_of_a_depressed_comic?language=en" target="_blank">“Confessions of a depressed comic.”</a></span></div>
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Watch; Share; Break the stigma.</div>
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N A T I O N A L</div>
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M E N T A L H E A L T H A W A R E N E S S</div>
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W E E K</div>
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2 0 1 6</div>
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<span style="line-height: 24px;">xx</span></div>
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Andiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09885171397132460393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362655367355987966.post-1805976483874154672016-07-15T15:08:00.003+09:302016-07-15T15:08:36.127+09:30overthinker<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I've written about my <a href="http://startswithcupcakes.blogspot.com.au/2013/05/an-elephant-mind.html?_sm_au_=iVVlSP7Z1t2l31Tr" target="_blank">chronic overthinking</a> in the past.</div>
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Have you ever heard the name <a href="http://www.katrinawebb.com.au/" target="_blank">Katrina Webb</a>?</div>
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I'll admit that until last week, I hadn't.</div>
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She's is an Australian Paralympic Athlete.</div>
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She has won Gold, Silver and Bronze medals in 3 Olympics.</div>
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And last week she came to my workplace to give a speech on setting and achieving goals, </div>
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and overcoming fears.</div>
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She spoke about overcoming adversity, </div>
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accepting our own vulnerability, </div>
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and using mindfulness to quiet the mind.</div>
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Everyone in the room was captivated, </div>
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not only by her sheer determination to succeed, </div>
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but by her honesty and conviction.</div>
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Stories of own personal fears and challenges were relatable.</div>
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In sharing her experiences of self-doubt and her strategies to overcome her negative thinking, </div>
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she was able to unite us.</div>
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Often, we are not unique in our fears,</div>
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We are unique in how we choose to deal with them.</div>
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O U R M I N D S</div>
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C A N B E O U R B I G G E S T S U P P O R T E R S</div>
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A N D O U R S T R O N G E S T E N E M Y</div>
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xx</div>
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Andiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09885171397132460393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362655367355987966.post-45275101437230971012016-06-09T15:48:00.002+09:302016-06-10T12:24:42.138+09:30the orange juice and milk theory<div style="text-align: center;">
When I was younger, I looked up to my older (and only) sister.</div>
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Both physically because there's an (almost) 5 year age gap between us;</div>
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And emotionally, with adoration.</div>
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Don't get me wrong...</div>
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I still look up to her.</div>
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Literally. </div>
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Because she is like, 6 foot tall or something; </div>
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But also because I think she possesses amazing qualities that I envy.</div>
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She is energetic and wields an enthusiasm for life that is endearing and contagious.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSutFNq8Qit__lVByB311UmamFhP-0FJ8tW5sn5trTDWhMsIutHs6VRRlX03yFTzPBmOYlhdCUgKyCU7bbf3cQCXX7vEzRb0zJ-vte9QKlmTotCaB9wQQyhEXS8gRZjcnj229JXHEiuTr_/s1600/B%252BA+STARTS+WITH+CUPCAKES.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSutFNq8Qit__lVByB311UmamFhP-0FJ8tW5sn5trTDWhMsIutHs6VRRlX03yFTzPBmOYlhdCUgKyCU7bbf3cQCXX7vEzRb0zJ-vte9QKlmTotCaB9wQQyhEXS8gRZjcnj229JXHEiuTr_/s640/B%252BA+STARTS+WITH+CUPCAKES.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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I digress.</div>
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The point is - </div>
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She's the Big Sister,</div>
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And as the Big Sister, it was her job to teach me things.</div>
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To impress her skills and knowledge upon me.</div>
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To share her wisdom, so that I could be cool</div>
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Just. Like. Her.</div>
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Insert the story about the time my cool Big Sister taught me that mixing orange juice and milk in a glass,<br />
then sculling said concoction would cause excessive vomiting, </div>
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thus ensuring you were guaranteed a Sick Day and wouldn't have to go to school.</div>
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Yes, it really happened.</div>
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No, she doesn't remember it.</div>
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We practically had to be on our death bed to be granted a day off school, </div>
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So this was a fool proof plan.</div>
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AND (she assured me), </div>
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Once you'd vommed a couple of times,</div>
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You'd feel fine;</div>
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So, could enjoy your day at home tucked up on the couch watching trashy day time tv.</div>
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She might have been a Child Genius...</div>
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I'm not dragging us all down Memory Lane for no reason BTW.</div>
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But simply to introduce you to </div>
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T H E O R A N G E J U I C E </div>
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A N D M I L K T H E O R Y</div>
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They simply don't go together.</div>
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Separately ?</div>
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No problems*.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(*Lactose intolerance excluded)</span></div>
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But together?</div>
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Not recommended.</div>
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Here's the core of my Theory - </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Some people are Orange Juice;</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And others are Milk.</span></div>
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So what does that mean?</div>
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Well, they simply don't go together.<br />
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(For the record, my sis and I are more like a Vodka Orange combination...<br />
The perfect mix of sweet and fun)</div>
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xx</div>
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Andiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09885171397132460393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362655367355987966.post-70641781380287881892016-06-07T16:26:00.000+09:302016-06-07T16:27:54.835+09:30just add jam and cream<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #454545;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I know what you're thinking...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Something like </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">"Andie, where have you been? It's been so long since we heard from you"</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Or </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">"I've missed your oh-so-inspirational words of wisdom... why haven't you been writing more regularly"</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Or perhaps more likely </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">"What is the recipe for the scones you made on the weekend and posted on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/its_andie/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>?"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Since I'm the girl who adds easy things like 'Write to do list' on my To Do list just so I can tick it off, it will come as no surprise that I'm going to tackle that last question first. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Not just because it's the easy one.. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">But also because these scones were delicious and I am a caring/sharing kind of girl.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">W I N T E R I S P E R F E C T S C O N E S E A S O N</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglLMzsOs_gAIkMfw7WjghN8hmMuS8rw_imFyfy8kVfiuC7eAbJOoZecTrPMlnqJH8L-oEvRQRMFHIDIUM_LHx7Y1o8Lr0f9uWF1ytbXn2hNdjXstN4w1_v7dlEehlVhPVSY6low29UxFXk/s1600/scones_STARTS+WITH+CUPCAKES.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="scones >> STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglLMzsOs_gAIkMfw7WjghN8hmMuS8rw_imFyfy8kVfiuC7eAbJOoZecTrPMlnqJH8L-oEvRQRMFHIDIUM_LHx7Y1o8Lr0f9uWF1ytbXn2hNdjXstN4w1_v7dlEehlVhPVSY6low29UxFXk/s640/scones_STARTS+WITH+CUPCAKES.jpg" title="scones >> STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #454545;">Scones were my Nan's </span><span style="color: #454545;">speciality;</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545;">And being the anniversary of her death last week, I was feeling nostalgic.</span><span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;">(I can still hear her voice in my head when I work the mix by hand - "GENTLE!")</span><br />
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;">But I have misplaced the handwritten recipe she gave me many years ago.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;">Every recipe I found on Google </span><br />
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;">(from <a href="http://taste.com.au/">taste.com.au</a>, <a href="https://www.donnahay.com.au/" target="_blank">Donna Hay</a> and all the other usual suspects) </span><br />
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;">required butter, but I <i>knew </i>butter wasn't an ingredient in Nan's scones.</span><br />
<span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;">Then I looked up the good ol' Country Women's Association recipe.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="color: #454545;">VOILÀ</span></span><span style="color: #454545;">!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Four ingredients and so damn simple!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">3 cups of self-raising flour</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1/2 cup of cream</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">between 1 and 1 1/2 cups of milk (add a cup first and see how your dough forms)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">a pinch of salt</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">In a large mixing bowl, cut the cream and milk into the flour and work (GENTLY!) into a dough;</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Place onto a floured surface and cut out scone rounds;</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Brush the tops with milk;</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Bake for 10-12 minutes in a hot oven (220-230C).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Serve warm with jam and cream.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">xx</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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Andiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09885171397132460393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362655367355987966.post-54309628167858951822016-05-05T15:02:00.002+09:302016-05-05T15:02:20.609+09:30lime tartlets<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sometimes life gets crazy and suddenly it's months since I have posted anything.</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Rest assured - I am still (baking and) eating my feelings...</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="text-align: start;">L I M E </span><span style="text-align: start;"> </span><span style="text-align: start;">S H O R T B R E A D </span><span style="text-align: start;"> </span><span style="text-align: start;"> </span><span style="text-align: start;">T A R T L E T S</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPiUaAjm8vdfkwUGRVVJKihF3HfT75m71GBQezoCcyWrBTdt1kpi6M5kgilyqJL856JhPhy4MulzBVmaWS350hMuHkFG7r8x1qtGJa4KERbfF0r49mg_QXcDYXg8u1Ranza1eMX-yyGB20/s1600/Lime+Tarts+02+STARTS+WITH+CUPCAKES.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPiUaAjm8vdfkwUGRVVJKihF3HfT75m71GBQezoCcyWrBTdt1kpi6M5kgilyqJL856JhPhy4MulzBVmaWS350hMuHkFG7r8x1qtGJa4KERbfF0r49mg_QXcDYXg8u1Ranza1eMX-yyGB20/s640/Lime+Tarts+02+STARTS+WITH+CUPCAKES.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><o:p> </o:p><b>Tartlet Base</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1/2C sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">16 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 tsp vanilla extract<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1/4 tsp salt<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">2C all purpose flour<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add
vanilla, giving a quick mix. Finally add in flour and salt, mixing until
smooth. Shape dough into 2 equal discs, wrapping separately in plastic. Chill
for at least 1 hour.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a mini cupcake
pan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Roll out dough to 1/4-inch thick. Using a 2 1/4-inch flower
cookie cutter, cut out enough shapes to use up dough. Gently press cut out
dough into greased cupcake pan. Fork each throughout, transfer to the freezer
for 10-15 minutes. Bake for 8-10 minutes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Lime Filling<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">4 egg yolks<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1C sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1/4C lemon juice (roughly 2 lemons)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Zest of 1 lemon<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">4 Tbsp butter<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Meanwhile prepare lemon filling:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In a double boiler over simmering water, whisk all
ingredients for 8-10 minutes. Press through a fine mesh strainer, into a small
bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing to the surface of lemon curd so to
avoid a skin forming. Cool to room temperature.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Fill each cup 3/4 full with lemon curd, or roughly 1/2 of a
small cookie scoop. Bake for an additional 5-8 minutes. Cool to room
temperature, then transfer to the refrigerator to cool until completely set.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Carefully remove tartlets from pan. Sprinkle with optional
powdered sugar prior to serving. Store chilled.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">xx</span></div>
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Andiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09885171397132460393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362655367355987966.post-78983244846585825272016-03-30T22:48:00.000+10:302016-07-22T15:31:45.380+09:30speaking up<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">"Sometimes getting pregnant can reduce the symptoms and provide some relief"</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">-- Actual professional medical advice offered to 21- year old Andie</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">"But don't wait too long;</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Because this can impact your ability to fall pregnant naturally;</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">And may cause infertility"</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">I was a Uni graduate ready to commence my career;</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">I was not yet engaged but I will always wonder if perhaps this diagnosis fast tracked the process which saw me upgraded from girlfriend to fiancé;</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Soon after the engagement party I had my first laproscopic surgery.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">I'm now well over- due for my third.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">'Endometriosis' </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">I'd never heard of it before.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">The surgery was the only way to know for sure if the diagnosis was correct.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">And yes - More than one of my doctors suggested pregnancy as a means of 'managing' the condition.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">This is the first time I am telling my story in a public forum.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Why??</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Because March is</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">E N D O M E T R I O S I S</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">A W A R E N E S S M O N T H</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And it's taken me 30 days of the month, to build up the courage to complete this post and hit Publish.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">But that's the point of an awareness campaign, isn't it?</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">To shed light on a topic.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Start a dialogue.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Encourage open communication and education..</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;">Society doesn't like to talk about 'female problems' so endometriosis not a medical condition I admit to suffering from despite it causing near-constant </span><span style="background-color: white;">discomfort and crippling pain more often than once a month.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444;">It is a difficult condition to describe to anyone who has not experienced it.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444;">Sometimes a picture can convey the pain more accurately than I can explain it -</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfMsnrSBQGKpkmhKG3Rt8XHoqNAxcZn7TgWAoiyX37I2nLmujvPJtz8CEMbQtxnyygIbqXZe9Js7GDe74ANoupqnSj4zvdjI9ehnDBhAhf0iscCvheKhcGDgLP5DIPxdrQsvBNJp6ZFZzr/s1600/uterus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #444444;"><img border="0" height="596" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfMsnrSBQGKpkmhKG3Rt8XHoqNAxcZn7TgWAoiyX37I2nLmujvPJtz8CEMbQtxnyygIbqXZe9Js7GDe74ANoupqnSj4zvdjI9ehnDBhAhf0iscCvheKhcGDgLP5DIPxdrQsvBNJp6ZFZzr/s640/uterus.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Very pissed of fire breathing dragons.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">With knives.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">And machine guns.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
The pain can be so extreme and debilitating that it literally incapacitates me.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">As a result, it is a huge contributing factor to depression.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">It is rendering women infertile.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And yet, I still feel like it is not a legitimate reason to call in sick to work.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white;">O N E in T E N </span><span style="background-color: white;">W O M E N</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444;">S U F F E R F R O M E N D O M E T R I O S I S</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;">So I am </span><span style="background-color: white;">simultaneously caught between thinking I should shut the fuck up and not complain; </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444;">And</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444;">Talking about it until I am blue in the face, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444;">So that maybe others also suffering in silence will feel they can share their story too.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white;">Today I am choosing to talk about it.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444;">To share my story.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444;">And the stories of others.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444;">Because knowing I am not alone truly helped me.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white;">They gave me permission to be kind to myself.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white;">They made me realise I am not crazy,</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444;">And the pain is not normal.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white;">They allowed me to accept that it sucks,</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444;">But it doesn't mean I am broken.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444;">And neither are you.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">"Be kind to yourself on the bad days"</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/MEh0egZJf58/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MEh0egZJf58?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">And remember this :</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7R2vmpVRSj4OzKYsXX6eXztvd7HaiLD2W5nCOBvxgiV0fALNErFCglCBlSlQ89q1J7IjLclMKMeccHUEieEZRKwBLcy9vaukPMDMAxYHKR5tiTwxULWfwkVe9znGZJYLHllHViDuAk-Fl/s1600/alex+elle.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="STARTS WITH CUPCAKES >> alex_elle instagram" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7R2vmpVRSj4OzKYsXX6eXztvd7HaiLD2W5nCOBvxgiV0fALNErFCglCBlSlQ89q1J7IjLclMKMeccHUEieEZRKwBLcy9vaukPMDMAxYHKR5tiTwxULWfwkVe9znGZJYLHllHViDuAk-Fl/s640/alex+elle.JPG" title="STARTS WITH CUPCAKES >> alex_elle instagram" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/alex_elle/?hl=en" target="_blank">Alexandra Elle</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="color: #444444;">xx</span></div>
Andiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09885171397132460393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362655367355987966.post-60910823089208008162016-03-08T22:27:00.000+10:302016-03-08T22:27:28.263+10:30international women's day<div style="background-color: white; text-align: center; width: 580px;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">Today is </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">I N T E R N A T I O N A L </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">W O M E N ' S D A Y</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; text-align: center; width: 580px;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; text-align: center; width: 580px;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It is also a week in which media (and social) commentary has been </span>focused<span style="font-family: inherit;"> on the future of the Clipsal Grid Girls.</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; text-align: center; width: 580px;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; text-align: center; width: 580px;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">Following a heated debate on the weekend with a dear friend, whose opinion I often share on many an issue - I wasn't sure if I wanted to voice my opinions on either of these topics. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; text-align: center; width: 580px;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; text-align: center; width: 580px;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">There are women far more eloquent and definitely more passionate than I, to discuss these issues. From both sides.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; text-align: center; width: 580px;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; text-align: center; width: 580px;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">And so I decided to carry on, as if it was any other day.. because, I thought to myself, if women want equality we should not be satisfied with just one day on which we are to be celebrated or have a voice.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; text-align: center; width: 580px;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">This, by the way, echos my opinions of Mother's Day being the sole day to appreciate Mother's; and likewise Father's Day's purpose to remind us of our appreciation of our Father's - We should be thankful and grateful 365 days of the year.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; text-align: center; width: 580px;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; text-align: center; width: 580px;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">Oops.. I guess I'm not very good at keeping my opinion to myself after all. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; text-align: center; width: 580px;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">(And for the record - I think the Grid Girls add atmosphere and entertainment value to a very long, and often uneventful car race. They are to </span>Motorsport<span style="font-family: inherit;">, what the tinsel is to a Christmas Tree - not 100% necessary, but pretty to look at, and certainly not doing any harm. If you think the role of the Grid Girl is derogatory to women, then I hope you didn't buy a movie ticket to watch Channing Tatum take his clothes off in Magic Mike. Admiration of the human form - it's all in the name of entertainment, is it not?)</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; text-align: center; width: 580px;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; text-align: center; width: 580px;">
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">I don't want to stand on a feminist or anti-feminist soap box and make sweeping claims, because it's just not my thing... </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">Although the influx of Girl Power quotes on my Instagram feed today has been interesting to observe.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">I just wish that women were always this supportive of each other - in life and in business.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">"We live in a society that wants to pit women against each other,</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">and it's our job to resist the tyranny of that"</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">- Lena Dunham</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">So, on International Women's Day 2016, how about we start to make a concerted effort to celebrate each other on the remaining 364 days of the year?</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8UbfSPmv5QOvSml2HTDqnWHUJK5DCnq4avF0E_NyjMPP6c3qCObMavqOhhCVqBaKyzqEcGAe6UHu6RZR66WDn8E1z4o6QtSqDVtLegikqqwfnmyr9o3-LDJM3vlXVfUNlaNgqlZYg2Snp/s1600/If-girls-always-treated-each-other-like-we-do-whe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8UbfSPmv5QOvSml2HTDqnWHUJK5DCnq4avF0E_NyjMPP6c3qCObMavqOhhCVqBaKyzqEcGAe6UHu6RZR66WDn8E1z4o6QtSqDVtLegikqqwfnmyr9o3-LDJM3vlXVfUNlaNgqlZYg2Snp/s640/If-girls-always-treated-each-other-like-we-do-whe.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">xx</span></div>
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Andiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09885171397132460393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362655367355987966.post-17206984835271627962016-02-25T20:18:00.000+10:302016-02-25T21:43:14.462+10:30seduced by words<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I am a writer.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
OK.. So I'm not the kind who gets paid to put prose to paper; reach an assigned quota; or meet a deadline.</div>
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<br /></div>
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But I do pour my thoughts out of my head and onto the page.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I'm the girl who believes in the significance of words.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Who values both the price of those written in silence and spoken out loud.</div>
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The kind who carefully forms thoughts into sentences.</div>
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Who knows that language is a gift.</div>
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Perhaps it is because I am a writer, or maybe it's just me... </div>
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But I am the girl who believes in the power of the things I say.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I S A Y W H A T I M E A N </div>
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I M E A N W H A T I S A Y</div>
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<br /></div>
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(And if I can't say it, then I remain silent... but that's a story for another day)</div>
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<br /></div>
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Even the simplest words can convey a significant message.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Every word has a worth.</div>
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<br /></div>
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And because I find beauty in letters strung together to form a meaning;</div>
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<br /></div>
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And because I appreciate the art of articulation - </div>
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<br /></div>
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I A M S E D U C E D B Y W O R D S</div>
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<br /></div>
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So it never occurred to me to question that others may not consider the value of their own.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Then again, I am the girl who believes that a <a href="http://startswithcupcakes.blogspot.com.au/2015/10/pinky-promise.html" target="_blank">pinky promise</a> is a valid contractual agreement.</div>
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<br /></div>
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So I am learning that words alone (though magical in their seduction) are not quite enough.</div>
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<br /></div>
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In the currency of language -</div>
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Words and promises are only worth something if they are accompanied by action.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit7TOXmtxVawQbVlflKrTfZDjx61fN4AHTg2F3C3KOeQD91VnyDKwftj1e9XdHJ9yx_wltHn2lEZK9FLZRdkH3XjurZWcJRZtu7PYfQPuuBipIrXQ4zWVLCAuIGYgsCuSTmcDDybx__2oV/s1600/i+fall+in+love+with+words++STARTS+WITH+CUPCAKES.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="seduced by words >> STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit7TOXmtxVawQbVlflKrTfZDjx61fN4AHTg2F3C3KOeQD91VnyDKwftj1e9XdHJ9yx_wltHn2lEZK9FLZRdkH3XjurZWcJRZtu7PYfQPuuBipIrXQ4zWVLCAuIGYgsCuSTmcDDybx__2oV/s640/i+fall+in+love+with+words++STARTS+WITH+CUPCAKES.jpg" title="seduced by words >> STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" width="426" /></a></div>
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xx</div>
<br />Andiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09885171397132460393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362655367355987966.post-16288013543933387662016-02-18T18:13:00.002+10:302016-02-18T18:13:49.007+10:30churro waffles<div style="text-align: center;">
My eating habits range from supermodel yoga enthusiast -<br />
<i>Hello raw green veggie juices.</i><br />
<br />
To hungry unsupervised child in a candy store -<br />
<i>Hello cookies for breakfast and M&M's for dinner.</i><br />
<br />
My baking skills (and subsequently, my pantry contents) enable me to have a thought like<br />
"I feel like waffles"<br />
And then be back in bed eating waffles 20 minutes later,<br />
Without the need to leave the house,<br />
Or (perhaps more importantly) put any pants on.<br />
<br />
These waffles are a winner,<br />
Because I don't drink milk at home,<br />
And this recipe (unlike many others) is milk-free.<br />
So once again - A celebration of not having to leave the house or put on pants for a trip to the supermarket.<br />
<br />
Sometimes in life, you have to celebrate the little things.<br />
<br />
I recommend you do it with these waffles.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
C H U R R O W A F F L E S</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSL_abK2DtbTFpcv6198uFU8vT72pNrQooaY25Dh9hcDMONUikSnFgPjV1bI2v438rn3oyCymVWK8kI-lh6ZfIz6Sdkbz1_8XZn7DV4ZYjDKdFwXDr-J_Snzi3-h2CZpTzfYMg47ySjpZV/s1600/churro+waffles+STARTS+WITH+CUPCAKES.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="CHURRO WAFFLES >> starts with cupcakes" border="0" height="636" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSL_abK2DtbTFpcv6198uFU8vT72pNrQooaY25Dh9hcDMONUikSnFgPjV1bI2v438rn3oyCymVWK8kI-lh6ZfIz6Sdkbz1_8XZn7DV4ZYjDKdFwXDr-J_Snzi3-h2CZpTzfYMg47ySjpZV/s640/churro+waffles+STARTS+WITH+CUPCAKES.JPG" title="CHURRO WAFFLES >> starts with cupcakes" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
1
cup plain flour</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
4
tbsp butter<o:p></o:p></div>
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2
tbsp sugar<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
½ tsp
salt<o:p></o:p></div>
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1
cup water<o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
1.5
tbsp cinnamon<o:p></o:p></div>
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4
tbsp sugar<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Turn
on the waffle iron to pre-heat.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Combine
cinnamon and sugar in a bowl and set aside.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In
a saucepan, over low heat, combined water, sugar, salt, and butter.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Stir
until butter has melted and sugar dissolved -make sure the mixture doesn't boil.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Remove
pan from heat and whisk in flour until dough forms.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Return
mix to low heat and use spatula to fold dough and cook dough until it leaves a
film of flour on sides of pan.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Remove
dough from pan and divide into equal portions.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Spray
waffle iron with cooking spray and cook portions for 5-6 minutes, or until
golden brown.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Coat
hot waffles in cinnamon/sugar mixture while hot.<o:p></o:p></div>
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</div>
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Serve.<o:p></o:p><br />
Eat.<br />
Die of happiness.<br />
<br />
<br />
xx<br />
<br /></div>
Andiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09885171397132460393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362655367355987966.post-17435800442262945342016-02-16T00:27:00.000+10:302016-02-16T00:27:38.099+10:30afraid of love<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">I wanted to write a post about love to coincide with Valentine's Day.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Wanted to.</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">As in, kept sitting in front of my computer and staring at the screen.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Scrolling through Insta quotes and Pinterest Pins and not finding the perfect words around which I could form my thoughts.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><i>Struggling</i>.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">A very quick self-evaluation would have me admit that this is because</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">I D O N ' T D O F E E L I N G S</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">But honestly?</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">It's because I do!</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">But I never write about them here.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">I write about fluffy stuff.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Don't I?!</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">My <a href="http://startswithcupcakes.blogspot.com.au/2016/02/so-many-ships-in-harbour.html" target="_blank">last post</a> is about the complexities of modern dating in a world of situationships!</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Other topics about which I choose write, I will happily (and endlessly) discuss/debate/deliberate.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">With anybody.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">And so, it soon became apparent that I am not suffering from an absence of feelings.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">But quite the opposite.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">I have recently become incredibly aware of who is reading these words.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">My thoughts.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">My opinions.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">My feelings.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">And all of a sudden, I am suffering from writers block.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">And then I remembered this gem.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9_ywMQYVfkzFBzU6_s97DPjKFvlVUxZreQ8Rc0Ptt9vguQh09OlJ4kBU82KDJp6BmBaQsFUljpMLzvhyphenhyphenuealg-F4z36wHUNwZpGdL3DqjIYCaz1ijZrrfcNWciRQf63MCMPzX3VxvJ17R/s1600/ERICA+JONG++starts+with+cupcakes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9_ywMQYVfkzFBzU6_s97DPjKFvlVUxZreQ8Rc0Ptt9vguQh09OlJ4kBU82KDJp6BmBaQsFUljpMLzvhyphenhyphenuealg-F4z36wHUNwZpGdL3DqjIYCaz1ijZrrfcNWciRQf63MCMPzX3VxvJ17R/s400/ERICA+JONG++starts+with+cupcakes.jpg" width="363" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">As I read this quote,, I am reminded of that time I wrote about <a href="http://startswithcupcakes.blogspot.com.au/2015/06/vulnerability-is-not-weakness.html" target="_blank">vulnerability</a>.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">And that time I wrote about <a href="http://startswithcupcakes.blogspot.com.au/2015/05/the-trust-equation.html" target="_blank">trust</a>.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">So perhaps I am writing about my feelings far more often than I admit to myself.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">S H I T !</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">How did that even happen?!</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">And if that's the case, then why am I having such difficulty forming thoughts around what is arguably The Most Important Feeling Of Them All?</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">L O V E</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">The short answer?</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">(Also known as 'the brutally honest, shut-my-eyes-and-say-it-quick' answer)</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Because I have spent so much time (and energy) avoiding it.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">*Insert huge thank-goodness-I-finally-got-that-off-my-chest exhale here*</span></i><br />
<i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></i>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">•</span></h2>
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<div>
<h2 style="font-stretch: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; position: relative; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">•</span></h2>
</div>
<div>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<h2 style="font-stretch: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; position: relative; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">•</span></h2>
</div>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">So suddenly I am dealing with writer's block and a brand new revelation, </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">(Which ironically has come to me, only as I write...)</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">I think it's best if I allow someone else to reveal my feelings on my behalf...</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdozLWZOQWjDIy8fdME0eGxghq_fbaYRgaHuK3ze5E1XmjOdGXYuz-VjPvPuO86x2RNO4et9iZCIcbonTA5Pr-JgNRmTEtQmNzcPIIQruMyVvmb_2rdIh7zLjOMAUsF_9xu3xiuI8LCpXn/s1600/terrified+of+love++STARTS+WITH+CUPCAKES.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA-IgxZhAxQG9gb4p7_XvD6wBBiFoNAEBLaj15CDUrWaBhV5xPht8caXSM5tvhTC_pDvfpkbZnQzVcNY3UR9cZdGAm3PRg8umULcAx03ISIUNf9ICOxpSY6CyoUDO2iKMZnQUpSwVEg4bI/s1600/terrified+of+love++STARTS+WITH+CUPCAKES.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="628" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA-IgxZhAxQG9gb4p7_XvD6wBBiFoNAEBLaj15CDUrWaBhV5xPht8caXSM5tvhTC_pDvfpkbZnQzVcNY3UR9cZdGAm3PRg8umULcAx03ISIUNf9ICOxpSY6CyoUDO2iKMZnQUpSwVEg4bI/s640/terrified+of+love++STARTS+WITH+CUPCAKES.jpg" width="640" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Yup. Terrified of love. Right here. Me.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">But now I'm publicly declaring that is all about to change.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Why?</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Well let's all take a minute to remember <a href="http://startswithcupcakes.blogspot.com.au/2016/01/f-e-r-l-e-s-s.html" target="_blank">my word and focus for the next 12 months</a>*...</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">And then break it down nice and simple :</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA2da7oFUD3g_5p9J5Aqk3l7v01rI7Q1MblaBfTM-9rMGKGvqu_PZ_2HZ2I2jKTacmprkONK8xJLCqj_oIJJSo1a9xX7tgTP-3PMHKKVOZlS1DauOi2kl8G9d82dtsJL0dsURd_EA-n7Jm/s1600/love-greater-than-fear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA2da7oFUD3g_5p9J5Aqk3l7v01rI7Q1MblaBfTM-9rMGKGvqu_PZ_2HZ2I2jKTacmprkONK8xJLCqj_oIJJSo1a9xX7tgTP-3PMHKKVOZlS1DauOi2kl8G9d82dtsJL0dsURd_EA-n7Jm/s320/love-greater-than-fear.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">And if there's one way a person should love - </span><br />
<b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">It is fearlessly.</span></b><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">xx</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">*Bonus points to those who remembered what it was.</span></div>
Andiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09885171397132460393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362655367355987966.post-30281444161810177102016-02-11T21:31:00.006+10:302016-02-11T21:39:01.565+10:30so many ships in the harbour<div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">Once upon a time, before mobile phones became a miniature computer with the means to keep you ultra-connected to anyone at anytime... Dating was (apparently) very simple.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">Boy meets girl; </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">Boy likes girl; </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">Boy asks girl out on a date </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">(Classic Combo: Dinner and a movie).</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><br /></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #666666;">Insert montage of super romantic activities like wine tasting and mini-golf*.</span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-size: x-small;">(NB. Super Romantic Montage does not involve Boy sending Girl endless text messages (and snapchats and tagging her in endless memes on Facebook or Instagram) but rarely actually interacting with her face to face.. Except for random appearances on her door step well after a 'reasonable hour' and slipping back out under the cover of darkness right before dawn.)</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">Or so I've heard...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHpOe6cha3wxpwaEJtV9QMDIWceTNlBsFLLt0vgqERb5sU-Ltq36vtTsNJ0gESYx6pHQhRvVnh61yn2rhbHgmqhUZgU-oiSHVZIa32VPNoVofdq2eVxN7jzouFO5jryD6c3T3jkiGIsGRi/s1600/situationships.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #666666;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHpOe6cha3wxpwaEJtV9QMDIWceTNlBsFLLt0vgqERb5sU-Ltq36vtTsNJ0gESYx6pHQhRvVnh61yn2rhbHgmqhUZgU-oiSHVZIa32VPNoVofdq2eVxN7jzouFO5jryD6c3T3jkiGIsGRi/s400/situationships.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">This probably the most accurate thing I have read all year.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">"Situationships?!" I hear you ask.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">Yes. They're a thing.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCmatWDGAFEhQo2ukRNgk8ktqAm-LgrxMjavh6xQ-4m6awbm157-g-qGgJoEuLTt6bc9Ub6HniymmdKmbbHnOgfJR3mb4K2wlkhh34WXWZT9MLU40QObglMRla0ny2bzv9IWibj9ZmS5eZ/s1600/should+be+jumping+to+date+you.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #666666;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCmatWDGAFEhQo2ukRNgk8ktqAm-LgrxMjavh6xQ-4m6awbm157-g-qGgJoEuLTt6bc9Ub6HniymmdKmbbHnOgfJR3mb4K2wlkhh34WXWZT9MLU40QObglMRla0ny2bzv9IWibj9ZmS5eZ/s400/should+be+jumping+to+date+you.gif" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">Relationships, Situationships, Textationships...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTYfgFWjvb6h_poEeLfVfR2uEnHluKMyf9ygF7Lh_FtukfUuMh6uVQPLkCyQHwoaGxNWpoHZBUAHwdFPrX3jSo9WaRTHxxPqBUkwWsAuMB5cxlnPkLYLPTp73esyDJxo8y1FGWsE2fk2PS/s1600/it+is+what+it+is.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #666666;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTYfgFWjvb6h_poEeLfVfR2uEnHluKMyf9ygF7Lh_FtukfUuMh6uVQPLkCyQHwoaGxNWpoHZBUAHwdFPrX3jSo9WaRTHxxPqBUkwWsAuMB5cxlnPkLYLPTp73esyDJxo8y1FGWsE2fk2PS/s400/it+is+what+it+is.gif" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">Present day dating requires you to learn a whole new lexicon*.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzRUtpTjEcWVOnqQhsm5wQm3XUWCpSpfMHqNMoVdGlzuyTF4XTfkAXLDBP3Fx7U0_W5VmDISDuqc3eC3B2hqXvb0nrLvS8lo74lNwWGCTBAn9Ol9cSkc1y0YXyvVrPIsYBvL1M8-BBymlC/s1600/it+cant+be+a+thing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #666666;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzRUtpTjEcWVOnqQhsm5wQm3XUWCpSpfMHqNMoVdGlzuyTF4XTfkAXLDBP3Fx7U0_W5VmDISDuqc3eC3B2hqXvb0nrLvS8lo74lNwWGCTBAn9Ol9cSkc1y0YXyvVrPIsYBvL1M8-BBymlC/s400/it+cant+be+a+thing.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">Allow the girls from <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0489598/" target="_blank">The Hills</a> and I to educate you.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2wpJ3sIdQOZrxzZDp-_E88KGagR1j22MKnKCI3N0rDd5Z7eJDy_dz9B1gyrb1S1i-wkXuYZ9eUz_vbBlK8RVJuLMQz0bB4pZ515mK-ax4ZfzjozwOckpEZmBzODvl1isRmhQOh37Qam4Z/s1600/what+i+want.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #666666;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2wpJ3sIdQOZrxzZDp-_E88KGagR1j22MKnKCI3N0rDd5Z7eJDy_dz9B1gyrb1S1i-wkXuYZ9eUz_vbBlK8RVJuLMQz0bB4pZ515mK-ax4ZfzjozwOckpEZmBzODvl1isRmhQOh37Qam4Z/s400/what+i+want.gif" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: #666666;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #666666;">Let's start with the basics...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS13yUv1I-X79Tkz8bTvxadTS57vCUfn67rf8YpQhsp-2-hB7HQtWIPBk0oNZIWEVn77aysSiZ4b7B07cJohvdu566mDz1m47X55qWQo8y6mipmBYyieZhxw6qMzjhZTbO9U29ei5H6w0T/s1600/sometimes+theyre+just+not+good+for+you.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #666666;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS13yUv1I-X79Tkz8bTvxadTS57vCUfn67rf8YpQhsp-2-hB7HQtWIPBk0oNZIWEVn77aysSiZ4b7B07cJohvdu566mDz1m47X55qWQo8y6mipmBYyieZhxw6qMzjhZTbO9U29ei5H6w0T/s400/sometimes+theyre+just+not+good+for+you.gif" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">F R I E N D S H I P</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">A state of mutual trust and support.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;">A promise to help someone no matter the circumstances, subsequently proven by actions.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKIbJwc-m9nonUa-ij_Tr2NKsOSs6Kf8UmAh9w-MHHuqOSqo_o86uDP6gxr_E2JD97FTaaWLXNfo8XmU3bS2BYFlxBsGb8Sz4ZvPEELkS8fysYcIOW9NAHadz5JfR8NlChq3lvp9IJJwKs/s1600/friends.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #666666;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKIbJwc-m9nonUa-ij_Tr2NKsOSs6Kf8UmAh9w-MHHuqOSqo_o86uDP6gxr_E2JD97FTaaWLXNfo8XmU3bS2BYFlxBsGb8Sz4ZvPEELkS8fysYcIOW9NAHadz5JfR8NlChq3lvp9IJJwKs/s400/friends.gif" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">R E L A T I O N S H I P<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">Any type of connection that brings two individuals together for a period of time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">Something other than a friends with benefits.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">More than a mutual understanding!!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvQbNJd8XrMAktV_gR9Gwl5knwYLoxY8soOkawAsd0rN9qpGIK3XrKVrYtgbztEPFiaEkvnmbOemAvDlYJg3LiSyWHBW8MIla7yQEJ2rnWn4pNKzzk0NWV8ckJCfwE3atu-AX5-2q6PFv2/s1600/be+proud+of+them.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #666666;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvQbNJd8XrMAktV_gR9Gwl5knwYLoxY8soOkawAsd0rN9qpGIK3XrKVrYtgbztEPFiaEkvnmbOemAvDlYJg3LiSyWHBW8MIla7yQEJ2rnWn4pNKzzk0NWV8ckJCfwE3atu-AX5-2q6PFv2/s400/be+proud+of+them.gif" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">S I T U A T I O N S H I P</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">A situationship is kinda like a relationship, but more of a situation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">Friends with benefits are in a situationship.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: #666666;">People that are a 'thing' are in a situationship.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2bBqbBR92eQD8NSLv3IWHGUmMdyIpBW1JiLQv1zr8TNcnZ7jh3hk7vET4FPKdmCd9dmpf0zPvb6PWGSB1pF7Cv-PIh1De8ZFR-IiktyP6pomWiALGwXMUnz0ngoEDfg-aA9Fxd7eRv6T1/s1600/hurting+myself.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #666666;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2bBqbBR92eQD8NSLv3IWHGUmMdyIpBW1JiLQv1zr8TNcnZ7jh3hk7vET4FPKdmCd9dmpf0zPvb6PWGSB1pF7Cv-PIh1De8ZFR-IiktyP6pomWiALGwXMUnz0ngoEDfg-aA9Fxd7eRv6T1/s400/hurting+myself.gif" width="400" /></span></a><br />
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<span style="color: #666666;">T E X T A T I O N S H I P<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">A friendly, romantic, sexual or intimate relationship, either brief or long-term, between two people whereby text messaging is utilized as the primary form of communication.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">A relationship bound strictly to text messages with the absence of an actual physical connection, including but not limited to dates, sex, etc.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;">One may use pictures, Facebook, or sexts, but it is strictly a screen-based relationship.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSgAVkVmZWrpGVb-6Utpdptj4zijo3CyiiKvnEWCutbQ0xCj8Bph06Thor13SgliafN0BSxxF7GMwYPBPc2T5SWp3iMnxUBDl3BfRtYNgg-i6uvzaq5Iol1sJnGnd3OijoCFEM2voWeUvu/s1600/waiting+around.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #666666;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSgAVkVmZWrpGVb-6Utpdptj4zijo3CyiiKvnEWCutbQ0xCj8Bph06Thor13SgliafN0BSxxF7GMwYPBPc2T5SWp3iMnxUBDl3BfRtYNgg-i6uvzaq5Iol1sJnGnd3OijoCFEM2voWeUvu/s400/waiting+around.gif" width="400" /></span></a><br />
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<span style="color: #666666;">E - F L I R T I N G</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">When someone is great at online communication<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">(such as sending flirtatious emails and text messages)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">but never actually gets the courage to hang out with you in person.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">A way to pretend you are in a relationship with someone without actually seeing them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">Sure... It seems innocent enough...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij2Jh4J0Oho7_Nk6M5FLFzO-thLOuOD06j5bH0GtdQaOq6b-EmQOPk0knW02r2oA2ggIh00IyLwhyHZ2AAG7MEtza_V_iJcYSuDfflmkXdQCgYhW9abGpO-MWC590CQ6nyvoYaAIoml0wd/s1600/he+has+a+girlfriend.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #666666;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij2Jh4J0Oho7_Nk6M5FLFzO-thLOuOD06j5bH0GtdQaOq6b-EmQOPk0knW02r2oA2ggIh00IyLwhyHZ2AAG7MEtza_V_iJcYSuDfflmkXdQCgYhW9abGpO-MWC590CQ6nyvoYaAIoml0wd/s400/he+has+a+girlfriend.gif" width="400" /></span></a><br />
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<span style="color: #666666;">G A M E P L A Y E R</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;">A person that plays games, like mind games with others</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUhk_W4cN-seTx_WjSQ3XusuIU10tnAlijGHEeVQQ5vcT0lKaam_DtRJS9VnWNMrkiImu7NO8l19KvkC15yhrGlyE0cdO1ICrc6gc7AhbYAeVHs_Wp6p41uvZOB_3FWc0GrehcZggZeAmZ/s1600/bad+guys+part+2.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #666666;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUhk_W4cN-seTx_WjSQ3XusuIU10tnAlijGHEeVQQ5vcT0lKaam_DtRJS9VnWNMrkiImu7NO8l19KvkC15yhrGlyE0cdO1ICrc6gc7AhbYAeVHs_Wp6p41uvZOB_3FWc0GrehcZggZeAmZ/s400/bad+guys+part+2.gif" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">C O N F U S I O N</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">Uncertainty about what is happening, intended or required.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">The state of being bewildered or unclear in one's mind about something.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMqpVIeT-1T8JP7EJ_JH2LQ3O94YkQI7wzR9tYxqWNrecsw4ueRtusBkcKEe09Q6aib-XSeIKgAsuaahwvvyfrAmrIqxTMwuD7PeJlEtfR3_NCiJbgQSCiwypp2lvrbHT0KKpDJO1Ynetf/s1600/that+was+a+mistake.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #666666;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMqpVIeT-1T8JP7EJ_JH2LQ3O94YkQI7wzR9tYxqWNrecsw4ueRtusBkcKEe09Q6aib-XSeIKgAsuaahwvvyfrAmrIqxTMwuD7PeJlEtfR3_NCiJbgQSCiwypp2lvrbHT0KKpDJO1Ynetf/s400/that+was+a+mistake.gif" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">G H O S T I N G</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;">The act of suddenly ceasing all communication with someone with whom you are in a 'ship' (friendship, relationship, situationship).</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;">This is done in the hopes that the ghostee will just 'get the hint' and leave the subject alone, as opposed to the subject simply telling them he/she is no longer interested.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd8Ckd0wvk0IYWR3_7DVIT0fFzYZWeahtuw002MDJ1Yro_L7gBx3_jzukwStPOvA87G6jbzj6Gl_NqVlWrNdSjoDWlfppplIZjji701fI7pBrOdXTLQux-Bk-eebYLXLCNg4KLQt2oHwgu/s1600/SLOW+FADE.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #666666;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd8Ckd0wvk0IYWR3_7DVIT0fFzYZWeahtuw002MDJ1Yro_L7gBx3_jzukwStPOvA87G6jbzj6Gl_NqVlWrNdSjoDWlfppplIZjji701fI7pBrOdXTLQux-Bk-eebYLXLCNg4KLQt2oHwgu/s400/SLOW+FADE.gif" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">S L O W F A D E</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">Unlike ghosting, the slow fade is a more gradual way of cutting off communication with someone. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">The slow fade is when you begin to respond/interact less and less until you stop talking altogether.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR5BtwNq-xV-Zll8YSO8oHG5r_j97v0JWBeurwpX0Q7YmbwWIJ-O2JxXiBFcw3VoNj-ubhiRvP79c1aAqEDENnuNXQQEmbaMbWgYQjTbuPyVWeCh9yuhgWbPYCbauvd-j2JOG5SOZ4twWX/s1600/he+just+doesnt+care.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #666666;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR5BtwNq-xV-Zll8YSO8oHG5r_j97v0JWBeurwpX0Q7YmbwWIJ-O2JxXiBFcw3VoNj-ubhiRvP79c1aAqEDENnuNXQQEmbaMbWgYQjTbuPyVWeCh9yuhgWbPYCbauvd-j2JOG5SOZ4twWX/s400/he+just+doesnt+care.gif" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">J E R K</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;">An obnoxious, arrogant, self-centered male who women can't seem to get enough of.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghPf9bbN8VEUmoP_yWehPU5cUAtpzr1mUJFttS6yqpsBToZDI1kFGyP3wQEq-AAv0WYQjMRAMX7V4cSb4hztvOpxPN2DWUmjtczZMu-fNQdZZMDcFAmdGoqwoJSXOlxol0pF4yoykzvlHW/s1600/i+dont+know.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #666666;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghPf9bbN8VEUmoP_yWehPU5cUAtpzr1mUJFttS6yqpsBToZDI1kFGyP3wQEq-AAv0WYQjMRAMX7V4cSb4hztvOpxPN2DWUmjtczZMu-fNQdZZMDcFAmdGoqwoJSXOlxol0pF4yoykzvlHW/s400/i+dont+know.gif" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">S I L L Y G I R L</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">When a person of the female gender, behaves in a silly manner.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3U7l4q55Vk8HelUVyDGJEOVYUqRlcBBFf6w_gNhtkIGUBfoyThyr2-d6zHvAnFXiE6vlXL0G4jJYCTwV4YIGxt6qxAb-w8YjOmVxwobJrB98X5OHlTqvpMv2MH7S9d1NxSMhFBsSUQqaS/s1600/theres+a+guy.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #666666;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3U7l4q55Vk8HelUVyDGJEOVYUqRlcBBFf6w_gNhtkIGUBfoyThyr2-d6zHvAnFXiE6vlXL0G4jJYCTwV4YIGxt6qxAb-w8YjOmVxwobJrB98X5OHlTqvpMv2MH7S9d1NxSMhFBsSUQqaS/s400/theres+a+guy.gif" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">A F</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;">AF stands for “as fuck.”</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;">But it is commonly used to describe someone who is super single.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;">So, someone is “single AF.”</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwfRF-TdlkFZ3fNKquNqQ0_e9pjSXWqplq5h2iqhRNCcZ1zcsZXaSjTnuurUq1j54tNaky4XSgtT3j0N6QwnZtYWe6QJqWikvdisodqu-3F85xNuv1EEumJ5YMPEVywjw6UbcUtzNWx_uf/s1600/no+love+life.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #666666;"><img border="0" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwfRF-TdlkFZ3fNKquNqQ0_e9pjSXWqplq5h2iqhRNCcZ1zcsZXaSjTnuurUq1j54tNaky4XSgtT3j0N6QwnZtYWe6QJqWikvdisodqu-3F85xNuv1EEumJ5YMPEVywjw6UbcUtzNWx_uf/s400/no+love+life.gif" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">L O V E</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">A strong feeling of affection.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">The act of caring and giving to someone else.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">Having someone's best interest and wellbeing as a priority in your life.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">Either a horrible disease or a blessing.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPKH9lOLsSOF0z2wPl43kTWH4JFxb5T5M1U_LbudcqIjPs9Ezece_VNo0jverWg0Osnamu1PxpsqSFqodBGMiC-bUSScZ7O8i8rtUUp9dX6Anh7zEULD9zi6p5Ye7RuA5VSnKZ-EN2iM2M/s1600/LOVE+IS+STUPID.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #666666;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPKH9lOLsSOF0z2wPl43kTWH4JFxb5T5M1U_LbudcqIjPs9Ezece_VNo0jverWg0Osnamu1PxpsqSFqodBGMiC-bUSScZ7O8i8rtUUp9dX6Anh7zEULD9zi6p5Ye7RuA5VSnKZ-EN2iM2M/s400/LOVE+IS+STUPID.gif" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">A D V I C E</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;">Guidance or recommendations offered with regard to prudent action,</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;">Usually offered by concerned friends and family,</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;">Often ignored or disregarded.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjtYXt3fRWpd-zj5wwn1LApuX_ueat-IioHshWBDokJUEHZeilPnUOX7HMPIxU0I3CIjYS_RIXlhtcsIy1nqBkclwh19GqnLU_rmQ8F2_D9jTocxTLgl8JqksdXvItut2EzkFuKHeBxpqT/s1600/you+deserve+someone+who+makes+you+happy.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #666666;"><img border="0" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjtYXt3fRWpd-zj5wwn1LApuX_ueat-IioHshWBDokJUEHZeilPnUOX7HMPIxU0I3CIjYS_RIXlhtcsIy1nqBkclwh19GqnLU_rmQ8F2_D9jTocxTLgl8JqksdXvItut2EzkFuKHeBxpqT/s400/you+deserve+someone+who+makes+you+happy.gif" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">xx</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-size: x-small;"><i>*Definitions adapted from <a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/" target="_blank">Urban Dictionary</a></i></span></div>
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Andiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09885171397132460393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362655367355987966.post-44841239358861049962016-02-03T14:37:00.005+10:302016-02-03T14:38:16.736+10:30covered in freckles<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
A half eaten packet of freckles;<br />
and a craving for something sweet to dunk in my peppermint tea.<br />
<br />
That's all it took to inspire my latest batch of cookies.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirR8XKnyKdYFfFAnUjjH36mSnNhS2mJL1aStchGX-dZ9emKJRSfzIImiMdUGJDEdBUnwRsX_uyefkgr3vRgxv9g5Tp9wqu54guveQDQ1dlFtCTDmuT8_ljoq-Tl0pnjSXCc1EgwwZ3lr0M/s1600/freckles+cookies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="display: inline; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="covered in freckles>> STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirR8XKnyKdYFfFAnUjjH36mSnNhS2mJL1aStchGX-dZ9emKJRSfzIImiMdUGJDEdBUnwRsX_uyefkgr3vRgxv9g5Tp9wqu54guveQDQ1dlFtCTDmuT8_ljoq-Tl0pnjSXCc1EgwwZ3lr0M/s640/freckles+cookies.jpg" title="covered in freckles>> STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg96rz4ylhXBsRKZcJctbABN-xGaprfPQ3nbZXygmORM5wp_ftgLQTAtqUeZquOMUdSJytZrHEelL8IHO2pRRvQOFba9yepU1G9-cvVTLuaeCjRxiyVOUzwPVSkNKQYiEGOG9V8Ilnk6SYD/s1600/freckles+cookies+STARTS+WITH+CUPCAKES.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirR8XKnyKdYFfFAnUjjH36mSnNhS2mJL1aStchGX-dZ9emKJRSfzIImiMdUGJDEdBUnwRsX_uyefkgr3vRgxv9g5Tp9wqu54guveQDQ1dlFtCTDmuT8_ljoq-Tl0pnjSXCc1EgwwZ3lr0M/s1600/freckles+cookies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirR8XKnyKdYFfFAnUjjH36mSnNhS2mJL1aStchGX-dZ9emKJRSfzIImiMdUGJDEdBUnwRsX_uyefkgr3vRgxv9g5Tp9wqu54guveQDQ1dlFtCTDmuT8_ljoq-Tl0pnjSXCc1EgwwZ3lr0M/s1600/freckles+cookies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirR8XKnyKdYFfFAnUjjH36mSnNhS2mJL1aStchGX-dZ9emKJRSfzIImiMdUGJDEdBUnwRsX_uyefkgr3vRgxv9g5Tp9wqu54guveQDQ1dlFtCTDmuT8_ljoq-Tl0pnjSXCc1EgwwZ3lr0M/s1600/freckles+cookies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirR8XKnyKdYFfFAnUjjH36mSnNhS2mJL1aStchGX-dZ9emKJRSfzIImiMdUGJDEdBUnwRsX_uyefkgr3vRgxv9g5Tp9wqu54guveQDQ1dlFtCTDmuT8_ljoq-Tl0pnjSXCc1EgwwZ3lr0M/s1600/freckles+cookies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirR8XKnyKdYFfFAnUjjH36mSnNhS2mJL1aStchGX-dZ9emKJRSfzIImiMdUGJDEdBUnwRsX_uyefkgr3vRgxv9g5Tp9wqu54guveQDQ1dlFtCTDmuT8_ljoq-Tl0pnjSXCc1EgwwZ3lr0M/s1600/freckles+cookies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirR8XKnyKdYFfFAnUjjH36mSnNhS2mJL1aStchGX-dZ9emKJRSfzIImiMdUGJDEdBUnwRsX_uyefkgr3vRgxv9g5Tp9wqu54guveQDQ1dlFtCTDmuT8_ljoq-Tl0pnjSXCc1EgwwZ3lr0M/s1600/freckles+cookies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg96rz4ylhXBsRKZcJctbABN-xGaprfPQ3nbZXygmORM5wp_ftgLQTAtqUeZquOMUdSJytZrHEelL8IHO2pRRvQOFba9yepU1G9-cvVTLuaeCjRxiyVOUzwPVSkNKQYiEGOG9V8Ilnk6SYD/s1600/freckles+cookies+STARTS+WITH+CUPCAKES.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg96rz4ylhXBsRKZcJctbABN-xGaprfPQ3nbZXygmORM5wp_ftgLQTAtqUeZquOMUdSJytZrHEelL8IHO2pRRvQOFba9yepU1G9-cvVTLuaeCjRxiyVOUzwPVSkNKQYiEGOG9V8Ilnk6SYD/s1600/freckles+cookies+STARTS+WITH+CUPCAKES.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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F R E C K L E S C O O K I E S</div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
200g butter, softened<br />
1 cup caster sugar<br />
1 egg</div>
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1 teaspoon vanilla essence</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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2 1/4 cups plain flour<o:p></o:p></div>
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1 teaspoon baking powder<o:p></o:p></div>
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Chocolate freckles<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Preheat oven to 180C and line baking trays with baking
paper.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Place butter and sugar into a bowl and beat until pale and
creamy. Add egg and vanilla and beat well.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Sift in flour and baking powder and mix to form a dough. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Roll dough into balls and place onto baking tray. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Lightly flatten, then press a chocolate freckle into top of
each. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Bake 10-12 min or until lightly golden <o:p></o:p></div>
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Set aside on wire racks to cool.<br />
Store in an airtight
container.<o:p></o:p><br />
Or eat them all... Whatever.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg96rz4ylhXBsRKZcJctbABN-xGaprfPQ3nbZXygmORM5wp_ftgLQTAtqUeZquOMUdSJytZrHEelL8IHO2pRRvQOFba9yepU1G9-cvVTLuaeCjRxiyVOUzwPVSkNKQYiEGOG9V8Ilnk6SYD/s1600/freckles+cookies+STARTS+WITH+CUPCAKES.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg96rz4ylhXBsRKZcJctbABN-xGaprfPQ3nbZXygmORM5wp_ftgLQTAtqUeZquOMUdSJytZrHEelL8IHO2pRRvQOFba9yepU1G9-cvVTLuaeCjRxiyVOUzwPVSkNKQYiEGOG9V8Ilnk6SYD/s1600/freckles+cookies+STARTS+WITH+CUPCAKES.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="covered in freckles>> STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg96rz4ylhXBsRKZcJctbABN-xGaprfPQ3nbZXygmORM5wp_ftgLQTAtqUeZquOMUdSJytZrHEelL8IHO2pRRvQOFba9yepU1G9-cvVTLuaeCjRxiyVOUzwPVSkNKQYiEGOG9V8Ilnk6SYD/s640/freckles+cookies+STARTS+WITH+CUPCAKES.jpg" title="covered in freckles>> STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" width="640" /></a></div>
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xx</div>
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Andiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09885171397132460393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362655367355987966.post-92218767531864780142016-01-28T13:12:00.002+10:302016-02-03T18:04:42.962+10:30f e a r l e s s<div style="text-align: center;">
Hello, my name is Andie</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
and I am Queen of the What Ifs.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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You know - </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
"Yeah... we could do that but <b><i>what if...</i></b>?"</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I mean, I'm not running around town like Chicken Little </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(ie. screaming "<i>The sky is falling! The sky is falling!</i>")</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
But I am pretty thorough in evaluating all potential outcomes of a scenario, </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
particularly the ones that could end in catastrophe.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I'm the girl who likes to have a Plan A and a Plan B.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Also a Plan C, D, E... </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Well.. You get the picture.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
And so it is with great intrigue that upon choosing my word for 2016,</div>
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I started to see examples of it everywhere.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I hadn't even announced it to anyone yet.</div>
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<br /></div>
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But over the past few weeks, several people, in a variety of conversations about a range of topics have stopped me in my What If tracks and asked</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
A N D I E , W H A T ' S T H E W O R S T </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
T H A T C A N H A P P E N ?</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Answers to this question have varied depending on the scale of risk involved;</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
but the consensus is something like </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
"<i>I might look silly, but I'll get over it</i>"</div>
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or </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
"<i>It doesn't work out... so then I move on</i>".</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I must admit -</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
even the worse case scenarios tend to be far over-shadowed by the excitement of potential of success.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
And so, following on from my Word of the Year in 2015 - <a href="http://startswithcupcakes.blogspot.com.au/2015/01/b-l-n-c-e.html" target="_blank">Balance</a> - </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I am excited to unveil my word for 2016...</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQpCHhmR-eUzKdStvMXkoKn2ed4vHeoLOkPQGqhHJqKoAOvDjwzK1j-sE2E9YJQLHg50yj5Rc1mQLzdN0esFnv0Q3d9xQ4Vyv4BW9CyITzUddOHVtOQnr20_pDfJllMsbgQthf3f8q30kz/s1600/fearless.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="FEARLESS >> STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQpCHhmR-eUzKdStvMXkoKn2ed4vHeoLOkPQGqhHJqKoAOvDjwzK1j-sE2E9YJQLHg50yj5Rc1mQLzdN0esFnv0Q3d9xQ4Vyv4BW9CyITzUddOHVtOQnr20_pDfJllMsbgQthf3f8q30kz/s640/fearless.jpg" title="FEARLESS >> STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<br />
Yesterday, at the end of my Hot Yoga class, the teacher spoke to us about... yup, you guessed it ... </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
FEAR.</div>
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Specifically her recent fears related to meeting with someone she had matched with on Tinder.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Let's all take a moment to appreciate that despite their calming voices and ultra-flexible bodies, </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Yoga Teachers are real humans too.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
What struck me about her story,</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(in addition to an ego-driven "See? Perky blonde yoga teachers struggle to find decent men too")</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
was that fear is relative.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
We all have different fears.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
These fears are the result of our own stories.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
The stories we tell ourselves are not real.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_G0srEskvS4jh57wv-x4XydILSRq6WM70vPA4hunrThsblI0yMTRHUmJ8IAaABQgEcJJHlfWpgUcgmLSx5FnYsvOxeotqxat1rYrVu-J1S-qPpUmeoyZu40doo27WTVtTO9eRqSImSGPk/s1600/fear+is+a+choice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="FEAR IS NOT REAL >> STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_G0srEskvS4jh57wv-x4XydILSRq6WM70vPA4hunrThsblI0yMTRHUmJ8IAaABQgEcJJHlfWpgUcgmLSx5FnYsvOxeotqxat1rYrVu-J1S-qPpUmeoyZu40doo27WTVtTO9eRqSImSGPk/s640/fear+is+a+choice.jpg" title="FEAR IS NOT REAL >> STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
So this year I am making a conscious effort to ditch the What If's.</div>
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<br /></div>
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This year is about being fearless.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQbF2WspN2HwxxKCAPMZnWHfZIxyPW-oqGY5Ks4AyCPa53CDJud6WCdEurqUS_GC6Ds58obAOSX2Ft22xJ1uwtKYbhA5-GQlafRZ94hpdwvtPPPBE8TY7YTaWeQqfb6xKz-unOAgEPKz6p/s1600/fear+is+a+liar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="FEAR IS A LIAR >> STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" border="0" height="510" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQbF2WspN2HwxxKCAPMZnWHfZIxyPW-oqGY5Ks4AyCPa53CDJud6WCdEurqUS_GC6Ds58obAOSX2Ft22xJ1uwtKYbhA5-GQlafRZ94hpdwvtPPPBE8TY7YTaWeQqfb6xKz-unOAgEPKz6p/s640/fear+is+a+liar.jpg" title="FEAR IS A LIAR >> STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" width="640" /></a></div>
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xx</div>
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Andiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09885171397132460393noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362655367355987966.post-9120235179513823572016-01-20T20:52:00.001+10:302016-01-20T20:54:08.554+10:30what happens to me if i fail your test?<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><b>Connection</b> [noun]</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">a relationship in which a
person or thing is linked or associated with something else.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><b>Attraction</b> [noun]</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">the action or power of
evoking interest in or liking for someone or something.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">a quality or feature that
evokes interest, liking, or desire.</span><br />
<b style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></b>
<b style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Trust</b><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"> [noun]</span><br />
<div align="center" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">firm belief
in the reliability, truth, or ability of someone or something.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><b> </b><b>Love</b> [noun]</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">a strong feeling of affection.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Being able to identify and experience these emotions is what makes us innately human...</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">.</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">.</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">.</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Isn't it??</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Do yourself a favour this weekend;</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Pour a glass of wine, cook some popcorn and settle in for a movie night.</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">The movie?</span></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0470752/" target="_blank">E X M A C H I N A</a></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz_nf6iyx6yeuYBs-3dmgXqOPBw8NUFeNOCubHNQTZn3BDkewQYb3a-KedPAEVyHio8b9efQxavjKCJ1WjWR7XjuFv8yaSf46BpCAMuOQM2KGMX9GWVfLDQjdSp8BOCPQ7FWb_tr0VBwMi/s1600/ex+machina+-+STARTS+WITH+CUPCAKES.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><img alt="EX MACHINA >> starts with cupcakes" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz_nf6iyx6yeuYBs-3dmgXqOPBw8NUFeNOCubHNQTZn3BDkewQYb3a-KedPAEVyHio8b9efQxavjKCJ1WjWR7XjuFv8yaSf46BpCAMuOQM2KGMX9GWVfLDQjdSp8BOCPQ7FWb_tr0VBwMi/s400/ex+machina+-+STARTS+WITH+CUPCAKES.jpg" title="EX MACHINA >> starts with cupcakes" width="269" /></span></a></div>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I'd never heard of it when I watched it and I'm thankful I had no expectations.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I don't want to say too much...</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Even though I talked about it to anyone who would listen for <i>days</i>.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Hands down - One of the best movies I have seen in a long time.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And now I've learnt that it's up for a whole bunch of awards.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<b style="line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Critics Choice Awards</span></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Best Original Screenplay</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Best Visual Effects</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Best Sci-Fi/Horror Movie - WINNER</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><b>Oscar Nominations</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background: white; line-height: 115%;">Best Writing, Screenplay
Written Directly for the Screen</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background: white; line-height: 115%;">Best Achievement in
Visual Effects</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background: white; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><b>Golden Globe Nominations</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background: white; line-height: 115%;">Best Performance by an
Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture</span> - <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2539953?ref_=ttawd_awd_3"><span style="background: white; line-height: 115%; text-decoration: none;">Alicia
Vikander</span></a><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span><span style="background: white; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And when you've seen it - Let me know so we can chat.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">xx</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz_nf6iyx6yeuYBs-3dmgXqOPBw8NUFeNOCubHNQTZn3BDkewQYb3a-KedPAEVyHio8b9efQxavjKCJ1WjWR7XjuFv8yaSf46BpCAMuOQM2KGMX9GWVfLDQjdSp8BOCPQ7FWb_tr0VBwMi/s1600/ex+machina+-+STARTS+WITH+CUPCAKES.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"></span></a></div>
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Andiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09885171397132460393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362655367355987966.post-28581852753291289342016-01-17T21:22:00.002+10:302016-01-17T21:22:51.299+10:30dear universe<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Things people have said to me in the past week that I refuse to believe :</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>"<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 17.94px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;">Living it and dreaming it is different"</span></i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: inherit; line-height: 17.94px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;">- The response to my confession that I am a dreamer with big ideas and lofty aspirations.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 17.94px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 17.94px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 17.94px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>"You've had too many holidays in the past few months"</i></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 17.94px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;">- Someone who I have promptly eliminated from my life.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 17.94px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 17.94px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: inherit; line-height: 17.94px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>"It is what it is. There's nothing we can do about it."</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 17.94px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;">- A colleague</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 17.94px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"> on going to work in a corporate office environment and clock watching from 9 til 5 Monday to Friday and working for the weekend.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 17.94px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<br />
- - -<br />
<br />
<br />
I've long believed there is more to life than the daily grind of the corporate hampster wheel,<br />
so in the spirit of the New Year and inspired by books, emails and certain individuals,<br />
I am openly proclaiming to the universe that this is the year that I start to manifest my dreams.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 17.94px; text-align: left; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhabyZAEL3lCU9nulPD_xggFJ2c0Y_lXh19INTvDXMJSjmmIWpUHPLJAAMEUjtbOcv7EnDe8psWSmhGA91RTQJyIO-LY3Vh5cyho-JF_ntcAovTUF9iAgsjHxjoc0nTqPFfDbxuTIieA9VT/s1600/everything+i+want.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="dear universe >> STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhabyZAEL3lCU9nulPD_xggFJ2c0Y_lXh19INTvDXMJSjmmIWpUHPLJAAMEUjtbOcv7EnDe8psWSmhGA91RTQJyIO-LY3Vh5cyho-JF_ntcAovTUF9iAgsjHxjoc0nTqPFfDbxuTIieA9VT/s400/everything+i+want.jpg" title="dear universe >> STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" width="356" /></a></span></div>
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D I D Y O U K N O W ?</div>
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<br /></div>
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It is estimated that 98 out of 100 persons who are dissatisfied with their world do not have a clear picture in their minds of the world they <i>would </i>like for themselves?</div>
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<br /></div>
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People drift aimlessly through life, dissatisfied, struggling against a great many things, but without a clear-cut goal.</div>
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So, Dear Universe, as the sun sets on another weekend; </div>
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And I prepare for my second week back at work in 2016, </div>
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Please hear me when I say that I no longer want to feel trapped by my reality.</div>
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<br /></div>
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And this little blog, which currently provides me with an escape, is the catalyst to this change.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRtqVvwCNpckS7IcttgloGEkHvfPxyP-zupXvoiyhcLUlPADOpSqlwY-LpZiIRClQouLv70h8PGk7zAhfJX_FyxuZ6yUwPTfhehpiPur8N5W7qxWzvl6SoExyreJ44-uqT5GfrOedCmMPn/s1600/dear+universe+STARTS+WITH+CUPCAKES.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRtqVvwCNpckS7IcttgloGEkHvfPxyP-zupXvoiyhcLUlPADOpSqlwY-LpZiIRClQouLv70h8PGk7zAhfJX_FyxuZ6yUwPTfhehpiPur8N5W7qxWzvl6SoExyreJ44-uqT5GfrOedCmMPn/s640/dear+universe+STARTS+WITH+CUPCAKES.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
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The ability to blog when and wherever I want has made me look around at so many inspirational women who are successfully achieving their dreams.</div>
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<br /></div>
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So here's to taking baby steps toward achieving my dreams.</div>
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<br /></div>
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And toward the growth of this little blog in the next 12 months and beyond.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Because there's no such thing as travelling too much or being 'stuck' in a job, life or situation.</div>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRtqVvwCNpckS7IcttgloGEkHvfPxyP-zupXvoiyhcLUlPADOpSqlwY-LpZiIRClQouLv70h8PGk7zAhfJX_FyxuZ6yUwPTfhehpiPur8N5W7qxWzvl6SoExyreJ44-uqT5GfrOedCmMPn/s1600/dear+universe+STARTS+WITH+CUPCAKES.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></a></div>
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<br />
xx<br />
<br /></div>
Andiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09885171397132460393noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362655367355987966.post-13215659618910432622016-01-05T16:46:00.001+10:302016-01-05T16:46:58.326+10:302016<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL9tW4rMVvTGQ-Ga3u35xWEQcUyp-mSnWRGuwIejA5mwpplj6zHM6Ci5yEV0yXT53Qs63c6wclEQ2STc7uOZX42FadP7B9PBPfZhnUFy46iD6bLdXGH6NNSYNWx0I-jkVLmZCz7Bp_4qpV/s1600/happy+new+year+..+STARTS+WITH+CUPCAKES.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL9tW4rMVvTGQ-Ga3u35xWEQcUyp-mSnWRGuwIejA5mwpplj6zHM6Ci5yEV0yXT53Qs63c6wclEQ2STc7uOZX42FadP7B9PBPfZhnUFy46iD6bLdXGH6NNSYNWx0I-jkVLmZCz7Bp_4qpV/s400/happy+new+year+..+STARTS+WITH+CUPCAKES.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Can you believe it's been a year since I wrote<a href="http://startswithcupcakes.blogspot.com.au/2015/01/b-l-n-c-e.html" target="_blank"> these words</a>?!</div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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<i>*Insert cliched commentary about how 2015 was literally over in the blink of an eye; etc; etc.*</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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Actually, upon reflection 2015 was probably </div>
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M Y F A V O U R I T E Y E A R E V E R</div>
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<br /></div>
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I'll be the first to admit that I have the memory of a goldfish..</div>
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So it is at the end of the year (or beginning of a new one, as the case may be),</div>
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that I am thankful for this little corner of cyberspace,</div>
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where I come to write my thoughts and download my memories or moments.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Lucky I do.. </div>
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Because it means I will never forget some of stuff that has shaped me; </div>
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helped me grow;</div>
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and made a better person etc etc.. </div>
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in the past 12 months.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Like the time;</div>
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<a href="http://startswithcupcakes.blogspot.com.au/2015/08/that-time-i-made-wedding-cake.html" target="_blank">I made a Wedding Cake </a></div>
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<a href="http://startswithcupcakes.blogspot.com.au/2015/01/ten-simple-rules.html" target="_blank">I went on a date.. that made me never want to date again</a></div>
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<a href="http://startswithcupcakes.blogspot.com.au/2015/02/the-power-of-expectations.html" target="_blank">I realised I am an optimist</a></div>
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<a href="http://startswithcupcakes.blogspot.com.au/2015/03/the-saddest-word-in-whole-wide-world.html" target="_blank">An 'almost' broke my heart</a></div>
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<a href="http://startswithcupcakes.blogspot.com.au/2015/03/the-secret-life-of-emmy.html" target="_blank">Miss Emmy started an Insta account</a></div>
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(and has since surpassed me in her number of followers...)</div>
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<a href="http://startswithcupcakes.blogspot.com.au/2015/04/i-support-selfie_22.html" target="_blank">I jumped on the #selfie bandwagon</a></div>
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<a href="http://startswithcupcakes.blogspot.com.au/2015/04/dating-dealbreakers-brought-to-you-by.html" target="_blank">I played Tinder</a></div>
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<a href="http://startswithcupcakes.blogspot.com.au/2015/06/best-cheesecake-ever.html" target="_blank">I made a cheesecake with 1 KILO of cheese</a></div>
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<a href="http://startswithcupcakes.blogspot.com.au/2015/07/man-vs-gentleman.html" target="_blank">I wrote this post just so I could google Hot Guys</a></div>
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<a href="http://startswithcupcakes.blogspot.com.au/2015/05/the-trust-equation.html" target="_blank">I sounded smart. Because math.</a></div>
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<a href="http://startswithcupcakes.blogspot.com.au/2015/07/nice-girl-seeks-adventurer.html" target="_blank">I discovered the meaning of life. In a beer ad.</a></div>
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<a href="http://startswithcupcakes.blogspot.com.au/2015/08/lets-talk-about-rbf.html" target="_blank">I justified my Resting Bitch Face</a></div>
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<a href="http://startswithcupcakes.blogspot.com.au/2015/12/goodbye-20s.html" target="_blank">I turned 30. And didn't have a breakdown</a></div>
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So T H A N K Y O U 2015.</div>
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And here's to 2016...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKcjeQ0xD-3C2GgsnHr5iT_FIui6lpyx1fB0cUvII8vKCqv-w7gARw1ME3FGCn5V9aXFzNW-n0OnHGDhMa1gAtvNqtOWN3w88GQc3cZVFWchbOn2S2hV0-yccnSlDSW9A_z8sNZgn3r8Rm/s1600/new+year+new+decisions+..+STARTS+WITH+CUPCAKES.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKcjeQ0xD-3C2GgsnHr5iT_FIui6lpyx1fB0cUvII8vKCqv-w7gARw1ME3FGCn5V9aXFzNW-n0OnHGDhMa1gAtvNqtOWN3w88GQc3cZVFWchbOn2S2hV0-yccnSlDSW9A_z8sNZgn3r8Rm/s320/new+year+new+decisions+..+STARTS+WITH+CUPCAKES.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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xx</div>
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Andiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09885171397132460393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362655367355987966.post-13861781859605090592015-12-24T10:40:00.000+10:302015-12-24T10:40:09.003+10:30christmas is a time for cake<div style="text-align: center;">
It's Christmas Eve!!!</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
How did that even happen?</div>
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I am completely unprepared for Christmas this year...</div>
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Presents? Haven't bought any..</div>
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Baking? Umm.. Sorry family, but I've got nothing for you this year...</div>
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I do however, have something I prepared earlier for you, lovely readers :)</div>
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A C A N D Y C A N E C A K E</div>
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(Proudly brought to you by 2014 Andie who was obviously far more festive and prepared...)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiKw6V1S1XCbn4YLp8Q9AjE-uiQvBPsczVRzRJi5uWPWUMAXJ_1WrvQKhuNbnkGBb_C_27_mUL6jnuJNNYLBsB-SuOfyF2YWPFFog8NKcgp1CA0s8hg50w-8nOCS4vMBnjqOkw8e4l_0A7/s1600/CANDY+CANE+CAKE+-+STARTS+WITH+CUPCAKES.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="candy cane cake >> STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiKw6V1S1XCbn4YLp8Q9AjE-uiQvBPsczVRzRJi5uWPWUMAXJ_1WrvQKhuNbnkGBb_C_27_mUL6jnuJNNYLBsB-SuOfyF2YWPFFog8NKcgp1CA0s8hg50w-8nOCS4vMBnjqOkw8e4l_0A7/s640/CANDY+CANE+CAKE+-+STARTS+WITH+CUPCAKES.jpg" title="candy cane cake >> STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.49px; line-height: 21.735px;">220g butter</span></div>
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220g dark chocolate, chopped</div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.49px; line-height: 21.735px;">125g self-raising flour</span></div>
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125g plain flour</div>
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50g unsweetened cocoa powder</div>
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1/2 tsp bicarb soda</div>
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480g caster sugar</div>
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4 eggs</div>
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7 tsps vegetable oil</div>
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100ml buttermilk.</div>
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Preheat your oven to 160C.</div>
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Melt the butter and chocolate in a saucepan with 160ml of water</div>
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Sift the flours, cocoa and bicarb soda into a large bowl</div>
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Stir in the sugar</div>
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Add combined egg, oil and buttermilk</div>
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Then stir in the chocolate mixture until completely combined</div>
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Pour mixture into greased cake tin and pop into the oven</div>
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Bake for 1 hour 40 minutes</div>
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Frost with cream cheese frosting, flavoured with a little peppermint essence;</div>
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Sprinkle with crushed candy canes;</div>
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and poke a few in the top for decoration.</div>
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M E R R Y C H R I S T M A S !</div>
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xx</div>
Andiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09885171397132460393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362655367355987966.post-3778348272979944762015-12-01T13:08:00.000+10:302015-12-01T14:31:30.506+10:30goodbye 20's<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Social media is flooded today with everyone making a big deal about it being the First of December.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Obviously, this is newsworthy because it's The First Day of Summer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">But for me it marks the end of <a href="http://startswithcupcakes.blogspot.com.au/2015/11/birthday-month-2015.html" target="_blank">Birthday Month</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Let's all take a moment of silence and let that sink in.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">B I R T H D A Y M O N T H I S O F F I C I A L L Y O V E R</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Oh.. And yes - So are my 20's.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">F U C K </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAPwyoEOog4r-idnQAzm7KDOhseWkO8P_urVkT-RS6BvmwFmRWKdwCCrNLdJaOVfF3IjZdWJ2P_6IlTRO-6vYEeNWcszHZn5p2HyaVwalWfXMORXL6Roogv9JzZioRG6qK1Sg-Wazt_819/s1600/adult.+STARTS+WITH+CUPCAKES.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="goodbye 20's >> STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAPwyoEOog4r-idnQAzm7KDOhseWkO8P_urVkT-RS6BvmwFmRWKdwCCrNLdJaOVfF3IjZdWJ2P_6IlTRO-6vYEeNWcszHZn5p2HyaVwalWfXMORXL6Roogv9JzZioRG6qK1Sg-Wazt_819/s400/adult.+STARTS+WITH+CUPCAKES.jpg" title="goodbye 20's >> STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Birthday month consisted of a carefully orchestrated series of events to ensure I didn't lock myself in my house, and eat my feelings in darkness, whilst wallowing in self pity and questioning every single decision I have made in my life up until this point.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I have had the most incredible month celebrating life with my favourite people.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">aka Birthday Month was a HUGE SUCCESS.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Laying poolside with a cocktail in my hand and the Balinese sun on my body, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I took a moment (just one...) to reflect on the last ten years.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This pretty much sums it up - </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0EJb4LFB5iTHPqCbGQ10HKSJcD3S6fsVFGAucHJMZsN0T36pGBe3xTSPHs2KzF1sbRQA5twvh4rfyZ_ZfTJpseA71rMjdXzAlvWCC0NGZiLneYT77PmbNPqmSQu44O81AnZ6jKJVMt1MC/s1600/20s+summary.+STARTS+WITH+CUPCAKES.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="goodbye 20's >> STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0EJb4LFB5iTHPqCbGQ10HKSJcD3S6fsVFGAucHJMZsN0T36pGBe3xTSPHs2KzF1sbRQA5twvh4rfyZ_ZfTJpseA71rMjdXzAlvWCC0NGZiLneYT77PmbNPqmSQu44O81AnZ6jKJVMt1MC/s400/20s+summary.+STARTS+WITH+CUPCAKES.jpg" title="goodbye 20's >> STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">So, without too much emotion (hopefully...) here's a quick list of </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">T H I N G S I L E A R N T I N M Y 2 0 ' S</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit;">• It is impossible to find happiness by doing things just because everyone else is.</span></div>
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•<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"> Nothing superficial has the power to fill the void of unhappiness. Binge eating and manic shopping sprees are the emotional equivalent of putting a bandaid on a gunshot wound.</span></div>
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<span data-reactid=".1.1.0.0.2.1.0.0.1" style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 18px;">• It takes two to tango. But only one person to leave the dance floor.</span></span></div>
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<span data-reactid=".1.1.0.0.2.1.0.0.1" style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span data-reactid=".1.1.0.0.2.1.0.0.1" style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">• There is no cure for the Travel Bug.</span></div>
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</span><span data-reactid=".1.1.0.0.2.1.0.0.1" style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit;">• Family is everything. Get to know your parents. Like, </span><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><i>really </i></span><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit;">know who they are as a person, rather than just as 'Mum' or 'Dad'. Sit with them and share a bottle of wine. I guarantee you will learn something new about them every.single.time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit;">• You can make fairly accurate assumptions about a person based on their shoes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit;">• Having goals and ambition is imperative. Fear of failure is a waste of time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit;">• Negative self talk is an epidemic. Everyone has insecurities. There is not enough emphasis or energy put towards positive thinking or support of others.</span></div>
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• Moving house is a pain in the ass... Unless you consider it as an 'adventure' rather than a 'chore'.</div>
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<span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 18px;">• Ignorance is not bliss.</span><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 18px;"> It is important to have an opinion. About music. Current events. Icecream flavours.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 18px;">• It is equally as important to be willing to consider others opinions. I am not opposed to judging them later.. but only after listening to their justifications and considering their perspective. </span></div>
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• White linen in your home creates a feeling of opulence akin to a 5-star hotel.</div>
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• It is Murphy's Law that when you have booked a 5-star hotel, you will be out all night and never actually sleep in the bed or enjoy any of the luxurious facilities; but when you have 'settled' for a lower standard of accommodation, you will spend more time in the hotel than you anticipated.</div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 18px;">• Everybody has a story. Some people may never share it with you and that's their </span><span style="line-height: 18px;">prerogative</span><span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 18px;">. Sharing your story with others is also optional.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 18px;">• A self-preservation and/or self-development routine is imperative. Money well-spent on YOU is an investment. Facials. Gym memberships (if that's what you're into). Life coaching. Education. You are worthy of your own affection.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 18px;">• Being in someone's wedding is not a contractually binding agreement that you will remain in their lives (even if it is your own....)</span></div>
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• Some of the most disastrous events/situations will make for a great story in a few minutes/days/months/years. Time heals all wounds. Eventually.<br />
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• Nobody else knows what they are doing either.</div>
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<span style="font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">• Never say Never. Yes - I just quoted Justin Bieber. Watch this space for a new post all about my not-so-secret crush on this guy...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">xx</span></div>
Andiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09885171397132460393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362655367355987966.post-77003060459653152092015-11-12T06:36:00.001+10:302015-11-12T06:38:14.683+10:30please don't leave me a voicemail...<div style="text-align: center;">
I have a problem with voicemail.<br />
And more specifically - people who leave voicemail messages.<br />
<br />
But before we go any further, you might want to brace yourselves...<br />
Because this is what I would describe is a Truth Bomb Post;<br />
aka Harsh But Fair.<br />
<br />
* * *<br />
<br />
To The People Who Call My Phone and Find It Necessary To Talk To The Robot Lady Who Is Responsible For My Voice Mail,<br />
<br />
(Her name is Samantha.)<br />
<br />
My phone is always near me.<br />
<br />
Like, rarely arms length away from me.<br />
<br />
So if I don't answer -<br />
It's because I literally can't right now;<br />
or (much more likely) I DON'T WANT TO.<br />
<br />
<br />
I sat down and wrote a list of all the times it is appropriate for you to leave a voice message -<br />
<br />
1. NEVER^<br />
<br />
<br />
If you are calling me, it means that you know me.<br />
Which means I know you.<br />
And you have my number.<br />
So it's fair to assume that I have yours.<br />
Stored right there in my contacts list.<br />
So... When you call me (with the magic that is Mobile Phone Technology) your name comes up my screen.<br />
<br />
If we're good friends - well... You should know me better than this by now... and I may start to question our friendship - and a photo I have carefully selected and assigned to your profile will also dominate my screen (interrupting my highly-likely Insta-scrolling) until you stop calling.<br />
Which means if I don't answer, and by some miracle my phone wasn't visible to me in that exact moment -<br />
My oh-so-smart phone notifies me of your missed call automatically.<br />
<br />
If I don't answer your phone call -<br />
P L E A S E S E N D M E A T E X T<br />
<br />
I promise, I will read your text and respond IMMEDIATELY*.<br />
<br />
But that little notification that tells me I have a voicemail?<br />
Well... I can ignore that FOR DAYS.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPDc0TDNgO1_UvdUqF6Pxff-Css25j_Uwx1k8h2DGyjuHEhhhIsr0owzPwKfPFawo5X3k_NJrhwhyphenhyphenqXqrRbdfzHLsEP-7udZwj3IXzKvsKByWYCQQ1ES3uiWZWPZ93de72THFBGNJ8H-VT/s1600/checking-voicemail-meme.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><img alt="I don't always check my voicemail... >> STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPDc0TDNgO1_UvdUqF6Pxff-Css25j_Uwx1k8h2DGyjuHEhhhIsr0owzPwKfPFawo5X3k_NJrhwhyphenhyphenqXqrRbdfzHLsEP-7udZwj3IXzKvsKByWYCQQ1ES3uiWZWPZ93de72THFBGNJ8H-VT/s400/checking-voicemail-meme.jpg" title="please don't leave me a voicemail message >> STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" width="312" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Let's have a look at that in a pie chart...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQNnd1Q2fW2jrJZuZuIqaFSHGuzK1EX-cxjSsPCoSHAd5MM903Sw0KVbufOzRVM5l6IWVto1sQ7Wb6AAJAN_W1YTbH3i_v7Om61vw0D9tyG6rBZqAc6gmt_CjpyMsEWs5TGf5uCz9UbIh2/s1600/voicemail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><img alt="reasons I check my voicemail >> STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQNnd1Q2fW2jrJZuZuIqaFSHGuzK1EX-cxjSsPCoSHAd5MM903Sw0KVbufOzRVM5l6IWVto1sQ7Wb6AAJAN_W1YTbH3i_v7Om61vw0D9tyG6rBZqAc6gmt_CjpyMsEWs5TGf5uCz9UbIh2/s400/voicemail.jpg" title="please don't leave me a voicemail message >> STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In summary - If I don't answer my phone, I am either dead or busy.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Don't bother Samantha^.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Send me a text. Summarise the reason why you're calling.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Seriously.....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">"Hi! It's meeee... Call me back!"</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i>
That's annoying.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Yup... Russell Brand know's where I'm coming from -</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTfxPy2fwevqdOa3s8VC0WH8Idp5V6Bm9tQI86tkKJs3tnsNPJAyYn_xI7e7GeOsqZ53xJs0Zl7mrhHSIWa3qV7NtKhRN8OxQQdt8AAHQ6iO5AZZdGHWQNDVxSQv6V-U5wwqcGUZ_O27qh/s1600/russell+brand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><img alt="russell brand voicemail >> STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" border="0" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTfxPy2fwevqdOa3s8VC0WH8Idp5V6Bm9tQI86tkKJs3tnsNPJAyYn_xI7e7GeOsqZ53xJs0Zl7mrhHSIWa3qV7NtKhRN8OxQQdt8AAHQ6iO5AZZdGHWQNDVxSQv6V-U5wwqcGUZ_O27qh/s640/russell+brand.jpg" title="please don't leave me a voicemail message >> STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">xx</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">^Unless you sing to me. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-small;">I'm totally OK with you calling to serenade Samantha and I.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-small;">It's lovely.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-small;">We appreciate it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-small;">☺</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-small;">*Immediately.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-small;">Or maybe, like, in a few hours.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-small;">Definitely immediately if it's urgent though.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-small;">Promise. xx</span></div>
Andiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09885171397132460393noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362655367355987966.post-60520479666477718702015-11-06T10:48:00.000+10:302015-11-06T10:48:22.845+10:30paparazzi of our own lives<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Earlier this week, a teenage girl whose name I no longer remember, got her 15 minutes of fame in mainstream media for admitting that everything she posted on social media to gain likes and followers was not a true reflection of her real life.</div>
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Apparently she feels like a fraud, and wants to call bullshit on the online charade.</div>
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This is the kind of 'news' that I would like to label -</div>
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A S T O R M I N A T E A C U P</div>
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Not because I don't agree with her new desire to empower young girls to live authentically;</div>
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Or because I don't applaud her new decision to use her position of power to speak truthfully to her followers;</div>
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Or because I, like several others, can't help but question if this was a clever marketing ploy to further her 'brand'.</div>
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But because it feels like we've just discovered that magazine editors use photoshop to enhance their images.</div>
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Or that reality shows like The Bachelor, Masterchef, (and dare I suggest it) Keeping Up With The Kardashians, employ an entourage of behind-the-scenes producers and editors to manufacture events and carefully manipulate situations to illicit more drama.</div>
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<i>*gasp*</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWjx2VbURpR6iKeACCIoOCsKHMtQEoCmMd8tY37HV4k-40US93MS8rwEXbK7RolO4_GK1P6yDND9Q-h5EF8r3dlYYZ_yUhVr2LScNwWVKRXdpZZEJc3iQwWJykYwca9enpNrp8FeTmDiNQ/s1600/paparazzi+of+our+lives.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWjx2VbURpR6iKeACCIoOCsKHMtQEoCmMd8tY37HV4k-40US93MS8rwEXbK7RolO4_GK1P6yDND9Q-h5EF8r3dlYYZ_yUhVr2LScNwWVKRXdpZZEJc3iQwWJykYwca9enpNrp8FeTmDiNQ/s400/paparazzi+of+our+lives.jpg" width="337" /></a></div>
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Social media posts are edited versions of reality.</div>
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That's a fact.</div>
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Photos posted by most #fitspiration accounts are no more candid than a carefully planned Lorna Jane photoshoot with strategic product placement and clever styling.</div>
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That's why we follow them.</div>
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It's why posts with hashtags like #inspiration; #foodporn; and #homedecor are in the millions.<br />
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Surely you too have taken countless near-identical shots before choosing 'the one' to post;<br />
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Added a valencia filter;</div>
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Or artfully cropped the image to showcase the best element?!<br />
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You won't find many terrible photos on my Facebook or Instagram accounts; </div>
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And likewise, you won't find any framed and hung on the walls in my house.</div>
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Nobody wants to see my bedroom floor covered with the entire contents of my wardrobe because I couldn't find anything to wear to work 3 days in a row..</div>
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Or the state of my kitchen mid-baking, with dishes piled in the sink and the remnants of an icing sugar explosion across my bench top.</div>
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I publicly display the good stuff - ON and OFF line.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiENUc0T2iWC8HwEadxflnrNAVRSkD3-koYt0QQaUPAihHZsQIUq_yvajeOs9CALUz7ICtncCCY2LGn-4PqzGZR8B-xEefgXKWRDfzFTpAoOytD48_nlPHMA_uBr95aSsliJrxmPy80VEs/s1600/in+my+home.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="paparazzi of our lives >> STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiENUc0T2iWC8HwEadxflnrNAVRSkD3-koYt0QQaUPAihHZsQIUq_yvajeOs9CALUz7ICtncCCY2LGn-4PqzGZR8B-xEefgXKWRDfzFTpAoOytD48_nlPHMA_uBr95aSsliJrxmPy80VEs/s1600/in+my+home.jpg" title="paparazzi of our lives >> STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" /></a></div>
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xx</div>
Andiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09885171397132460393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362655367355987966.post-1352361157491043562015-11-01T21:02:00.002+10:302015-11-01T21:02:59.682+10:30birthday month 2015<div style="text-align: center;">
Happy 1st of November!</div>
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Or as I like to call it -</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTe7RpOWW99dOS93-2gEOa26U7yGMtvTcV2BMzHGoogD25Kgho76myV7xigNas8q7pHy1L9-IU2Mc0Hf2dbcX0i-6bpTyfSduVHnNyZDeC7Aij5LE-36uuy29Y4Y5UExi5dJZ4DSJyKgtU/s1600/birthday+month+.+STARTS+WITH+CUPCAKES.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="birthday month >> STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTe7RpOWW99dOS93-2gEOa26U7yGMtvTcV2BMzHGoogD25Kgho76myV7xigNas8q7pHy1L9-IU2Mc0Hf2dbcX0i-6bpTyfSduVHnNyZDeC7Aij5LE-36uuy29Y4Y5UExi5dJZ4DSJyKgtU/s640/birthday+month+.+STARTS+WITH+CUPCAKES.jpg" title="birthday month >> STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" width="640" /></a></div>
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Rather than look back, and recap my life, as I have done in the past...</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(<a href="http://startswithcupcakes.blogspot.com.au/2011/11/birthday-month.html" target="_blank">here</a>, <a href="http://startswithcupcakes.blogspot.com.au/2011/11/my-week-in-photos-birthday-week.html" target="_blank">here</a>, <a href="http://startswithcupcakes.blogspot.com.au/2013/11/birthday-month-has-arrived.html" target="_blank">here</a>, <a href="http://startswithcupcakes.blogspot.com.au/2013/11/my-day-of-cake.html" target="_blank">here</a>. Interestingly I didn't bother with a post last year...)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I'm taking a different approach to Birthday Month today.<br />
<br />
I ' M L O O K I N G F O R W A R D<br />
<br />
Perhaps I'm somehow inspired by a terrible quote I heard recently,<br />
which had something to do with looking back giving you nothing but a sore neck...</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Maybe it's because I've got lots of exciting things on the horizon?</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Or maybe I am <i>finally </i>getting wiser in my old age?!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
This month I will say goodbye to my 20's; </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
(<i><b>EEK!</b></i>)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
And I have sooo many things for which to be grateful,<br />
<br />
I'm not worried about 'The Big 3-0' at all.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
xx<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Andiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09885171397132460393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362655367355987966.post-41605696934991828562015-10-28T21:46:00.002+10:302015-10-28T23:39:28.085+10:30putting the FUN in funfetti<div class="left" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #6c6e70; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px 0px 30px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; clear: left; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 13px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 15pt;">It's been a while
since I turned on my oven to bake.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="right" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #6c6e70; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div class="instructions" itemprop="recipeInstructions" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div style="border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-source: initial; border-image-width: initial; border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-top: 8px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">(Unless you count
last weekend when I 'baked' then demolished a packet of frozen curly
fries....?! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Which were pretty
awesome, but don't technically fall into the official 'baking' category...)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Yeah... so it's been
a while.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But as I prepare to
dust off the cake tins and create a dinosaur birthday cake for
my favourite mini human and (self-appointed) God-Son, I realised I never posted
the recipe for the cake I baked his Mama <i>months </i>ago for <i>her </i>special day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So (through the magic of the blogesphere)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here's a little
somethin' I prepared earlier....<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">T H E F U N F
E T T I C A K E<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">(For one of my
favourite adult humans - xx)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKj2ivdX0RoYcane9r3Q52yTpFgaLZFpBAMdjzBZLdoRNiK4aRRur8pleUw-DZW2sks7zXKP1Zg62KZZDjgpejZJjNMi28aU1zEs0zCm6TYInFg9lzKDb_ealiRFapSSMH1imqzA7Ax_xL/s1600/funfetti+cake.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="putting the FUN in funfetti >> STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKj2ivdX0RoYcane9r3Q52yTpFgaLZFpBAMdjzBZLdoRNiK4aRRur8pleUw-DZW2sks7zXKP1Zg62KZZDjgpejZJjNMi28aU1zEs0zCm6TYInFg9lzKDb_ealiRFapSSMH1imqzA7Ax_xL/s640/funfetti+cake.JPG" title="putting the FUN in funfetti >> STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" width="633" /></a></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">T H E C A K E </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1 and 2/3 cup plain flour<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1/2 teaspoon baking powder<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1/4 teaspoon baking soda<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1/2 teaspoon salt<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3/4 cup granulated sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1/4 cup packed light brown sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1 large egg<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1/4 cup greek yogurt <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3/4 cup milk <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1 Tablespoon vanilla extract<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2/3 cup sprinkles<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Preheat oven to 180C degrees. Spray cake tin generously with
nonstick spray. Set aside.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking
soda, and salt. Set aside. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt butter in the
microwave. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Whisk in the sugars vigorously getting out any brown sugar
lumps - mixture will be gritty. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Whisk in egg, yogurt, milk, and vanilla extract until
combined. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Slowly mix in dry ingredients until no lumps remain. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Batter will be thick. Slowly stir in sprinkles, but do not
overmix because the sprinkles will bleed their colour.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Pour batter into prepared cake tin. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Bake for approx. 35 minutes. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Allow to cool.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXhUt52kIvXbe76vMZWItQrHfLjIdlWrjDv8Kp7m8eNmRFYB7mQd6ucxcyP-Co2w4cGMohmidV15REL5jxgZWxxugtyOy0iYi9FfIFiDFpfbZN8G6lMSSGnl064Lo6SaUl16JDByao4uf7/s1600/funfetti+cake+batter.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img alt="putting the FUN in funfetti >> STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXhUt52kIvXbe76vMZWItQrHfLjIdlWrjDv8Kp7m8eNmRFYB7mQd6ucxcyP-Co2w4cGMohmidV15REL5jxgZWxxugtyOy0iYi9FfIFiDFpfbZN8G6lMSSGnl064Lo6SaUl16JDByao4uf7/s640/funfetti+cake+batter.JPG" title="putting the FUN in funfetti >> STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" width="635" /></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">T H E I C I N G : </span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">W H I T E C H O C O L A T E B U T T E R C R E A M</span></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">300g unsalted butter, softened at room temperature<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1 tsp vanilla extract<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">750g icing sugar<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">150g white chocolate,
melted<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Cream the
butter, vanilla and icing sugar together in a bowl until light and fluffy. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Stir
in the melted chocolate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Cake stays fresh covered at room temperature or in the
refrigerator for 5 days.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXhUt52kIvXbe76vMZWItQrHfLjIdlWrjDv8Kp7m8eNmRFYB7mQd6ucxcyP-Co2w4cGMohmidV15REL5jxgZWxxugtyOy0iYi9FfIFiDFpfbZN8G6lMSSGnl064Lo6SaUl16JDByao4uf7/s1600/funfetti+cake+batter.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">H O T T I P</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This cake was dense.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Best served warm.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">With icecream.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">For breakfast.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">(because why not?!)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">xx</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Andiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09885171397132460393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362655367355987966.post-91925960375746052892015-10-26T19:00:00.002+10:302015-10-28T22:38:03.268+10:30burnt<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I went to the movies yesterday.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">A lazy Sunday afternoon reclined in a Gold Class lounge chair with a glass of bubbles was a rare indulgence.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The movie?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">B U R N T</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiziXIw7RtKQnez-7yY6sFWLf7YfVSIPsXl2KtM-QtRZHDKdy2BbHfvhjGmGcmvfesbCkttLlJOmHZ1xEowIjx0Y5Af5zhJwc6vraOi-fLt4xbMdGia2m9NsrDuXcWXk7o1K7BGWc6TiJAF/s1600/burnt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="burnt > STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiziXIw7RtKQnez-7yY6sFWLf7YfVSIPsXl2KtM-QtRZHDKdy2BbHfvhjGmGcmvfesbCkttLlJOmHZ1xEowIjx0Y5Af5zhJwc6vraOi-fLt4xbMdGia2m9NsrDuXcWXk7o1K7BGWc6TiJAF/s640/burnt.jpg" title="burnt with Bradley Cooper > STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here's a list of reasons you should go see this movie :</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1. Bradley Cooper</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2. Bradley Cooper</span><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikQp8iuiz4LTVbMLDDu7zGV_NF4SWmQ3N7qrmwJTyEZrVPbuTupa4zdwgAX44Qru4VUq6u4dY3Jzyum7sev-c2grntGHKxjphDsnIjTkgrIhBg6bp4Dxx2dF_OHBQnBTJRS-hoUCB-SGQJ/s1600/bradley+cooper+quote.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="burnt with Bradley Cooper > STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikQp8iuiz4LTVbMLDDu7zGV_NF4SWmQ3N7qrmwJTyEZrVPbuTupa4zdwgAX44Qru4VUq6u4dY3Jzyum7sev-c2grntGHKxjphDsnIjTkgrIhBg6bp4Dxx2dF_OHBQnBTJRS-hoUCB-SGQJ/s640/bradley+cooper+quote.jpg" title="burnt with Bradley Cooper > STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Oh.. You need other reasons?! </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Well, that's unexpected.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Perhaps it would help if you knew what it was about?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">(Although I didn't before I saw it, so perhaps </span>the element of surprise <span style="font-family: inherit;">contributed to my enjoyment)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18.2px; text-align: start;">Adam Jones (</span><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0177896" style="background-color: white; color: #70579d; line-height: 18.2px; text-align: start; text-decoration: none;">Bradley Cooper</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18.2px; text-align: start;">) is a Chef who destroyed his career with drugs and diva behavior. He cleans up and returns to London, determined to redeem himself by spearheading a top restaurant that can gain three Michelin stars.</span></i></span></blockquote>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It is a sneak peak behind the scenes at the kind of restaurant people like me aspire to eat in.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And the dishes created are works of art. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The very definition of the word #foodporn</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I don't know what the critics are saying about this movie;</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And I'm not </span><i>raving<span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></i><span style="font-family: inherit;">about it - </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">But I did enjoy it.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Did I mention Bradley Cooper?!</span><br />
<br />
Although, at one point, mid-film, it did occur to me that his character embodied may traits I (unintentionally) seem to find attractive in a guy -<br />
<br />
Driven, talented, narcissistic.<br />
Intelligent yet clueless.<br />
Arrogant but irresistible.<br />
<br />
<br />
(Yes - I realise this is kind of a problem........)<br />
<br />
Lucky he's so damn good looking!<br />
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsKCKYKvm-RDVKvzO-oLbKPrsNfosQ8wCV1ZBEoMjvOZaJbtw1l5GDhNQG7A9XOyiyOLfrl9V8HP-4m0OW4SdSHHDyF2IEyTq57N_dzthgr3hpLsIist3VAlPXLfwZ_hroRDj8GGW_vYHw/s1600/bradley+cooper+burnt+quote.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="burnt with Bradley Cooper > STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsKCKYKvm-RDVKvzO-oLbKPrsNfosQ8wCV1ZBEoMjvOZaJbtw1l5GDhNQG7A9XOyiyOLfrl9V8HP-4m0OW4SdSHHDyF2IEyTq57N_dzthgr3hpLsIist3VAlPXLfwZ_hroRDj8GGW_vYHw/s640/bradley+cooper+burnt+quote.jpg" title="burnt with Bradley Cooper > STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" width="386" /></a></div>
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xx</div>
<br />Andiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09885171397132460393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362655367355987966.post-60001036164292722092015-10-23T17:54:00.001+10:302016-02-24T17:14:04.306+10:30pinky promise<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">To be honest, I don't often know where they come from, but I am repeatedly guilty of adopting random phrases, pop-culture buzz words or figures of speech.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm not gonna lie - I hear myself saying them over and over and it's like a snowball down the mountain, gathering momentum and impossible to stop.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">"To be honest..."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">"I'm not gonna lie..."</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I would confidently estimate that I mean 99% of the things I say, at the time I a say them.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I am - for better, or worse - ridiculously honest. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">This essentially makes these latest additions to my vocabulary redundant.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">These phrases are </span>designed to give a person more conviction.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Which is why I am amused that they have crept into my regular every day conversations.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">There is rarely a time when I would say something I did not believe.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And that is why I consider the Pinky Promise to be a </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">B I N D I N G V E R B A L A G R E E M E N T</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVMU4EX-onndYSL8E34_-UIWSA4O8ZaEjClc0SFSPkXppVJxmUHhjiio5-XsczH00xkW3DmtEvhsTxodlVuw6KIi3OAjeizCARFAR1EoL199jj3dYz7k2Dh51wl6nve8qrk2B1othL6k1J/s1600/pinky+promise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="promise is a big word >> STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVMU4EX-onndYSL8E34_-UIWSA4O8ZaEjClc0SFSPkXppVJxmUHhjiio5-XsczH00xkW3DmtEvhsTxodlVuw6KIi3OAjeizCARFAR1EoL199jj3dYz7k2Dh51wl6nve8qrk2B1othL6k1J/s400/pinky+promise.jpg" title="promise is a big word >> STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">To pinky swear, or make a pinky promise, is the entwining of
the little fingers ("pinkies") of two people to signify that a
promise has been made.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And in my world - </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">A P I N K P R O M I S E IS U N B R E A K A B L E.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAjoiAif0FyTm3_4xwaBBFyuPH_f60SJOOmK_GaXgwdU36EJuKw79pFXOZjzxKRbfFiUVLuMAqJiqfhhl1joCvyqHZrz8vv6_FheBpbk3WGG2v3X9I5MI9Am40XAXM0diRvEbJQZZ08_rI/s1600/pinky+promise+text.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="pinky promise >> STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAjoiAif0FyTm3_4xwaBBFyuPH_f60SJOOmK_GaXgwdU36EJuKw79pFXOZjzxKRbfFiUVLuMAqJiqfhhl1joCvyqHZrz8vv6_FheBpbk3WGG2v3X9I5MI9Am40XAXM0diRvEbJQZZ08_rI/s400/pinky+promise+text.jpg" title="pinky promise >> STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">xx</span></div>
Andiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09885171397132460393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4362655367355987966.post-21995281420622934182015-10-11T19:58:00.003+10:302015-10-11T20:03:49.705+10:30the retrograde cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I've said it before; And I'll say it again - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I E A T M Y F E E L I N G S</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">and they taste</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">D E L I C I O U S !</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Fjv_ILfTL1akVUz9tFU6Yq38-SvxqkMehXGbMSt7tgxA_-VEfp5A015TJ-1sL97fZ3VCwQtGwsyqiwoe6rENMrpr_nMZIdCpAeAl33U7-9OP1ovT1FOg5M075U3otmZxmJq5IWnXUnGu/s1600/andies+kitchen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="the retrograde cake >> STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Fjv_ILfTL1akVUz9tFU6Yq38-SvxqkMehXGbMSt7tgxA_-VEfp5A015TJ-1sL97fZ3VCwQtGwsyqiwoe6rENMrpr_nMZIdCpAeAl33U7-9OP1ovT1FOg5M075U3otmZxmJq5IWnXUnGu/s640/andies+kitchen.jpg" title="the retrograde cake >> STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Hands up if you agree it's been a strange few weeks...</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Let's blame Mercury.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Apparently it's been in retrograde.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Although, even though it's not something I follow closely, </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I swear, it seems to be in retrograde an awful lot lately...</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Never fear though! It's over now.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">*<i>phew</i>*</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">But if you are still feeling a little down,</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I've got just the thing for you - </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
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</div>
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<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">F E R R E R O C A K E</span></div>
</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px;">
</span></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXSRzf4LssrFVp55expdpB_82xx1i6hGGydf3cKXWRsfMl8DIqcGhU5AoSasWE3lxUtypasIufu1quZEPunei7eJevfmw5amheSmzL9VPzqRJ9EHDnqCpTYVYU1VF8-YVppjJ4mRJkuTMe/s1600/ferrero+cake02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO_w51L16z5T18m2frswHcG0-VI9LjH8VfTuPeWCDaxDN2f3azUgJTzBQZABqiFAlvJ4i7q8rDtWa7wrdWoR8_z_uzP72QFSLTwc6a7w3Sl_h3qx2yJNb7S-279f4D4I0YHLcus-pJyzXl/s1600/ferrero+cake01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="the retrograde cake >> STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO_w51L16z5T18m2frswHcG0-VI9LjH8VfTuPeWCDaxDN2f3azUgJTzBQZABqiFAlvJ4i7q8rDtWa7wrdWoR8_z_uzP72QFSLTwc6a7w3Sl_h3qx2yJNb7S-279f4D4I0YHLcus-pJyzXl/s640/ferrero+cake01.jpg" title="the retrograde cake >> STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px;">2 cups sugar</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px;">1 3/4 cups all purpose flour</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px;">3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px;">1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px;">1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px;">1 teaspoon salt</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px;">2 eggs</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px;">1 cup milk</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px;">1/2 cup vegetable oil</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px;">2 teaspoons vanilla extract</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px;">1 cup boiling water</span></span><br />
<div style="line-height: 21px;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 21px;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Grease cake tin. Heat oven to 180 C.</span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 21px;"></span></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px;">In a large mixing bowl - stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 21px;"></span><span style="line-height: 21px;"></span></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px;">Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px;">Beat on medium speed for one minute.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 21px;"></span><span style="line-height: 21px;"></span></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px;">Stir in boiling water (the batter will be really runny).</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 21px;"></span><span style="line-height: 21px;"></span></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px;">Fill cake tin with batter.</span></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: center;"><span style="line-height: 21px;"></span><span style="line-height: 21px;"></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px;">Bake for approximately 50 minutes.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Allow to cool. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dress up with Ferrero Rochers.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXSRzf4LssrFVp55expdpB_82xx1i6hGGydf3cKXWRsfMl8DIqcGhU5AoSasWE3lxUtypasIufu1quZEPunei7eJevfmw5amheSmzL9VPzqRJ9EHDnqCpTYVYU1VF8-YVppjJ4mRJkuTMe/s1600/ferrero+cake02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img alt="the retrograde cake >> STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXSRzf4LssrFVp55expdpB_82xx1i6hGGydf3cKXWRsfMl8DIqcGhU5AoSasWE3lxUtypasIufu1quZEPunei7eJevfmw5amheSmzL9VPzqRJ9EHDnqCpTYVYU1VF8-YVppjJ4mRJkuTMe/s640/ferrero+cake02.jpg" title="the retrograde cake >> STARTS WITH CUPCAKES" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">xx</span></div>
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Andiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09885171397132460393noreply@blogger.com0