funnies

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Things I Love Thursday 13/7/2017

This past week has been a real drag.  I spent Thursday and Friday completely bombed out with a migraine.  Which meant cancelling a trip to see my boyfriend on the weekend because I still wasn’t well enough to travel.  I’m trying to look on the bright side and come up with at least a couple of things that are worth smiling for.

This week I love:

  • My cats.  When I don’t feel well, they seem to intuitively know it and they are so loving.  Miss Jelly in particular gets really maternal with me when I’m not well.  She barely leaves my side and snuggles up to me when I’m napping.  It’s really sweet and it makes me feel a tiny bit better when a migraine hits.
  • Deep heat rubbed onto the points where my shoulders join my neck and my neck meets my skull.
  • This adorable 1960’s vintage purse that I got to replace my old wallet. The design reminds me of liquorice allsorts.  It opens from each end into two completely separate pockets.  It’s so slim and streamlined and it fits so well into my handbag.
  • Pee-Wee’s Big Holiday.  This movie was surprisingly adorable and really, really funny.  It co-stars Joe Manganiello as himself, and I have the hugest crush on him, which was another reason that I chose it.
  • Super soft cotton nightshirts
  • Black bean and beetroot burgers.
  • This GIF

  • Beauties of the Night.  It’s a Netflix documentary about several former showgirls who are now in their sixties and seventies.  It was really eye-opening.  When I started to watch, I felt quite sad for these women, because I thought that they were trying to cling to their youth.  But as I watched I understood that they aren’t sad in the slightest. They are passionate, majestic, colourful and creative beings.  I loved learning their stories and felt inspired by this movie.
  • Listening to my Offspring CDs from high school.

What do you love this week?

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Things I love Thursday 25/5/2017

It’s been an awfully long time since I did a Things I Love Thursday post, and there are just so many things that are making me smile this week.  I’m ready to jump on in and share the happy!

I love:

  • Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell.  I just finished reading this book and it was excellent.  Sure, it’s in the young adult category, but that doesn’t lessen the awesomeness of this book.  In addition to being deliciously geeky, it deals with some really heavy issues like anxiety, bipolar disorder, dysfunctional families and navigating first relationships.  I truly enjoyed it.

Homemade sweet potato gnocchi with creamy mushroom sauce. #dinner #vegan #Italian #foodstagram #pastafrenzy

A post shared by Vanessa Bowen (@nessbow64) on

  • This sweet potato gnocchi I made for dinner on Sunday night.  I have made ricotta gnocchi before, but potato gnocchi just seemed too fiddly and difficult. I was so wrong.  It was much simpler than I expected and the sweet potato was a fun twist.  The sauce was also out of this world. It was the yummiest, creamiest pasta sauce I’ve made since I went vegan.  If you want to give it a try, this is the recipe I used.
  • Sharing my yoga mat with Mr Ringo, who thinks that yoga time is the perfect opportunity to steal kisses and smoosh his whiskers against my toes.
  • Celebrating my Dad’s 60th birthday with a low-key family dinner.
  • Warm socks and nightshirts.
  • Wes Anderson movie marathons
  • Watching American Pie with my long-distance love over Netflix and chatting on Skype about the horrendous plot holes and questionable fashion choices.
  • Good Mythical Morning.  This show has been one of my favourites for about a year now.  This week I watched this episode, featuring Mayim Bialik and nearly peed myself with laughter.

  • Nude lipstick.  I was always heartily bored by nude shades, but lately I’ve been drawn to them.  I found a gorgeous matte pinky nude by Lipstick Queen that I’m smitten with and I’ve been wearing it non-stop.
  • Rearranging my kitchen. I’ve switched around all my cupboards, moving the stuff I use most often into the spaces closest to the sink and countertop and lesser-used items into the far side of the room. It is so much more convenient and putting the dishes away takes a lot less time now.
  • Master of None.  This show is massively underrated.  It is funny, thought-provoking and full of heart.

  • This rad enamel pin.  I bought one for myself a few weeks ago and it finally arrived!  It has all the elements I love: it’s pink, it’s adorable, it’s sassy and it references Grease!
  • Chimichangas.  I had my first one last week and it was a revelation.  I can understand what Deadpool is so worked up about.

Took myself to the salon for a big chop. I feel like the sleekest fox in town. #hair #bob #sideshave #selfcare

A post shared by Vanessa Bowen (@nessbow64) on

  • Getting my hair cut.  I had about eight inches cut off my hair last week and it feels so much better now. I hadn’t really noticed how long my hair was getting, but I did see that it was due for a trim.  Once I was in the salon chair, I just wanted the hairdresser to keep cutting and cutting.  I love my swingy new ‘do.
  • Finally, this magnificent post called You Should Have Asked by Emma.  It so perfectly describes a phenomenon that I’ve been trying to put into words for years. It’s about the idea that in so many heterosexual households, the woman is the person who manages the house. Like, not just doing the housework, but undertaking the role of Project Manager for the entire home. And that this has a detrimental impact on mental health, self worth, relationships and family structure.  I’ve been in this situation, and it was this mental load and my partner’s refusal to take some of it off my shoulders that began to erode my longest relationship.  It’s hugely damaging and difficult to talk about, so I was exceptionally excited to find this cartoon that so wonderfully expresses these ideas.

What do you love this week?

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Things I Love Thursday 17/3/2016

Wahoo for Thursday!  I’m feeling extra positive this week because I had Monday off work.  The long weekend was lazy and restful and just what the doctor ordered.  So I’m well and truly geared up for Things I Love Thursday.

 

This week I love:

  • Colouring in my Game of Thrones colouring book. For the longest time I was too scared to make a mark in it, because the artwork is so beautiful.  But now I’m enjoying filling the pages with colour.
  • Ringo cuddles first thing in the morning.
  • Getting such a positive response to scary blog posts.  Over the past few weeks I’ve posted my first sex toy review (of the stunning Lelo Soraya) and a post about feminism and Mummy Shaming.  Both of these were tricky to publish because they were scary topics for me to write about.  I was worried that I’d offend my readers and scared you wouldn’t want to hear about sexy times.  But you did!  And that’s great, because I loved writing them and I am feeling more confident about posting more of the same in the future.

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  • Great op shop finds.   My family and I went to Violet Town for their monthly market last weekend.  I didn’t get anything at the market but I did get a few pretty things at the op shop.  Including this sweet tea tray for fifty cents.

wp_20160312_12_25_16_pro_zpsw5ow1ngmI also got two Japanese bone china mugs for fifty cents each.  They are so delicate and feel lovely to drink from.

 

  • Running around the house in my underpants. Because it’s hot and I can.
  • Celebrating the end of the heat wave.  Seriously, 39 degree days in March is bananas.
  • Getting back into more challenging yoga practices.
  • The Office
  • Pets that are stuck but pretending everything is fine.
  • The Black Cauldron.  Such an underrated Disney flick.
  • Making my own char sui pork in lettuce cups.  So flippin’ easy and so tasty and filling. I have a feeling this is going to become one of my regular weekday dinners.

What do you love this week, sweetheart?

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5 Fandom Friday: My fictional BFFs.

Seeing this prompt pop up on the list for 5 Fandom Friday caused me to let out a sigh of relief.  It showed me that I’m not the only one who imagines hanging out with fictional people. Also, I’m hopefully not the only one who laments the fact that they don’t actually exist and therefore those awesome friendships will never become a reality.

I’ve spent an awful lot of time thinking about which characters I’d most like to be best buddies with, and with some difficulty I’ve narrowed the list down to just five.

1. Leslie Knope from Parks and Recreation

I’m calling it: Leslie is hands-down the best friend on television.  She is crazy supportive of her friends, she showers them with compliments, she throws rad parties and buys the most fabulous presents.  And she’ll even let you raid her wardrobe and wear her sex pants to work.  I would be ecstatic to have the chance to kick it with Leslie over waffles and chat about Harry Potter and miniature animals.  I think we’d get along brilliantly.

2. The Doctor from Dr Who

Who wouldn’t want a friend who is a bit quirky and odd, with a fierce sense of loyalty and a deep respect for humans and their zany differences?  Now imagine that same friend owns a space ship and a time machine in one.  And is willing to take you to any place in time or space that you could name.  Fabulous, no?

 

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3. Luna Lovegood from Harry Potter

When I imagine Luna and I chilling out together, I see long hikes through the forest chatting about all manner of creatures and swapping crochet patterns.  I picture incredible sleepovers with spirited games of truth or dare and epic hair-braiding sessions.  She’s just the sweetest person and she values her friends so deeply.  I also think she’d be the perfect person to have on your side during a personal crisis.  She’d mop up your tears and offer some slightly nonsensical advice to help you feel better.

4. Romy and Michele from Romy and Michele’s High School reunion

I want to spend an afternoon with these ladies! We’d munch on gummy bears and make fun of Julia Roberts films.  And if I was exceptionally lucky, perhaps they’d let me raid their wardrobe or even give me a discount at their store.  What I wouldn’t give to have unlimited access to their outfits.  It wouldn’t matter that we were all slightly offbeat, or that none of us knows the proper lyrics to Footloose, we’d have a blast.

5. Morticia Addams.

I love girl talk, and swapping sexy secrets with my mates.  And can you imagine the tales Tish would have to tell?  She’d have the hottest stories to share, as well as wicked fashion taste and an uncommonly kind spirit.

Which fictional characters would you like to be besties with?

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Vanessa reviews: Sleepless in Seattle.

Hey dudes!  I’ve been thinking that it might be high time that I started reviewing movies again.  It’s been years since I’ve penned a proper review of a film, and I’d really like to get back into it.  A few weeks ago I watched Sleepless in Seattle for the first time.  It’s one of those classic films that I just felt I should see, and so many people have raved to me about how romantic it is.

In the wake of 50 Shades of Grey, I thought it would be worth turning the spotlight on some other supposedly romantic movies that are actually creepy as hell.  And Sleepless in Seattle definitely fits the bill.  I found this film unrealistic, unsettling and downright creepy.  I wasn’t rooting for the two main characters to get together, I wanted Tom Hanks to get the hell away from that obsessive Baltimore chick as quickly as possible.  It’s ironic that he mentions how frightened he was by Fatal Attraction when he finds himself in the clutches of a creepy stalker who would prefer to pursue an imaginary relationship with a stranger than a real one with her fiancee.

Anyway, I’ve mad a little video with my full review.  I hope you enjoy it!

Have you seen Sleepless in Seattle? Did you find it romantic or creepy?

Also, are there any other movies you’d like me to review?  I’d be happy to take requests.

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Things I Love Thursday 5/2/2015

Hey babes!  Are you ready for Things I Love Thursday? Because I sure as shit am!  Let’s do this!

This week I love:

– The relief of having everyone in your family recover from various health scares.  This week my Mum got stung by a swarm of wasps and my cat Ringo has been sick with a bladder infection.  But they are both OK and recovering well.  Thank goodness.

– The Darjeeling Limited.  I checked out this fabulous movie during the week and it was awesome.  I can’t get enough of Wes Anderson’s work at the moment.  I’m feeling a definite urge to travel across India on a train now.

– This video for changes that could make the lives of socially awkward people a million times easier.  Yes please.  All of them please.  Especially the alcohol-library combo.

 

– Solo movie dates.

 

– Coming to the realisation that I actually really like being single.  I’m not saying I don’t ever want another partner, but right now where I’m at is pretty freakin’ cool.

 

– The daily “mug shot” tradition I have going with this cool dude I’ve been chatting with, where we each send the other a picture of ourselves along with the mug we are drinking out of that day.  It’s pretty cute.

 

– Wearing slinky vintage robes and apartment stilts around the house and pretending to be a glam Hollywood starlet.

 

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-Knitting.  Oh so relaxing.

 

– Cool night breezes through my bedroom curtains.

 

– Homemade nachos.

 

– James Franco.

 

– Putting on a dress that didn’t fit before Christmas and having it zip up with no troubles.

 

-These postcards featuring the characters from Arrested Development as Cats.  Yes, really.

 

What about you, my lovely sweet hummingbird-face?  What do you love this week?

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Things I Love Thursday 29/1/2015

Holy crap!  Can you believe that 2015 is nearly one-twelfth over already!  Where did January go?

 

This week I love:

– My new job.  Seriously you guys, it’s going so well.  I feel well settled now and all the people I work with are so lovely.  I have a quiet desk and I get to do paperwork all day.  I know that sounds boring, but after years of retail and customer service based jobs, it’s an absolute dream.  I’ve been learning how to process tax returns and company statements and I’m really enjoying myself.

 

– Trips to the stationary cupboard.  I’m a stationary nerd, so getting to work with all manner of pens, highlighters, folders, dividers and labels all day is fantastic.  I get so excited when I run out of something because it means that I get to meander over to the stationary cupboard and rifle through the packs of paperclips and staples to find what I’m looking for.  Ahhhhh!

 

-Ringo’s new girlfriend!  For years I thought that Ringo was gay, because he had a long-standing affair with a black cat called Vincent when I lived in Melbourne.  But now he’s latched onto this pretty kitty.  She’s just moved in down the street, and she visits Ringo on a regular basis.  When he hears the bell on her collar tinkling, he starts purring and whips himself into the most excited state.  They love to stand at the screen door, rubbing their noses through the screen and purring at each other.  It’s so cute!

 

Miss Jelly doesn’t like her though.  She caught me patting her the other day and snobbed me for the whole afternoon.  Poor Jelly doesn’t realise that no other cat could ever replace my Calico Diva.

 

– Miso soup.  Light and delicious.

 

– Buying stacks of new movies.  The local Video Ezy store is closing down and they are selling off all of their stock for crazy low prices.  I bought twenty five DVDs and spent about $120.  That’s seriously good value!

 

– Exchanging emails with a fun gentleman who shares my love of The Wizard of Oz, British comedy and reading.  It’s been an absolute pleasure reading about his adventures everyday and swapping photographs of our Wizard of Oz fan collections.

 

– Receiving a surprise parcel from this same gentleman containing a copy of The Grand Budapest Hotel, which I’d been dying to see.  Spoiler alert: it’s awesome.

 

[img]http://i.imgur.com/UDlL6D8.jpg[/img]

-Unearthing this vintage teatowel from my grandmother’s extensive tea towel collection and noticing the gorgeous Tudor roses in the corners of the design.

 

– Planning ahead for Galentines Day.  I can’t wait to spoil all of my favourite single ladies.

 

– Friends who take huge leaps towards their own happiness.

 

– Gold nail polish.

 

– Crunchy handfuls of macadamia nuts.

 

What do you love this week?  I’d love to hear all about the things that are bringing joy to your world, so leave me a comment!