The Power of Being Friendly

So, you may have noticed that I'm not exactly blogging every day in May anymore, but alas, life is busy and this can't be helped. However, the topic of compliments from the other day got me thinking...

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A while ago I was having pre-drinks with friends before a night out. I mentioned that I was hungry and suggested pizza. Unfortunately, one of my friends was pulling a sicky from the local pizza place and since we were at his house, that turned out to not be the best idea. I was bummed since I hadn't eaten since breakfast, and was a little worried, too, since it's not often that I drink and I thought I was bound to be sick if I didn't eat something first. Well, this guy who I had just met about 5 minutes before, and who is my friend's house mate jumped to attention at the mention of my hunger.
"I'll make you some pasta!" he said.
"Oh, really?" I replied. "That would be great!"
So off he toddled to the kitchen to make me some pasta. A kind gesture, which I thought nothing of. Until...
"What are you doing?"
"Making Sunae some pasta"
"What! No you're not!" (said with shock, not nastiness, by my best friend) "Sunae gets absolutely bloody everything done for her! Has she seriously charmed you that much already?"

Now it was my turn to be shocked!
"Umm, Leeshy? I do not! He is just being nice, don't scare the poor boy!"
The nice guy came and brought me my yummy pasta and I thanked him profusely. But, later on the subject of the pasta came up again, when the friend who's house we were at gave me his long sleeve shirt to wear over my skimpy dress when I was cold.
"Who's shirt are you wearing, Sunae?"
"J-j-jamie's" I replied, biting my tongue through chattering teeth "Ouch! Bit my t-t-t-t-tongue"
Everyone laughed, and we got in the nice warm taxi. Being drunk as we were, we got honest with each other here. I called my friend out on liking a guy, Jamie called me out for pole-dancing in the night club. I caught Cam out for being an awkward dancer. Then Leeshy caught me out on once again getting something from someone for nothing (the shirt). Then we all started brain storming (or Leeshy and I did, anyway) on all the things I've gotten off people in the past.

I once got my iPhone screen fixed for free by a nice guy in the Apple shop. Without an appointment.
One drunken night out, my friend and I were given a whole bottle of Jaegermeister and a heap of Red Bulls after telling a girl that her hair was pretty. That same night I was given about 10 other free drinks off people as well.
Basically, once we started thinking about it, we realised there had been quite a few times I had been given things for free off people I had just met.
Then the next day, Leeshy bought me KFC for breakfast. Totally just drove the point home!

Anyways, I was a little baffled at the realisation of this. What do I do that makes people be so bloody nice to me? I broached the subject with Jake a few days later, after being allowed to cut in the line at the shopping centre by a lovely man who I smiled at.

"It's because you're nice, baby." he said rather matter-of-factly. "Why wouldn't people want to do nice things for you? You are the smiliest, friendliest person I know. You're always nice to people, and so people are nice back." Jake said this without the slightest hint of trying to suck up to me. He said it, and just carried on with whatever he was doing at the time, and there I was just sitting, smiling like a goofball.

This has got to be the nicest compliment I have ever received. And the best thing about it? It wasn't even said like a compliment. Just like a simple answer to a question which was troubling me way more than it should have. Sometimes we don't give ourselves enough credit for the type of people we are. I had never really thought of myself as a particularly nice person, I am just me. Complimenting people, giving them things, doing nice things for people is just in my nature, but it was nice to have someone compliment me on the way I live my day-to-day life.

Fridays Finds: The Dress That Stole My Heart

There it was, peeking a pale pink, cotton lace sleeve out from between two other gowns on the rack. 

"I like this one" I remarked, as I pulled it and it's bejewelled satin petticoat out from the rack and held it to my body. 

"Try it on!" the shop attended urged. I cringed internally for a moment - I knew this dress wouldn't be cheap, and I was already starting to become attached. "Go on, I've never seen it on before. Give us a little fashion show!" 

I gave in, and snatching other dresses from the hanger as I went, made my way to the change room. Slipping the petticoat over my head, the tiny waist of the dress caught on my breasts for a moment. Easing the heavy satin into place, I began to do the little eyelets up. Somewhere around the middle of my rib cage, the eyelets would close no more. The top and bottom few had snapped into place, but there was one stubborn one in the middle that simply would not do up! I started to panic a little. What if the dress wouldn't fit either? Well at least I wouldn't be tempted to buy it, but what if I got stuck in it? It had happened to me before, after all - but never with a dress as exquisite as this one. Taking a deep breath, I sucked in my breath and pulled the crisp cotton over my head. A cascade of fabric fell below my waist, and I gave a little twirl - it fit! Emerging from the change room, I felt like a princess. The shop attendant gasped.

"Oh, isn't it beautiful!" She exclaimed. I simply couldn't get the smile off my face. "Now darling, I hope you know it is quite expensive - I don't want you getting too attached!" It was too late. This fabulous dress, made in the traditional early 1950's style and entirely out of pale pink cotton lace, had already stole my heart!

None of the other dresses I tried on that day fit as perfectly as that first one (petticoat aside), nor were they quite as beautiful. I couldn't get my mind off the perfect shade of pink, the way it fitted my chest and waist like it was sewn especially for my body, the beautiful, full and classic skirt which fell to just below my knees. I loved it. I loved every little bit of that dress, right down to the shiny satin petticoat which I was sure I could make fit me if I just let the side seams out a little. It didn't matter anyway, really, that the petticoat didn't do up - the little patch of flesh peeking through the side was lost in all the splendour of the lace overlay.  All day I have been thinking of that dress. Dreaming up excuses to buy it and occasions to wear it on. I know there is no way I can afford it's $250 price tag, and that makes me sad. Oh, but to dream, is it ever really enough?

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Well, this week I was too broke to even op shop thanks to some clever timing on various different companies' behalves. I swear that all my service providers all got together and said "Lets all send Sunae her bills on this date! That will be fun!" No, companies, not fun! Not fun at all thank you very much!

Anyway, as you can imagine going a fortnight without shopping is not easy! So I decided that today I would go downtown and have a little look in the Coolangatta Antique Centre and the vintage clothing shop a few doors down to pass the time and satisfy the urge. Since both these shops have quite pricey things in them, I knew I wouldn't be tempted with the "oh, just one dollar here, two dollars there" approach that seems to dwindle away my money in the op shops. I was (sort of) right - nothing in that price bracket but there were some really cheap tea cups that might just make their way into my cupboard come payday, as well as some more expensive items which have made it onto my mile-long wish list. 

I went to the vintage clothing store first. I didn't take any pictures in there because I was too busy chatting to the shop attendant and trying on gorgeous dresses, but let me tell you now - before I walked out of that shop I fell in love. That is where the little anecdote above come from - true to life, I tell you! That dress really is the most beautiful dress I have ever tried on!  I'm contemplating selling a kidney so I can afford it. Anyway, moving on!

These pictures are from the Coolangatta Antiques and Collectables Centre. These are just a few of the many, many things which caught my eye and made me realise how much of a hoarder I would become if I actually had the money to buy all this stuff!

The clothes in here, if you're ever in the area are actually really reasonably priced! 

This tea cup totally belongs in my cupboard! Pity it's $95. 

This display had me yearning for a big, old Victorian-style mansion. Or even a cute little cottage to put this chair in the corner of the bedroom or tucked into a little reading nook!

This is a terrible picture of a beautiful fruit bowl which caught my eye because it is pink. 

Just a few little tea cups for me to lust over. I'm starting to realise that I'm a little bit obsessed!

Last but not least, the vintage phones! There were about 5 other shelves of these, but I took a picture of this one because it's the one that had all the pink ones on it. I really, really, really want the pink and black one in the top right corner! The black on in front of it, I could also take!

Anyway, I had a lovely time browsing the shops this afternoon! I'm thinking of going back there tomorrow with mum, since she is coming up for a visit. Maybe on payday I will sneak a few of the cheaper tea cups into my budget. Or maybe I can do myself a deal where for every assessment I have coming up which I get a distinction or higher in, I can buy myself a present? In that case, with my first two assessments coming back as HD's (did I tell you guys about that??? So exciting!) I guess I already owe myself two tea cups! Or one pretty vintage dress?

Have you ever tried on a dress which felt like it was made for you? I want to hear all about it :)

"I hate books," he said,

"I hate books," he said, as he wrapped me in his arms. "They always steal you away from me."

I kissed his mouth and smiled. "It's only for a few hours. I've missed you. Come and snuggle."

As this conversation played out the other night, I couldn't help but feel bad. I hadn't seen Jake in a week, and here I was with my nose in a book. I felt selfish.

But then I remembered the following quote which I had read one day on the internet, and my guilt was diminished. Jake has always known, and loved, my nerdy side. He knows that books are a massive part of my life, just as motocross is a massive part of his. With how much of a hold the literary world has on my life, how could it not make up a huge part of what he loves about me?

I think this quote (by Robert Pattinson of all people) sums up and explains mine and Jake's situation pretty well:

"If you find a girl who reads, keep her close. When you find her up at 2 AM clutching a book to her chest and weeping, make her a cup of tea and hold her. You may lose her for a couple of hours but she will always come back to you. She'll talk as if the characters in the book are real, because for a while, they always are. Date a girl who reads because you deserve it. You deserve a girl who can give you the most colorful life imaginable. - Robert Pattinson, redeemed

I screenshotted this when it popped up on my pinterest again tonight and sent it to Jake with a message reminding him of something. "You may lose me for a few hours while I'm reading a book, but I will always be yours and I will always be much the better for reading. One day, you will come to treasure the way I can get lost in a book. My eyes will light up as I animatedly discuss the character, just as though he is a real person, and you will look at me and smile, because I'm passionate, I'm inspired and I'm yours."