Check out this little dude...

I want to introduce you to Aidan.

Adorable huh? Not only is this little dude the cutest thing out, he is also pretty much the strongest, inspiring little guy I've come across in a while. Yip thats right, Ive actually never met this guy, but that doesnt make him any less special. You see, Aidan loves drawing, especially drawing monsters. Oh and he has Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. He was diagnosed on September the 13th 2010, and has already ungone a handful of serious operations, including a spinal tap and a surgery to insert a Hickman {A Hickman is a tube in his chest that runs up to his neck into a vein and close to his heart. It is used to give him his chemo treatments.} After his forth round of chemo, Aidan went into remission {with Leukemia it takes almost no time to go into remission} So what this means now is that the little dude will undergo consolidation chemotherapy for several months to try to rid of any other diseased cells. And after this he will start his two years of maintenance chemo. {In other words, Leukemia really really sucks.. and this little guy has a long road ahead of him} I think what I love most about this little guy though, is that through everything, he made a decision that he wanted to do something, not just be a sick little guy. So. What did he do? The one thing he loves more than anything of course... Drawing! Yip! Thats right, Aidan {with the help of his family} opened an Etsy store, full of his cute little drawings, in order to try to help with the financial strain that this disease has put on his family. Can you just imagine it... "can't you just imagine that wee face, "Mummy, Daddy, I could sell some pictures to help you with me being sick??" {CUTEST THING EVER!!} So for just $12USD you can get your hands on one of Aidans Monsters, and support this family. They are super adorable, and made even more so because this kid honestly seems to be one of the raddest little dudes this world has. So why not take a look... head over to Aidans Etsy and check out his drawings! I think this one is my favourite... or maybe this one {i do love me some dinosaurs!} I love the message from the family on the etsy store too. You can just tell that they are so overwhelmed by the support that they have recieved. So. Go on... check them out, and maybe you know someone who could do with a little bit of cheering up, or maybe you just want a treat for yourself, and you might just be responsible for a smile on Aidans face.

P.S I know its been a while since I have been able to blog, there has been so much going on here, good, bad, and well otherthings too. But I am going to make much more of an effort to stay current with this blog. Over the last few months your love and support has meant so much to me, and I just wanted to say how much I love you all! Yip, every single one of you, even you in the back wearing that cardigan! And you, you reading this right now, you might just be my favourite {just dont tell anyone else! I would hate to hurt anyones feelings!}

A weekend away. Part 1

So, I've officially been living in Auckland for a month! And what a month its been, I have been having such a wonderful time, and getting to do a bunch of exciting stuff. And as much as I have been loving this city... it was time to get away! My flatmate Sarah, organises a girls weekend at her family beach house every year, and this year, I got to go along. Boy oh boy! Was it madness! We had 3 nights out at one of the most beautiful beaches in New Zealand, dressed up in silly costumes, drunk a lot, chatted a lot, and just spent a lot of time in the sun. There is no television, no computer/internet, cell phone reception, or really any connection to the outside world. It was wonderful.When I thought about posting about this, I decided I would split it into two different posts, one about the antics that we got up too, and one about the actual beach, because its just so beautiful and I really want to be able to show it to you. I'm going to do the latter of the two first, because I just cant wait to show you the beautiful photos that I was able to capture. Honestly, being in a place like that just makes me realise how blessed I am to be living in such an amazing country. Just 3 hours out of the biggest city in New Zealand, Otama Beach is seriously the closest thing to Paradise that I can imagine. Oh I'm just going to let the photos do the talking... because there really aren't any words that will do it justice.

On the drive up the coast of New Zealand

On the drive...Isn't it so pretty?!

View from the deck of the downstairs batch

Oh the beautiful beautiful beach.

Footsteps in the sand

The lagoon

I sat up on the rocks and wrote in my journal for a while. It was pretty spectacular.

As the sun begins to set...

A perfect sunset.

Being back in the city is wonderful, I do love it a lot. But oh how I miss the beach already!!

Permanence

Photos like this just fuel the addiction. I am booked in for my next tattoo in a couple of weeks time. This time its just something little, for a couple of my family members, but it is going to be just as important as every other one which already finds a home on my body. Im really excited about my new ones to be honest. I have a list that is getting longer and longer, each new idea telling a little bit more of my story. A little bit more of the bigger picture. I cant wait to sit down one day and tell my grandchildren all about them, about my life, and the people that meant the most. This is me. Take it or leave it.

A favor...or two.

I thought I would take a second to do a little bit of shameless promotion... although not for myself today... for a couple of my lovely friends who have some awesome stuff on the run at the moment {i seem to be surrounded by some of the most talented people everrrrr}

My friend Nick is the singer in the lovely New Zealand Band Autozamm and they have just released their third studio album 5th Degree {which you can TOTALLY buy on itunes... if you wanted} You should totally check them out, and send some support their way. Im sure that they would love you for it. I would too!


Next up are my boys in Shotgun Alley... AND my girls in Litvak Attack. Bon Jovi are coming to New Zealand to play a couple of shows and are using one of our local radio stations The Rock to find the support act... Voting doesn't start until the 25th of October... but you should jump on the site and have a listen to them both. And maybe, just maybe when it comes around to it, spare a few moments of your busy busy times and vote for them. Litvak Attack can be found on page 2 at the top and Shotgun Alley can be found on page 3 down the bottom.

Yarp. Talent huh. They last few days have been sort of weird really, The weather has been packing itself back down towards winter {just as the sun had become a standard feature round these parts} and even though I have had things that I have done im sort of in that 'dont want to do anything' mood. It will pass in the next couple of days I am sure. I have a big girls weekend planned out of the city for this weekend {which is going to rule} and then its not that long until I go home and see my family for my cousins 3rd birthday {seriously where has the year gone?} And then its nearly christmas! WHOA! Soon enough, they will be playing carols in the stores... oh goodness.

Changing Perspectives Vol. 14

Once upon a time there were 2 girls, who decided to embark on a photographic journey. Not the kind of Journey with Dragons and Bad Guys, rather the kind of journey that requires them to take 1 photo everyday for a whole year. Thats 365 photos. A challenge? Perhaps, But these girls decided to take it on together, everything is better in pairs right? The rules are simple. 1 Photo every day for 365 days. Starting July 1st 2010 and ending July 1st 2011. They thought they would share their little project on their blogs. A little gallery of sorts. So this is it. A year of photographs. Are you ready to see what their worlds look like through a lens?

Week Fourteen.

16.09.10 - 22.09.10

What a week.

You are my sunshine

Oh the sun has been shining in the biggest amounts here over the last few days. I love that summer is on its way. Ive been exploring my area a little bit over the last few days, its been fun finding some places that can be mine, in a city as big as this. At the end of my road if you walk through a little bush, and down maybe 50 steps, you find a beautiful hidden little beach reserve. There is a little pier and a little beach, as well as some benches and a little grassy area. It is so cute and quaint and I adore it. Honestly, I am living in the prettiest little area. Its so wonderful.

I have so many plans, so many things that I cant wait to do. And I cant wait to show you either! I want you to fall in love with this city, just as much as I have. Last night I went out to have a beer at my bar {oh that bar...} and I was talking to one of my girls and she said to me "Tillie, you are home. This is where you belong. This is where your family is" I guess part of me has felt like this for a while, but to hear someone else say it, and know that other people think it just as much as I do, just made another piece of the puzzle fit together. I love everyone here so much, and to know that it is reciprocated {even though I guess I always did know it} just makes me feel like things are right. And as much as I miss home, This is the right thing for me, at the right time, and all those other good things. Life is good, for a change. And I am planning on making it stay that way.

Tell me my Fortune

Ive never been one to really believe in people who claim to be psychic, or have the ability to tap into the 'other' side. In all honesty, I find it to be all a little bit of baloney... Until today that is. Sarah {read best flatmate ever} and her friend Bex had made an appointment to go and see their psychic this morning, and after talking about it with them both for a little bit last night, I decided to tag along and see what the deal was. Of course, me being me, I went in skeptical as heck. I mean, I don't really know what I expected... Crystal Balls? Gypsy Woman? {who knows} but I thought it would all be a bit of a laugh and nothing to serious. We pulled up to a little suburban house, in a quiet little neighborhood. Bex went on in first, by herself, leaving Sarah and I in the car... and to be honest, at this point I started to get a little anxious. I wasn't sure me being there was the right idea, I didn't want to mess with something that wasn't in my control. I definitely had butterflies in my stomach. Bex came out and then it was apparent it was our turn. {queue butterflies going crazy} Sarah had said that I could go with her for her reading, so that I could get a feel for what it was like, and then make my decision. A little bit of time went on and I certainly wasnt uncomfortable listening to what she had to say about Sarah, then, out of no where, she said our address. She placed us perfectly. The road, that it was opposite a pub, and that we were on the water side. {I mean WHAT THE HECK!?} How could she know that right? Any who, Sarah's reading was over and it was my turn. Now, I thought at this stage I would be freaking out, but I was really comfortable. I was still a little skeptical and kept my cards close to my chest, but within seconds of talking she starting to talk to me about something that I had been keeping hugely private. She knew it. And I honestly dont believe it was a guess, she knew such intimate and personal details of my life, both past and present, and even presented insight into the future {I guess we can only wait and see if anything comes of that} We talked about a few things, things that she simply could not have known by looking at me. This whole experience has certainly challenged my previous beliefs...I guess, I am still a skeptic at heart. But this particular woman has a gift, and I certainly wont be ignoring it.

What are your thoughts on psychics or people who claim to be able to connect to the other side? Have you ever been to a psychic? I'd love to hear all about your experiences too.