5 habits to avoid in a relationship

1. Self- impairment – Sometimes there are so many awful things in our world that have us believing that when something goes right for us, just around the corner is the big bad ugly disasters that seem to find us no matter where we go.  You have to believe that your relationship is forever.  Bringing positive vibes to your relationship can only help it.  Leave the negativity behind and deal with the disasters when they come to you.  Do not spend your relationship expecting it to fail or be attacked by obstacles.

2. Jealousy – Your partner is always going to have friends or acquaintances of the opposite sex (or same sex depending on your personal attraction).  It is important that you do not let jealousy restrict your partner from his/her right to their own friends.  Just because your partner is polite to or acknowledges someone you may see as a threat, does not mean that there is actually anything to suspect.  Expecting little everyday occurrences to mean more then what they are is detrimental to your relationship.

3. Ignoring the outside world – When you are in a new relationship sometimes it is hard to see outside of it.  But it is important to remember those people who have great importance to you outside of that romantic relationship.  Friends and family are still of value. It is important for both parties in a relationship to have their own lives and contacts outside of what you both share. 

4. The social media trap – Relationships are a lot of hard work and often contain speed bumps along the way.  Whining about your problems to the whole world is no way to solve issues.  It is poison to a relationship when a disagreement or personal argument goes viral.  No solution will ever come from airing out those times that are less than perfect.

5. Loss of communication – Point #4 brings us to the equally important point #5.  One way of avoiding those speed bumps is to communicate to each other.  If your partner is doing something that is hurting your feelings it is them that need to know, not your Facebook or twitter friends.  Your partner is the only person who can change what it is that is being done to upset you.  Don’t just talk to your partner about those light hearted topics.  Part of a healthy relationship is being able to talk about those things that really matter, even if they cause a little discomfort at the time of the discussion, they will do wonders for your relationship in the long run.  

A Magnetic Island Adventure

Last weekend found me on the shores of Magnetic Island at the ever so generous hands of my bestie Estelle.  I had never been to Maggie Island before, however East had known that there were things to be ticked off my bucket list that the Island had to offer.  So for my upcoming 28th birthday I was treated with the gift of "memories."

On Friday morning East picked me up armed with her ginormous suitcase and matching baby suitcase, both on wheels and accompanying her blue mono-fin that was just begging to get in the water.  It amazed me that we were able to fit my three bright pink bags in her mini white bug with her luggage and not have the car door open lights flashing at us all the way to Townsville due to physically not being able to shut the doors.   

We stopped off at Cardwell to stretch our legs and enjoy the view of the beautifully blue day from the jetty. On the way back to the car East made me stop walking and keep my back to the water. After near blindness from staring in the direction of the sun, I was instructed to to walk sideways out on to the jetty and then after I was positioned to her liking I was asked to turn around. To my surprise and excitement "HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANN-MARIE" was written in the sand. I felt like the luckiest midget in the world. 

After a couple hours of "Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows" stuck in my head we got to Townsville and naturally our first stop was to the bottleo to source us some Bundaberg Rum!  As we carted our bags to the Ferry terminal we both feared being told that we had too much luggage to take aboard the ferry.  Anybody would think we were going to be staying in Magnetic Island at least two weeks with the amount of stuff we were armed with.

To my surprise we ended up at a perfectly chosen little guest house at Arcadia Beach.  We were led to a huge tent housing two single beds, after passing a toilet, shower and kitchen.  My kinda camping!  The guest house was perfect for both of us with it's creature comforts (perfectly me) displayed with a homie old fashioned boat theme (perfectly East).  We went walking along the beach as the sun went down while East got up close and personal with the sand.... with her face. LOL The first night was filled with much laughter, plenty of rum, pathetic attempts at playing pool and last but not least a smashed wine glass.  

The next day we caught a bus to The Forts.  We worked up a sweat exploring the historic WWII gun placements and infrastructure.  I was fascinated at the thought there were brave men who were once on those same grounds prepared to fight for our country.  We even had the pleasure of admiring a couple of Koalas in the trees overhead.  To my disappointment, I was appalled to see the lack of respect adolescents of today's society had for our history demonstrating they had not given a second thought to defacing the ruins with graffiti. That night found us at The Stage Door Theatre Restaurant.  Chicken dinner, Comedic Musical, Grease tunes, Gay performer... I was in heaven. 

On Sunday we found ourselves in Horseshoe Bay for the markets.  We had a lovely lunch in a elegant art food and wine restaurant.  Alma Bay homed my sandman "Sandolf." When you're fresh out of snow, compromise is the only answer.  I walked along the shore, climbed a few rocks, built my sand snowman, got my feet wet and after an hour i would've been quite happy to move on, but as I watched as East explored it was clear that she had sunk right into her element.  I even got in the water with her and battled the waves as seaweed made her long blonde hair home.  

After four fun-filled nights and five event-filled days, we headed back to Cairns on the day of my birthday with East never once letting me forget that the day was my day and constantly reminding me that life does not end at 28, even if my bones are frail! LOL. I could not have enjoyed anything more than the memories I will take away from an unforgettable adventure. 

Tips to escape a rut

Pulling yourself out of a rut is not an easy thing to accomplish.  If you're experiencing a rut that is preventing you from living your life to the fullest, here are a few suggestions to escape.

* Determine what is the cause of the rut.  This is not always easy.  However, it is necessary to escape the rut.  Be honest with yourself and find the courage you need to admit the changes that you need to make in order for things to change.  Eg: Are you in need of a job change, rehab centre or even to end a relationship?

* Break the habit.  Often it is the creature of habit in us that keeps us stuck in ruts.  Ruts can be mistaken for comfort, however they leave us less capable of adjusting to change when it does happen. It is both healthy and necessary to constantly partake in things that break the routine.  This includes alone time spent outside of working hours.

* Be aware that living your life by the motions will inevitably cause a rut.  If you are aware that living life on auto pilot causes those unwanted ruts in life then you know that shaking things up a bit is necessary to avoid them.

* Try new things.  Make the effort to do new things that you normally wouldn't do.  If you can't change the routine of your work life, expand your social circle and night / weekend activities to those of which you haven't yet tried.  Plan trips that you have always wanted to take.

* Lastly, know the signs.  Recognize when you are beginning to feel a rut coming on and make the effort and do whatever necessary to stop it from happening.  It is easier preventing a rut then getting out of one.

Marti Gras 2014 - Experience of a lifetime

This weekend found me escaping on an adventure to Sydney.  Ever since I was in high school I wanted to experience the fabulousness that becomes Oxford Street, year after year for the celebration of the Marti Gras Parade in Sydney. This year after over a decade of dreaming, my best friend East and I finally got there and it couldn't have met my expectations any more than it did. 

After an expensive taxi ride with an inexperienced driver in the chaotic Sydney traffic, we arrived to our hotel an hour prior to check in.  After they took a $20 key deposit we were introduced to budget backpacker accommodation to its fullest, complete with unmade beds, lack of air con, and a communal bathroom and toilets. We took a blocky so that the house keepers of The George Street Hotel could attend to making our room presentable. I felt a little embarrassed that I had picked the hotel, with it's appeal being extremely affordable and in the general vicinity of the street to be on! Surprisingly the room radically improved with simple comforts as little as made beds and fresh towels. My highlight of the room was that we had our own window with a view. It was a charming sight of an old style brick wall belonging to neighbouring buildings and a rickety old tin roof, but a view none the less. 

After an early dinner we arrived a good three hours before the parade actually begun to secure our spots along the front fence line so we wouldn't miss a moment of the experience. The event was pumping way before the floats made their appearance with team members hyping up the crowd in anticipation of the fun to really begin. 

Entire streets were blocked off with the help of police officers as thousands of people lined the sidewalks of Oxford St to watch as fantastic dance beats screamed from speakers of floats with countless out and proud people feeling the music and expressing their sexuality openly with a justified sense of pride on and around the extravagantly made floats. Groups of people hung the pride flag from their balconies as others sold them to spectators on the street. There was countless rainbow flags, crazy and colourful outfits, stunning drag queens, a celebration of same sex love and a mind blowing parade that tied them all together.

There was something for everyone: dykes on bikes, drag queens, mermaids, marching

bands, nuns, superheroes, leather daddies, lifesavers, fairies, go go dancers, federal police, navy, army, airforce, Delta Goodrem and to our pleasant surprise even an appearance of the ever so nerdy DR WHO and Star Trek fans out there, one of which was standing right beside me. I got an elbow to the arm that almost led to me poking out my own eye! We watched on as giant pink daleks passed us by with signs reading, "Exterminate Homophobia!"  It was nice to see the same excitement on Easts face as I got from drag queens or same sex couples outwardly being free to express their love for one another without judgement. 

After hours of standing on our feet unable to move (thanks to an ever so considerate mother pushing her daughter in between us even though she had lacked the patience to arrive early for good viewing) it didn't stop me from smiling like a Cheshire Cat at such an overwhelming display of equality. Unlike my legs, my camera gave up on me well before the parade was over.  Disappointing our inner party animals that enjoy a nice glass of rum and coke and a side of floor shaking music, we got some refreshments and retreated our tired selves back to our hotel. Even our eyes were tired from ogling at the gorgeous men of Sydney who made wearing contacts from 4:30am well worth it. There's some things a girl just can't not notice. 

Sunday found us at China Town, Darling Harbour, Tumbalong Park, Chinese Garden of Friendship and a free bus ride later, at Circular Quay. After taking in the spectacular view of the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge we enjoyed a nice lunch and had iced coffees as we watched the gentlemen pull out their umbrellas to guard their girls from the rain as the seagulls enjoyed showering in it. Such a small gesture that reminded me there was still romance in the world and that maybe chivalry wasn't completely dead and to my surprise, even that it could still possibly be just around the corner.

We managed to successfully use the train transportation to get ourselves back to the airport. Krispy Kreme and Boost Juice made the wait for our flight back to Cairns more bearable. I sit here now ignoring the slight rocking motion of the aircraft 30,000 feet up in the air and I look back on the entire trip as a wonderful confirmation that love is still very much the heart of life and that gay or straight, you owe it to yourself to open up to it completely.  Even if you've been unfortunate enough to have been hurt in the past, or have people looking down on you for being guilty of nothing more then being true to yourself.  If you are yet to find the love that lights your life, or the courage to pursue it, one guarantee is that no matter who you are or what your differences, you are worthy of it. 

I hope you all had an extremely Happy 2014 Marti Gras and that the sense of pride and freedom to be yourself doesn't just wash over you for the duration of the parade and Marti Gras celebrations, but ideally that it lasts you a lifetime. 

Little Ideas to Make Valentines Day Special

On a day such as Valentines Day small gestures are all it takes to make your partner or love interest blush with admiration.  Here are a few little ideas to spark your own imagination leading up to this Valentines Day.

• Make a card.  The cornier the better.  You can use sayings such as "We're a perfect match" and use a match box with only two matches left inside.  Google is a great source for easy and effective ideas.  The fact that you made the effort to make something from scratch is sure to impress.

• Make a book out of a deck of cards titled "52 Reasons why I Like/Love you."  Write different reasons on each card.  Bind the cards together with a ribbon and personalize the decoration of each of the cards.  

• Make heart or X and O pancakes for breakfast in bed.  Toast with heart shaped icing sugar also works a treat.  If you want to get really creative, try your hand at a heart shaped pizza for dinner!

• Create a collage or scrapbook with photos of you as a couple.  Plaster it with hearts and pictures of you and your partner in those moments that found you happiest and most in love.

• Share a bubble bath with heart shaped confetti, candles and incense burning.

• Plan a movie night with a collection that your partner loves, even if you are not in the least bit interested. 

It can be easy to get caught in the trap of taking someone for granted, even if it was never your intention.  Showing  your love every day of the year should be a given, but it's not always something  shown wholeheartedly.  Valentines Day is the day you can make the effort that every other day may have been lacking.  You don't have to spend extravagant amounts of money to make the day of the one you love.

Tips For Men on Online Dating

Joining up on a dating site can often be a daunting experience.  Not everyone knows the things that they should be aiming for and the things they should try to avoid.  Here are a few tips aimed at the guys out there who are trying to have a fulfilling and successful experience in the online dating world.

• Don't use pet names. Ie Babe, Sweety, Love, Hun, Sexy, Scrumptious etc.  Not everyone takes well to being called these kinds of nicknames.  Nicknames should be developed over time when you get to know the person.

• Read the profile of the person you are interested in.  This gives you the opportunity to discover if you are compatible, have things in common, or are generally interested in them beyond the physical.

• Take note of the intent of your interest.  If you are on the dating site for different reasons do not waste the other persons time.  Don't ask for a random hook-up if it clearly states on their profile that they are seriously looking for a relationship.  This will save not only your time, but theirs too.

• When responding to emails or messages do not make the other person do all the work.  Questions go both ways and not taking the time to ask questions about the other person leads them to believe you are only interested in them getting to know  you.  The whole point is getting to know each other.

• Always leave messages that can be responded too.  Often responses are not given to blunt answers or messages that do not lead to more conversation.  Recipients can easily lose interest if they feel they are not getting anything in return and appear to be doing all the work.  If you are not a great conversationalist on screen then your potential partner will be envisioning one LONG date if they ever agreed to go out with you.

• Take note of what is said in conversations.  Nothing makes someone feel more special then a person referring to something that they said a few days ago.  It shows genuine interest from the person talking to them.

• Leave the more personal questions for when you have been speaking for a while.  Respect that some people take longer to be comfortable getting into the more intimate details or even giving out their mobile number.

The Sex Bucket List:- 20 Things to do sexually

Almost everyone has a bucket list, whether it be physically written down somewhere or safe in the confines of their minds.  More often then not there is a item on the list that has a sexual nature.  Here is a bucket list solely meant for those naughty things in life that just can't be missed. 

1. On a running washing machine or dryer – Make washing your clothes erotic and get down and dirty while they are busy getting clean.

2. Have sex in the rain – Take a romantic kiss in the rain that one step further and create a new meaning to getting wet.  Slip and slide anyone?

3. In a tent – You’re in the middle of nowhere with the wilderness of the unknown just outside a flimsy material wall. Show em whose boss with your screams.

4. In your office – Wait until you’re the only one in the office and invite your partner to christen your desk... or better yet, your bosses!

5. On a water bed – Remember how fun it was to be on a water bed as a kid?... now imagine making love on it!

6. On an air mattress – Try not to squeak so much you wake up the people in the same room.

7. Under the stars – Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star......

8. On a trampoline – Hey, they were designed for fun!

9. At the drive in – Be daring and get it on in your car knowing you are surrounded by other cars. Movie? What Movie? :)

10. On a rooftop – You've tried sex under your roof, now try sex on it.

11. On a boat - Nautically Naughty! Time to rock the boat :) 

12. In an elevator – Get him up while you’re on your way up :) See if you can get him/her off before you reach the floor you need.

13. In a bouncy house - Colorful, big, bouncy and fun... No-one can resist stepping inside a bounce house and going wild.  

14. On an aeroplane – Start your next holiday of with a bang and join the mile high club.

15. Have a threesome - Hot, Hot, Hot.

16. Use a sex toy on someone else – Add a little buzz to your love life.

17. Have a one night stand – Spend the night with someone you don’t know. A one night stand can be a pleasurable experience filled with thrilling excitement.

18. Have sex with someone younger – Every woman should have sex with a younger man. Their energy and enthusiasm will make you feel younger than ever.

19. Sex in a foreign country (with a foreigner) – Find a new way of communicating. Sex is a language we all understand.

20. Be a sexual slave for the night – Have your partner command you with sexual requests for an entire night. Everything that’s asked you must do.

How To Avoid The Drunken Dial

When you're out on the town with your friends or just having a girly cocktail night at home, it can be hard to resist the urge to call your latest crush or ex boyfriend with the new found confidence that has emerged with your alcohol consumption. These calls can leave you with regret and embarrassment for days after when you have slept off your drunkenness. Worst of all, sometimes you don’t even remember what was said. So even if something of significance was discussed you would not be able to remember it anyway. This can be particularly regretful or embarrassing if the person that you have drunk dialled was sober at the time of your slurring conversational skills. Drunk dialling can be extremely difficult to avoid, but here are a few suggestions to help you with the avoidance.

1 Control your drinking. Number one is quite obvious. If you control the amounts of alcohol you consume you will have better control of your actions which will ultimately mean better judgement calls and hopefully these calls will stop you from getting stuck in the drunk dial trap.

2 Entrust your phone to a friend. Choose a friend who will be able to keep your phone safe. It also has to be a friend that won’t give in to your pleas. This person should be someone who is capable of determining what calls are genuinely important. Your phone should not be returned until you have awoken and sobered up the following day. The phone carer must also be someone who is responsible enough not to lose your phone either.

3 Leave your phone at home. If you know that you have no self control and that your friends give in to your whining way too easily, sometimes the only answer is to leave your phone at home. Make sure that your friends have access to their phone or a public phone so you are able to call a taxi or designated driver to come and get you at the end of the night or early hours of the next morning.

4 Delete problem numbers. Sometimes you have no option but to have your phone on you in case of emergencies. Try writing down problem numbers from your phone before deleting them so that it is impossible to drunk dial certain people without first finding the piece of paper that you have documented their number on. Potential drunk dial receivers are anyone you may have feelings for, your ex or anyone you are mad at.

5 Phone Applications. There are several different apps that have been created for your phone to stop you from making this mistake. Check out the options that are available for your phone type to help you prevent making yet another drunken call.

Interview with Kristy Berridge

For those unaware, we are privileged to have one of the most talented Australian authors within our midst. Kristy Berridge is the author of such novels as "The Hunted," "The Damned" and most recently "Diary of a Teenage Zombie."  Possessing the ability to write original supernatural fiction novels is among her many talents.  My favourite thing about Kristy's work is that I know it will be nothing like I have read before.  To celebrate her recent book release of  "Diary of a Teenage Zombie," (of which I am totally in love with!) I have asked her to do an interview for my blog so that I can share her creations with the world.  My interview with the lovely Kristy Berridge, went a little something like this......

If you could work with any author who would it be? 

I have absolutely no idea. Writing is very much a solo act. So to collaborate with someone might actually annoy me, but I’d love to pick Stephen King’ s brain, find out where all those kooky ideas come from.

Who is your favourite author and is your writing style similar to theirs? 
I love Richelle Mead, and though I’d love to say I was as talented with the written word as she, I think we all have our positives and negatives.

What do you think people search for in a book?
Total immersion—a chance to escape reality for just a little while.

Did you always want to write?
I’ve always had an interest in writing, but no. I’m actually a fully trained Interior Designer, so creativity does run through my veins.

Do you have any advice for other writers? 

Read as much as you can, never think you are so good that advice is unwarranted, and always make sure you have a fabulous editor. If they’re good, they’ll tell you when you’re not, but also offer the best advice on how to fix it.

When and why did you begin writing?
I started writing about seven years ago now, and truthfully it was to abate boredom. I’d always had an interest, an idea bloomed, and since I was sitting in front of a computer at the time, boom, the magic happened and I couldn’t seem to stop.

Which is your favourite of the books you have written?
Tricky, tricky. I love The Damned in the Hunted series because the story finally grabs its momentum, but I’m especially proud of Diary of a Teenage Zombie. I feel good about the humour, the plot and characters.

What do you think makes a good story?
Good ideas, good editing and trust in the reader’s ability to interpret your vision without constant repetition.

What about the horror genre interests you?
Are you kidding? Everything.

Do you remember the first horror book that you ever read?
RL Stine’s ‘Goosebumps’ series. I absolutely adored these as a kid, but quickly moved onto the likes of Dean Koontz and Stephen King before long.

How do you react to a bad review of one of your books?
You have to take it in your stride. Not everyone is going to appreciate your efforts and that’s okay. I always contact the person in question, thank them for taking the time to read and review the novel and wish them the best of luck. It’s worked well for me so far, and I often receive some feedback that helps me to reassess my own writing.

What book are you reading now?
I’m being lazy and not really reading anything at all at the moment.

How do you cope with writers block?
I’ve never suffered from writer’s block because I always jot down ideas when they come to me, so there’s something to work with in dryer moments of incoming inspiration.

If you were writing a book about your life, what would the title be?
Kristy Berridge?

My life is an ongoing novel, so the question mark pretty much covers every new day and the unknowns I’ll undoubtedly face. It’s exciting though.

I suspect I’d come up with a much better name given the time and the desire to do so J

Who is your favourite character(s) in any of your works? And why?
I love Lucas Manory. He was written as a supporting role to Elena in my Hunted series, but is fast developing his own agenda and blossoming personality. He’s very likeable on so many levels.

How do you feel while you're writing? 
At peace, though I feel as if all I do is edit lately grrrr.

What was the hardest part of writing for you?Marketing and promotion. Honestly, I’m rubbish at it. I want the books to sell themselves and that’s not exactly realistic, or so people keep telling me LOL!

How do you keep your plots unpredictable without sacrificing believability?
Why thank you, and I’m not entirely sure how to answer that. All I can say is that I really put myself in the character’s shoes and think about who they are, what they think, feel or do in any given situation. If it seems ridiculous, then it probably is.

How can readers discover more about you and your work?

Website: http://www.kristyberridge.com/

Blog: http://kristyberridge.blogspot.com.au/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Hunted/116951581718393

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KristyBerridge

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/kristyberridge/

Goodreads:http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4962350.Kristy_Berridge

Look out for these best sellers at a store near you!

THE DAMNED—Book Description 

Life for Elena Manory skipped past ordinary just over a month ago. Discovering she was born a practically invulnerable vampire-werewolf hybrid was shocking enough; but she’s also become a target, hunted by an Alpha werewolf known as Roshan, who’s fixated on the properties of her unique blood and the pleasurable possibilities of her flesh. Moving to the Institute of Magical Intervention in Romania was supposed to provide her with protection and anonymity, but Elena soon realises her enemies are legion. No one is who they seem, no agenda truly without nefarious intentions. A strange twist of fate and the actions of a vampire previously pressing for her affections lead Elena into the arms of another—one whose middle name spells trouble. Himself a vampire, Sebastian is handsome, arrogant, and perplexingly familiar. He introduces Elena to a world she never thought possible, uncovers a past believed buried, and unearths a future she may not survive.

DIARY OF A TEENAGE ZOMBIE—Book Description

Dear Diary. Today I ate the mailman. My bad. 

Being seventeen is hard – Katie Palmer has to deal with school, pimples, hormonal boys, and malicious cheerleaders. After the Zombie Apocalypse, though, she no longer sweats the usual teenage drama. 
Athletics star by day and flesh-eater by night, Katie’s done well to hide her transformation from friends and Zone-sanctioned security, but now someone or something’s onto her secret and if she doesn’t feed soon she’ll start falling apart. 
Dead bodies are piling up and all the evidence points to Katie’s blood-stained hands. Will she end up killing the competition before security discovers she’s rotten underneath?

I Don't Like Cricket, Oh no.. I Love It!

With enormous pride coursing through my veins after Shane Watson's outstanding and admirable performance for the Australian Cricket Team in the first day of the Fifth Test at The Oval yesterday, I have been left with the urge to post something Cricket.  Watson copped a ball just below the ear coming at him at 88mph at the hands of England's Stuart Broad.  I always get a little nervous when Broad's up to bowl but now it will be for a whole different reason.  Watson went on to make his career best of 176 runs, which in my opinion should go down in the history books after a blow like that.  What a trooper! I could write all day about how Shane Watson is the best all-rounder cricketer around, but I sadly think I would be the only one who would get anything out of it or read it for that matter.  So......

Have you found yourself in a relationship where your partner is obsessed with watching the Cricket?  I myself was in this situation a couple of years ago... and then I actually started paying attention and walked out with a love of cricket that my next partner will have to tolerate.  (*Inserts evil laugh here*) Cricket in someway has always been part of my family as my granddad used to play and umpire, but it wasn't until I met a cricket obsessed boyfriend that I even bothered to give it the time of day.  Little by little I picked up things while watching, but why not take a few minutes now to learn some basics that are sure to impress your partner.  I will admit in Cricket, there is much to learn, but what I have found is that the more I learn the more I enjoy the game.  So next time your partner tries to explain to you what is happening, you can knock their socks off and finish their sentence.  Of course there will still be much to learn but it can't hurt to start here.

To start with TERMINOLOGY:-

• "Stump" - A stump is the three vertical posts that form the wicket. 
• "Off Stump" - Is the stump on the offside of the wicket.  Or better described as the same side of the batsman's bat. (this can change depending on if the batsmen are left or right handed.) 
• "Middle Stump" - Is the center stump as per names suggestion.
• "Leg Stump" - Is the stump on the onside of the wicket.  Which means the same side as the batsman's leg. (also can change depending on if the batsmen are left or right handed.)
• "Stumps" - Is also a term that is used to indicate the end of a days play.
• "No ball" - Is a ball delivered incorrectly and becomes a penalty to the fielding team.  The batting side receives an additional run and another ball must be bowled in its place. 
• "Beamer" - Is a ball that does not bounce and passes above the batsman's waist height.  The penalty of a beamer is an instant no ball. 
• "Wide Ball" - A wide ball is a delivery of the ball either too wide or high for a batsman to hit.  This is determined by the umpire.
• "Third Umpire" - the third umpire is an off field umpire, also known as a TV umpire.  This umpire makes final decisions on questions passed on to him by the two umpires on the field.  
• "Hat Trick" - A hat trick, not to be mistaken with a velvet hat trick LOL, is when a bowler takes out 3 wickets one after another. 
  

Now for the BASICS:-

• There are 11 players per side.
• Each turn to bat while the other team fields is known as an innings.
• There are 6 balls bowled in an over.
• Boundaries: 4 points are earned when the ball bounces before the barrier. 6 points are earned if the ball goes over the barrier or into the crowed.
• A Test Match has four innings.  Meaning each team bats and fields twice.
• A One Day International (ODI) have a set number of overs that each team face.
• Twenty20 International have 20 overs per side.
• "How's That!" is a phrase yelled out when a fielder believes a batsmen is out.  It is then up to the umpire to make the call.
• A batsmen can be run out or stumped if any part of him or his bat are behind the crease.

And lastly, WAYS A BATSMEN GETS OUT:-

• BOWLED - When a wicket is hit by a bowlers delivery of the ball.  It does not matter if the ball has first touched the bat, glove or any part of the batsmen beforehand.
• CAUGHT - If the ball hits the bat or the batman's hand before being caught by a fielder, they are out.
• TIMED OUT - The next batsman up after the previous batsman is out has 3 minutes to be at the crease ready for play.
• HIT THE BALL TWICE - If the ball is hit twice by the batsman other then for reasoning of protecting his wicket, he is out. 
• HIT WICKET - After a balls delivery if a batsman's body or bat knocks his wicket out, he is out.
• OBSTRUCTING THE FIELD - If a batsman purposely obstructs the opposing team by word or action, he is out.
• RUN OUT - If the wicket is put down whilst the batsman is behind the crease at any time during the play of the ball.
• STUMPED - If the batsmen is out of his crease and not attempting to run the wicket keeper can put down the wicket resulting in the batsmen being out.
• LEG BEFORE WICKET (LBW) - The fielding side is entitled to appeal if the ball hits any part of the batsman (with the exception of the hand holding the bat) but would have otherwise hit the wicket if the batsman had not been in the way.

Remember, don't be afraid to ask questions.  If it's something they are passionate about they will be more then willing to teach you all they know.  And more importantly, impressed by your interest in not only letting them spend date night watching the game, but that you are taking the extra mile and learning about something that is important to them.

And even if I am the only person who will ever read this post.... at least I can look back on the little things I have learnt as a proud Australian Cricket supporter!  And, thank god for commentators and wikipedia :)  I don't like cricket.. oh no, I LOVE IT ! 

The Curse of Unrequited Love

Unrequited love is among the most painful things that one can feel and unfortunately we have all felt the heartache that comes with it at least once in our lives.

To add to this, social media makes it so easy to look into things that are said. You find yourself asking, “What does he/she mean by that?” or “Does that mean he/she is thinking about me.” Or my favourite, “What he/she really means is.” The entirety of it can be exhausting. And because you are feeling something that they are not aware of, it can result in emotional draining. You get defensive over text messages that may very well just be an outcome of you misreading what is written. Or alternatively to this, even making excuses for someone mistreating you.

You distance yourself from the person to ease the hurt and hopefully take away your feelings for them, but instead you find yourself romanticizing them. Focusing on all the things that they would do if you were with them, or even magnifying what they have done in the past, much like you would do in a toxic relationship. You find yourself focusing on the things that they have done in the past or what you hope they would do, rather then what they actually do.

There is no easy way to escape this curse. There is always the option of telling the person your true feelings, which can possibly lead to your feelings being returned, but if this backfires you are left with nothing but rejection. Fear of rejection is ultimately what stops us from expressing our true feelings to the people we have them for. And our lack of belief in ourselves is what leads us to think that we are not remarkable enough for the person of our desires to notice us in any real way.  Some people just aren't ready to let go of the possibilities that can be shattered when those feelings are not returned.

There really are only 2 options:

1.   Tell the person. If they do not feel the same, you no longer have the hope and can take the first steps to moving on with your life and finding someone who can return your feelings.

2.    Keep prolonging the negative feelings that come with your secret until the object of your desire has unknowingly hurt you more then you can handle.

I say, do everything you can to convince yourself to tell your crush how you feel. At least then you know if there is a chance, as opposed to wasting your time hoping that there may be one and trying to find signs of interest or common feelings. Life is too short to play the “what if” game. Nobody likes playing games when it comes to their feelings, so why subject yourself to doing just that? Take the risk and believe that you are worthy of being loved back. If they do not see you for who you are then the only solution to this is finding someone who does. No need to change or downplay yourself just because someone is blind to your worth.

At the end of the day, there really are no answers to this one. Some situations can be stickier then others. Some people just don’t have the option to be able to tell the person of their passion how they feel. Whether it be because your crush is married, in a relationship, a parent of your friend, or even a really close family friend. These situations leave prolonged awkwardness. Not everyone has the opportunity to walk away if things do not go the way they hope. If you have any ideas on how to cope with unrequited love or any personal stories of your own experiences, please share in the comment box below. Your experience may help someone else.

Hens Night Madness!!

Just a quick update of my awesomely fun-filled weekend. There is nothing like a traditional hens night party to bring out all the willies and equally just as much alcohol and girly immature fun :) 

Saturday night found me slipping into my cricket outfit, complete with mini bat, cap and sneakers and enthusiastically playing the part along with my friends with parts of their own: Dee (the nun and bride to be), East (the bad ass biker chick) and Mel (the hot teacher)! 

The night consisted of penis straws and rings, a shirtless waiter, inflatable doodles, a male blow up doll, a pin the willy on the man, a peni piñata filled with condom surprises, ginormous granny undies that read "size matters" (that I did a little dancing in!), terrible karaoke attempts, a blindfold with a winky on it that resulted in my brother pointing out the obvious and calling me a dickhead (Thanks Douggie!) and I can't forget the solo 2013 Ashes cricket score checks throughout the night. 

East and I ended up going into town afterwards with new found confidence and made friends and models out of the security guys at our favourite nightclub. We also discovered fellow costume party goers even more flamboyant then ourselves that were more then happy to pose for pics. Embarrassingly after getting into the club by showing my ID, I was re-carded when getting a drink at the bar. (I still think she was trying to suss out what cricket player I was!!) :) but nothing could have been more embarrassing then discovering I still had my eye mask on my hat that read "wake me for sex!" That came off quick smart!  

Nothing like a bit of silliness to make you appreciate the people you have in your life even more then before. Wishing my beautiful friend Dionne and her husband-to-be Michael a full-filling life as husband and wife. 

To find little goodies for your hens night, check out our website www.confidenceiskeylingerie.com.au to find something a little naughty to make your night! 

10 Ways To Drive Your Man Wild

Are you looking for new ways to drive your man crazy? Creativity and confidence is all that is required. Break out and allow yourself to explore someplace new and leave your comfort zone behind for awhile. Don’t be afraid to try new things even if they leave you with a lump in your throat and your heart beating erratically.  Surprising him with the unexpected can be the biggest success for a turn on. Our insecurities are often our reason for playing it safe sexually, but you would be surprised at what thinking outside of the box can do for your partner, not to mention yourself. Here are just 10 ways to start you off that will drive him wild. With a bit of imagination and confidence this list can be never-ending.

1. Act out your passion – When making love don’t just go through the motions. Let loose and act out your desires as you commit fully to what you are doing. It will drive him wild knowing that you are enjoying the sex as much as he is.

2. Express yourself – Verbalize the admiration that you have for him, his body and the things that he does. Boosting his ego and turning him on will make him feel sexy and he won’t be able to keep his hands to himself.

3. Surprise him with oral sex – Drive him wild by performing oral sex when he least expects it. Eg: wake him up by sucking on his morning wood, show your appreciation when he’s doing the dishes, or make a long drive interesting and surprise him while he’s driving...

4. Stroke him from behind – Approach your man from behind and emulate the way he would touch himself, all the while kissing his neck and shoulders.

5. Let him watch – Masturbate in front of your man as if you are all alone. There is an almost certain guarantee that he will not be able to keep his hands off you long enough to finish solo.

6. Shower time fun – Massage him in the shower when you are washing him, including a scalp massage as you wash his hair.  But be sure to leave the most sensitive part till last and attend to it thoroughly for an explosive finish.

7. Take Control – Use a little dominance and boss him around a bit. Don’t be afraid to get a little firm when he is disobedient to your commands. By taking control you are radiating confidence that will drive him wild and make him want to do anything you desire.

8. Talk dirty – in the right situation and circumstances a man hearing you say filthy words seductively, particularly if you are generally curse free, can really turn a man on.

9. Let it out – Men like nothing more to hear your moans and expressions that come from him pleasuring you. Men like to know when they are doing something right. Go all out and let him know when he is hitting the spot or that you are about to reach climax.

10. Strip Tease – Dress up in some sexy lingerie and provocatively remove the layers to the beat of music playing in the background. Give him his own personal strip show that will leave him completely satisfied, instead of teased and penniless. You can find a range of affordable and striking lingerie here.

Remember, a man who is regularly surprised by your efforts can prevent you and your partner from falling into a rut or losing the spark.  A man whose girlfriend can drive him wild and keep him guessing, is a happy man.

Top 10 sexy male artist voices

WARNING: Yumminess overload!!

Just a fun and random blog topic for a Saturday night, while everyone else is out partying and enjoying the effects of a nice icey cold rum :)  There is something about a sexy voice that just makes you weak in the knees... make that a sexy singing voice and it can make a girl hooked to any song they will ever sing. Haha.  Okay so maybe it's just me, but I have loved songs purely because I have been captivated by the voice of the singer.  Here are my top 10 male artist that have captured my attention for their vocals.  I have chosen my favourite songs that capture the complete sexiness of their breathtaking voices.  It just adds to the attractiveness and appeal of each and every one of them :)

1.  Jonathon Foreman (Switchfoot)

2.  Darren Criss & Matt Bomer (Glee)

3. Brad Paisley 

4. Brendon Urie (Panic! at the Disco)

5. Sam Larsen (Glee)

6. Michael Painter

7. Mike Rosenberg (Passenger)

8.  James Arthur

9.  Reece Mastin 

10. Olly Murs

I am interested to know if there is anybody out there who has had a "I don't care what your singing, I love this song because your voice is damn sexy" moment or likes any particular songs for the same reason :)  

A single girls guide to LIVE NRL games

I went to my first ever LIVE NRL game today. For me this is something very unheard of.  I went in knowing nothing other then that Nate Myles would be playing.  Of course, first I had to do my google research to know exactly who Nate Myles was. LOL Best i could gather, was that he is NRL's version of crickets Shane Watson. :) Turns out the game was Rabbitohs VS Titans.   The only other football game I have bothered to watch in my life time was the State of Origin about two weeks ago!  Here are a few pointers I learnt from my surprisingly not entirely disappointing experience.

1. Find the most perve appropriate seating in the general admission area. Cuz when the game gets boring you're ganna need something to look at. :)

2. Be prepared no matter where you sit to have someone squat directly in front of you, with no regard to your personal space or whether or not you can see the field over their head.

3. Bring your own food and drinks unless you can justify spending $4 on a bottle of water.

4. Pack extra excitement for when no one else is showing any enthusiasm. You may need to cheer for the entire crowd.  This would appear to be the case during pre-games of higher profile games.

5. Sit next to supporters of the same team. This saves you from wasting time actually having to learn any rules and you don't have to listen to that drunk guy holding a flag screaming out encouragement to the team you are betting on to lose.

6. Bring sunnies. This is a win win step. It protects your eyes from the glare and hides the direction of your eyes.  It may appear to everyone you are watching the game, but you really just noticed that guy in front with the sexy tattoos :)

7. Prep yourself with soft ass padding to prevent your butt from falling asleep. Surprisingly grassy hills are not as comfortable as they look. 

8. Arrive early. Unless you wanna have to sit on someone's lap, arrive well prior to the game to ensure a decent seat.

9. Bring sunscreen. No matter how you look at it, a burnt sunglasses mark just isn't sexy. 

10. By time the game is finished, your hands have a mind of there own and you find yourself clapping and cheering at the top of your lungs rooting for your chosen team and joining in on that mexican wave that goes around the entire footy field.  Surprisingly men tackling each other over a ball is actually very entertaining :)

So whilst I initially had low hopes of enjoying the experience as I desperately wished that it was an Australian cricket match I was spending my day on, I actually had a fantastic time despite my resulted sunburn and sore ass!  Of course, I'm still keen for the day I get myself to a LIVE Cricket match, but I wouldn't entirely hate to experience a LIVE footy game again.  Granted next time i'll be packing my cushy seating and sunscreen lotion.