Dear readers, please note that this is a sponsored post. I was gifted a bag and strap to road test from Baxterson, and this is my honest review and experience of the bag. Baxterson.com is a Melbourne-based brand renowned for transforming recycled drink bottles into stylish and functional bags. As a fashion-conscious individual who values both style and functionality in my accessories, I was eager to see how this bag would fit into my daily life. Here’s a detailed account of my adventure with this versatile companion. First impressionsThe first thing that struck me about “The Brunswick” Baxte ..read more

I’ve created a wonderful workspace in our new place that is both functional and inspiring. Over the years, I’ve spent a lot of time researching and upgrading my home office, so it’s safe to say I know a thing or two about creating a space that promotes productivity and creativity. I will share some of my favorite must-have items for a minimalist, versatile, and modern home office. The Uplifting Tango Electric Sit Stand Desk  I’m always moving around, so I need a sturdy and flexible desk that allows me to stand and work throughout the day. I replaced my original modular desk from Ikea with ..read more

In today’s world, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the constant stream of negativity in the news. Instead of dwelling on these troubling events, I want to share my personal journey with fear and how I’ve transformed it into a powerful motivator. Join me as I explore how facing fear head-on has shaped my path and empowered me to achieve more. Embracing fear as a motivator Here are some strategies I’ve found helpful in using fear as a motivator: Identify your fears: Take some time to reflect on what honestly scares you. Is it the fear of failure, the fear of not having enough time, or the fear o ..read more

I enjoy sharing with you the experiences I have with products that exceed expectations. So, here’s a nail polish system I can’t stop raving about to my family and friends.  I discovered Dazzle Dry from a nail salon. My first thought was, can I save money and time and do this at home?  The Dazzle Dry difference Dazzle Dry delivers a fantastic in-home manicure experience; the results are excellent, fast, and extremely durable. In addition, I love that this system requires no exposure to UV lamps – something I have stayed away from for years. Here’s a photo of the polish on my nails aft ..read more

If you haven’t yet heard of ChatGPT where have you been hiding? This incredibly fascinating, brilliant, scary chatbot has made its way into my everyday life. I’ve started to ask it the same questions I’d ask Google. But, unlike Google, ChatGPT generates an ideal response to your query as if you were asking your question directly to an expert. Before going into detail about what I asked ChatGPT to include in this blog post, here are two fascinating examples of how these famous people used ChatGPT for their muse. Jordon Peterson, an academic who’s highly accurate and extremely meticulous, shares ..read more

It’s strange to think this month marks 20 years since my experience of those devastating Canberra bushfires. Yet, it wasn’t until I stumbled across this photo that some vivid memories popped up during that time trying to save our house from the fires. At the time, we lived in a 2-storey house that backed a lovely nature reserve. Our entire street was deemed high risk because of the fact it was right in front of a nature reserve. Tragically, I recall at least one house on our street burning to the ground, with some other homes having partial sections destroyed. I remember seeing some cars melte ..read more

I want to thank the Pullman Melbourne on the Park for putting us up for a three-day stay in exchange for this sponsored post of our experience.  With its recent $40 million renovation, the Pullman Melbourne on the Park’s 419 rooms has been completely transformed and upgraded, lifting the hotel’s status as one of Melbourne’s premium hotels. This upgrade was evident with the furniture and finishes in our room. It included sturdy marble table top finishes, solid-duty steel tables, a modern bathroom design with plenty of mood lighting, and a luxurious privacy screen.  The hotel also inc ..read more

Since 2003 I’ve bought and sold items from online marketplaces to give my things a second life while making extra money. I can also accumulate top-quality items for a fraction of the recommended retail price. One of my most popular blog posts talks about the differences between online marketplaces, including eBay, Facebook Marketplace and Gumtree. So because that post was so popular, I wanted to follow up with my insights and experiences using different tactics to sell items online for top dollar. I’ve also included my tips on buying high-quality designer items. But before we get into it, here ..read more

It’s both exciting and nerve-racking when buying or selling a property. So I’d like to share a list I put together that helped us purchase our recent home near the beach here in Melbourne. I thought it would be ideal to use the services of a highly experienced property and finance group once again. Especially since we wanted a property that could earn enough capital gains to leverage off for a future purchase. However, we decided it would be best to go at it alone because we knew exactly where and what we needed in this new home. Armed with this checklist, I put together and some ol’ fashion r ..read more

Reducing my body mass index (BMI) over the past two years has been challenging. In this personal blog post entry, I discuss the ‘success’ experienced after paying several thousands of dollars to intentionally swallow the tampon-size Elipse gastric balloon at the end of 2021. The saline-filled balloon sits in the stomach for 4 months and is designed to make you feel fuller for longer before passing naturally through the bowels. Elipse gastric balloon procedure – My initial research  I was straight on the phone with my doctor after hearing about this new weight loss procedure. It was so new ..read more