• “Feminism is the dirtiest word I know” …Liza Graves frontwoman for all-girl punk band Civet shares her views on feminism and sexism in the music industry.
• My friend Mark sent me a link to tracks from the hard-to-find Big Rig House of Faith demo. Big Rig is a band Operation Ivy frontman Jesse Michaels formed in 1994. I’ve been after this demo forever!
• Former Rolling Stone writer & best-selling author Anthony Bozza talks about having passion, following your instinct and success as a writer. I always love reading other writers’ experiences.
• I love this hair look! A tutorial on how to do it at home in 7 easy steps. I also love these extensions. Dreaming of fabulous spring/summer hair… I’m slowly going lighter! (two salon trips down, one more to go! photos soon…)
• Lady Gaga interviews Debbie Harry. Two favourites.
• Rock n Roll Bride has me thinking about the wedding! So many wonderful ideas!
• Who can resist having a peep at a ’60s fashion shoot with a Disneyland backdrop! Neverland here I come!
• I’ve just discovered the TV show Portlandia which totally gives me the giggles.
• Finally I have found a place that makes the mala beads I have always wanted!
• Some great advice for How To Live A Beautiful Life from Gala Darling.
• Want your dream job? If you’re looking for a job in the creative industries in Australia check out this site and create your own profile for potential employers to know you exist.
• If you’re a huge fan of snail mail old school correspondence like I am, you’ll get a kick out of Letterheady.
• I have an interview with indie US singer-songwriter Kimya Dawson next week. Peep her Twitter: “A special account/ where I can haiku like a/ wild motherfucker!” This year I also wrote my own haiku for the very first time. ;)

Enjoy the rest of your week!
Love & sparkles,

*Photo sourced from NZ’s Pulp Mag. A Jem & the Holograms inspired shoot! So rad!

I’ve only really started using mantras on a regular basis over the past year. My astrologer Vic DiCara (he also plays in hardcore punk band 108*) drew up my astrological chart using Vedic Astrology last year. After interrupting it he decided to prescribe a certain mantra that would help in manifesting my dreams to reality. You’re probably going ‘what the hell is a mantra?’ Let me explain:

Mantra is a practice that involves the repetition of a word or a phrase of words. At first it may feel mechanical but once you get into it you start to (hopefully) embody the quality or essence you are trying to invoke. You should try to be sincere when saying your mantra.

My friend Vic described the usefulness of mantras by telling me, “Practice the mantra with a given intention and need and you will find that need, will be addressed… the power of mantra is to open your mind and free it from habit. So doing the mantra enables you to learn the lessons of the planets as quickly and painlessly as possible, even enjoyably and blissfully in fact.”

Art by Abhi Ryan

I have found that putting both meditation and chanting a mantra (along with yoga) into my daily routine has helped give me a grounding and solid base in which to start my day in.

Mantra are used across many cultures (it’s not just an Eastern exotic thing), faith and philosophies. I have found that they help to give me clarity and boost my energy.
For more on mantras check out: The Power of Mantra, Gently Returning and History & Info on Mantra.

A song from the album Mantra by one of my favourite hardcore punk bands Shelter.

*108 trivia – 108 is a semi-permanent number; malas have 108 beads for use when reciting mantras; according to Ayurveda there are 108 pressure points in the body…

Art by Chainsaw Panda

Om mani padme hum…
With Metta,

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