Has this ever happened to you?

HOT? Or NOT!

Hotness Delusion Syndrome - It's VERY real...

I can't believe that well-known Australian Demographer Bernard Salt has stolen my long-held theory that Australian men in their 40s are suffering from 'Hotness Delusion' - that is, they just so happen to be 'too hot' for any single woman that approaches! It's no wonder so many of my very attractive, extremely intelligent, financially independent & highly successful girlfriends are still single. Maybe it's just that we are too good for THEM! 

Thanks Bernard for making this real and for allowing us 30-something, single women to stop thinking that there's something wrong with us everytime we get rejected by the greying, once fit, now fat, 40-something ex-photocopier salesman... as I did when he had the nerve to tell me I wasn't "Sporty Spice-esque enough for him!"  And hey, when did personality ever come into it anyway?  

This very fact was validated in the article by Bernard and as he so eloquently put it: "He can be balding and paunchy, but this is not what he sees in the mirror. He sees nothing less than trim, taut and, so he is told, terrific."  Never a truer nor funnier word was spoken!

Am I alone here, or has anyone else out there been a victim of the 'Hotness Delusion'?  Younger Men - 1, Balding Paunchy 40-something Men - 0! ;)

Love,

Miss Manly x

Looking for something to do this weekend?

Visit VIVID Sydney!  It runs from May 27 until June 13 and features the 'FireDance', various ethereal 'Light Sculptures' from artisans around the world and perhaps the highlight, 'Lighting the Sails' - an amazing art installation which sees magnificent 3D artworks and images lighting up the sails of Sydney's famous landmark, The Opera House.  To find out more, click here:

Light installations - Vivid Sydney - Circular Quay - Around Town - Time Out Sydney

It kicks off at 6pm tonight with the lights going on all over the City. There's a buzz in the air and the little Light Fairies have been very busy, decorating and preening Sydney ready to kick off for VIVID.  I can't wait to see our gorgeous city all aglow, so if you're looking for something beautifully different to do this weekend, get out to VIVID Sydney.

Happy Friday and have a light-filled weekend!

Love,

Miss Manly x

Awww, so pretty.

Spotted in an otherwise bleak, inner-city landscape in Surry Hills just recently, this made me feel all cosy and warm just looking at it.  We all need to rug up in this chilly Autumn weather, even the trees!

There is nothing better than coming across unexpected beauty in ordinary, everyday things.


Love,
Miss Manly x

Did you know?

I was very reliably informed by a close friend of mine (who loves Manly almost as much as I do!) that approximately 6 million people (per year) walk the amazing Manly to Shelly Beach walkway!

And why on earth wouldn't you?  It's our little piece of Positano-style Paradise right off our own back porch.   Here's some of my amazing shots.  So, why not treat yourself this weekend - step outside your front door and experience the spectacular walk that millions of people pay a fortune to travel to our beautiful backyard, each and every year to do...  And remember just how lucky we are to live here :)

Love,
Miss Manly x

One Day Without Shoes

Can you go without shoes on April 5?  It's an international day set aside to raise awareness of the impact a pair of shoes can have on a child's life, by taking off our own.

In many parts of the developing world, shoes are seen as a status symbol and can change a child's life.  By donating 1 pair of shoes to a child in need in the third world for every pair purchased, TOMS shoes really knows how to make a difference.  TOMS Shoes is the company behind One Day Without Shoes.

In many countries, children walk barefoot for miles to get to school, collect food or to seek medical help and millions of children are at risk or injury, disease or infection from soil-transmitted diseases.  Most cannot afford medical treatment or prevention.  This in turn impacts a child's ability to attend school and gain an education - which is a critical determinant of future success.  In developing countries, healthy educated children can mean the difference between the survival or disappearance of an entire community.

The TOMS story is a pretty amazing and inspiring one, so I thought I'd share it with you:

One for One

TOMS Shoes was founded on a simple premise: With every pair you purchase, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need. One for One. Using the purchasing power of individuals to benefit the greater good is what we're all about. The TOMS mission transforms our customers into benefactors, which allows us to grow a truly sustainable business rather than depending on fundraising for support.

Giving Is Catching On...

The TOMS mission of giving shoes has attracted other brands, resulting in unique and successful collaborations. Ralph Lauren sold co-branded Polo Rugby TOMS, giving a matched pair with every pair sold. Element Skateboards has issued limited edition TOMS + Element shoes as well as a One for One skateboard. With every skateboard purchased, one will be given to a child at the Indigo Skate Camp in Durban, South Africa. It is TOMS’ hope that as our One for One movement continues to grow, more and more companies will look to incorporate giving into what they do.

The TOMS Story

In 2006, American traveler Blake Mycoskie befriended children in Argentina and found they had no shoes to protect their feet. Wanting to help, he created TOMS Shoes, a company that would match every pair of shoes purchased with a pair of new shoes given to a child in need. One for One. Blake returned to Argentina with a group of family, friends and staff later that year with 10,000 pairs of shoes made possible by TOMS customers. 

As of September 2010, TOMS has given over one million pairs of new shoes to children in need through Giving Partners around the world.

In this day and age, it's ultra-refreshing to see a company who cares about people less fortunate than themselves, as much as they care about the bottom-line.  Do you know of any other companies with such a positive social conscience?

Love,

Miss Manly x

Never Let Me Go

Last night, I saw a very interesting film, which certainly provided food for thought.  Never Let Me Go was based on the novel by the same name, written by British-born Japanese author Kazuo Ishiguro.

It follows the lives of 3 children - Ruth, Kathy and Tommy, who at first glance appear to be normal children residing at an up-market boarding school in the idyllic English countryside.  It is later revealed that these 3 children, along with their fellow students at Hailsham and countless others across the UK were bred for the sole purpose of organ donation, as part of the National Donor Program in the UK in the '70s and '80s.  For me, the most tormenting part of the film was the final line, stated by Kathy as she contemplates the ruins of her childhood and considers whether her fate is really any different from the people who will receive her organs after all: "We all complete. Maybe none of us really understand what we've lived through or feel we've had enough time."

To my surprise, some of my girlfriends seemed to struggle with the idea that it was a real film, lacking the big budget, Hollywood-style drama, computer-generated animation, sound effects and action scenes, cheesy love story or crass humour which too frequently pollutes our cinema experiences today.  For me, the real struggle lay in the ethical issues surrounding the breeding of children for this purpose. 


In the movie, most of the donors 'completed' prior to reaching the age of 30, after their third or fourth donation (usually being the donation of their heart).  The fact that these thousands of children were so institutionalised that they were unable to be independent or informed in their decision making or in everyday life, meant that they believed that their sole purpose in life was nothing more than to donate their vital organs.  As such, they became the victims of an archaic and monstrous National health system, completely lacking the ability to argue against this purpose, or to state their wishes, hopes and dreams for their own lives.

Don't get me wrong.  Having a gorgeous aunty (whom I am very, very close to) whose life was saved in 1990 by the selfless gift from a grieving family - their 16 year old daughter's heart (after being tragically killed in a motor accident), I am a huge advocate of organ donation.  In fact, I myself am an organ donor and think that this is the greatest gift you could give anyone who is suffering and so desperately in need.  


Australia has one of the lowest rates of organ donation in the developed world, but I am completely and utterly opposed to the concept of people being bred and groomed throughout their childhood and teenage years for this specific purpose, only to 'complete' prior to reaching 30.  The fact that countless life-saving organs are effectively wasted when someone is buried or cremated, means that they could be better used to save the dying - if only people registered as donors and expressed their wish to donate, to their loved ones. This is crucial as they will ultimately have the final say and must consent to your organs being used for transplant to save the life of another human being. 


Here's some very sad stats about organ donation in Australia:

Did you know?

• One organ and tissue donor can save the lives of up to ten people and significantly improve the lives of dozens more.
• Around 1700 people are on Australian organ transplant waiting lists at any one time.
• On average, people on the transplant list must wait between 6 months and 4 years.
• In 2010, 309 organ donors gave 931 Australians a new chance in life.
• In 2008, 1096 people donated their corneas. As a result, 1696 people had their sight restored.

To find out more about organ donation and to register your wishes to donate (and notify your loved ones of these wishes by sending a cool, personalised video clip), click here http://www.donatelife.gov.au/

What better way to save the life of one person (or several) who are so desperately in need, as well as preserving the memory of a loved one?  In fact, it gives a whole new meaning to Never Let Me Go.


Love,
Miss Manly x

It's the little things...

After witnessing the heartbreak, pride and strength of Sydney's Japanese population in Manly on Saturday, I was walking home and noticed this small token of beauty and hope.  It's amazing how it's the littlest things that can sometimes add a ray of sunshine to an otherwise stormy, grey day.

Love,
Miss Manly x