Posts

Showing posts from November, 2012

The Seekers Golden Jubilee

Image
Tweet The Seekers are celebrating a very special time in their lives, and including their fans in the festivities. Dudith Durham, Bruce Woodley, Keith Potger, and Athol Guy have been a band for 50 years. That's right, a Golden Jubilee means 50 years in show biz. Before we have a look at the latest media attention, here's a quick background into the world of Seekers tours. Judith Durham said on 60 minutes that they really had an easy career. Judith now realises she took for granted the instant TV coverage they received just a day after they arrived in England. Success welcomed the group whenever they wanted it. Judith then chose time off from the group for independence and to find her own identity. But the memory of The Seekers stayed with the public. And hence the later tours. Judith has continually been able to return to the group with the same support from fans ever since. Their 25th anniversary Silver Jubilee (when I was 4) sparked a decade of performances

Are you a fan of Flickr?

Image
Tweet Flickr is one of the most popular sites used to put entire photo albums online. There are galleries within a photo stream to organise the pics. A paid subscription will allow you to watch stats of the popularity of your pictures. This is definitely useful for major brands, but I'll stay with the free version because it provides what I need. You can even create a customised alias, also known as the URL address. Simply go into account settings and change it. Flickr only lets you do this once. This is important because the address helps to form your online identity. Although there is very little editing of photos, some settings add a bit extra to each picture. The site automatically adds a copyright sign to protect your intellectual property. We can choose who sees the pictures in case we want tighter security. Titles and descriptions explain more context to audiences. Categories like 'favourites' further organise the photos. Oh how times have changed si

A Line Skirts

Image
Tweet A-lin e skirts are a classic no m atter what other styles are temporarily in tren d . They're one of the most flattering versatil e ways to pretty up an outfit. A simple black or coloured a-line is great for work, parties, anything. So let's see what the most popular sites can tell us about these pretty hems: Vogue used a silky short a-line to demo perfect prints here .   Shop Til You Drop used a coloured metallic mini a-line with their party looks here .   Harper's Bazaar needed a-lines in their gallery of pleats here .   No matter what other skirt is dominating the runway, there is always a niche market trend for those beautifully shaped skirts. This Blumarine fashion show is on the Fashion TV channel on Youtube. It proves that amongst the other seasonal trends, you will still find some awesome a-lines.

Visualising Food Goals

Image
Tweet Dieting, weight loss, and health are some of the toughest measures of self control. Size was last on my list of priorities recently as I turned a bit work-a-holic. I never claimed to change my habits in a day. The goal is at top of mind every so often, so now the trick is to make it a continuous conscious purpose. How do we keep our eyes on the prize when feeling tempted by comfort-eating and couch-potato-ism? Let's get inspired by Delta's song Visualise . Why? Because some of us learn visually. So naturally we train ourselves visually too. They say people either learn by looking, hearing, or doing. So my idea here is primarily for those who catch onto ideas by watching. Food surrounds us in our physical environments because it is a significant industry. Walk down an urban street and, to those trying to get off the see-food-diet, every building beckons us to join in the feast. There is no escaping the food courts and convenience stores of life. We need t

Subscribing to this blog by email

Image
Tweet This blog, What Mel Wants, has a very easy way for you to subscribe to posts by email. This box below simply requires the email address you want the posts to be sent to. It does not require any "sign up" at all. What Mel Wants will continue to be the most convenient possible format for readers. Here are some images of my demonstration on how to subscribe: Then a verification will appear. This is just to make sure you're not a computerised hacking program. It's very normal these days. The font is odd enough that a computer couldn't understand what the letters and numbers are. Just type the text into the bar. Easy! Then there are some easy instructions to follow. You just go to your email inbox and click on the link it gives you. The reason is simply so we know the email address is correct and we don't accidentally message someone else at the wrong address. After these steps, you're now successfully subscribed to the blog What M

How did "Will it blend" get so popular?

Image
Tweet Will it blend is an extremely popular series on Youtube that just gets everybody fascinated. Blend Tec are famous for blending all those 'durable' gadgets and household items that we thought could survive anything. It's a cross between comedy and science. Past blends have included an iPhone, glow stick, a chrome notebook, Justin Bieber (don't worry, it's only a doll, no Biebers were harmed in the process), the list goes on. It's just a bit of fun to watch. Check out this video below, and see more on the Youtube site by simply searching "will it blend."

Are connected through Linkedin yet?

Image
Tweet Are you the type of person at a party who just wants to meet everyone? Do you join multiple clubs to network and get familiar with as many friendly faces as possible? A lot of us do that in our local and immediate communities. One of the most common conversation topics is whether we have mutual friends with the people we meet. Well now that same feeling of networking and bonding is on a whole new scale thanks to professional sites like Linkedin. We used to have to visit countless events to find out opportunities from individuals. But thanks to Linkedin, the global village just got a bit more social. Say you're in an international organisation. You probably didn't previously know who did a job like yours, in another country. You might have needed to track down the address to send email or snail mail to a decision maker. We live in an exciting era where we can discover friends of friends we never knew we had. This can lead to more opportunities and targete

Anyone can comment on the blog What Mel Wants

Image
Tweet Breaking news: now anyone can post comments on the blog What Mel Wants! Until now, there was a little setting hidden away in Blogger that required people to register before posting comments on my blog. I am by no means an expert in computers or web sites. So that little cause of the restriction remained un-noticed until yesterday. I fixed it all up and clicked a button that allows anyone at all to comment on the blog. If there are any other problems when commenting on blog posts, please let me know by email (melaniewilson89@gmail.com), Facebook , or Twitter .

How to create Like and Send buttons from Facebook

Image
Tweet Like buttons are really important so that your readers who use Facebook can share your post with their friends. It also helps you to share the post with your Facebook friends. Of course this can be a significant audience. No matter what your site is, you can follow my easy steps to get a "Like" button. Examples are from a recent blog post I made. Although examples here are with Blogger, the process should be similar on other blogging sites.  1. Get the URL of the page. You might be able to guess the URL. But I like to publish the post, to be able to see the address, and then go back to editing. 2. Click here  to get the web site for Like buttons. Copy and paste the address into the "URL to Like" bar. 3.  Choose a font for the button. This choice is completely arbitrary. 4.  Click the button that says, "Get Code." The text that appears now might be confusing to first timers (like I was not that long ago). But a

Timeless hippie fashion

Image
Tweet Kaftans are comfy to wear no matter what decade we are in. These flowy tops are flattering for absolutely anyone. They can outline the shapes we are proud of and hide the rest. It's quirky enough but can come in some plain simple styles. It can go well with swimmers at the beach or with black pants for a dressed up look. It's got to be one of the most versatile options for the warmer weather. Love it. 

A movie every twenty something should see

Image
Tweet Every twenty-something should see the 2009 movie Post Grad. This light flick by Alexis Bledel shows the struggles that thousands of young adults faced in the US and the world from the GFC and later. They spent 3 or 4 years (sometimes more) working hard to become qualified in their chosen fields only to find a crowded competitive market place. I am very thankful for a movie that can define a generation. A lot of us can identify with Ryden as we push to build our careers in exactly the same way. We are all equally motivated. We are all as good as each other. Ryden had temporarily worked for other companies and was the straight A type (yes, she is a lot like Rory Gilmore but that's fine) when she graduated. She is friendly and adorable. Her appearance was always presented professionally. But so was everyone else. Most of the movie saw her struggling to get her foot in the door. How can we differentiate ourselves when we're in Ryden's shoes? The employee

App Addicts Anonymous

Image
Tweet Blogosphere, I have a confession to make. I was once addicted to apps. The gadgets have became filled to the brim with pretty programs that I will probably never use. This addiction died down a long time ago. But the consequences are still with me today. It started with the thrill of knowing an iPhone could be so much more than a telephone, if only I download these apps. There just happened to be fifty of them. The phone survived ok, or so I thought. But the more I kept every single photo and free book, and 3000 emails, suddenly I can't just add a movie whenever a new one appears. Suddenly I couldn't keep hundreds of e-books I never actually read. What's going on? What started as a telephone has been a little gadget expected to hold a lifetime supply of entertainment. And it isn't working. Then things got worse. The iPad suffered from the same filled-up overflow of apps that the iPhone was constrained by. Reality only kicked in when  a movie couldn

Sydney is finally getting a real summer

Image
Tweet Sydney siders are feeling bright and brilliant this summer after last year didn't really get a summer at all. We finally have the sunny season we deserve. Heat waves are as much a part of Christmas for us turkey and stockings. It's what we're used to. The festive season just isn't the same without beaches, pools, ice blocks, and chances to show off our (fake) tans. We suffered (and not in silence) in 2011 during an overwhelming amount of rain . The 2012 weather so far has felt quite comfortable, and time will tell if maybe we will get the extreme temps later.

Why use hair mousse?

Image
Tweet http://www.whatmelwants.com/2012/11/why-use-hair-mousse.html I'm rather new to hair mousse, and thought I would introduce it to those of you who are still discovering it. So here are some questions and web sites that answer these questions: 1. What should I do to my hair before using mousse? Garnier prefer to use it on wet hair. So if you already used the hairdryer or don't have time to wash your hair, just use a spray bottle so it's damp enough. 2. What will the stuff do to my hair? Herbal Essences tell us this foam puts the bounce back into hair. 3. How much mousse should I use at once? Hair Boutique want us to only use a blob of the goop that's the size of a golf ball. There's no point wasting excess stuff that won't add any value to DIY treatment.  4. What is the purpose of mousse? A consensus of blogs and sites agree that curls or at least wavy or voluminous shape will develop from mousse.

I still miss Gilmore Girls

Image
Tweet It has now been 5 years since we said goodbye to Lorelai and Rory. The most attached mother and daughter team both grew up together in front of us. Rory finished college when I was finishing high school. Although Rory was a bit older than me, both girls lived like teenagers enough that I saw myself in both of them at times.   There will never be another show quite like Gilmore Girls. The quirky creator Amy Sherman-Palladino made the world of Stars Hollow her own. She kept us fascinated with bizarre characters like the strict (but secretly musical) Mrs Kim, our somewhat prissy Michel, the achievement-obsessed Paris, our maternal Sookie, and I still don't know how to explain Kirk. Where else on TV do you get an entire town that feels like family?  The show definitely evolved over time as it should. Sookie had kids, Kirk got a girlfriend, Lane got married, everyone grew. We also watched Alexis Bledel grow up on Gilmore Girls. Alexis was barely 21 when she wa

Market Marvels

Image
Tweet I created a blog on Word Press a while ago simply to get used to multiple blog sites. Calling it Market Marvels, the idea was to discover more practical examples of marketing after my theoretical background. And the specific theme has been given its own name for its own identity. Market Marvels is about Melanie Suzanne Wilson's impression of the commercial world. It will simply be another tab at the What Mel Wants blog site. Any already existing posts are from a while ago. I might add a little bit to Market Marvels later, although I still prefer the variety of the personal blog What Mel Wants. This is just a chance to let you all know that I'm on Wordpress too.

Obsessive Compulsive Editing

Image
Tweet I have found myself slightly overtaken lately by a need to edit. Again. And again. You see, I always want to find the balance between what I think and what people want to hear. That's definitely not easy when evaluating or commenting on pretty much anything. The luxury of blogging is that it's easy to change writing after it's published. Who knows if that's right or not. I could keep the post as a draft for just that little bit longer and re-read it again. And again. But I'm never at the point where I feel it is deemed fit for public consumption. So sometimes I click publish and just feel the urge to polish an already published post. Most of us do similar internal editing when working on almost anything. We wonder what we could have done differently. We evaluate and critique our own work so much more than anyone else would. So whatever I throw something out into the blogosphere, it's a way to observe a wonderful flawed world with as much

Must See DVD: Mad Men

Image
Tweet Mad Men is definitely one of those TV shows that are so good I should have watched it sooner. I'm still watching Season 1. How did I miss this story of practical examples of personal and professional moral disasters? It's a complete guide of what-not-to-do. Although it's set in an advertising agency, I don't think the issues involved are unique to that industry. Mad Men is set early enough (60s) that all characters definitely have not embraced feminism. This is a reminder of how new the world is to the concept of ideal equal treatment based on merit instead of personal characteristics. The story is set very little over fifty years ago. We take for granted things like freedom to choose whatever career we want, and freedom to balance a professional and personal life, and most importantly freedom from discrimination. The unbelievable behaviour in Mad Men is a pleasant reminder of what we now don't have to put up with. Some of those everyday conseq

New web address for What Mel Wants

Image
Tweet I have some very exciting news to tell you. What Mel Wants is no longer named with Blogger in the URL. I'm a big fan of Blogger, which is why I still use it to make the blog. But it was time for a unique identity for What Mel Wants. You can now type "www.whatmelwants.com" or leave out the 'www' and write "whatmelwants.com" and get the same blog. My next project just might be a main home page web site. But that will take more time and learning. If there are any topics you want me to cover in the blog, feel free to write a (friendly) suggestion on Facebook and Twitter or email or carrier pidgeon. I hope the simplified web address helps you to quickly get to my blog and share your opinions on the posts.

Where the bloody hell is Lara Bingle?

Image
Tweet Lara deserves brownie points for being everywhere. Any intellectual angles about her work need to be put aside for a happy acceptance of this girl who appears to be trying really hard. Her show Being Lara Bingle was always simply about atttention. It's not about fancy plot lines or acting. The possible aims are to get noticed , be liked, and grow her career. I feel a great amount of empathy for Lara having realised where she is coming from. It's not about being the best at everything. Lara appears to have ambitious hopes to do the best she can through the most possible opportunities. Why disagree with that? I still remember when the famous Aussie campaign came out and Lara asked the world, "Where the bloody hell are you?" Even then her messages were not fully culturally transferrable as people had mixed feelings about the controversial line. But there were definitely good intentions at heart. The more the critics tried to convince us to aband

Useful Links: Intro to Asperger's Syndrome

Image
Tweet Asperger's Syndrome is a relatively new concept that many people haven't had the opportunity of learning about. I have put together some links that may help in explaining what it is. An awareness of the traits of AS could help when meeting someone who has it. Aspies definitely have a different outlook on the world. It's not wrong, just different. Don't go around diagnosing people, just be aware AS is out there.       Tony Attwood is the Yoda of Asperg er's Syndrome. He's the go-to expert and author . Tony's web site is jam packed with info about AS, about Tony's a ctivities, and about social groups and s upport for those affected by AS.     John Elder Robison has A S and writes about it in hi s successful books such as Look Me In The Eye. I read the book years ago and became a fan. His si te has the added bonus of a blog . There's also of course Facebook . Auti sm Spectrum Australia ( Aspe ct ) is one of the first or

Bridesmaids is an awesome movie!

Image
Tweet Image: IMDB There's an awesome movie I just have to tell you about. I never saw the movie when it first came out, and I am totally thankful to be seeing it on DVD now. Bridesmaids is a completely inspiring story because it reminds us that the only person who can change your life is yourself. We often stumble upon challenges either because of the universe or because of us. The question is then what we are going to do about it. What a brilliant parable to take from a chick flick. Melissa McCarthy's character inspired us with her own story about striving for the best. Having admired Melissa since Gilmore Girls, I was glad to see her play such a diverse character. Megan doesn't really gain positive attention during most of the movie because she keeps her true successes to herself. That in itself is a lesson to avoid judging people we don't know so well. It was great to see a character who doesn't always need to show off or boast. Movie characters a

My favourite music videos of The Seekers on Youtube

Image
Tweet The Seekers have been giving us awesome performances and music videos for decades. Here are some videos you might like: This 1994 appearance gives an idea of the sort of audiences the group attracts: This record-breaking audience in the 60s experienced one of the original shows. Calling Me Home was a folksy pop tune during the reunion years. Judith looks adorable in I'll Never Find Another You. I hope you liked these classic clips of Seekers music.

Social Media: a two-way conversation

Image
It is extremely important to create instantaneous two-way dialogue when using social media. This allows for mutual understanding, conversation, and shared ideas, strengthened relationships, and reduced bias. I would like to encourage anybody to write comments on my blog posts and let me know if there are any technical difficulties when doing so.     First of all, let's de-rail for one moment for a quick clarification. Critical thinking is an obviously important in the world of social media. Credible sources will definitely need to back up what is said.Wikipedia is a common example where anyone can write anything. That's great. We are all entitled to our freedom of speech, but I would only take someone's facts as truth once proven.    Now, here we go to see why continuous instantaneous dialogue is important. Corporate examples show us that individuals are not alone in the building of dialogue in social media. Forums are common ways for the entire community to have