I remember eight years ago when Napster, a music program that enabled the sharing of MP3 files over the Internet, was the craze. Almost a decade – and many lawsuits – later, the digital music sharing industry has evolved. Surprisingly, there are still ways to find your music and even play...

From the largest estate to the smallest backyard, humans have made a habit of gardening for thousands of years. Our urge to be among beautiful surrounds has manifested itself in a wide range of gardens, from those of traditional English country estates to more modern native landscapes. Here at A Pampered...

I love cooking. Together with reading and eating, cooking is one of my favourite pleasures. Obviously the eating comes with the cooking which is a good thing. Before moving away from home I took on the role as the cook, since my mum had a long way to travel home from work. So I developed the habit of...

Cleaning is as synonymous with spring as outdoor picnics surrounded by flowers and green trees. We clean our cluttered closets, dirty windows and stained carpets with more determination as the months get warmer. However, the things we forget to clean are so small we can’t even see them, and the...

After being more than half an hour late, on three separate occasions, all in the one week – I’ve come to realise I may have a problem with tardiness. Seeking to cure myself of this embarrassing social complaint, I decided to investigate the whys and wherefores of chronic lateness. According to Diana...

People invest a great deal in their homes, and we’re not just talking about mortgages and taxes. We have emotional attachments to our homes, and we form memories associated with the place and the things in it. Many people strongly feel that their home, in some way, reflects their personality, tastes...

Most people would probably consider today not the best time to go on a road trip. With fuel at an all-time high and environmental issues looming large, you’d be forgiven for dismissing the idea. On the other hand, the summer holidays are approaching, and Australia is more open to tourism than ever...

Manga (Japanese comics) are a unique blend of art and story-telling  which has become part of popular culture in Japan and is increasingly gaining world-wide attention. Manga is split into two categories: Shoujo and Shounen. Shoujo manga is targeted at females and is mostly romance-based whilst Shounen...

Ben Folds’ 2005 album Songs for Silverman is his greatest solo release yet. The music is by turns passionate, humorous and thoughtful. Folds writes beautiful lyrics that tell stories of exotic and secretive lives. His mastery of the piano leaves the listener in thrall of his heavy chord work contrasted...

The start of spring is generally associated with burying tiny seeds in the hope of watching them bloom into beautiful flowers in time for the summer. This year, instead of growing flowers, why not grow a sustainable garden? While offering nutritious and environmentally friendly benefits, sustainable...

I’ve been inspired by a book I bought a fortnight or so ago. It’s a chronicle of fashion over the last century, with glossy photos on every page. There are celebrities, catwalk fashion, and just normal people doing everyday activities. It’s amazing to look over all these pictures and see which...

While planning my spring vacation, I hit a major roadblock – to buy travel books or… something else. I needed help planning this massive trip, but the idea of shelling out $30 for a one time use book, seemed pointless. However, there are so many other alternatives, I found out! The first...

Gone are the bitter cold days of winter, as we welcome the warmth and sunshine of spring. So tell me, what better way is there of celebrating the coming of a new season with your close friends, than with a spring tea party? Tea parties can be very enjoyable as a way of getting together and having fun...

In a new relationship? Time to meet the parents soon? Nervous? Don’t worry so much about it. Try to be yourself and show your boyfriend’s parents who you are, and why their son is with you and they should like you as well. I didn’t meet my boyfriend’s parents until almost a year after we...