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A DAY I N T H E L I F E O F

UNIVERSAL FREE

EDITION 45

From The Editor During these uncertain times, the Universal Team has come to realise the importance of appreciating the little things in our lives. These little things can go a long way to help get you through trying times! Whilst everyone is unique in their personal style, interests and backgrounds, we wanted to focus upon what makes us similar and what makes us tick. This has been captured by the Universal Team, who have creatively put the magnifying glass on some wonderfully interesting people, animals and objects, bringing you Edition 45: A Day in the Life of . . .

Thank you for picking up Edition 45 of Universal Magazine. We love creating content, writing and designing for you . . . it’s definitely an enjoyable part of our day.

The Universal Team

We would like to acknowledge and pay respect to the past, present and future Traditional Custodians and Elders of this land on which Universal Magazine has been created, the Bunurong peoples of the Kulin nation. We also acknowledge the continuation of cultural, spiritual and educational practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Sovereignty was never ceded. This land was, is and always will be traditional Aboriginal land. We encourage our readers to do some research and understand more about the land on which they live, work and socialise.

UNIVERSAL

EDITION 45

FREE

A DAY I N T H E L I F E O F

We hope you enjoy stepping into the shoes of others, as the team takes you along on the daily journeys of rabbits, pens and people practicing religion. We invite you to vicariously join in on the struggles, joys and the mundane tasks that are simply a part of life. And in the process of sharing, perhaps you’ll be inspired by others and reflect on your own habits. Do each of your days vary considerably from one another? Personally, having my cup of tea or coffee in the morning is one of my favourite times of the day.

Acknowledgement of Country

Cover Design by Rochelle Leslie

Interested in joining the team? Or looking to submit some work? Please contact Courtney on P: 1300 369 436 E: courtney.mcgill@kingston.vic.gov.au

Read previous editions:

Available for your reading pleasure at any time! Send Courtney an e-mail for more info

The views and opinions expressed in these articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views, values and official position of the City of Kingston or any of its officials, representatives or employees Kingston Youth Services and the Universal team acknowledge the support of the Victorian Government

Contents A Day In The Life Of...

A Pen

A Small Business Owner

Comic by Naketra Mendes

Words and Design by Danielle Capobianco

Rob Snarski

Photography, Words and Design by Hannah Phemister

A Weeb

Words by James Milnes Design by Rochelle Leslie

Two Cheeky Rabbits

Photography, Words and Design by Hannah Phemister

An Avid Dreamer

Illustration by Lila Ni

A Floral Designer

Words and Design by Adele D’Souza

A freeza Crew Member

A Fasting Muslim

Illustration by Sammar Bassal

The Mermaid In The Lake

Illustration by Sammar Bassal

A Universal Crew Member

A A Day Day in in the the Life Life of of aa Small Small Business Business Owner Owner Words, Design and Photography by Danielle Capobianco

The City of Kingston is home to many talented small business owners. To understand what life is like for a small business owner, I have selected two women from the City of Kingston to share their experience and advice for anyone aspiring to run their own business someday. Each owner shares a different story and daily experience, yet many similarities can be drawn.

Rekha created CakeReks bakehouse in 2016, baking cookies, brownies, and cakes to sell directly to customers at farmers and craft markets in Victoria. When the pandemic started, she quickly adopted an online business model, launching www.cakereks. com.au, with a ‘cakes to your doorstep’ delivery service. She also supplies baked goods to local cafes. Rekha is the owner and is responsible for everything and anything that is needed to run the business. To Rekha, running a small business means every day is different. Primarily her days are made up of baking, sourcing supplies and looking ahead to expand her product range. She often develops new products and thinks of the next offering for important occassions, like Mother’s Day.

In addition, Rekha also manages many other roles in her business, from taking photography for socials, posting on social media and responding to her followers, to website maintenance and improvements, managing finances, digital marketing, coordinating promotions and doing deliveries. She has tried to structure her days working from home, starting by walking her dog, Rafiki, and spends most of her morning in her office. An example from one of her most recent workdays involved heading out to buy supplies, such as flowers for a future cake design, finishing baking some brownies for a cafe and delivering them, before heading back to the kitchen to bake more orders.

Photo provided by Rekha She collaborated with a close friend who created her logo, which she uses on business cards, product stickers and branding. Otherwise the only real outsourcing she utilises are online tools such as - ‘Later’, for scheduling social media posts, ‘Trello’, to stay organised, ‘Canva’, for all her social media graphics and ‘WIX’, for her website. As discussed, Rekha covers many areas of her business and struggles with not having enough hours in the day. Not only does she run CakeReks, but she is also an artist, selling her artwork online. Rather than being a burden, the Coronavirus pandemic was a motive for change in CakeReks, being the driving force for taking the business online. Lockdown meant the closure of usual customer touchpoints at farmers markets, which inspired the online delivery model and collaboration with other local businesses such as supplying to cafes. Challenges presented themselves when sourcing ingredients in bulk. Most staples, like eggs, milk, flour, sugar, and butter were in short supply.

As Rekha covers many areas of her business, she struggles with not having enough hours in the day. Not only does she run CakeReks, she is also an artist who sells her work online.

“I do need to outsource my accountancy work. Numbers are not my strong point, so I leave that to the experts to help with the accounts.”

“It was a strange time, but the community spirit really shone, there was so much support for local businesses and businesses helping each other out.”

Rekha prides herself on her ability to give great customer service, being a significant way she differentiates her business. She incorporates her experience in the corporate world, where she mostly worked in a services role with an “all hands-on deck” approach. Furthermore, her baking skills are the foundation of her business’ success, which she has honed over many years. Rekha approaches trends with flexibility, constructing her business plan to deal with changes effectively. She demonstrated this when she moved away from products she wasn’t selling, shifting her focus to the production and development of new products. “I started getting requests for Birthday Cakes, Gluten Free products and Vegan, so I expanded my offering, but I always make sure that any new products or offerings for special occasions are all in -keeping within the style of products that were true to my brand. You can’t be everything to everyone.”

Photo provided by Rekha Rekha’s goals for CakeReks include a focus on enhancing her products and consideration as to how scalable they are during future growth. Her best piece of advice for anyone looking to start their own business is to not let lack of knowledge hold you back from starting. “Don’t let what you don’t know cripple your progress - seriously, you don’t have to know EVERYTHING from the get-go, you can learn things as you go.”

Rekha started working on new skills one at a time, gradually improving her knowledge about digital marketing, analytics, websites, search engine optimisation, and eCommerce platforms. She also encourages people to reach out to family, friends, and business communities for support, like Kingston Collective Community, which hosts networking events where locals can connect and share knowledge with other business owners. She also recommends writing down your goals at the beginning to capture your vision and give you a sense of achievement when you look back at them. Rekha has a genuine love for what she does every day and the excitement of being kept on her toes, knowing she can tackle whatever challenge comes her way.

Tamara has worked in the horticulture industry for years, turning her passion for plants into a small indoor plant store called In Bloom Horticulture, located in Mentone. A typical day for Tamara involves purchasing and maintaining stock, customer service, horticultural advice, managing social media and book-keeping. Tamara admits that covering all these bases of work can be a day-to-day struggle. Her best advice for managing many areas is to figure out where best to allocate resources. Through this, she recognises areas that need an expert touch and require outsourcing. Tamara collaborated with specialists to create her branding and website design to deliver the customer impact she was desiring. Currently, Tamara is operating the shop by herself and is still figuring out whether to allocate someone to work in the store or to cover the social media aspects of the business.

“I am a firm believer that you have to know all the aspects of your business to be able to find the right person or tool for the job. You have to have a vision of the result.”

Her aspirations over the next couple of months involve setting up processes to assist her to delegate some of the workload to someone else. You can’t talk about struggles without mentioning the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic especially on small brick-andmortar businesses. Tamara explains that the pandemic pushed her to launch a new website. “The old website didn’t convey the feel of the bricks-and-mortar store and I wanted to ensure that new online customers would transfer to be in store shoppers on the other side of lockdown.”

During lockdown, a typical day in Tamara’s life was a juggle, as she is the mother of primary school aged children. Her mornings consisted of supervising remote learning, before heading to the shop in the afternoon. During these sessions she would focus on photographing and uploading new stock on the website and working via video call or text with customers. In addition, she added new tasks to her plate by packaging all her orders and then delivering them daily. On many days she would travel up to 20kms in many cases, some nights not getting home until after 7pm. Her day wasn’t over yet, she still had to reply to all the emails of the day. From midday the next day, she did this all again. “It was intense. I thought I’d have time to upskill in a few areas, but really there was no time for online learning for me during that time.”

The most valuable skills Tamara applies to her work are horticultural knowledge and being able to answer people’s queries. She also has a talent for reading trends and ensuring her business stays ahead of them. She demonstrates this through her incorporation of dried flowers, macramé, and decorative pots to complement her selection of plants. When it comes to seasonal stock, Tamara would rather put her own spin on traditional items, giving her the flexibility to put another spin on it when the season has passed. Her ability to utilise her industry knowledge, examine the future,and apply creativity to reimagine how she can keep her stock relevant once gifting season has past,is a key reason for her success as a business owner. Tamara loves the real sense of achievement in owning her own business and securing her dream job as a greenlife buyer. Her passion for selecting plants and expertise in horticulture is what separates this occupation from those of her past. She is unwilling to delegate these elements of her job to employees in the future, as she enjoys them too much. Other daily considerations of a small business owner involve planning for the future direction of the business. Tamara plans to stay ahead of the trends by introducing a space to interact with her customers. This includes expanding her instore offerings by developing workshop events and creating a ‘Do It Yourself’ terrarium bar. These endeavours integrate her knowledge of horticulture and selling products to customers in a collaborative way. Tamara’s best piece of advice for anyone looking to start their own business is not to be afraid of asking questions, finding a mentor, and creating a plan. She also emphasises concise branding and taking steps that support your vision. “Be clear on your point of difference, it really is what sets you apart.”

@cakereks @inbloomhorticulture

What What II took took away away

After speaking with both business owners and understanding more of what they do, it is evident that their daily life is more than it first appears. It was insightful to understand the necessary passion and constant inspiration required to continue to grow your business and stay ahead of the trends. Also, a crucial understanding of your strengths and ability to expand one’s skill set will take you a long way. Both women identify how busy their businesses keep them, wishing for more hours in the day to complete such a wide range of tasks. While the Coronavirus pandemic brought its fair share of challenges, Rekha and Tamara describe the time as central to decisionmaking. They expanded their services online and seized the opportunity to adapt to outside trends. Similarly, although their careers didn’t begin as small business owners, they demonstrate the value gained from previous experiences in other roles and time spent developing their skills. Finally, despite the endless workload and demand to be multifaceted, both Rekha and Tamara have genuine motivation and inspiration fuelling the growth of their businesses and love for what they do each day. A big thank you to both Rekha and Tamara for sharing their experiences as ‘a day in the life of a small business owner’. If you wish to learn more information about both their businesses, please check them out on social media.

CakeReks In Bloom Horticulture 9

Day inin A Day the Life the Life of a Pen Pen

MEN U MEN U

8 AM

MEN U

MEN U MEN U

MEN U

TO DO

TO TO

TO DO

Come on, we’re going to be late!

Design and Words by Naketra Mendes

Mum, can you sign my permission form?

Alright, come on let’s go.

Bye! Have fun at school.

9 AM Morning, I have an appointment. Ah yes, come this way.

Reminder Bank @ 9am

Thanks for coming in today. I have your papers here, and I just need you to sign here.

Oh sure, let me get a pen.

Thanks again for coming in.

1 PM

Alright I am heading out for lunch!

PULL

OPEN

Hey mate! How’s it going?

Here, let me draw it out. Do you have a pen?

Hey! Yeah not to bad.

Oh yeah, I do.

So I am sitting here and...

Well it was great to catch up with you.

7 PM PULL

What do you want to eat?

I want pasta!

Wow, that looks great!

It’s not finished yet.

8 PM Oh look, our food is here. You can finish it at home.

MENU MENU

TO DO

TO DO TO DO

TO DO

TO DO TO DO

Looks great, put it on the fridge when you finished.

A Day in the Life of Rob Snarski Words, Design and Photography by Hannah Phemister

Rob Snarski is an Australian musician, singer and songwriter. Living amid the Dandenong Ranges, Rob has an impressive career under his belt. From his initial work with his brother Mark and their band Chad’s Tree formed in the 1980s to his subsequent collaborations with members of The Triffids, The Black-Eyed Susans, The Go-Betweens and many others. Rob’s solo career has been hugely extensive in itself, leading him to work with several regular contributors, notably Shane O’Mara and ‘Evil’ Graham Lee, on his latest project. Rob is a very genuine person and I am always amazed by his ability to cut to the core of a topic, having open and honest conversations with me each time I speak to him. When I approached him with this project, he was

happy to be involved, and I knew it would be a brilliant opportunity to gain insight into the realities of the music industry and the creative process, as well as what a day looks like for him as an Australian musician. To give you an idea of a typical day for Rob, he wakes up and takes his beautiful Staffie, Nellie, for a walk to the end of their road which runs along a dense gully, home of wallabies and all manner of birdlife. Unless it is freezing, in which case they only make about half the distance. Then it is back home for breakfast before the day begins. Some days when Rob’s partner heads to work, the three of them go to the train station together, and Rob and Nellie walk along the streets to the local primary school so Nellie can play soccer on the field.

Rob’s work is split between his musical career from home or on tour, and his job in Abbotsford preparing and mounting prints for full framing. On days when he has to commute into the city, Rob uses the long train journey as a time to be productive - he used the mundane time travelling to write and edit his book, You’re Not Rob Snarski: Crumbs from the Cake. He found that the distance and time provided by travelling served as an ideal opportunity to focus on writing. Rob believes that the mundane brings clarity. It gives him the ability to clear his head and think deeply about a situation, a story, a song. A sentence would begin, and an idea would come to the surface. Rob took this approach to songwriting previously, but this was before his most recent project, Song Gifts. During the lockdown of 2020, the idea of gifting a song to someone was born. This project served as a way of connecting with others. People could contact Rob with an idea - wanting a song for a partner’s birthday, a song for the Dogs of Ubud, or one man from Sydney who sent a collection of black and white photographs, saying that if they make a film in your head, write the music that would go to it. Anything. From that point, Rob would write pages of verses and then whittle them down to shape the words into a song. He would record the

vocals and guitar to these personalised melodies using a USB microphone and an iPhone, doing as many takes as necessary to get it right. He would then send them to Shane O’Mara or Graham Lee to add their distinct styles to the track before sending them to the recipients. Rob said that it was a very different style of working for him - he would be waking up and starting work at 7 am each day with his guitar to craft songs from the emails and messages sent to him. This project forced Rob to develop a process for his songwriting as so many of the commissions had strict deadlines. He would have to write several songs a day and ended up making over a hundred songs - he lost count after it passed the hundred mark. Rob said that 99.9% of the feedback he received from the recipients of his Song Gifts were people writing and expressing heartfelt thanks and that this was the best gift they had ever received, “thank you, thank you, thank you!” For him, it was a great feeling to be connecting people and their responses were just the icing on the cake. The collaborative process for Song Gifts ended up being a strange experience for Rob, as he did not get to see Shane or Graham until the album launch. Having to work in isolation from each other meant they could not connect in the physical sense like they usually

would. It was strange for everyone. It was as if their whole world had stopped - there was no touring and no money to be made. However, Rob is not one to sit back and do nothing, and so he used his time in lockdown to create a new project about connection. This kept him feeling busy and creative, greatly supported his mental health, his creativity, and had the financial side as a bonus. The music industry and creative industry as a whole can often feel overwhelming and intimidating to those trying to break into it. This made me wonder if there was a moment that shaped Rob’s path and what advice he would give to someone wanting to break into the industry. He said that many moments pushed him throughout his career, yet one of the most significant was when he first began writing songs and singing, no longer just playing the guitar. After getting a taste for what it was like to sing and write, new doors opened for Rob, and he found himself wanting to work harder at his craft and experiment with different styles and ideas. Rob says that his inspiration for songwriting has shifted over time. At the moment, his inspiration comes from conversations and people - the complexities of life, relationships and politics, being what makes the world go round. But in the past, it could come from the environment and ideas dropping from

the sky. Years ago, while living in a share house in Brunswick, Rob dreamt of a song. He woke up at 4 am and recorded the song on his walkman before falling back to sleep. Later waking up to paper everywhere, in wonderment at how he had managed to do that. The advice he would give to someone wanting to break into the music industry is the importance of honing your craft.

“Just work. Work at your craft. Switch off the tv. Turn off the internet. Sit down with your instrument.” He also stresses the importance of having people around you who you like working and collaborating with. Never take them for granted, and never let your ego get ahead of you. In a band setting, sometimes good ideas get dismissed. So it’s important to work with people you trust to experiment with some of those obtuse and left of centre ideas - they might not work, but they might turn out to be fantastic. If you like what you do, you do it, and you do it a lot.

18 Lila Ni

SUNSET PRAYER AND IFTAR (DINNER) It is recommended to break your fast with either dates or water before having food.

PROCEED WITH DAILY LIFE Life proceeds as normal whether you’re working, studying or sleeping in on weekends. Increased forms of worship and rememberance are encouraged with a focus on small habits that can carry on past Ramadan.

EVENING PRAYER AND TARAWEEH (OPTIONAL PRAYERS) The evening prayer is the last compulsory prayer of the day. The additional prayer, called Taraweeh, is only performed during Ramadan.

MORNING PRAYER Typically around 1 or 2 hours before sunrise. This is when fasting begins!

INTENTION It’s important to set the intention to fast for the next day.

Words and Design by Sammar Bassal

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A FASTING MUSLIM A simplified visual schedule of a fasting Muslim. Variations do exist.

SLEEP Sleep time!

SUHOOR (BREAKFAST) Food can be eaten between sunset and the morning prayer (earlier than sunrise). During the Australian winter this can be between 5-6 AM and 3-5 AM in the Australian summer.

ラムネ

On this episode of Primitive Human Habitat, we begin by pointing our cameras indoors, as today we are witnessing a day in the life of a weeb. For the sake of this documentary, we will name this particular weeb: Kimetsu, as he seems to have taken a particular interest in the anime series Kimetsu no Yaiba, otherwise known as Demon Slayer. As the specimen gets out of bed you will notice his eyes are only partially open, very common during the morning cycle of the weeb species. The weeb edges closer to his desk in the dark, being careful not to knock anything over as he walks past a spectacular yet messy shelf filled with anime figurines. Once the weeb is settled on his perch, he opens a rather peculiar item. This is one of the weeb’s most used items. It is called a laptop.

Now we enter ‘the midday phase’. Due to Kimetsu’s sorry excuse for a breakfast he is hungry again. He makes another daring attempt to the kitchen, exiting his den, which has been laden with anime posters on the wall. This time the weeb takes into account the standard weeb diet: pocky, ramune and most of all ramen. Again, under immense time pressure, he looks for the quickest option that will fill him up. Two-minute, microwave ramen. Ramen is the most important food in a weeb’s diet as it contains vital nutrients: Naruto vibes. As soon as has finished, the specimen makes its way to his bedroom. After watching 240 or so 20 minute episodes in 3 hours, and after keeping the blinds shut all day, the dominants of the clan call for the other humans to come and eat dinner.

The ‘morning phase’ weeb is met with a fork in the road, it is difficult to decide what to watch. His options are nearly the same every day. These are: continue a series, start a new series, or rewatch the same episode that our specimen has watched over 19 times and seems to consider ‘a work of art’. After our weeb Kimetsu here has finished the morning binge phase, it is already 11 o’clock and he decides it is time to eat. Soon enough, the next set of choices are laid out. Our weeb can either: make toast, but decides it will take too long, or make cereal – except he will have to put the milk back into the fridge and it seems too much of a hassle. Kimetsu settles on some biscuits to eat and makes his way back to his den, attempting to avoid interacting with other human beings.

This is known as ‘the family dinner phase’; the most frightening phase for an average weeb, as they have to attend a formal event with the other humans. Our specimen seems to have remained dressed in his Dragonball jumper – a fatal mistake. And thus, the cycle of this weeb’s day is complete. Words by James Milnes Design by Rochelle Leslie

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF STEPH CHALUPKA, FLORAL DESIGNER Words and Design by Adele D’Souza Aster + Wilde, located on Fordham Avenue in Camberwell, is much more than the idyllic floral design studio it appears to be. Steph and Szymon’s studio became the heartbeat of community and connection, after opening two days before Melbourne’s first lockdown in March, 2020. Being a frequent flower-shopper at the couple’s studio, and sometimes just popping in for a chat, I decided to find out more about what a Floral Designer’s day looks like.

A BIT ABOUT STEPH. . . After two years in an office job as an interior designer, Steph realised that her desire to be in nature and do work with her hands was being compromised. Steph has a distinct attachment to fresh produce, having grown up on a farm and currently living on a beautiful estate in the Yarra Valley. Steph believes that floral design found her through a sequence of events, leaving her exactly where she is meant to be. Floristry resonated as the beautiful balance between nature and work, which she desired. Her personality and ambitions align seamlessly with the vocation. Her expertise has been mostly self-taught, taking on a few online courses and refining her skills through practice.

Steph & Szymon From opening a pop-up store for Valentine’s Day, to Szymon sending Steph playful text messages alluding to opening a florist, they instinctively did so when the opportunity arose the following month. The spontaneity and wildness in the creation of Aster + Wilde, is prophesised in the name itself. Again, the universe seemed to be leading Steph and Szymon on this fulfilling journey, showing them little signs that pointed in the right direction.

This unconventional and free-spirited sentiment has manifested into the foundation of Steph and Szymon’s venture. They envisioned Aster + Wilde to be much more than a floral design studio, their focus was on relationships, flexibility, and providing what the community needed – a position they have far exceeded over the last year. Steph’s innovative floristry is captivating and whimsical all at once, creating artful wedding design, collaborating with creatives for photoshoots, and hosting workshops for the community. Like her arrangements, her days vary considerably, some being exceptionally un-ordinary.

Wedding Floral Design by Steph

MORNINGS

LUNCHTIME Steph and her husband are workaholics (they love what they do!), so lunchtime is often missed due to being absorbed by their work. When they do remember to grab a bite, often they will order from the local café, Hibiki, which is just down the road from Aster + Wilde. If lunch is missed, they make sure to eat once the workday is finished.

The promise of a hot coffee and walk around the neighbourhood is motivation enough to get Steph out of bed in the morning. As production of flowers is low in wintery Melbourne now, her mornings begin around 6.30am. Sourcing flowers is the constant consideration throughout Steph’s work. She usually does so two to three times a week. Getting fewer flowers more frequently ensures the freshest bouquets and arrangements, says Steph. Flowers are sourced directly from local farmers and wholesalers, luckily situated right near their home in the hills. If at the studio in Camberwell, Steph spends her mornings tending to customers and arranging bouquets for anyone who might need them. Otherwise, she is thinking up wonderful ideas for design proposals, doing admin, or meeting with couples. Saturdays are the one day when Steph allows herself to relax, sleeping in and enjoying time with her husband, friends and family – that is, if she doesn’t have a wedding or event to do.

AFTERNOONS Afternoons vary for Steph. At the studio, she is usually serving customers and tending to the shop. The beautiful flowers at Aster + Wilde are accompanied by lush plants in striking pots, artistic vases, local chocolate (that I can verify is incredibly delicious), artwork, candles and teas. Everything is proudly, locally sourced from Melbourne, the Margaret River, Byron Bay or the Central Coast. There really is something for everyone! If Steph is preparing for an event, her afternoon involves working on design proposals or quotes, and meeting with clients.

EVENINGS Recently, Steph and Szymon acquired the upstairs living space of their studio, reducing their drive home significantly – to just a walk up the stairs! They live there part-time with housemates. Evenings comprise a home-cooked meal, relaxing and watching or reading something, all whilst keeping cosy indoors during winter. Often though, Steph will be finalising design proposals and quotes, finishing the evening off with a warm shower or bath.

One thing Steph loves about her work is . . . ‘The people.’ One special thing Steph does every day is . . . ‘A few things, reading gives me peace and drinking lots of tea.’ A challenge in the industry is . . . ‘Still trying to educate people that flowers are a luxury, they are not cheap . . . people can think you’re ripping them off, but trust me, I’m not. If there’s one thing I struggle with, it is probably undercharging.’ And ‘cleaning! There’s always a lot of cleaning and you can never catch up.’

Aster + Wilde, Camberwell A philosophy Steph lives by . . . ‘Everyone has a story that I don’t know. I hope that I have a positive impact, even if it is the smallest thing like smiling or listening. Essentially, you can have a positive or negative impact in everyone’s lives, and I just want to be some sort of positive.’ Note: I can whole-heartedly say that Steph has an incredibly uplifting effect on those around her! Steph is listening to . . . Paris Jazz Café playlists on Spotify, Emily King and Infinity Song. Steph is reading . . . The Dance of Anger by Harriet Lerner. A memorable event . . . ‘The five-day snap lockdown over Valentine’s this year.’

Floral Design by Steph

On Valentine’s Day 2021, Steph’s clients, who were supposed to get married on the Sunday, pushed forward their wedding to the Friday. Being notified at 1pm, working at Aster + Wilde until 3pm, plus needing to drive four hours to the location in Bright, one can only imagine the chaos that ensued. Steph made the bride’s wedding bouquet in the car whilst Szymon drove. She set up the flowers for the whole ceremony within thirty minutes! Typical of Steph’s nature, she saw the events as ‘an act of love,’ seeing the photographers, furniture company, and other essential wedding parties come together at a moment’s notice to enable this special day for the couple. Another event Steph enjoyed designing for, was one where she was given complete creative autonomy for a wedding held at Rupert on Rupert in Collingwood. Steph said her creativity ‘exploded,’ being trusted entirely to experiment with design in the converted warehouse that was filled with indoor plants.

Both Steph and Szymon ooze compassion, kindness and artistic integrity, working together in synergy. Steph says she ‘wouldn’t be able to do what she does without [her husband’s] help.’ With a graphic design background, Szymon manages the website, assists with flower cleaning and preparation, and is the ‘muscles’ of the operation, present every step of the way. Steph’s love of the creative industry is evident; ‘everyone brings something to the table, and when it all comes together it’s beautiful.’ She loves the variation in every creative’s process, and the unknowing of what will come into fruition. Steph’s fondness of her work particularly shone through when I found out that she designed her own wedding flowers, saying that the ‘therapeutic’ nature of arranging allowed her to be ‘centred’. Deeply fascinated with the art of floral design, she undertakes creative endeavours in her own time, expanding her creativity to remain attached to the love and wonder that comes with her work.

Aster and Wilde 114 Fordham Ave, Camberwell VIC 3124 https://asterandwilde.com.au Instagram: @asterandwilde

Steph & Szymon

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF THE MERMAID IN THE LAKE Illustrated by Sammar Bassal

A Day in the Life of Two Cheeky Rabbits Words, Design and Photography by Hannah Phemister Throughout the lockdowns of 2020, spending extended periods at home and staring at the same four walls was a common occurrence. Some of us allowed our creative juices to flow, some of us flexed our baking expertise, and some of us exhausted our streaming services of fresh content. During this time, many of us were lucky to have the company of our pets to get us through the long days. At this time, I realised how cheeky my rabbits Edgar and Liesel are! To give you an idea of their typical day:

They like to get up around 6.30 am every morning. Their favourite place to sleep is under my bed, so when they are ready to wake up they sit in the doorway and stare at me until I feed them. (When my sleep-in displeases them, Edgar will jump up on top of the bed for treats and breakfast!)

For breakfast, they only accept the yummiest pieces of hay, followed by a feast of cos lettuce, fennel, celery, leaf mix and carrot tops. Rabbits need oaten hay to make up 80% of their diet. Rabbits’ teeth never stop growing, and hay stops their teeth from getting too long or overgrown. Rabbits also need to follow a strict diet when it comes to greens, as many different vegetables can cause digestion issues.

All that eating takes up a lot of energy, so a midmorning nap under the piano stool is a welcome way to recharge the batteries. It serves as a perfect lookout point to keep an eye on things and is a prime treat location. Rabbits are prey animals, so it is normal for them to sleep with their eyes open or in a “loaf” position. If your rabbit closes their eyes completely while sleeping, it means they feel very safe in their environment.

Then, if the weather is nice and sunny, they love to play outside. This includes a lot of zoomies, binkies, and eating! Having a bunny often means you can squeeze in some extra time before needing to mow the grass. Binkies are a rabbit’s way of expressing pure joy and involves them jumping crazily in the air, twisting their body and wiggling. Most binkies happen outside as it is so much fun to get to run around in a different space.

But if the weather is not so nice and too cold for them to go outside, don’t worry, they will forgive you (eventually). They might glare at you through the door for a while. Edgar and Liesel are inside rabbits with occasional supervised time outside. Although traditionally viewed as outdoor animals, rabbits should live inside because this ensures a better quality of life. They are very vulnerable to diseases carried by mosquitoes, in particular myxomatosis and the calicivirus. Unfortunately, in Australia, it is only possible to vaccinate against the latter of the two. To give your bunny the best life possible, it is ideal for them to live inside your home where they can be safe from insects, predators, and extreme weather.

After a big play, they will be exhausted and will need to have a rest. Like cats, rabbits need a lot of sleep and often sleep through the day. They have many cute positions they like to sleep in, as shown here, the “lambchop” on the left and the “superman” on the right.

Once they have replenished their energy, they tend to become very demanding, jumping all over the lounge in their quest for treats! Rabbits generally dislike being picked up, as being too far off the ground can be frightening for them. Edgar and Liesel know that when they jump up on the lounge, we will give them a treat – this way they don’t get picked up but can still spend time with us.

Rabbits are intelligent animals and can learn many different things. They can learn to use a litterbox which makes it very easy to keep them inside the house. This is very handy if you have to take them for long car trips too!

Domestic bunnies grow a different coat for winter and summer, so they often need to be brushed so they can shed their old fur. It is important to trim their nails regularly so they do not hurt them when they hop. Did you know that there are groomers for bunnies just like there are for dogs?

As I mentioned already, Edgar and Liesel are very cheeky rabbits. It is common for them to climb into tiny spaces, as they love to explore. Sometimes if I can’t find them, I try looking in all of the places they might be able to fit into, including storage trolleys and even windowsills!

Rabbits are very social creatures and do best in pairs. Edgar was a single bunny for a while before we adopted Liesel. Rabbits must be bonded carefully to ensure they can live in harmony with one another, as they can be very territorial and, in some cases, may fight to the death. Keeping rabbits in pairs is a good way to maintain their mental health and stop them from becoming bored when left alone. They are also very affectionate towards each other and love to cuddle and groom one another. However, do not forget to get bunnies of the same gender, or better yet, get them desexed, or you may end up with baby bunnies everywhere!

Rabbits sure do love treats (especially Liesel)! After a big day of breakfast, naps, playtime, naps, treats, more naps, grooming, dinner, and even more naps, Liesel and Edgar get one small sultana each as a special treat. Rabbits love routine and will quickly fall into a pattern of behaviour. They often can serve as an alarm clock, as they know what time to expect their meals and when it is time for bed.

Rabbits make for excellent pets, but they are hard work and require lots of love and understanding. They have huge personalities that come out more and more as they feel more comfortable and show a lot of love to their owners. Having pet rabbits is a rewarding experience, but it is essential to understand they need specialist care and understanding to live long happy lives. Luckily in Melbourne, we have many rabbit specialists to pick from and many rescue organisations that advocate for the wellbeing of all bunnies. It is best to thoroughly research rabbits before deciding to get one, and having a rabbit-savvy vet on call is one of the most helpful steps you can take. My top recommendation is The Rabbit Doctors in Collingwood, but there is also The Melbourne Rabbit Clinic in Ferntree Gully and The Unusual Pet Vets in Frankston. Lastly, rabbits make great photography subjects, as you can see!

UNIVERSAL: JOIN THE TEAM! Want to get involved? Universal is a quarterly youth magazine created and developed by local youth. We need writers, artists, photographers and graphic designers! courtney.mcgill@kingston.vic.gov.au 1300 369 436