Neptune Scores With "Bingo!"

I don't think I have ever had a bad experience at Neptune Theatre. Seriously. Even so, I don't recall ever laughing quite as much as I did a couple of weeks ago, when I attended a performance of their new play "Bingo!".

I know what you are thinking, and no, this is not a play about a dog with a cool "name-o", nor does it involve anything glow-in-the-dark. It is actually "The Big Chill" transferred to a Cape Breton town - a group of middle-agers gather together to attend their 30-year high school reunion, re-hash old memories, stereotypes and neuroses and discuss new ones. Some of them have stayed put, some have moved on (to Halifax, and Western Canada), both literally and figuratively. All have regrets and "what-if's?" and they have all changed, yet haven't changed a bit at the same time.

First we are introduced to the male's of the group (left-to-right) - Dookie, Nurk and Heifer (in traditional guy fashion, they have given each other silly and slightly derogatory nicknames - silly boys) - in their hometown hotel room, drinking (duh) and talking about their lives. Heifer is a chubby, laid-back jokester; Nurk is a neurotic and slightly uptight engineer; Dookie is an arrogant real estate agent.

Next, we see the girls - Boots and Bitsy - chatting in a local bar about...well, everything (y'all, Bitsy talks A LOT). "Boots" is a tough-talking, leather-jacket-wearing sarcasm machine who clearly covers up her own insecurities with biting comments. "Bitsy" is a slightly ditzy and simultaneously a chatterbox and a shy introvert.

Later, the fivesome comes together and sparks fly, secrets are revealed and new connections are made. (I don't want to reveal too much of the plot because you should go see it for yourself). Leave it to a play set in Cape Breton to be named after a drinking game!

The play has a very simple set-up - there are only two sets, and all scenes consist of the characters basically sitting around and talking. Characters only wear one outfit throughout the entire play, there is no music except during the changes in scene, and few props (except an ever-present bottle of Jagermeister). But the dialogue is rapid-fire and absolutely hilarious. The audience the night I went was practically rolling in the aisles. The cast not only delivered the lines perfectly, but they each had a knack for conveying things through a simple facial expression. I probably enjoyed Heather Rankin's performance the most (she clearly has great comic timing), as I felt she had some of the funniest expressions and body language, plus I felt I could relate the most to her character. However, all the cast were perfect in their roles and pulled me into their individual character, making me laugh at them, feel sorry for them and admire them in sequence.

At the beginning of each scene, one of the main characters would stand at the front of the stage, in a spotlight and deliver a monologue that usually either revealed something about their character or about the next part of the play. They shared an anecdote, a thought or two and sometimes a great piece of advice or a profound insight about life in general. I loved these "intros" -  parts that particularly stuck with me were Boots' comments about happiness and what it means ("How can you know what happiness is, until you know what it isn't?") and Bitsy's story about an old man in her community who is her "hero" and who makes her feel less invisible and insignificant.

So, in a nutshell, the funny dialogue alone is enough reason to go see Bingo! (imho) but in addition you may end up coming away with an insight or two into life in general and your place in it, and isn't that what theatre is all about?

Liberal Arts

The Atlantic Film Festival just wrapped up my fair city, and alas I only had the time and money to make it out to one film. Luckily it turned out to be a good choice.

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Liberal Arts attracted me because it stars and is written/directed by Josh Radnor, aka. Ted Mosby on How I Met Your Mother (one of the most original and funny sitcoms on tv, imho). I have also been hearing a lot about Elizabeth Olsen but had yet to see any of her movies, and I was attracted to the romanticized University setting since I work at a University and cherish my own time as a student. There is just something about University campuses and the mood and energy they impart - it's hard to explain but it's almost like there is a pulse of people learning and doing cool, innovative things that reverberates throughout everything. Although I am merely a secretary in one small department in one large institution, I feel this energy every day when I walk onto the campus to my office.

In any case, it seemed like a fun, quirky movie with some subject matter that would speak to me so off we went! This movie has been compared to Garden State a lot and I can see why - it has the same sort of twenty-something, "trying to figure out my life" kind of vibe but I found it was more intellectual than GS and had a lighter mood.

First of all, Elizabeth Olsen?? She is like freakin' ADORABLE! She's just so darn pretty and has such a great, grainy voice, plus she just seems really 'cool' and smart - like someone you would want to be friends with. I mean, look how cute:

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The film definitely had a slow pace (this isn't the Expendables, people) so some parts felt a little long, but for the most part I liked the pace. The quirkiness was actually verging on overkill at some points too, but again this is a small complaint. The random Zac Efron 'fairy-like' hippy dude character was sort of strange - like there were times where I questioned whether or not Jesse (Josh's character) was actually seeing him or not - but he was also pretty hilarious. I like to see actors who are somewhat typecast playing characters that are completely against their usual role.

I liked the conversations between Jesse and Zibby - one especially great bit was an ongoing argument about a series of "vampire books" (which are clearly meant to be representative of the Twilight series) and how they "empty your mind"...and whether or not that is a good thing. I also liked a part at the end where Zibby tells Jesse she figured she was using him as a kind of "shortcut" to adulthood. In fact, all the dialogue surrounding the strengths, weaknesses and fears about college and "growing up" all rang true with me - I think we have all been in that place where we are simultaneously excited about the next stage in our lives and terrified.

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Another actor who is awesome? Richard Jenkins. He has a relatively small part in this film but his feelings resonate across the screen so well. You really feel his retiring professor's depression, fear and loneliness at entering a new stage he was looking forward to for so long, but did not love as much once he got there. (If you haven't seen The Visitor, you really should. Like now. Now's good). AND as if that wasn't enough, Alison Janney has a bit part as another professor. She is another one of my favourite actors and she does NOT disappoint in this role. She's hilariously cold, snobby, boozy and insightful all rolled into one.

What about you??? Seen any good movies lately? What did you like/dislike about them? Do you yearn to go back to college or did you loathe your college experience?

Cookie Monster

Ok, so who does NOT love Sesame Street?! Anyone? Nope, didn't think so.

Yes, I am an adult and I don't even have kids, but it doesn't mean I can't love kids shows. I love that a show that I watched as a kid is still going strong and providing great entertainment for kids even today. And they have definitely done a good job of 'keeping up with the times' by featuring fun vids with popular celebrities interacting with muppets, and getting involved with social media.

The only thing that annoys me about this video is the song gets stuck in my head like CRAZY every time I watch it - it's just do damn catchy! Don't say I didn't warn you:

Two highlights for me are the cookie-shaped crescent moon and the guy rocking out on the toy xylophone - so fun! Cookie's googly eyes crack me up. Besides - check that message out - sharing is good, boys and girls (although don't expect me to share my cookie with you...sorry, I have to draw the good samaritan line somewhere and I really like cookies. Like. ALOT.).

Oh, and on another (completely unrelated note) I am getting a haircut today and I can't wait!! Why is this exciting, you ask? Well, I have not had it cut since DECEMBER. Yes, that's right, the last time a stylist came anywhere near my hair was over 7 months ago. Needless to say, it needs to be cleaned up - I actually love the length so I won't be chopping it all off ala-Anne Hathaway or anything but just injecting some shape and movement into it, that's all.

Speaking of getting a haircut and being excited about it - here is another Cookie Monster moment that I am loving right now (particularly today). Remember this one?

I may or may not have been singing 'Me going to get my fur cut. Me going to look so nice' in my head over and over the past couple of days in anticipation of my salon visit.

Oh Cookie, I'm awfully fond of you (and your namesake).*

 

 

What do you have going on today that's exciting?

Who is your favourite SS monster?

*cookies, not monsters

Show Girl

Summer is great is so many ways - warm weather, sunshine, sandals, long weekends. One thing I don't like about summer is that all my fav tv shows are over until September!

There were a few great new shows this year that I got into, and I am really glad I did. A welcome trend in these new shows is the fact that they centre around twenty-something women (hello, relatable!) stumbling their way through life in a very funny, but also real and awkward way.

I feel like it has been a while since there have been characters on tv that are like me and my friends - young, out of University sort-of professionals, trying to find their way through relationships, career and what they want. It's like there was Friends....then a whole ton of shows focused on families swamped the schedule - which is fine! I just haven't seen young, female characters who are in a similar life stage as me portrayed on tv in what seems like a long time.

Here are my new favs:

1. New Girl

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 It's no secret that I have a girl crush on Zooey Deschanel - I really want to steal her hair and style, and she has such a fun, slightly weird personality that is very endearing so I was excited to hear she was going to star in her own tv show. I tuned in at first for her, but I continued to watch throughout the season for her crazy male roommates and their hilarious lines and sometimes embarrassing antics. I absolutely love Schmidt and his hilarious one-liners and neurotic personality; I like Nick and his rumpled yet cute, cranky old man persona; I even like Winston although I haven't quite figured out what his deal is. This show is just so darn kooky - the characters are always getting themselves into awkward situations and none of them have any concept of social norms or what is appropriate. Plus, Zooey wears SUPER cute outfits and they have had some really awesome guest stars (Lizzy Caplan! Ryan Kwanten! Durmot Mulroney! Jeanne Tripplehorn! Justin Long!).

A"Douchebag Jar" should be a staple in every home around the world.


2. Don't Trust the B**** in Apartment 23

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Ok, how could you NOT love a show where James van der Beek plays himself?! And not himself like carbon-copy-of-Dawson himself, like a complete jerk version of himself. I love that he completely turns his image on its head and acts as a guy who is self-absorbed, shallow, slightly dim and obsessed with fame (of course, that could be a more accurate portrayal than I know!). He almost steals the show from Chloe (aka Krysten Ritter) - almost. Except that Chloe actually acts like an even bigger jerk than The Beek does. However, underneath her bitchy exterior, she is a bit of a softy. Plus, she's stylish and crafty (she makes money by "entertaining" important dignitaries - basically an escort yet somehow it doesn't seem trashy -?) and she's the perfect foil for goody-two-shoes June. This show also has many witty one-liners that have me cracking up every week and some crazy story lines (like New Girl). I love the career arc they have given June's character - I have had the same experience and know many people who have as well and it shows how crappy and simultaneously liberating it can be to have your life plan go "off course".

3. Girls

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This show has been getting a lot of criticism, mainly for the "unlikeability" of the characters, which I can see. Yes, the characters are sometimes unlikeable, often make bad decisions, and say such awkward things sometimes you want to cry. However, don't we all do that in real life? Especially in our early 20's? I sure as hell did! And hey, I still do. Girls may be a bit of an exaggeration of 20-something life in New York, like SATC (which it has been compared to quite often) but I feel like it's a much more gritty portrayal; less sugar-coated, less slick and sexy. It is less tongue-in-cheek, more poke in the eye with a pencil. It is kind of refreshing to hear characters just put their thoughts and feelings out there, good and bad, and to see them making bad decisions, maybe because, in a way, it makes you feel better about your own mistakes.

Alas, I will have to wait several months to see where these new favs pick up. However, not ALL my favs are gone for the summer - I am happy to say one airs only IN summer and just came back two weeks ago!

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Two episodes in and I'm loving Season 5 already. So. entertaining - the action just never lets up! And ok so having lots of yummy men to look at helps as well :) Besides I think a new season of Project Runway starts soon...hmmm, what was I saying about having no shows to watch this summer??

*By the way, have you caught my tv recaps on You Know You Love Fashion yet? I just happen to review all the above shows over there! Plus a few more...check out my posts here, here, here and here!

What new shows have you gotten hooked on? Any new favourites return recently or do you have suffer with reruns until September?

best in show

The Westminster Kennel Club has officially crowned "best in show" for 2012.

Internet - meet "Ch Palacegarden Malachy" a.k.a. "Malachy,":

Just look at that gorgeous fur. This little guy is proof that good things come in small packages (ok, I'm biased since I myself come in a small package, but that doesn't make it any less true).

I really don't know anything about dog breeding or dog shows. Heck, I don't really know much about dogs period (I'm really more of a cat person *gasp* -don't tell-). But I love this dog show!

Why? It is silly and pompous in a delightful way. I mean, that dog's name! It is just so long and weird it's hilarious. What is he - half Chinese, half Irish?! And how are you supposed to fit a name that long on a dog tag? It sounds like he should be a character in the movie Clue.

(Obviously kooky names are the norm for this show though - one of the other top dogs was a German Shepherd named Captain Crunch. I can't even explain to you how awesome that is).

And it's not only the names, but these dogs are more groomed and primped than the contestants on Toddlers and Tiaras.

Whaaaaaaat? I always knew Snooki was a dog (oh snap). That is one wicked pouf. Can dogs use Elnett?

How many times a night do you think the owner of lil' Malachy brushes his/her*fur? I am guessing they (and it) are about as vain about that mane as Marsha Brady. I mean, seriously, that is some glossy fur (I want to reach out and touch it, is that creepy?). These doggies prance around with their perfect hair and their noses in the air like an animal version of Miss America (if only the bikini-barbies on MA also didn't talk-that spectacle might actually be tolerable to watch).

I also love this show for the things it has taught me - for example, did you know that the "Toy" category (where Malachy competed) is the most competitive? Makes sense, I guess, those little dogs are always the most scrappy.

Know what else is cool? The head judge of this year's competition sits on the Board of Trustees for Take the Lead, which is a foundation that "provides direct services, support and care for people in the sport of purebred dogs who suffer the devastation of life-threatening or terminal illness."

What a cool organization! And I would have never known it existed had I not decided to write/research this blog post.

So, thank you WKC and Malachy for providing me so much amusement via your slight ridiculousness and pomposity, and most of all through your enduring love and respect for dogs of all shapes and sizes.

Dolla dolla bills, y'all

 *the WKC website lists the gender as "Dog". Very helpful, WKC, very helpful
**Oh, by the way, the WKC is on Twitter! You KNOW you wanna follow them)

Permission to Suck

Damn, did I ever need to read this post yesterday. I had pretty much the worst day ever at work (being yelled at over the phone by a rude and conceited professor is super-fun), and was feeling pretty down on myself when I noticed this article linked to my friend's Facebook wall. It came at the perfect time, and contains a whole lotta truth - truth that we do not acknowledge enough. We are all so busy trying to do-do-do and be perfect at everything that we forget we are human and make mistakes sometimes and that this is normal. Or at least I do this - TOO much, in fact. And sometimes I need a bitch-slap up the side of the head to remind me to cut myself a little slack. I figured if I benefited from reading this that lots of other people would too, hence the sharing.

Preach, Ash. Preach.*

(Source)

It’s okay if…you’re drowning in self-doubt.
It’s okay if…you don’t know where to start.
It’s okay if…you started, but want to stop.
It’s okay if…you sometimes mix up your priorities.
It’s okay if…you didn’t say the right thing.
It’s okay if…you really fucked up the first time around.
It’s okay if…you fucked up the second time around, too.
It’s okay if…you’re overwhelmed.
It’s okay if…you get down on yourself.
It’s okay if…you’re worried everyone knows more than you.
It’s okay if…you don’t have enough self-confidence.
It’s okay if…you’re secretly afraid that people will laugh at you.
It’s okay if…you question your own capabilities.
It’s okay if…you spent all weekend doing nothing but watching movies.
It’s okay if…you sometimes suck.
It’s okay if…you sometimes really suck.
It’s okay if…you haven’t reached your potential yet.
It’s okay if…you’re not sure that you ever really will.
It’s okay if…you sort of resent the people doing better than you.
It’s okay if…you sometimes think they’re full of it, too.
It’s okay if…you didn’t respond to that person’s email.
It’s okay if…you just don’t fucking feel like it today.
It’s okay if…you have no idea what to do next.
It’s okay if…you do know what to do next…but still can’t seem to make yourself.
It’s okay if…you just couldn’t find the time this week.
It’s okay if…you don’t want to do it the way they say you should.

None of it matters.

Because…

YOU ARE TRYING.

And as a matter of fact, you’re doing a wonderful job.

Just thought you should know.


*By the by, if you have not seen or heard of Ashley's website, The Middle Finger Project, you need to get over there like YESTERDAY and gobble it all up because it is amazeballs

Mo Money, Less Cancer

I never used to like mustaches. Or any facial hair for that matter. That was until I started dating someone with a beard and 'stache. I never thought I would date someone with facial hair honestly, but I guess people change. Finding the perfect match for you will do that to a person, I guess (cue either "aw"'s or barfing).

And if I wanna stay with my guy, I pretty much have to be ok with facial hair because he's slightly obsessed with it. I swear to god he'd walk around looking like Pancho Villa every single day if that was socially acceptable. He thinks mustaches are the coolest things ever.

I not only am a new convert to mustaches because of my man, but also because of the clever and fun Movember campaign. Now that we are officially into Movember month, I am seeing posts and hearing about guys I know growing 'staches for a good cause and that makes me happy. Not necessarily because there will be hordes of men walking around town all month looking like 70's porn stars, but because they are doing it for a good cause (or at least most of them are, I hope).

Regardless of my love-hate relationship with facial hair, I can definitely get behind a campaign that uses humour, satire and silliness to raise awareness and money for an important cause. Lets be honest - most men get all squirmy when you talk to them about their health and how they have to take care of themselves - so it's great to see so many of them getting on board for men's health. The genius of the campaign is that it gets men on the men's health bandwagon without actually making them talk about the things that make them squirmy. The squirminess is all wrapped up in a funny, competitive and hairy bow!

But what about women? What can we do? We can't grow mustaches (ok, that's debatable for some, I suppose). But we can still help the boys fight cancer, and have our own fun in the process.

Observe:

Like she says: "Cancer is a real a-hole".
It's tough sometimes, but we all have to do our part.

Give a Little Bit

Have any of you seen this commercial yet?

It makes me laugh every time. The first time I laughed because of the silliness of it, especially the pregnant woman's line "I'm going to name my daughter after you". But the next couple of times I saw it, I still laughed but I was also intrigued by the website advertised at the end of the spot. I decided I had better check out Peopleforgood.ca as soon as possible to find out what it's all about.

Well, am I ever glad I did!

The mission of People For Good is as follows:

"And our goal is to make the world a better place, one good deed at a time. It may sound ambitious but it’s easier than you’d think. In fact, you could help make the world a better place right now. Just by doing something nice for someone. Rest assured, we’re not asking for money, we just want you to donate a little generosity." from here

You can sign up through their Facebook page and become part of the movement yourself. Not sure what you - little ol' insignificant you - can do to help someone else? Check out the Good Ideas page and you will see that it only takes one small thing to help another person feel good. To make their day even. These are things that ALL of us can do and they only take a few minutes.

Think about it - what are the things that tend to make your day? I mean, sure, big things such as getting a promotion, getting engaged, buying a home can make you feel pretty awesome. But so can the small things - the things that happen when you least expect it and (as the commercial tagline says) don't happen very often. 

It could be the smile and personal greeting from the barista at your daily morning coffee-shop (I get "Good morning, Kim" every morning at Second Cup and it really starts my day off nicely), someone holding the door open for you, or getting up to the drive-thru window to find out the person ahead of you paid for your food/drink (this actually happened to me one time at Tim Hortons and - WOW. My mom and I were so touched and surprised we still remember it to this day, years later). 

Or it could be something even smaller, such as finding that top you have been searching for for weeks, a cuddle from your cat, surprise flowers (for no reason - which I experienced just last week - lucky me :D) or a Facebook message from an old friend you haven't heard from in a while. 

I remember in Junior High a friend of mine and I were hanging around downtown Halifax and we spontaneously decided to put money in a couple of meters that were close to running out. It's not like we ever saw that person and got a thank-you from them (they probably didn't even take a second glance at the total) but we felt SO good. 

Think about what would make you feel really good and try doing that for someone else. When you are walking around, be aware - look around you at the other people and what they are doing. You never know when you going to see someone who looks lost or who drops their wallet on the ground. I think far too often too many of us walk through life with our heads down, not acknowledging our fellow human beings and that's too bad. It is especially mind-boggling that this happens when doing nice little things for people feels as good as it does. You would think more people would do it more often.

Anyway, I'm not trying to get on a high horse here - I'm just as guilty as most for being self-absorbed. But that's why I joined this movement - maybe it will give me a little boost of confidence to do more small things here and there. This is not a new idea for me anyway - as you can see, I wrote about good deeds, aka. random acts of kindness, before on this blog. All my opinions and thoughts from then still apply now! It's just time to jog my memory.

So join People for Good and do a good deed  today - just one is all it takes. 

*Update: Further to this, check out ImprovEverywhere's latest project - getting New Yorkers to Say Something Nice*

And I Just Can't Hide It

Found here
Sooooo I am excited about a few things right now. Wanna know what?

* The new Sephora store that just opened in Halifax - because the 'Fax is a smaller city, we are not first in line when it comes to getting "cool things", like stores, concerts, etc. However, that is slowly changing - we got H&M last year, and some Targets are coming in the next couple of years, and Sephora is the newest in a line of great chain stores we are FINALLY getting. My mom and I visited last night and were really impressed with the service. I have been in Sephora's elsewhere, including New York City, but there is something about having one at home. I love not having to order awesome makeup and hair stuff ONLINE, and therefore being able to try it before I buy!

* A new blog challenge I am participating in with the Downtown Halifax Business Commission! It is another (not exactly the same but similar) instalment of the Big Day Downtown I did last summer, and I can't wait. I am going to a reception to get the details, and meet some cool local bloggers I haven't had the chance to chat with yet. Stay tuned!

* Further to the above two points, I am excited about another new addition to the Halifax scene - The MiddleSpoon Desserterie & Bar! I have been hearing lots of buzz about it, and will get to visit and see for myself at the DHBC reception! I'm always up for anything dessert-related.

* I am interviewing a local boutique owner tomorrow for a web article I am writing. This boutique is actually one of my favourite in the city, and the article is hopefully the start of a regular collaboration with this website so I'm looking forward to it.

* I am meeting with an editor of a local magazine Friday about an article possibility. It is my first meeting with a major editor, so I'm really nervous, but I really believe in my idea and can't wait to dive into it. I just hope he agrees! Regardless, the meeting is a precedence-setter for my life.

* The boy and I are going hiking and geocaching on McNabs Island this weekend! The island is open to the public for camping and exploring but you are not allowed to have fires and there are no facilities so it's definitely an "off-the-grid" experience even though you are in the middle of one of the busiest harbours in the world. It is officially a provincial park (along with nearby Lawlors Island) but is managed by the Friends of McNabs Island Society - only in Nova Scotia lol.

* I am getting together with a friend tomorrow night who is in town from Alberta. I am hoping we will get to see Horrible Bosses because I have been hearing great things about it. For those of you that don't know, Kevin Spacey is my future husband - feel free to make fun - I will just ignore it and keep on loving my man and working on making him mine.
I'm also going to see The Help with mom next week - I can't wait because I really enjoyed the book and am always curious if the movie can live up to the paper story (this is rare).

* Speaking of books, I am currently reading Little Bee by Chris Cleave and the prose is beautiful! There is still a lot of the story that I am in the dark about because it hasn't unfolded yet, but I am really enjoying it so far. I am constantly fascinated at the vivid, colourful characters that authors can come up with! He has another book called Incendiary that I'm now curious about...anyone read it? If I like an author I always like to read their other works.

What are YOU excited about right now??

No, I'm a Weather-Girl

I have heard a lot of chatter lately about high school reunions - a couple of bloggers I follow have attended theirs, and I heard an ad on the radio the other day for the 30 year reunion of a high school in my area.

This got me thinking about my own high school reunion, which could potentially be coming up somewhat soon, considering my 10-year mark will be in 2013 (wow, hard to believe). I am really torn about whether or not I would want to go, as I assume most people are.

On the one hand, it would be really fun to see what everyone looks like, find out what happened to people that were such a big part of your life at one time, and reminisce about the past. It would be like taking a little temporary time-warp back to a time when life seemed really complicated, but was actually quite simple and carefree compared to post-high school standards.

However, in the age of Facebook and Twitter, I feel like I AM up to date about the lives of many people I went to high school with. Even though I don't talk  to them often (or at all - shameful, I know), I can hear about their major life events through status updates and photo albums.

Also, I would not say that high school was necessarily a completely enjoyable experience for me. I enjoyed it, for sure, and I had some great times but I also have painful memories associated with particularly the last couple of years because of some emotional problems I was going through. I would be lying if I said I didn't have regrets about that time - part of me feels that if I could go back in time and make different choices that I might be in a very different place in my life right now. Also, I was not one of the most popular people - I had friends and was involved in lots of activities, but I was also very shy and got good marks so most of the popular kids thought I was a goody-goody, if they even noticed me at all. I had a few core friends, but was sort of friends with various people in different groups, plus I tended to be friends with people no one else would be friends with because I felt bad for them. All of this worked together to make me a bit of an outsider.

But I have taken enough life experience under my belt in the last 8 years that I know that regrets are not really worth it, and there are no guarantees in life no matter what choices you make. Besides, even though I was a very shy, self-conscious person, there was also this streak in me that didn't give a shit about what the popular kids thought of me. Obviously I DID care to an extent, but for the most part I accepted and was happy with my position.

So, I guess in that way, part of me really doesn't CARE about my reunion. What point is there REALLY in getting together with these people for one night and then going back to our respective lives, nothing changed?

I feel like, in a way, reunions are way overrated. I feel like a lot of people go so that they can prove to people that used to make fun of them or that once said or did something mean to them that they are really awesome people now. I feel like a lot of people see it as a competition in general - Who is married and who is single (or *egads* divorced)? Who has the coolest job? Who is the richest? Who has the hottest spouse? Who has visited the most countries? Lets be honest - other people's misfortunes often make us feel better about our own lives.

All of that is SOOOOO lame and proof that regressing back to high school is not necessarily a good thing. So much about high school is drama and status and I feel like getting together with people you went to high school with could possibly transport you back to that environment again, wherein you all sort of morph into the roles you once played.

This all being said, I will likely go to my reunion (if they have one) if for no other reason than curiosity. And I am sure most people go to their reunions in a mature frame of mind and see it only as a chance to catch up, nothing more, and my wonderings above about the negatives of these events are completely silly. I wonder if it depends on the type of reunion it is - for example, I feel like the 10-year reunion is far enough away from the high school experience that you all have grown a lot, but at the same time it is still close enough that some of the insecurities are more likely to reappear (or still be there)? I don't know! What do you think?

Would you go to your high school reunion? Or, on the other hand, HAVE you gone to one? What was it like? What do you think about high school reunions in general? I would love to hear everyone's thoughts on this subject...

Happy Hump Day!

PS: Have you seen Romy and Michele's High School Reunion? It's really dumb but funny. I love Lisa Kudrow so much - she's so good at playing the 'flake'. AAAAND did you know that they made a follow-up in 2005 called "Romy and Michele: In the Beginning", starring Katherine Heigl?! That's right, they went there. The funniest thing is they made it for ABC Family (? Yes, because I would want my young children watching scantily-clad, ditzy women stumble around?). I would love to watch that sometime just to see how BAD it really is (oh, you know it's bad). 

This is one of my favourite parts of the movie. I love two things very much about this clip: #1) That the girl in the peach suit standing next to annoying-weather-girl-that-I-want-to-punch-in-the-face  is Pam from True Blood, and #2) Michele's explanation of her Post-It glue recipe. Genius. 

Sweet Escape

Desserts are my downfall.

Everyone has one of those - you know, one type of food that you just can't say "no" to, no matter how hard you try. One type of food that immediately catches your eye when you enter a room where it is already a resident. One type of food that makes you drool and your pupils dilate immediately upon discovery...

...ok, it sounds like I am talking about drugs, not food, and that makes me sound a tad crazy (I am not ADDICTED to dessert, I assure you - close, but not quite) but you know what I'm saying!

Some people are inherently attracted to salty or savoury foods, and some crave sweets and I am firmly in the latter camp. Speaking of which, isn't that a strange phenomenon? Meaning the things that different people crave? Even people who are related by blood and very close emotionally (like, say, me and my mother) can have completely different food preferences. She is attracted to salty foods and I am attracted to sweet. But my grandmother has a sweet tooth too...I just find it all very fascinating! Humans sure are weird and wonderful creatures.

Anyhoo, pretty much anything sweet is pretty much my favourite thing to eat. Brownies, cake, cookies, squares, I love them all! Although I am particularly attracted to chocolate things. Have you ever had a whoopie pie? My mom has made these since I was a kid and they are amazing! Like a giant, soft oreo cookie.

Via

OHMYDEARGODYUM. Uh oh, I think I have started something dangerous (the drool is starting to form)...

Beyond the taste, there is something that is rather nostalgic and romantic about desserts. For some reason they remind me of being a kid and things like birthdays, parties, visits to my friends houses for fresh cookies, walks to the local corner store to buy penny candy (no, I didn't grow up in the '50's!! I'm only 26!! I just actually, ya know, went OUTDOORS when I was a kid. I didn't have myriad electronics to keep me busy, unlike kids today *endrant*).

Biting into a piece of cake or a brownie connects you to a simpler time, a time before fad diets and processed meals and hyper-scheduling. It's comforting and a reminder that life should be enjoyed, not worried about. Desserts are about celebrating - think about it, when do you often eat desserts? At parties and celebrations! Weddings, barbeques, showers, birthday parties, etc; i.e. occasions when people come together to laugh, relax and appreciate each other.

Ok, maybe I'm placing too much emotional weight on something so small, but I can't help how I feel. Maybe that is part of the reason I enjoy eating desserts so much - they not only satisfy my taste buds, but they connect me back to the romantic and celebratory in life. This is something we could all stand to do more often (though in moderation, of course - as wonderful as desserts are, too many of them can drastically alter your waistline in ever-horrifying ways). Desserts are fun, and we all need to remember to have fun once in a while.

I recently discovered a great blog called Big Girls, Small Kitchen, which is all about providing tips for 20-somethings to cook easily and inexpensively at home and have fun doing it. This post the other day had me drooling all over my keyboard.

Brownie Pie - I mean, seriously, come on!! How could you NOT drool over this photo?! And, furthermore, why have I never before seen or heard of Brownie Pie?! It's a genius idea!

This recipe is from another food blogger, Cake Spy. You need to start following this blog now if you aren't already, and if you like sweets and pink things, and just awesomely cute things in general (and really if you don't, I'm sorry to say you just suck...and you're weird. Harsh but true, IMHO).

Another great blog to follow to get your sweet fix is Bakerella. She is known for her Cake Pops, but posts about many sweet recipes on her blog, as well as other sweet life tidbits. For example, her mom is donating her kidney to her, I recently read! It doesn't get any sweeter than that!

Ok, I spoke too soon.

One of my favourite sweets in the entire world is a cupcake. Really, there are not many things in this world that make me happier and more excited than a cupcake. I don't know what it is - they are just so darn cute (perhaps because I'm a midget, I am attracted to mini things?), they usually have a lot of icing on them, and they are just the right size for a treat. There are so many possibilities for them too! There are dozens of cupcake shops out there nowadays and they all put out their own sweet spin on this classic dessert, and judging by the number of baking shows that are on tv nowadays, cupcakes are quite trendy.

Georgetown Cupcake

The Cupcake Girls

I'm not going to lie I kind of love watching shows like this, even though they are often silly and seem scripted. I just can't look away. It's even the same with Cake Boss, and half they time he really annoys me.

I just can't quit the sugar. 

For the best cupcakes though, I have to give props to local fav Susie's Shortbreads. 

God, I love that place. I'm like a kid in a cupcake shop when I go in there (literally). Speaking of which, I am looking forward to this show very much. Ummmm, best job EVER?!?! I think so.

Via. Two? Make it three, I'm not driving. 

Now, if you will excuse me, all this talk of sweets has got me craving a snack so you know what that means! That's right, time to grab those carrots and grapes from the fridge and chow down. No, really. Lets just say that doing what I ACTUALLY want to do at this point would not be very lady-like.

What kinds of foods do you crave? Do you watch food shows, if so, which ones? Time to put your neuroses right out there for everyone to read!

TGIF

Let's call this post Thinking Gratefully going Into Friday (aka TGIF - catchy, right? I know, you can say, I'm a genius with the wordsmithing). Though, technically we are going into the weekend, not Friday....ah well, whatevs!

Just a few things that I'm loving this week & this weekend:

* Mocha Coconut Fraps from Starbucks
* My friend Lauren's new wicked awesome blog!
* Realizing there is a Zara and  Forever 21 within walking distance of our hotel in Montreal - WIN!
* Trip planning with the boy (oh so many emails back and forth, but we got some wicked deals on our hotels thanks to his awesomely big brain...ok not writing awesome again)
* It's not raining today!
* Games Night and Retro Dance Party on Saturday!
* Getting back on track with eating and walking
* Getting summer clothes out of storage!
* New writing opportunities (stay tuned!)
* Mentally listing new books I want at Chapters
* Long overdue call with the bestie on Sunday!
* Finding a super cute dress for my friend's wedding at H&M
* Bringing delish homemade chili for lunch every day
* Random dance party to Usher in the car with my sister

Hope your weekend is full of lovely things! Remember to thank and hug your mother!
(Mothers are awes....dammit)

Fashion Fridays: Baby, It's Cold Outside

That's right, Fashion Fridays are back, baby! Back in November I decided to start doing weekly fashion posts on Friday featuring my fav outfit from the week, as well as some favs from the webs and general discussions about fashion, etc. Well, I did that exactlyyyyyy once. I hate to use the usual excuse but I just got busy and I found it too time-consuming to take outfit photos. Plus, I did not really have proper equipment to take decent outfit photos in the first place.

But it's a new year and I have a new attitude (read: I now don't give a crap about the above things). I thought 'who cares?!'. I wanna do fashion posts so I'm gonna do fashion posts! Lack of time and equipment be damned! This isn't freaking Vogue - no one expects magazine-quality photos from you! It's my blog, I like fashion, so I'm going to blog about fashion. Period. I'm excited to bring it back! (can't ya tell?!)

I was soooo not feeling motivated to look nice this week - it's only a 4-day week and it is post-11-day-vacation. However, it seemed as the week went on I woke up a little bit more, which meant that by the time Friday came, I actually felt like putting effort in! Hence my fav outfit of the week being from Friday! There's just something about Fridays anyway, isn't there? I don't know about you but I always feel more laid-back and upbeat on Fridays and I think that translates into what I wear those days.

Why, yes, that IS my closet behind me hence the closed doors. Trust me, you don't want to see in there. You will have nightmares for a week and I can't live with that on my conscience (besides, the clash of clothing would distract from my ugly mug, and that would just be tragic *rolls eyes*).

I have had most of these pieces for a while and tend to fall back on them when I'm not sure what to wear. I think I've said this before but I freaking love these jeggings. Yes, that's right, I wear jeggings. I'm one of THOSE girls. Now, don't judge! They can be cute and flattering if you wear them the right way! Plus, they actually look quite polished (as long as you don't wear them with a giant sweatshirt) and they are really comfortable. I was feeling a bit girly and artsy today, hence the necklace and shoes.

I LOVE these shoes! They are so comfy, and lets face it, super cute! Plus they go with everything, and you can throw them on with any outfit and it instantly looks more cute, girly and polished.

I'm not feeling the most motivated to put outfits together lately also because it's FREAKING COLD!! Have I mentioned I hate winter and cold? Well, I do. The only good thing about the cold in terms of fashion is you can create visual interest with cozy layers and I do love winter accessories. One of my current favourites is hats. Like this one I just got on Boxing Day:

I LOVE this colour. For some reason I just love the look of these slouchy berets; I have no idea why. Maybe they make me feel french or something. I also just bought this little number:

I just love the feathers on this hat! So cute! And this hat is like the shoes above, it goes with everything and makes any outfit look instantly polished. Not to sound conceited, but I'm one of those people that looks good in hats, but I just never used to wear them often because they made my hair a staticky-frizzy mess. I'm embracing them more and more over time though (especially since they are great for days you don't want to wash or style your hair, but don't wish to look like a homeless person!). My 2nd favourite winter accessory is definitely scarves, and I have WAY too many of them.

I realize cold is something I should be used to since I'm Canadian and have lived with half a year of winter since birth, but I'm sorry you just NEVER get used to it, I don't care what anyone says. I'm always shocked when I run into tourists or see license plates from places like California and Florida around here - I always want to go up to those people and just ask "what the bleep are you doing here?! I mean it's a great place to visit, but do you realize you have summer year-round?! A) why would you want to leave that behind and, B) would it have KILLED you to bring some of that shiz up here with you?! Gawd!!

Anyway, I'm always fascinated by ladies who can manage to look great in the winter because it's really tough. Case in point:

Glamorous, right? Here are some ladies who actually do cold-weather dressing well:

OMG her hat looks just like mine! I guess it does make me look French!

I really want to stroke her hat like a kitty...is that wrong?

Ahhhh I really really want her cape! Alas I lack money, but if I had any I would probably buy this one.



Have a fashionable (and toasty) weekend!

 

You've Come a Long Way, Baby

Guess what, faithful readers?! Today is a very important day. Why, you ask? Well, today is.....

MY 100th BLOG POST

(cue the orchestra!!!)

Ok, I realize that this day is probably only exciting for me, but throw me a bone here. I'm not going to lie, when I first started this blog and set the goal of building it into at least a productive hobby, I didn't think I would stick to it. Generally I don't stick to things for very long as I get bored and moody very easily. So I'm quite proud that I've reached this point! It's taken almost a year to get here, but except for a few gaps here and there I've kept up with a schedule quite well!

I've also kept up with my goals of building a presence and starting conversations on Twitter, and on blogging forums such as 20-Something-Bloggers and She Writes. I feel that my writing has become stronger, and I've met a few great people through my writings. There is still so much I want to do with this blog and I still have a long way to go, but I'm most concerned with just enjoying the process. I have not only enjoyed writing my own blog, but I have stumbled upon some other blogs that are just AWESOME, written by strong, independent, quirky and creative women who are carving their own path in life and whose posts constantly make me think, inform me and make me laugh and smile. I couldn't imagine not keeping up with their writings now that I've done it for several months.

Anyhoo, to go with the whole "yay 100 is an awesome number!" theme, here's a list of 100-related things I think are cool (why not, right?!):

* The 100 Thing Challenge
* 100 Things To Do When Ordering a Pizza by Phone (because apparently, just ordering the pizza isn't enough activity)
* 100 Things To Do Before You Die, aka Creating a Bucket List (or you could be stupidly ambitious like me and create a 30 B4 30 list!)
* 100 Favourite Canadian Things (ummm whose the moron who voted for "our changing seasons?! That's certainly not one of my favs)
* 100 Jobs in 100 Days - such a cool project (and a creative solution to unemployment)
* 100 Things To Do in an Elevator (good for when the elevator is actually working; because if not I'm only doing one thing - FREAKING THE F$%K OUT!)
* The 100th Monkey Theory (oh yes, Virginia, there is such a thing)
* Billboard's Hot 100 songs for this week
* 100 Skills Every Man Should Know (because apparently women are so helpless that we have to rely on men to know these things *rolls eyes* (Yo, PM, hows about we change "man" to "person" in this title considering we live in the 21st century?! Are you with me?)

I wish you 100 happy thoughts and moments this week!

I soooo hope this is me in 75 years! Well, minus the cigarette...though I gotta be honest, she does look pretty bad ass

Manic Monday: Music

I recently went through my music and downloaded a whole bunch of new stuff. I'm always on the look out for new songs and bands and artists to listen to, so whenever I hear a cool song or read something about a band that sounds interesting, I'll try to track down some of their stuff.

I'm one of those people who listens to "everything", though I can be a tad schizoid when it comes to music too - I get in "moods" where I listen to a certain type of music constantly (I guess my musical tastes are the perfect subject for Manic Monday, then!). Overall though, I like upbeat, fun music that has witty, insightful lyrics - basically if the song makes me boogie in my chair (or better yet stand up and shake my booty upright), it's a great one in my book.

I'm really into 60's and 70's rock/pop lately, or music that has that kind of sound. I downloaded the Pirate Radio  (aka The Boat That Rocked - if you haven't seen this movie you HAVE TO. Bill Nighy is just so hilarious I can't stand it) soundtrack and I'm obsessed with it!! I'm wierd in that I tend to get hooked on particular songs and listen to them over and over and over again, then eventually tire of them.

These are some of the songs I'm currently playing on repeat (and repeat and repeat...)







I'm sort of embarassed to include this one, because the song is actually kind of annoying and non-sensical but I had to include it because I haven't been able to stop listening to it ever since I heard it!! I have no freaking clue why but it's just so damn catchy I can't stand it! I'm a slave to the rhythm I guess. It's like that line from Friends where Chandler says, "Gloria Estefan was right, eventually the rhythm IS going to get you" (mwahaha Friends just never ever gets old...and neither does the fact that I'm a total dork, apparently).