Bouquets of Sharpened Pencils

Remember when I entered this contest to win $500 in books from Chronicle? Weeeeeell, alas I did not win. Again. What can I say - I'm not very lucky I guess.

Ah well, there's always next year! And congrats to the winner! Besides, that's not all they wrote because - as a thank you for participating in the promotion - Chronicle is giving a great discount on book orders:

up to 35% off + Free Ground Shipping

Enter HAULIDAYS at checkout

Go forth and purchase books at a discount! For some reason this statement makes me think of Joe Fox - "I sell cheap books! I do! So sue me". (completely off-topic but You've Got Mail is one of the cutest movies ever).

Speaking of books, I sorta found out about one of my big Christmas gifts a little early...

AHHHHH - that's right, baby. It's a Kobo Vox e-reader (for my American friends, this is basically the Canadian Kindle - the Canindle?). I just love the concept of these things - I love having hundreds of books and magazines and newspapers right at my fingertips with no wasteful piles of paper and ink (or sagging, space-sucking bookshelves). I take the bus every day and always have a book with me to read, so this thing will definitely get some use. Very handy for the morning commute.

Ok, so it's not really a surprise but my mom had to tell me I was getting it so she could make sure to get me the one I wanted. And this is my big gift - I find now that I'm no longer a kid (well, at least not in age) I am more interested in getting one main gift every Christmas than piles and piles of gifts. It's more about quality - i.e. getting one gift that will be really useful to me - than quantity - i.e. getting as many gifts as possible. Last year I asked for a Tassimo coffeemaker. Next year I'll probably ask for a vacuum or something similarly lame.

So, what are you asking for for Christmas? Do you have an e-reader? If so, what do you think of it? What are your thoughts on e-books vs. paper books?

Happy Haulidays, all! Only one week away (as hard as it is to believe).

Christmas Kiss

I admit it, I'm a bit of a Christmas freak. I'm one of those dorks that gets really excited about silly things like parades, peppermint treats and holiday drinks at Starbucks. And it's hitting me hard this year - as soon as November 1st rolled around, the sugarplums started dancing through my brain and they only spin faster with every passing week.

One of my favourite things about the holidays is Christmas music! There is something just so comforting about Christmas songs, am I right? They are so timeless - they harken back to the past but can also be interpreted in so many different, fun ways they continue to also be modern in an odd way.

It is sort of a give-in nowadays that any artist who has sold any respectable number of records has to make a Christmas album, which is great and all, but lets be honest this means that many of them are warmed over cheese-casserole - booooring and predictable.

However, I recently downloaded a couple of albums that are anything but boring. They both have a really retro, vintage feel - one more folky and one more swingy/jazzy - and feature singers with super-rich, warm voices that manage to be delightfully 'crackly' and soft at the same time. Both contain some of the most recognizable Christmas tunes ever sung, but they also feature a few that I have never heard before. I have been lucky enough to see one of them in concert here in Halifax (she lives here in fact!) and the other stars in one of my new favourite tv shows (it seriously cracks me up to the point of snorting every week).

#1 A Very She & Him Christmas

This is the one with the more "folky"sound I described before - there is a lot of acoustic guitar and ukulele, which is awesome! It's a little bit vintage country, a little bit Hawaiian luau and I kind of like that! It feels very June Carter and Johnny Cash Christmas to me. Most of the songs on this album have a quieter more relaxed feeling, perfect for listening to while sitting in front of a fire with a hot toddy.

*On a completely unrelated note, I want to steal Zooey D's hair - as noted in my YKYLF post here. Second completely unrelated note - are you watching New Girl yet? If not, you need to do that, like, yesterday!*

Every time I listen to this song it ends up stuck in my head all. day. long. You've been warned.

#2 It Snowed, Meaghan Smith

Meaghan is a singer originally from Ontario but now calls Halifax home - I went to see her perform with Symphony Nova Scotia earlier this year and fell in love with her 40's style voice and music. Her songs have this great old-timey swing feel to them - lots of horn. They make you want to boogie. Her Christmas album has a couple of original songs (one that is really not Christmasey at all in fact, which is an odd addition, but kind of refreshing at the same time). I can't wait to put this on while we put up the tree and decorate at my mom's on Saturday.

I think Christmas Kiss is my favourite so far - SO ADORABLE! Alas, I am not able to find it online anywhere (although you can listen to samples here), so you will have to settle for Silver Bells (which sounds like a pretty good compromise to me!). *P.S. I want to steal her outfit from this video*

For the next 6 weeks, it's all Christmas songs all the time, baby! Just not Simply Having a Wonderful Christmas Time - god, that song's annoying. 

Blueberry Fields Forever

One of the great things about living in Nova Scotia in the summer is the abundance of delicious and fresh local food being grown only an hour from the city. So when the boy and I were looking for something fun (as we are often wont to do) one sunny afternoon post-swim, we thought:

"We should go blueberry-picking!" (ok, so maybe we have a weird idea of what is fun, but what can I say, we're dorks at heart)

This is how we ended up at Blueberry Acres.

Blueberry Acres is a U-Pick blueberry farm in Centreville, NS. We arrived on Natal Day, late afternoon, unsure if they would even be open, but luckily we arrived to find the fields open for business!

The "Blueberry Express", aka an air-conditioned bus, picks you up at the main building and drops you off out in the field where a worker will choose an good area for you to pick from. This place is HUGE, so the bus makes it so much more convenient. We arrived early in the season so there were still quite a few bunches that were not quite ripe, but there were still enough blue, fat ones to fill our box.

I could not believe the SIZE of these babies! HUGE, just the way I like them (read into that what you may). I am surprised we even filled our box we ate so many in between picking (teehee). It was a super hot and sunny day, and it was actually nice to be there early in the season because it was not crowded at all. There were only a few other couples picking so it was very quiet and peaceful. Apparently if we had gone a couple of weeks later, there would have been 10 times the people!

When we got back and weighed our haul, it came to about 8 pints, which cost us $16. For those of you not good at math (I feel your pain) , that's approximately $2 a pint. For those of you who don't buy bb's in the grocery store (at least around where I live), a pint of bb's there will easily cost you twice that, so I think we got an amazing deal. 8 pints is a TON for two people to share, even if you eat a cup every day!

In fact, the week after we picked them all, I made TWO BLUEBERRY PIES. That's right. TWO. I have never made a pie in my life so I was concerned they would turn out disgusting, but I have to say they taste pretty darn good! I cheated and bought pre-packaged Pillsbury crust, which I am not proud of but it saved me so much time. I looked up a random, basic BB pie recipe online and used that as a guideline and the filling is quite tasty. I think for my next venture, I may try a more ambitious recipe, but for my first time I just wanted to keep it simple. 

Here is the recipe I used for the filling, in case you are interested:

For each pie

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 cups fresh blueberries
• Teaspoon (approx) of maple syrup
• Few drops of lemon juice

Basically you just toss everything together in a bowl, pour it in the crust in the pan, making sure the layers are even (as I mentioned, I used Pillsbury pie crust - each box comes with 2 crusts, 1 for the top, 1 for the bottom). At 425 degrees, mine took about 35 minutes to bake, even though the recipe I referenced called for 50 minutes (!). The syrup and lemon juice were not in the recipe, but I just threw those in to see how it would taste - not sure it made a difference but I like to think it added a bit of flavour (the berries we picked were pretty flavourful on their own, though, so I wouldn't recommend adding too much and messing with that).

YUM!

Know what the best part is? After I baked, I divided the remaining berries up so that the boy could take some home and I could freeze some, and they filled 2 margarine container-sized tubs. and two large tupperware containers! I gave the boy half, and I have been eating them on my cereal every morning now for about 2 weeks and I have barely made a dent. If I freeze one of my two containers, I would say I will still have enough to last me until Winter rears it's ugly-ass head.

Maybe they will be getting low just in time to go apple-picking! Mmm apple pie...

The Woman Who Helped Me

Me and Mom at my University graduation, May 2008

 I have had many women in my life help me. I have had all female bosses at the many jobs I have held, have a couple of lovely friends who are always there to lend a hand if I need it, and I have even had a couple of female cats who were the best companions anyone could ever ask for. But one woman has helped me more than any other, in ways that were conscious on her part and I'm sure in ways that she is not even aware of.

I was born on mom's 38th birthday (December 11, 1984), the fourth and last stop on her long, arduous journey through motherhood. This journey started when my mom was only 17 years old and at a time in history when teenage pregnancy was an unimaginable horror that only served to earn you an entry in the Book of Eternal Shame. Being a young woman in the mid-1960's, her only choice was to have the baby and get married.

You could say that was the moment when her childhood ended, and the dreams that she had for herself were pushed aside, only to be picked up again during a period of personal renewal many decades later. Pushed aside to fulfill the duty of "mother" to my new baby brother, and later to another boy and two girls.

Because the fates seem to have a cruel sense of humour, along with this brood it also decided to give her not one abusive, alcoholic husband to take care of, but two, force her into the lifestyle labeled, "Single Mom" whether she liked it or not and later took her first true, respectful love (after so many years of waiting for it) much too early. Always someone else's needs to address, always someone wanting a piece of her, all of her, and yet none all at the same time, and always one step forward, two steps back.
Although this may not be the life that my mother imagined for herself when she was a teenager, it appears as though it was in fact her destiny as she has fulfilled the position given to her better than I am sure she ever expected to. She was always meant to help people – this is the entire reason for being of a nurse and mother – and always would have found a way to do that no matter what path she followed.

As much as the path she did take and the sorrows it has brought her pains me, I am very grateful she did take it because if she hadn’t, I would not have been the lucky recipient of her gracious, selfless help, and we would not be the people we are now to each other – best friends.

How has this woman helped me? She has helped me understand the world. She has helped me believe in myself. She has helped me become independent, level-headed, and grateful. She has seen me at my worst and best and loved me either way. She has helped me never to let life get me down and to always move forward. She has helped me be smart and alert, but also to have fun and relax.

She has helped me become the person I am today, and what more could a daughter ask for?

*********************************************************************

This blog post is part of the HEART OF HAITI MOTHER’S DAY POST SERIES (A Clever Girls Collective C*ause). This initiative gives a gift to mom that gives back to women.

ABOUT THE HEART OF HAITI PROJECT
The Heart of Haiti Project is an initiative founded by Willa Shalit (daughter of Gene Shalit) and her company, Fairwinds Trading, a for-profit company that uses business as a strategy for economic empowerment of people, especially women, in the Majority World. The Majority World is where two billion of the world’s three billion people live, in poverty. Through a partnership with Macy’s and their Shop For A Better World' initiative, Heart of Haiti offers artisan-crafted decorative arts and jewelry for sale. All income derived from sales of the products on the Heart of Haiti site enhances an artisan’s family’s nutrition, educates children, and brings access to healthcare and dignity.
For additional information on Fair Winds visit: http://www.fairwindstrading.com/

To view the Shop for a Better World / Heart Of Haiti collection in it's entirety (including just added items for Spring), visit: http://bit.ly/gaalFP In honour of this blog series, use the Promocode: CLEVERGIRLS when purchasing a Mother’s Day gift from the HOH collection and receive 15% off Heart of Haiti and Rwanda Path to Peace products.

Also in honour of this blog series (and Mother's Day coming up next week), please tell your mother "thank you" or "I love you" today (this has nothing to do with the blog promo, it's just a helpful tip from yours truly!).

For more information about Clever Girls Collective, visit their website here.

I was selected for this very special “CleverHaiti” opportunity by Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity. All opinions are my own.

We're a Couple of Swells...

This is a little late, but better late than ever...besides a musical is nice on any day of the year!

Hope everyone had a good Easter! To be honest, Easter isn't a big thing for me or my family - we are not religious and I am on Weight Watchers so I DEFINITELY didn't want any candy (well, I WANTED candy, I'm just not allowing myself to have it, that's all). Also, I've been super busy and stressed at work getting ready for a large Conference happening this week, so I just wasn't up for anything major. I really wanted to get away and have a change of scene, so when my boyfriend suggested we take a road trip to PEI, I was on board 100%! It was a lot of fun. We have a lot of fun together, and I'm very grateful to have someone in my life that makes me laugh so much and feel so good (as the risk of sounding cheesy). He pointed out to me that Friday was the 6-month anniversary of our first date! How cute is that?! And how bad of a gf am I for not even remembering? lol.

Anyway, one thing I do love about Easter is this movie. It's one of my favourites ever, and if you haven't seen it, you really need to watch it now. I love these old musicals - they are just so upbeat and fun. They just don't make movies like that anymore, as cliched as it sounds. I challenge you to watch one and NOT be in a good mood when it's over. Plus, the clothes are BEAUTIFUL. I sometimes wish people still got dressed up and paraded around - you know, spent TIME on their appearance! (I'm looking at you boys wearing jeans hanging down to your knees).

This is one Easter tradition that I always try to stick with...

Observe the awesomeness (a sample of a few of my fav scenes):

(#1 FAV! "Plum crazy for drums...")

...aaaand it's all over

That was a nice little Internet break! Well, I say "break" but I was still on Twitter and Facebook here and there....so, ok it wasn't really a break, but a break from my normal routine!

Anyway, it's also been a nice general break (not having to go to work is quite generally awesome). Time has gone fast though - Christmas is so funny, there is so much build-up and anticipation and then before you know it the gifts are opened, Boxing Day sales are done, and you're halfway through vacation! How does this happen?! In any case it's been a good year - Christmas Eve was quiet, had a yummy dinner of lobster crepes and watched Muppet Christmas Carol (best.movie.ever.) and Christmas Vacation (NEVER stops being funny). Christmas Day we slept in, ate breakfast, didn't get to the gift-opening until noon (!) and no surprises there (my mom is not very good at being secretive - I pretty much knew everything I was getting hah). My big gift was this baby though:

Anyone who has known me for more than, oh, five minutes knows I love coffee and that I especially love espresso-based drinks like lattes and cappuccinos. Also, I live alone and I only ever make one drink at a time so I hate wasting a whole filter and pot of water on ONE mug of coffee, and then dealing with cleaning the whole thing. This machine is perfect for me because I can make tons of different drinks depending on my mood, only make one at a time, and not have to deal with messy filters and cleaning - you just put the pod in and that's that! My mom also got me a package each of coffee, cappuccino and latte pods so I'm set for a while! I got lots of great gifts, but this was the one I was most looking forward to. Can't wait to try it out tomorrow!

The boy came over in the afternoon and we gave him the stuff we put together for him (I made him a stocking and my mom got him a 6 pack - thoughtful right? lol), had yummy turkey dinner and cocktails and watched Toy Story 3. I went to his place that night and spent the day with him Sunday (again being lazy, eating lunch at Applebees, etc), then went back to mum's and we went to see The Tourist (my verdict is 'meh'), then went to bed early in prep for shopping Monday.

I wasn't sure if I'd go because money has been tight and I hate the huge crowds, but I got some money for Christmas and there were a few things I wanted to pick up so we decided to go for it. Of course we woke up to a major rain/wind storm in the morning which almost detered us (I said almost...there are not many things that would deter us from shopping in the end) but we still got to the mall for opening at 8am. Omg, BEST time to go ever, there were hardly any people there then; SUCH a smart idea on our part! I picked up a grey sweater ($25 from $70!), 2 pairs of black tights, 2 knit headbands and a knit hat ($15!), black skinny cargo pants, a calendar, cute pink notes that say "Keep Calm and Have a Cupcake" and a new umbrella! The deals weren't amazing but pretty good. We didn't get home until 2:30! Then we went visiting with old friends in the evening (the lady who invited us used to babysit my sister and I, and she's also the aunt of my childhood bff, so it was a great chance to catch up with other family members too).

Today I'm off to a friend's bridal shower and my mom is having friends over for dinner, so I'll probably catch the tail end of that visit. Going to head home tomorrow to clean and put all my new stuff away (gawd, that's not going to be a fun job). I think tomorrow I'm going to go skating (the Canada Games are in Halifax in 2011 so they city built a big speed skating oval in a big park in the middle of the city and it's open for public skates and events!) and going to see Black Swan with a friend, then Friday is New Years Eve (gah, how did that happen?!). It's funny because the boy and I were going to go to this dress-up party, then decided not to and stay in a make sushi instead, then I got a text this morning saying I won a ticket! hah. So, guess we'll be going to the party after all! It's just around the corner from my apartment, semi-formal and they are having food and entertainment (dj's, fire breathers, etc)...ya know the usual. This year is wierd because my best friend and her man are living away now so everyone I normally spend the night with is sort of scattered around, but I'm still looking forward to it. It's sort of the beginning of a new chapter with my new man, which I suppose is appropriate (speaking of a new year and new chapter, I'll be posting about my resolutions - as will everyone, I'm sure - in the next couple of days - looking forward to laying out a positive path for the coming year).

Didn't I say I was on vacation? In typical 'me' fashion, my vacation has actually been quite busy so far lol. Ah well, at least it's busy with things I WANT to do and not HAVE to do (like work). Let me see, what can I fill Saturday, Sunday and Monday with.....hmmmm...

It's finally here...

It's officially my last day of work before vacation! No work for me until January 4th - YAAAAAY!!

It seems like this day has taken FOREVER to come, yet it also came quickly - does that make any sense? But then again, I often don't make sense so...meh!

Things I'm looking forward to doing for the next 10 days:

1. Eating lobster crepes (Christmas Eve dinner) and turkey with fixings and Gingerbread cheesecake (Christmas Day dinner), not to mention countless chocolates and other fattening goodies (got my priorities straight, food right at the TOP of the list! That's how I roll)
2. Spending time with family – I feel like I haven’t spent much time with my sister lately and I feel bad about it, so I’m looking forward to some quality time with her. Plus, my new bf will be spending some time with us so I’m looking forward to seeing how he interacts with everyone and making sure he has a great holiday (he works extremely hard and in the past his Christmases haven’t been so merry – long story – so I’m hoping to turn things around for him this year as well as continue getting to know him)
3. Watching cheesy-awesome movies like Muppet Christmas Carol, A Christmas Story and Christmas Vacation
4. Relaxing and taking a break from worrying (haha, ya we'll see how that goes)
5. Going skating and/or sledding
6. Getting together to catch up with in-town friends I haven’t talked to in a while – perhaps on New Year’s Eve or a post New Year’s get-together
7. Drinking lots of yummy white wine and lattes/caps (possibly on my new Tassimo?! We’ll see Saturday morning, hehe)
8. Talking to faraway family and friends over Skype/phone on Christmas day
9. Shopping (though I may have a severe lack of funds, making this rather difficult). I’d really like to get some new tights, a knit headband and I need a new umbrella (discovered mine is broken when it wouldn’t open for my rainy walk to work this morning – excellent)
10. Attending a friend’s bridal shower on the 28th

What are you looking forward to over the holidays?

Hope you have a wonderful Christmas (or whatever you celebrate)!! xo

Write to me and escape

Well, I've officially been 26 years old now for 10 days and I'm happy to report I feel about the same. No newly discovered grey hairs FTW!

I'm not only excited about my lack of aging, however, but also because Christmas is in 3 or 4 days! (I say 3 OR 4 because I'm kinda counting down to both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day...I know technically Christmas as most people refer to it is the 25th but I'm never sure which one to count down to since they are both pretty cool...anyhoo...)

Ah, I love Christmas so much and reading all the other bloggers waxing poetic about it only serves to amplify this love. It's funny though, as excited as I am for relaxing family time, yummy food, opening and giving gifts, skating and sledding (or swimming, as that's all Halifax weather lately will allow), my excited thoughts have also been revolving around something else lately (not THAT kind of excited thoughts! Get your mind out of the gutter!).

I have SUCH an urge to take a trip somewhere right now, it's not even funny. Well, I suppose you could say it IS funny because there is some humour in the fact that I have this urge at a time when I am the most broke I've ever been in my adult life (haha...ya...hilarious). In fact, I probably want to travel even MORE right now since I'm broke - you know, in the spirit of that whole "wanting what you can't have" cliche. Regardless, I have been daydreaming about where I could go and the places I could see next year (that is if I find a permanent job in this lifetime) and it's kind of driving me nuts! I really really really want to take off somewhere and it's so frustrating to not be able to do that.

Wanting to take a trip is nothing new for me - I tend to get bouts of wanderlust fairly often and at regular intervals - and if given the time and money I would go on a trip pretty much anywhere. But there are a few specific places that I've been dreaming about taking off to lately:

NEW ZEALAND

I may have mentioned this on the blog before, but my brother and his husband moved here earlier this year and so have been listening to account after account of the beautiful countryside and climate, including the little gem he passed onto me the other day that they will be spending Christmas on the beach (bastards). To be honest, NZ was never top of my travel list, but since learning more about it I've changed my mind! It just looks like a very scenic, colourful place with lots to see and do. Plus, having a free place to stay is quite the incentive (which is good considering it would take 6 months pay + 20-some hours to fly there from Nova Scotia)

CALIFORNIA

San Francisco is probably top of my list, but I'd be fine going anywhere in the state. I don't know what it is that attracts me to it, but California just seems like somewhere that would really suit me. The warm climate is obviously right up there for a reason (can you tell I don't like winter? One of the only things I HATE about living in Canada), but there seems to be this outdoorsy, beachy, foodie, winey (like the drink, not bitchy) attitude that would suit me. The way I figure it, it's like Nova Scotia but with lots of sun and better-looking people with nice tans, so what's not to like! My mom and I have plans to some day take a road trip down the entire West Coast.

GREECE

*sigh* Doesn't that photo just make you want to sigh with pleasure and contentment? I mean it's so blue! So charming! Oh and what do you know, another warm climate destination! Aside from all of this, I am really drawn to all of the history and mythology surrounding these islands. Plus, how amazing would it be to eat Greek food all the live long day?! (I just drooled on my keyboard a bit, not gonna lie). This trip would be especially amazing to take next year because my mom turns 65 next December and Greece is her ULTIMATE dream trip. I would love to be able to accompany her and make it a joint inspirational trip or something, much like the ladies in this lovely book I read earlier this year. I guess we'll see...

In addition to these faraway, exotic destinations, I would also love to do some smaller trips closer to home - perhaps to Montreal or Quebec City, Maine or New Hampshire or even just to as-yet-undiscovered places in Nova Scotia. As much as I dream and hope to visit places like the ones above, I also think it's important to visit places in your own city, province or country if you can. It makes you appreciate where you live more (plus, lets be honest, it's a LOT more affordable).

You will notice that all of the places above are on my 30 B4 30 list, so I have alloted myself time to accomplish them. As much as I would like to, it would be damn-near impossible to visit all of these places in the next year or two. But, I can dream can't I? Plus, as I said Christmas is almost here and I'm pretty sure the Big Man will have something special for me come Saturday because I've been very good this year

.........except for those parking tickets...and the incident with the bootleg hooch and the neighbour's cat...............hmmm, perhaps there won't be a trip under the tree this year (if I start being good now, do you think my name could switch lists by Saturday??)

What places are you dreaming of right now? If you could take off on a getaway tomorrow, where would you go?

Right Here, Right Now

Currently I am...

...wearing my multi-coloured print, slightly kooky silk skirt (going out for dinner tonight - it's fun to dress up sometimes, isn't it?)
...loving my friends and family (one of my bff's threw me a surprise bday party last weekend! What a sweetheart - makes me feel like an ass complaining about birthdays)
...figuring out what to do for New Years Eve (NO clue what to do/where to go...what are you doing?)
...thinking about all the things I have to get done (ugh - clean, mail cards, send job applications, shop, make a dip for a pot luck next week, wrap gifts, etc)
...reading Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls (loved her first book, The Glass Castle, so had to see what this one was all about)
...craving movie theatre popcorn with lots of butter and dill pickle seasoning (*drool*)
...listening to Christmas music (DUH!), namely Glee and various on Grooveshark. This is one of my new favs.
...discovering my love for making art again (I painted a lovely bday gift for my mom that I hope she likes!)
...watching Dexter (this season's almost over, wah!), Grey's (I'm behind!), hopefully Christmas movies soon (Muppet Christmas Carol and Christmas Vacation are two personal favs)
...playing with my hair. A LOT (it's bugging me, but getting it done on Saturday and can't wait - need a trim and gonna dye it a wicked red colour - tee hee)
...learning to never give up because you never know when things are going to get better

I should note that this post idea was stolen from Hope Dies Last and I cannot take creative credit (though I'd like to).

What are YOU doing right now?

We Are Family

I've been thinking a lot about family lately. Obviously, it's only natural to do so around the holidays. It probably also has something to do with the grandmothers of both of my childhood best friends passing away within the last month, talking to my brother on the phone from New Zealand the other day (he's in NZ, not me, though I do wish it were reversed), spending more time with my sister lately, and my mother experiencing some health issues.

All of these occurances have brought home to me just how important family is and how most of us don't appreciate it enough, at least not until they are gone.

My family is very small - my mom is an only child and I don't have any contact with my dad's side, so (aside from a few cousins) it's pretty much myself, my sister, my two brothers, my mom and my grandmother (who will be 94 next year, I might add). When I was younger, I always used to envy my friends' huge families with their multiple generations and loud, boisterous family gatherings. But as I have gotten older (and arguably wiser) I have learned that sometimes quality is better than quantity. I have learned to appreciate my tiny family and be grateful for it. My family may be small, but the family I do have is close, and we all support each other (which, I think, is something many of us also forget to do when it comes to our families too).

My mom is my hero - she has survived two abusive marriages, raised 4 kids basically on her own (one with special needs) *no, I mean my sister, not me, smart ass...though I AM rather special* and has faced countless setbacks in her life without backing down or losing her sense of humour. Without a doubt, I am the mature, independent woman I am today thanks in large part to her influence. Don't get me wrong, she annoys me to no end sometimes and I'm sure I've pissed her off a couple of times (though usually it's her that starts it, let's be honest here) but it's mostly because we're so much alike (ugh, scary but true).

My sister is 5 years older than me, but since she has Down's Syndrome, I've always sort of been employed in the "older sister" role. She can be difficult and frustrating sometimes, but she can also be very sweet and funny. We have always bickered, just as any sisters normally do, but when it comes right down to it I love her very much. Let's put it this way: if anyone hurts her, they will have my fists to answer to (and if those fail me, I always have my rapier whit to fall back on - just ask a couple of boys from my elementary school, as they have experienced this wrath first-hand).

There is a large age gap between my two brothers and I (15-20 years) and I didn't actually grow up living with them beyond age two, but I still feel that I can count on them for whatever I need. They are far away (one is in Vancouver, one in New Zealand) but never far from my thoughts. I love that we can pick up the phone and chat just like months haven't gone by and that I'm so similar to both in many ways, even though we have barely spent an extended period of time together since I was a baby (certainly a strong argument for nature vs. nurture). Besides, I have a free B&B if I ever visit BC or NZ - huzzah!

I'd be lying if I said my grandmother was my favourite person growing up - long story short, lets just say we haven't always gotten along for many reasons and I have always had trouble understanding and sympathizing with her. Honestly, I still find her difficult to be around at times, but she has "mellowed" SO much with age it's still kind of dumb-founding. I've learned a lot about her and as such understand her more now than I ever have. I've realized that sometimes people shouldn't be judged so harshly because you have no idea what they have been through in life that has made them that way. Plus, I'm fascinated by her in a way - she looks probably 15 years younger than she actually is, still runs all her own errands and keeps her own house, AND still has all of her faculties. If she is any indication, I'm going to be one hot old lady!

Bottom line is, there are good and bad things about all my family members, just as there are good and bad things about me (though I can't really think of any bad right now). Sure, our family gatherings aren't loud and quirky and hilariously dysfunctional, but they are still fun. I never have to deal with people bugging me how my love life is, when I'm going to get married, what the heck is up with my hair/outfit/job, how I'm getting fat, and in addition they are not embarassing in the least (though they certainly can be if they really try).

I love that we are not traditional (single mom, disabled sister, gay brother married to a man from India...I'm pretty much the only normal one), and in my mind no family is "traditional". Every single one is different, and what makes every single one a "family" is different too. I hate that non-traditional families are still not fully accepted in our society, even though no one can really define what "traditional" is. Who cares what your family looks like or who is included in it, as long as you love and support each other and are contributing positively to each others' lives? *um, denouncers of gay marriage, are you listening?!*

When it comes to family, blood has something to do with it, but in my opinion it has more to do with the heart.

What is your family like? What do you like best/least about your family? Do you normally spend your holidays with them, and if so, what do you do?

If You Could Read My Mind, Love

I recently discovered a sweet company through one my favourite bloggers, Bakerella. For those of you who haven't heard of her, she's a "cake pop" maven! If you like baked goods and fun, easy recipes check out her blog ASAP!

Anyway, Chronicle Books (@ChronicleBooks) is the publisher of her cake pop book, and I stumbled upon their website through following her book tour. I'm hooked! They publish really fun, quirky, witty books with some of the coolest graphic cover art I've ever seen. I could spend hours perusing their site. I ordered this book for my mom for Christmas (she makes the best whoopie pies).

So, given how much I love this company, and the fact that I'm a huge book-worm, I was soooo excited to learn about their Happy Haulidays contest.

By blogging a list of Chronicle books (valued at up to $500!) I would love to see under my Christmas tree, I'm automatically entered to win said list! Better yet, anyone who comments on my post will win the list too! (ahem, hint hint)

It would be so amazing to win up to $500 in books - I wouldn't have to buy a book for two years! I mean, I love me some books, but they can be pricey and I'm one of those wierdos who likes NEW books and therefore frequents bookstores and Amazon.ca when I really should be visiting the library (oh hello, budget, haven't seen you in a while!). Feeding my habit can get pricey so needless to say, winning a huge stack of lovely books would be very much appreciated. If I won, I probably wouldn't leave my apartment for, oh, a month or two because I'd be too busy caressing all the cute covers and absorbing every whimsical word.

The only issue is there are so many books on the site that I'd love to read, it was hard to narrow it down (believe it or not the list below IS in fact a narrowed down list!). Don't say I didn't warn you ahead of time about the book greediness (what?! All they said was $500 limit, and I'm well within that! Don't judge me!). This means there are too many for me to write a little blurb about every single one, so photos (and short comments here and there) will have to suffice. Photos are better anyway because you can get an eyeful of the aforementioned gorgeous cover graphics! Behold the awesomeness (and pray to the book gods for me to win - draw is Dec 13th)! *remember to comment below if you want to be entered to win too!*


I am CONSTANTLY writing myself notes, so this would be very handy

Yes, Kerry, please help me 

Such a sweet story behind this one!

Meow!

Considering my financial sitch I'll be renting, oh, forever so new decor tips would be great!

BEAUTIFUL

I love to doodle and colour!

 

Frida Kahlo is one of my fav artists. I just read a novel that features her and really enjoyed it

Bahahaha. Oh cat lovers and their silliness

I really miss doing yoga, and lets be honest, we could all use a little "om" in our workday once in a while, am I right?

J'adore dips, and everyone loves the person that brings dip to the party!

Just something I wanna learn more about...

In conclusion, I'd just like to say that books are the shiz. Listen to Levar Burton kids, "take a look, it's in a book!"

Happy Reading!

Celebrate Good Times (or not?)

Disclaimer: I don't really hate birthdays, but I do love cats in clothes. Speaking of which, I will gladly accept gifts from anyone who is so inclined to send me one. I would prefer the cat in the above photo, but I will also accept trips to Hawaii if more convenient. Thank you.

So, it's now t-minus 19 days until my 26th birthday. Most other years, I would have had the night planned a month ago - made reservations, sent invites out, developed higher and higher expectations the closer the date came. However, this year is different.

As of now I have made NO plans for the bday. None.

I don't know why but this year I just don't CARE about my bday. It has nothing to do with the number (though it is a little scary that I'll now be in my "late 20's") because that really doesn't bother me. It has nothing to do with not having ideas (I've come up with a few possibilities). Part of me does care, and part of me wants to care more, but I just don't.

You see, having a birthday two weeks before Christmas is not necessarily the most fun. Two weeks before Christmas isn't exactly prime socializing time for people I know - it's always exam time, broke-from-Christmas-shopping time, family get-together time, etc etc. I realize it could be worse (I could have been born on Christmas Day or something - though that certainly has worked out well for Jesus), but it's pretty frustrating when your plans consistently have to be modified or cancelled altogether to accommodate said bad timing.

And it's not just about bad timing - since many of my friends have moved away, or become marrieds, parents, married parents, or on-the-verge-of-married parents they just do not want to go out as much as they used to, if at all. Most prefer a quiet night in to a night out at a restaurant, concert or dancing. Don't get me wrong, I'm certainly not knocking quiet nights in - I love these too, and when it comes right down to it the company is more important than the activity. However, it is nice sometimes, especially for a special occasion, such as a birthday, to go out - to get gussied up, drink fancy drinks and eat fancy food, watch people do funny or crazy things, and just let loose.

So, because my preference for celebrating, and the preferences of others, don't necessarily coincide I usually end up compromising "the plan" in order to not (depressingly) spend my birthday alone drinking a box of wine (though come to think of it, that doesn't sound so bad...)

Beyond the above, my friends have also just gotten BUSIER. They have more responsibilities and commitments (as do I) and therefore less spare time. I also hate being the centre of attention and generally get uncomfortable with being "fawned" over, so more often than not I try to plan things around making everyone happy and doing something that everyone will enjoy (which is, of course, impossible) to deflect the attention from me to the group as a whole.

Needless to say, all of these factors combined together serve to only make my birthday plans a huge chore - complicated and tiring. Rather than make me look forward to the day, I just end up dreading it all and worrying that it's not going to work out as I want it to, or ultimately ending up disappointed because it didn't, in fact, work out how I wanted it to.

So, this year I'm taking a break from birthday planning and...well, not planning anything. As I mentioned it's my mom's birthday too so we will spend the day together Dec 11th (we're getting our hair done, going to lunch then shopping as civilized and chic ladies do - or so I've heard), but other than that I will be passing the day with nary a glance or a care.

It's probably most appropriate to celebrate my birthday with my mom anyway, as it were. After all, if it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have been born and therefore would not even have a birthday. And she didn't just give BIRTH to me, she had a c-section and she CHOSE the date. She CHOSE to have major surgery and languish in a hospital bed on her BIRTHDAY, just so that I could be brought into the world. And there is something pretty cool about that (though kinda crazy at the same time - wtf were you thinking mom, seriously?!).

So I guess it's nice to know that no matter what, no matter how many plans get cancelled, how many friends are too busy or too broke to celebrate with me, that there is at least one person out there with whom I'll be sharing this special day.

And if all else fails, I will just "move" my birthday to July. Everyone wants to come to a pool party, especially one with cake!

How do you normally celebrate your birthday? What are your thoughts about birthday celebrating in general? Overrated?

Grown-up Christmas List

I'm not big on gifts.

Now don't get me wrong, I don't NOT like gifts (I will gladly take a gift from anyone who wishes to give me one, thanks) but I just don't think they are always necessary or expected especially if it's something I don't really need. And call me cynical but I think an awful lot of gifts are given that aren't really necessary, but obligatory.

Christmas is the KING of obligatory gift-giving. Look, I love Christmas as much as the next person, and a part of the reason I love it is the gift-giving. But I really don't understand the enormous commerciality that has built up around the holiday. It's shocking to me sometimes. I mean, sure we all need stuff and it's always nice to receive new things (not out of our own pocket) and to give new things to others, but I just don't see the need to get and give LOADS of stuff.

Sometimes less is more, and less is also sometimes more personal.

Sure, when I was a kid more was better. But now that I'm older and (arguably) wiser, it's not so much about quantity as quality - I would rather receive two gifts that I really need and love than 20 gifts that are...meh. Same with giving - I like to take time to really think about what my loved ones would like and use rather than just picking up the first thing I see within my price range. Speaking of price range, I try and keep the cost reasonable - you can get perfectly lovely and unique gifts that aren't fancy and cost as much as a Range Rover. More to that I don't buy gifts for every person I've ever met in my entire life, only those that are closest to me, namely my mom, sister, brothers (though we usually give them "family" gifts from the three of us), and my two best friends.

It sounds cheesy, but the most important thing to me about the holidays is the spirit. It's about spending time with family and friends, going to and singing in holiday concerts, eating yummy meals, sitting by the fire with a good book and a hot drink (even if it is only one of those fake DVD fires that cost $5 at Walmart), skating and sledding, perusing craft fairs and taking house tours on the South Shore, listening to Christmas songs on loop, catching up with friends and acquaintences, doing good deeds (like donating to charity), and just generally relaxing and being grateful.

Though I have to be honest, I would be rather thrilled to find this little gem under my tree this year :)

Home-brewed lattes and cappuccinos?! Hells, ya!

Manic Monday: Halloween Hangover (NaBloPoMo)

Anyone else have a Halloween hangover??

I'm sorry to say I actually don't. My Halloween was quite boring compared to past years, but it was nice to not have to be anywhere or do anything, time to relax.

To be honest with you, I've been feeling a little "funky" and down lately for various reasons, so I haven't had as much motivation in general. I don't want to be a whiner or get too personal, but I'd be lying if I said it's not tough.

However, I know it's just a phase and I'm a tough cookie though so I will prevail!! At least I don't look like Mr. Pumpkin up there ^ (ewwww)

Though I wouldn't mind looking like this little guy - or feeling how he looks like he's feeling! lol

Hope everyone had a wicked Halloween!!

You will notice over coming days that I'm participating in NaBloPoMo! Let's see how long I last *eek*

Manic Monday: Thankful

He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has - Epictetus

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving! In honour of this holiday (which isn't all about consuming large amounts of carb-laden foods), here are a few things I'm currently thankful for:

My awesome mom and sister * Having "the country" so close to home * Fresh Cox's Orange apples * Pumpkin cheesecake squares * Blogging * My amazing landlords * Books * 3 Day Weekends, and more to that 4 Day Workweeks * Sunshine * Long overdue Skype calls * Leftover Thanksgiving dinner i.e. not cooking for the whole week * Fall colours * Great horoscopes * Watching friends make positive changes in their lives * Nocturne this weekend! * The Amazing Race * Soft and cuddly kitty cats!


And just because it's funny and awesome, a little Canadian Thanksgiving Treat

All the Leaves are Brown, and the Sky is Gray...

Well, I've given up. I've finally let go of summer and have started to embrace the new season: Fall. It was tough, but it's tough every year - tough to let go of the sandals, beach bags and sundresses. I wouldn't say I've FULLY embraced Fall yet (it gets dark so EARLY now, waaah!) but I'm getting there.

When it comes right down to it, I love Fall. And maybe the more love I give to Fall, the longer it will stick around this year...maybe?? (pssh fat chance)

Oh well. I'm still going to show my love to Fall anyway with the following list:

10 Reasons Why I'm Glad It's Fall

1. Pumpkins (I could list 10 things just for this one (e.g. pumpkin pie, pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkins muffins, pumpkin soup, pumpkin tea, pumpkin pasta, pumpkin, pumpkin, pumpkin!!)

2. Being able to wear enough layers to be comfy - sweaters, tights, boots, scarves - but not so many that you are sweating and stuffy

3. The Colours - I love the look of the trees when the leaves change to vibrant oranges, reds and yellows. My street is lined on either side with huge, old trees covered in leaves, so it's especially scenic this time of year

4. The slightly chilled, crispy scent and feeling in the air

5. Starting new routines, or getting back into old ones (some I'm attempting to develop are walking to work regularly, going to a class at my gym twice a week, writing/submitting an article every Sunday, trying a new recipe once a month, etc)

6. School/Office supplies!! (see: 'You've Got Mail', 'bouquets of sharpened pencils'

7. Trips to the Annapolis Valley to pick apples and see the Pumpkin people (this weekend, baby!)

8. Thanksgiving! A good excuse to stuff myself silly with high calorie/carb-laden comfort foods (not sure what my excuse is the other 364 days a year). Plus, it's a 3 day weekend, which is always awesome.

9. Halloween - my favourite holiday next to Christmas (which indicates how sacreligious I am). What's not to like about dressing up like a freak and stuffing yourself with mini-chocolate bars?!

10. As of Thanksgiving (Oct 11th - that would be CANADIAN Thanksgiving, people) it will only be 2 months until my birthday!! Yay!! Wait...I'll be 26...ugh, not so "yay".

What are you looking forward to this Fall?

This post was brought to you by Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop. And the Letter "F". For Fall. (and the fact that I'm a dork). Thank you.

Time Warp

So I was in the dollar store the other day (don't judge me - I KNOW you shop there, too! Besides, this was Dollarama which is the Marks & Spencer of dollar stores, so that makes it ok). I was nonchalantly browsing for items to vastly improve my karma when all of a sudden I was confronted with three vibrant columns of bright orange, with some black and purple accents. Spider, pumpkin and cobweb shapes danced in front of my wondering eyes. It took me a moment to process as I did not recall ever seeing such a thing before.

Because, of course, orange and black and cobwebs can only mean one thing...fruit that's been sitting on the counter waaaaay too long?! NO! HALLOWEEN!!  Yes, that's right, Halloween merchandise is now on the shelves...IN JULY!

Ummm, hello Dollarama-merchies-on-high?! Halloween is in OCTOBER, in case you forgot.

I mean I realize the people that make the decisions for a store chain like Dollarama probably aren't the sharpest tools in the shed (all the more proof that you don't have to be smart to become a freakin millionaire). I also realize that stores get shipped holiday merch months ahead of time so that they can have any chance of selling it off, and that sometimes they have empty space that they need to fill (especially during the slow hump time of mid-summer...hm, slow hump, that conjures quite the image). I have worked in retail and I currently work for a retail company - I understand how businesses work. I also understand shopping quite well since I do so much of it, and as such I realize that just because this stuff is IN stores doesn't mean I have to buy it, or even look at it, and I completely see the value of shopping early to avoid the rush and sifting through picked over crap.

However, it's the principle of the thing that bothers me. I think there's such a thing as TOO early. I mean, seriously, Halloween in July?! What the eff?!

Seeing this crap in the middle of summer reminds me of the darker, colder days to come and that's one reminder I just don't need. Summer is a time I especially like to enjoy the here and now - since I live in a country where winter is bloody cold and lasts most of the year and I am a huge sun-worshipper but can't afford to move somewhere that's warm all the time without a sugar daddy. I very much look forward to the four-or-so months that it's sunny and warm. I love going to the beach, wearing sandals and cute summer dresses, eating popsicles, laying in the sun and soaking up Vitamin D, and other such enjoyable warm-weather activities. And I've got news for you California - unlike you we only get to do this for a very short time before we have to start layering and shivering again. Four months goes by in the blink of an eye (especially when you spend most of it inside an office). Hey, it's already almost August and I feel like summer just started last week!

Given this reality, I wish to make the most of summer while we have it. And that means I DON'T WANT TO BE REMINDED OF THE SEASONS THAT AREN'T HOT AND SUNNY (that is to say the entire rest of the year) IN THE MIDDLE OF SUMMER!!

I've also noticed Fall clothing popping up in stores, school supplies in WalMart (yes, I shop at WM too! That's right, keepin it classy since '84), not to mention bloggers and tweeters et al talking about how they can't wait to get into Fall knits and tweeds! Speak for yourself, people - I'd be quite happy to wear shorts and sandals all year 'round and I'd appreciate it if you didn't ruin my summer lovin' with thoughts of heavy sweaters and jackets.

I feel this is a phenomenon that permeates our entire society, and one that completely baffles me. It's always about the NEXT season, the NEXT holiday; never about the here and now and savouring that. It seems like every year the NEXT thing comes out earlier and earlier. Christmas merch used to be out just after Halloween ended - now we are seeing it out as early as September or October. Easter candy is now coming out before Valentine's Day. It's like we live in this strange time continuum where every year time speeds up and months seem to completely disappear from the calendar.

This phenom can't even reasonably be blamed completely on retailers - they are just giving us what we want to buy - which means that this time warp is happening because we, the people, are making it happen (well not ME, but all you crazies who are actually thinking about Christmas at the cottage). And WHY are we demanding this? Do we just want to get things done earlier and earlier to avoid stress and effort later? I can sympathize with that, but think about it: is your life really going to be that much easier if you buy your Christmas lights on Labour Day weekend? Are you really getting better Halloween candy if you buy it on Natal Day as opposed to, say, a month ahead?

The answer is NO. Chances are you are still going to be stressed and rushing to get all your shopping and wrapping and baking done in time for Dec 24th because (in keeping with another human phenomenon - that, in a strange irony that only human beings could live up to, is the exact reverse to the one I'm discussing while also operating hand-in-hand with it) you will likely STILL leave many things until the last minute. And, chances are you are buying the EXACT same lights and decorations and food three months ahead that you would be buying one month ahead (though obviously prices could vary). The only difference is you have to find space to store all of this stuff until the holiday actually comes, which means you don't get to enjoy it right away and (if you are anything like my mother) will most likely forget you ever bought it in the first place.

Holidays have become FAR too commercialized anyway, but that's another blog post and this one's already long enough.

Let me be clear: I'm certainly not advocating that we never plan ahead and just let life come to us as it will. TRUST ME, I'm one of the biggest planners out there - ask anyone who knows me well and they will tell you that I'm always looking ahead and anticipating. I'm also not advocating against buying holiday merchandise - I for one LOVE holidays, especially Halloween and Christmas, and really enjoy decorating for them. All I'm saying is that we don't need to cross that bridge until we come to it, as my mom often says. Let's plan ahead, but not so far that our present is forgotten and wasted.

So, I have an idea: lets enjoy summer while we have it. Lets enjoy the sunshine and the flowers and the green grass and the ice cream, and lets wait another month or two before thinking about Fall and Winter. Or think about Fall and Winter if you want to, but keep it to yourself and let me enjoy what's left of my summer, thanks.