Water, Water, Water

This is going to be a weird post today.... Anyways, water is so delicious. It may sound ridiculous but I rather drink water then anything else. (excluding certain types of alcohol.) And water is so good for you! Before you go rolling your eyes at me because you've already heard this, I'm just going to reiterate it in a nice list... so please sit back and enjoy the research I so kindly gathered ;) 

1) Health Benefits - The most obvious reason. Water helps curb appetite and is a great substitute for soft drinks that are loaded with sugar. (even if it's "diet" or "zero", soft drinks are never, ever good for you) Water doesn't have sugar, no calories, no fat, so nothing to worry about! As well, it helps cleanses the body, getting rid of a lot of toxins.

Tip: drink a large glass of water before every meal. From personal experience, it helps make you full so you don't eat as much in the long run. 

2) Skin Benefits - Hydrating your skin is really important and is often forgotten after a layer of moisturizer. In reality, drinking water can help create that healthy aura. I cut out soft drinks over a year ago and I've definitely noticed the change in my complexion. Even if I have a lot of fruity drinks one night, the next morning my face will definitely pay the price. 

3) Helps with Hangovers - Although it is no cure, water definitely helps. Drinking lots of water while drinking and right before you go to sleep (along with an Advil) helps diminish hangovers/headaches the next morning. My friend swears by this, so much so that she'll even chase her drinks with water... which to me sounds pretty rough but apparently she never gets hungover soo..

4) Energy - Being dehydrated is no way to go about living. Being lazy and tired all of the time sucks, so why not gulp down a couple extra bottles of H2O and have the energy to do everything you want to do. 

I hope you understand how important it is to drink water! I know people who drink two or three cans of soda a day and I'm completely shocked. We're supposed to drink 8 glasses of water everyday and it's such a cheap and beneficial resource why wouldn't you be game for it? Anyways, I hope you have a lovely day! 

Laters 

Family Drama

At what point are you running away from your issues because you're trying to protect yourself and at what point are you running away for selfish reasons? 

I'm not naive in the fact that I know that all families have their difficulties. The problems can be devastating like abuse or neglect ... or it can be smaller. With so many personalities trying to work together, it's unfortunate that they do clash. Without sounding too cynical, the perfect family doesn't exist and it hurts me to say that. 

I come from a divorced home, like many individuals. Realistically, this was the best result because my life before the divorce was a lot of screaming and tears. Now that the hard part is over  I thought the issues would go away. But I have so much bent up resentment and pain inside me as a result of it, that I can't forgive things that were said and am over critical of things that happen now. 

So I take myself out of situations. I cut people out, I walk out of confrontations. I never forget and I can't move on. 

Part of me knows that this is unhealthy. I should face my issues and share them with others. 

But then there's that part of me that says that it's everyone else's issue. I don't deserve how I've been treated. I should not be screamed at. So I should protect myself and leave. 

I'm so confused at what I should do. 

It sucks to go through this by myself and it hurts my heart to know other's go through this too. I hope that everyone can move forward in their own way. My deepest sympathies go out to other's struggling with family issues; I know it's tough. I understand that this might not be the best way to express my inner turmoil but sometimes people need to vent. 

Laters 

Birthday Gift Idea

This week, one of my best friends is celebrating her 19th birthday! This is just a little post to share what I got for her. Before you gasp in horror because I'm posting her gift before I give it to her, don't worry; she doesn't read my blog! 

Like most girls, my friends and I are pretty infatuated with the idea of England. Whether's it's the lifestyle, the language, the fashion, the people, the music etc. I speak for a lot of people when I say I want it all! For my friend's birthday I thought it would be cool idea to get her the union jack but add a twist.

My sister works for a flag shop (weird eh?) so I was able to get a really cute custom flag that my friend can hang in her room. Funny story: according to a quick google search, a pink union jack flag is the symbol for gay/lesbian pride in England?... Awkward. I'll be sure not to tell her about that little detail.

As well, what young person isn't obsessed with moustaches?! Since it is her 19th birthday (the legal drinking age in Canada) I thought a little shot glass with a moustache would be appropriate! 

Yes, we stole the nickname from Zoe and Louise! 

I wrapped it all in a pink bag and tissue paper, adding a tissue paper purple flower to make it stand out. (Overkill I know, but I was soo bored!) 

Hope you enjoyed this post and maybe you got some ideas! What do you think of the gift? 

Laters :) 

DIY Fever

Being jobless has given me a lot of time to feed my obsession of Pinterest and in return, create a new belief that I can become the next Martha Stewart. Pinterest has completely changed my perception of what I'm capable of. It's taking all of my inner strength to not jump in my car, rush to the nearest Value Village or some other junk store where I can buy all sorts of wardrobes and mason jars. (Seriously, if I get my hands on mason jars my day will be made.) Everything seems so do-able these days. And if I can complete some of these projects and save some of the non-existent money I don't have, then that's the best. 

I'm so excited to get to work! In September, I'll be moving into a new house/room for school so I'm super pumped about decorating it with all my DIY projects! I'll be sure to post all my conquests and fails on here, so watch out for them! 

Do you have any favourite Do-It-Yourself blogs or posts? Let me know, I'd love to here them! 

Laters!

Neons

I like to believe that I don't conform to what other's say is cool to wear or "what's in". I pick out clothes that look good on me personally and that I feel comfortable in. It's kind of a catch 22 though, because I go to stores and purchase clothes that have already deemed "in" fashion. I'm not going out of my way to wear clothes that would have people murmuring under their breath. 

That being said, I wear a lot of dark colours so that means a lot of of blacks, greys and navys. (My closet is like a black hole, not in the way that its sucks but in the way that it's...black) It's always been said that the colour black makes you look slimmer and that may be the case; however, I'm not walking into shops and specifically buying dark clothes because of that. Personally, I think clothes that are dark make me look older and just go with lots of other things. My friends and I joke that I'm always funeral ready. 

Yesterday, I decided to mix things up while at H&M. Instead of dark colours, I went neon. Bright green, coral and blue to be specific. I bought three different shirts in three different colours in order to reinvent my wardrobe. Both the green and the coral shirt were $15 while the blue tank top was only $6! Yippie skippy! All shirts are super versatile; I can pair them with leggings, jeans, shorts, skirts... Definitely pleased with all three purchases. Including taxes, I think I paid $41! Wooo!  

Just a little update on the smallest of shopping hauls! 

Laters 

Summer Lovin' - Sunglasses

Before every summer, I find myself buying new sunglasses because for some reason I can't keep a pair without breaking them. So this season I decided to be extra prepared and buy four pairs of sunglasses in hopes that some of them will last. I'm pretty cheap, (I'm not even going to lie about that) so it took me a while to collect this small collection but I'm fairly happy with all my purchases. 

 From left to right: Michael Kors, Hot Topic, Hot Topic, and H&M

I'm such as a fan of Ray Bans. Though these are from Hot Topic, they're still pretty good quality and only $15! 

Another pair from Hot Topic for $15, although this time they're Aviators. I love how the lenses are really reflective. (Don't mind me in the reflection) Super nice with a laid back pair of kakis and a white t-shirt, maybe even with some beach wavy hair. 

Michael Kors always makes a nice pair of glasses. Always. Although these were the most expensive of the bunch, they were still on sale for $40! Definitely found myself a deal seeing as most Michael Kors sunglasses sell for $100 to over $200.

Finally, the pair in the middle in this image are from H&M. I had to search through the sale section and found them at the bottom of the pile. They're okay; definitely not my favourite out of the group. BUT THEY WERE 5 BUCKS. So who cares if I don't wear them everyday!

So there they are! What do you think? What are you're favourite pair of shades? Let me know! 

Laters 

Typical Nail Post

How stereotypical! A female blogger posting about nails. (I'm resisting a sarcastic eye roll as I write this) But seeing as how I rarely get my nails done (or wear nail polish for that matter) I thought I would take a second to explain. 

I love the idea of nail polish, I love when others wear it and I'm jealous that they can pull it off so easily. Unfortunately, nail polish and I have a bit of love-hate relationship at the moment and it sees no end to stopping.

 My entire nail polish collection... a little bit sad. 

First off, when I was 15, I slammed my right index finger in a door which effectively broke it. Skipping all the gross stuff, the nail eventually fell off. It was a very traumatic time (I'm not making this up), and quite horrifying for a person who never had broken anything before. The nail grew back but hasn't ever looked the way it originally did. It's not a big deal now, but you would understand why putting nail polish on it would make me feel like I was drawing attention to this small imperfection.

I bought these because the colours looked nice... have yet to really wear them. -_- 

Next, I literally cannot put on nail polish to save my life. It seems I always touch the wet paint before they're finished drying or I bump into something making a huge dent or ripple. And I've tried practically everything to stop this from happening. Sprays, cold water, waiting an excessive amount of time etc. No luck. I still screw it up somehow. And of course as soon as you mess up, that's all you can think about. Most times I catch myself chipping away at the paint, only realizing then that half the polish is gone. I'm sure it's just a bad habit picking at the polish, but to me the easiest option is just go without.

On a rare occasion, (my aunt was paying) I decided to get my nails done. Although I'm sure it'll only last half the time it's suppose to, I'm actually quite pleased with the result. I decided to go with "Enlightned Soul",  a bright colour that screams summer to me. I have never seen this brand before called "Sparitual" and they happen to produce vegan nail polish which is always an added bonus.  Also, I kept them fairly short because, let's be honest, I'm not a Kardashian sipping soy lattes all day, so those crazy long nails (that kind of remind me of witch nails)  were no good for me. And so far, so good with my decision.

I hope everyone takes a step out of their comfort zone today, even if it's as simple as trying on some nail polish! I know my distaste for nail polish may seem childish but hey, whatcha gonna do 'bout it? 

Laters! 

Katherine.

While at university I became acquainted with a certain girl, who for the purposes of this blog, will be named Katherine Heigl. The reason behind this nickname is due to the fact that when my friend and I first met her, she sort of resembled the famous actress; however, after getting to know her it became really apparent that we were wrong on so many levels. Unfortunately, the name stuck and I can't be bothered with coming up with something else. 

Anyways, Katherine is a full fledge over-achiever and tends to brag A LOT. And I can't stand her. I had her in many of my classes, seeing as we both are in the same program. In each class when the opportunity presented itself, she'd do a poised hair flip then explain how her parents are musicians and how her she rides a unicycle and blah blah blah I'm so smart blah blah blah. One time when we were riding the elevator together she muttered to herself about how her 90% wasn't good enough and how she was going to "bitch the professor out to get a couple more marks added". Oh my gosh. I don't think I've ever rolled my eyes as much as I did in those 30 seconds.

I'm sure you have people like this in your life; individuals who just annoy you to your wits end. They may be a sibling or a friend's boyfriend or even a classmate and just by the way they act or carry themselves, makes you want to punch a hole in the wall (too much?). Unless their behaviour is actually on purpose, it's hard to reason with him or her because they don't understand what they're doing. What I suggest instead of wasting your time (and having an unhealthy build up of resentment) is to simply let it go. 

I'm not insane, I really do believe that the easiest thing to do is just let it go. If someone's making a complete ass (excuse my french) of themselves, then let them. It does not reflect on your personality what they do. And honestly, you don't need the added stress in your life. Take a deep breath and forget about it. I'm not saying that I practice what I preach 100% of the time. (hypocritical much?) The reason I decided to write this blog post is because I got a Facebook message from Katherine asking for me to help complain with her and I just needed to vent. But I realize that her actions don't need to affect my mood. 

So sorry Katherine Heigl, but no I will not be emailing our professor and demand that he change the final mark of your exam; the past is in the past and honey, I just don't care. 

TOP TEN - songs for spring

Like I mentioned in my last post: ITS SPRING TIME! It's so beautiful out that I'm spending as much time as possible outdoors, trying to get a tan so I don't look so pale and sickly anymore! I usually create a playlist depending on my mood or what I'm doing and I thought I'd share with you the tunes I'm currently enjoying this spring! 

1) Pop Culture - Madeon 

     * Saw this guy when he opened up for Lady Gaga! You'll like him if you're into remixes 

2) Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) - Amanda Seyfried (Abba Cover)
    * I'm still obsessed with Mamma Mia soundtrack. SAVE ME FROM MYSELF.

3) Q.U.E.E.N. (feat. Erykah Badu) - Janelle Monae 
    * Every time you listen to this song, imagine me totally rocking out in my room by myself. LOL

4) Get Lucky (feat. Pharrell Williams) - Daft Punk

    * No doubt that this will be the song of the summer, so get used to it! 

5) Lightning In A Bottle - The Summer Set

    * Try singing this song while driving down the highway! Addicting!

6) Us - Regina Spektor

    * I would love to make a video montage using this song!

7) One Night - Matthew Koma 

    * Love the sound of this guy's voice!

8) How Ya Doin'? (feat Missy Elliot) - Little Mix 

    * I get so much attitude and so much more sassier when listening to this song! 

9) Still into You - Paramore

   * I've always been a Paramore fan and even though this is a different sound for them, I still dig it!

10) If You Got The Money - Jamie T

   * A super catchy song that reminds me of Ed Sheeran and Jason Mraz.

I hope I've introduced you to a song or an artist/band that you haven't heard before! If the playlist is old news ... then sorry! All of the songs are searchable on Youtube; however, depending on where you live, not all of the songs are available on iTunes.
Happy Spring everybody! 

Laters! 

April (sorta) In Review

Happy May! 

I think May might be my absolute favourite month! It's that time of the year where you remember what the colour green looks like, birds are chirping, it's not that hot yet... I think I'm just a happier person this month. Like I'm sitting on my front porch writing this when two weeks ago there was snow on the ground!!

 I've decided to dedicate a monthly post as a simple recap of the previous month using my Instagram pictures. Unfortunately, I decided this a little too late (April only had four pictures!) so I thought I'd do a  year recap for the first entry. 

So far this year, my friends have been a staple in my life. Coming from a small town it was scary moving away to Toronto but I'm so glad I did it because I can't imagine living my life without them. Moving off to university really gave me the opportunity to pick the sort of people I want to be associated with. These pictures were all taken in the presence of my new friends and I can't help but smile remembering all the good times I've had! I now have a new appreciation for EDM, my vocabulary has completely gone down the shitter (irony!) and if I never played Monopoly again, it would be too soon.

To summarize, I've really enjoyed my year so far! Can't wait for more to come! Laters!

Darling, Can't You Hear Me? S.O.S.

I’ve hit a wall and the wall consists of catchy show tunes and sleeping in until three in the afternoon. Let me elaborate.

Being home from university for the summer has been a nice welcomed change. Although I do miss my friends and the ultimate freedom from my parents, I will never miss the late night cramming for exams or getting up early for classes. I was beginning to think that the bags underneath my eyes were permanently tattooed there. As well, in university a person rarely has time for himself or herself. From roommates to co-ed bathrooms, you completely forget what it’s like to be alone. (And shower without flip-flops on) So now that I’m free from school for over four months (!!!), I have all the time to myself…except that idea has sort of backfired on me.

The time I usually fall asleep at is 4 am and I usually wake up around 3pm. When I am awake, I spend my time in a daze of television, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (what’s the difference between jelly and jam?) and drowning myself in the Mamma Mia! The Movie soundtrack.  I’m not even kidding, I’ve listened to that album exclusively for the past two days after I watched the movie for the first time on Saturday and I’m in love with the eccentric 70s pop songs.

Instead of continuing with this (probably unhealthy) lifestyle of Swedish disco music and pb & j sandwiches, I’ve decided to start a change. I want to start a more natural way of living where I’m actually energized and not sleepy all the time. That means more fresh air and less refined foods. I’m saying goodbye to the dark circles and hello to yoga.  As well, (probably most important) I need to get a job so I can afford to get out of my Lululemon pants and into some cute shorts and floral tops for summer.

It’s almost a guarantee I’m not going to be able to keep up with this dream everyday so I’m open to having lazy days, but I hope they’re few and far between. Sure I’ll miss my lethargic way of living but I think my body and my mind will prefer a more happier and healthier version of me. I’ll keep you posted. Laters!

GIRLS

I've never been into the dramatic televisions shows. Programs like Pretty Little Liars and Grey's Anatomy are fabricated and over dramatized, in my mind. All I can think about while watching these shows is how come the characters haven't keeled over and gone insane from the terrible and crazy things that happen to them? Seriously, if a mysterious person was stalking me and taunting me all the while, I would have been inconsolable... like lots of ugly crying. 

Instead, I prefer comedy-based shows like Community, How I Met Your Mother, Modern Family and now GIRLS. 

Copyright HBO

Girls is a fabulous television show that follows a group of (shocker!) girls in their twenties. It is both funny and real and I couldn't be more obsessed with it. I managed to get through two seasons in 48 hours thanks to lots of Red Bull and dry cereal (my guilty pleasures). The show is written and directed by the creator and star Lena Dunham, a woman who I have grown to admire greatly. Not only does Dunham create such a marvelous show but she’s also an advocate for real girls. She's not blinded by the media and by Hollywood and for that I applaud her. Below is a quote from Dunham. 

 "It completely sickens me what our culture is doing to women. Last week I wore a big top and little shorts and a bunch of stuff came out saying I was without pants. 'The No-Pants Look,' it said. And I didn't go out without pants, I had shorts on...If Olivia Wilde had gone to a party with a big silky top and little shorts she might have been told her outfit was cute...What it was really: 'Why did you show us your thighs'?" 

See what I mean? This chick rocks.

Copyright HBO

It also shouldn't come as a surprise that Judd Apatow (my spirit animal) is producing the show. Apatow is known for being linked to some of this generation's staple movies and television shows such as Freaks and Geeks, Undeclared, Anchorman, Knocked Up, This Is 40 etc etc etc. 

The story Dunham tells through Girls is refreshing; it's real. The reason I laugh out loud while watching it is probably because I can image myself saying the exact same things the character say. In fact, I'm pretty sure I've said or at least thought half the things the characters have said. The characters are both likeable and unpleasant because they're so relatable. They’re like a more charming and funnier version of ourselves.

Spoiler Alert: One of my favorite episodes is when Dunham’s character Hannah and her gay ex-boyfriend turned roommate decide to do cocaine. Although I can guarantee you I’d never do coke, it was hilarious imagining myself partying with those two. It's not all peaches and cream though, (ps I don't even like peaches and putting them with cream sounds gross) there are a lot of cringe worthy moments from odd sex scenes to the harsh realities of OCD (i.e. when Hannah found out the consequences of sticking a q-tip too far into her ear). But that's what makes this show interesting. It's all real events.

Copyright HBO

I strongly suggest watching Girls. It’s seriously so well written and so funny that I’m hooked and am going through withdraws from my marathon. Also the soundtrack is worth noting with artists such as fun., Robyn and The Vaccines being featured on it. Let me know if you’ve seen the show or listened to the soundtrack and tell me what you think! Laters!

Diary of an Embarrassed Fool

I always remember my most embarrassing moments the last couple of seconds before I fall asleep. Right before my brain hits snooze for the night (or morning since university has ruined my sleeping pattern), all I can think about is the mistakes I've made and all the things I wish I had done. It's a constant cycle of self pity and regret that seems to turn faster right before I fall unconscious. 

I remember the moment when I opened my mouth and the brilliant comeback or witty joke I so masterfully thought up comes out in a combination of words and phrases that have no business being strung together. Or when on a spurt of confidence, I dared to take a chance and the only thing that changed was the colour of my cheeks as they turning a noticeable shade of crimson.  An uneasy laugh or a blank stare is sure to follow, then I have to uncomfortably explain myself to avoid looking and sounding like a complete lunatic. 

It's my life. It's a day-to-day occurrence for me and I'm fairly certain I'm not alone on this. 

I'm awkward. I'm socially uncomfortable.

Maybe it's because I grew up in a generation where typing and messaging holds greater importance than verbally speaking to a friend. Or perhaps I have crippling anxiety, which makes the very thought of doing something on my own sound similar to torture. 

Likelihood it's a bit of both. The mixture of the two makes it impossible to create a sentence without it being littered with "um's" or "like's" and is probably the reason why I avoid answering all phone calls.  

I understand that these moments possibly could help me 'grow' but for me they are a horrible reminder that I'm just a tad bit odd. Maybe in twenty years I'll look back on this first blog post and laugh at how silly I sounded. I'm a young adult who doesn't know how good I have it! I'll say to myself.  (whatever this it is) But at the moment, I'm stuck in a rut of doing awkward things while I try to avoid it. Ironic. 

This blog is a way for me to scribble down the jargon in my mind; a diary of sorts that not only is filled with stories, but ideas and dreams. I'm not promising much, realistically I would be pleased if you learned from my mistakes, but I do promise to be faithful. 

And at often times, very awkward. Laters! x