Momentous Occasions!

Regarding the title, I may or may not be exaggerating.
But I will say, for those of you who might actually follow my story lines...

• I passed my French proficiency test
• I found an apartment & get the keys on the 15th
• I've gotten more kick-ass at crossfit. (read: I survive)
• I've submitted 1 out of 3 of my Teachers' college applications
• Did I mention the apartment? 10minutes from work? Yeah? Hello soon-to-be social life!

Short and sweet: I'm in a better place this week than I was last =]
Plenty to tackle over the next month, but for the most part I can do that with a smile on my face!

Bring it on, world.

Crippled & Stressed.

The last few days I have been a mess.

Physically mostly, but also mentally.

I had my first ever Crossfit class on Monday.
Push ups, pull-ups, squats and lifts seem to be their main raisons d'êtres, and they're pretty well known for being all-in-all hardcore.
I decided I need to get my ass back in gear, so I signed up.
Pricey little program, this one aha, thank goodness for my fitness benefit at work =P.
Anyways, in saying that, I went on Monday and got my ass handed to me.


(Skip through to 30seconds in)

My quads were crying right up until Thursday and my triceps are still aching but I'm crazy excited to see what I'll be able to do in another month or so.
Torture, yes, but oh so worth it.
Monday is my next class.

Now I said I was a mess, and that was part of my explanation.
I also happen to have a weak neck that makes a scene every time I change up my routine.
Crossfit was a bit of a shock to the system (though also a way to help strengthen the neck issue) and 2 days later, after what I'm assuming was an uncomfortable sleep, I woke up with a crick.
A bad crick.
It's only gotten worse since.
I look like I'm wearing a neckbrace without actually putting one on aha.
Can't turn my head more than an inch or two in any direction.

I feel ya, Sitch

Muscle relaxants are wonderful things.
So are massage therapists.
I'm thinking (and hoping beyond hope) that I'll be good to go for tomorrow, I've been stretching all day.

STRESSED TO THE MAX
Why is tomorrow so important?
I get to face the very real, very official torture I've been dreading all month.
Tomorrow is the University of Toronto's French proficiency test.
I get to spend $90 on this test, that decides whether I even get a shot at acceptance.
They've broken it down into four components:

1. Oral
2. Written
3. Comprehension
4. Listening

If it was an average mark overall I'm sure I'd be fine, but I'm required to get 75% in each category and my writing has me freaking the eff out. 
So tonight I study.
And study.
And cry a little.
And then probably study some more.

Think of me tomorrow?
Off to the books I go!

Motto of the night.

One foot in front of the other...

Diane here.
Forcing myself to realize that my blogging spark has been snuffed out and I'm left to trying to rekindle, pitifully.

But today I bring you larger developments than just 'employed!'.
Who knew I was able to come up with more than a paragraph about more than one subject?!

Work is fine, I don't love it and I don't hate it.
What I do, is make sure to take full advantage of the large-scale company I work for.
I've officially been licensed to sell a specific insurance, meaning I can legally sell.
In saying that, my title will stay customer service, but merely because we're short on sales managers.
My employment objectives have changed however, and I'm taking a day-long course on sales next week, too.
If we exclude the month of training I went through before I was allowed on the floor, I've really only worked for the company for 2 months, so I'm pleased with my progress.
They're working on licensing me in other provinces as well =]

Now I have not read my own blog in a fair while, but I'm sure at some point or another I mentioned I was working downtown (Toronto) and that the commute was long, but bearable.
My opinion has changed.
As much as the train-ride itself is bearable, the schedule is extremely inconvenient.
I leave my house at 7am and don't arrive home until 12 hours later.
My daily productivity is all but cancelled out by public transit systems...
 (I still have time to do my laundry if necessary)

I'm making a stand for the sake of my social life, and sanity.
The plan is to move downtown for January 2012.
I already found a place, and a roommate, and now its all administrative, and money-oriented.
Thank God for paycheques. 

Future homee

Aside from the Big, Bad Job and the Big, Bad Move there is one more Big, Bad Life-Change in sight.
I've decided - as much as it may make Courtney cringe - to apply to teachers colleges.
I'm a little late to the game, so my applications are being tackled hard & fast, but here are the key facts that helped to make up my mind after so many years of deliberating*

• I speak French, so there is a job market for me as a teacher.
• I love kids
• I love teaching kids
• I love French
• I want other people to love French
• I love travel
• I want to travel forever and ever. 
• I know this is impractical, but I've decided a few months vacation should do the trick.

I think these are reasons I can always fall back on and be happy with.

Future Life

Now for the where: I've applied to Ottawa U, U of Toronto & Nipissing.
Ottawa is my top choice. It also happens to be this girl's top choice.
We've got all of our fingers and toes crossed in hopes that Ottawa is smart enough to take both of us together. If you wanna be a good sport you could totally do the same!

One day at a time.
One application question today, one licensing test tomorrow.
One lease to sign, and one french proficiency test to pass.
One foot in front of the other, until it all comes together.
I can totally pretend that I'm not overwhelmed....
At least I don't have to pretend that I'm not excited =P
x

*I've always said teaching was an option. I just didn't want to close any other doors first. I've tried other doors, and they're not for me. Teaching is right.

Fall is here

Or is it summer again? Today is gorgeous.

Nevermind today though, I'm here to talk to you about the changing of the seasons.
I was able to avoid the lure of the 'back-to-school' shopping extravaganza (acknowledging that it may no longer apply to me..)
And though this seems to suggest that I am a logical human being, I've found a slight loophole.
With the fall weather throwing itself in my face, my logic has thrown itself out the window.

Fall means warm clothes and pumpkin spice lattes.
It means my tank tops and Birkenstocks make me stick out like a sore thumb (though I will continue wearing the Birks till I'm frost bitten. At least on the non-rainy days.
The problem with this change is that I have not received a paycheque in 3 weeks.
The new job is lovely, only I have to wait till my banking information is processed in HR... and so I sit with negative dollars in my bankaccount.
This weekend got blustery though, and I cracked.
 I went fall-shopping manic.

What does one need in preparation for fall?
apparently I needed nail polish. Even though my life is overflowing with it

Excluding glitters/topcoats/treatments... 

Totally logical.
I also needed to find a pair of shoes I could wear in the office, other than my birks. I don't really have anything casual to wear, my options are Birks or big shnazzy heels, so I deemed shoe shopping acceptable.
I love shoes, but they don't love me back.
It's a bitter and resentful relationship I have with every perfect pair of shoes I pick up.
I hate shoe shopping.

Confused?

If you know me, you know my feet.
Aha, they look fairly normal, but they're broken for life, and it is very easy to tell once you get me in a shoe store.
I don't wear flats because.. well I flatten them.
Collapsed arches are not pretty in a pair of flats, promise.
But I was actually very pleased with the spoils of yesterday's shoe-shopping torture adventure

Cute right?

Anyways, that was the only big purchase.
Otherwise... I find that when the leaves change colour, it's like every scarf I pass is calling my name.
I knew my credit card was hurtin' though.
Solution? Ardene.
3 for $15 scarves people! and theyre actually cute and practical.
Circle Scarves galore!

At this point you probably hate me, I don't usually appreciate the 'shopping-haul' blogs either.
But I promise you don't hate me as much as my bank account.
First pay day this Friday though!!

To make up for the pointlessness of this post, I will leave you with some music therapy.

Decemberists - Don't Carry it All

Working Girl

Welcome friends, to my place of written word.
We last left off with my sleeping-pill-haze of a post, the night before I started at my new job.
A lot has changed since that night.

I now spend...
my mornings getting ready for my 7am train
my evenings getting ready for my 10pm bedtime
5 days a week in Toronto
15 hours a week commuting
my lunch hour with a quirky bunch of Quebecois/bilingual speakers
my every waking second living and breathing travel insurance

And to be honest, right now, I wouldn't have it any other way, though I never in my life wanted to know as much as I currently do about insurance =/
There are 2 more important issues that have arisen out of this situation however, that I feel I must address....

9-5ers, please tell me when it is that you are able to make your appointments? Or get errands done? Why does the world shut down by the time I get home?
Why do I need to keep wearing saftey pins in the hems of my work pants because I can't take them in to get hemmed?!

WHY?!

The other is concerning my current living situation.
Though my commute is fairly enjoyable and I don't mind waking up early in the morning (so long as I keep getting my paycheques) I feel stupid wasting 3 hours a day across from a wo/man in a business suit with their mouth open, earphones in, sunglasses on, snoring throughout the train ride.
I desperately want to move downtown.
So that is the plan. It will take some time, as I have a fair few bills to save myself from... but come 2012, I will be living downtown.
And I will feel swanky doing it.
Swanky Bubbles.
Just saying.

She gets it.

De retour!

Hello blogosphere!

After many an apology in the spring about how little I blogged, I took a summer-long hiatus with no real mention of leaving or returning or anything.

But I'm here.

With some life changes to share with you!

This post may get a little disorganized towards the end as I have just taken a sleeping pill.

Why a sleeping pill, you may ask?

Because for one, I'm a terrible sleeper.

More importantly however, for two, I have to get up bright and early tomorrow morning to start a new job.

Let's cover that part quickly shall we?

Diane's post-grad plan:
-Move home
-Find full time job over summer
-Save money
-Book plane tickets to europe
-Visit friends, see new places
-Get job in South America


Diane's post-grad reality:
-no job prospects for over a month
-finally land 2 part time jobs, the same week
-bail on one because it was literally physically damaging
-end up with less cash then started with 
-postpone travel aspirations for at least another year, by signing on for a 'big girl job'.

So here I sit, preparing for my new job.
The perks - I like the pay, I like that it's in the city, I like that it involves French.
The pitfalls - I'll be living at home for longer than planned, hour long commute, it's not in a foreign country.
I have come to accept all of the above however, in hopes that the benefits outweigh the travel delay.And again, at least I get to keep on top of my French.
Right, what will I be doing?
I am employed as a bilingual customer service rep at a large scale insurance company in Toronto.
For the next 3 weeks I go through training, learning the ins and outs of their policies, procedures and well.. insurance. Then I get to sit at a desk and answer phone calls.
WOOOT!
Aha but sarcasm aside, with the hour-long commute to and from work, I will definitely have some time to kill. That's where you come in!
I hope you don't resent me too much for leaving you.I knew I'd be back eventually, I just didn't care to fill you in on the fact, is all.
But here I am, bucking up and entering the workforce.
Bucking up and re-entering the blogosphere.
One day I will be on a plane again, but for now - I'm here with you =]
Oh, I've missed you so!

wish me luck on my first day!?
Or scold me for going AWOL. Your choice!
Talk soon fine blog-folk!
x

Two Weeks of Things!

Hello my neglected little bloggity!

I took a break from updating, while my days became slightly stagnant. 

Didn't seem right to update on the daily with 'no job, no money, no fun'.
But I'm back and I've got updates!

1. After more than a month of job searching, I was offered not one, but two positions yesterday.
Nothing too exciting.
Retail cashier, and sales rep respectively, but I'll take what I can get in this dry spell to replenish my dwindling bank account!
I'm also quite excited to have reasons to leave the house again.
You can only bike to the coffee shop out of boredom a few times before you realize it's counter productive to your savings account and healthy-food-choices.

2. Guys, a job means I can actually start realistically thinking about what I'll be saving for.
I've been putting off my daydreaming.
Wouldn't let myself look into jobs abroad or flights or even weekend roadtrips away with friends.
Currently I'm on a bit of a high, cycling through all my fall/winter/spring opportunities.

World at my fingertips, yo'!

3. It's Friday.
That means that I'm currently watching the weekly Criminal Minds marathon on A&E.
I enjoy Spencer Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler) and his awkward intelligence.
Also, his stubble makes me grin.

4. Vancouver. Pull yourselves together.
Trying to get myself psyched for Game 5 tonight.

more teamwork!

5. This week was Miss Michelle's 22nd birthday!
We took full advantage of the awesome weather we've been having.
Hit up Boston Pizza & The Hangover, day one.
The pool and daquiris, day two. 

Cruisin', top downnn. 

poolside

Pretty much sums it up...

6. I forgot to mention in my previous blog that I registered for a TEFL course!
Maybe I'm just weird, but I barely looked at it all week.
I think now that I'm working, I'll actually be able to make myself a bit of a schedule to work it into my weekdays.
Psychhhheeeddddd (to finish really.. not to start...)

7. I've missed you, Blogger!

8.Happy weekend, readers =]

Things Thursday!

1. This week has many an up & down

2. Living at home is starting to take its toll on my sanity.
I've been arguing with my parents much more than usual and generally the level of tension around the house is reminiscent of my highschool days.
Things I've learned from this: getting out is necessary.
I've been trying to keep busy with friends, but a job would be amazing right now. I'd be much less stressed and I'd be out of the house for much longer periods of time.
KEY FACTORS HERE PPL.

3. Speaking of jobs, I have 2 interviews tomorrow.

Fingers are crossed!
You too, please!

4. My knee is giving me a really hard time.
I rested it for a full week last week, taking a break from the gym and general strain.
Yesterday I hit the elliptical for 15min and walked off limping.
You know there's an issue when the machine that's recommended by doctors (because of low-impact) leaves you hobbling with a cripwalk.

5. I've eaten nothing but junk this week.

I've got a separate blog that I use specifically for health and fitness, but I figure if I put it out in public here, it will count more.
Bottom line:
This week is a no-bread/low-carb week. That counts cereal/potatoes/rice/pasta etc.
Hold me to it folks!

6. I'm now all caught up on Real Housewives of New Jersey.
Laugh and a half, yo.
Favourite quote of the series:
"You'll be a sad old lady with your fake'n square tits!!!"

Well said, Kim G, well said. 

The Experiment (MM)

I've been terrible at keeping on schedule these days.

Just know that every week you'll get a media-based post (typically mondays) and a list of 'things' (typically thursdays). That's all I can say for sure aha.

This week I watched a few different movies!
-The Princess Bride
-Serenity
-The Experiment.

To quickly summarize...
Princess Bride is just always going to be awesome, no question. It's Cary Elwes before 'Saw', Robin Wright before 'Forrest Gump' and Wallace Shawn before... Gossip Girl? Whatever aha, it's just awesome and I love it. As you wish!

Serenity was my favourite addition to the week. If you haven't watched Firefly (TV series) you should do that. Even if it is sci-fi, and got cancelled after one season, it's still Joss Whedon and it deserves your attention. Serenity came after the show because of all the demands from fans who wanted more. So there's your motivation to watch both!

The Experiment was watched at Michelle's for our girlsnight extravaganza. It's not your usual girls' night movie, but it was entertaining. Based off a german novel (Das Experiment), which was loosely based off the Stanford Prison Experiment, I watched it as almost a true story. Obviously when certain events happened I became aware that it was not the truth, but still, having studied the real experiment back in my Psych Major days, I couldn't help but see how things could escalate and become as gruesome as they did. Good watch. Plus Adrian Brody is beautiful.

rwarrr.

Also to note...
I've started watching Real Housewives of New Jersey (I'm all caught up on New York and needed an extra dose of junk-tv this weekend). Danielle is a nutjob, I love it. The fact that they can make a show about real women into an actual soap opera all comes back to her.
I also spend every episode gawking at their choice of E-sized (more?) implants.
Sorry I'm not sorry.

Happy Watching!!

x

Sugar High!

--Beware the coming photo-spam!--

So this Friday, my friend Michelle and I had a girls night.

Plans kept changing, first it had been a baking day, then it had been a movie night. 

We had planned to have a classy soirée the following night as well.

But when everything got swapped and plans were being adjusted, we decided on one, go-big-or-go-home girlsnight extravaganza.

To cover our removal of the 'classy' saturday we had to cancel, I brought over my favourite wine & cheese combo.

Dinner! Cran/port goatcheese with our respective wine choices. 

This picture may or may not have been tweeted. 

For baking, we searched online and found the most mouth-watering, nostalgia-driving, summer-fun-feeling recipe: S'mores Bars.

Before

After

We then saw a flyer for cheaper-than-cheap Haagen Dazs, and figured that our night was already filled with ridiculous amounts of rich & delicious calories treats, & that one more couldn't hurt.
(Upon arriving at the store though, the choices got harder... so in reality I should say '3 more couldn't hurt'...).

Strawberry Cheesecake, Green Tea & Honey Vanilla, Vanilla Caramel Latte
(omggggg)

Obviously we didn't finish them. But they were all sampled lovingly.
Please take a second to acknowledge that both Michelle and I had gone to the gym earlier in the day.
And were planning to workout at night as well.
And in the morning....
lol I'm just sayin, don't judge!
(but lets be honest.. these are the rationalizations I'm using to stop from judging myself).
Though, if you saw the faces we made while consuming all of the above, you would know it was well worth it.
For a movie, Michelle had recently gotten hold of The Experiment, which sent me into an empathetic-sadfest, but that is for tomorrow, of course.

Girlsnight finished off with a sleepover, as they often do.
Waking up, we got our fit on, feeling the effects of the prior night's terribl(y delicious) choices.
I vote overall success.

The weather Friday & Saturday was phenomenal.
I watched a few of the fireworks from my balcony last night  (countries not under british rule, this weekend is Victoria-Day Weekend, giving us Saturday's fireworks & Monday's stat holiday) while my dog cowered in fear in the corner/under chairs/at my feet/etc.
I sat with him and watched the Princess Bride until they finally died down and I was left with this little ball on the couch....

Weekend well-spent.

Trivial Things Thursday

1. There are no new developments in my life

2. I plan on watching The Princess Bride this weekend and it is what I am most excited for.

3. I just caught up on my guiltiest of pleasures, Make it or Break it. 

You WILL love us, no matter how bad our script is. 

4. I have called everywhere I can think of for a job (except for Timmies/McDonalds).
Even the SuperStore didn't want me. OMGGG.
Is it hard to file for unemployment?

5.  This cheered me up this morning.

samurai!

6. I've decided that I will sign up for a TEFLcourse this week.
I need to feel like I'm accomplishing something, rather than attempting to win the employment game.
No matter how productive I try to be, if I'm not actively doing something that's progressing my life somehow (and no, failed job applications don't count), then I'm bored and frustrated.
TEFL certification here I come!

7. I've seriously been loving the blogosphere lately.

x

Unemployment.

What am I doing with my life??
I've been home for three weeks now, and though my days seem busy and productive, I look back and feel like I've accomplished close to nothing.

A typical day

• I do a few chores. 
• I send out a few more resumes.
• Watch an episode or two of Modern Family/Community/The Office.
• Talk to some Conversation-Exchange friends (para mejorar mi español).
• Read some blogs.
• I hand out a few more resumes. 
• Clean another footxfoot disaster of my room. 
• I get to the gym (or complain about not going when my knee is making a fuss).
• Oscillate between refreshing my email inbox and staring at my cellphone in hopes of offers of employment
• I mope and watch whatever I missed the night before (à la: GossipGirl, Greys, Glee)
• Skype & Tumbl the night away

Yeah, I waste a lot of time. But I also try to get stuff done!
I think the main reason I'm struggling with this so much is because the longest I've ever gone without a job is 3 months, and that was while I was getting settled in France.
I feel so irrelevant without a job, I'm antisocial (relying on my overdraft every time I leave my house) and boring.
I keep thinking 'I could get a job abroad so easily!' and then start plotting out how to get my visas and I can feel a happy dance starting somewhere deep in my bones.
And then remember that they require bank statements proving that you can survive financially in a foreign country.
Or you know, pay for the flight.

Of course, that would be the main bullet point that I seem to have missed..
I think about traveling. And then laugh at myself because how can I dream about getting away if I haven't even started repaying my school bills, let alone paying for a trip?
I then read travel blogs and get either jealous or inspired.
Rinse & Repeat.


Video via La Fille Américaine that gets me grinning.

This n' That

Things that caught my attention this week...

Think you're young? Think again.
Click here for your reality check!

sci-fi Ikea instructions.
my favourite is the Tardis =P

The New Girl. 

My feelings are very scattered on this. I've never seen Zooey Deschanel in (what seems like) such a forced role. I feel like it could definitely be good and I know  that I'll watch it, but I'm nervous that it will ruin Zooey for me... 

omnomnommm (click for recipes!)

Hyperbole & a half has been my blog of choice lately.

Rant - Chuck Palahniuk
Added to the lineup of Chuck novels for summer reading.
Have I mentioned I love him?

Hope you can enjoy some of the links I've added!

Happy Tuesday =]

Media Monday =]

Music
A free release of the latest from Bon Iver is available for download!!!
Listening to it at the moment and definitely enjoying it.
Picks up pace half-way through.
Download 'Calgary', the first track from the new Bon Iver album here - http://boniver.org/

Television
I didn't watch any movies this week! Who am I these days??
Anyways, basically I've been working on catching up with some series, as I sometimes let myself fall behind while blasting through other shows (like 5 seasons of Doctor Who in April...). 
I'm up to...
Season 5 of The Office
Season 2 of Community
and I've got 6 episodes left of Modern Family.

It seems I'm in a 20-min-comedy mood these days. 

Does that make me weird?

Let's be honest though. The Office has a lot to do with my Jim+Pam fangirl-ing.

Not much else for today.

I've been groggy and anti-social since I woke up.

Whoooo knows.

Case of the Mondays?

Tomorrow will involve a compilation of this n' thats that I've been saving throughout the week =]

xx

(Belated) Things Thursday

So after a day and a half of procrastination on writing a post, Blogger decided to shut me out for like 3 days. Apologies to anyone who actually noticed lol.

1. This comes to you a week after the fact, but I am going to break down the makings of a centennial birthday party

a) the halls should be lined with pictures of you and your family through the ages. Your golf accomplishments and wedding pictures will get the most attention.
b) you will proudly display your birthday wishes from Queen Elizabeth and the Governor General of Canada.

c) there will be a room full of people to watch you cut the cake, to listen to the speeches given, and to give standing ovations.
d) you will lead a conga line.

e) your dance with your 80year old son will be a mix of heartwarming and absolutely adorable.
f) we will all be humbled by the fact that you claim to have led an 'uneventful' life, knowing full well that you lived through "both World Wars, two depressions, the development of the telephone, television, motor cars, aeroplanes, washing machines, advancements of medicine... etc etc ".
g) you'll be 100years old, and everyone will think that that makes you pretty badass. 

2. I'm still job hunting and it's getting seriously frustrating.

3. I found a new website for any of you language fanatics!
It's called Conversation Exchange, and you basically find a match by entering your native language, and the language you're interested in learning. It essentially gives you free tutoring!
I now have 5 spanish-speaking friends from all over, who are helping me improve my Spanish while I help them with their English =]. Check it out!
Skype is a wonderful thing.

4. I am loving the weather lately.
I spent some time out in the sun with my dear Amanda and her dog.
I got a bit of a burn.
He got a tad slobbery.
I called Brianna's dog a bear last week. In comparison to Bentley, however, she is more of a horse.

Bentley <33

All in all, I've had a very good week.
Now comes the rain and the R&R.
Soon comes the mental breakdown from lack of income.
I suppose this too shall pass....
x

Multi-Media Monday!

I couldn't choose what to cover today so I'm going broad-spectrum.
Movie.
Music.
(Social)Media.
This could have to do with the fact that I spent the majority of yesterday afternoon in bed, nursing a hangover.
Centennial birthdays apparently include open bars.
And wedged between my brother's 20th, and my mother's Day, many a glass of wine, followed by many a vodka-cran were swiftly downed.

Have you ever danced a conga led by a 100yr old birthday girl?
More on that tomorrow.

Movie of the Week
I've Loved You So Long (Il y a Longtemps que Je T'aime)

As you may have noticed in my previous posts, I've had a French itch to scratch.
I haven't been at school for 3 weeks now, so my only foreign communication is textual rather than spoken. I miss my french classes (and my favourite prof who added me to facebook this weekend!) and I needed a fix.
The movie has won many an award, though I hadn't heard of it until a Social Deviance lecture.
It's subtitled  and features Kristen Scott Thomas. 
Definitely an interesting plot, but a little slow-moving.
I just loved being reminded of my experiences in France.
The rendez-vous at the cafés, the quiche served up for dinner, the subtle way the women can wear rags and still pull off femininity (I really was confused about the drab fashion but it's an older movie and of course they're french so they know better than I do...)
A good watch if you don't mind subtitles!

Music of the the Week
Laid, by James

This came on shuffle while I was driving home from Muskoka yesterday.
I don't know how I let myself forget about it.
Anyways, I got a good laugh because let's be honest - brilliant song.
But mainly because it brings up all the nostalgia and memories of being an RA at UoG.
I'm not sure how many of my old staff are reading this now, but I definitely miss you all to pieces... but you know how it is.
my therapist said not to see you no more. 

Media of the Week (blogs!)
I've found a huge number of new blogs to follow over the last week and these are a few of my favourites. Literally Laughing-Out-Loud throughout some of them, or smiling knowingly though others - I have to ask you to please give them a chance!

Alert The Audience:
Tim is Witty. Tim lives in China. Tim teaches children. Hilarity ensues.

Childhood Trama: the books that ruined us for life:
Goosebumps, Sweet Valley High, Nancy Drew and The Babysitters Club as you've never read them before. Dialogue between some over-the-top obnoxious girls makes it slightly more than entertaining.

Lor: Elsewhere, Eliza-stalker is watching as Jess and Bruce get out of the lake. Liz ditches her totally hot, popularboyfriend at a party in favor of peeping her sister in the woods. Dammit Liz. You SUCK. Somewhere Todd is thinking, "I wish she did."

Liz finds them and then the book describes a ton of heavy breathing and it's pretty uncomfortable. I mean... is this sex? Are they having sex? DOES SEX EXIST??? Liz is super creepy and watches them for a while and then is all *cough, cough, cough* but that doesn't really stop Jess and Bruce so she just walks right up to them.

Sara: Does Elizabeth have a fucking masters degree in Cock Blocking? What a creep, yo.

Lor: Minor in stalking, for sure. 

La Fille Americaine:
Courtney is adorable and very much dedicated to her passion for all things travel.
She writes the blog I wish I could write, but alas, my life is very lacklustre at the moment and so I shall live vicariously through her soon-to-be Parisien Life.
If you're even slightly inclined to francophilia, do take a look.
Also, I like her shoes.

Ok lady-gents and gentle-bros, I'm going to assume that you have now decided to take my advice on any of the above and are happily enjoying China or France or 80s teen fiction.
Or maybe you're dancing in the mirror singing about kitchen knives & skewers.
As usual, I'm always looking for more, so share your own favourites if you wish, and have yourself some lovely browsing =]
x

Mall Rats meets Parks&Rec.

Today I spent some time with the lovely Brianna.
Mother's day is coming up, of course, so we moseyed on over to the mall.
We both spent far too much money -but such is the case when we get together, so I was prepared.
Brianna and I are good at browsing. That way, you can't help but find exactly what you're looking for.
Always a good time, just never easy to leave a store.
Queens of 'oh but this one's nice TOO!'
I appreciate her slow-and-steady technique and she appreciates my honest critiques.
A good match.

"look! it has a BIRD on it!"
(click!)

Anyways, Bri is one of those friends that I don't see all school year, and maintain minimal contact with until the end of exams, but we recap and catch-up and it's like we were never apart.
It's been this way since we were 15yrs old.
Today was the first of many a summer plan.
I'm already plotting trips to the city to harass her in her Toronto abode.

She thinks I make the trek because she's special.
Really I just love her dog bear.

And her ironic swagger on hillsides

And the way she cuts me off in all of our pictures.

"What?? This post is about me anyways!"

I realize this post is completely pointless. I just feel weird going away for the weekend without blogging - I've become so attached!
Felt like a good chat about mall adventures and rekindled flames reunited friends.
Now go follow our example & buy your mother something lovely.
We both know you put her through enough growing up - she deserves something nice!
x