the greatest joys in life are occasionally free

One of my greatest joys in life are HATS. All kinds of hats. Large, small, black, multicoloured... you name it, I'd probably wear it. Even better is when they're entirely free! Which, amazingly enough, has happened to me. (Put simply, amazingly sweet people give me things sometimes. And no, this does not apply solely to my mother and the times I wheedle and convince her!) Are you ready for the hat fashion show of my life? Well, then here we go!

Ah, the basic cap. This was my FAVOURITE THING EVER when I was younger. I wore it everywhere... why I thought it was so amazing, I'm no longer sure. I don't wear it anymore, but it's still floating around the house, much like an unwanted clump of cat fur (we have a lot of those!).

This one's a little different, but who doesn't love a good Regency-style bonnet? There's even peacock feathers! I mean, what more could you ask for? (This was the first photo I took tonight too... that is why it's not a mirror shot and the rest are, I just got too frustrated with my 'skills'!) This was one of the free ones, too.

Another old-timey style favourite- the cloche hat! I have actually worn this one only once, because I find it difficult to match with outfits... I hate wearing black and beige together, but most of my clothes are black... dilemma, dilemma.

In case you're wondering, this was my attempt at a Parisian-chic expression... you know, to match the beret! Except it was a total fail. As you can see. I'll just stop now...

....And move onto the next slightly psychotic expression! Yay! This one was my attempt to look like a mobster.

...Yeah. Okay. Moving on again. 

I like this photo because it looks somewhat like me... but I just realised that my hat is covered in fluff. (Aka the aforementioned clumps of cat fur.) I love this hat because it makes me feel like a glamourous Old Hollywood starlet! (And really, who doesn't want to feel like a star sometimes?)

It's a giraffe! On a hat! I can pretend to be tall now! 

And last but not least, the wonderful dinosaur hat! Because it's just cute enough to be seen again. (Per your suggestions, I now check dollar stores whenever I see them... but I have yet to find this hat again. I'll keep looking!) 

So maybe I'm a little obsessed. (And again, please excuse the somewhat demented facial expressions- mirror shots are not my forte...)

BUT WAIT. There's more! Join me again next Tuesday to see... my winter hat collection! (Because I know someone out there must share my passion for hats. Admit it, somewhere in the deep dark corner of your soul you love them too, despite the fact that they blow off your head in the slightest breath of wind and utterly ruin your hair.... sometimes you just have to suffer for fashion.)

Do you like hats? If not, what's your obsession?

teen girl searching for the right job

I had a job interview today! Now, my experience with them has not been stellar up to this point. Okay, not that I've had many, but if there were a prize for most applications handed out to unfriendly store people, I would win a prize... probably something like a crumpled receipt written in gold pen.

However, in contrast to my former attempts (like the time the interviewer didn't even look at me the entire time, preferring to stare at some all-fascinating point over my shoulder, or the time I offered my resume only to see the store person stuff into a garbage can) this time seemed to go fairly well! No tripping or awkward silences, and only minor babbling. (Really though, babbling is how I operate all the time... so it's only to be expected.)

Plus, I finally got to wear my new pencil skirt! 

(Mirror photos forever!) I can be fairly confident that, if they were hiring solely on appearance, I'd be a shoo-in. At least I wasn't wearing something like this:

The store I saw this in actually had it in all the colours of the rainbow! (Would you rather look like a blue jellyfish or an orange one? Decisions, decisions.) Ah, the joys of living in a small town. Just think: once I get a job, I could afford to buy ALL OF THEM! If only my school uniform was this glamourous.

What kinds of frustrating job or shopping experiences have you had lately? 

liking hiking... not so much biking

The other day, my father and I went hiking up in the hills (what's the height difference between a moutain and a hill? In writing hill, it makes me think of sledding... so not super high) near our house. This sounds like a fairly peaceful activity, right? Well, not so much. 

The day we'd picked was apparently scheduled for Invasion of the Bikers. (Great movie title, right? Is the term still 'biker' if they're on a bicycle and not a motorcycle?) People on bikes are scary, when they're going 100km/hour down a twisty and turvy road. What if they ended up flat against our windshield? Or under our tires? This is just one of the reasons I don't bike.

(Actually, that's a total lie. I don't bike because a) helmets mess up my hair, but I know too well that I am a klutz and so likely to kill myself without one and b) I don't have enough padding on my posterior for it to be comfortable. How do those super-skinny athletes manage?)

To be completely fair, they probably thought we were the scary ones... We were in a large, square, orange car-thing, after all. (Named Bertie. Because that's just what you call a large, square, orange car-thing.) Plus, we kept stalling for no reason. (No, I was not driving.)

However, despite all this, we managed to leave the bike zone and arrive at the hike zone with no fatal injuries... just a few bruises and scrapes. (KIDDING! No one was squashed like a bug against our windshield! You're welcome for that lovely mental image.)

Once we got over that initial trauma, the hike itself was actually lovely. We even managed to see quite a bit of wildlife! (Ok, so most of it was of the insect variety, but still. I fancy that the bugs buzzing around my head gave me quite an angelic halo!) Funny fact: even though we go hiking quite often, this was my first time seeing deer in the woods- and I saw two!

The terror of driving may have taken a few years off my life... but the serenity of the deer restored it. (Thankfully there were no mutant squrrels... although I suspect the insects may have been their evil minions.)

What are your thoughts on hiking? Is it a fun family activity, or something to be actively avoided?

OMGALJKEYMFS...aka, chocolate mug cake

This is literally the best chocolate cake I have ever eaten. Plus, it takes five minutes. Plus, it is low calorie! (Well, for chocolate cake, so don't get too excited... but still!) GO MAKE THIS. Right now. I swear you won't regret it!


Look, I don't even like chocolate cake. (Chocolate by itself= love, but usually I find it too dry.) This one is moist and soft and delicious... oh my, now I want another one. (This is why I chose to feature it today for my Favourite Tuesday- I may never eat another chocolate cake again. Scratch that, I might never eat anything else again. I'll just live on this.) 

The original recipe can be found here at Chocolate-Covered Katie's (along with TONS of other amazing and healthy desserts). Here's my personal version!

• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon hot chocolate mix (I used a combination of Godiva and dark... On a side note, why do we have all these fancy kinds? We drink hot chocolate only rarely, yet we have six different kinds of fancy mix...must be for the ghosts) 
• 2 teaspoons cocoa
• 3 tablespoons white flour 
• 1/8 tsp salt (or, if you are like me and hate measuring, several shakes)
• 1 tablespoon chocolate chips (because you can never have too much chocolate!)
• 3 tsp brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 2 tablespoons applesauce
• 3 tablespoons milk of choice (I used unsweetened almond milk)
• 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

Mix dry ingredients thoroughly in your mug, then add wet ingredients. Microwave for approximately 45 seconds, depending on how powerful your microwave is. Then... EAT. 

I would have taken a picture, but I was lost in my chocolate heaven and didn't think of it until I resurfaced. 

And why a mug, you ask? Well, that part isn't necessary. It's just more fun that way!

See, isn't this cute?

Please, tell me you'll make it and let me know what you think!

burning questions of life

...alternatively, Pointless Things I Think About When Home Alone And Am Too Lazy To Actually Look Up.

1. Why is cottage cheese called cottage cheese? It's not like Play-doh or something, so you can't make cottages out of it... Was it originally made in cottages?

And, since it is called that, why is there no packaging that has little pictures of cottages on it? THAT WOULD BE SO CUTE. Marketing industry, you're really missing out on something here.

2. Why would anyone buy this?

I mean really, you'd sound like a sleigh and possibly poke someone in the eye. (Actually scratch that, I'm hoping no one's face is quite that close to your chest...)

3. How is it possible that girls back in the Victorian Era weren't completely overweight? THEY SAT AND ATE CHOCOLATE. How is this fair? Why was I not born then? I could totally drink all that tea! YAY TEA!

4. How do you walk in these things?

Is there some kind of High Heel School I missed out on? I trip over my own feet without any shoes on...

5. Why are bathing suits so expensive? THEY'RE TINY SCRAPS OF FABRIC. And yet they can be more expensive than a nice sundress. Let's all rebel and just go swimming in our clothes! (Or underwear, if you're feeling daring. Or, I suppose, nothing at all... maybe not in broad daylight, though.)


6. (This probably falls under the category of "no one cares but me"...) Why is it that Stars' only Canadian shows are with Metric? I DON'T WANT TO GO SEE METRIC. I just want to see Stars! 


7. Why do none of my friends think that Ninja Cupcake would be an amazing name for a band? Come on, you know it's great. We could all wear adorable shirts like this!

Because everyone knows that cupcakes are wonderful, bands are wonderful, and ninjas are the coolest things ever... so why not combine them?

Are there any burning questions that have been bugging you? Any answers for mine?

i believe in ghosts

Really, though, who wouldn't with these impressive faces staring down?

Yes, the one on the right is a woman. (I'm hoping that the artist was less than illustrious and that she didn't really look like that...)

I do like this couple, though. I would wear a dress like that. (Maybe not in our current drought... but hey, I'm sure back then she was all the rage!)

The bottom photo here isn't even my relative. My mother saw this picture at an auction and decided that, since my father had so many interesting (read: icky) pictures commemorating his family, she ought to join in. (And, again, the one at the top right is a woman... I do feel sorry for her...)

Yes. I am actually related to these people. Lucky me.(Hopefully this doesn't mean that I will one day look like a man.) (Although come to think of it, the reason they're haunting me may be due to the fact that I insult them so frequently. Hmmm...)

What happened, you ask impulsively? Why do you think your house is haunted by these illustrious characters?

Well, for one, no one who looks that grumpy (I exclude the younger couple from this. Although... maybe they just LOOK innocent? Hmm...) could possibly witness the joy and excitement of our household (...we read a lot. That's exciting, right?) without being inspired to mischief.

In addition, I have had some experiences that cannot be fully explained. Like the time I woke up in the middle of the night after being slapped. (My face still hurt in the morning, and my hand was nowhere near.) Or the time that I saw floating lights all around my bedroom.

Or the time I was almost pushed over our staircase railing.

Now, I am naturally klutzy (I fully admit this) but even I do not flip over banisters without reason when facing completely the other direction. Nor can I explain the time I felt myself being literally PULLED down a set of stairs. (I was alone in the house, so it couldn't have been my parents and their dubious sense of humour.)  

Let's just say, if you come to my house, stay away from staircases.

Have you had any haunting involvements, or do you simply think it's all inanity? 

Oh, and in case you hadn't guessed from the insane number of I adjectives, this is my entry to Jenny Matlock's I linkup!

wednesday windows

Happy Hump Day!...Actually, I hate that term. It makes me think of either of that awful Fergie song or 'bump in the road' which then leads me to 'person being run over by a car'... okay, let's just agree that I will no longer be writing it.

Anyway, I was tagged by the lovely Demi Mist over at Beauty in the Mist to participate in a photo challenge: "Window with a view". It took me a while to find a semi-interesting view from one of my windows, and I'm not altogether certain I succeeded, but here you go! This is the view from our 'office' (computer room, home of the guinea pig and the piano) at the front of the house.

I was kneeling on a bench to take this photo, and am now lovely and furry, seeing as it's a favourite haunt of both cats!

The five people I'm tagging to do this are:

• Hima from My Musings
• Jesse from Obsession is my forte
• Kelsea at Pink Wonderland
• Claire at Kermit's Paparazzi
• Shannon at the creation of beauty is art

And, of course, if you feel like doing this too, then let me know! I'd love to see your photos!

workout mix

I love music. And I work out (I'm sexy and I know it! hahahaha kill me now, I hate that song)... but love it slightly less. (It's more under the category of "I do this because I want to eat lots of chocolate"... ok, it's the only thing under that category. Whatever.) So, to keep things a little more interesting, I make workout playlists! And, because I love talking about music, I thought I'd share it with all of you... so without further ado, here are the songs I listen to over and over again. (Links to Youtube are provided. Aren't I nice?)

1. Do It 2 Me, Allstar Weekend (Love this song. I've already mentioned it, but whatever, it's good enough to be mentioned more than once!)
2. Toy Soldiers, Marianas Trench
3. Touch Me, Katherine McPhee (Great beat, very energising!)
4. Stutter, Maroon 5
5. 50 Ways to Say Goodbye, Train (Hahaha, listen to the lyrics!)
6. Stella, All Time Low
7. Anna Sun, Walk The Moon (Yay for Vampire Diaries music discoveries!)
8. Bangarang, Skrillex (Because I had to include Skrillex somewhere.)
9. Be There, Allstar Weekend
10. Shake Tramp, Marianas Trench
11. In The Next Room, Neon Trees (One of my friends just showed me this song, and I love it! However I am extremely creeped out by the lead singer.)
12. Lucky Strike, Maroon 5
13. Drive By, Train
14. Perfect, Marianas Trench (Also, just saying, they're Canadian!)
15. Drama Queen, Suzie McNeil (...this is me. Just a little bit.)
16. James (Never Change), Allstar Weekend
17. Desperate Measures, Marianas Trench (The video is so bizarre... but comforts me about my dancing skills, or rather, lack thereof.)

You can maybe tell by now which bands I've been listening to a lot recently! Of course, by next week, I will probably hate these songs. That's okay- it just means you all have to post new and exciting music for me! What do you like working out to? 


Also... I don't know how this happened... but I seem to have somehow ended up with fifty listeners! However did that occur? I have no idea, but thank you, thank you, and I hope that you all enjoy my posts!

award & confessions

Good morning lovely listeners! Today I am happy to report that I recieved an award from the wonderful Niksie over at Read My Mind. Thank you so much! I feel so lucky!

Now, onto the 11 facts/confessions about moi! (Just realised I used several exclamation marks in a row. I apologise for the morning enthusiasm.)

1. I have a phobia of earwigs. Just the thought of them makes me feel sick... and yesterday I discovered one crawling on my chocolate bar.

THIS IS SERIOUS.

I may never eat chocolate bars again.

(I thought about posting a picture, but just the thought of looking at earwigs again made me shudder a little and I decided not to inflict this on you.)

2. I'd like to try wearing coloured contacts. I want to see how many people actually notice... plus I've always wanted to have green eyes.

3. I have been known to eat spoonfuls of peanut butter (like, six) as a snack.

Just look at that. How can you resist it? (I like the crunchy natural kind best. Putting things other than peanuts in it is just WRONG.)

4. Writing is an addiction for me. (By writing, I mean my stories, novel, etc. This blog is for fun/procrastination!) Sometimes I don't even enjoy it... but I have to do it, otherwise my heart starts racing and my brain goes into overflow idea mode. (Is this totally weird? Probably.)

5. I really want to try fencing, except the only classes in my area are on Saturday mornings. (Now, this is not an impediment because I'm too lazy to get up then, but because it's often the only time I can hang out with friends.)

Doesn't this look fun? Yet another reason I can't wait to move out!

6. Reading the newspaper is a special treat in our household. The three of us (moi plus parentals) get all excited whenever we remember to buy it, then spend the day passing it between us and discussing the latest events.

...ok, so we're lame. Don't judge.

7. I have stuffed animals all over my bed and I bring them when I go on trips. (One of them even got a special post about him/her here!)

...What? They might get lonely without me!


8. I check my email way too much, but take a super long time to answer. (I need to work on this.)


9. I NEED A JOB. I have literally applied everywhere but fast-food places in my town, and am the only person in my class without work. 
(I know, I know, I shouldn't be picky... but the thought of being around that much meat makes me want to vomit.) 


10. I'm incapable of going more than a couple of days (sometimes not even that long) without face-to-face conversation with a friend. I need social contact, and Facebook just doesn't cut it.


Plus, you can't do this!

11. I'd like to be able to play guitar better but I don't practice enough. I just never seem to have enough time for everything I want to do. 


Now, for Niksie's questions...

1. What's the lesson you learnt most from your parents?

Ooh, this is hard… maybe to realize that, sometimes you don't enjoy something, but you still have to do it?

2. What's the hardest situation in your life? How did you deal with that?

When I was younger, I skipped a grade (2, in case you're wondering) and it was a huge readjustment; I had to leave all my friends and join all these people I didn't really know (and, to be honest, didn't really like). Where my 'old' class was easy-going and everyone got along, my 'new' class was super cliquey and filled with drama. To be completely honest, I still don't feel super close to any of them- we just don't share the same interests- but I've learnt to make friends with other grades and outside people now.

3. What's your favorite sport? (if you're American, are you into soccer?)

Right now I'm going through a fencing phase! (As mentioned above.) Other than that I love dance and basketball. (And I HATE HOCKEY. So what if it's the 'Canadian sport', it's bloody boring.)

4. If you met Snooki, what would you say to her?

I have no idea… I've never watched Jersey Shore, so I'd probably walk away super awkwardly.

5. What's your favorite reality show?

Vampire Diaries? Hahaha, I don’t actually watch reality TV.

6. What's your guilty pleasure?

CHOCOLATE. (Although after the earwig thing…) Also shopping.

7. Do you believe in ghosts?

YES OH MY GOSH I THINK MY HOUSE IS HAUNTED. (A post for another time, perhaps?)

8. If you were a movie character, who would you be?

Cathy from Northanger Abbey. No contest.

(This might also be a little bit of wishful thinking. Tilney + gorgeous dresses…)

9. What is your favorite moment of the day?

Early in the morning, when I'm the only one awake.

Or, just any time I'm alone in the house.

10. What's your childhood memory that you're most embarrassed of?

I once bit a girl because she was really annoying me. (I don't even remember what she did.) (And this may not seem that embarrassing, but I was in grade 3. I should have known better.)

11. Mountain or beach?

Mountain! Yay for hiking! Here's a picture of when we went to Spain… we walked all day, it was lovely.

Well, enough about me. Now I award this lovely award (can you say that? lots of 'award' in a sentence) to...

• Aly at The girl with blue glasses
• Aeri at Aeridescent
• Flyergirl at Drizzled In Awesomeness
• Lilli at Hopeful Laughter
• Bianca at Bouquet of Bee
• Hima at My Musings

And here are my questions for you:

1. Favourite band?
2. Do you like travelling?
3. What's the item you always have in your purse?
4. What makeup do you use?
5. What's something that makes you happy?
6. Can you climb trees?
7. What can you spend hours doing?
8. What kind of blogs do you like?
9. What celebrity would you like to meet?
10. What's your favourite dessert?
11. What's a random fact about your town?

This is also my contribution to the wonderful linkup over at Alyx's super cool blog! Go check it out if you haven't already, it's quite hilarious. 

Hope you're all having a wonderful weekend! (And that you're not about to die of the heat like I might. If you don't hear from me again, assume I've melted.)

happily, this is all in the past

I made blueberry pancakes for breakfast today. This simple fact made me inordinately proud, for the reason that the last time I made pancakes was four years or so ago and it was a traumatizing experience. (So traumatizing, in fact, that I don't even remember what happened...)

(If you're wondering where this is going, the answer is: absolutely nowhere, except maybe you'll want to go to the kitchen and eat a snack. If that is the case, please do, because I'm making myself want a snack and I'll feel less guilty if I know someone else is eating unnecessarily too.)

You know what else is traumatizing? Putting your entire hand down on a hot stove to check how hot it is. DON'T DO IT. It may seem tempting at first (what if your one finger just doesn't have the right heat receptors?) but it is definitely not worth it.

(Ok, now I'm eating pie. IT'S DELICIOUS. Pie is the best food on Earth. And please don't confuse this with a love for the number Pi, or Life of Pi, because I never really got either of those. I'll stick with my calculator and my YA fantasies, thanks.)

Finally, last up on the traumatizing list- looking at old pictures of yourself. Looking at me now, you would never guess I used to be a fashion disaster. (Modesty, oh yes.) I think I'm a fairly stylish person. However, when I was younger, I wore... things (not even clothes. Things) like this.

But in bright pink or bright blue...paired with something like this.

Gorgeous, right? And yes, my mother let me leave the house. She thought it was 'cute'... now dooming me to humiliation whenever I look back at those photos. Even better? I used to wear leopard costumes everywhere. I had two, and they were my FAVOURITE THINGS EVER. (I was like ten. How did I not know better?) What are some traumatizing moments of your past?


This is also my (admittedly pointless) contribution to Jenny Matlock's wonderful linkup!

watch out... i might be behind you...

When you're in highschool, there's a lot of emphasis put on deciding what you're going to be when you grow up. (Age-wise, not height-wise... At least I'm guessing, otherwise I'm stuck.) Now, I've debated many options. Writer, editor, food scientist, paleontologist... However, last night, I realised where my future truly lies.

Guys... I'm going to be a ninja.

Just looking at this lovely blurry webcam photo, can't you see all the potential?

I'm wearing a semi-black shirt and black shorts! How much more ninja can you get? (I was wearing an entirely black t-shirt, but even ninjas have to be stylish... and the all-black look wasn't working for me.)

As for the glasses... admit it, they're gorgeous. And totally ninja-esque.

And where does this newfound ambition stem from, you may well ask? The answer is simple. Spiderman. (Whoever said superhero movies were a waste of time didn't know what they were talking about.) I was totally jealous. That scene on the train... (If you've seen it, you'll know what I'm talking about. If you haven't, GO WATCH IT RIGHT NOW. It's amazing. Plus you can drool over Andrew Garfield for TWO HOURS.) Despite the fact that I am one of the klutziest people on Earth, I knew right away that I want to be able to do that.

IT'S OFFICIAL, GUYS. I even worked out today! (Ok, so I work out almost every day. Whatever. I HAD A GOAL TODAY and that makes it better.) Next on the agenda- finding ninja classes. Do those exist? Are they completely secret, and you have to prove yourself first? Whatever it takes, I will do it! 

...so what was your life plan when you were sixteen? Or if you're not yet there, what is it now?

obsession... or just weird stuff

I haven't done a Favourite Tuesday in a while! I'm sure you were all devastated... so I decided to start it back up again. This time, it's actually a little different: our feature for the week is... Jane Austen!

I'm not certain if she's my all-time favourite author (I read too much to decide on one and only one) but she's definitely up there... as evidenced by the wealth of Jane Austen things we have lying around our house.

We start with the normal.

Books! Seriously, if you've never read Jane Austen, please go do so right now. (I would recommend starting with Northanger Abbey- my personal favourite- or Pride and Prejudice- the ultimate classic.)

DVDs! Again, please go watch one of these movies. They're all so sweet!

Now we move into things that are, perhaps, a little weirder.

A tea-towel! Even Jane Austen has to keep with the times and join in on the 'Keep Calm and..." craze.

Pins. And yes. Ok. I have worn them once or twice. (Usually I get many confused looks. However, that's a daily occurrence anyway.)

Here's me wearing one! (And, for those of you who've read my blog or comments on other blogs for a while, you'll know that I'm also obsessed with Desigual clothing... that is my Desigual skirt. I love it. Random doodles on clothing= amazing.) 

And, to finish it off, what is in my opinion (read: without a doubt) the oddest thing we own. (Possibly in our entire house... although some of my parents' clothes might fall into that category too. Reminder: Dad, Hawaiian shirts with hula dancers are NOT a good fashion choice.) 

A Jane Austen create-your-own-adventure book? Seriously? Yes, this is a little bizarre... but actually very fun. (Or maybe I'm the only one who thinks that.)

Are there any other Jane Austen fans out there? Do you have random things like this devoted to your own interest (whether it be Austen or something else) all over your house?

upcoming movies i can't wait to see

...yes, there is a long list. (Of course, by the time they come out at the theatre, I'll probably have completely forgotten their existence, and will only remember a year later when everyone else has already seen them. That's what this list is for!) It's in chronological order, just so it's less confusing (...for me).

1. Spiderman- July 3

I'm going to go see this on Tuesday (cheap night) with the wonderful Kori! I'm sure it'll be great... and that we'll be the loudest ones in the theatres and everyone will tell us to shut up or they'll throw things at us. (That's what we were told when we went to go see the Hunger Games... you know it's bad when the other friends you came with are frustrated.)

2. Step Up 4- July 27

DANCE MOVIE. I'm pretty excited! So it probably won't have any plot... whatever, I can simply be jealous over their amazing skills and that'll be satisfying enough.

3. Celeste And Jesse Forever- August 3

I saw the trailer for this on Skunkboy and thought it looked adorable! (Although it probably isn't even coming out in my small-town theatre... as so often happens.) 

4. The Bourne Legacy- August 10

I'm iffy on this one. I loved the original trilogy... so I'm just hoping that I won't be disappointed in this one! (And that Matt Damon will pop up somewhere.)

5. The Perks of Being a Wallflower- September 14

Teen classic? I'm in! It looks quite darling, I think I'll have to read the book before then. (Well, I do have plenty of time.)

6. Looper- September 28

Action with Joseph Gordon-Levitt. How could it not be good?

7. Skyfall- November 9

50th anniversary of the James Bond movies! (As I mentioned in my last post, blame my father.) Hopefully that means this'll be the best one yet.

8. Anna Karenina- November 9

Another one that probably won't come out in my hole of a town... but totally worth a drive or wait. Keira Knightley! In gorgeous ball gowns! (Ok, so I never finished the book. Maybe this'll prompt me.)

9. The Great Gatsby- December 25

I know I'm not the only one waiting for this one- I've seen it on several blogs recently! Again, this one is filled with gowns, glamour and history (couldn't think of another g word)... what's not to love?

What movies are you waiting for? Do you have similar taste to me?

latest joys and facts

Hello dearest readers! Well, this week was quite tiring and boring... but it is now Sunday and time to PARTAYYY! (Or go read blogs. Or watch a movie. Or, best of all, sleep. Whatever.) However, before I leave for all of this excitement, I must thank Hima over at  My Musings and Demi Mist over at Beauty and the Mist for recently giving me two wonderful blog awards! Thank you so much, and I'm glad you enjoy my blog that much. Hopefully these facts are exciting enough for you!

Now, on to the thrills!

1.       I survived my driver's ed class! (I'm actually writing this during a particularly boring passage right now.)

2.       I don't really swear and it kinda bothers me when people do it every second word. I can understand it sparingly... but not all the time.

3.       I wear blue nearly every day. (Not on purpose… I'm just drawn to it.)

4.       I don't like pop. Sweet coffee or tea drinks, however…

5.       I have yet to go swimming in a pool this summer! Hopefully I'll get the chance soon.

6.       I am constantly in motion. Fidgeting, tapping my fingers, stretching… I even have to walk around when I brush my teeth!

7.       A pet peeve of mine is when dogs lick my legs. (Get it? Pet peeve? I know, I'm hilarious.) Hands, face, arms is okay, I just hate the slobber on my legs.

8. I love shopping. (Shallow, maybe. But oh so true.) 

9. I love James Bond movies (I blame my father entirely) and can't wait to go see the latest one! (Why is it that movies I want to go see take so long to come out?)

10. I write on EVERYTHING. Shirts, napkins, shoes, my hands, other people... watch out, because if I have a pen in hand, you might be next. 

Ok, and that's it... I couldn't think of any other interesting facts. (Of course, as soon as I post this, I will think of fifty more. That's just how it is.) 

Both of these award are for relatively new bloggers; so here are a few who I think deserve awards! (All of you, feel free to take either or both- perhaps whichever one you find prettier or have yet to be awarded?)

• Haley Brianna at Consider Me Charmed
• Jesse Mallet at Obsession is my forte
• Kelsea at Pink Wonderland
• Cassandra Henri at 25 in my 25th
• Sharmaine at Under Peach Trees
• Jazz at Jazz's World
• Katrina at Muffin Top Vintage

Thanks for all the wonderful reading, commenting and following, and I hope you all have a stunning Sunday!

glamorous guitar girl

I recently bought a strap for my guitar.

(Random tangent here: I'm suddenly thinking about teachers using the strap on students at school in the olden days. I am SO GLAD that is no longer the case... I would probably get smacked at least once a day for daydreaming/asking questions that have nothing to do with the lesson/writing instead of listening... ANYWAY.)

This was possibly the best ten dollars I ever spent. (Aside from protein bars. Except I've probably spent closer to ten times ten on those... again, ANYWAY...) At first, I was sceptical. Would I actually be able to play with this thing? Won't it just constantly be hitting my leg?

The answer: NO!

Here I am:

I seriously just wandered around on the deck for about an hour, singing extremely loudly (and probably very out of tune. Neighbours, this is payback for all the times I've had to listen to your screaming children.)- so basically, having fun!

And as you can tell, the outfit is very important too. To be a musician, one must have a unique style... which is why I chose my old basketball shirt (free! and comfy! What more could you want) + bare feet (who needs shoes? It's summer!) + cupcake skirt (just to add a little style).

If I owned a cowboy hat, I would have thrown that in too. (Or a dinosaur hat! Still waiting, guys... wink wink.) Ah well, next time. Do you have specific outfits you wear for different random purposes? (Like pumping yourself up, that wonderful shirt that makes you look like a model, etc)

Of course, when I'm busking, I try to look a a little more stylish: 

Who cares how I sound, as long as I look good? And just out of curiosity- what's your opinion on busking? Do you ever stay and listen?

As you could possibly tell from the title, this is my entry to Jenny Matlock's wonderful linkup!

driving? no, just sitting

Today was my first day of driver's ed. Or, as I like to call it... ok, actually I don't have a cool name for it but if I did it wouldn't be flattering. Today, we talked about the reason some streets have two lines, and others have one, for ALMOST AN HOUR. The rest of the time was spent either a) filling in paperwork b) discussing the meaning of green, yellow and red traffic lights or c)  I don't know, because my eyes had already glazed over and I was approaching critical zombie status.

I can't believe I'm actually paying for this.

Actually... ok, c) is slightly a lie. I also failed to pay attention because I made friends with my seatmate, and he was super chatty- for once I was the rebel who had to be told to stop talking. (I hate those people. And yet I love being one of them. I suspect that everyone feels the same, which is why it will never stop.)

The whole seatmate-buddy, by the way? Totally an accident. I sat down (well, tried to) in five different seats and was told each time that they were waiting for someone before retreating (and tripping over a couple of chair legs) humiliated far, far to the back. (None of my friends wanted to come with me. Thanks, guys. Love you too.) Thankfully, I finally managed to sit beside someone else who was by himself (sixth try's the charm?) and, despite my innate social awkwardness, strike up a conversation. I'm sorry, Mr. Driving Instructor... but when you talk about 'stale green lights' for twenty minutes, there's bound to be people who don't pay attention. (One girl in front of me fell asleep.)

Did anyone else have this sort of experience, or was it actually useful for you? 

canada day confessions

I saw this cool linkup over at Every Day Is A New Adventure, and couldn't resist joining in the fun!

Of course, since today is Canada Day (in case you didn't know...) I thought I'd give it my own little spin.

1. When I saw the Google logo for today... I was slightly heartbroken.

There's a huge beaver on it. Beavers need braces. Making this ugly creature our national symbol is like saying that all Canadians need braces. Why is it that we have to have it as our symbol? Why can't we have something cute?

...I JUST WANT TO BE A POLAR BEAR. Is that really too much to ask?

2. I don't even know what Canada Day is for. (This is a little embarrassing, and probably makes me a horrible citizen.) Independence? Confederation? (Many people seem to just use it as an excuse to get drunk...)

Also, I am too lazy to spend thirty seconds looking it up... so if you know, feel free to share!

3. Being a firework would be lots of fun! Just think... everyone loves you, you're pretty and sparkly, and you get a wonderful view. What's not to like?

4. I am not actually going to any parties... instead, I'm going to a fire at my friends' house because our parents are secret pyromaniacs. (Actually, not so secret. Every few days, "Let's have a fire! It's so exciting!" What's so exciting about smelling like smoke, I have no idea.)

That's it for my confessions today! Are there any Canadians out there? Does anyone have any Canada Day plans?