high five for friday!

I'm currently using this post to inject some positivism (is that even a word in English? ah well) in my life before heading off to a mind-crushing session of tedium (read: work)... because really, it's Friday and that is truly a synonym for happiness (or at least relief!). Linking up here... and off we go!

1. Wearing jackets. Okay, so this might be an odd thing to love... but fall is truly the season of coats, and there's just so many gorgeous ones out there!

Whenever I wear this, I feel like a James Bond girl, all prepared for ACTION and EXCITEMENT ...then I see my uniform skirt under it, and my hopes are slightly dashed. (Then I pretend I'm just going undercover.)

2. Pumpkin pie. I'm sure I've posted many times about how much I love pie... but really, in this case, I can't have too much of a good thing. (Well, talking about it anyway. Somehow I can't imagine that eating any more of it would be beneficial.)

Although, sad to say... this pie was made yesterday, and this is all that's left.

3. New Girl. 

Does anyone else watch this? I just discovered it Wednesday and I've already watched the first 10 episodes. (I have a life, I swear! But it totally provides valuable tips... like, people seem to think singing in public is weird. Whyyy?)

4. Arugula. Okay, this one is definitely a little bit strange... but hear me out.... yeah, okay, never mind, I just like salad. I am just weird.

It's just so crispy and bitter and yummy! (And, like the pumpkin pie photo, let's just pretend I have photography skillz, k?)

5. Reading. Um, yeah, I'm sure you've heard this one before also... but autumn just seems like the perfect time to curl up with some hot tea (I've heard that David's Tea has some new marshmallow kind out? What is this wonder?) and a wonderful book. I just finished...

Memoirs of A Geisha! (On my friend's strenuous recommendation.) Has anyone else read this? It certainly got five stars from me... the beauty of the prose, the characterisation, the gorgeous clothes (yes, that is totally a factor)... all were wonderful. (If you want to check out what else is on my shelves, check out my Goodreads page!)

A bonus: it's fall, so leaves are FALLing, so I get to go rake soon! (No sarcasm here, I actually like raking.) What are some of your weekly highlights?

a slight case of blabbermouth

I was told this morning that I was 'too happy' (although how this is possible I am not sure)... so I apologise in advance if this post is bothersome to you, dearest listeners. To combat this possible overjoyedness, I will confess a secret:

I live in fear that I will one day walk into my basement and discover that a tramp has taken up residence there.

...yeah, ok, moving on now.

The current dilemma of my life: exercise, read, or blog? (This is why I shouldn't eat chocolate any later than four. I get all hyper and bounce around like the Energizer bunny, frightening the cats in the process. However, they often frighten me with their unearthly howling- maybe that's why I think a tramp is in the basement? More like an elephant- so I suppose we're even.)

EXERCISE BREAK! Get up and do ten jumping jacks or run around your room for a while during my distraction... Okay, I'm back. You may now stop your mini-workout. (Did you actually do something?)

Without any graceful segue (which is really pronounced sedge-way... how bizarre!) this was my amazing outfit for casual day today!

(Glamour bathroom shots foreverrr!) I love casual day. It is literally the best day of the month. (No wonder I'm happy today!) Except this photo worries me a little... like, do I look like a Bratz doll? As in, is my head too big for my body? (I swear it's not like that in real life...unless I'm wearing one of my extremely large and lovely hats.)

Also, for your personal edification (yes, I'm in a big-words-mood) today was the birthday of the French-Ontarian flag! It's partyyyy time, y'all. (I really need to stop that...) Except not really... because there was only a boring ceremony -sadface- Not so happy.

However, I had Carly Rae Jepsen's new album to comfort me. I was literally dancing a bit (read: all over the place) in the hallway this morning. (This may also account for the 'too happy' comment.) Seriously though, how can you listen to this and not want to dance?

(Yes, you guessed it: I'm dancing again.)

Let's just end with: dinosaurs are the best. (Thank goodness I have pens to occupy myself during math class...) 

Kthanxbyeeee!

further proof that i am not a novel heroine

The other day, when I updated my blog, I wrote in my profile that I was not the heroine of a YA novel. (Young adult, for the unitiated.) Now, this was mostly a joke. However, the more I read, the more I realise it is completely true. (Now, don't get me wrong: I love reading YA, and this is not a hating post- more of a sarcastic rant. Plus, there are definitely exceptions to all of these points... these are just some general trends I've noticed. You've now been warned, so please don't sue.)

Reasons:

-I am stylish. (No bragging here, I swear!) I've noticed that the great majority of YA heroines experience great difficulty in clothing selection and most often wear only 'a t-shirt and jeans'. Can you say BORING? (For a heroine who is most certainly not like that, I would advise reading Lola and the Boy Next Door... omg, crazy fashion tips!) Whenever they have a special event to attend, they rely on their friends to select an outfit because they are apparently disabled.

-I am not completely awkward around the other sex. Yes, I do have my moments (...frequently) but at least I'm capable of carrying on a sensible or flirtatious conversation without long interludes of toe-staring. (There is A LOT of that that goes on. Seriously, chapters could be cut if they would just have conversations...)

-I wear and experiment with lots of makeup. Similarily to point 1, heroines in YA seem to think that the use of a mere mascara wand is akin to running a marathon: difficult and requiring lots of training. They also frequently complain that makeup takes too long and when they do wear it, refer to every type of it as sparkly powder...
-facepalm-

-I exercise. This is seriously a pet peeve of mine. I have read maybe two books (the only one that currently comes to mind is The Truth About Forever, but there must be at least one other one) wherein the heroine actually exercises. How is it that they can constantly describe the delicious junk food they're eating... yet retain their slender figure while sitting on the sofa? (Please, if you understand this, share your secrets!)

-I am not a picky eater. (Many YA heroines are like "OMG what is that suspicious salad? GIVE ME FRIES!") Plus, I am hungry all the time. What is up with all these heroines who are all "oh, I feel tired/stressed/sad, I can't eat?' That has legitimately never happened to me in my life. 

-I do not have a 'secret magnetism' or a love interest ... there is ALWAYS one. It might not be the central focus of the plot, but if you are female in YA, there is a boy or occasionally another girl after you and by the end of the book you end up with them and it's all like SPARKLY LOVE RAINBOWS AND UNICORNS! ...yeah, so not happening. 

All this supports the fact that I completely fit into the role of best friend. I am the style consultant. I am the one who never quite gets the guy. Apparently this means I'm stuck being the supporting character for life. (Sigh.) Or maybe I just have to write my own story... (oooh, look at that deep metaphor right thurrr) Do you ever notice things like these while reading?

hats, glasses and rainbows, oh my!

NEWS FLASH. Today was the first day in a month that I didn't wear:

a) my school uniform (ewwwww)
b) my workout clothes (not the stylish kind you see at lulu lemon, but old shorts that are no longer publically acceptable)
c) my work uniform (should be ditto ew, except the worst part is it's nicer than my school one)
d) pyjamas (don't judge, they're comfy and warm!)

Yes, I am a style queen. (Be impressed.) The outfit I wore today was however, in my opinion, quite adorable... except I was too lazy to take a picture. (...to be completely honest, today I'm posting because I'm procrastinating on English homework. If you feel like giving me ideas for how to write poetry about healthy living, however...) I tried to find a photo online of the actually totally gorgeous dress I was wearing... but when I searched 'Yuki plaid dress' the one picture I found that somewhat ressembled it was this.

So there you go, I'm going to take that as a SIGN FROM THE INTERNETZ that my fashion is still stellar and suggest you do too. Where do I go to show off this outfit? (For the one weekend day in the foreseeable future and rememerable past that I'm not working?) Why, go shopping, of course! 

The sad thing is that I realised that the only thing I ever try on is glasses. Seriously. All the shopping excursions I've been on since I bought my phone (a grand total of... three) involve about fifty photos of glasses, and not much else. (In my defence, there were some pretty cool glasses... it's a good thing I don't actually need them, otherwise I'd probably be broke by now.)  The highlight of today's, however, were definitely one of these three pairs:

1- the plastic kitsch girly-girl... things. Literally, I'm not even sure how to describe these. Why would a store even make them? (No wonder they were on the clearance rack.) Also, yes, be in awe of that sexy face. I don't even know how I did that...

2- the giraffe. These ones reminded me so much of 'my' giraffe hat! I also found them slightly creepy though... like glasses with ears? Something is just wrong...

(I do want this hat now though!

Hats with ears, as you will already know if you've read this, are totally my fave, and what could be more amazing than a beret with ears?)

3- The mustache. After wearing these... I will never feel insecure about my eyebrows again. (The one benefit.)

What are some weird things you've seen while shopping? Are there items you find yourself trying on again and again? I hope you all had a great weekend, and that Monday isn't too painful!

Also... yay for pretty rainbows. Just 'cause I took about fifty pictures and needed to share.

random ramblings

Because I'm already ready to go to bed, and rambling is just fun.

• Highlight of religion class: when one of the boys hot-glued beads to his nipples. (Not making this stuff up, guys. You'd think that someone who's in grade 12 would know better, but it seems not.)
• Of course, this same boy did hot-glue his own hair to his face last year in order to make a beard, so there we are. (What can I say, he's a real winner...)
• You know you're in Canada when it's September and the snow shovels are already on display. (The sad moment...) 
• Picture day was yesterday, and was surprisingly non-painful... just until I remembered that we still need to get grad photos taken. Sigh.
• Chemistry is suprisingly cool. (Especially compared to physics... it's like the names say. Physics is like when you...ok, I have no idea where this metaphor is going and I think I'll just stop here before I dig myself too deep a hole.) 

To finish, here are a few pictures I saw around the Interwebz that I thought were funny! (Good for a tiring, rainy Friday.) 

...sad to say, but that's kinda my life.

...same. (Aka today.) 

...wait. WHAT? That's right. It's a dog... but also two dogs... MIND BLOWN. 

So yeah. I think I'm going to bed now. (It's 4:30, fyi.) Peace and love, baby ducks! (Which is a book that I have no interest in reading. I just like the title.) 

just listen.

Turn off the lights. Close your eyes. And listen. You may not understand the words, but there's just something about the way she sings...

the highlights of my days

As usual, I worked both days this weekend. Also as usual, the store was pretty much empty... So, to while away the hours, I decided to make a list of my oh-so-exciting experiences! (Just in case your job is as boring as mine, and you need some ideas. Feel free to contribute in the comments!)

• Rearrange flyers until perfectly straight.
• Sing along with the radio.
• Stretch. 
• Stare blankly through the empty store.
• Chat with coworkers (if friendly).
• Yawn.
• Dance spastically (if appropriate music).
• Drink lots of water.
• Immediately regret drinking water, since need to pee. 
• SQUATS! 
• Stop after five because my legs hurt. 
• Write blog posts.
• Get yelled at (depending on supervisor).
• Resolve to be more surrepticious. 
• OMG A CUSTOMER! Check through their item. (Or three, if I'm really lucky.)
• Answer their questions, which generally take these forms: 

1) Is this store closing? (Yes, it said so in the newspaper.)
2) When is it closing? (Same as above.)
3) Can I still use my rewards points? (Yes, as it says ON THE CARD ITSELF.)

• Sometimes, if my luck is THROUGH THE ROOF, they'll add in a story about their experiences here! Depending on my level of boredom, sometimes I am even interested.
• REPEAT. 

Literally, this is my day. Sometimes, but again only if I'm really lucky, I get to go put away discarded items. (And that's truly a highlight.) 

Actually, though, the highlight yesterday was of quite a different kind. Someone bought... this.

This is... a shirt?

And these... are pants?

And here is the entire "outfit" in all its glory!

...I nearly died laughing. Literally, how can someone actually buy this and think, ok, this is cute? DOES NOT COMPUTE.

things that should remain unseen

Piglets are cute, right? (Well, as long as they're not covered in mud. Or eating overripe fruit. But anyway...) They have such nice little round, pink cheeks... however, picture one with a blond wig, and it's not so nice.

OH DEAR LORD. I just realised I look like Miss Piggy from the Muppets. (Except minus the pretty pink dress. Oh no, I only get an oversized uniform.)

However, I'm getting ahead of myself. Does anyone know what I'm talking about? (...probably not. Clarity has never been one of my chief virtues.) I am referring, of course, to school photos. (I'll bet you didn't guess that.)

Is there such a thing as an attractive yearbook picture? If so, I have yet to experience such a wonder. All of my pictures make me look... well, like Miss Piggy. Somehow they manage to squash my head inwards on itself and make my eyes look tiny and buggy.

(Side note: why do cute boys walk into the classroom at the EXACT moment I am grimacing at the screen? Bad enough that they get to see those pictures, they really don't need to see the less-than-attractive expressions in real life as well...)

Just think, in twenty years, I'll go to show my children this, and they'll be like, "...did you really look like that? I didn't know it was possible for someone's head to be that round" and I'll try to explain that no, my head did not actually look like a pink bowling ball when I was sixteen, it was just the camera... Mhmm. Yeah. Would you believe that? I DON'T THINK SO.

However, this does raise one important point: as the editor of yearbook (yes, despite all my ranting, I am doing it again this year... rereading last year's post is making me seriously question this decision!) I have final say on anything that goes in -cue evil laugh and hand rubbing- So, basically, don't get on my bad side, or you might find some pretty crazy pictures of you on the front page.

Don't worry, I'm kidding!...mostly.

On another note, I'd just like to say thank you to all of my wonderful followers! All the comments you leave really mean a lot to me, and I'm honored that people are actually choosing to read what I have to say... so again, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

internet lovelies

So recently, I've been watching a couple of vlogs... and I've been loving them! I don't watch many (and I would never make one- no one needs to hear my embarassingly squeaky/Tweety-Bird voice!) but I do find them a great way to unwind sometimes! (Or -cough cough- procrastinate on my math homework. In my defence, it's functions, which I actually hate more than physics. And I think we all know how much I hate physics...)

First off: The Lizzie Bennet Diaries. A hilarious way for Jane Austen fans to see a modern-day version of one of their favourite tales.... or a great way to learn about a classic story without all the complicated language and tiny print!

Also, they just introduced Wickham and PO,SGDH.IHFA he is gorgeous beyond belief. (Just in case that's another incentive!) So far I've only convinced one of my friends to watch them, so I don't have many people to crazy-fangirl with. (So sad.) If you watch them, feel free to join in on the excitement!

Next up: Jenna Marbles. This girl is seriously funny, y'all. (And no, I have no idea why I just said 'y'all'. I'm not suddenly moving South...) She does random rants and skits, and it's ALL FREAKISHLY TRUE.

Mhmmm. I'm sure you can see yourself there.

And to finish... so, once you're done watching all these videos, you might be feeling a little bit sluggish. To get that heart rate up, why not go do some Blogilates?

I love these videos! All of them that I've tried have been the perfect blend of OMG-I'm-going-to-die and I-am-actually-able-to-do-this. (I know, seems like a weird combo... but it works.)


So what have you been loving lately? (And ok, just have to say it- I am totally not loving that I keep thinking it's Friday. I don't know what's up, but it is not good.) 

my opinions

By now, you probably all know I love sharing my opinion about anything and everything... so when I saw this linkup, I knew I had to join in! Hopefully no one will be too shocked! After all, according to all the political quizzes I've taken, I'm pretty radical. (Two things to address here. Onee: yes, I am the lame sort of person who takes "Which party should YOU vote for?" quizzes for fun. Deal with it. And two: yes, everything I am politically interested in is so far left that it's practically non-existent in actual elections. Good thing I can't actually vote yet, or I'd be quite disappointed.)

Anywayyy... without further ado, here are some of this week's thoughts!

1. White chocolate isn't really chocolate at all.
2. Curling up with a good book is one of life's greatest pleasures.
3. Musicals are the best type of movie. (Fred Astaire, whoohoo!)
4. Rap isn't really music. Neither is hardcore screamo.
5. People should use spellcheck more often. (Or just learn to spell.)
6. Reading the newspaper is fun.
7. Red skinnies are the epitome of style.
8. Exercise is fun! (As long as it doesn't involve a inordinate number of pushups.)
9. Early to bed, early to rise is the only way to be. (Like, actually. I am incapable of sleeping in past 8.)
10. Whoever thought up popcorn tea is a genius.
11. Thong bikinis should be outlawed.
12. Angry Birds (and really, most iPod games) is completely pointless.
13. Yellow is an awkward colour.
14. Manicures are wonderful and soothing.
15. Trying to find a new haircut (what I am currently doing) is super difficult. (How do I know what looks good? And how do I know the hairdresser will do it correctly?)

..and there we are. Hopefully no one was too scandalised! What are some of your thoughts? I hope all your Mondays are going well! (All day I've thought it's Tuesday... sigh... this week might be long.)

this is not a great start to the weekend

DEFCON ONE! (Is that the worst, or the least? No matter, I think Defcon itself should be enough of a warning.) ALERT, ALERT! Something tragic has occured. Prepare yourself for heartbreaking news...

I can't find my cellphone cord.

I have literally just searched my room for about thirty minutes. (And it's really not that big. Picture a public bathroom in a gas station, and there you are... ok, maybe not quite, but almost!) During this search, I have come to several conclusions:

-Under my bed is REALLY dusty and I should sweep more.
-I have a lot of clothes, and I need either to get rid of some of them or get a bigger dresser. (The second option seems more valid...)
-Unplugging the cord from the charger was stupid. (I actually have no idea why I did this.)
- My cat probably stole it, and I will never find it again.
-Blackberry is evil. Why else would they make a plug-in that is a different size from the fifty other cords we have lying around our house?

Why the big deal, you ask? Are you shaking your head, thinking, "Wow, she's already an addict?" Actually, for once, this is not about texting. This is about the fact that I wanted to put this as my background:

Yes. Cute pictures are serious business.

EDIT: so it is now thirty seconds after I posted this... and I found my cord sitting on the kitchen table.

I have no idea how it got there.

Must have been the fairies...

my current crush: the perfect playlist

If you've been reading my blog at all, you've probably heard me mention Stars. (THE BEST BAND EVER! If you haven't, go read some of my older posts- I guarantee they pop up somewhere!) What you may not know is... their most recent CD, The North, just came out Tuesday. (Really, everyone should know this.)

I went onto their website last night, and when I saw that glorious notice... MY HEART NEARLY STOPPED. (What can I say? It was a great moment.) When I resumed breathing, I managed to download the cd! (And for someone as technologically challenged as myself, this really is quite the accomplishment.) During a period of late-night insomnia/snacking, I listened to the entire thing (it was a REALLY LONG period of insomnia) and I can safely say that it's pretty wonderful. In honour of this new release, I decided to compile a list of my favourite Stars songs! They play in several different genres, so check a few out- you might find you don't care for some of them but others may blow your mind.

1- Take Me to the Riot (The first song I ever heard of theirs. A little more punk rock.)
2- Tonight (Simple, and so sweet.)
3- A Thread Cut With a Carving Knife (Odd title, beautiful song.)
4- Do You Want to Die Together? (This one is off their new release, so I was unable to add a link. Sorry! However, I could sing it for you, as it is currently stuck in my head. For once I don't mind!)
5- Going, Going, Gone- Live (The contrast between the singers' voices is lovely.)
6- Romantic Comedy (The lyrics always sounds to me like a deconstruction of an actual romantic movie.)
7- Personal (Another soft, sad song, perfect to fall asleep to.)
8- Your Ex-Lover Is Dead (A lovely and melancholic end-of-relationship song.)
9- One More Night (Similar in meaning to the Maroon 5 song, but very different lyrics and feel!)
10- Theory of Relativity (The first single off their new CD. Quite peppy and techno-y.)

I'm sure some more of their latest songs will also be added to this list once I listen to them more! Do you have a band you're utterly obsessed with that you'd like to share?

Linking up with Jenny Matlock for Alpha-Thursdays and The Wright Stuff for Current Crush!

being a cashier has taught me...

Happy Wednesday, dearest readers! Is anyone else as tired as I am? I can't wait to go home and sleep.... (I'm currently trapped at school, as is too often the case.) My days lately have been divided between classes and cashiering (is that a word? Spellcheck isn't marking it as wrong, so maybe so! However, once I wrote 'speculate' and spellcheck told me that what I really wanted to say was 'semen'... so I wouldn't put too much faith in it.) Since I've been working so much lately, I've learnt a few things about being a cashier, and I thought I'd share some of my wisdom with all of you!

-Trust me, we don't want to chat. (Or maybe I'm just antisocial. That's possible too.) The number of times I have to chat about the weather... To be brutally honest, I have no interest in your life.

-It's my job to ask you if you have a rewards card, and trust me, I'm just as sick of it as you are. (So don't look at me as though I ate your child.)

-I'm a teenager. My brain is fed on emo music and Vampire Diaries, so don't expect me to know that Visa and Mastercard are credit cards. Just tell me!

-Snarking at me is absolutely useless and will in fact make me want to work slower and help you less.

-You have one item. In plastic packaging. It's sunny outside. Do you really need a bag?

-Don't give me that weird look. If you'd been standing here for three hours, you'd be doing squats and stretches too. (Actually, this one might just be me... I have yet to see any of my co-workers doing this.)

What are some things your job has taught you? For your sake, I'm just hoping it's more exciting than mine!

Also: YAY I designed a new banner! (And it only took me about three hours to put it up. Yes I am technologically challenged, thanks.) What do you think of it?

the summer i was sixteen...

I recently read the poem The Summer I Was Sixteen and it made me think back over my own summer. (Can you tell my mother is an English teacher? Maybe just a bit.)

I'm not saying I actually did any of this. I went swimming exactly once with two small girls. I don't like cotton candy. I think sunbathing is rather silly (who wants to look like leather when they're fifty? not me).

It was the feel of it that struck me- that thought that you are free, that you can do absolutely anything. So, before fall officially starts (it's just the second day of September! haha, I am so confused, at first I said it was over and now I've decided it's not... so here we go, I'll just keep writing before I get any more lost) I've decided to share some final summer highlights!

-University decisions. (Again, the whole teacher-as-parent thing... I highly doubt that this is a highlight for many people!) I finally decided that I'm going to major in English. (Because, let's face it... there is no way I could ever be sufficiently passionate about something that doesn't involve reading or writing. Who needs people when there are books around?) Plus, ROAD TRIP, people!

We experienced secret missions behind the Marker aisle. 'Nuff said.

-Reading. Really, one of the principal joys of my life is curling up with a good book, and I definitely managed to do this quite a bit over the summer! (Read: every day for at least an hour. What can I say? It's an addiction.) (Also Goodreads. Does anyone else go on there? I just get sucked in...) 

-Exercise! This one was hard at times... but definitely worth it. I worked out quite a bit this summer and I think it made a bit of a difference. (Maybe. Possibly. Or perhaps it's just wishful thinking. Still!) Here's one of my favourite workout videos- I guarantee you'll feel it after!

-Glasses. Call me crazy, but trying on new pairs of non-prescription glasses (name a shape and size, I probably wore them) filled me with joy.

Admit it, you want these.

-Big Bang Theory. I just started watching it... and it is SO FUNNY. So awkward... but it makes me feel relatively normal! 

-Friends. This is actually such a huge category... but I had to say it because I love them all and they are wonderful! From shopping....

(Yes, see, I'm not the only one obsessing over hats!) To playgrounds...

(There is no such thing as too old for playgrounds.) To art classes...

We did it all, and it was all wonderful. (Oh, and I texted them a lot too. Hahaha, yes, I am totally succumbing to cultural pressure in that respect... ah well, too late now.)

-Hipster princesses! So okay, this photo has nothing to do with anything, I just liked it. (I could totally rock some of those looks!) 

What are some top moments of your summer? 

This is also my contribution to the wonderful Alyx's linkup!