overcoming obstacles (aka a terror of skiing)

Yes... I am alive! (Or perhaps I'm a zombie and I just haven't realised it yet. I haven't had any odd cravings for brains yet, only chocolate, but I'll keep you posted.) Skiing was, in fact, wonderful, thanks mostly to my wonderful bros (yes I use that word now, I have been corrupted) Kori and Cécile. There were no:

a) tears (okay, a few mentally, but I kept it well inside)
b) collisions (amazingly I did not hit a tree, impressive)
c) injuries (although my legs are quite stiff today... another sign of zombie-ism?)

Although I stayed in snowplow snake (my term... you know, when you zigzag wildly across the entirety of the hill) the entire time, I think it went rather well. I may not have been the most graceful (but then, when am I ever?) but I had fun!

Warning: photo avalanche follows... I hope you're not buried!

the obligatory graceful chair pose in the lobby... don't I look perfectly lodge-like?

and again, be astounded by the beauty and grace. Cécile is a little less enthusiastic... perhaps wondering why she invited me... 

the stuffies are prepared to devour all the gummies before Cécile and Kori can get to them!

my latest superpower: I can fly! however, I am also adept at falling on my face...

Note I and Kori's favourite shirts of the moment: grey sparkly owl sweater and green Celtics hoodie! one last pretty photo before the hot tub

various "the bachelor" reactions: what is this? does he have a harem? 

needless to say, we were not impressed.

And on that cheerful note... the next day begins. Drumroll please! 

Girl Rule: there must be at least one mirror selfie per trip!

thank you Kori for ensuring that Cécile and I were not driven mad by our hair!

she makes putting on ski goggles look cool.

all ready to head out! (note that we haven't started yet... aka no looks of terror)

be impressed by the snowplow. I'm still amazed I didn't cross my skis...

OMG we survived a blue run! what is this!

alternatively, I may be about to eat Cécile's ear. I was pretty hungry

the sweater trade! betraying our schools, muahaha

...and then we returned home, and nearly fell asleep in the car, and I went to work, and daily life returned.

Sometimes you just need a lovely break from reality. Thank you, my dearest friend-people (and to Cécile's wonderful parents) for making this possible!

things at which I have no skill

...alternatively put, "things at which I am completely and utterly incapable of doing and should be supervised at in order to not kill myself and others." (Doesn't the title sound far better?) I thought I'd start off the week optimistically- the power of positive thinking, right?

...thinking positively. In case you hadn't already noticed... I tend to be a catastrophic thinker. AKA, everything that could go wrong, will. This isn't usually the case, but it doesn't stop me from thinking such things as "OMG I can't go walking in the woods alone! I'll be eaten by coyotes!"

...straightening my hair. (However, to be entirely fair, I've had my straightener for four years and during none of those has it worked well.) Instead of straightening, my hair tends to stick out horizontally from my head.

...taking selfies. I wanted to show off my adorable new owl shirt...

(Isn't it darling? omg, sequins and owl, I don't think you could get any better) but instead I look oddly contorted. Oh well. Just look at the glitter.

...making Red Velvet Cake Tea. Yes. That is a thing.

Looks delicious, right? But whenever I make it, it tastes like wood. (Not quite so appetizing.) However, whenever my mother makes it, it is a delicious caramelly concoction... I'm not sure why it's such a struggle for me, but there you go. (They say practice makes perfect, but it never seems to get any better.) 

...skiing. Last time, I cried. And fell over. Multiple times. I'd like to say that this was a long time ago... but unfortunately that is not the case. (I haven't even grown... actually I probably weigh more, but that's hardly comforting. Maybe the extra ballast will help me stay upright?)

And yet, that's what I'm going to be doing all day tomorrow with Kori and Cécile. (And that's how this entire post came about!) I may be insane... and if you don't hear back from me, know that I am also deceased.

On that cheerful note, happy Monday! What do you have no skill at doing?

the trauma that is... milk?

Okay, so maybe not quite. It wasn't just the milk. (Although one of my most traumatizing memories is of the time when my parents forced me to drink An. Entire. Glass. The tears that ensued...) It was more... the tables of naked women? 

Have you guessed what I'm talking about yet?

A Clockwork Orange, of course!

Looks appealing, right? Erika and I had heard that it was "a classic"- who decides these things, anyway? Is it completely arbitrary?- so we decided to watch it...

"Is this really happening?" was the most frequently question asked. (If any of you have seen it, you probably know what I'm talking about.) From the very beginning (CREEPY STARE- had I ever desired to wear false eyelashes, I most certainly no longer do- he did have pretty blue eyes though. How is that fair?) to the ending (carnage and rape and pillage, oh my!) it was chaotic and confusing...

and also strangely lovely.

Although I might not agree with every(any)thing that happened in it, it was definitely chock-filled to the brim (yay for mixing metaphors) with symbolism and imagery. The director did a wonderful job portraying an corrupt society (although I could have done without the rather phallic art) and the insanity of it all was quite compelling. 

One thing I know for sure: I will never listen to Singin' in the Rain quite the same way. 

Have you seen it? Do you have any movies that you feel this way about?

concert? not so much

Last night marked possibly the one time I was disappointed by snow.

I know. You never thought I'd say that, did you?

But unfortunately, it is possible. Last night marked the night that Erika were supposed to attend the Emilie Autumn concert I mentioned here... but there was so much snow that we were trapped on the road and had to stop in one of the many hole-towns that surround ours.

So, instead of dancing and singing and attending a glorious concert... we took photos in parking lots.

You have to find the upside where you can, right? At least I got some gorgeous colouring done!

The waitress did look a bit surprised when I asked for crayons, but I was wearing cat ears... so she probably expected something of the kind. The two go well together.

Was this karma? Payback for all the times I've wished for snow, and no one else has? Perhaps. However, my other conclusion is that... it was the lipstick.

Yes. Remember this post? The last time I got snowed in somewhere? (Yes. Apparently this is becoming a semi-frequent event now.) I was wearing this same lipstick.

I'm a little bit frightened to wear it again now... what else might it jinx?

In other (less depressing) news: I have now rejoined the technological world! (All the better to share my continuing failiures, right?)

So far it's taught me that today is "International Cat Day"... so at least these photos are appropriate, right? (Maybe that's why my lovely kitties woke me up at four this morning?) Let me know what your username is- I'd love to follow you back!

Seriously, though. Really, weather?

sunny day confessions

It's actually gorgeous outside today, so this title isn't wishful thinking!

-It still feels bizarre to be blogging under my real name... but I like it.

-Even more bizarre? I am incapable of pronouncing my own name. I love hearing other people say it, but the way I say it just sounds stilted. (This makes introducing myself difficult...)

-Older ladies often tell me I'm gorgeous but I rarely hear this from people my own age. This confirms my suspicion that I was born in the wrong age.

-Even my mother has now accepted I will be a Crazy Cat Lady... just look at what she gave me for Valentine's Day!

(Hint: it wasn't the clothes... Also, apology for the slightly creepy smile, blame it on the awkward changeroom lighting!)

-The thought of prom is a bit dispiriting right now. Everyone's talking about their dresses, dates, etc, and all I can think is a) I have no idea where to look for my dress b) I'm probably going to be the only one without a date (in a graduating class of ten people, this is not an exaggeration) and c) what if, when I find my dress, it doesn't fit?


-This weekend is going to be a total Chocolate/Junk In General Overload... but whatever, it's so delicious and it's just one weekend, right? (Except it's three days instead of two... oh well, living in a chocolate buzz makes the extra calories worth it!) (Hm... maybe this is why I have no prom date? And why I worry about fitting into a dress? Shhhh)

-I'm scared of putting gas into the van by myself. I'm worried that, just as I put in the nozzle, someone will leap out and kidnap me.

-I'm addicted to this line of body products.

They all smell absolutely luscious- like candied fruit and dessert and everything nice- and I can't stop using them! (Thank you once again, Mum and Sephora.)

What do you have to confess?

dancing up a storm

Ah, highschool dances. Also known as "the misnamed event wherein no one actually dances, but stands around awkwardly bopping their heads and pretending that they're not too embarassed to dance."

Other than Kori and I, of course. We flung ourselves into the middle of the dance floor and... flailed?

Okay, that was just me. There is no false modesty involved when I say I can't dance. Some moves I tried to coin yesterday were named "The Jellyfish" (waving my arms like tentacles in front of me while jumping from side to side) and "The Octopus" (...pretty similar). There was also quite a bit of tripping involved- my knees are now black and blue. (I consider it a war wound in the service of Fun.)

Unfortunately, I didn't manage to get any photos (blame Kori, who refused to pose with me) so you'll just have to imagine my thrashing- but at least I have one glamourous bathroom mirror shot.

(Isn't that toilet in the background lovely? Actually, maybe it's a good thing- it makes me look extra gorgeous in comparison!) As you can tell, I maybe like purple a little bit. This was a perfect dancing skirt- it swirled and dipped and made even my most awkward moves look elegant. (I was also told that I made everything I did look princess-y. I would be flattered by this, but the bemused tone and snicker that accompanied it made  it a dubious compliment.)

I'm sure you're all dying to know: Did my flailing attract anyone? Did I meet any cute boys on Valentine's Day? The answer is... drumrolll.... no. (I didn't even end up going to the doctor's- I had to work.) However, my principal did give me a piece of fudge, so... there's that consolation. Really, chocolate makes everything better... in part because I need to go work out after, and exercise makes everything better too! It's like a double punch!

And my third consolation: At least I have Taylor Swift sing-alongs with my spare mates. However, watch out: when you start singing Miley Cyrus, this is what happens:

You fall off your chair and hit your head. KARMA, I'm telling you!

Oh, and just remember... in case you ever feel there's no chivalry in the world...

Happy weekend, ninjas!

happy blogiversary to me!

So... it's been a year. A year of...

-snow (because you haven't heard enough about this yet, right?)
-social awkwardness
-fashion and makeup (faux pas? hmmm)
-fangirling (mostly Doctor Who)

(why am I putting two of the same letter? I feel like I have to continue now, it's stressing me out)

-working myself into a coma (of boredom)
-food
-boys

(hahaha I broke the chain!)

-confusion
-(the joys of) science (also the hating of)
-friends

(if I forgot them they might beat me up! oh, and speaking of- have you been admiring my beauteous new header? All thanks go to Jess(i)e who is a wonderful person even when he can't decide how to spell his name...)

-tea
-rants (seriously I am proud of this post, if you click on no other links you should read this one!)

and really... thank you. I'm so thankful to all of you for reading, laughing (I hope) or maybe just shaking your head (that's a perfectly normal response too!) as you followed along with me on this crazy journey that is my life.

Finally, though, I have a confession to make.

My name isn't really Zia.

Are you surprised? Confused? Let me explain... I originally had a very different idea for this blog, one that revolved more around the idea of story-telling than of talking about my real life, and so it was easier to have a blog persona rather than use my real name. While I still enjoy the story-telling part of it, my style has evolved and I now find myself using far more of my actual life than invention... so using a false name no longer seems as appropriate. (Although I do love Zia. Sigh. This was a difficult decision.)

So what am I really called?

Tatiana. -takes a bow- (it means fairy princess, in case anyone's curious... so obviously it is appropriate)

Nice to meet you all... again! Let's hope this coming year is as lovely as the next, dearest ninjas.

promspiration (NOT perspiration)

It might only be February... but for those of us graduating, prom seems to be approaching at light speed. Here are some of my dress ideas! (All of these photos come from Tumblr... at least my procrastination paid off, in a way!)

But first... a workout, just cause I want to look good, youknow?

And now, allons-y!

So adorably retro!

Lace. And corset. OMG.

Okay, so maybe not quite this frothy... but still.

Love love love the rich red colour... and the corset, of course!

This one reminds me of something a faerie would wear. 

Now, dearest ninjas, I'm enlisting your help. Do any of you know of good sites I could peruse? Or, if you live in Canada or near the Canadian border, any actual stores? (I'd really rather try my dress on first... picky, picky!) My top requirement (as you may have noticed) is that it have a corset top (Victorian glamour!)... and other than that, I'm open to anything.

Let the shopping madness begin!

confessions from the heart

1. Wearing these shoes makes me feel kinda gangsta.

(and yes, I realise that as a white girl who screams at spiders, that is not an appropriate thing to say)

2. For the upcoming Emilie Autumn concert, Erika and I are planning to look like, in her words, "crack-whore faeries"... so be prepared for some pretty crazy photos!

3. I REALLY want this foundation.

source

However, every single time I try to buy it either online or in-store, it's out of stock. I think the universe is trying to tell me something...

4. I also REALLY want this palette.

 source

My birthday is coming up, world... feel free to send it my way! More seriously, though, I think I'll simply not buy any neutrals for a while, then when I run out, buy it.

4. I wish people would mail me letters (or presents... I'm not picky!). I think it's an art that's been lost within my generation, and that saddens me. Is there an official letter day during which we can all share addresses and mail each other things?

5. I don't understand why chip bags contain so few chips.

Like, seriously? (For the record, these aren't even my chips. These are Kori's, so it's ALL HER FAULT.)

6. My right eye is slightly less open than my left eye, all the time... and I hate it. I can't make my eyes match, and I'm really insecure about it.

7. Despite the fact that Friday's snow day caused many accidents and that no one appreciated it except for our town's minority of highschool students... I'm hoping for another one tomorrow. (Yes. When it comes to days off school, I am very selfish.)

8. I can't do a messy bun, and for this reason (amongst many others) I feel that I fail at being a girl.

9.  I'm currently addicted to this song.

(Amongst many others. My friends are kind enough to lend me CDs, and I thus discover much lovely music!)

10. David's Tea no longer sells my favourite tea (Ice Cream Cake)... I discovered that this morning and am still upset.

And that's it for this week, dearling ninjas! (and yes, that is spelt intentionally incorrectly. Because I can never remember any of the lovely and educated words I know, I am forced to invent my own) What do you have to confess?

snow daze

The weather outside is frightful, but the tea is so delightful... so as long as you love me so, let it snow!

Okay, I'll obey the sign. We're a little past Christmas songs now, and I am grateful for that every time I turn on the radio... so listen to this instead!

Mumford and Sons are my latest obsession- who have you been listening to recently? Their music goes perfectly with the storm outside...

and with Cookie Dough tea and faux protein cookie dough! 

Are any of you in the depths of a storm right now? If so, I hope you're enjoying it as much as I am. 

winner, hopefully always

So... I won a giveaway! Of this gorgeous necklace! How exciting is that? (The answer is, through the roof!) It was held by the lovely Laura over at Blue Eyed Night Owl and featured a necklace from Khrystyna's beautiful shop. (If you want to win something this beautiful, head on over to her blog- she's having a giveaway now too!) I can't wait to wear it- a great way to jazz up my uniform for sure. 

On a slightly related note: did you know that... a lobster's blood is clear until it hits oxygen, then it becomes blue?

Nope. Me neither... but now we do! And there's your useless fact of the day.

Where does this come from, you may ask? Why did you need to look this up and share it with us?

Well. You might not have realised this (it doesn't really come up in my posts) but... I have an intensely competitive nature. Like, about everything. When I was younger, I used to say I had bigger feet than I really did because one of my friends had larger feet than I did and I wanted to 'beat' her... (Typing this makes it all seem incoherent and ridiculous, but it was A BIG DEAL for quite a while- see the pun?) I'd like to say that this tendency diminished through the years, but unfortunately it hasn't.

So, now that I am one of two students in my math class... IT IS ON. 

How does science come into this, you might ask? Well, he also happens to be in my chemistry class, and every single day, he comes up with random facts that are somehow also related to the lesson. He's like an encyclopedia... and it's driving me insane.  

(Kori and I now have conversations composed entirely of "Did you know?" A sample here:

"Did you know that this hot chocolate is hot?" 

"Did you know that James Bond has a cousin named Ionic?" 

and my personal favourite..."Did you know that my breasts can tell when it's raining?" Please tell me you catch the reference!) 

So does anyone know any fascinating science facts I could share?

Also, just cause...

Drinking this would simply be cruel...

...but not as cruel as this.