life lately...

I haven't done (anything) one of those "Currently..." style posts for a while (okay, I only did one once, so it's not like I've been neglecting a life essential, but still) so I thought I'd let you all know what's crack-a-lacking! (How do you spell that? More to the point, does anyone say that anymore?) 

Listening to...

This song is just so cute and happy! (Plus, someone dressed as the Doctor makes an appearance. Obviously I'd like it.) I've also found myself strangely obsessed with everything Owl City... too cute. It's like a hug in music form. 

Wishing... that I had gum. I really want gum. I also wanted gum yesterday, but we did not have any. THE SADNESS. 

Drinking... matcha.

(from David's Tea, of course!)

For those of you who don't spend over 2 hours browsing online tea sale sites, matcha is powdered green tea that you whisk into a froth and drink with milk... mmmm. It's very sweet and light, perfect even when it's hot out! 

Feeling... terrified, traumatized, tired... why are there so many negative t words? This is the first time I'm mentioning it here, but on Monday I leave to go to Winnipeg for five weeks- I'm very excited about it, but it's bizarre to think that I'm going to be away for such a long time and then leave almost immediately after for university. Everything is happening so fast! (I say, reclining in the hammock and reading...) 

Reading... the short stories of Fitzgerald.

(go read it. trust me.)

So maybe I'm obsessed (and reading into them far too much) but I find their descriptions of evanescent beauty utterly relatable. I might not be pining over lost love but I still feel that sense of being a spectator in my own life that he manages to capture so well. (Can I just say I want to be him? Except minus the drinking and mental breakdowns?) 

Wearing... My aviators. All three pairs. 

And most definitely NOT my uniform. Goodbye, kilt of awkward lenght! Au revoir, polo tent! You, I will not miss. 

Making... this exfoliant scrub from Under Peach Trees!

(her photo, not mine- I doubt mine will be that pretty!)

The idea of cleaning with chocolate and coffee just seemed so luscious that I couldn't resist. (Plus, one of the coffees we have is revolting and this seemed like a good opportunity to get rid of it!)

Watching... Blogilates videos.

DO IT. Right now. I dare you. It's only four minutes long... but it might kill your legs. (Hopefully it does because otherwise I will feel pathetic. Honestly, I'm not sure whether to find the thought that the only thing I'm even watching right now is exercise videos pathetic or not...) 

So what's going on in your life? 

book lover problems

It's a fairly innocuous question, right? "What are you reading?" It shouldn't be that hard to answer... but it is.

I'm serious. This is actually a problem in my life right now. (Okay, so I could just stop reading in public... but then I'd have to Talk To People, which is an even bigger problem.) I'm never quite sure how to answer it. For example, the other day I was reading Save Me The Waltz. When I...

a) answer in a generic manner, such as "Oh, it's a romance", people inevitably ask for more details. I'm never sure why this is, because no one ever reads the books I do unless I have previously forced them to... so they never know what I'm talking about... which leads me to

b) give a detailed synopsis, such as  "Oh, it's a romance set during the 1920s and it describes all the facets of their lives and how he drank too much and how she wanted to be a ballerina", people's eyes inevitably start to glaze over after a couple of seconds and they sidle away with pretexts such as washing their llama. (Which leads me to wonder why they even asked...)

c) compare it to another book, such as "It's similar to The Great Gatsby!", people either don't know that book, so then I have to explain it too (it's a vicious cycle!) or, if they do know it, ask "How?" and I, being already frazzled by the resulting stress of choosing one of these answers, can't quite remember why I chose to compare it.

Sometimes by the time I've decided which tactic to choose, the conversation has already moved on and all my hard work was wasted. (However, at least this means I have less of a chance of making a fool of myself... so, again, pros and cons.) It's even worse when someone I don't know well asks me this, because then I also have to wonder: "Are we going to be friends? If so, I should probably moderate what I say now..." (And not confess my shameful obsession with Georgette Heyer's Regency romances...)

How do you answer this? (Or do you just not read?)

On a slightly similar note (the Tatiana-Wants-To-Avoid-People note) this is my current manifesto song.

This will sound like a typical Teenager Statement, but I really like most of Mother Mother's songs- the lyrics really Speak To My Soul. (I'm both parodying myself and being entirely serious.) Have you found any bands like that lately?

However, I love you all, especially those of you who have helped me with my S-Trip Scholarship. Thank you so much! For those of you who still want to help by supporting, commenting or tweeting, you still have a few days left.

Happy Thursday, blog ninjas!

books for sale!

Fact: volunteering at a library book sale is the best volunteer position ever. So maybe it's not quite as useful for humanity as starting a women's shelter or flying to Haiti... but hey, you get to help save (and read!) books... and in my books (ahaha, see what I did there) that's a definite bonus. (Basically, as thanks, you're allowed to take as many books as you want. SCORE.)

...and there were a lot of books.

(and this is only half the room!) 

Since there weren't nearly as many people, I basically wandered around straightening and... reading. (So, again, this is my dream job. Is there any way I can be paid for this?) Along the way, I found some pretty amusing titles...

• Cabbagetown Gang (obviously a group of tough guys who run around wearing cabbage-leaf hats)
• Cooking With Ferret (is Ferret someone's nickname, or does it literally mean eating ferrets? I was too scared to check)
• Farmageddon (here I imagine strawberries the size of nuclear bombs) 
• Start and Run a Profitable Gift-Basket Business (...but really though. REALLY.)
• Methane- Planning a Digester (...I don't even want to think what kind of instructions this gives)
• The Hamster Revolution (no need to worry about the zombie apocalypse- hamsters are demanding their rights! Or maybe it's zombie hamsters?) 
• ABCs for Angry Men (A is for Anger! R is for Rage! and so on)

Not all of my experience was fun and games, however. All of the remaining books (which was well over half) were set to be... recycled.

-insert horrified books here-

As someone who is addicted to reading, and who wants to be published one day herself, the thought of so many words being crushed is devastating. Perhaps they'll give new life to other stories... but the fact remains that someone's craft is being destroyed because it's unwanted... and isn't that every writer's worst fear? (Other than starving to death because you can't even get published.) My one hope is that, whatever objects they go on to make, those objects will be imbued with a certain essence de book- and will encourage whoever holds them to go find something to read, and fast.

things at which I could win a prize

The other night, I went to go see my friends perform at a major (for this town) music festival. (Shoutout to Declan, Anna and Cécile- you were amazing!) As is often the case, watching all of these wonderful performers made me feel... a little inadequate. (You know how I used to talk about playing guitar? Haven't done that since last summer. Sigh.) So, I thought I'd list some other talents of mine that I could totally win awards for!

-Pie appreciation. Honestly, I know no one who loves pie as much as I do. (The same goes for popcorn. Although, in both cases, I admit to snobbery- only pie with real fruit, and only air-popped popcorn.) Why is it that pie-eating competitions exist, but none for sheer love of it? What a sad world we live in.

-Reading. I am, hands-down, the fastest reader I know. (Upon initial glance, this doesn't seem like that useful a skill... but it means that homework assignments take me approximately half the time they take anyone else.) If there was a speed-reading and comprehension contest, I would definitely win.

-Protein baking. If I am baking something, it's almost a guarantee that I will find a way to insert more protein into it- necessary vegetarian skillz. (However, if you're going to attempt this skill, a word of caution: don't tell people that you've tried to make the dessert healthy until they've actually finished eating it. For some reason, my efforts do not recieve proper recognition.)

-Writing. Does this seem a little egotistical? Maybe. However, it's true- I'm a very good writer. (You don't see my true skills because my blog posts tend to be a little more rushed than my more serious writing, aka stories and essays. But, no bragging intended, those are quite good.)

-Being awkward. Really. No one ever sees this as a good thing, but look on the bright side- if I'm around, everyone will think of you as being far more attractive and put-together in comparison! (However, this one might be decreasing. At this same event, I had TWO conversations with an attractive boy and managed to sound entirely normal for both of them! -major pride-)

-Making lists. I am the List Queen. I make to-do lists every single day, not because I think I'll forget (sample list: shower. Make breakfast. Exercise) but because it helps me feel organised and in control. (WHEN EVERYTHING IS GOING WRONG AROUND ME! -drama-)

What are some skills you'd like to recieve more recognition for?

varied readings

Some days I feel like my sole purpose in life is to turn off the lights.

I don't even mean this in a deep, metaphorical way. I literally mean that I walk around my house (and at school too!) turning off the lights that everyone else has forgotten to turn off. (My second purpose is tripping over invisible objects so that everyone can laugh at me. I also minor in closing windows that everyone else has forgotten about.)

With all this stress, it's no wonder that sometimes I just like to curl up with a nice book. (Okay, make that always. If I could spend my entire life eating- I actually have a batch of these brownies in the oven right now!- reading and drinking tea, I would be perfectly happy.) Here's some of my latest picks!

1- Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens.

I mentioned this book in another recent post but, since I'm still loving and reading it, I thought it deserved another mention. Charles Dickens is one of my favourite authors for several reasons, but top of the list his lovely prose (one of the many reasons I was born in the wrong century is because I actually enjoy reading long descriptions!) and his carefully drawn characters- what other author has a character constantly described as a steam engine? (That sounded better in my head... and on the page.)

2- We The Living by Ayn Rand.

This book... just thinking about it again makes me feel sad. It's one of those stories that you start and that you know it's going to end badly, but you keep reading on the off chance that the characters will be drawn out of their deep pit of despair. (Does anyone else do this?)
...Needless to say, this was not a book I'd recommend if you're already feeling down. (Or happy, because then you will feel down for sure.)
But I figure, if I'm still thinking about it a week later... it's a good book.

3- This Side of Paradise by F. Scott Fitzgerald

This book makes me even more excited to go to university! It's filled with descriptions of their long discussions of literature and their sumptuous all-night parties... so it might be wish fulfillment, but a girl can dream, right?

And... that's that! (Yay for classic literature!) What have you been reading lately? )And if you liked my selections, feel free to friend me on Goodreads or Twitter to see what I'm reading next!) Any tasty recipes to go along with it?

 

 

unfaithful

My confession for this week: I am a cheater.

I just can't help it. It's just too easy. It's not my fault- there are just too many temptations all around me. Why confine myself to one set of pages when I can so easily move on to another more exciting?

...by now you may have guessed that I'm talking about books.

Really, though. This is a serious problem, and one that should garner more support. I can't be the only one who finds it difficult to read one book at a time. There are just so many exciting ones out there that I can't wait to read! I can't help it if, sometimes,

And it's not only books, either. I also cheat on:

• healthy eating (okay. It's Easter. If you haven't eaten too much chocolate, I will be both impressed and tempted to slap you) 
• fashion (aka yes, I wear sweatpants in public sometimes... -hides in shame-)
• my favourite shows (I can never decide which one I prefer. They must all feel so slighted)

The worst part, though, is that I sometimes cheat on...writing?

How does this work, you might ask? How can you 'cheat on' an activity? It has no emotions... well, that's as may be. As anyone who has ever enjoyed a novel will tell you, books are very real indeed, and when you're actually beginning to write one, this problem (and oh yes it is a problem- there are voices in my head. No wonder writers are frequently considered mad... we have borderline multiple personality disorder) is magnified. When there are so many delectable new situations to write about, how can I pick just one? When my muse abandons me (probably to go eat chocolate. It is in my head, after all) is it so wrong to go explore a new story?

...judging by the piles of paper everywhere in my room, all relating to different storylines, I'd say yes.

What are some things you cheat on?

Oh, and to continue the literary mood, here's my current favourite song! (I might soon dump it, but for the moment we are deeply in love.)

Happy Easter, blog ninjas!

currently...

For whatever reason, I am super excited to write a post of this type. (I suspect it is because I am super tired, and talking about myself requires little to no effort... I am a constant font of wisdom, or maybe just made-up words.)

Reading: Cotillion, by Georgette Heyer. This book (like most of Mrs. Heyer's, actually) is like chocolate: a comfort read. I can be near tears... read... then still be near tears, but from laughing. (I think I mention this whenever I talk about a book I'm reading- rest assured not everything I read is funny, but I do dearly love to laugh. Yay for random Jane Austen references!)

Watching:...New Girl. Yes. Still. Repeatedly. Also, The Mindy Project! (Has anyone ever heard of this? It's in a similar wacky-girl vein.) However, I couldn't find this week's online... I think that the presidential candiate debate played instead. -sadface- How dare politics interfere with my TV watching? Obviously I need to find some Canadian programs to watch, seeing as our elections are so short that one week it's like, oh, there's an election and the next day it's like, oh, wait, we're voting today...

Working On: scholarship applications! Yay money! (Or maybe just hard work for nothing. Who knows. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for CASH!) Blah. If any of you feel like sending me cheques for my wonderful blogging skillz, please let me know.

Thinking About: the fact that 'retardis' should really be a word: someone who is dumber on the inside than they look on the outside. (Doctor Who, anyone?) Also, the fact that The Lizzie Bennet Diaries are soon nearing a scene that I think Darcy will appear in. Does that make sense? I'm trying not to be too obvious for fear of SPOILERS! (Which, in case you didn't know, is also a Doctor Who reference.) (I know, I know, crazy fangirl alert.)

Listening To: Taylor Swift's latest release (OMG her album comes out on Monday! Excitement central!) as well as some Owl City (this song is so adorably stalker-ish... and no, I didn't think I'd ever say that either) and a... boyfriend checklist song? (It is positively darling, and I can picture myself singing this to someone.)

Eating: nothing... but I want pumpkin. I saw this recipe for pumpkin cinnamon streusel cake and I want it... but I am lazy and so I am not cooking. (I am fully one of those people who bookmarks 500 recipes and eventually makes 3 in a year.) While I'm at it, I also want every single one of these cupcakes because I can't pick which one looks best. (Yes. I will one day become a hippo.)

Tea would also be lovely  (after reading this mouthwatering post by Em) because tea is just THE BOMB. (Side note: is that cool? I keep reading 'cray' and 'cray cray' everywhere for 'crazy'. Is that the new hip thing now? Is hip even in? As a teenage girl, aren't I supposed to know these things? I'M SUCH A LOSER.) However, it is late at night (read: after eight, oh my) and so I will resist temptation... sigh.

Anticipating: my basketball tournament! We leave next Wednesday... I just realised that yesterday, and was like OMG I NEED TO PACK. (Yes. I have a week. That's not really a lot of time when you look at the size of my closet. Plus, I have to bring several different outfits because I will probably be sweaty... gorgeous, I know.)

Wishing: that I did not have to work. (Whine, whine.)  I know. I should be grateful, and I am... especially when I hear the horror stories from friends (example: the girl who works in the deli and has to empty chicken grease into a gigantic vat... all together now, EWWW) or think about how much shopping money I have. (Shallow, yes. Exciting, even more so!) Ah well, keep calm and write blog posts, right?

Not gonna lie: I had a ton of fun writing this post. (Hopefully it wasn't too boring!) What about you? How is your week going?

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?

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?

back to the real (..okay, the blogging) world

After a lovely cardio workout (yay for basketball practice!), I feel much better about the whole school situation. (Now, don't be impressed by the fact that I am on the team.  Fun fact: yesterday we had our school gala for kooky awards, and which one did I win? Klutziest. Yes, that is the heritage I will leave behind.) There really is something to be said for a school so small that you don't even have to try out- there's not enough people who want to play, so you're automatically on the team! (Weirdly enough, I think a quarter of the ENTIRE highschool plays. And that's just the girls.)

Plus, I realised that yesterday I was supposed to talk about... my favourite books!

These are some of my top ones... but they're only the ones I own! Most of the books I love I order through the library. More of them can be found here on my Goodreads page.  Do you go on Goodreads? OMG it's probably one of my favourite sites! As I mentioned here, I love bookstores, so it's like a bookstore that I can go through while sitting at home eating chocolate! (Mind. Blown.) 

29- Bag

This is my school backpack. Isn't it the cutest thing ever? 

Pandas, penguins, platypi (platypuses?)- p animals are just the best. Plus, I'll let you in on a little secret: I got it at a secondhand store (SHOCKING!) thereby proving the adage that one girl's trash is another's treasure. What's your opinion of secondhand shopping?

I couldn't resist a chance to show off my lovely look today, either. Don't I look retro? 

Since lately I've been loving these three things... I also decided to link up with this wonderful party!

Go check out some more wonderful links- I'm sure the joy will help carry you through the week! And speaking of joy... Finding new blogs to follow is something I absolutely love doing. New and exciting posts... makeup ideas... DIYs... recipes... (procrastination techniques....)- there's just so many great things about the blogosphere! With that in mind, I joined these two wonderful blog hops!

About halfway through my following spree, my computer decided that I was a robot and started requiring a word verification every time. (You'd think it would have more faith in me after all we've been through!)

Why not join up too? You might find some new and exciting blogs, just like I did!

the narcissistic view from my window

So... I know I'm still doing the photo challenge... but today I am cheating a little bit. I already took a photo of the view from my window (and it can be seen here) so I decided to, instead, give you all a quick view of what is happening through the window of my mind. (Yay for metaphors!) Follows a (somewhat complete) list of everything I've been thinking about recently... (Also it gave me the opportunity to, as I mentioned last week, use the word narcissistic in a title! because let's face it I can be slightly self-obsessed.)

-why do I keep biting the inside of my lip? it's all swollen and sore, and I don't know why it keeps happening, I think my teeth are in the wrong spot but I used to have braces so that can't be right

-maybe I just eat too much gum, 4 pieces a day is perhaps excessive

-but then I'd just eat more chocolate-covered almonds OMG they are my life why are they so good and why do they have so many calories? it's just sad

-also salted nuts and roasted veggies yay food!

-but also exercise, running is so much fun, I ran to the post office and I am so proud...why does no one ever send me exciting parcels? A MYSTERY

-and why is amazon so slow? My gorgeous phone case probably won't arrive for a month and I want to show you all the amazingness that it is

-it's British and we all know that British things are the coolest

-during the university tour the guide thought I was British because this was my outfit:

-aren't we cute? Yes we are and we look so university-ish, OMG I can't wait to be a university student, I AM SO READY and yet I will probably cry a river when time comes to actually leave but it is so thrilling

-school starts in 5, yes FIVE DAYS, and I work this entire weekend so I can't even enjoy it

-I will be bored, but I will have money (yes I think about this all the time and have even posted about it I think, but whatever you all probably feel the same, amiright?)

-except school doesn't even pay me and yet it is probably more boring (except for english class because I get to write on my blog, hahaha)

-however the thought of fall is exciting, I am sitting on the deck and dying of heatstroke right now

-why does my laptop generate so much heat? Is it going to spontaneously combust? OMG I'M GONNA DIE, you may all share my hat collection

-thank goodness my cellphone is not this warm or I would definitely pass out since it is always in my pocket

-although really, I don't text that much, I swear I'm not that annoying girl with her phone always in her face

-no I'm the annoying girl who's always holding a book

-OMG I just read Keeping the Castle by Patrice Kindl (go read it now, link to Goodreads provided) and it is literally my favourite book ever, I don't say that a lot so you know I really mean it this time, it is so funny that I CRIED and had to stuff my face in a pillow for fear of waking the children I was babysitting up

-THANK GOD I am an only child because I think I would be tired all the time if I had a sibling

-especially if they decided to spray Febreze in my mouth, that stuff is VILE

And now I'm out of breath and must stop. (Gag. Even the thought of Febreze is revolting.) What are some things that have been on your mind recently?

And, as usual for the Thursday, this is my contribution to Jenny Matlock's wonderful linkup!

catching up

Good afternoon dearest listeners! (Side note: I always put a salutation, I've realised. Is this necessary? I don't know... it just seems empty without it somehow.) I have returned from my university road trip, and aside from an excessively sore bottom, am none the worse for wear. (A longer post will be dedicated to it later... it was actually super fun as well as being educational, and what's better than that?!)  Until then, here are the photos for the days I missed! (Obviously I am not meant to do challenges like this... it's kind of a fail. Sorry.)

17/18- My happy place and my favourite store

Okay, so I had to combine these two.. because I couldn't decide which place made me happier. (I am a total material girl. I freely admit it.) Sephora: MAKEUP. Indigo: BOOKS. Really, if someone started a store that combined these two things, I would love you forever. (My new life goal? Hmmmm...) Which one do you prefer?

19/20- Outfit/Reflection

I combined these two as well... because you get to see my gorgeous work clothes! (The worst part is the fact that my shirt is more flattering than my uniform shirt... which I return to wearing NEXT WEEK, I might die...) I've been spending quite a lot of time in this glamourous outfit recently, I'm both pleased and saddened to say. Pleased: MONEY! work experience! Saddened: soul-crushing boredom. Ah well, can't have everything, right?

21- Favourite object

lh;ihaef;gfd OMG, this wasn't hard. I am rapidly becoming a total cellphone addict... it's not even funny... the worst part is that I keep thinking I've lost it, then I have a minor heart attack. Case in point: I was talking to my father on it, then thought, wait a second, my phone isn't in my pocket. WHERE IS IT? This persisted for several minutes before I realised... wait, it's in my hand. (In my defence, I had previously spent eight hours in the car. Road trips turn my brain into green, scrambled eggs.)

And Little Amber- not a favourite OBJECT, in case anyone was wondering. He/she is far too alive for that! (He/she even has his/her own post here!)

22- Guilty pleasure

OMG (again... I probably use this acronym far too often) coffee is truly the best. This would be an amazingly  cute photo of me were it not for the random guy walking around in the background... (I mean really, if you're going to photobomb, can't you at least do it in an interesting way? Thanks so much.) What's your guilty pleasure?

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?

my eyes are vibrating a little

Out of the following list, I'm not sure which is sadder; the fact that I...

a) read 2736 pages of manga in the past 2 days (152 chapters, around 18 pages each);

b) took the time to calculate that (hey, I miss math!... okay, that's not really helping); or

c) actually wrote 'read manga' on my summer goals list. (Maybe I should add 'Have a summer goal list' to that, too.)

For those of you who don't know, manga is a Japanese story-telling form; a novel told mainly through drawings, which are done in a specific style- big eyes, slightly disproportionate figures... In general, the storylines and characters are also very dramatic and humorous... or very dark. They're nice summer reads because the books are small, quick reads (2 chapters takes me around 15 minutes to read, feel free to calculate the approximate amount of time I spent reading...) and, even if you can't find the book, there are tons of translation sites online.

However, if you decide to read an entire series online like me, beware! You might end up looking like this:

Which series was I reading so avidly, you might ask?

Bakuman!

It's about two boys- a writer and an artist- who decide to create a manga together. (How meta.) As you can maybe guess from the fact that I read most of it in two days, I quite enjoyed it!

Also on my summer reading list are a few I've already read: 

Death Note (...okay, confession, I've already finished it too. Be warned- this one will actually make you think! Done by the same artist-writer combo, funnily enough)

Fruits Basket (my favourite series I've read so far... cute, funny and weepy, what more could I ask for?) 

and Azumanga Daioh (HILARIOUS. Don't read this in public, because the onlookers will think you're a rhino snorting. Okay, maybe that's just me)...

as well as a few I haven't: Bunny Drop, Afterschool Charisma and The Wallflower. 

(Links to Goodreads are provided for all of them, by the way!) 

What about you? Do you have a summer reading list? Do you read manga at all?