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A lightbulb moment

2011-05-25T15:34:00.000-04:00

I don't think I've ever shared this piece of information on here before, but I will today.

I've been trying to write a book.

Kinda random, maybe a little crazy, I know. I have a few ideas floating around in some notebooks (yes, like actual paper) but I keep getting writer's block. So frustrating! I started one story in particular sometime last year, and really liked what I had so far. I love the characters, and despite not exactly knowing where the plot was going, I liked what I had written. See the problem? I don't know where the plot is going. Huuuuuge problem! So untitled story sat beside my dressor, taunting me, for who knows how long. Until a few nights ago. I was laying in bed trying to fall asleep and bingo! Ideas started to pop into my mind. I was so excited! Naturally I had to get up and write down what came to mind, and that led to about 2 hours of me laying in bed again, not being able to sleep. I was just so excited to finally have a direction to take my story. Now the problem is to get my ideas on paper.

Yes, I did say paper. I'm kind of old-school where I like to write things down on paper with pen. I was this way in high school and college too. When everyone was handing in first drafts of essays and whatnot all typed up, mine was chicken scratch, hand written. I've always felt that my ideas flow better when I have a pen in my hand. Not to mention, I like to see where my thought process has taken me, with things scratched out, arrows here and there with add-ons. It's good to see where you've been, and maybe go back. That's kind of hard to do while sitting at a computer and hitting delete. Plus I don't get on my computer too much anyway, and notebooks are just handy.

So here's to hoping that I will have some success at this next attempt at writing. I miss writing more than one can imagine, and hopefully I'll be able to conquer any potential writer's block. One key piece of advice I've heard from many authors is that, when you experience writer's block, you've taken the story in the wrong direction; go back and start again. This idea has been in the back of my mind for a while, and has even helped me to figure out where to go. I can't wait to see where my story is going to take me!

Bookish Things [16]

2011-05-25T15:23:00.000-04:00

...in which I talk about what I'm reading, what I've just read, what I can't wait to read. Basically, all things book!

The list:
*Defiance by Lili St. Crow
*The Magnolia League by Katie Crouch
Crusade by Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguie
*Shift by Jeri Smith-Ready
*Divergent by Veronica Roth
Angelology by Danielle Trussoni
*Illusions by Aprilynne Pike
The Poison Eaters by Holly Black
*Graveminder by Melissa Marr
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
*Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier
*Abandon by Meg Cabot
Something Deadly This Way Comes by Kim Harrison (current read)
Angel Burn by L.A. Weatherly

* = read

Shelf Talk:
I've read quite a few books since the last installment, some of which you can see above. I also read The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong, Plague by Michael Grant, Prophecy of the Sisters and Guardian of the Gate by Michelle Zink and Wither by Lauren DeStefano. I really enjoyed each and every one of these books, and all for different reasons (seeing as how their topics are very broad).

I've also started in on the Twilight Saga Official Guide, which is quite the read. The interview with Stephenie Meyer highlights a lot of different topics, and definitely opened my eyes a bit wider. If you're a Twilight fan, I think the guide is something you'll want to add to your collection.

Short and sweet installment this time, and as always, feel free to let me know what you've read, and anything else book related!

Bookish Things [15]

2011-04-13T11:37:00.000-04:00

...in which I talk about what I'm reading, what I've just read, what I can't wait to read. Basically, all things book!

The list:
*Red Glove by Holly Black
Plague by Michael Grant
The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong (current read)
*City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare
Teeth: Vampire Tales by multiple authors
The Twilight Saga: The Official Guide by Stephenie Meyer

It's a very short list this time, which means I'm getting better at posting more often :)

Shelf Talk:
The first four books on that list came out on the same day (or at least, I bought them all on the same day) and between work and other life events, I haven't been able to get through them all yet. I'm working on it though!

Red Glove I absolutely loved. This series by Holly Black is pretty unique in it's story line, and I always find myself thinking ahead as to what's going to happen. I guess I'm just trying to figure out the con :) Definitely a 5/5 for this one.

CoFA. Honestly, I have no words. Cassandra Clare is one of my favourite authors, and I love each book more than the last. Of course, I was not particularly fond of the cliff-hanger ending, as we now have to wait until next year to find out what the heck is going to happen. 5/5 all the way!

I'm currently reading The Gathering, and I'm about 100 pages in. So far, I really like it. There are hints to Kelley Armstrong's previous series in here, so I'm interested to see where the story is going to take us.

The last installment of BT had me reading Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton. I liked the storyline, but I wasn't a fan of the writing. I'll probably pick up any sequels to see where things go, though. 3/5.

If you guys have any current or past reads that you have opinions on, feel free to let me know :) I love reading your comments!

Some random thoughts of the day

2011-04-13T11:19:00.002-04:00

Good morning everyone! (or afternoon, depending)

I had the day off from work today and thought I'd get all settled in at my computer and apply for jobs, but sadly, I found nothing that I'm qualified for. What are the odds? It's kind of a letdown, but I don't really know what I'm supposed to do.

So here I am talking to all of you guys (hopefully you're still listening).

I ended up not being chosen for the jury I was summoned for. Although I did come really, really close. I was terrified! It's a scary thing being the sixth person away from serving on a jury. I brought a book along to help kill the time (if you've ever been, you know that it's a lot of hurry up and wait), and even had to go back the next day. Luckily for me, I wasn't needed.

I don't know where you guys are in the world, but here in Canada we are faced with an upcoming election. Last night was the only english debate between the leaders, and although I didn't watch a lot of it, I did catch some. It's highly entertaining watching these 4 men bicker with each other in a set format way. I already know who I'm voting for, so the debate really wasn't going to sway me either way. I have to say though, that during elections, I would rather hear about the issues, and what each party is going to do for the country should they be voted into power. No, I do not want to hear mud slinging and name calling, nor do I want to hear a certain party leader constantly trying to put fear into the minds of Canadians about a supposed "coalition government". I also can't stand the term "strong, stable conservative majority". It's grating at my last nerve! Well, I guess you now know who I'm not voting for :)

In other news, the playoffs get underway tonight in the NHL, and despite the fact that my team is, yet again, not one of the contenders, I do have a couple of favourites. Naturally I'm going to be cheering for the only 2 Canadian teams - Montreal and Vancouver, but I also like the Philadelphia Flyers. They are a rival of my beloved Leafs, but I do like them, and they almost succeeded last year. But if it came down to it, I'd hope for an all Canadian final :)

On a final note, one of my favourite shows came back on Monday night, Paranormal State. There are only 7 episodes, but I'm excited nonetheless! This show is one of the only ones that I've seen that is believable, and I'm going to miss it once it's over. But at least I always have the seasons on DVD to re-watch!

Bookish Things [14]

2011-03-31T16:21:00.004-04:00

...in which I talk about what I'm reading, what I've just read, what I can't wait to read. Basically, all things book!

Here's the list:
*The Demon Trapper's Daughter by Jana Oliver (see below!)
A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
Haven by Kristi Cook
The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney
Vampire Empire: The Greyfriar by Clay Griffith & Susan Griffith
Magic Lessons by Justine Larbalestier
Angelfire by Courtney Allison Moulton (current read)
*Dark Goddess by Sarwat Chadda (there's something I really like about his books, and I think this one is my favourite so far. I love the addition of new characters.)
Vesper by Jeff Sampson
*Darkest Mercy by Melissa Marr (the last book in the series, and it did not disappoint. It's sad to leave the characters behind, though.)
*Afterlife by Claudia Gray (amazing end to a great series. Not at all what I thought was going to happen!)
*The Dark and Hollow Places by Carrie Ryan (I looooooved this series!)
*Shimmer by Alyson Noel
Secrets and Shadows by Shannon Delaney
*Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins (I really like this series. I can't wait to find out what happens next...)
Wither by Lauren Destefano
Chime by Franny Billingsley

Here's a new segment I like to call "Shelf Talk"
- On Tuesday, the latest books from Cassandra Clare and Kelley Armstrong will be released. City of Fallen Angels and The Gathering, respectively. I love both of these ladies, and both of these books are really like additions to pre-existing series. Definitely can't wait!
- I finished Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann a while back. I thought this book was amazing. I highly recommend it. It's interesting to be inside the head of a very OCD person, plus I loved the story line, as it was unique. Definitely a 5/5 for this one!
- I also read Firelight by Sophie Jordan. It was very different, but I liked it. There's not exactly a lot of books about dragons, so it was good to switch things up! I'll give it a 4/5.
- The Demon Trapper's Daughter by Jana Oliver was really good. I relate it to Lili St. Crow's Strange Angels series, so if you liked those books, I think you'll like this one too. Another 5/5!

In movie news, I saw Red Riding Hood a few weeks ago, and I loved it. I read the book, and was VERY disappointed that we didn't find out who the wolf is. Low and behold, the movie held the answer. There was an extra about 15 minutes in the movie and I loved it. Plus I now love Max Irons and Shiloh Fernandez.

Hmmm I think that's about it for now. I know there are a lot of books coming out in the next month or two that I'm looking forward to, so you may not see another BT posting until after then!

Another Update

2011-03-31T15:53:00.002-04:00

Hello once again fellow bloggers, I have another update for you, and it hasn't been over a month! Shocking, I know.

Anywho, I mentioned about that potential promotion at work - well, no dice. They decided on the other girl, saying I would be better suited in a management role. Truth? Not really what I want to do. So, I'm back to searching for jobs in the field in which I went to school for. I think I've had enough retail, so it's time to put my money where my mouth is and change things up. I hope I'll be able to find something, otherwise I'll be stuck in retail for what will seem like forever.

Moving on.

Everything else is pretty quiet around here. I have to go for jury duty next week, and that's not really exciting. I'm definitely going to bring a book with me to keep me occupied.

I've knit a bunch of things since the last time, and even tried mittens. Well, okay, mitten. Singular. My needles were smaller than needed, so my mitten looks really skinny and long, and honestly, a little awkward. I bought new yarn for a different pattern and a different way to make them so hopefully they will work out better!

I have a new installment of bookish things coming your way very soon. I know that it's been a looong time since the last one, so I hope you enjoy it. Other than that, I think that's pretty much it.

Oh, actually. I had to go for training for something at work today, and while on my way home I had three interesting scenarios.

1 - at a 4 way stop, it was my turn to go so I went. The guy coming from my left came from nowhere and slammed his horn at me for turning. Um excuse me? You did have a stop sign, it's not my fault you're a bad driver.

2- sitting at a red light, I was the front car. The light turns green and within about half a second the guy behind me honks his horn. Really? The light JUST turned and I barely had my foot off the break. Jerk.

3 - I had to stop by a store to pick up a few things. I pulled into a parking spot, only to discover the guy in front of me leaving. Drive through!! As I was finishing up my parking, two guys walked in front, both staring. Ya, that's not awkward. When I got out of the car, one of the guys started to say something beginning with "damn girl!" I promptly walked away, so I have no idea what he said after that. Leave me alone buddy. "Damn girl" is definitely NOT a pick-up line.

That's all for now, so I'll see you soon!

An update

2011-03-17T18:23:00.000-04:00

Hello fellow bloggers!

I realize in one of my last posts I said I would write more often but that really hasn't been an option lately. Work has been a little crazy, and I've had more shifts so that's my main reason. Our visual person got a promotion for another store about a month ago so I decided to apply for her vacant spot. ...as did one of the other girls. It's been a long (and frustrating) wait, and despite being told several times they were going to make a decision, so far, no dice. I's really like to buy a car, so getting this job would definitely be a step in the right direction!

Last week I received the most dreaded kind of letter in the mail - a jury duty summons. Yup. I have to report at the beginning of April. Here's hoping I DON'T get picked (but with my luck, I totally will).

I've been busy buying a lot of books lately, and my current standing is 340. Crazy, I know. My bookcases and bank account do not thank me. Hopefully I'll find the time to update my Bookish Things posts, but no promises.

I know this was short, but hopefully it'll still keep you around. I'm hoping to post more as soon as I can, but stuff happens!

Hope you all had a great St. Patrick's Day!

Bookish Things [13]

2011-02-04T11:51:00.000-05:00

...in which I talk about what I'm reading, what I've just read, what I can't wait to read. Basically, all things book!

I thought I was going to have a really long list for this one, but surprisingly, it isn't as long as I thought! Here goes...

Bought since the last installment:
Mercy by Rebecca Lim
Too Much Happiness by Alice Munro
No Humans Involved, Personal Demon, Living With the Dead, Frostbitten by Kelley Armstrong (actually, those were all birthday presents :) )
*Night Star by Alyson Noel
Extraordinary by Nancy Werlin
*Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead
Matched by Ally Condie
Vixen by Jillian Larkin
*Entice by Carrie Jones
Wuthering Bites by Sarah Gray
*Tempestuous by Lesley Livingston
*Awakened by P.C. & Kristin Cast
Unearthly by Cynthia Hand
Red Riding Hood by Sarah Blakley-Cartwright
The Gift by James Patterson
*To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
*Bloody Valentine by Melissa de la Cruz
The Lost Saint by Bree Despain
Blessed by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann
Firelight by Sophie Jordan
Warrior by Bryan Davis
The Trust by Tom Dolby

*= read

Other books I have read since the last time:
The entire Vampire Academy series by Richelle Mead (which I HIGHLY suggest by the way!)
Misguided Angel by Melissa de la Cruz
I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore (soooooo good! I can't wait for the movie!!)

Normally I'd add my ratings, by honestly, they were all so good, I'll give the 6 books in Mead's series as well as MA and IMNF 5/5. Yup, they were all that great!

For all of you readers out there, what have you been reading? Anything noteworthy or something you would highly suggest? And of course, anything you're looking forward to? For me, Melissa Marr is releasing Darkest Mercy this month, so that will be on my list!

That's all for today, but I hope you all have a great weekend!

I'm still here!

2011-01-24T14:30:00.000-05:00

Hello fellow bloggers,

I sincerely hope I still have your attention, I know that it has been quite a long time since I last checked in - and I do apologize for that.

The truth is, I just haven't had the time or motivation. Working in retail is not an easy thing around Christmastime and I worked a lot this past holiday season. Coming home at night, all I wanted to do was veg out. Understandable right?

I can't promise I will be on here frequently, however, I am back in the job hunt phase so hopefully I will manage to find some time to keep you all posted, and see what you have been up to with your own lovely blogs.

I mentioned my lack of motivation, and that can be said for many aspects of my life right now. I gave up a while ago on my "grown up" job hunt, as I was getting nowhere, with none of the positions I applied for panning out. Not even for interviews! It can be a very frustrating process, especially since it's been about 2 and a half years since I graduated college. I'm not the ideal candidate, being out of the game for so long, but I have the skills they want - and trying to convey that isn't easy. It's not like I can put "just hire me, dammit!" on my resume and expect a phone call.

Another area that's been getting to me, especially lately, is my seemingly never-ending "single" status. I recently had 2 good friends get engaged, with both weddings coming next year (not to forget one of my best friends getting married next year too!) If you are single, you understand what I mean. As much as we are happy watching our friends get engaged, married, have kids, it's a very difficult thing to process when you have none of those prospects in your (immediate) future. Quite frankly, it can be depressing. Not in a slit-your-wrist kind of way, but more like a "when will it be my turn?" way. I've decided that, this year, I'm just going to go with the flow, see where life's little (and big) roads take me. I've decided that I need to learn to be happy with what I have, and not to complain too much. Things happen when they happen, for reasons still unknown.

Okay, enough with my philosophical ideas, and back to you guys.

I hope you still pay attention to my little space on the world wide web, and I hope to keep up with you all this year!

Author signings!

2010-11-10T13:49:00.000-05:00

So this past Friday I had the chance to meet Holly Black and Cassandra Clare, two authors that I love. Clare is definitely one of my all time favourite authors, so when I found out she would be coming to my area, I was very excited! (I love Holly Black too, don't think I'm hating!!)

The only thing is that because they do write for teenagers, there of course are a ton of them present. The girls infront of pinkbilly and I would not shut up! I honestly don't remember being that annoying when I was their age.

Anywho, if I didn't have such issues with my computer, you would be seeing a picture of the ladies right about now, but unfortunately you will just have to take my word for it. They are both very bubbly and outgoing, and could definitely talk your ear off! I love how they are so down to earth, and clearly love meeting their fans. (Holly drew a cute little cat in one of my books!)

If you recall, at the end of September I mentioned how pinkbilly and I went to the Smart Chicks Kick It signing. I don't even know which of these two events garnered the most fans, but it's obvious that all of the authors involved are appreciated and admired!

Have any of you guys ever met someone (be it an author, actor, singer or otherwise) that you were excited to meet? Did they meet your expectations, or were you disappointed? I hope it was the former, because it always ruins things when you really want to meet someone, and it's a big let down. So far, that hasn't happened to me, and hopefully (fingers crossed!) it won't!

Bookish Things [12]

2010-11-10T13:27:00.000-05:00

...in which I talk about what I'm reading, what I've just read, what I can't wait to read. Basically, all things book!

This post has been LONG overdue! My sincere apologies! I do have a big list, so please, bear with me.

Bought since the last installment:
Paranormal State by Ryan Buell
Tattoo by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Unraveled by Gena Showalter
Another Pan by Daniel & Dina Nayeri
The Morganville Vampires - Midnight Alley & Feast of Fools by Rachel Caine
Fearscape by Simon Holt
Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen
Elixir by Hilary Duff
Ascendant by Diana Peterfreund
The Exiled Queen by Cinda Williams Chima
Nightshade by Andrea Cremer
Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick
Eternal - More Love Stories With Bite by multiple authors
The Fledgling Handbook 101 by P.C. Cast
Misguided Angel by Melissa de la Cruz

See, I told you there was a lot!

In addition to all of those books, I have read quite a dew as well. I'll keep things short and simple so as to not drag on forever!

The last time I wrote one of these posts, I was reading Torment by Lauren Kate. Quite simply, I loved it. I tend to love sequels and this one did not disappoint.
Overall rating: 4/5

Next I read Paranormal State by Ryan Buell. You may recognize him from the A&E show of the same name. I LOVE this show, and even had a chance to meet Ryan back in March. He's a really nice guy, and I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book. It gives a more in-depth look into the first season of the show, and even into some of his personal life.
Overall rating: 5/5

Beautiful Darkness was simply amazing. Again, I think it outdid the first book in the series, Beautful Creatures. Plus I love all things southern, and I can't help but to hear accents while I'm reading (I'm a weirdo, what can I say?)
Overall rating: 5/5

Legacies by Mercedes Lackey & Rosemary Edghill was great. I think I read it in less than two days, I couldn't put it down. I definitely can't wait to see what is going to happen next!
Overall rating: 4.5/5

Discord's Apple by Carrie Vaughn was a book that I saw on a table display, something I never really check out. Don't ask me why, but I just go straight for the shelves. It was definitely a unique story, and if you love people and stories from all throughout history, I think you make like this one.
Overall rating: 4.5/5

Diana Peterfreund's Ascendant was a surprise for me. I had a really hard time trying to get through Rampant. I don't know if it was timing, or the pacing of the book, but it was a tough read for me. But I never give up on a series, so I naturally bought the second one. I loved it. The storytelling was great, and the pace and story itself were definitely much better for me.
Overall rating: 4/5

Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick was also on my reading list. I always seem to get this one mixed up with the Lauren Kate's books (both series being about fallen angels, plus me reading them around the same time) but it was another great read. I both love and hate when an author leaves things hanging, so it will be a long wait until then next one for sure!
Overall rating: 4/5

I just finished Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen. I loved the Luxe series, and naturally I picked this one up out of curiousity. It didn't disappoint. I feel like I'm back in late 1920s New York, which this book is set in, and can't help but worry for these characters. You just don't know what they're going to decide to do next!
Overall rating: 4.5/5

I started Misguided Angel by Melissa de la Cruz yesterday, and am already about halfway through. I love the Blue Bloods series, and the adventures and problems of the characters at hand.

If you're reading this, then thank you for reading until the end! Hopefully I won't get this list to be too long for the next time...

An apology.

2010-10-29T16:33:00.000-04:00

I'm so sorry, my fellow bloggers. I have been neglecting my blogging duties. The last post was at the beginning of the month (!!) and despite having lots to write about, I have just disappeared. Not literally, just, you know, figuratively.

I have read A LOT of books in the past month, have finished a scarf, and have even attempted and succeeded using double pointed needles...and using 4 at once. It felt like I was learning to knit all over again, but I love my handwarmers, and thank Pinkbilly for her help! She is always there when I have a knitting inquiry (or issue) and always seems to know the answer. Or, her sister does and the problem gets resolved nonetheless. (p.s. she has just added a book review feature to her blog, so definitely check it out!)

I have rediscovered why I don't like to think about high school, all thanks to some quality time with old friends. We don't spend as much time together as we used to (thanks, life. You're fantastic at getting in the way!) so it's nice to get together when we can. Case in point: looking at pictures from said awful years for a wedding slideshow. It's not pretty (literally) but it's still fun to laugh about how things were "back then".

Work is work. I had all of 10 hours this week (actually, not even) and I was thoroughly annoyed. This led to me stop my as-of-late slacker habits, and apply for 5 jobs today. I'm impressed with myself, to be honest. However, my back and head do currently hurt so I will be cutting this short very soon. I just wanted to check in with the blogging community, and hopefully gain some readers back.

I hope all is well with all of you, and I *hope* I will be back in action more often this coming month.

I'm still here!

2010-10-06T13:21:00.000-04:00

Hello all!

It may have seemed like I disappeared from the blogging world, but have no fear, readers, for I am still alive and kicking!

I haven't been near my computer in 2 weeks, and it was actually kind of nice. Some of you faithful few have heard me discussing my technology woes before, and that has been part of it. However, I had quite the surprise when I decided to log on today, and discovered that a certain instant messaging program has decided to work again. Over a month ago, said program "found a problem" and refused to open. I even mentioned last week to my mom how, since it wouldn't work anymore, I would just delete it off the computer. I guess it got scared, didn't want to leave, and came back to life. I'm quite shocked, and we'll see if it lasts or if I'm just having a good day.

I have lots to discuss, which will have to be saved for another time. Among them include the Smart Chicks Kick It tour which happened...well, a couple weeks ago. I'm a slacker, what can I say. I've also read a few books, and am awaiting the release of some highly-anticipated ones as well.

I also mentioned a while back how I was trying to figure out what to get my parents for their anniversary, and I decided to photocopy some pictures from their wedding day, and put them together in a frame, collage style. They loved it, so I'm happy that worked out.

Hopefully I'll also find some time soon to check out all of your wonderful blogs. Blogging is the one thing I can't seem to figure out how to do from my phone, so that was one of the few drawbacks for not logging on to the computer.

Anywho, for all you Canadians out there, enjoy the Thanksgiving long weekend coming up! I know I will :)

Bookish Things [11]

2010-09-23T12:05:00.000-04:00

...in which I talk about what I'm reading, what I've just read, what I can't wait to read. Basically, all things book!

It has been almost a month since I've last posted in this category. I can't believe it's been that long! Surprisingly, I haven't bought as many books that I would have expected from myself in that time frame. But these are the ones I did manage to round up:

Radiance by Alyson Noel
Legacies by Mercedes Lackey & Rosemary Edghill
Sleepless by Cyn Balog
Discord's Apple by Carrie Vaughn
Voices of Dragons by Carrie Vaughn
The Dark Divine by Bree Despain
Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Mistwood by Leah Cypess
Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
Halo by Alexandra Adornetto
The Haunted by Jessica Verday
Torment by Lauren Kate

In preparation for the Smart Chicks Kick It tour that is heading in my direction this weekend, I made sure to read a couple of books by a couple of the authors that are coming. I probably would have got to them eventually, but I moved them up on my to-read list just so I knew what they were about before actually meeting the authors.

Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes was one of said books. I loved this book. I had a hard time putting it down, and I think I secretly like books about weres more than anything else. There was a section of the book where I was not impressed, and did actually want to put it down because I was mad about the turn of events, but I knew things would have to work themselves out so I pressed on. (This also may have had to do with the fact that I'm really bad and have to look at the last couple of pages before I start reading a book) Said events unfolded themselves in a way that I didn't think of, and by the end I felt better about the section that I disliked.
Overall rating: 4/5

The other book that I wanted to read has been sitting on my bookshelf for a while, and that would be Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready. Again, I thought it was well done, and I read it in two afternoons. I was impressed with how the story progressed, and a little surprised with the ending. I can't wait to find out what is going to happen to the main characters next.
Overall rating: 3.5/5

Radiance by Alyson Noel kind of snuck up on me. I didn't realize it existed until I saw it in the bookstore, and of course, I bought it right away and made it my next to-read. If you're familiar with Noel's Immortals series, then you will appreciate this book. Radiance follows Riley, the sister of Ever (who appears in the Immortals' books) as she figures out what to do with herself now that she's died. The afterlife isn't all fun games, and Riley discovers that she has a job to do. It's a cute book, mainly aimed at a younger audience, but I still liked it. I can't wait to see what other adventures Riley gets herself into.
Overall rating: 3.5/5

Hands down, my most favourite current read is Cassandra Clare's Clockwork Angel. This one is a prequel to her Mortal Instruments series, which I loved. I can't even say which series I like best, so I will call this one a tie. If you loved the MI series, or love books about things that go bump in the night, this one is for you. I'm just super bummed the next book doesn't get released until next year!
Overall rating: 5/5

I am currently reading Torment by Lauren Kate. I was very shocked to see it on the shelf of my local bookstore, as I knew it was supposed to be released this coming Tuesday. I am also still reading Perchance to Dream by Lisa Mantchev. I'm such a slacker, I know. I have read more of it though, and I believe I only have 3 or 4 chapters left. I have given myself the deadline of December 31st to finish it. I'm sure I can do it.

Weekly update

2010-09-15T12:24:00.000-04:00

I have a feeling that I will be posting every week, as, I may have mentioned once or twice, I like to avoid my computer like the plague.

I haven't been on here in like, a week, and of course it chose today to do some updates, and essentially froze my inbox. Yup. We do not get along.

Things at work have been a little crazy, one girl can't work, a few others quit and I've been working a lot because they've been scrambling to get shifts covered. Although I do hear a bunch of girls have just been hired. We shall see.

My migraines/headaches have continued, and we are now past the 2 week mark. I'm seeing my doctor later so hopefully he'll have some wonderful insight and possible answers for me. I've kinda had enough of popping Advil's a couple times every day.

My parents are celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary this year, and I've been racking my brain trying to figure out what to get them. I went through some photo albums yesterday, their wedding album included, as I have thoughts of doing something with the pictures. But truth be told, I have no idea what to do. I was thinking about getting a colour copy done of one of their pictures, and framing it along with a recent picture of them, but I think it makes more sense in my head then it actually does physically. If any of you have any suggestions, they would be more than welcome :)

Last week, I mentioned how my mom might quit her job. Well, she did. She's staying until someone else is hired, but I know she'd really rather not. This guy is kinda crazy, and apparently there's nothing wrong with him, it's all 11 people that have quit on him in the last 4 years. Mmhmm. Right.

As far as my knitting goes, My latest scarf is on hold, as I am currently making a blanket for my grandparents for Christmas. It's quite the feat, let me tell you. The needles (which are circular, and the first ones of their kind I have used) are huge, and I am essentially knitting six strands of yarn together at the same time. My hands are killing me. I think today I am going to stick with reading, and give my hands a break.

That's all I can think of for now, but I hope you are all doing well!

One year

2010-09-08T12:35:00.000-04:00

It has come to my attention that I have now been blogging for one year. Cool right? Well, even if you don't think it's cool, it's alright. I just thought I'd share!

This post is going to be a mish-mash of everything that's been going lately. Are you ready?

First off, yesterday was the first day since last Tuesday where that awful migraine hasn't come at me. I'm pretty impressed! I was beginning to think I'd have to go to the doctor to get it sorted out. Now that I've said that, it's probably come back today. Here's hoping it won't.

Secondly, and this is completely out of the blue, but I just watched the new Kings of Leon video for their next single, Radioactive, and I have to say it was different. I really love the song, and from what I've seen in the past, this video is definitely different for them. Their new album comes out in October (!!) and they've already announced a European tour, so it's only a matter of time before they come back here :)

I've been emailing one of my teachers from college about what to do with my life. I graduated two years ago, and have been in the smaller percentile that still has yet to do anything with my diploma. It sucks, I won't lie. She suggested doing an online course through a university (she actually did this program back in the day) and I think I might. I think what's holding me back, though, is the work. Again, it's been two years since I've been in school, and even longer than that since I've had to write papers and essays and I think that's part of this other online program. Sigh. I just don't know what to do! It's very frustrating, and I wish I had a sign to say what to do. I can be very indecisive, and this is definitely going to be one of those decisions that will take me a while.

My mom has been at her new job for a few months now, and I think she might quit. She came home very upset last night, crying, and I hate seeing her like that. She left the office over an hour after she was supposed to, and I think that just added to her frustrations yesterday. It's a really tough situation, and *hopefully* things will work out how they're supposed to, and for the best. It's this in between stage that's the worst part, waiting to see what's going to happen.

As I have the day off today, I plan on doing absolutely nothing. I'm currently between books, as I finished Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare last night (which, by the way, I absolutely loved! I'll write more about it in my next bookish things post). I'm currently working on a new scarf, and I would love to post pictures of my last one except my computer hates me and froze when I went to upload pictures. Maybe one day. I'm probably going to make a cake today, as around my house, baked goods heals all wounds. Or, at least, numbs said wounds for a little while.

That's all for today's random babblings, but I just want to thank you all for reading my blog, and hopefully will continue to in the future! Hope you all have a great week!

I hate migraines.

2010-09-03T12:12:00.000-04:00

I have had the worst migraine ever in my life this week. I woke up with it Tuesday morning, with the "aura" (as our family's medical book from 1984 described to me) and aweful pains that lasted all day. I don't get a lot of migraines, but when I do they only last for a few hours, as I just take something and sleep it off.

Not so much.

I slept for two and a half hours through the day on Tuesday (which is extremely rare for me) and I still had the migraine. I wasn't impressed.

When I woke on Wednesday, I seemed fine, but as I was leaving for work, I felt it coming back. And of course, that's the day our district mananger decided to visit, and everything was at its worst x10. They ended up sending me home early, and I slept for another hour and a half before dinner. Still, this migraine was relentless.

I had some things to do yesterday with my dad and it was a struggle trying to get through it all. The weather here has been awful, with the humidex it's been feeling like the high 40s (celsius), so that definitely wasn't helping matters. I ended up sleeping for another couple hours after we got home.

So today I'm taking it easy, and I can still feel the remains of the migraine from hell, and I'm hoping it will go away soon. I don't know how much more I can take!

Bookish Things [10]

2010-08-27T13:50:00.000-04:00

...in which I talk about what I'm reading, what I've just read, what I can't wait to read. Basically, all things book!

I bought The Eternal Ones by Kirsten Miller, and ordered four books in store this week. They should be in Monday, or early next week. They're books that have been released for a while, but the stores in my area never received. They are Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, The Dark Divine by Bree Despain, Voices of Dragons by Carrie Vaughn and Mistwood by Leah Cypess.

I finished Betrayal by Gillian Shields late last week. I think it was better than the first book in the series, Immortal. I'm not too sure if this is the last book, or if there will be another. The way it ended could go either way. I'm actually pretty happy with how things ended.
Overall rating: 4/5

I just finished A Kiss in Time by Alex Flinn. This one surprised me with how much I liked it. Flinn does another great job making an old fairy tale into a modern day story, and I can definitely see this book being made into a movie, just like Beastly was. The characters were very likeable, and had great personalities to boot.
Overall rating: 5/5

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare, and Unraveled by Gena Showalter are both being released on Tuesday. My local store already has copies of CA, but apparently it's a hard release. However, they did give me a coupon for 20% off of it. You can't go wrong with that!

In other book-related news, the first season of Vampire Diaries is being released on Tuesday, and I hear the new season starts the first full week of September I believe. I can not wait for this season, I think it's going to be awesome now that Catherine is back in the mix of things.

Becoming a better blogger: Part 5

2010-08-27T13:31:00.000-04:00

So today's better blogger post wraps up all thirty days. It's amazing how fast time goes, even if I didn't technically do this the right way. Without further ado, here are days 24 through 30.

24- Where I live: I live near the city of Toronto, in a city that keeps on growing. It's actually not that bad of a place, despite all the grumblings of "there's nothing to do". Well, we're just lazy because I'm sure there is a lot to do. I prefer the suburbs, as the city is just not my thing. There's way too much going on, lots of people in a small area, and that freaks me out just a little.

25- My day, in great detail: Today, all I've really done is clean my bathroom. I got up around 9:30, had a shower and got dressed. I was way too lazy to dry my hair, and with nowhere to go at all today, I put it in braids. It never turns out the way I want it to, so I never leave my house when it looks like this. I had some breakfast, then got down to the wonderful task of cleaning. I share the bathroom with my brother, and God only knows that he never cleans. Needless to say, I'm pretty exhausted right now. I plan on sitting around the rest of the day, maybe do some knitting or starting a new book.

26- My week in great detail: Are you sure you want to know about this? It could be pretty boring. I guess I'll start with last Saturday, the 21st. I worked 8:30 til 1, had a baby shower to go to at 3, had to leave that early because it was also my aunt's birthday and had to be there for that. I didn't get home until about 8:30 that night. Our street decided to have a party and we didn't go (why would we?) but I could hear the music blasting very loudly. I almost went outside to tell them to knock it off, but my parents reminded me that the sound laws don't kick in until later in the night. Eventually they gave up and all was quiet again. Sunday I didn't have to work. Honestly, I don't even know what I did that day. I probably slept in as I was very tired from Saturday, and probably just sat around the house. Monday I worked all day. I honestly don't do anything after work, so I just watched some tv and whatnot that night. Tuesday I was supposed to have off, but a girl needed to switch her shift, so I worked 11-5. Same as Monday night, did absolutely nothing. Wednesday I had off, so I went out with my dad like I had planned for Tuesday. I bought a hanging organizer for my closet from Bed, Bath and Beyond, then bought some yarn at Michael's for my next project, went into a pet store to look for cat shampoo. I didn't see anything I liked, so we looked at the cats instead. There was this really pretty orange girl there, and she looked so soft and cuddly. My dad decided to go into Future Shop to have a look around, so we went there. We then went to the grocery store, with intentions of only buying soup that was on sale. I think he spent around $45 altogether. So much for just getting soup huh? We got home around 2:30, and I had some lunch. I had a nap around 4:30, and woke up in time for dinner. Nighttime was the same, just hanging around the house. Yesterday I really didn't do much through the day. I added some more rows to my current project, a scarf. I had to work last night, and got home about 10:15.

27- My worst habit: I bite the inside of my lip. A lot. I do it so much I don't even realize I'm doing it. I'm even doing it right now, hahaha.

28- Whats in my handbag/purse: I'm pretty good with keeping things organized in there. Right now, I believe I have an assortment of lip glosses, my keys, wallet, some hand cream, a bandaid (you never know), a hairtie, bobby pins, and a lock for my locker at work. I can't think of what else could be in there, and I'm far too lazy to go upstairs and look.

29- Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days: Well, what I'd really like to do is find a full-time job, doing something that I love. But that's becoming less and less likely, so *maybe* go back to school. I've been trying to save for a car, but I don't think that's going to happen either. The money just isn't there, and although I will at some point have to get a loan, I don't want to be paying for it forever. I think I also want to find myself. I've been feeling like I'm in a rut, and it's very hard to get out of. I think finding what truly makes me happy is something I really want to do (even if I can't go to the other side of the world for a year, like in Eat, Pray, Love).

30- A dream for the future: Even when I was in school, I said that if things didn't work out I'd love to be a stay at home mom. My mom worked, and I don't hold anything against her, but I would love to be able to stay home and raise my kids. But of course that would only work if my husband had a job that could support this idea. On that note, I really want to get married. I always say I'm just going to end up a crazy old lady that owns a lot of cats, and I really hope that doesn't actually come true.

Becoming a better blogger: Part 4

2010-08-26T12:10:00.001-04:00

Today's agenda: Days 16-23

16- A song that makes me cry (or nearly): This one is kind of a toughy, because it honestly depends on what kind of mood I'm in. Although I do have to admit, the song "Hallelujah" (performed by anyone) always gets to me.

17- An art piece (drawing, sculpture, painting, etc): Hmmm this one is even more of a toughy. I'm not really into art, so I can't really answer this question. Sorry guys, that was kind of a fail!

18- My future wedding: I'm not a religious person, so I don't think it would be in a church. I'd love to have it outside and probably in September. I used to say I'd want it in May, but thinking about it, September is a great month too. Depending on when in September, there is that hint of fall in the air, and *possibly* some leaves may be changing. As far as my dress, I've been watching a lot of Say Yes to the Dress lately, and I've decided I want something more traditional, that has straps and some lace in it. But this is all hypathetical of course, as I need a boyfriend before I can start planning wedding details :)

19- A talent of mine: Well, if you'd have asked me a year ago I'd say I have no talent. But as most of you know, I took up knitting this year. I've discovered I'm actually not that bad at it, but I still have yet to learn all of what there is to know. I feel accomplished when I'm done a project, and I can say "look what I made!!" I'm such a nerd.

20- A hobby of mine: Knitting is definitely one hobby of mine. I also LOVE reading. I like to bake when I have the time, and I like writing when an idea hits me upside the head. So far, I've satrted three stories. One I think I will never return to, the second I'm trying to decide where to go with it, and the third is still relatively new and I'm trying to figure out how I want it to go as well.

21- A recipe: As I just mentioned, I do love to bake. I think my favourite to make is chocolate chip cookies. Although I use my grandma's recipe, I'm sure you can find any recipe online and it will turn out well. Here is my grandma's though:

1/2 cup shortening
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packs
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg, well beaten
1 cup sifted flour
1/2 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 package of chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Cream shortening, both sugars and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat. Sift together flour, soda and salt, add to first mixture. Stir in nuts and chocolate chips. Mix thoroughly. Drop from tsp. on lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes.

22- A website: I really like Ravelry, the website for knitters. You can search forever for different patterns, and it never gets old.

23- A youtube video: I have to admit, I don't go to youtube a lot. In fact, it's hardly ever. I guess I would just use it to watch music videos from my favourite artists.

Stay tuned for the next installment of the better blogger posts, as it will wrap everything up!

10 days

2010-08-22T13:18:00.000-04:00

That's how long it's been since I was last on my computer. Crazy huh? I know I say this a lot, but I don't come on here a lot anymore. I always seem to have an issue when I do go on, so I just avoid it as much as possible now.

I spent the majority of the week working, and being exhausted because of it. Yesterday was the worst, I think, as I had to work 8:30-1, come home and eat lunch, go back out to a diaper party (baby shower) then leave that early because we were having a surprise party for my aunt. I didn't get home until about 8:30, then was kept annoyed for the next 3 hours because the people at the top of my street decided to have a "street party" and blast really loud, obnoxious music that thumped with the bass. Ya. Good times.

A while back I went for a job interview, (and by while back, I mean early June) and never heard back from them. Until Friday, when an email was sent saying they had filled the position but they would keep my resume on file. Really? It took that long to say "thanks but no thanks"? It's been a very hard struggle trying to find a job in the field that I want, and I honestly didn't think that two years after graduating I would find myself seriously considering going back to school. When I graduated, I said I was done with school, that I would never go back. Mainly because I thought I would find a job no problem, but partly because I just wanted to move on with life..school just keeps you in that same frame of mind, and I wanted to be somewhere else. But now, I can't help but feel demoralized and unwanted by potential employers, and I feel stuck in my retail job.

I brought up the idea of me going back to school with my parents, and they both has this pleasantly surprised look on their faces. I think they were beginning to wonder what I was planning to do with my life, as they know I don't want to work retail forever. They want me to be happy, and they know that ideally that would be in a job that I've already gone to school for, but things don't work out as planned. It just really sucks, and I'm not too keen on spending the rest of my life in an office job.

I've also had other things on my mind, things that I don't like talking about with even my friends, so I recently started writing in a journal to get my thoughts out. I think it's been helping to sort through the random thoughts swirling around in my head. Plus I just like physically writing things down, with a pen and paper.

My reading has taken the backroad again, as I felt the need to make something. So I found a pattern for a scarf (that is super easy) and I'm almost done it. I realized as I was making it, that it would be great for my mom, the pattern and the colour go together perfectly for something that she would wear, so when I'm all finished I'll give it to her. I was hoping that she wouldn't see it, but she did. At least I know she likes it!

Hopefully I'll find some time this week to write more in my better blogger posts, and I have a lot to catch up on for those, so I'm thinking I have a couple posts to do this week.

Bookish Things [9]

2010-08-11T14:25:00.001-04:00

...in which I talk about what I'm reading, what I've just read, what I can't wait to read. Basically, all things book!

Recently bought:
Jealousy by Lili St. Crow
The Fallen 2 by Thomas E. Sniegoski
Betrayal by Gillian Shields
I Am Number Four by Pittacus Lore

So I finished Linger by Maggie Stiefvater, and loved it. I think it brought a whole new element to the series, and didn't expect the story line at all. It introduced a new character, Cole, and I was really unsure about him all through the book until the ending. He actually grew on me, and I hope it stays that way when the next book is released. I felt really sad when I was reading the last few chapters, and I couldn't even explain it. I felt something coming, and couldn't help but feel the sadness Sam felt.
Overall rating: 4.5/5

I also read Jealousy by Lili St. Crow. I know I've said before how much I love this series, and it just keeps growing. I'm so enthralled by the characters that when I finish reading one of the books I'm dying for more. That's how I feel with the latest book in this series, and it's going to feel like forever until the next one is released. If you like books about the supernatural and things that go bump in the night, this series is for you.
Overall rating: 5.5

The next book that I'm anticipating is from Cassandra Clare, Clockwork Angel. I loved the Mortal Instruments series (which, she just recently announced, will have more books. Yay!) and this new series is like it's prequel. Unfortunately, it isn't released until the end of the month, so I guess I will have time to catch up on other books I've been meaning to read.

Becoming a better blogger: Part 3

2010-08-11T14:05:00.000-04:00

Days 10 through 15.

10- A photo of me taken over 10 years ago: Not happening! Just imagine your typical, awkward 14 year-old, and you have me. Moving on.

11- A photo of me recently: I really despise having my picture taken, and am not overly impressed with the pictures that I'm in most recently, but my profile picture is a pretty decent one, and that was taken in early May.

12- Something I'm OCD about: I think I have a lot of OCD moments, like double and triple checking to make sure I have everything I need (wallet, debit card, cell phone, keys, lip gloss etc.) When I'm at work, I'm constantly cleaning up after everyone because it drives me crazy when they don't throw out empty bottles, cans or garbage, or when they take something out and don't put it away. I always need to have 2 pens when I'm on cash, one for me and the other for the customers. It drives me crazy when these pens get taken and moved somewhere else where there is already a pen or two. I know, I'm weird.

13- A fictional book: I already told you in my first better blogger post that I loved The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson, and I'm sticking by that one. But I guess I will have to go with Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. Totally cliche, I know, but this series is the main reason I got back into reading, and it will always have a hold on me.

14- A non-fictional book: I really haven't read a lot of non-fiction books, but there is one that stands out for me, and that's Dispatches From the Edge by Anderson Cooper. I have so much respect for him and would absolutely love to meet him if I could, and this memoir gives so much insight into his life. I laughed and cried while reading it, and didn't want to put it down. It's incredible the life he has led and everything he has gone through, and when it's all put on paper like that, it almost plays out like a movie.

15- My dream house: I've never actually thought about this, because for the majority of people it would be next to impossible to actually find your dream house and be able to afford it. However, I'm a fan of old style houses, like in the Victorian era. There's just something about the architecture that draws me in, plus the thought of how many people must have lived in that house before you and what kinds of lives they led is intriguing to me.

Becoming a better blogger: Part 2

2010-08-05T14:18:00.000-04:00

Today's agenda: day's 5 through 9.

5- Favourite quote: This one is a little random, but is something that is always in the back of mind, especially when I'm feeling down about things or situations. It's a line from Eleanor Roosevelt; "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent"

6- 20 of my favourite things:
1 my cat
2 my family
3 my friends (who are really just an extension of my family)
4 baking
5 knitting
6 reading
7 writing
8 life, and all of it's ups and downs...i believe every moment has it's own reason for happening, or lesson to teach even if you don't understand it at the time
9 backstreet boys
10 reese's peanut butter cups
12 christmas morning
12 the first real snowfall of winter
13 watching the first flowers blooming in the spring
14 slippers
15 spending time with people i don't often get to spend time with
16 curling up in bed after a long day
17 falling asleep during long car rides, and waking up with a seriously sore neck
18 the moon, when it's one of those harvest moons...really huge, orange and low in the sky
19 driving while i'm alone...at first i thought it was lonely, but now i appreciate the time
20 loud, abnoxious thunderstorms

7 & 9- a photo that makes me happy, and a photo that I took
My cat went through a phase a few years back when she wanted to sit with me while I was on the computer, and she even tried getting in on the action. This was the result. I just think it's so cute and it makes me smile everytime I see it.

Day 8-a photo that makes you angry/sad: I really couldn't find one in my uploaded pictures that makes me feel either of those things. I do have a picture in my room though, that makes me sad whenever I look at it. It's the pamphlet for my Ampa's funeral, and his picture is on there. Whenever I find myself looking at it, I can't help but wonder what things would have been like had he been alive these past 12 years, if the family dynamic would be any different. I wonder, when he looks at us, what he thinks. If he shakes his head at all the nonsense that goes on, and what he would say to us about everything that's happened since he died.

Becoming a better blogger

2010-07-31T11:49:00.001-04:00

A few of my favourite bloggers, whom you can find here, here and here, are doing this challenge where, over a months time, you answer a set of questions. Now, I really don't have as much time to spare on the computer as I used to, but I do want to answer some of the questions. So every week (hopefully) I will enlighten you with my own answers. Chances are I won't be answering all of them either.

To start, here is the list:
Day 1-your favorite song
Day 2-your favorite movie
Day 3-your favorite television program
Day 4- your favorite book
Day 5-your favorite quote
Day 6- 20 of my favorite things
Day 7-a photo that makes you happy
Day 8-a photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 9-a photo you took
Day 10-a photo taken over 10 years ago of you
Day 11-a photo of you recently
Day 12-something you are OCD about
Day 13-a fictional book
Day 14-a non-fictional book
Day 15-your dream house
Day 16-a song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17-an art piece (drawing,sculpture, painting, etc)
Day 18-my wedding/future wedding/past wedding
Day 19-a talent of yours
Day 20-a hobby of yours
Day 21-a recipe
Day 22-a website
Day 23-a youtube video
Day 24-where I live
Day 25-your day, in great detail
Day 26-your week in great detail
Day 27-my worst habit
Day 28-whats in my handbag/purse
Day 29-hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30-a dream for the future

So for my answers this week:
1- Favourite song: Anyone who knows me well knows I LOVE Backstreet Boys. And while I have quite a few favourites from them, I'm going to go with a completely different band, and say Use Somebody by Kings of Leon. I can listen to this song on repeat non stop, and never get tired of it.

2- Favourite movie: I'm such a nerd, I think one of my favourite's is A Knight's Tale. I know this movie pretty much by heart, and again, I never get tired of it. Heath Ledger was great in it, and the storyline was cute. It always helps when you have AC/DC on the soundtrack.
An addition: I always forget Remember the Titans until it comes on TV, but it is also one of my favourite movies ever. I can't explain it, I just love it. The fact that it's based on a true story just makes it that much better!

3- TV show: Ok, I have a lot of favourite shows, and they come and go over the years. I think the most original show that I loved was Lost. You never knew where the story line was going to go, and even after the series finale, I'm still a little lost (pardon the pun). There's still a bunch of things I wanted to know, but sadly never will.

4- Book: I have a huge collection of books, so this one is a bit of a toughy. But I think my favourite is The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson. It's such a unique story and left me satisfied at the end. Normally I want more from books, and though I do still want more from this one, I'm happy with where it ended and how.

That's all for today. I'll probably post some more of my answers through the week.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Bookish Things [8]

2010-07-30T12:26:00.001-04:00

...in which I talk about what I'm reading, what I've just read, what I can't wait to read. Basically, all things book!

Bought since the last installment:
The Book of Tomorrow by Cecelia Ahern
Linger by Maggie Stiefvater
13 to Life by Shannon Delany
Guardian of the Gate by Michelle Zink

I've been good lately, and haven't been going book crazy. Saving money is always a good thing, and me going into a bookstore can lead to very bad things.

I'm (still) reading Perchance to Dream by Lisa Mantchev. I know, I know, hurry up and finish it right? It can't be that bad. It's not, I promise. It's just that I get distracted easily and I've read some books I've been itching to read instead of finishing PtD. I will finish it one day. I promise.

I'm currently (actively) reading Linger by Maggie Stiefvater. After I finished Shiver, I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen next. I'm roughly halfway through, and so far, it's not disappointing me. The storyline took a road I didn't expect, so I'm interested to see just what is going to happen.
Mid-read rating: 4.5/5

I finished Charlie St. Cloud by Ben Sherwood last week, and again, this story took such a huge twist I couldn't believe it. I honestly can't wait to see the movie (tomorrow!) to see how that version compares to the book. I know it can't be exactly the same, but I hope some points do remain. One major thing I already know is that Charlie, in the book, is in his late 20s. Clearly Zac Efron is not that old, and I'm okay with it. This book was definitely unique, and I would highly recommend it, especially if you like stories that have a supernatural twist (Charlie being able to see and talk to his dead brother).
Overall rating: 4/5

Coming out this Tuesday (though my local bookstore apparently has copies already, something I must check out before work tonight) is Jealousy by Lili St. Crow. I really love this series, and once finishing the first two books in this series, Strange Angels and Betrayals, I couldn't wait to find out what more Dru would be going through. This girl has been through a lot, and yet she still has more she needs to deal with. I guess there's no rest for the weary.

I'm really hoping I can get back to reading a couple books per week, as I have sooo many I want to get to. It's a little intimidating at times looking at my bookcases and the books I want to read, and then trying to prioritize. Too many books, so little time!

Lastly, if you have some time, check me out on Goodreads.

Until next time...

I'm such a slacker

2010-07-29T14:08:00.002-04:00

I really haven't been going on the computer as much as I used to, hence the reason why there are fewer updates on here!

Nothing really has been happening, I've just been working a lot (as per usual). Work has been ok, it's summer so it's busier and that's kinda good. It's nice being busy with customers, but sucks when there's other things that need to be done and not enough time to do it. We had our "back to school" party thing recently (I know, we're like, halfway through summer) and I guess it went alright. We had one last year too, and it was pretty much the same. They fed us, which is always a good thing :)

Last night I went to the Kings of Leon concert with a couple friends. First, I have to tell you, I have never been to a concert other than Backstreet Boys. So this experience was a little different. There was no running around the stage or dancing, just four guys playing their music. I could have used a little more crowd interaction, and I was really hoping they would sing one of my favourite songs, Revelry, but they didn't. Use Somebody was amazing, and I wish I had charged my camera's battery so I could take a video of it, but I'm an idiot and my camera died before the halfway point of the show. Lesson learned.

I think that picture is my favourite of the ones I managed to take, maybe because it's of Jared. He's a gorgeous man, and I wouldn't say no to running away with him.

Short chapters, or long?

2010-07-21T14:25:00.001-04:00

Hello all,

I have been MIA for the last week, and with good reason: vacation! I went up north to a cottage with some friends, and believe me, a vacation was long overdue. It's definitely nice to get away for a little bit, and when you don't have money to be jetsetting, a cottage a few hours away is heaven....except when you get eaten alive by mosquitos, and end up looking diseased.

Anyway, while on said vacation, the topic of book chapters came up. A couple of my friends say they like longer chapters because they can read the book faster that way. I personally love short chapters for the exact same reason. When I pick up a book that has long chapters, it takes me longer to get through it because I really don't like stopping mid-chapter in favour of life-related tasks. With shorter chapters, I can squeeze in more in a shorter time span, and know I'll be able to finish it. It may also be because I tend to have a small attention span, and get easily distracted by what's going on around me.

So, what do you guys prefer? Long or short?

Catching up on my knitting

2010-07-12T14:07:00.003-04:00

A while ago, I said I was knitting up a little cell phone cozy, and promised to show how it turned out. I finally got around to uploading a picture of it, as well as a tote bag I just recently finished.

I think it turned out well, it fits my phone perfectly and looks so cute!

My other recent project was a tote bag. It came out smaller than the pattern intended, I think, but it still looks pretty good. I added a bunch of detail stitching to the front, and made two pockets instead of just one. I still have yet to use it, but for now I can just admire my work :)

Bookish Things [7]

2010-07-12T12:07:00.000-04:00

...in which I talk about what I'm reading, what I've just read, what I can't wait to read. Basically, all things book!

To start, I bought a handful of books this week. They are:
Deception by Lee Nichols
Blue Bloods: Keys to the Repository by Melissa de la Cruz
Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella
Charlie St. Cloud by Ben Sherwood
My Name is Memory by Ann Brashares

When I left you last, I was reading Perchance to Dream by Lisa Mantchev. I still am. I know, it's taking me a while, but I swear it's only because I got distracted by Eclipse. So I have yet to get any further, as I also started reading Alyson Noel's Dark Flame. It was calling to me, what can I say?

***Just as a forewarning, if you haven't read it yet and plan to, this may contain some spoilers. So don't say I didn't warn you!***

Now, this latest installment in the Immortal's series had some ups and downs for me. First, the downs. I don't think I have ever disliked a character as much as I do Haven. I feel like she's an attention grabber, she doesn't respect her friends the way she should, and she is very narrow-minded, only seeing what she chooses. All of this becomes even more present in Dark Flame, and I can't help but wonder if she will ever change. If I knew someone like her, I definitely would not be her friend. It would be a very unhealthy relationship to have. On the plus side of things, though, Ever grew A LOT during this book. She started off as her usual self, thinking she has to do everything on her own. But she finally comes to the realization she can't fix things on her own, and she finally fesses up to Damen about everything. Ever is very headstrong, but she finally admits defeat, and realizes that focussing on the negatives isn't doing her any good. I'm SO GLAD the lightbulb went off for her, as I didn't know how much more I could take of her foolishness. With all that said, I will absolutely be buying the next book, Night Star, when it comes out in the fall.
Overall rating: 3.5/5

I also managed to squeeze in Keys to the Repository by Melissa de la Cruz. It's a little book that gives an overview of what the Blue Bloods series is all about. I love when author's put out something that has everything you need to know about a series. It helps sort through information, especially when there's a lot of it, and it keeps the reader on track as to what is happening. Plus it doesn't hurt that she included the first two chapters of the next book in the series, Misguided Angel. It keeps you excited about the series, and keeps it in the forefront of your mind in between book releases.
Overall rating: 4/5

I'm really excited about reading Charlie St. Cloud, and My Name is Memory. They both have interesting plot lines that I can't wait to dive into. I'll hopefully have the former read before the movie is released, and that may mean putting Perchance to Dream on hold...again.

Total Eclipse of the Heart

2010-07-07T12:14:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone! I hope you're all having a great week so far. Me, I haven't left my house since going to work on Monday. Good thing too, as we are in the midst of a crazy heatwave here. With the humidex, it's been feeling like the mid 40's (that's celsius, of course!) and our air conditioner is definitely working overtime. I've been making an effort to help the power grid by not turning the computer on since Sunday (every little bit helps, right?) I'm currently in the middle of a mid-week long weekend from work, and it's been nice knowing I don't have anywhere to go, especially if it means going out into the stifling heat.

Now, I saw Eclipse last Thursday, and haven't had a chance to talk about it until now. Can I say how much I loved it? It stayed fairly close to the book, despite a few things getting juggled around, but overall, it was a job well done. The wolves look as menacing as ever, and our beloved Cullens definitely look a lot better than they did in Twilight. I'm not hating on Twilight, I'm just saying ;) I'm hoping to see it at least once more, as I did the same for both Twilight and New Moon, so why not keep it going right?

I had the intention of re-reading the book before seeing the movie, and I did it. I was sitting in the movie theatre, waiting for the previews to start as I finished it. *Pats self on back* I honestly didn't think I'd be able to finish it, but I kinda sped-read through most of it and I think that helped.

I can't believe we now have to wait until November of NEXT YEAR to see the first installment of Breaking Dawn. I guess I'll be ok with the last Harry Potter movie coming out in the meantime, but still. Wizards aren't vampires, despite how cool it would be to have magical powers.

Letting out a sigh of relief

2010-06-30T13:48:00.000-04:00

The past couple of years have been tough on my family, mainly because my mom lost her job, and money was extremely tight. She had a job two years ago for about three months, but unfortunately, she was one of 300 or so let go. It was tough, but she had her severence package and things were okay. However, after months of searching and who knows how many job applications, nothing was happening and things were looking very bleak.

As I have previously mentioned, she got a job at a local bookstore about four months ago, and despite it being a source of income, things were still really tough. I mean really, how can you provide for your family when you're working *maybe* 15 hours a week at minimum wage?

Well, relief came.

She applied for this job on Friday morning, was called that afternoon for a "pre-interview", was asked to come for a real interview on Monday, and was officially given the job yesterday. Crazy huh?

I think we're all feeling a bit better now, and not worrying about keeping the roof over our heads, and so on and so on. Hopefully things work out for her at this job, as I'm sure she wouldn't be able to handle being let go again. Truth be told, I don't think any of us would handle it well.

Unfortunately for me, this means I'm back to taking the bus. So now I'm really hoping for a full-time job so I can finally get a car of my own, and not having to rely on borrowing my parents' cars. I did go for an interview a couple weeks ago for an on-call position, but as of yet, have heard nothing in either direction. The waiting game is definitely not among my favourites.

Bookish Things [6]

2010-06-25T14:22:00.000-04:00

...in which I talk about what I'm reading, what I've just read, what I can't wait to read. Basically, all things book!

I kinda went a little book crazy since my last installment, and bought 9 books. But really, there was a buy 3 get 1 free sale. I can't say no to that. So, bought this week are the following:

A Kiss in Time by Alex Flinn
Whisper by Phoebe Kitanidis
Pretty Little Liars and Flawless by Sara Shepard
Fire Bringer by David Clement-Davies
Wayfarer by R.J. Anderson
Dead Until Dark and Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris
Dark Flame by Alyson Noel

My reading has picked up this week too. I finished The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer. I loved it. Honestly, I felt sorry for Bree by the time I was finished. It gives a lot of insight into one of the newborn vampires, and makes you feel for them. Two other characters were touched upon as well, Diego and Fred, and maybe Stephenie will see the popularity Bree had, and touch upon them as well. Definitely a must-read for any Twihard.
Overall rating: 5/5

I also read Early to Death, Early to Rise by Kim Harrison. I loved the first in this series, Once Dead, Twice Shy, and was interested to see where things would go next. Again, I wasn't disappointed. It took a route that I didn't expect, and the characters had a chance to evolve into something more. If you love paranormal stories, you should pick up these books.
Overall rating: 5/5

I'm currently reading Perchance to Dream by Lisa Mantchev, and am about halfway through. However, I think I may do something which I never do, and put it aside for a few days to read another book. I realized that Eclipse comes out this Wedneday (!!!) and I really wanted to re-read the book first.

Lastly, if you're signed up on Goodreads, feel free to add me.

What a week

2010-06-25T14:07:00.000-04:00

Before I start, I will apologize for my previous post. I had a meltdown; it wasn't pretty, and I needed to vent. That being said, I actually had a breakdown at work yesterday for completely different reasons than my meltdown last week.

As you may recall, I have been given extra duties at work, covering for one girl, our visual person, as she is required at another store 2 days a week. Yesterday, I think things finally got to me. Part of it also being the lack of consistancy going on too. Things are very disorganized, the communication is awful, and for a bunch of girls, we are complete pigs. No one seems to be able to clean up after themselves, and I am one of the only ones that bothers cleaning the back room of food and/or drinks. Yesterday was one of the days that I do other stuff, and it felt like I had the world on my shoulders. Our district manager was coming in today (and no, thankfully I did not have to work) and whenever she does, it feels like our stress level skyrockets. I knew the things I had to do, and I knew when I was going to do them. When you keep asking me and telling me when to do these things, I'm going to get pissed off. Then you come and tell me that the bikini wall needs to be filled and can I do that too? Ummm no. Do it yourself, you're more than capable. Other things happened, and my manager ended up taking me out of the store for a talk. My emotions love to betray me, and when I get that kind of upset, I cry. I don't mean to, it just happens. I think we ended up talking for at least half an hour. She promised me things would change, and that she does rely on me a lot and appreciates everything I do.

I guess I sometimes need reasurrance from the people around me, or else I, well, blow a gasket. The rest of the day went fine after that, although we didn't get through the boxes of stock (we had 17 of them. Yeah.) I'll find out on Sunday if everything went smoothly today.

Moving on now.

The weather this week has been crazy. And by week, I really mean day. While at work on Wednesday, I got a call from my mom, saying "did you feel it?" Ummm, feel what, mom? Apparently we had an earthquake. Strange! Apparently the epicentre was just north of Ottawa, and it was felt all across southern Ontario, into Quebec, and even across the border to some American states. The experts say the epicentre area is actually one of three places in Canada that earthquakes can happen, and that we may see an earthquake once every 5-10 years. My parents were actually mentioning how in the early 80's, they had an earthquake while they were living in an apartment building, though only my dad noticed it. I unfortunately did not feel this one, though it's definitely been a topic of discussion nonetheless. My mom also mentioned how our cat came down the hall just after it happened, and was bracing herself against the wall and looking around to make sure things were ok.

Later that same day, a tornado (an F2, they say) hit a couple hours north of where I live. Then that night, we had a loud storm that woke me up with its thrashings against my window. Everything happens in three's right?

Yes, I know, I'm writing a book here. But one last thing before I go. The past couple weeks I've been extra tired. As in, I can sleep for 10 hours during the night, but feel the need to have a nap in the afternoon anyway. About 4 months ago my doctor discovered that I'm low on iron, and am pretty much anemic, so he told me to take a supplement to help. I've been so tired lately, that it feels like these pills aren't even helping anymore, so now I'm wondering if there's something in the body that's preventing me from keeping the iron. I have a feeling I'll be going back to my doctor in the near future to see if he has any ideas.

Do you ever feel...

2010-06-18T12:41:00.000-04:00

completely hopeless?

Well, that's how I feel today. I hear confidence is the key, but that's a hard one for me.

Sigh.

Bookish Things [5]

2010-06-11T10:42:00.000-04:00

...in which I talk about what I'm reading, what I've just read, what I can't wait to read. Basically, all things book!

I've been seriously slacking in the reading department as of late. I've been super busy at work, plus I'm working on a knitted tote bag, and well, I just don't have enough time at the end of the day.

I'm (still) reading The Demon's Covenant by Sarah Rees Brennan, and I have about 100 pages left in it. I really am enjoying this one, but like I said, there just isn't enough time in my day. However, I am going to rate it anyway, as I kinda-sorta skip ahead while reading, so I have an idea of what comes next. What I like about this book is that the narration has switched characters, and this particular character, Mae, is a very strong one. She is very self-aware and independent, and would do anything for her brother. She faces some tough choices, but manages to perservere. She's definitely one of those characters that you could look up to.
Overall rating: 5/5

Since the last post, I've picked up a bunch of books:
The Prophecy by Dawn Miller
Early to Death, Early to Rise by Kim Harrison
Perchance to Dream by Lisa Mantchev
Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead
The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer

I have a feeling I'll be reading Bree Tanner next, as I am a sucker for all things Twilight.

There isn't anything (that I know of anyway) that is coming out soon, so I'm really just looking forward to catching up on my reading, and of course, counting down until Eclipse comes out in theatres!

Lastly, for anyone who is on Goodreads, you can check me out here. As I am pretty computer-challenged, I don't actually know how to put a box directly onto my blog, so that link will have to do for now!

Wherein browneyedgirl goes on a date

2010-06-05T11:53:00.000-04:00

Before I get to the reason why you decided to click on this particular post, I have to apologize again. I keep slacking in my postings, but this time I actually have a good reason.

Work is pretty strange and busy right now. One of our managers is sick and we don't know when she'll actually be back, and our visual person is needed at another store because apparently they can't do anything for themselves. Cue browneyedgirl. I've been told I'll be getting a lot more hours because of both of these circumstances. I will now be the visual person for the 2 days our real one is away, and I will be helping to cover (as much as a non-management person can cover) for the other girl. Can I tell you guys that I'm already tired? And this was only the first week.

So back to our main topic of discussion.

The first thing you must know about me is that I don't date. It's not that I choose not to, it's just that I don't get asked out. (wow, that sounds even worse when written out..yikes!) So Tuesday, a group of friends were going to see Prince of Persia (which, btw, was pretty good. I'd recommend you going to see it) and they also invited a friend of theirs. Needless to say, I felt pretty awkward the entire time, as I really had no idea what to do with myself. He ended up paying for me, (which my one friend then decided to deem the night a "date") and I wasn't really expecting it to be honest. Afterward, we were all standing around in the parking lot (there was 6 of us) and thankfully, one friend suggested going to the Tim Horton's that was nearby (yup, we're definitely Canadian). We ended up staying there for a couple of hours, and walked back to the cars. By then, a thought that had been persisting in my head the whole night had finally come to pass. How was getting home? Well, I drove there with 2 of my friends, and he drove himself so I was utterly lost. He asked if I wanted a drive home, so I said yes before my brain could actually process anything. It wasn't bad, conversation kept going, and it wasn't as awkward as I had orginally thought. I hugged him in the car and said my thank you's and tried really hard not to run to the door.

Now, it wasn't a bad night, it's just that I'm not used to dating and I had no idea what to do. I've heard from said friends things went well, and they must have because phone numbers were exchanged and many text messages have been exchanged ever since.

He's going away to a friend's cottage this coming week, so we have said we'll do something when he gets back. I'm thinking I'll still be awkward, but there's no way around that. I'm hoping it will get easier at any rate.

A heavy heart

2010-05-31T13:34:00.000-04:00

Another week has gone by since my last post, and yet I had been doing well. Three posts in like, 4 days I think it was. Stuff happens I guess!

Unfortunately, this weekend was not the greatest. My nanny had another heart attack and is in the hospital again. This is her second official heart attack since Christmas, with a bunch of what she calls "episodes" in between. She's 90 years old, and it is to be expected, but it still isn't easy.

What's really strange is that, during the same night she had the heart attack, my aunt, my mom and myself all dreamt about her. Weird right? My aunt doesn't really remember hers, but in my mom's dream, my nanny had a heart attack and unfortunately died. My dream was stranger still, as there were a bunch of my family gathered together with my nanny there, and we were voting on a possession of my nanny's and who would get it. Well, we all decided to give it to my aunt. My nanny was also wearing a tiara in this dream, but a really huge one, not the dainty things we're used to seeing. So it was very strange to find out that while the three of us dreamt about her, she was again fighting for her life. My mom is at the hospital right now visiting her, but I just couldn't go in with her. I don't want to remember my nanny frail and in a hospital bed.

Another strange thing about the timing is that my ampa (my nanny's late husband) died 12 years ago this coming Friday. I can't help but feel like it's not just a coincidence with this second heart attack. I think the worst part of growing up is realizing that the ones you love aren't always going to be there, that one day you'll wake up, and they won't.

Sorry to be such a Debbie-downer, and I hope you all had a better weekend than I did. I'm hoping for the best in this situation, but I know it may not turn out this way.

Bookish Things [4]

2010-05-23T00:06:00.000-04:00

...in which I talk about what I'm reading, what I've just read, what I can't wait to read. Basically, all things book!

So I've only read one book since the last Bookish Things, that being Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey. I absolutely loved it. There were a few times when I was a little confused, and those times were generally when it was talking about the mythology that this book is based around. But overall, it was a really good read. I was a little iffy when I saw it at the bookstore, as the cover is a little creepy with the white mask, but I thought the story was intriguing so I bought it. I loved how the main girl, Ellie, is not your typical character. She's described as being taller than most girls, and larger too. She doesn't feel all that great about herself, but by the end she does feel a bit better about her looks. She definitely does a lot of growing throughout the story. Plus of course, there is a love story brewing in the background, and I'm a sucker for them. It didn't quite work out how I wanted it to, but there's still some hope, I hope! If you love stories about different myths, then I think you'll really enjoy this one.
Overall rating: 5/5

This week, I picked up Sarah Rees Brennan's The Demon's Covenant, Rachel Caine's The Morganville Vampires Glass Houses & The Dead Girls' Dance combo book, and Christine Johnson's Claire de Lune. I'm currently reading The Demon's Covenant, and loving it. Granted, I'm only a few chapters in, but still. I loved her first book, The Demon's Lexicon, so I have high hopes for this one too.

As for what I'm looking forward to, Early to Death, Early to Rise by Kim Harrison and Perchance to Dream by Lisa Mantchev are both coming out this Tuesday, so I'll definitely be swinging by the bookstore to pick them up!

My Reading Habits

2010-05-22T11:24:00.001-04:00

I discovered this little survey over at The Book Shopaholic and thought it was cute, so I filled out it for your reading pleasure :)

Do you snack while you read? If so, favorite reading snack: Not really, but if I do it's probably peanut m&m's...they're easy and won't leave any smudge marks on the page.

What is your favorite drink while reading? Whatever I feel like having at the time, either pop, juice or iced tea.

Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of writing in books horrify you? It drives me crazy if someone writes in books. If there's something I want to remember, I'll write it somewhere separately.

How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears? Laying the book flat open? Dog-ears also drives me crazy! I usually use a bookmark, but sometimes I'll lay it flat.

Fiction, non-fiction, or both? Fiction all the way. Although, Anderson Cooper's Dispatches From the Edge was really good.

Are you a person who tends to read to the end of a chapter, or can you stop anywhere? I hate having to stop mid chapter! I at least have to get to the end of a chapter, or if the book has section breaks within the chapter and I have to go away from the book, I'll stop there.

Are you the type of person to throw a book across the room or on the floor if the author irritates you? No way! I cherish my books, no matter if I don't like the current read.

If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop and look it up right away? Ummm depends on the word. If it comes up a lot, then yes, but otherwise I just keep going.

What are you currently reading? I just finished reading Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey. I'm planning on starting The Demon's Covenant by Sarah Rees Brennan when I get home from work tonight.

What is the last book you bought? Claire de Lune by Christine Johnson and the Glass Houses/The Dead Girls' Dance combo book by Rachel Caine.

Are you the type of person that reads one book at a time, or can you read more than one? One book at a time...even if the one I'm reading isn't holding my interest, I have to see it through before starting something else.

Do you have a favorite time/place to read? I like reading in my room, curled up in my chair. No one bugs me there!

Do you prefer series books or stand alones? It depends. If the stand-alone feels finished to me then I'm okay, but if I feel like it needs more than I get annoyed. I love series books, but I get impatient waiting for the release of the new ones.

Is there a specific book or author you find yourself recommending over and over? I have way too many favourite books. If someone asks me what's a good book to read, then I ask them what kind of book they want to read and go from there.

How do you organize your books? For the most part, alphabetically. Of course, it's nearly impossible to keep it completely that way, so sometimes it goes by size too.

I have a lot on my mind...

2010-05-20T19:17:00.000-04:00

...and I probably won't even remember it all here. But that's ok, if I miss some stuff that just means another post at a later date.

So for starters, I have been in shorts and a tank top all day. I can't believe the weather around here lately, as it seems to be changing constantly. There's a line that people who live in B.C. use- 'if you don't like the weather, wait 5 minutes'. Well, that seems appropraite for where I live at the moment too. At one point last week, I was wearing my (fake) Ugg boots, it was chilly enough. Then slowly it got warmer, and I'm in shorts. Kinda crazy, but I like it.

I am, for the most part, over the cold that took over my body. It was one crazy time last week, as I called in sick for all of my shifts. I sounded awful and felt even worse, so I'm glad most of it has passed. I still have a cough and at times a stuffy nose, but I'm dealing.

My grandparents, still seemingly on their whole 'let's buy all new appliances for the fam' kick, bought us a new dishwasher. I don't know how I feel about it. The setup is completely different than our old one, and it's complicated trying to get things to fit. As for the fridge, we've had it for a few weeks now and I'm slowly getting used to it. There's still some issues for fitting everything in, and it can be complicated as well, but we're starting to figure it out more.

In keeping with the grandparent theme, my mom took my nanny to the doctor yesterday to have some cancerous spots removed from her head. Well, it turns out the spots are too deep for the doctor to remove, but not enough for her to go to the hospital, so now she has an appointment with a plastic surgeon type specialist a month from now. Hopefully it goes well, and it all goes smoothly.

I was listening to the radio the other morning, and the morning show hosts were talking to the woman who inspired the show Medium (I don't know her name, my apologies). The female DJ mentioned how she was driving somewhere recently, and her sister popped into her head. Apparently her sister died quite a number of years ago from cancer, and the DJ was a little perplexed as to why she thought about her at that moment. The medium explained that sometimes our deceased loved ones can make us think about them (crazy huh?) and that led me to think about my ampa, my nanny's husband. He passed away almost 12 years ago, the anniversary is on June 4th. Since I heard this radio thing, he keeps popping into my head. Maybe it's what's happening with my nanny, or maybe it's because the anniversary of his death is coming up, I'm not sure. Another strange thing is that my nanny wants to get all four of her children together to talk about something (I'm thinking it has to do with her will). Maybe this is another reason why I'm thinking about him lately too.

I know I'm writing a book here, and I apologize, but like I said, I have tons on my mind. So thank you for making it this far!

In lighter news, I saw Letters to Juliet the other night, and I LOVED it! I'm a total sucker for these kinds of movies, I can't help it. I loved the story line and I loved the characters. Amanda Seyfried is becoming one of my favourite actresses. I didn't really like her in Mean Girls, but she's definitely picked better roles as of late. Vanessa Redgrave is apparently a well known actress (my parents know who she is anyway) and I have to say, she was also great. I loved how they made her character so free spirited and young. Christopher Egan was, I think, my favourite of them all. I couldn't help but fall for him, but it's not too hard considering how cute he is :) He was on a very short lived series called Kings (which I also watched) and I think he may become one the new up and comers in the business.

The only other thing that I can remember at the moment is my latest knitted project. I made a really cute cell phone cozy, and finished it today. If I get around to it, I'll take a picture so you guys can see.

If you stuck around all the way to the end, I commend you. I've been slacking in the computer department as of late, and really haven't spent much time on here. Hopefully I won't let it go too long before I write more about what's on my mind.

Bookish Things [3]

2010-05-12T00:18:00.000-04:00

...in which I talk about what I'm reading, what I've just read, what I can't wait to read. Basically, all things book!

Since my last installment, I've picked up a bunch of books and only read a couple of them because I've been really sick (still am, actually...it's not pretty). My head is pretty stuffed with the regular cold stuff (you know what I'm talking about) so my reviews won't exactly be in depth or anything.

A couple books that were on my to-be-bought list were the lastest ones from Aprilynne Pike and Michael Grant, Spells and Lies, respectively. I also bought Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready, White Cat by Holly Black, and The Prince of Mist by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. Ya, I bought a lot last week. It happens, right?

I also finished Burned by P.C. and Kristin Cast. This one is definitely my favourite book in the House of Night series. The ending, as per usual, left things open to interpretation, making the reader wonder about some key points. The next book in the series is called Awakened, and though there is no release date as of yet, I definitely can't wait for it to find out what will happen next in this story.
Overall rating: 4/5

I finished Spells within a couple of days, before I managed to get sick. As much as I liked Wings, Spells was SO MUCH better! It goes into more detail about Avalon (where the faeries live) and what Laurel needs to know to get by. I was a little upset and perplexed at the ending, though. Obviously there's something else going on that the reader as yet does not know, and my favourite character, Tamani, leaves to figure it out. Hopefully the next book in this series comes out sooner rather than later, as I love the story line in these books.
Overall rating: 5/5

I'm currently reading Lies, and it's taking me a while to get through it because I can only read a few chapters at a time before my cold takes over and makes me wanna curl up under a rock and do nothing. So far I'm liking it. I was trying to figure out what kinds of problems these poor kids had yet to face, and so I'm pleasantly surprised by this latest story line. I hear the next book will be called Plague, and well, that pretty much describes itself.
My mid-read rating: 3.5/5

That's about all for today, hopefully you guys are more healthy than I am right now, and can actually function properly. Until I'm at that point, I'll be in bed, trying to read.

Introducing...

2010-05-06T10:28:00.000-04:00

Good Thursday morning everyone! This post will be a quick one, as I have to get ready for work in a few minutes.

Today I thought I would share with you my most favourite (not so) person in the world..my monkey. She turned 15 over the weekend (yup, I know, she's an old lady...and a cranky one at that!) so I thought she deserved her own post.

We have her signed up at our local pet supply store, and they have her birthday on file. They sent her a birthday card (cute right?) with a coupon for a free toy with a $10 purchase. Well, my dad had to get her some litter, so he got the toy while he was there. It was one of those multi packs, and has 5 things in it. Her favourite toy? The purple mousy of course, I mean, she is a cat after all. She's a little too old to play but she seemed excited nonetheless. I love seeing her when she gets this kitten-ish look in her face, as it reminds me of when she was younger.

Her current spot? Sleeping on the chair behind me. She's such a lazy bum.

Catching up

2010-05-04T10:54:00.000-04:00

This past week was a bit of a busy one. I had the first couple of days off from work, and I finally finished my latest knitted project - a pillow. The pattern was pretty easy, I just expanded on the braided cable, but it was finishing it that was the harder part. I had to find a small cushion that was the same size as what I knitted (backwards, I know. I really should have bought the pillow first). I finally did, then had to seem all of the edges together. Some areas look better than others, but all in all, I'm pretty proud of it. I think it looks pretty good!

I worked the latter half of the week, but I had a really hard time. My dad has been really sick (like, coughing up his life kinda sick) and the nights were really rough on all of us. He's better now, though we're all trying to fight off his cold. I felt dead on my feet at work from the lack of sleep, and wanted nothing more than to stay in bed. Friday night was really hard to get through, and I knew I wouldn't be able to catch up on sleep until Sunday because a friend of mine got married on Saturday.

It was an outdoor wedding, and it had been raining pretty good that morning, so I was a little worried about what would happen later on for the ceremony. But it cleared up and got pretty nice just in time for the ceremony. You can't ask for anything better than that right? Everything went fairly smoothly, and it was a great time. It's a little strange to think I'm in the stage of life where everyone will be getting married (and having kids eventually). Sometimes I forget just how old we are.

Bookish Things [2]

2010-04-30T11:45:00.001-04:00

Ah Bookish Things, in which I talk about what I'm reading, what I've just read, what I can't wait to read. Basically, all things book!

So this week, Burned by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast was released, and I was way excited for it. Truth be told, I haven't finished it...yet. I've been too busy with work since I got it, so I'm only halfway through. So far I'm loving it. Virtually no time passed between the previous book and this one, so it's not hard to get back into things. As I mentioned in my last post, the characters can be a little irritating at times, but there hasn't been as much of it in this one. My favourite character in this series is Stark, and sometimes I wish he was real. He has amazing loyalty, and that's not always easy to find.
My mid-read rating: 4/5

Now, after reading Hex Hall in one day, I had a couple of days between it and the release of Burned, so I grabbed a littler book from my bookcase to fill the time. It's called Beating Heart by A.M. Jenkins. This book is completely different from anything I've read before, in that part of it is told through the ghost of a girl, and her sections are more like poetry (without the rhyming part) scattered throughout the page. It's a unique idea, and even though you don't get a lot of input from her, you understand everything she's talking about. It's writing in a simplistic form. The story itself I could have used a bit more of, maybe going into a bit more detail, but it was an interesting read.
Overall rating: 3.5/5

This coming Tuesday, May 4, sees the release of Spells by Aprilynne Pike, and Lies by Michael Grant. I'm way excited for both, and am debating which book to read first. I absolutely loved Wings, Pike's first book, and can't wait to see what happens next. What Laurel will discover about herself, if she makes a decision between David, her boyfriend, or Tamani, the faerie. (as much as I like David, there's just something about Tamani that I love!)

Lies is the third book in this series by Grant. The first two, Gone and Hunger, were both unique in their own right, so I'm interested to see where this story will go. Essentially, these books revolve around the fact that one day, everyone over the age of 15 just disappeared, and this strange wall-like thing appeared and the kids left can't get past it to see if they are the only ones affected. The kids must find a way to keep going while dealing with crazy things along the way, like some kids posessing powers and creepy bug-type things that live in the earth and will attack, not to mention the kids who have turned somewhat evil and want to hurt others. I always have a hard time trying to find information about this series, so I have no idea what's in store for this book.

Bookish Things [1]

2010-04-26T13:44:00.000-04:00

I've decided that I want to (try) doing a weekly feature, involving one of my favourite things: books.

This is the first edition of Bookish Things, where I talk about the latest books I've read, what I picked up recently, and books I'm anticipating the release of. Feel free to leave your comments on either what I talk about, or books you're currently into.

The last two books I've read were Radiant Shadows by Melissa Marr, and Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins. In fact, I read both of these books just within the last 5 days or so, and picked up both of them this past week as well.

Radiant Shadows is the fourth book in the Wicked Lovely series, and it did not disappoint. In each book, Melissa Marr delves into the lives of different characters, giving the reader an all around view of the lives of the fairies and mortals involved. Despite my hopes that I would hear more from Keenan and Aislinn, the characters involved in this book (Ani and Devlin mainly) still gave me that character satisfaction. As for the story line, it progressed well, as much the same as the previous 3 books did. It feels like everything in these 4 books have built up to what (I've heard) will be the last book in this series. Definitely can't wait for the next, as yet unknown, book. If you're into fairies and magical things, this one is for you. And besides, the covers are all so beautiful, you'll love looking at them.
Overall rating: 5/5

Hex Hall is the first book by Rachel Hawkins (that I've noticed, at least) and this one was a definite page turner. Literally, I spent all of yesterday reading it, and consumed the entire thing in one afternoon. There are many times when I get annoyed by main characters, but not with Sophie. She's your typical teenage girl (except for the whole being a witch thing) who's sent to this boarding school of sorts to get her magic under control. Of course when you mix witches, warlocks, fairies, shapeshifters and a couple of vampires in a boarding school, things are bound to happen, secrets itching to get out. It was an easy read, which I love, and perfect for a rainy day when you feel like sitting under a blanket and curling up with a good read. I'm guessing there will be a sequel, and I will be among the first to pick it up to find out what's next for Sophie and the decision she made at the end of Hex Hall and what will happen to her love interest, Archer. There's tons of unanswered questions burning in my mind, and hopefully some of them will be answered in the next one.
Overall rating: 5/5

(Yes, I realize I gave both of these books perfect ratings, but I personally thought they were great reads. I won't be upset if you don't agree with me!)

Most anticipated for this week has to be Burned by P.C. and Kristin Cast, which is released tomorrow, April 27. Burned is, I believe, the 7th book in the House of Night series (there are so many I can't keep count!) Now, I do like this series, it's among my favourites. However, my problem is with Zoey. She can be irritating at times, and I just want to slap her out of her stupid ideas and decisions. That being said, the story lines make up for Zoey's typical teenage angst, and I can't wait to find out what will happen to her and her friends.

What's next? After Burned, I'm planning on reading Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey. I picked this one up at the same time as Hex Hall, and is another one based at a boarding school, dealing with fairy-like creatures.

Number 50

2010-04-22T11:23:00.000-04:00

I realized the other day that my next post (this one) would be my 50th. I didn't even realize that I had written so many blogs since September, but it appears I have! It's a little strange to think about to be honest.

Last night, I had this dream that I decided I was going back to school. Now, I graduated 2 years ago with a diploma in Journalism, and thinking that I'd be able to get a job no problem. Well, I've been working in retail ever since and haven't had a call for an interview in at least a year. So when I woke up this morning it got me thinking. In my dream, I decided I was going to go to teacher's college, which is very strange considering never in my life have I wanted to be a teacher (although I think in the dream I wanted to teach kindergarden or grade 1 which, as I think about it, I probably might consider).

For the last little while I've been wondering if I should keep trying to find a job doing some sort of writing or editing, or anything else that I'm capable of, or if I should move on. Last week, my district manager came by to check things out at the store, and asked me how my job search was going. I told her there aren't many out there right now, but I still apply for the jobs I think I can do. She thought about that for a minute, then asked me when I was going to realize things weren't going to work out, and when I was going to realize I should just move up in the company (as in becoming an assistant manager). I told her I'm still holding out hope, but her words kind of hurt me. I apply for the jobs I see, sometimes I even apply for the same job 2 or 3 times because it gets posted again months later. It's extremely frustrating knowing I can do these jobs, but the company's just aren't going for it. I've been thinking about updating my resume, but that's as scary to me as cleaning my closet. It's something I know I should do, but I just don't know how to start.

This leads me to the question, do I want to go back to school? To be honest, I don't want to. When I graduated 2 years ago, I was so sick of school that I wanted nothing to do with it ever again. But now, I can't help but feel dejected, without hope. I've been thinking about getting a publishing certificate of some sort, which a lot of the jobs I look at say would be an asset, but I don't know where I can get it, and I don't know how long it would take. I don't feel like I'm being lazy, it's just that I don't want to spend a few more years in school then looking for a job again after that. It's just not me, I don't want to spend countless money and years in something that probably won't pan out.

I feel like I'm in another fork in the road, and neither path seems appealing or promising in any way. I'm hoping for some sort of sign, something to tell me what I should do, which path I should take. My dream last night got the wheels rolling, but now I'm confused, lost as to what I should do.

A week of ups & downs

2010-04-16T13:43:00.000-04:00

So I've had an interesting week - there have been some good days, some bad, and even some mixed. I'll start with the good first, then move to the not-so-great.

Ups:
My mom had a job interview.
My computer is more secure than I thought.
Glee came back!
It was pay week :)
I bought a new camera (the Canon Powershot 1300 as I mentioned in my last post...in brown)
I bought a few new books, and have already finished one.
My grandparents decided to buy us a new fridge (and it should arrive next week..although I'm not so sure I like it)

Downs:
My mom didn't get the job.
My aunt was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease.
My nanny was told she has skin cancer (although the doctor said she "won't die from it")

As you can see, definitely an interesting week. I just hope next week brings something better. Here's hoping, anyway.

Picture frames & my perfection of procrastination

2010-04-12T13:06:00.000-04:00

So here's the thing, I've had about 6 picture frames sitting on the floor in front of my bookcases for about, oh, 6+ months now. And when I say "+" what I really mean is, I don't want to tell you how long they've actually been there because it's kinda pathetic. Although, in my defense, one of those frames came down recently when I got my new bookcase, as it was in the way.

Yesterday, I finally did something about them.

No, I lie.

My dad finally did something about them, after me asking him if he could put them up for me.

Okay, so not a complete lie then. I asked, he said fine, I supervised, he did all the dirty work like a good dad.

So now I have 5 collage-type picture frames on one wall, and four others on the opposite wall. The wall that now supports the 5 is looking pretty full, and maybe a little tacky, but that's ok. It's my room, and I get to look at them.

It's kind of nice not having those frames sitting on the floor anymore. It's just one small, itty bitty step in my taking back my room from the clutter. One day, or maybe a few days combined together, I have to tackle my closet. I shove everything in there, and it's not pretty. I keep putting it off, but I know I have to do it. When I switched rooms, oh, about 7-ish years ago, I really should have done something about the clutter then, but I was lazy, and have continued to be lazy ever since. Maybe this summer I will actually put my fear of what may be lurking in there aside, stop the procrastinating, and get down to business. If I do, and I survive, I will let you all know.

In conjunction with the picture talk, I think I've decided on a camera. I took the advice and checked out the Sony's, but I found myself back in the Canon's. I really like the Canon Powershot SD1300IS 12.1MP, and it's decently priced (not really, but we won't talk about that). I just now have to decide on a colour, as it comes in 4 to choose from. So many decisions!

An end to the week

2010-04-09T11:55:00.000-04:00

Happy Friday everyone!

I've been noticing I tend to write more often on Fridays, and that saying gets written a lot.

Anyway, I've had a pretty slow week. I've worked about half the time, the other half just kinda doing whatever. I picked up The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong on Tuesday, and finished it last night. It was the last book in the trilogy, and as much as I liked it, it also left some other things open, yearning to be answered. She does have a new trilogy coming out, and though I'm not entirely sure what it will be about, I'm *hoping* that maybe some of the characters will do a crossover into it.

I went out yesterday to buy a dress for a wedding that's coming up in a few weeks, and ended up in the bookstore too. I wasn't intending to buy anything (I promise!) but I saw one book, Book of Souls by Glenn Cooper. I had previously read Library of the Dead, and I didn't even know there was a sequel to it. The manager of the store, who knows me quite well now (especially since my mom works there too) told me she had a few books that they just got in that she thought I might like...and of course, I did. There's Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev and The Fallen and Leviathan by Thomas E. Sniegosk. There was another book too, but I discovered it's the third in a series so I need to pick up the first two books before I can do anything about it.

Like I said, I originally went to the mall to buy a dress. I ended up getting it from H&M which is shocking because I never go in there. The clothes they have aren't really my style, but apparently they had one good thing! The dress is shorter then I intended too, as I'm not a big fan of my legs and was hoping to get something around knee length to hide my ugly knees. Well, this dress is a good couple inches higher than my knees. But it looked really cute on, and there wasn't anything else I liked as much as it, so I bought it. However, I didn't deviate from my plan of getting gladiator shoes to wear instead of heels. I HATE heels. They hurt, they blister, and they just aren't my kind of thing. It's weird too, seeing how I'm so short, one would think I'd like heels, but I don't. I actually like being short and wearing flat shoes.

I have to work tonight and tomorrow night. Yup, a Saturday night. However, there are no customers involved. We're doing our annual inventory, and it has to be done outside of store hours. Besides being there late, it's not that bad. I've done a couple of times before, and things generally go fairly smoothly.

That's all for today, I need to go find myself some lunch, but I hope you all have a great weekend!

Whaddya want from me?

2010-04-01T00:10:00.000-04:00

Ok, that's only the title because the song by Adam Lambert was just on tv, so it's in my head.

So the last day I worked was Monday, and the next time I will work is Saturday. It's kind of awesome. Granted, tomorrow and Sunday are holidays, but that only adds to the appeal. You would think that having four days off I would be productive. Nope. Not at all. I went grocery shopping with my mom but that's about it. She's working right now, so I have the house all to myself. Well, and the cat, but she never leaves.

Speaking of the cat, we gave her a half-bath yesterday. By this I mean I had a towel around me so as not to get soaked, and held her as my mom washed her back. For whatever reason, her back area always seems to be oily and dandruffy so we tried to tackle it. I have to say, it looks a lot better. I'm pretty proud of my cat too, for the most part she liked it...until she tried to crawl over my back. My mom had to grab her and I had to hold her a bit more tightly after that. As I'm writing this, she's passed out in the chair, as per usual, but yesterday all she could do was give me dirty looks. *shrugs*

My other topic of discussion for today is about cameras. I'm thinking about getting a new one, as my own is about 5-ish years old and a little on the slow side. I don't bring it anywhere cuz I just can't be bothered. Now, I really want to get another Canon, and I've been looking at what's out there, but it's hard to figure out what I should go with. I don't want to spend a lot, but I also don't want something cheap, either. If any of you have any suggestions, I definitely won't say no :)

Anyway, I hope you all have a happy Easter!

Happy Friday!

2010-03-26T12:17:00.003-04:00

Hello all,

I hope you had a wonderful week, and are looking forward to the weekend! I for one, have to work all weekend, but what can you do.

So I had the chance on Monday to meet Ryan Buell and Michelle Belanger from the A&E show Paranormal State. They were at a college in my area speaking about the show and different cases, amongst other things, and then had a little meet and great afterwards. They were really good during the lecture part. Even if you don't believe in that kind of stuff, it does get you thinking. Especially when they show different evidence of potential paranormal activity. Ryan talked about a girl, Laura, from one of the most popular episodes called "I Am Six". It's a pretty intense case, and I'm glad he did a mini update.

The picture on the right there has Michelle on the far left, my friend Pink Billy, me and Ryan. Yup, I'm pretty short, I know.

P.S. He's even cuter in person :)

I asked him if they were planning on doing a fifth season, as the fourth one ended not that long ago, and he said he wasn't sure yet. Hopefully they do, I know a lot of people would still tune in to watch it, myself included!

In other news, I went to my grandparents house yesterday with my parents. It was alright, same as it usually is. They're getting older, and every time I see them I feel like I can see it more. We went for lunch at a buffet-style restaurant, then went back to their house where my grandma and I proceeded to make Nanaimo Bars.

Now, she makes them every year for Christmas, which is one of the reasons why I love the holiday so much. I tried to make them once, a few odd years ago, and it was an epic fail. So, she thought she would take me through the process. (FYI, they turned out fantastic!) We brought most of them home with us, because, despite the fact that she bakes a lot, she doesn't like my grandpa eating too many baked goods.

And before I go, I just finished The Dead-Tossed Waves, by Carrie Ryan. If you haven't read it, or the first book it goes with, The Forest of Hands and Teeth, I highly recommend them. They're essentially about people who are constantly living in fear of being infected by mudo (zombies really), and the struggles they face of everyday life. Trust me, they're better than how I make them sound. Promise!

The Road Not Taken

2010-03-22T10:50:00.001-04:00

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear,
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I marked the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
-Robert Frost

I had to memorize this poem way back in grade 7 (and yet I couldn't remember it now and had to look it up) and for some reason it has always stuck with me. Or, at least, the last three lines of it.

More and more I'm coming to realize that I am growing up (gasp!), and my priorities are changing. Sometimes when that happens, it takes you away from the people you're closest to, and that's also been a realization of mine as of late. Generally you go down the same path as the others, as it's safe, but there are times you find yourself alone on another path, and you wonder whether you're the one leaving the others behind, or if you're the one being left behind. Sometimes, I think it's a bit of both.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, if you find yourself going down the path less traveled by, you shouldn't discount yourself. It's just your own way of finding yourself and who you are, and if the people who are closest to you can't see that you're a different person, and can't understand that, and don't exactly accept that, then you have to shrug it off. Everyone eventually goes down that second, lesser known path, and maybe once they get there, they will actually understand your choices.

Is it wrong...

2010-03-19T13:33:00.000-04:00

...that I bought the Twilight Graphic Novel?

And that I like it?

It gives me that same feeling I had when I was new to the whole Twilight thing...and really, I don't think it's such a bad thing.

Insert frustrated scream here

2010-03-17T14:20:00.000-04:00

So here's the situation.

I had to work late last night as we were doing a layout, moving EVERYTHING in the store. We were only supposed to be there until midnight, but we severely misjudged our timing. So, me being the responsible daughter that I am, called home at 10 to let the parentals know I would be there much later than anticipated. They said ok, no problem.

Now, if you were the parent in this situation, which of the following would you do?
1. Go to bed at your regular time, knowing that your daughter is at work, and will be home when the work is done.
2. Stay awake, then call the store at some point just to make sure things are ok, then go to bed knowing that they are.
3. Stay awake and panic, not bothering to call the store because you "don't feel like you had to"

You know what my parents did? Number 3, of course. Not only that, but as I'm leaving the store to come home (at 2:30 this morning) I have a text from my brother asking if things are ok, as he can tell our parents are freaking out. He had sent that message about an hour before. At least someone understands the concept of option 2.

So I get home, my mom downstairs watching tv because she can't sleep until I'm home, and she informs me that my dad had just went upstairs because he had been freaking out that I wasn't home yet. (Side note: my dad gets up somewhere between 4 and 430 to go to work...ya) I can tell she's mad that I'm home so late but here's the thing - I don't feel guilty, and I don't apologize. I shouldn't have to.

They knew where I was, they knew what I was doing, I called to let them know I'd be pretty late; if they were worried they should have called to make themselves feel better. I did the right thing; I let them know what the situation was. It's not my fault they didn't actually take it to heart.

I know they're my parents and they worry about me, but really, last night (or this morning really) was completely unneccesary. Call me next time!!! Geez.

I didn't go to work today. After realizing just how late we might be, I called another girl to take my shift. Good thing too, because I couldn't get myself out of bed until 11:30. Even then I could have slept another 8 hours. I'm still exhausted!

Remember Me

2010-03-16T15:38:00.000-04:00

I'm writing this now because it's still nice and fresh in my memory. I just got home from seeing Remember Me, like, an hour ago, and wanted to write a bit about it.

Now normally, I don't really review stuff because I have a hard time describing things (strange, considering I love writing, but anyway...) and I probably won't even end up describing much of anything because I don't want to ruin the movie for anyone planning to see it.

Despite the fact that R-Patz is the main character in this movie, if you don't like him you would still like the movie, I think. Emilie de Ravin does a really good job balancing out Rob, and that will make it worthwhile. The beginning and the ending are both not what you expect, but are both still very good. All I can say is, both may leave you with tears in your eyes. I personally was trying not too cry like a baby.

The plot line is pretty good, some things happen which leave you shaking your head, and it doesn't even feel like it's an almost 2 hour movie. I'd love to tell you more than the following, but really, that might make you figure out what happens. Essentially, it's set in New York, Rob's character, Tyler, and his roommate are out one night, a fight happens, one of the cops is the dad of Emilie's character, Ally. Later on, Tyler's roomie, Aden, sees her being dropped off at school by her dad and wants Tyler to get back at the cop by dating her; you get the point. That's where I'm going to leave it. Cuz I'm just awesome like that :)

Oh, and if any of that doesn't make you want to see it, then go for the previews. Eclipse, Letters from Juliet and The Last Song are all on there, and are definitely on my "to be seen" list.

All I can smell is bleach

2010-03-15T11:45:00.001-04:00

Yuck!

I just cleaned my bathtub (well, it's not so much of a cleaning, and more of me spraying the scrubbing bubbles stuff and waiting ten minutes then rinsing it off) and the smell has engrained itself into my nose, and I'm pretty sure my hair too. (I don't know what it is, but my hair ALWAYS picks up whatever smell is in the air..I can't stand it). I even opened the window and turned the fan on, but that didn't even seem to help. Oh well.

But anyway.

Today is my third day off in a row (way exciting!) and it's kinda nice. Especially with the week coming up, it's nice to relax a bit. We're doing another layout at work tomorrow, so I'll be there until midnight or somewhere around there. And then I gotta be there for 9:30 the next morning for a full day, followed by the same thing on Thursday. I'm gunna be pretty tired come Friday morning. At least I don't start til 5 on Friday, so I'll have time to sleep in :)

So on Saturday, I went downtown to a yarn store with a friend and her sister. Now, I just go to my local arts and crafts store to get my yarn, so I was not expecting what this store had to offer. It was literally floor to ceiling, wall to wall yarn. It. Was. Amazing. I didn't know what to do with myself, and I didn't even buy anything, I was just in awe. We ended up going for lunch a bit closer to home, where there also just happens to be a book store. Let's just say I had no problem finding anything in there. Although, in my defense, the books I bought were 20% off due to a promotion, and with my 10% rewards discount, I saved close to $27. No, I will not tell you how much I actually spent. It isn't the most I've spent in one shot at a bookstore, but it's up there. That's all I'm saying.

Before I leave today, I have a beef. A grumbling of sorts. Here in Canada, we have this station called Muchmusic. Pretty self-explanitory. It's been fuzzy since Saturday night and I'm going crazy. It's the only station that's out, and I know it isn't a wide spread issue. I know it's not just us, either, because it doesn't work at my cousin's house too. I'm way frustrated, and I'm going to get my dad to call them and ask them what's up.

Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star

2010-03-09T13:15:00.000-05:00

Driving home from work last night, a little bright something in the sky caught my eye. Naturally, I just figured it was a plane. After stopping at a red light, and after paying a little more attention to it, I noticed it was actually a star.

A real, live, twinkling star.

And here I was beginning to think twinkling stars were a thing of childhood songs.

Oh, hey Spring!

2010-03-07T11:26:00.000-05:00

As I'm writing this, the family room window is open, and I am enjoying the nice, fresh air that is sweeping through the room. And it's March! I know it won't last, in fact, the weather people are saying we're getting some rain/freezing rain/flurries by the end of the week, and the temperature is going to drop. But that's ok, this is just a taste of what's to come in the next couple of months!

It's kind of nice being able to wear my light spring jacket instead of my bulky winter one. I'm not going as far as busting out my flats, as my feet get cold easily, and there's still that bit of a chill in the air. So alas, boots it will be.

I have to go to work in a couple of hours, and I'm *hoping* it'll be busy and the day will go by fast. I wasn't in yesterday, but I'm pretty sure with it being nice, it was busy with people looking for spring attire. Hopefully that will carry on through today!

So back in January, I was in this reading funk of sorts. The book I was reading didn't catch me right away and it literally took all 31 days to finish it. And it was less than 300 pages. February was a much better month, I think I read five books. I'm on pace for that many, or maybe more, this month and I feel pretty good about it. Plus, there are a bunch of books being released that I can't wait for. Two come out on Tuesday - The Dead Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan, and Hourglass by Claudia Gray. I've been waiting for these books for.ever. and I can't wait to lose myself in them.

I saw Dear John last night with some friends. It was a cute movie, but I've heard they changed a lot from the book. There was one part in particular I cried (and tried hard to not cry like a baby), but if you haven't seen it, I won't mention it. All I will say, is that it was very sad.

Before I go, I'll just mention how excited I am for New Moon being released on the 20th..just 13 short days away. I liked this movie much more than Twilight, despite being the opposite in the books. So needless to say, I can't wait to get it and watch it over and over again :)

p.s.

2010-03-05T18:58:00.000-05:00

I'm REALLY proud of these guys :)

Some good news :)

2010-03-05T18:52:00.001-05:00

My mom got a job today! woohoo!

Mind you, it is only part time and just over minimum wage, but it's something! And I love where it is too...at my local bookstore :)

Have a great weekend everyone! I will *hopefully* be back soon with more posts. I'm so lazy lately.

Sometimes I feel like...

2010-02-23T19:13:00.000-05:00

I'm living under a black cloud.

I can't help but feel like things are getting worse before they even think about getting better. The financial situation at home is pretty crappy, to say the least, and my parents are really starting to worry. I see it in my mom's face everyday. I see how frustrated she is, I see her applying for around a dozen jobs a week, and she *might* get a phone call for an interview. I see the worry lines in her face when she's going through the bills. It's not getting any better, and I just wish I could do something about it, and yet I know I can't. It's like being stuck between a rock and a hard place with nowhere to go.

Moving on from my little emo moment, I read and finished Betrayals by Lili St. Crow over the weekend. This is the follow up to Strange Angels, and I have to say, I loved Betrayals SO MUCH more than Strange Angels. Don't get me wrong, SA was a good book, but the plot lines and character development was more to my liking in Betrayals. It seriously sucks the third book, Jealousy, doesn't come out until August. *sigh*

The Olympics

2010-02-15T11:54:00.000-05:00

I know I've been missing in the blogosphere of late, but sometimes it's just hard to find the time to write. But, seeing how it's a holiday here, I have the perfect opportunity to update!

Really, the only thing on my mind today is the Olympics. Being from Canada, I am way excited about everything. I think the opening ceremony was amazing, and it showed Canada in such a great light. I loved it all, but I think the fiddlers and the tap dancing portion was among my favourite parts. I'm so glad the the athletes from Georgia decided to walk in, (even though they didn't stay for the whole ceremony) it showed great perserverance. It was extremely sad that they had to lose one of their fellow athletes in such a tragic accident, but I think the support they received from everyone helped them with their grief.

Incase you haven't heard by now, Canada has finally won a gold medal in Canada. It was such a great moment in Canadian history, and I don't think anyone will forget it. I heard one of the broadcasters liken the celebration to the Toronto Maple Leafs winning the Stanley Cup. For any of you who don't know, the Leafs have not won the Cup since the late '60s, and yet their loyal fans (myself included) keep hanging on, hoping that maybe this year will be our year (and we say this every year!).

Of course, the main event that I am looking forward to the most is watching the Canadian men's hockey team go for gold. It's a funny thing, that the most popular event to get tickets for is the gold medal game, and yet we don't even know for sure if Canada will be there. Of course, we all believe in our hearts that we will be, but there is always that small chance that *something* could possibly happen. But we won't think about that, we'll just focus on Canada being in that gold medal game.

I'm going to leave it there for today, but I would like to know if any of you plan to watch the Olympics, and which sport you're most interested in. Have a great Monday!

My first knitted piece

2010-02-06T10:35:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone,

I hope you have all (so far) had a great weekend. I have to work today, so it's not much of a weekend for me.

So I told you all before how I took up knitting. Well, as you can see from that picture over there, I'm actually doing a good job at it! This scarf isn't done yet, but it's getting there. I love the colours, and it kinda makes me think about having ice cream, which is never a bad thing :)

I finally was able to knit and purl in the same row (if you don't understand what that means, no worries!) as I was having some difficulty with it. But my friend helped me out, and now I can actually do it. I made a couple of swatches for patterns that do both, and my mom said they look pretty good!

So now that I can actually you know, knit properly, I bought a bunch more balls of yarn and a couple more knitting needles. I'm pretty excited to get going, and learn how to knit more than just scarves and the like. I'm *hoping* to make some ankle warmers out of a pattern for wrist warmers, so if I ever manage to do it, I will let you all know!

Well, I have to go and finish getting ready for work, but I hope you all have a great day!

Bookish things

2010-02-01T11:19:00.001-05:00

You must forgive me, fellow bloggers, as I have not updated in about two weeks. I can't even say that I've been busy with work or life or anything. I think it was just more I had nothing to say.

Well, I'm back now with one piece of (what I think is) exciting news. You see that picture over there on the right? Well, that bookcase on the left side is my newest edition to my room. I absolutely love it! Before, I just had two of the white one you see there, and they were pretty packed. I had double rows of books, it wasn't very organized, and it just wasn't nice to look at.

This brand spanking new bookcase is 6 feet tall and holds a lot of books :) For the most part I have organized my books by author. It only took a couple hours to do, lol. But the main point is, I love it, and my parents seem to think I'll be going back for another one. I don't think so, at least not right now!

In going with the book theme, I have finally finished Fairy Tale by Cyn Balog. This book is around 250 pages, and it took me a month to read. It wasn't the book itself, as the story is cute, I just think I was in a bit of a reading funk. It's either that, or my obsession with One Tree Hill. I recently obtained the first 5 seasons of the show, and having been watching the episodes religiously. It's hard to read and watch TV at the same time, so I think this may have been where my trouble was. I just started on season 4, so I'm getting there.

As you can see over on the left, I started reading Darklight by Lesley Livingston. I think this one is going to get me back into the swing of things. Sometimes I think you need familiar characters and story lines to get you back into the groove (I'm hoping this is the case for me)

This is all I have to update you with today, but I will be back soon with another post, and I won't take 2 weeks to do it either, I promise!

Two needles and a ball of yarn

2010-01-18T15:57:00.000-05:00

I've been thinking about taking up knitting for a while now, and this past week I actually ventured into its world. I mainly started because a friend of mine, Pink Billy, knits, and I thought it was interesting.

So I went and bought Knitting for Dummies from my local bookstore to figure out the basics, then bought needles and a couple balls of yarn. Turns out knitting sounds easier than it actually is.

I took me a little bit to get going, (mainly my mom showing me how it's done) but I sort of got the hang of it. And then I met the purl.

The purl is what is referred to as the knit's "cousin" and I thought it would be pretty straight forward. Not so much. Not for me anyway. I have a tendency to make things harder than they actually have to be. (The thought of me learning to reverse drive/park is coming to mind) I kept adding extra loops and making it a big disaster, and I had to ask my mom again, then watch a video online to figure it out. I got it eventually, after much work may I add. Although I don't even know if I'm doing it right, as it is very loose and kinda looks a little weird.

So this morning, I thought I would try a pattern that is shown in my trusted Knitting for Dummies book. Turns out I can't figure out how to knit and purl in the same row. Now I'm back to square one, feeling defeated.

I'm sure I'll figure it out eventually, with Pink Billy's and my mom's help. (and maybe some more online videos)

When a friend is no longer a friend

2010-01-11T19:21:00.000-05:00

The following is something that has been living and breeding deep within me for a long time.

Like, over a year kind of long.

Back in college (which really wasn't THAT long ago, but feels like foreverago) I made new friends (obviously) and one of them just happened to live about 5 minutes from me. Now, her and I became really close friends and hung out all the time. Then just after we graduated, she got engaged. She was really excited, I was really excited, it was a great time. She and the fiance ended up buying a house later that summer. Once they were all settled in, she invited me over one night to hang out with them and some other friends. Little did I know, that would actually be the last time we hung out.

We had plans to go see a movie together, but then she also got a new job, and she kept pushing it back, and pushing it back. Then my birthday was coming up and I invited her, but she couldn't come because of a "work event". I should have known then that something was really up, because she didn't even say she would make it up to me like a normal friend would.

Well, over the holidays that followed, I sent her a couple messages, you know, typical happy holidays, we should hang out soon kind of stuff. I never heard back from her, and it was then that I started to see it. She was cutting me out of her life. I don't know why, and believe me, I've wondered about it a lot.

Her wedding was scheduled for June, just a year after getting engaged. I actually held out hope that she would invite me, but it was to no avail. There was no invitation in the mail. That really hurt.

So, just after the wedding, I sent her a message basically saying I don't know what happened to our friendship, but that I wish her and her husband all the best. I didn't even get a response from that.

I still have her as a friend on Facebook, and can see what she's up to. But it makes me really sad, and it hurts a lot to know that she didn't want me as a part of her life anymore. She actually came into my store one day last summer, and it was very awkward, to say the least. She barely acknowledged me, and couldn't wait to get back to her friend who was trying some things on.

Am I alone here, or has anyone else felt the hurt of a friend cutting you out of their life? It's a really sucky thing to have happen to you, and I don't wish it on anyone, but I would like to know that I'm not completely alone on this issue. It's really hard losing a friend, especially someone who you were close to.

Another Year Over, a New One Just Begun

2010-01-07T19:32:00.001-05:00

Ok, I realize I'm a little late on this one, but I hope you all had a great new year's eve celebration!

It always amazes me how fast a year can go by..and really, I have nothing to show for 2009. Nothing earth-shattering or life-changing happened to me this year. I barely even remember what I did over the past 12 months except working and becoming a bookworm once again.

I hope this year will be better all over the board. I'd really like to finally get that greatly wanted journalism job, have financial stability that allows me to get a car :) and maybe, just maybe, round myself up a boy. Plus I'd like my mom to finally find a job, so she can stop worrying about everything. That's really not so much to ask for, right? I don't think so, but they are my wishes after all :)

Although, I wouldn't say no to winning the lottery, either. That would be nice!

I'm really not one for resolutions, I think they're a little pointless. Unless there's something specific you want to target and change in your life, I find no use for them. I think the only thing I could actually think of is trying to save more money, which would involve me buying less books. That could be a problem..books just...call to me. (If you love books, you know what I mean)

Anyway, I hope all of you have a safe, happy, healthy and prosperous 2010, and if you do make any resolutions, I really do wish you all the best in keeping them.

I'll be back in a bit to talk about some other stuff on my mind..like, for example, my wonderful dream last night about zombies. Yup, that's right, zombies.

Oh, Canada!

2009-12-30T13:06:00.002-05:00

So call me a dork, but I have been waiting for this day for a long while now.

The announcement for who made the men's hockey team for the 2010 Olympics was made today..literally, just minutes ago. For Canadians, this announcement is huge. Hockey is our sport, and we take pride in our teams.

Incase you want to know, or missed it, here's how it all breaks down:

Goalies:

Roberto Luongo, Martin Brodeur and Marc-Andre Fleury

Defence:

Dan Boyle, Drew Doughty, Duncan Keith, Scott Niedermayer, Chris Pronger, Brent Seabrook and Shea Weber

Forwards:

Patrice Bergeron, Sidney Crosby, Ryan Getzlaf, Dany Heatley, Jarome Iginla, Patrick Marleau, Brenden Morrow, Rick Nash, Mike Richards, Corey Perry, Eric Staal, Joe Thornton and Jonathan Toews

I'm way excited about Rick Nash. I've loved this guy since he was drafted into the NHL some odd years ago, and it's great to see him on the team. Mike Richards I have a soft spot for. Over the past little while, there's been much speculation about whether or not he would make the team, as he hasn't been having the best of seasons, but at the end of it all, here he is, and I'm glad he's there. There's a bunch of no-brainers (Niedermayer, Pronger, Crosby, Iginla, Thornton), and a couple that raised my eyebrows (like Doughty) Again, there has been much talk about who that 7th defenceman would be, and Doughty was on the fence among many. The goalies were what everyone thought, and as per usual, I think they can definitely take the team far.

Now, I'm sure not all of you are hockey fans, but this team is for the Olympics, and there are many different sports to watch throughout those two weeks. So, hockey or not, if you're watching the Olympics in a month and a half's time, you won't be disappointed. I think it's going to be a great event altogether!

A Change

2009-12-28T11:57:00.001-05:00

Hello everyone,

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!

As you may be noticing, I have changed the name of my blog. When I first started a few months ago, I really had no idea what to call it. I've had a while to think about it, and I've decided on live laugh love. I actually have the words placed on a wall in my bedroom (it's one of those wall talk things), and I thought it would be perfect. It's almost like my room was telling me what my own brain couldn't.

Now that the technicalities are out of the way, I have a few updates from the past half week.

My nanny (my mom's mom) had a heart attack on Saturday. She's the one I mentioned a couple of posts ago about celebrating her 90th birthday. She's doing ok from what I hear, and she'll be in the hospital for a few days or so. I'm hoping she'll get better, but a heart attack at 90 is a little foreboding in a way.

One of the reasons I have been M.I.A on here is because of work. I wasn't supposed to work on Christmas Eve, but I did. I wasn't thrilled about it, but what can you do? It's more money in my bank account at least. Boxing day was awful. I worked 7:30 til 5, with the mall opening at 8. At many points in the day, the lineup for cash was snaked all around the front of the store, even with all three cashes open. Really, I have no sympathy for people who choose to go shopping on boxing day. You know it's going to be busy, you know there's going to be lineups, and there is no way I'm going to apologize to you for waiting in line so long. Yesterday was still busy, but it wasn't as bad. There were a lot more returns though, I guess people couldn't be bothered to do them the day before (not that I blame them).

One good thing came out of boxing day, though. After dropping me off at work, my dad braved the lineups at Future Shop to pick up the first three seasons of One Tree Hill for me. They were $20 for Saturday and Sunday only, and that's a pretty good deal if you ask me! I didn't expect him to go on Saturday, but he did, and he's pretty awesome for doing so!

As for what I got for Christmas, I have two favourites that stick out. The first is for the family, technically - the limited release Snow White on DVD. I have loved Snow White since I was little (I dressed as her for Halloween every year until the costume didn't fit) and I think it's cute my parents got it. My other favourite present is my booklight. Yup, I'm a dork, I know. I've needed one for so long, as my lamp is on the other side of my bedroom from where I read, so I'm really happy that I finally got one!

Well, I think that's enough rambling for today. I'd love to know what your favourite gifts were this year though, so let me know!

It's a good thing I'm not diabetic

2009-12-23T16:27:00.000-05:00

I don't know about you guys, but I love sugar. Like, a lot.

If I'm at work, I'll usually get a chocolate bar to go along with my lunch, or if I'm home I'm always eating cookies or anything else nice and sugary. So, with this being Christmas and all, I'm doing some baking. I think it's starting to get out of hand how much I'm actually eating.

I've made fudge twice now, and probably have eaten a little less than half of it all (which, in turn, is reeking havoc on my skin) and I can't get enough. I'm going to try to not make more of it for a little while (which shouldn't be too hard, considering I don't have chocolate chips or the sweetened condensed milk required). I made a double batch of chocolate chip cookies the other day - half for us, the other half for the girls at work on Saturday, aka Boxing Day, the day from hell. Plus I've made shortbread and rice krispie squares. And I'm not gunna lie, I've still been getting chocolate bars with my lunch. I can't help it.

Just today, after I got off of work, I picked up some chocolate for stocking stuffers for the family. Of course, I couldn't leave myself out, so I got something for me too.

It's really a wonder how I haven't gone into shock with all of the sugar I've been consuming, and the end isn't even in sight.

But really, I'm not complaining. Until the day someone tells me I can't keep eating all that sugar, I will eat it until my heart's content.

Also, as an aside, my blog is having an identity crisis, so don't be alarmed if you suddenly find it farther down your reading lists.

Lastly, I doubt I'll be posting again tomorrow or Friday, so I hope you all have a happy and wonderful Christmas, and that you get everything you wanted :)

I'm just wondering...

2009-12-15T19:04:00.000-05:00

So, I open all of your lovely blogs in new tabs, and sometimes (I never know when it will happen) a whole bunch of random blank window tabs open as well. It literally just keeps going. There is nothing I can do to stop it, except to switch into a different window (ok, MSN) and go the control alt delete route, then closing the window that way.

Does this happen to any of you? Anyone know why it happens? Or is it just my ongoing feud with technology?

The week that was

2009-12-15T14:35:00.002-05:00

Hello everyone,

I hope you all have had a great week since the last time I posted! I've had a busy and tiring one personally.

Like I mentioned in my post last Wednesday, I was up to some baking. The fudge turned out amazing (I plan on making more today!) and the shortbread worked out great too! I was worried because I never made it before, so for a first time, it was great :) I made a big Christmas tree with the last bit of dough, and it's pretty cute. I haven't eaten it yet, though.

I've been super busy with work this past week, so much so that I really haven't been on the computer much. I've just been too tired to do much of anything except sit around and watch tv. Pretty sad isn't it? I was at work for 6am yesterday (yes that's right, AM) *cringes* it was pretty aweful. It was our layout (we seem to have had a lot of them lately) and it didn't go smoothly. Some people were stressing about it too much and that definitely causes unwanted and unneccesary stress on the rest of us. At one point, when the store was open and customers were around, I was helping one lady out while trying to finish a table I was working on. Well, I was waiting to see if she needed anything else (it was literally about 10 seconds) and my manager was on me about finishing my table, saying that I was standing there doing nothing. Now, I realize the changes need to be done and finished, but customers are the number one priority (which she had said earlier in the morning too). It's frustrating when she tells me one thing, just to say the opposite later on. Gah!! I ended up leaving about 3:15-ish, and it couldn't have come sooner!

When I got home, I crashed, and ended up sleeping through dinner. When I came around, the only thing I could be bothered to eat was some shortbread and a cup of tea. Again, it was kinda sad.

So with me working all week, I've been too tired to even read. I finished Beautiful Creatures on Tuesday night last week, and haven't picked up a book since. Although, I did buy 2 books (Fallen by Lauren Kate, and Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater) and received 4 books in the mail which I had ordered. Now, I don't buy things online, I don't think it's all that secure, so I used gift cards that I got from some friends for my birthday to pay for them. Pretty smart idea I think :) I plan on starting Fallen tonight, to get me back into the swing of things!

I've also pretty much finished my Christmas shopping. I'm trying to find plastic bowls (for cereal or snacks, for example) but I have no idea where to get them!! I've looked at a bunch of stores, but all I've seen are the ceramic ones. Anyone have any idea where I could get them? I'm also trying to look for the Turbo Snake. It cleans out drains without having to use Draino or anything similiar. I went to the As Seen on TV store, and they have some cheap impersonation of it. So I don't know where to get it either!

As for the rest of this week, I work tomorrow through Saturday, with this Friday being my dad's birthday. I still have to figure out something to get for him. Sunday is my nanny's 90th birthday, and she's coming over on Saturday for a little get together with us and my aunt and uncle. Sunday I'll be having my work Christmas dinner at a restaurant. I don't know what my schedule is like for next week, but I'm sure I'll be exhausted by the time the 25th comes around (I still have to wrap my presents :S ) Then boxing day, I will, of course, be working. Lord help me!

That dreaded "S" word

2009-12-09T11:27:00.000-05:00

For a few days now, the media around here has been warning us of an impending winter storm. Generally, I don't take too much stock in these warnings, because weather systems have a tendency to take different paths.

Well, I woke up this morning to that familiar glow peeking through my blinds.

It snowed.

A lot.

I'm really not impressed.

It's still snowing, in fact. I can't tell how much snow is out there, my mom says a few odd centimetres, but I say a foot. It's probably somewhere in between, to be honest.

I liked snow when I was a kid, when I got to put on the snowsuit, make snow angels, go tobogganing. But now, not so much. I like it for Christmas, and that's it. It can snow on the 24th and the 25th, then disappear on the 26th, and I would be more than happy. But sadly, this doesn't happen, no matter how much I will it to be true.

So, I'm spending today inside (I'm VERY glad I don't have to work today) baking. Yesterday I made rice krispie squares, and they turned out pretty good if I do say so myself. I used the holiday kind, the one that has red and green rice krispies mixed in with the regular ones. Today, I'm planning on brownies and shortbread. I've never made the shortbread before, so I hope it turns out ok. It's my grandma's recipe, so I'm sure I'm in safe hands. And as for the brownie recipe, I found it mixed with a bunch of other recipes. It doesn't look old, but apparently it's from 1989, or at least that's what the coupon attached to it says.

I'll let you guys know how they both turn out! And hopefully the next time I post, the weather will be FAR better than it is right now.

When dreams give you the creeps

2009-12-07T11:13:00.000-05:00

This one is gunna be a short one, as I am getting ready for work.

I don't know if you guys have ever had really strange dreams, but I had one last night. It was the first time I ever had a dream within a dream too.

For some reason I was on a train/subway (you know how dreams work, it could be both for all I know) and I *think* I was supposed to be going to work (which is weird, because in real life, I drive there). We were going through a sort of field area, and coming towards something like a forest (random, I know) when I noticed between 20 and 30 tornados headed our way. These funnel clouds were all pretty skinny, but they were all headed towards the train. Needless to say, I was freaking out, but then just as the train was coming upon them, I "woke up" from that dream and something else started.

I've had dreams about tornados before, and I'd really like to know what they're supposed to mean. Anyone have any ideas? Same with dreaming within a dream, what the heck is all that about?

A little bit of this, a little bit of that

2009-12-06T11:46:00.000-05:00

I did say in my last post that I would be finishing my Christmas shopping after work yesterday. Well, I didn't.

I ended up eating lunch with the girl I opened with, as she was taking her break at that time. This set me back about 45 minutes, and put me in the middle of the crazy Saturday afternoon mall rush. I even had to make a trip to the car at one point so my arms wouldn't break off trying to carry everything. The mall was so hot (or maybe it's because I was wearing my winter coat, it was very chilly when I left for work @ 8am) and I just wanted to get out of there.

When I got home I took stock of what I bought, and made another list of things still to get. Maybe it's a good thing that I didn't end up getting everything in one day. It hurts just a little to spend a lot of money within only an hour or two.

I also really wanted to go to the grocery store before I left, but I just couldn't do it. I love baking, but I find that I don't have enough time to do it. Every year around this time I say I'm going to make some goodies, but I just never get around to it. This year I'm *hoping* to change that! My parents had to go out for a bit this morning so I gave them my list and some money, so hopefully they'll be able to get it all. I have Tuesday and Wednesday off, and don't start til 5 on Thursday, so I definitely have lots of time this week to get some baking done!

Sadly I have to work at 3 today (ya I know, what a crappy time to start) and won't be home til around 8. I find it kind of ruins the whole day when you start mid afternoon. I know you can still do stuff in the morning, but really, I'm tired. Christmastime is a busy time, and I've been finding myself very tired lately. All I want to do is sleep! Even last night, I found my eyes closing around 9. It took all I had to stay up, finish the chapter I was reading, and watch my hockey team lose pretty badly.

I hope you all enjoy the rest of today, and hopefully get some Christmas shopping done too :)

Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People?

2009-12-03T15:37:00.000-05:00

Okay, so that line is from an episode of Friends that aired the other night. Ross said it, something to do with shampoo and something else getting all over a book. Anyway, it's been floating around my house for a couple days now and I thought it was funny, plus it kind of ties into what I'm about to talk about. Kind of.

Yesterday at work, I was getting up and managed to smack the bridge of my nose into the corner of a shelf. Really, I think I'm the only person I know that has that kind of talent and coordination. It hurt pretty bad, and my vision hasn't quite been the same since. It's a little blurry and unfocused, which probably isn't a good thing. There's a mark on my nose, and I fear it's growing into a bruise. Even with makeup on I can still see this spot. I really don't know how I manage to do these things to myself.

Moving on from that incident, into something more festive: Christmas!

I think I'm about halfway through my shopping, I'll probably finish up this Saturday. I work until 1pm so I'll just shop before going home. I think this is the first time I'm not doing any shopping within the week before Christmas. I'm a little proud of myself!

We aren't doing a big Christmas this year, as money is pretty tight, but I think it'll still be good. I'm hoping to do some baking sometime soon, and yummy baked goods always make things better.

Before I leave you all today, I want to tell you that I recently read a book called Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick. It was soooo good! I really can't wait for the next one to come out (whenever that is). I just started reading another one, as you can see over on the left side of your screen, called Beautiful Creatures. So far I like it. I've heard a lot of good things about it, so I thought I'd give it a try. The cover is different too, as it's just the title, no pictures. Sometimes I think that grabs at you just as a cover with a picture does.

I'm an Idiot.

2009-11-23T13:41:00.000-05:00

I have a few days off from work (well, closer to a week, actually, the way it's worked out) so I'm sitting here writing up some cover letters for jobs that I would rather be doing, than still being stuck in retail.

I sent out one, then started on another, using my cover letter I had just sent out as a template. I do this all the time, as it is easier to grab one cover letter and change things around, rather than create a whole new one each time.

And then I realized.

I didn't delete some information that I had intended to.

And I sent it like that, in all of it's incomplete, ugly glory.

UGH!!!

So, I fixed it up, and re-sent it, apologizing (in better words than the ones that follow) for my stupidity, and lack of being able to notice the leftovers from cover letters past.

I'm hoping they just disregard the first one, and head straight to the second, much better email, containing the proper cover letter.

Yup, I'm an idiot. Plain and simple.

My brain is now in a rut, and I still have another job I want to apply for, but now I'm scared I'll mess that up to.

Oh, what a day. And it's only Monday. This definitely doesn't bode well for the rest of the week.

Edward or Jacob, that is the question

2009-11-21T12:25:00.001-05:00

**Just a warning, this post is all about New Moon the movie, so if you don't wanna know yet, then don't read ahead!!**

Ok, so, I saw New Moon last night.

I won't bore you with the lineup details (though it was pretty long), but I'm just gunna go right into it.

I thought New Moon was SOOO much better than Twilight. Overall, the content was better (it was truer to the book), the quality was better, and the acting was better. Except for Kristin Stewart. There were times when she really bugged me, and reminded me why I don't like her.

I told you in my previous post that I was re-reading the book before I saw the movie, and that I could understand why people can be Team Jacob. After seeing the movie, I'm actually closer to being on Team Jacob myself. You can tell how much he loves Bella, and how much it hurts him to not be able to tell her his secret, or even how much it hurts him that she still chooses Edward, even though he left her. Especially right at the end, when his anger makes him turn into the wolf, and he gives Bella that last look. You can see the hurt there, and it kinda broke my heart.

I thought the wolf pack in general was amazing. The wolves looked exactly how I pictured them, from size to colour. The guys who portrayed them did a great job as well. I mean, it must have been tough walking around the set with only shorts on :)

As far as the Volturi are concerned, they were a little different from what I imagined. Their skin is described as papery, but doesn't really look like it in the film. Aro was way more creepy than I thought, Marcus looked terrified and not bored, and Caius didn't seem as mad as I figured. I thought the added fight scene between Edward and Felix was well done, though.

When Alice lets Aro into her mind, and shows Edward and Bella frolicking in the forest, I thought that was a little much. Everyone in the theatre laughed, because it just seemed too weird.

Of course, all the girls screamed during the scene when Jake had no shirt on. When Bella cuts her head after careening off of the motorcycle, and he takes his shirt off, I actually laughed. It was so unneccessary, and it seemed a little forced. But, what do I know? I'm not a teenaged girl, haha.

Overall, I really liked it. Like I said, it was so much better than Twilight, and I really can't wait for Eclipse (which I hear is coming out on June 30) I'm totally planning to see it again, but hopefully I won't be waiting in line for a couple of hours before.

So, you've obviously watched the movie if you read this. What did you think? Are you Team Jacob now too, or is your allegiance still with Edward?

p.s. I think one of my favourite lines is towards the end, when Bella asks the Cullens if they want her as one of them. Jasper says yes, because it would be nice if he didn't want to be killing her all the time. Too funny!

One More Day!

2009-11-19T11:55:00.000-05:00

Hello all,

First off, can I tell you how excited I am for New Moon tomorrow night?? I can't wait for it! A friend of mine saw it last night at a premiere, and she said it was amazing, despite a few changes that were made. (I'm very jealous that she won tickets!) I think I'm even more excited because it's coming out on my birthday :) Talk about a great birthday present right?

I've actually been re-reading New Moon this week, I have about 50 pages left. I have to say, I wasn't the biggest fan of this book when I read it the first time. There wasn't enough Edward for my liking! But now, reading it again, I appreciate it more. I feel really bad for Jacob this time around, and I can see why people can be Team Jacob and not Team Edward. It should be interesting, to say the least, tomorrow night, with all of the teeny-boppers going crazy.

Anyway, reading it again got me thinking about my favourite book series. So here they are, in no particular order:

- The Twilight Saga (obviously!!) by Stephenie Meyer
- The Gemma Doyle trilogy by Libba Bray
- The House of Night series by P.C. and Kristin Cast
- Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
- the Wicked Lovely series by Melissa Marr
- The Immortals series by Alyson Noel
- Evernight series by Claudia Gray
- The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare
- Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz
- The Luxe series by Anna Godbersen

Now, I have a bunch of other favourites that are either companion books, or are the first in a series where the others haven't been written yet, but that just gives you a taste. Have you guys read any of these books? What did you think? And what are your favourite series? Let me know!

Are You Afraid of the Dark?

2009-11-12T19:02:00.000-05:00

Because I am. A little.

Lately, I've been feeling like I'm going crazy. I keep seeing things out of the corner of my eye, at work and at home. At work, sometimes it's manniquins, but I really feel like there's something else there, and it's driving me crazy. At home I see dark shadows and when I look there's nothing there. Maybe there's something wrong with my vision, I don't really know, but I really don't think so.

Or maybe I'm reading too many paranormal books. That could be it. Right?

At night, I've been noticing dark "lumps" in the corner of my room. Now, I sleep with my door closed, because you wouldn't believe how loud my dad's snoring can be. So that gets rid of any shadows coming in from the hall. In a specific corner, where I've been noticing these "lumps" I have a bunch of things piled there, as it is where my desk is (it's really less of a desk, and more like a table that I pile a lot of crap on). But it seems like the darkness in that area is more than just my crap load of stuff.

Also, sometimes I'll wake up through the night, and while trying to fall asleep, I hear a noise. It kinda sounds like my cat is in my room and just made a sound, like breathing in deeply. But she's not there. Freaky? Yeah, it is. Especially since this has happened many times. Once, I even called her name. And there was no answer (I know that sounds normal, but she actually does respond when you call her). So lately, if I wake up through the night, I try to avoid opening my eyes at all costs for fear of what I might see in my room, lurking in the shadows.

Am I crazy? Honestly? I think I might be. Or maybe there really is something there. But I'll never truly know, it's kinda hard to ask the darkness if someone or thing is there and expect an answer. If I got one, I'd run screaming from my room.

Have you guys ever felt like there was something unseen lurking in your shadows? I really hope I'm not the only one...

Oh Vampires, Why Do You Tempt Me So?

2009-11-02T19:39:00.000-05:00

So here's the thing.

I really like books about vampires.

(We have Twilight to thank for that)

I like other books too, like about fairies and magic and stuff, but I love vampire books. And I just finished Tempted, the sixth book in the House of Night series by P.C. and Kristin Cast. OMG! I really loved it, as I do all the others, but this one is really starting to get things going now. (Plus, I LOVE Stark aka the main guy on the cover over there) The book is based over like, 3 days, and ends in this HUGE cliffhanger that left me saying WTF!

I don't know what I'm gunna do now, as the next book (Burned, I believe it's called) is still being written and doesn't come out until April or May. That's a really long time. I mean, I've waited longer for other books, but when there's a cliffhanger such as the one in Tempted, it will feel like eternity.

And I also recently discovered that there won't just be 9 books as I previously thought there would be, but there will be 12. 12!!! I'm so excited! I know, I'm a really big dork, but I love books that are in a series. I have a hard time letting go, what can I say.

I've also heard rumours that the books have been optioned for a movie, but I don't think that would be possible until all 12 (!!!) books come out. So far, the 6 books have been set in the time frame of about half a year (possibly less, I can't remember exactly) and all the action kinda runs into each other..it would be pretty hard to separate it all into a bunch of movies. But that's just me.

And as my bookshelves are completely stuffed, I've left this one faced out infront of the other HoN books. But really, part of that is just so I can see the guy who poses as Stark. I wish this guy was real, like more real than Edward Cullen (gasp!) hahaha.

Anyway, what I'm trying to say here is, if you read this series, let me know what you think! And if you haven't picked up these books, what the heck are you waiting for! :)

Oh, Really?

2009-10-30T11:16:00.000-04:00

So I keep hearing from various "medical experts" on tv that the only flu virus going around right now is the H1N1..and if this is true, that means I've had it. So I told you all that I was sick a couple weeks ago with a cold. Well, I don't think it went away exactly because I woke up last Thursday with that wonderful feeling of nausea. Needless to say, it wasn't pretty. My mom saw my doctor a few days ago and told him about my symptoms. He said it could have just been a virus, but I don't know about that. We got a pamplet in the mail recently, detailing the symptoms of the flu, and the symptoms of something worse, aka H1N1. Well, I had every symptom they listed for the flu which leads me to believe I had it. I don't think I'll be getting the H1N1 shot, I'm not the biggest fan of needles, and truth be told, there's not enough information about long term affects for me. I know it sounds selfish and whatnot, but it is still my choice.

On another note, its halloween tomorrow. I've never really loved this day, except for the whole candy part of course. I really don't like getting dressed up, I'd rather be comfy in my own clothes, but what can you do. My friends are having a party (as we usually do) and we have to dress up (as is always the case). About a month ago, a girl I work with was going to have a toga party for her birthday, but that never happened. So, I had a piece of (purple!) fabric that was just kinda there. So, I thought to myself, what could it be made into? Answer: a fairy! Another girl I work with made it for me, as she knows how to do that kind of thing. I won't see it until tomorrow, but I am actually excited about it.

Another thing I'm really excited about is daylight savings. This weekend also just happens to be that time of the year, when the clocks go back an hour and we get an extra hour of sleep :) I can't wait!

Hope you all have a happy and spooky halloween, and enjoy your extra hour as much as I will!

Eck!

2009-10-25T12:17:00.000-04:00

Hello all,

I hope you are all doing well. I myself am just getting over the flu (fun times!) I was supposed to work on Thursday and Friday, but I had to call in sick. Luckily, I had yesterday and today off so I've had four nice days of doing absolutely nothing. I don't know if that's a good thing though, because the flu really knocked me out of things. I've been REALLY tired, and I've been sleeping on and off all day, every day, since Thursday. Doing nothing makes you more tired I find, so it will be nice to get back to work tomorrow.

Yesterday my parents were going to visit a friend of theirs (Gord), and asked if I wanted to come along. My dad said Gord really wanted to see me, and truth is, I wanted to see him too. He's kind of like that crazy uncle who isn't really your uncle. Know what I mean? He and my dad have been friends since they were little kids, so he's always been around. Unfortunately, this past summer, his wife passed away from ovarian cancer. She was the kindest and sweetest person you would ever meet in life, and it breaks my heart knowing she's gone. I ended up going yesterday, thinking it might be good for me to get out of the house. Like I said, Gord is a little crazy and goofy, but I feel like he was overdoing it yesterday. I think he really misses his wife, but didn't want us to see it. It was hard being in their house, seeing her things and pictures of the two of them with their daughters, and not be sad about it. I caught myself a few times with tears in my eyes, and quickly tried to blink them away. But besides the sad points, it was nice to see Gord again. I didn't go to the funeral in the summer, as I had to work that day, so this was the first time I've seen him in a long time.

This is a very short post, but I need to go and try to force down some lunch. It's a double-edged sword when you have the flu. Food is not appetizing at all, but you need it to get better.

Wherein Brown Eyed Girl Wants to Run for the Hills

2009-10-21T19:41:00.000-04:00

and no, I don't mean the Hollywood Hills..that would be crazy.

What I really mean is, when I was working Monday night, someone from the past came into my store, we'll call him sk8er boy. He came in with his current girlfriend and her kids, and let me tell you, I was not expecting it at all. I think he and I made eye contact, both with that "deer caught in headlight" look.

I won't go into much detail, because it was some odd years ago now and it really doesn't matter, but here's the basic story: I started a new job, where his mom just happened to be my boss, so he came around a lot. We started hanging out, and naturally, I started having feelings for him. I think he liked me too, but he always seemed to avoid answering me when I asked what we were to each other. It was pretty frustrating to say the least. A mutual friend of ours, who I shall leave nameless, started telling him things that I apparently said, or changing things around. Petty stuff if you ask me. Of course, he believed it..also very frustrating. Anyway, we just kinda stopped talking after that. Although, before this current girlfriend of his, he had just broken up with someone else. What did he do? Started talking to me again. Mmhmm. I wanted nothing to do with him in that way anymore, and I didn't need to be hurt again by the same person.

So, I know what you're asking right now: why did I freak out so much when he came in the store?

Truth is, I have no idea. And not understanding it myself is yet again, frustrating. I guess it's just one of those things..you see someone from the past who you didn't expect to see, and it makes you wanna hide or run away. Sadly, I could do neither.

His girlfriend ended up buying something, and I ended up cashing her out. She kinda had this look on her face that said he told her who I was.

Then today, I'm walking through the mall's food court with a coworker, and he's lined up at the Burger King. I booked it across to the other side of the food court to get my food, instead of going with my friend to get hers first. And then, later in the day, his girlfriend came in to see if we had got something she was looking for. We didn't have it, but it was kinda awkward and weird.

I hope the next time I'm in that situation, I don't want to turn tail and run, but who knows. I didn't even think I would react the way I did on Monday night, but I did. That's just how life goes, I guess.

Take That Technology!

2009-10-18T12:03:00.000-04:00

As of the last post, I was using a box to write to you all. Well, things have changed.

My grandparents called the other day to see how everything was going, and during the conversation, my mom told them about our bum monitor, and that we were currently using our old box like one. My grandma then, ever so kindly, offered to buy us a new one as an early Christmas present. Yay! So I went online, and through little tiny pictures and customer reviews, found different monitors that would suit our needs. The end result? A 20-inch widescreen HP. This thing is HUGE. I think it's wider than my TV! However, things seemed to be a little squished..or maybe it's because we aren't used to the style yet. *Shrugs* Either way, we aren't dealing with a flickering screen, or the box we bought way back when. Score a point for us!

In other news, I went shopping with my mom the other day, and found this awesome new coat for winter. It's nice and warm, and the hood comes off, as well as the fur. It covers my bum, which was one of my pre-requisites for a coat this year. There's nothing worse than having a cold bum! LOL I bought it from Esprit on sale. Regular price, it was about $170, but they had a 30% off all outerwear sale, so after taxes, I paid around $130. Pretty good deal I think! I checked out the coats in Aritzia, but I just can't spend $275 on a coat (before taxes..so really, it would be like, $300) Of course, it being a coat and all, they gave it to me in a large bag. Well, working in retail, big bags make store employees freak out! Such and easy way to steal things. Such was the case when we went to Coach. Now, I can't afford anything in there, but I still like to look. Never hurts, right? Well, the whole time I was followed around and the employees kept looking in bag. It's actually kinda funny being on the opposite end of things!

Technology: 1,000,000 Me: 1/2

2009-10-13T19:29:00.003-04:00

Or more like my mom: 1/2

Like I mentioned in a previous posting, we were having some computer issues. The screen was flickering when you turned it on, and the past few days it took even longer for it to come up. Then yesterday, it did something new. There was a wonderful black bar going across the top of the screen, and the 'start' toolbar was nowhere to be seen. Score another point for technology.

I was not impressed.

After some debate between my mom and I, we decided to jiggle around the buttons. The black bar was still there, but we moved the screen up so we could see the toolbar. Yay us!

But no, celebrating was not in order, as anything at the top of the screen (you know, the blue bar that lets you minimize and close windows) couldn't be seen. Score yet another point for technology. Bah!

So today, my mom went to Best Buy, talked to the "geek squad" guys...and wasn't impressed. SO she came home, found our little Compaq Presario 14-inch box of a monitor of years past, and hooked it up. Score a half point for my mom! I say a half point, because as I write this, I am squinting at the screen. Everything is so little and in your face. I can't believe we thought this thing was the bomb back in the day.

So, until we can afford a new monitor, we are stuck with the box.

*Sigh*

I Heart

2009-10-11T13:27:00.005-04:00

hmmm two blogs in one day, can you tell I'm having another sluggish Sunday? However, it is Thanksgiving and I don't have to work today! Very exciting indeed! Plus, I was going to post one last night, but my computer's monitor decided it didn't want to co-operate with me, so here I am. Two posts, one day.

As you may have noticed, I finally updated my look. It's much prettier than before, I think! It took at least 20 minutes of discussing a problem with my good friend Ella before it finally came together. I hope you all like it!

Speaking of Ella, earlier this week she posted about things she hearts. I thought it was cute, so I thought I'd share the things that I heart. This won't be a complete list, because my memory isn't quite up to par, but you'll get the point :)

I heart...
...sleeping in
...lazy days
...curling up under a blanket on cool days/nights
...reading a really good book without any interruptions
...snuggling with my cat
...winter (yes I know, very strange, but I find something magical about the season)
...the glow at night that snow gives off
...the change in colour in the fall
...backstreet boys! (they never let me down)
...hoodies and comfy pants
...the crack of the spine when I open a new book
...the cushions on my bed
...the smell of vanilla
...baking

Gobble Gobble!

2009-10-11T12:01:00.003-04:00

Hello all!

So it's Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada, and I just wanted to take the time to tell you all what I'm thankful for.

To start, I'm thankful for my family. No matter what I do, or where my choices take me, I know they will always be there for me, supporting me in my decisions. I've grown pretty close to my mom over the last couple of years; I don't know if it's because she's been out of a job or because I'm older, or maybe even a combination of both, but I'm glad that she can also be my friend when I need her to be, and not just my mom.

I'm so thankful to have great friends. Over the years, I've cut some people out of my life that only brought me down, and who caused more drama than was really necessary. I have a few, close friends, who I know will be there for me when I need them, and they know I'm always there for them. You need good friends in your life that become something more than just your friends, they become like your second family.

I'm grateful to be living in a country like Canada. Despite all the things you can make fun of, Canada is a great country, and to be honest, I could never see myself living anywhere else..it just wouldn't be the same.

I hope you all have a great weekend, and spend some time with those people who you are thankful to have in your life!

I Just Can't Escape This Love

2009-10-07T10:43:00.003-04:00

Hello all,

I did promise to write about a bunch of things that are on my mind, so let's keep our fingers crossed that I can remember it all! I have many things swirling around in my head right now, but I won't touch on all of it today. I wouldn't want you guys falling asleep on me :)

So to start, I finished "Fire" by Kristin Cashore last night. I have to tell you, I thought it was amazing! It's a companion book to "Graceling", and I highly recommend that one as well. Cashore has a great writing style, so I'm hoping she'll put out more books to go along with these ones. I always find that when I finish a really good book it takes me a couple of days to come down from it, make my peace that it's over (sounds funny, I know) and move on. I get really wrapped up in books, and sometimes I forget about what's going on around me. "Fire" was definitely one of those books.

As you may have noticed, I also like watching tv..it's actually kind of sad how much I watch. So The Hills premiered last week, sans Lauren Conrad. It's definitely a different show without her. Kristin brings too much drama for my liking. I almost feel like when MTV offered her the main role, she said yes because she had nothing else to do. I will keep watching, as it is a guilty pleasure, but I don't think it's going to get much better. The City also started back up again, and I don't know about this new cast of characters either. There's something about Roxy that I don't like. And, incase you watch the show and think Roxy looks familiar, you are right! She was Stephanie's friend on The Hills once, and they were attacking Lauren about something. It's funny how these people can just switch shows and friends..it almost makes you think some of it is scripted...

DWTS was on last night as well. Tom Delay (or is it Dulay?) announced that he can no longer continue because of his feet injuries, but they still decided to send someone else home too. Debbie Mazar was ok, I think it was right she went home. Sometimes I feel like some people aren't as into it as others, and I kinda saw that in her. Can I say how cute Louie was with his hair slicked back? I think him and Chelsie should get together, they're cute together!

Ooooh so I got the new BSB cd yesterday, and I love it. BSB never let me down! I love "Bigger" and "This is Us" (and of course "Straight Through My Heart"!!) And what makes the cd even better, is the bonus DVD with some live performances from London. I felt 14 again! It was awesome :)

The Leafs. Really, I don't know what to say about them. During preseason, they were doing great and there was talk of them even making the playoffs this year. Well, they aren't exactly off to a great start, and it's kinda sad. I realize they're in a rebuilding stage, but really, would it kill them to shoot the puck once in a while? They could possibly even score goals if they did that!

And as for my cold, it's *almost* gone. I still have a cough and a slightly stuffy nose, but it's definitely not as bad as it was.

I believe I have covered everything I mentioned in my prelude blog from Sunday, so I will leave it there. Don't be surprised if you see something else from me very soon :)

A Prelude of What's to Come

2009-10-04T11:33:00.002-04:00

So I don't really have the time today to write a whole blog, but here are a few of the things on mind, things that I plan on talking about later this week. Feel free to leave your own thoughts!

1. The Hills season premiere [I still don't like Kristin]
2. The City season premiere [not a big fan of Roxy]
3. Dancing With the Stars [Aaron was awesome!]
4. Fire by Kristin Cashore [read about half the book last night..too bad I have to work today!]
5. Slowly getting over this cold [it's taking it's sweet time leaving]
6. Hockey's back! [and the Leafs still suck..I'm not really surprised]
7. New BSB cd on Tuesday! [yay!!!]

A Sluggish Sunday

2009-09-27T12:35:00.003-04:00

I did promise to *try* to update before a week came again, though sadly I didn't have the chance. I worked a lot this week, and today is my day off, and of course, I just happen to be sick. Go figure! As long as it isn't that blasted H1N1 virus, I'll be ok. I had a few things on my mind this week, so bare with me. I'm not even sure if I can remember it all now!

To start, like I said, I worked a lot this week. We had our layout on Wednesday (yes, just one day..it should really last a week, but the powers that be decided to do it in one day) and we had to be there for 7am. Yes that's right, 7 o'clock in the a.m. I was up before the sun, at work before I had the chance to see the sun, but I miraculously saw it when I left work at 3. All in all, the store looks awesome. We changed EVERYTHING in the store, even the structures of the walls. It gives me a lot of satisfaction to know that we did a great job, when the other girls I work with, customers and our district manager tell us what a great job we did.

Tuesday night, however, something happened that I should have taken to be a bad omen. I managed to smash my head against my bedroom door (don't even ask how I do these things!) and let me tell you, it hurt like hell. My parents commented that hopefully I'll wake up the next morning. The impact was pretty hard, as it left a bump and left me dazed for a few moments. The next day, not only did I hit my head AGAIN, but I also tripped over a bunch of things (ladders, boxes, boots) but I had something fall on one of my toes. That one hurt pretty good too. I'm telling you, my middle name should be clumsy.

Moving on to tv shows now...Dancing With the Stars premiered this week. This show has become one of my guilty pleasures for sure. I'm really excited about this season, because Aaron Carter is on. Now, I like him and all, but really, I watched just to see if his big brother Nick (my future husband) would be there, and to my great pleasure, he was! Along with the other BSB-ers too. I think there's a couple people this season who have a very good shot at winning, like Donny Osmond. My mom loves him. Like, loves him. He is to her as Nick is to me. And one other note on DWTS, I think they did an AMAZING job for the Patrick Swayze tribute. I'm not gunna lie, it brought a few tears to my eyes.

I heard this week that a book I read last year, The Host by Stephenie Meyer (aka the Twilight guru) is being made into a movie. I'm pretty excited about this actually. When I read the book, I was pretty confused for the first half, but as it went on I finally got it. It's a good story, and I'm glad to see it being brought to the big screen. I can't wait to see who they plan on casting for it.

In other book news, I'm reading a collection of short vampire stories by various authors right now. It's called "The Eternal Kiss". I only bring this bit of my life up because I've been reading it at night, and it's been causing me to have very strange dreams. I woke up the other night in a very weird position, not one that I would normally sleep in, and it kinda freaked me out. Have any of you guys had any weird dreams like that? When you wake up and something just feels off? It's not a cool feeling at all.

Moving on again, my birthday is coming up in a bit over a month now, and I've been trying to figure out what to do. Last year's plans didn't quite work out as I had wanted, so I kinda wanna make up for it this year. I was thinking about Medieval Times, but when I looked up prices the other day, it's kinda expensive. So now I feel like I'm back to square one. I'd really like to go to MT but I can't ask my friends to fork out the money for it. Anyone have any suggestions??

On a sadder note, my mom's uncle Charlie isn't doing so well. He's a little over 90 I believe, and apparently he hasn't been eating the past couple of weeks. His behaviour has been odd, I've been told. It's almost as if he's getting ready to say goodbye. He doesn't want anyone to visit him, because he wants everyone to remember him with good memories. As I'm writing this, tears are coming to my eyes, because it makes me so sad that he doesn't want to see anyone. I don't like death, it's all too final for me. Sometimes it can be premature, and other times it can be uncalled for. However way it comes, it's just sad.

I'm sorry to leave you all on such a sad note, but I'm out of things to talk about. Hope everyone had a great week, and will have another one this week!