Yes I Can!

The economy is faltering everywhere and though I have not felt its effects (knock wood – oh and except for cheaper gas, yay!), I have felt my OWN effects of my own faltering economy.

That is the economy of my paycheck and the fact that I am running up a huge deficit.

I have a lot of debt. I was counting on selling my car to pay off a chunk of it but sadly even if I did sell my car, the chunk would be small and in the end, who is to say I wouldn’t have ended up spending that chunk anyway?

I have been fairly good as to selling things on Ebay to make up for buying so much. But the difference is that I am selling to make up for things. It just isn’t the same as selling, getting the money and then spending wisely. Or not spending at all and saving.

So, as my last items on Ebay have come to an end, I have vowed to stop buying/bidding on anything and that if I were to do anything on Ebay, it would be to sell. And just sell. Sell, sell, sell and put the money on my credit card.

The other thing I have noticed with regards to spending habits, actually lifestyle habits, is that I am lazy. I am lazy and undisciplined. I have no patience and want everything NOW!

The two main problems in my life? Horrible spending habits and my weight.

I could cure both with discipline. Easy. Start budgeting. I mean, REALLY budgeting. Not allow myself to buy whatever I want and whenever I want. Start exercising and eating less. Both of these changes would fix my two major life problems and all it takes is discipline. Ack. I wish I had discipline, I say. But in reality it’s a matter of just doing it. Everyone can have it, you just have to bite the bullet and get down to it.

(Actually my third major life problem is not using my talent to write scripts or books like I always say I will. Guess what would solve that problem? You got it – discipline!).

So how will I start getting discipline and what will I do with myself once I get it?

Well for the weight part, it’s just a matter of not thinking and just doing. Stop complaining about how unfair it is that I have to work out and no one else does and just accept it and fix it. When presented with that cookie, don’t have it. Don’t indulge. This doesn’t mean forever, but until I am at a happier weight I am going to have to sacrifice.

Same goes for my money problem. Clothes make me happy. If I am not spending money on clothes, what will make me happy?

Well, I’m sure clothes will still make me happy. But old clothes and old clothes mixed up in ways that make them new. If anything has taught me this it is my current wardrobe challenge. I am wearing things I would normally never wear and it ways I never thought I would and yet, YET, I still manage to have style and look put-together. It’s great.

Also, there are a lot of things that I love but don’t wear because it is too small at the moment or is terribly unflattering (sigh, the effects of gaining ten pounds in one month. So ashamed! And don’t you say anything about me not looking fat in my photos – I am only posting the most flattering ones!)

Another thing I am going to do – and this is indeed a HUGE task – is to document every article in my closet/wardrobe/boxes/storage.

Remember Cher’s mechanized closet in Clueless? Well I don’t have that but because my closet is so small now and cramped and dark (thanks bf!), I can barely make out what I have and this will be the next best thing.

A CD of pictures of every item of clothing that I own. That way I can browse through them, remember I have that certain shirt and remember what it looks like on (yeah, this also might mean having to try on everything I have :S) and not only will getting dressed be a cinch, but I will feel like I got a whole bunch of new clothes too. Because when it’s not in front of me, I basically forget I have it!

That solves the “happiness” with having no spending allowance for clothes. How do I actually save the money? I never make New Years Resolutions but this year I will. And it will be that I can not buy a single article of clothing (or makeup) until March 1st.

TWO MONTHS WITHOUT NEW CLOTHES!

I know that a lot of you do this already but I buy something every week. So this will make a huge difference and take a hell of a lot of discipline. And hopefully I will learn that I don’t need a lot of stuff all the time, I can be more discerning and picky about what I buy and when and that I will have gotten used to putting money aside on things that matter the most – paying down my credit cards and achieving financial state of mind.

But I am excited to try it out and to prove to others (ie, bf) that I CAN do it!

Earring Giveaway #2

Thanks for all your input everyone!

I’ve tallied up the responses and it looks like next week during the November Wardrobe Challenge, I will be doing the following Five (outta Ten) Iconic Style Looks:

*Bombshell
*Arty Slick
*Euro Chic
*California Casual
*Rock Star – I didn’t get a fifth vote so I voted this in!

By next Friday I’ll post the weeks pics and you can tell me not only which look you liked best, BUT which look I will have to rock out everyday for the following week (majority wins). And of course, I will randomly select a name from your comments to win a pair of THESE ASOS earrings! Plus maybe some other nice stuff? Hmmm?

In the meantime, I’m going to leave you with some amuse bouche. I was bored the other night and decided to check out my Sitemeter which I haven’t done in about 8 months or so. Glad to see people still read the blog! But even more glad to see the crazy and zany ways people still FIND my blog, via Google Search.

Such as….


*I got new clothes but no one complimented me at work
I feel for you, I really do. This is why I started doing this on my blog :P

*What makes a person good in bed
Ahh, I made one blog post about this back in 2006 and I still get people searching for the answer

*What makes a woman good in bed
Like I said, everyone wants the answer. I don’t recall really having one, just to put out a lot and say yes to everything.

*Am I good in bed?
Do you want the honest truth?

*How to be good in bed
Practice

*How to be good AT bed
Not too sure

*I’m dating a younger guy
So am I, fun isn’t it?

*I’m dating a feminine guy
This person must be dating my Ex

*David Copperfield’s Secret Sheet of Entrance
Ewwwww. Love how Copperfield still comes back to haunt me but they don’t have to bring the sheets into it. Did I ever tell you how I was lambasted via email by a Copperfield fan who kept sending me threatening emails because I was giving Copperfield a bad name? True story, I should post them sometime.

*I can’t get out of bed in the morning
Tell me about it.

*How do I get out of bed in the morning
You mean to say I had an answer to this?

*Am I in love or afraid to be alone
Aw, if you have to ask….then no, you are not in love. But embrace being alone! It’s great! Go to Paris! See the world!

*Producer seeks personal assistant
Don’t do it, believe me!

*Anywhere but here is all that happens in the end
When all is gone in this world, my blog will still remain

*Stupid things people want in their lifetime
Lol, I can imagine the list for this is HUGE and I probably want it all

*Contacting George Clooney's Manager
I still get asked about how to do this and sadly, I don't know. Well...OK, I have his contact details but SHHHHH.

The BEST one is this:

*Karisa Petho

Karisa is my dear friend from college and whose wedding I’m going to in April. Funny thing is, someone googled her name and got to my blog, but wait till you see the blurb that the Google search results picks up:
“Karisa Petho remarked... haha Karina...does this mean you've recently had a yeast infection and hemmroids? Hope you're feeling better :P ...”

Isn’t Google amazing? Thank God that doesn’t come up when I Google my name. The dodgiest thing I get (aside from a million things about David Copperfield) is a book called “Hitler’s Dancers.” Don’t ask.



I was going for a polished career look with an edge - Euro Chic Bombshell with hint of Grungy Rockstar? Vic Matie Patent Blue Mary-Janes, H&M tights, Pencil skirt, Skinny patent belt, Silk shell, Slouchy cardigan, Star earrings and Chains and Leather necklace...all by Forever 21. Eeek.

Tired of being Tired

I am having one of those days where you just can’t wake up. Even now as I sit at work, sneakily typing this into an untitled word document, my fingers are fumbling every few words. My head is in a thick, deep fog. My eyes can’t focus for the life of them, indeed I’m actually having trouble keeping my eyes open.

I’ve got one cup of coffee in me and am about to embark on another but sometimes I wonder what the point is. Sure my heart will start racing soon, but my brain will still be a few hours behind. I just want to close my eyes and take a nap on the floor of my office. Maybe George Costanza had the right idea when he put a bed under his desk.

I’ve been feeling rundown and tired for the last few weeks now – well, ever since I started the job. But I don’t think it’s a matter of sleep. I’ve been getting 7-8 hours a night and though I do wake up a few times in the night, it usually doesn’t keep me awake. I’ve also been learning how to fall asleep with the lights on. Meaning, when my bf is staying up and reading the Dark Tower series, I can actually fall asleep. This is a huge accomplishment considering I am the lightest sleeper ever and normally can’t fall asleep if there is the slightest noise, movement or light in the room.

And yesterday I could have slept all day. We went to bed at midnight-ish – the next day being a holiday – and then while my bf got up at 9 naturally, I got up at 1030. And that was by force. And I was exhausted the whole day, could have even napped. A similar thing happened on Sunday, in which despite getting 8 or 9 hours of sleep I still HAD to take a long nap.

I’m not sure why this is happening. Pretty sure it’s all about my lifestyle. Too much wine every night. No exercise. No vitamins (though I do eat fairly healthy). I’ve realized it’s time to start experimenting again to find out what’s going on here. Maybe cut down on caffeine all together. Cut down on booze (less wine and less often). Exercise in some form everyday. Take my vitamins religiously.

Any other suggestions?

In other news, here are the scarves that Dominica (winner of last week’s draw – please email me for your prize!) wanted to see. I’m still in the process of learning how to tie these properly but I’m doing the best I can. Because I am so damn cold all the time I’ve actually started wearing them as an extra heat-keeping layer rather than a fashion statement but I’m sure I can achieve the best of both worlds.

Vintage Ellen Tracy short silk scarf

Vintage cotton scarf

Forever 21 cotton scarf

My Absolut Favourite - Absolut Vodka Silk Scarf


Oscar de la Renta silk scarf (for my mother for her birthday this month)

Then there is my own personal fashion dilemma: I bought this felt cloche hat and have no idea what to wear it with, lest it makes things TOO retro. For example, when I wear my cape I feel like I can’t wear this too because then it really looks like I rolled out of the Roaring Twenties.



Any tips on styling this?


Last but not least: PLEASE READ MY PREVIOUS POST AND VOTE FOR YOUR TOP FIVE ICONIC LOOKS! I need your help people, don’t let me choose what to wear next week because you know I am going to pick the looks that are safe and closest to my own style. Where is the fun in that? So yes, pick which five (or just even one like Roselle did) you’d like to see me in and I will make it so (and possibly look like a fool while doing so). But don’t you want to see foolish pictures? I know I do.

For example, this would be Euro Chic (my version anyway):


Size too big DKNY Black Shift Dress that my mom bought for me when I was 16 - my first designer item! I added the Patent Grey Skinny Belt (Forever 21) to make it fit better, then paired it with a matching Grey Soft Knit Cardigan (also F21), Vintage Salavatore Ferragamo Black Patent Heels with Bows, A Tommy Hilfinger Pearl Necklace and a Forever 21 Chain and Leather Necklace - too keep it from looking too prim.

Want to see more? See last post and let me know :)

Congrats! On to the next challenge

Thanks to everyone who entered the draw!

I actually liked Tuesday’s best (followed by Thursday – and yes, Wednesday was cute but damn that static cling!) so I decided to just write down all your names and randomly choose.

And the winner is….drumroll please….

DOMINICA!

Please email me with your shipping details and I will give you a choice between two different sets.

The remaining pair will be given away at the next Wardrobe Challenge which is next week.

I’ve forgone this week because I was too tired to think when I got dressed this morning – though because I’m wearing a sweater, I might just wear sweaters all week! But also tomorrow is a holiday so I will probably just be in sweat pants.

But next week I will do a similar thing – post pictures of the end and have another vote to win. I’m hoping to do this on a regular basis in one form or another, maybe give away free beauty samples and the like. I’m still thinking it through.

Anyhoo, next week I am doing ICONIC LOOK WEEK – which is loosely based on the new Lucky Guide to Mastering Any Style, a book I am currently loving at the moment.

There are ten Iconic Looks in total (though an unlimited combination when combined) and what I need from you is for YOU to tell me which five I should do. I think I may just have enough stuff to pull one off in one form or another, though I have to remember that I am doing this at work, so everything has to be work modified, though luckily my office is quite casual.


The ten choices are (with examples of what make the look – not what I actually have lol):


EURO CHIC
Key Pieces: Ladylike structured bag, Silk blouse, Snakeskin or Crocodile pumps, Gold accessories, Brocade jacket, Thin patent belts, Heeled oxfords, Tailored cardigan, Oversized blazer, Big scarf, Silk scarf, Tailored jeans, Boucle jacket, Tie-front blouse, Tuxedo jacket, Cashmere, Jewel-tone winter coat, Wrap coat – You know, anything that you would see on those fashionable and streamlined women all over Europe


CALIFORNIA CASUAL
Jeans, Plaid shirt, Sundress, Fringe bag, Tank top, Wooden heeled shoes, Sandals, Aviators, Anything crochet, Babydoll tops and dresses, Linen, Tunics, Scarf blouse, Drawstring pants, Tooled leather belts and bags, Birkenstocks, Cargo pants, Bermuda shorts, Poncho – Breezy, cool and laidback.


ROCK AND ROLL
Leopard print anything, Studs, Silver jewelry, Black, Snakeskin accessories, Cuffs, Ankle boots, Skinny jeans/pants, Leather jacket, Low-slung belts, Chokers, Bustiers, Velvet – Rhianna seems to sum this up these days, as does Kate Moss, Sienna Miller and the like.


POSH ECLECTIC
Vintage cardigans, Gauzy and floaty dress, Velvet jacket, Houndstooth anything, Brooches and pins, Capes, Circle skirts, Antique necklaces, Cameos, Lace-up granny boots, Tights, Lace, Flat boots – The new British-look, a lot of old and new, combining all decades of fashion into a look that is both pretty and airy, yet masculine and classic.


MOD
Opaque tights, Shift dress, Stripes, Graphic prints, Black and White, Flat boots, Leather driving gloves, Coloured jewelry, Trapeze dress, Boxy coat- Swinging Sixties look in gay old London Town.


AMERICAN CLASSIC
White collared shirt, Straight-leg jeans, Suede Blazer, Wide leg pants, Vest, Boyfriend cardigan, Polo Shirt, High-waist skirt, Pearls, Masculine watch, Denim Jacket, Tweed – A dash of preppiness and a lot of simplicity. Understated. Katherine Hepburn and Grace Kelly would be proud to wear it.


BOMBSHELL
Pencil skirt, Wiggle dress, Polkadots, Red, Peeptoes heels, Tiny sweater, Feminine wide-legged pants, Lingerie/lacey camisole, Swing coat, Satin, Leopard print skirt, V-necks, Long opera gloves, Waist-cinching belt, D’Orsay shoes, Animal print heels, Cloche felt hat, Rhinestone jewelry, Faux fur – Marilyn Monroe, Sophia Loren…Ditta Von Tease. The Bombshell look lives on with it’s timeless glamour and curve-hugging shapes.


BOHEMIAN
Low-rise brown cords, Flared jeans, White Trousers, Peasant blouse, Shearling trimmed jacket, Fuzzy vest, Embroidered tops, Long maxi dresses, Halter topsHippie chick at its finest, Dusty pinks, Faded florals, Flowy dresses, Organic items, Stones, Fur-trimmed boots, Wrap sandals, Hobo bags, Tunic, Floppy hats – Kate Hudson and Rachel Bilson have this down pat.


ARTY SLICK
Black skinny pants, Sheer shirts, Asymmetrical hems,Layers, Leotards, Genie pants, Slouchy outerwear, Gladiator sandals, Metallic bag, Hats, Sculputral jewelry, Graphics, Shoes with metallic or sculptural heels - Avante Garde yet minamilist, edgy and artistic but classicly wearable


GAMINE
Ballet flats, Capri pants,Thinly striped sweaters, Boatneck tops, Belted Safari Dress, Sailor pants, Polished-looking leather purse, Plain and fitted tees, Smocks, Biker jackets, Trenchcoats, Bright and wide cropped jacket, Espadrilles, Keds, Cork-heel platforms, Diver's watch, Black scarf, Huge Jackie O sunglasses, Graphic scarf, Peacoat, Knee-high flat or wedge boots, Quilted purse with chain strap, 3/4 length anything - One word: Audrey Hepburn



And FYI my own style is Euro Chic/Bombshell…I think. With a touch of Posh Eclectic and Gamine and a hint of Rock and Roll (more Rock and Roll now than ever!)


Get your votes for Top Five in now and I’ll tally it up on Friday.

As for our winner, Dominica, because she wanted to see my scarves up close, I will post pics of them on my next post (Wednesday) – remember how awhile back I admitted I was clueless about wearing them? Well after buying a slew, I think I’m starting to get the hang of it.

I’ll also need some wardrobe advice too – I purchased a certain hat recently and have no idea what to wear it with. I love hats and look good in them (usually) but since I don't wear them I remain clueless about them - can't tell if I look like an idiot or not!

But back to the voting!

The Results - Week One

What a week it’s been – Obama’s made history, the Canadian dollar went back up slightly and I successfully completed week one of The November Wardrobe Challenge!

Yes folks, I managed to wear a dress everyday this week to work. It actually wasn’t very hard or annoying at all considering that I have so many darn dresses – the hardest part was figuring out which dress to wear!

I wanted to see how many different colours and styles I could edit to make work appropriate (and rainy, cold weather appropriate) and I think I ran the gamut on that one. But because I have so many dresses left that need their day in the sun, I might do this one again at the end of the month.

Now comes the fun part – you get to see all the different looks for this week.

AND if you tell me (in the comments) which one you like best, you will be entered into a draw to win a pair of Forever 21 earrings! That’s right, just vote for your fav and I will randomly (I swear) pick a person to win – though it’s probably going to be the person who votes for the look I liked most! And no, I’m not telling.

On my next post I will announce the winner, who can then email me their mailing details!

So what are you waiting for?

Monday

I wore a grey, layered Forever 21 dress that I consider a “going out” dress. But I made it work for work by pairing it with blues and greys. Blue Vic Matie Patent Mary-Janes, Grey H&M tights, my shiny quilted Mango MNG blue handbag, a vintage blue-grey scarf and a vintage blue schoolboy blazer. With the blazer on top, it kind of made the dress look like a schoolgirl skirt and thus I think it had kind of a Gossip Girl flair.




Tuesday

Usually I think of how I feel or a certain look I want to have BEFORE I get dressed but this time I picked out the dress, paired it with stuff and then realized my look afterwards. In this case it was French Etheral Gamine Ballerina. A white silk (with white leather trim) Sheri Bodell Grecian dress, black tights, Coach flats, black F21 tank top (only $2.50!) and a Charlotte Russe Black cardigan with ribbon tie.

Then I added the outerwear – my new vintage cape (total Ebay score). Reversible with black on one side and plaid on the other and with an attached scarf, this cape elevated my look to 1920’s French Etheral Gamine Ballerina.


Wednesday

Taupe Forever 21 dress, burgundy H&M tights, maroon Vic Matie Patent Mary-Janes, maroon cardigan, magenta F21 tank and magenta/maroon F21 scarf. Despite liberal use of static-spray, the dress clung to my tights. I hate that! Thus the flowy plum fairy look that I thought I had achieved was ruined with every step I took. Grrrr!




Thursday

Forest Green bubble hem dress by Smogh – bought in Rome, black shiny American Apparel tights, black Christian Louboutin Beatle ankle boots, Black (but I swear it’s dark grey!) Forever 21 knit blazer with detachable belt (which I wore on the inside), Absolute Vodka vintage scarf. I love this dress and completely forgot how flattering and adorable it is! I call this look…French Gamine business woman.


Then I added the dark purple Forever 21 wool trench and WOW - the jewel tones of green and purple really complement each other.

Anyway, when I ran out to errands later I put on a black scarf and floppy knit beret and suddenly people were complimenting me on the street - French gamine indeed!!

Friday

I ran out of imagination. I’ve done this outfit before but meh, it’s safe and comfy. I call it, Italian Autumn….silk chiffon dress by purchased in Rome, Bata leather boots from Rome (you remember?), Mac and Jac boucle brown cardigan, Rafe ostrich leather and canvas bag AND mustard outerwear, Forever 21.


OK that’s it! That was my week, I hope you had a good one but TGIF! Despite the frivolous dresses, this has been my official first week of STRESS at work - will get into it next post though, don't want to blog too much about my work but there's a SheBeast who has it coming!!

PS when you comment to win the earrings, I would also like to know what kind of challenge I should do for next week – I was thinking about wearing a skirt everyday. What’s your take???

November Wardrobe Challenge - week one

Hope you all had a happy Halloween! I had a great time, dressed up as Selene from Underworld. I'm amazed I actually pulled off the costume, which was akin to wearing black body paint and highly enjoyed freaking people out with my blue contacts which didn't sit on my eyes properly so it looked as if my eyes were looking in all directions at once. My bf's costume was the best though...he went as Robert Downey Jr. from Tropic Thunder - the most controversial costume at the party. But since the token African American at the party thought it was hilarious, we know it turned out great!


Tropic ThUnderworld

Boring, Normal Us

Anyway, on to the title of this post...I invite you (women AND men) to join me in a wardrobe challenge that will take place throughout the month of November.

Fall/Winter is a great time to want to buy new clothes and try out new trends but it’s also a time of credit-crunching, budgets and economic uncertainty.

I still buy quite a lot of clothes (cheap ones – more or less) because that’s just me – but the thing is, I don’t NEED more clothes. Want, yes. Need, no. Not one bit.

And why do I want more clothes? Because I’m bored with the ones I’ve got – or perhaps I’ve just forgotten about them. Sometimes if you don’t have an item staring you in the face, you forget it exists. Or sometimes the item is inappropriate for the weather. Both are just excuses and this month I aim to make everything in our wardrobes wearable for right here, right now.

My challenge for the first week of November is:

To wear a dress everyday of the week.

This normally isn’t a hard one for me since I have a TON of dresses but that’s just the point. I have a ton of them and I need to wear them and appreciate them more often.

Now if I wore a dress last week or something (and I did), it doesn’t count. My goal is to try and wear dresses that I haven’t worn for quite some time (months, maybe even a year).

By doing so I can find a way to make old pieces look new by mixing it with new and unique accessories.

I will post my pics of the daily outfit – and I encourage YOU to find something in your closet that you have a lot of and try to wear one everyday. For example, you could wear a dress everyday too or maybe a cardigan, or a bright tie, or a blazer or perhaps you have a lot of boots and want to wear a different pair everyday.

Note that the key wording here is DIFFERENT. No repeats are allowed.

I guarantee you will find new ways to wear something you love and will make you feel less guilty for having them. A little creativity is all you need: A cardigan over a dress shirt can take you through work. A cardigan with jeans is classic casual. A cardigan over a sexy shirt is great for drinks. You get the idea…now get cracking!

Tick, tock, tick, tock

It just occured to me yesterday that it is (was) OCTOBER 29th 2008! All of the dates were suprising to me. I mean, is it really 2008 (I know we have that shock in January but it's just kicking in now)?, is it really October already and is it already the END of October? AGH! We have two months before the new year and then it's 2009. TWO THOUSAND AND NINE, people!

The older I get, the faster time goes - I know I've blogged about this before but it's never been more apparent since starting my job. The days just FLY by and when Monday comes and I whine about how far away Friday is, BAM! Friday is here. Things are just going so fast, I feel like I can't get a grip and REALLY concentrate on where I am, right now. The weather. The climate. The changes. Where I was last year. Where I was last month. What's next month. How do I feel right now? How do I slow down and let it all sink in and where am I going to find the time to do that?

Which brings me to my next point...I turn 27 in December. TWENTY-SEVEN! Holy moly, I am just cruising along to middle age now, aren't I?

The thing is, I just don't FEEL 27. I don't. Maybe I feel 23. Yeah, I feel like I'm 23. A 23-year old in a 27-year old's body.

Do you feel your age? If not, what age DO you feel?

But back to frivolous fashion....remember to check out my eBay items...some will be ticking along for another 5 days but some are ending soon. Like in less than a day. So get in there and bid and remember I'll be chucking in a special gift for all my readers who win!!!

PS - I saw this Parisien street style photo today on Garance Dore and I WANT THIS COAT! Sadly though I have a feeling that it's expensive. Like, you couldn't even get it on Ebay and if you could it's going for like $800+ - sigh, there is just something so romantic and practical about the wide drapey collar and openess of the front. Plus the zipper, leather trim and warm furry exterior are a great combo and would be SO cozy this winter.

It's by Rick Owens, btw, which is sold on luxury sites and in similar stores and is therefore off limits to a budget-crunching, moneyless girl like myself. For now, anyway!

You Look Tired

Worst thing to hear EVOR!

Seriously, I hear this quite a bit and I’m tired of it. I know people like to call out the obvious (“wow, you’re sunburned”) but it’s not the thing people like to be pointed out. When you say I look tired, what you’re really saying is that I look like a steaming pile of crap. Well, isn’t it?

Woe is me, anyway because I always often look tired. It’s not in my head (you hear that, Mom?!) people often find the need to comment on it.

OK and I often AM tired too, which makes sense. I guess I’m coming down with something…or it may have something to do with the fact I stopped exercising this month (till next week) or maybe that I am going to bed late (thanks a lot, boyfriend) and waking up early (thanks a lot, job).

Anyway I am on a full-on beauty attack to try and make myself look awake in the mornings.

First object is to obliterate my under eye circles. Short of getting Juvederm injections (which I might do since these circles are ruining my life), there isn’t much you can do….especially if they are hereditary which I suspect mine are (thanks a lot, grandma). But I did shell out big bucks (OK, a got a deal) for Peter Thomas Roth’s Power K eye cream which has arnica (fights bruises, though all you holistic types know that already) and Vitamin K (which can thicken the skin, making the blood vessels which shine through my thin skin WAY too easily less apparent).

So far there has been no change but I’m giving it till the end of the jar….or at least till two months have gone by, which is how long most products take to work. I don’t expect miracles though

In the meantime, I am on the search for other ways to make my eyes look bright.

I use a heavy duty Dermablend concealer which lasts forever, but lately it just doesn’t do its job. The circles come through.

At the recommendation of another blogger, I tried out Lancome waterproof cream concealer at the drugstore last night and that did do the trick. I’m tempted to shell out money for it but worried that it doesn’t have what it takes to handle my morning circles (my night ones are less pronounced).

I also used to use Benefit’s Eyebright stick which is great for lining the inside of your eyes, highlighting the brow and even putting over your circles and the layering concealer on top. I’m also thinking of picking up another stick.

Using a yellow or peach based concealer as base before your regular concealer will also help…remember the color wheel! Yellows and oranges block out blues/purples.

As for the puffiness, I’m hearing good things about Biore’s depuffing eye gel and Patrica Wexler’s depuffing eye gel (which I just bought on Ebay – I’ll let you know!).

My tried and true favourite, which I can’t afford at the moment, is Clarin’s Flash Beauty Balm. They have one for the eyes now, but I would stick with the original. I first bought it in the Frankfurt airport and the smell takes me back. You leave the gel-ish formula on your face as a mask and tissue off or rub it vigorously into your skin. It really does perk you up.

Another great product (and again, expensive) is Bliss’s triple oxygen mask. I have also ordered a sample via Ebay, so I will keep you informed.

And then there is good ol’ Visine which I need to invest in! Today though I lined my eyes with Navy Blue liner as this makes your whites look whiter….eh, maybe. Maybe I would look more tired without it. It’s hard to say on days like these but here is hoping that after I cover myself with all these products, I might just start to look awake!

I have solved ONE problem though: I have been having extremely dry, flaking and bleeding lips and NO lipbalm was helping. Not Chapstick, not Blistex, not Nivea. Then I found Roc’s lip balm (around $7) and I’ve been happy ever since.

On the fashion side of things, thanks to everyone who is bidding on my Ebay items – you won’t be disappointed! And while I am a big fan of street fashion photo blogs such as The Sartorialist, Garance Dore, Hel-looks and Facehunter (way more inspirational to look at how real people dress vs celebs), I lack the nerve to copy them (I’m shy about shoving my camera in strangers faces). But I did see the most awesome girl on my street the other night so I thought I would draw it.

She was asian with dark TEAL hair, a tight neon yellow pencil skirt, black moto jacket, tights and booties with gold studs all over them. She was standing with an equally fashionable crowd (I believe one man had suspenders and a bowler on and NO it wasn’t for Halloween), but I was most taken by her hair! It was so bright and played off the brightness of the skirt.

My crappy rendition done with work’s sharpie collection…


PS any tips on under eye concealers (for mega circles) or tips on looking fresh and awake would be much appreciated too!!!

I really love my...

While I'm EBAYING everythinG I own (it seems) at the moment (see last post for link - remember if a blogreader wins an item, they get an awesome free gift!), there are somethings I am NOT going to Ebay. These are the clothes I am really loving at the moment...


My Dolce and Gabanna military tuxedo coat



Can you believe I scored this beauty for only $100? It’s from a few seasons ago and I am IN LOVE with it already. I took a gamble when I big because the pictures weren’t really doing it justice but I swear the coat was made for me. It’s very different with its long tuxedo style tail, its velvet cuffs and collar and silver eagle buttons – definitely a statement coat, I think. But it also fits me perfectly, is flattering and makes me hum Sgt. Pepper everytime I put it on. It’s my first like really upscale Italian designer coat and just feeling it and inspecting it, I can really see how well made and perfectly cut it is. So happy with this find!

My Coach flats



A great find for $30. I don’t think they are real though but that’s what I expected when I paid $30 for them. Who knows, all I know is that they are comfy, spritely and add a touch of “class” or something like that whenever I wear them, which is almost everyday.

My Forever 21 Cardigan



The perfect long cardigan. Thin (don’t like them long and thick…um, cardigans that is!), soft fabric. Big slouchy pockets which are at the perfect length for ramming your hands in there, while standing off center and looking slightly gamine and French.


Vic Matie patent blue leather mary-janes



I just got these in the mail yesterday from Yoox and after putting them on I immediately called my mother and begged her to buy me another pair. As they say, when the shoe fits, BUY TWO! After SO DAMN MUCH trial and error with shoes, I’ve finally found a pair that are unique but give height and are comfortable and as sturdy as boots. Maybe they are “sexy” but I think the high-shine navy patent leather gives it a little something. It reminds me of a futuristic Minnie Mouse from 1940. I’ve already gotten compliments from my boss on them and I love how they look demure until they hit the light at a certain angle and suddenly all you see is shiny shiny blue. I ordered another pair in Maroon – last pair in my size – which should be a little more subdued. But at the moment I am wearing them with my navy cardigan so it all works. Only problem now is that I really want a blue bag! Call me old-fashioned, but I love it when my purse matches my shoes. That way I can wear whatever else and not worry about matching.

Christian Louboutin Beatle Boots



Another FAB Ebay find (I think they were $100?) They are used but that just makes them comfy cuz they are already broken in slightly. They have a wicked pointy toe and elastic sides which aren’t really all that popular at the moment but I think it lends a 60’s British Mod air to them. When paired with black tights, these make my calves look really long and lean. Plus they are the only pair of Loubtins (aside from my espadrilles) that feel good on! They are my go to shoes when I want to look sleek.

Forever 21 Floral Bubble Skirt



I wore this to work the other day with bright tights, CL booties and a snug black blazer. With my hair in a French-type twist, I felt, well, very French…with a twist! It was a bold choice on my behalf (especially since in the dark morning hours I thought the tights were black but they were in fact dk electric blue) but it paid off since I got tons of compliments. Sometimes I forget I work in engineering.

Ebay Day!

Yes, I sorta lost my head over the last two months and went on a spending frenzy. After discovering that I can in fact wear stiletto heels (as long as they are less than 3 inches), I really outdid myself and bought a whole load of designer shoes. And then bags. Coats. Clothes. Etc.

Sadly, I did it all with money that I should have put towards my massive debt (yes, I still have massive debt). Now I have buyer’s remorse. And guilt. And shame. Especially since most of the shoes DO NOT FIT which means I have to resell them (and way below value) on Ebay.

That’s not the only thing I am selling though, I’ve started putting on EVERYTHING worth selling, even if I really like it. I keep everything I LOVE though but just liking is not enough and as such, my clothes and wardrobe will soon become YOUR clothes and wardrobe.

You guys were so great last time…so I am extending the offer again. If you bid on my item – and win, of course – let me know that you read my blog and I will throw in a free gift. And it won’t be something chintzy like a perfume sample of a keychain. It will be another mystery item of clothing or jewlery which will go along well with whatever you bought…or at least it won’t be whoreanus.

Check out some things I am Ebaying…
New In Box, Nadia Grilli leather sequin snakeskin print ballet flats, size 36 (may even fit 36 1/2)

Never worn Forever 21 super soft knit thermal dress in small

Worn once, New In Box Marc Jacobs suede and leather heels, 36


I'll be listing a whole lot more tonight including (but not limited to) a fab Balenciaga knock-off bag (of course I can't say it's a knock-off on Ebay so I'm just listing it as a moto bag - real red soft leather though!), vintage brown Gloria Vanderbilt riding boots in perfect condition and rust-colored new with tags bubble dress, perfect for fall.

Please follow this link and return often as I will be listing even more stuff over the week: EBAY LINK

What NOT to wear - for you

So it’s been a few hours now being in the office without supervision and I am starting to go crazy. See, I do have a list of things that must get done, however I’ve got to find a way to stretch out those things until my boss gets back. If I did them all right now, what would I do tomorrow? What really bugs me though is how I am getting a lot of requests to do things or fix things, however I can’t help anyone! Not only do I not know how to do most things but they all rely on the approval of my manager (who is in Seattle till Wednesday). So I have to apologize to all these people over and over again that I am new and can’t help them and that they have to sit tight till Wednesday.

Anyway as I mentioned in yesterday’s post, I probably will start blogging everyday this week. Now I know that my boss is gone until Wednesday but with not much to do I foresee myself writing up the odd blog post in word and then saving them for a rainy day when I don’t have much to say or simply don’t have the time.

So here is another fashion-centric post for you to chew on.

As I had said before in the previous post, everyone has their own style which is influenced by a multitude of factors. In general we all know what tends to work on us and what doesn’t and for most I think this is put to the test every Fall and Spring when the fashion collections come out and the trends start their parade.

I’m a bit on the fence about trends. I don’t tend to follow them, mainly because I have an aversion to wearing clothes that everyone else wears *which is exactly why I order from stored outside of Canada or online stores or vintage stores, so that the chance of me wearing the same item of clothing as someone else is slim. I have been doing this for a year with Forever 21, ever since I discovered that they finally started delivering in Canada. Unfortunately I am not the only one who does this now and on the streets of Vancouver I recognize more and more of F21s stuff. I used to feel pretty special in those clothes because before you had to drive to Seattle to get it but now I guess the secrets out that anyone can order it from anywhere. I’m contemplating finding a new hidden source of cheap clothing….* and I fear that when I wear something trendy I will look like, well, like I am trying to be trendy. Or that I will resemble everyone else on the street. However, I do appreciate trends when it is something you’ve always wanted to wear but haven’t had the guts to, it kind of gives you permission. I totally ate up the gladiator sandal trend because it provided ankle coverage for my feet’s surgical scars – in fact, I was wearing gladiator sandals before they were even in.

Which actually kind of bugged me since when I first did it two years ago, it was unusual (again not trying to be fashion forward here but it was out of necessity) and then when I wore them this year, I felt like I was “trying.” Meh.

What I am trying to say is that a couple of years ago you wouldn’t be caught dead in bright yellow skinny jeans but thanks to American Apparel, you can do it and not get flak for it. I, of course, would never be caught dead in skinny yellow jeans. It took me three years to finally buy a pair of skinny jeans!

Which brings me to my next point – with all the trends, new and old, that are around or have come into your life somehow, which things are you unable to wear? There are lots of people out there who have an uncanny ability to make every trend work (usually model-types or those with uber confidence) but for the rest of us we just admire the looks from afar and wish we could pull it off. And sometimes it’s not a matter of pulling it off but that it’s just “not you” to the extent that your friends would do a double take (and not in a good way).

So what can’t you wear? Due to my poorly constructed feet, I can not wear stiletto heels (or any heels) that go over 3 inches, which sucks since heels are just getting higher and higher these days.

I won’t wear plaid shirts (grunge aint me).

I don’t even own a pair of shorts (and haven’t since I was 15) so you can bet I won’t be wearing gauchos to work.

Boyfriend jeans have to be worst trend I have ever seen and very few can pull it off – on me it would look ridiculous, fat and dirty: holes (ew), rolled up ankles (ewe w) and big baggy uppers (ew ew ew).

Bowler hats (or any hat really. I have a nice vintage cloche and have flirted with fedoras but…it’s just not me. I know I do suit hats since I have a small head but when I wear them I feel like I stand out and not in a good way.

Most sneakers – just not my style. Too casual.

Light denim – unflattering, not sleek enough, too casual, can’t do it.

Jumpsuit – ha, can anyone?

Pleated pants – see above.

Lots of bracelets, layers of necklaces, many rings – I wear earrings and that’s when I remember to put them in. I can’t stand the feel of things on my wrist, on my fingers or around my neck so when I do wear them it’s for a special occasion and I will be glad to remove them soon after.

Turtlenecks – ok this isn’t a trend but unless it’s a floppy cowl type turtleneck, it’s a no-go on me.

Shirt and tie – I would look like I am trying to be Avril Lavigne.

Animal print – Confession: I did just buy an animal print pencil skirt and so far I am making it work. As long as everything else is black and simple. I’ve been eyeing a few cheetah/tiger print dresses (simple sheaths) but I’m afraid I’ll look too Lisa Rinna.

Lots of layers – wish I could pull on the effortless chic look of layering (and it appeals to me since I’ve noticed I’ve been super cold lately in the office) but I don’t know if my body is too bulky for it or I just don’t have the right items.

Scarves – I am trying. When I was in Finland, everyone, I mean EVERYONE, had a scarf tied effortlessly around their necks. It looked so cool and European and yet when I did it, I looked like an idiot. Now the idea has finally hit our shores and even though I see scarves everywhere, I still feel like I can’t pull it off. Am I wrapping/wearing it wrong? I think I may have to devote a new blog post to this…in the meantime, I found this video to be quite informative.

A beret – oh how I wish. See hats (above).

Penny loafers – ugh.

Patterned tights – I am still easing myself into coloured versions, so the patterns may never come. However I am a fan of fishnets so who knows…

Vest – I was a little against them until I started work and starting to realize that they make a casual shirt look a bit more professional. But I haven’t taken the plunge. A lot of people can pull the look off but it might be too Tomboy for my style.

Headbands – doesn’t suit my hair, I don’t think. Not sure it suits my style either, too preppy. Which brings me to…

Preppy – A white shirt under a rugby sweater? A kilt? A bowtie? Anything that screams “Gossip Girl” isn’t for me, though it doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate watching others tackle the trend.

Shoulder bags/messenger bags – anything with a LONG strap I don’t like, though the latter works great when you are traveling.

Whew, well I know I have more things but this should be enough for now. This took me till lunch time!

And so that my amusement continues, I beg you to tell me what trends/styles YOU can’t wear or at least think you can’t wear!


PS What inspires me today (to at least get new glasses and try a floral dress)? This shot of this lovely woman, taken by The Satorialist in Milan.

Style Influence

Warning: for the next two days at work I am going to be completely alone in my department. The director of Marketing is hiking the Himalayas, the graphic artist is in Bali and my Manger is in Seattle. I only found out about this on Friday. It's all pretty bad timing considering I just started work two weeks ago or so and don't really know everything that I should be doing yet. And there is no one to ask so my boss said to just not worry if people ask me to do things as she will handle it when she gets back on Wednesday.

Which means...I'm not going to have much to do for the next two days. Which means you may see a few more blog posts than usual this week. As I will be bored.

Anyway, I have a feeling since I have been in "fashion mode" for the last month or so that most posts will be fashion-oriented. Starting with this one...

It would be hard to describe my style in a few words, it's more that if I see something in a store I might say "oh that's so me." I guess if I had to, my style is a hybrid of "classic, feminine, romantic with a sprinkle of edgy."

The edgy part keeps things from being too "sweet." And usually comes from either makeup, earrings or a jacket. I think the edgy part has always been a part of me and has come out more now that I find myself associating with artists and rockstars for the last year and a bit.

What I find interesting though is that A LOT of what I wear is influenced by my body type. I buy a lot of loose and flowy tops, mainly because I don't want to show my waist or stomach (hello constant bloating) and I wonder, if I was 10 pounds skinnier and had a super flat stomach, would I still wear floaty tops? It's hard to say...I do like the look of it I must admit, paired with a skinny bottom of course. And when I WAS skinnier, I was still attracted to that look. So who knows. Maybe it's learnt.

After all, back when I was WAY chunkier and 19, I wore long skirts ALL THE TIME. Why? Because I hated my fat thighs and thought pants made them look horrible. So I wore long skirts. Yet I wore really tight and revealing tops when I really shouldn't have. Talk about pudge!

And yet now, my thighs are probably more or less the same size but I'm actualy wearing skinny jeans. SKINNY JEANS! I'm not kidding myself, I know they look better on women with stick legs. But I believe there is a place for skinny jeans in my life, so as long as I still look OK - after all I think skinny jeans are fantastic for showing off shoes or tucked into boots. I think I've just come to accept my thighs. They could be better but I like to remind myself that Beyonce has my thighs and she pulls it off...plus when you look at Magna cartoons or drawings of sexy women superheroes, they all have healthy looking thighs (to match their healthy looking boobs).

I also find my style to influenced on my mood...today I am wearing grey H&M tights, pink corduroy and pewter leather Marc Jacobs heels (PS I may sell them on Ebay if you're interested) and a black dress I got for 10€ in Rome. I put my hair up without brushing it and have a swipe of red lipstick on. If you can't tell, I spent the morning perusing Street Fashion blogs from Paris so no doubt that this influenced how I dressed today.

A lot of my style I think comes from my imagination - sometimes I like to pretend to be someone else. Usually not too far from "me," I mean no one is going to look at me and ask what the hell happened. But I notice a have alot of vintage influence...whether it be shift dresses or fishnets. Maybe its like a vintage version of me that pops up in small doses.

So what influences your style? Is it where you live? Your friends? Your body? Your past? Films? Celebrities? Your hair colouring and skin tone? Or, like me, a combination of all of the above...is there a certain piece of clothing that if I were to see it would be "soooo YOU?" Can you describe your style? I wanna know!

The Sleep Myth?

Stepping away from politics for a while (hopefully forever - no wonder I was so disinterested in them before, what a pain in the ass!), I am attempting to put a common myth to rest. Or perhaps not.

Question to YOU dear reader: How much sleep do you get per night and is it enough for you to be able to function normally???

I don't know about you but I have grown up with the whole "You MUST get 8 or more hours of sleep per night or else" vendetta.

And this alone has caused me a lot of sleeping problems, believe it or not.

Because when you are told that you are useless or your health is in danger or your gonna get fat or whatever the newest study is, if you don't get at least eight hours, well, that's the kind of thing that's going to keep you up at night!

And I do agree with it...to an extent. But I've noticed sometimes when I get 9 or 10 hours, I am just as tired as if I got 7 hours. And I am more likely to stay awake fretting away that my "8 hours" is running out.

I mean, think about. If you are anything like me and you start believing that you can't function on less than eight, you try and plan your bedtime accordingly. For example, you wake up at 7:20 AM which means you have to be in bed and ASLEEP by 11:20PM in order to get your eight hours. And this is not always doable. Life gets in the way, whether it be your bf who stays up playing video games, the episode of Futurama you wanted to watch or your bff texting you just as you are dozing off.

Suddenly your eight hours is dissapearing and you start worrying. And then the clock starts ticking away and before you know it it's one in the morning and now you REALLY can't sleep because you are freaking out cuz now you are going to be braindead tomorrow and your whole day is ruined.

Of course we all need sleep. But I think it's a completely individual thing. I've come to realize that a LOT of it is mental...and a lot is figuring out what works for you. I will NEVER be a morning person, no matter how much I sleep, but I do know that I feel less tired if I get 6 1/2 - 8 1/2 hours of sleep - SOLID SOUND SLEEP, mind you. Any less and I do suffer...and guess what, anymore and I don't think it makes any difference.

Of course sleeping in on the weekends FEELS nice because it really is a great indulgence, knowing you don't have to get up. But my bf and I have actually been waking up after about 8 hours of sleep anyway so I guess our bodies really do know best. If I stay in bed any longer it's not because my body wants me to but because I CHOOSE to.

Anyway, I'm rambling obviously, but I was always curious to see how much sleep other people need...so let me know!

PS - to actually read an informative and realistic article on sleep, please click here. It's from TIME and it's one of the few that actually questions the whole "You need eight hours" thing.

Another boring blog post

Well, today Canada had their election and the party that I voted for won.

I'm not here to gloat - it's not that I really LOVE Stephen Harper or that I associate myself with being a Conservative. But it came down to the fact that I liked his plan a Hell of a lot more than I liked the opposition's plan. And that comes down to my own personal opinion.

Funnily enough, aside from my bf and me and very small handful of other people our age, we aren't actually in the majority with our thinking. We are in the minority - and our "friends" don't seem to have a problem with telling us how wrong we are for voting the way we did.

Look, politics (like religion) are tricky subjects but in the end it all comes down to what you believe in and NO ONE has any right to pass judgement on you for your beliefs. NO ONE.

So I voted Conservative? So what? Does this make me a bad person? Does this make everyone who votes for the party that you don't like a "bad person?"

I can understand why young people vote Liberal and NDP...maybe they want to "fight the man" or do it because all other young people are doing it. Hell, maybe I would have voted Liberal too if they had a different leader (Trudeau) and a different plan. Anyway, all the parties have good points and bad points and good reps and bad reps and I think as long as people are voting for what they believe in then that's great - democracy at work. After all, a lot of countries out there don't even have this choice.

Even down in the States...I mean, it's great that people get so worked up for the country but just because someone is a Republican doesn't mean they want to shoot you and send you to Hell, just as being a Democrat doesn't mean you're gonna waste a lot of money and "pall around with Terrorists." People just vote for what they thinks works for them and their country. Yes, sometimes its obviously not a good choice (ahem Bush) but you can't fault people who have the best interests at heart (though of course this isn't always the case).

Anyway I'm just tired of people who don't respect your views or start basing your character on how you vote. Yeah I voted Conservative - but so far I think the government has done a good job. I believe in abortion rights and gay rights and thus far we still have all of those too - and yeah I probably would vote differently if those things were on the line and maybe that will come to fruition at some point. But I still think my country is doing great, considering what's going on right now in the world and I think our re-elected leader will continue to do what I consider to be a good job. At least I can hope so.

After all, that's all we really have, hope for our country and the future. Sometimes...well, most of the time, that changes as politicians are all big fat liars anyway.

But we should at least support each other's choice to vote for the big fat liar of their choice.

On The Bright Side

In this topsy-turvy world economy which sees jobs being slashed, countries going bankrupt and no one bidding on my reasonably-priced Ebay items, there is one thing you can depend on. The bank.

No- not any bank, just any Canadian bank. According to the new World Economic Forum, our banks are the soundest in the world, beating out Sweden, Luxemborg and Australia for the top prize.

I know that if Canada went into a recession it would be bad – in theory – but so far, I must admit I like what’s going on right now. Gas is suddenly cheap (ish) again! Interest rates are going down! Real estate prices are going down! And our money is safe and cozy in the banks, gaining miniscule amounts of interest. The only drawback is that our currency is also going down but as long as it doesn’t start cramping my upcoming trip to Disneyland, I’ll deal.

Now if I only I could get all my credit cards to lower their interest to say-1% - and all would be well with the world.

October

It's my favourite time of the year!

The air is getting crisp but the sun still warms you. The leaves are changing colour, Thanksgiving smells are in the air (in Canada, at least) and my favourite day, Halloween, is right at the end.

This October is also wonderful for many other reasons.

1) My Rockstar has beem moved in for a week now and I couldn't be happier. Even though it's a small, small place, we aren't on each other's nerves. He goes out for band practice, I go out with friends or have "me time." Or we both have me time where I read or scour the web for clothing deals while he plays Monkey Island or Final Fantasy. Yes, apparently he is a closeted nerd but that only makes me love him more (though Monkey Island is pretty cool). Sure it was a pain getting all his stuff in here but we are making it work and it doesn't feel cramped at all - and I do like having an Xbox and having vintage Transformers all over the place (especially the one that turns into a triceratops - I used to have that one!)

2) Oh and I got a job :P - A good job. A really good job. Like, a career.

Yeah, funny story.

Remember a few posts back I told you about how I lipped off that recruitment agency lady and said she didn't exist and that all recruitment jobs were fake?

And how she called me back and wanted to prove me wrong?

And how I went into the interview with them, was tested on Excel (AGAIN) and was sent to an interview for an engineering company?

Well - turns out the engineering company really liked me and I am their new "Marketing and Communications Assistant"!

I started last Wednesday and so far it's pretty cool. I wanted to get into marketing for quite awhile and though I had a bit of schooling I never had the experience. But these people saw some potential in me and suddenly I am in the Corporate Marketing Department for the Canadian version of this global company (that has 40,000 employees world wide).

I get three weeks vacation. A cushy corner office (well it's in a corner and has a window - I managed to sidestep the cubicles!). Full and immediate benefits (like having 100% of my prescriptions covered). RRSPs that they match (that's 401Ks for you Americans). Stock options (ha, I'll wait on that one for a bit). They have flex time hours (ie, I could work 9 hours on Mon-Thurs and then work 4 hours on Friday). They pay for your gym membership. I get overtime. And the pay is VERY good, initially - although after ALL the taxes are taken off, it's not that good after all. Damn the government!).

Plus, I'm writing. Everyday! Whether it's for the blog or newsletter, I'm doing it!

There's only one drawback and that's the location - it's about a half hour drive away. Now I know I shouldn't complain...BUT I will anyway. Just because I was supposed to sell me car and now that's probably not going to happen for awhile.

You see, it is accesible by public transit...but I don't think I can stand doing it twice a day, everyday.

I know this because I tried it out on my second day of work. Bad idea...

I knew in my mind how to get there, I just wasn't too sure of the times. I severly underestimated public transit.

I caught the bus outside my apartment about 5 minutes later than I thought I would. Then the bus took about 5 minutes later than I thought it would to get to the Skytrain. Then I got on the wrong skytrain. Then I realized I left my void cheque at home and that the Payroll lady would be upset if she didn't get it.

So I had to make a quick decision...do I continue on and be late without the cheque? Or do I go home, get the cheque and still be late (nee later). So I went home. I was still downtown but not in walking distance. So instead of getting back on the Skytrain or getting the bus, I hailed a cab. Which took 10 minutes. Then I took the cab back to my place and was planning to just drive to work. Then I realized that I had no gas. So I took the same cab to work - and arrived a half hour late and forty dollars poorer. Luckily they were understanding (I had called them earlier) and I just stayed later.

Then there was the getting home part. I caught the bus right outside work and took it to the Skytrain station. Luckily that only took 10 minutes even in traffic. But then I didn't get off the Skytrain when I should have and got off at a dead end. But there was a bus waiting that took me to a street in which I could get another bus. Unfortunately the other bus only comes once in a blue moon and when it did finally roll up, it was PACKED to the doors. Only it didn't say it was full so me and three other people got on.

We were kind of waiting for people in the bus to move back when the bus driver mumbled (seethingly, through his teeth), "I'm giving you ten seconds...."

I had no idea who he was talking to but he wasn't closing the doors. Finally he flipped his wheel up and spat out, "Can't you people tell when a bus is full? Do we have to tell you to do everything? For Gods'sake get off the fucking bus!"

I was appalled, as was the other three people. "Sorry, you could have just told us it was full and we wouldn't have gotten on."

He just barked at us some more. Seriously, I have NEVER been treated like that by a bus driver before.

Anyway, so we had to wait another 20 min for another bus (I could have walked home by that time) and by the time I made it my door, I was starting to think that maybe driving would actually be less stressfull than public transit.

The next day, I drove to work and it took an easy 25 minutes. That pretty much sealed the deal.

Good News!

That's all I'll say for now. If you're on my Facebook then you already know! I'll post about it in the next two days when I have more to say - not that I don't already :)

Cheers!

Lusty

The curse of the Louboutins

It's fall. I'm unemployed and I don't eat much.

All of the above lead to compulsive, impulsive shopping habits with money that I don't have. Add a dash of insecurity about my flawed feet and you get one big mess of designer shoes.

I bought the most awesome pair of Marc Jacobs boots off of Ebay the other day. They were so awesome that I actually started drooling when I saw them. For realz. You know how I love my boots.

The price tage though was $365, which was a heck of a lot but considering it was orignally $1075, I figured it was a good deal.

It didn't stop there though. I moved onto Christian Louboutins, the re-soled, uber-sexy and uber-pricey shoes that fashionistas covet.

I am not a fashionista but I decided to covet them anyway.

I tried on a patent leather, kitten heeled pair at Holt Renfrew and immediatley felt elated. Magic shoes. Magic shoes with status soles that would erase all insecurities and hardships that I have felt about my feet. Magic shoes that would protect me at an upcoming wedding this weekend and make me forget about my ugly scars.

Magic shoes that cost $595.

I hemmed and hawed about it for a few days. In the end it came down to the fact that I was selling my car anyway so I would need some fabulous "walking" shoes. Plus giving up your car is hard - I needed to be consoled.

I bought the shoes and tried to not feel too sick about it.

But I did later. I could justify that price for amazing shoes if indeed the shoes were amazing (they looked amazing, I thought) and if I could wear them for a million years.

But the shoes were in fact CURSED~!

Already in the store, I walked around and the heel lift started to twist at the bottom. I couldn't feel it but when I looked at the shiny scarlet soles again, I saw it move. Immediatley I told the sales girl who took them down to the cobbler to be fixed.

20 minutes later I had the shoes and was assured that the heels would never move again.

Later that evening, I was helping the Rockstar move some stuff into my apartment (ah yes, moving day is approaching. More on that next post). The heel started to twist again.

And the shoes started slipping off my feet with every step.

So the next day I took the shoes back to Holt Renfrew and complained. They wouldn't take them back THE BASTARDS but they did send them off to get fixed, AGAIN, overnight so that I would have them for the wedding.

Next day I got the shoes back. I saw the lifts had been replaced (basically the rubber tip at the end of the heel). One problem down.

But they still fell off my feet, which for the life of me I can't understand since they fit in the store AND they are supposed to be sized small AND they are already half a size smaller than normal.

So I place insoles in them. Better. Except now my toes in the front were SO painfully squished together that I had to pad them all with bandaids and then some.

And the next day they were still slipping (though my toes weren't going anywhere). So I had to stick in heel liners too. This worked pretty good.

Until I was at the wedding and lost the heel liners. So my toes were painfully squished, the shoes slipped off with every step AND the stupid heel started twisting again! Now I know that these shoes are generally very well made but why did I have to get the defective pair? Punishment for spending a lot on shoes I guess but let me tell you, I have PAYLESS shoes that are millions of years old and they never had this trouble.
My shoes, me and the handsome Best Man
And then the actually lining of the shoe started coming unglued.

And then the icing on the cake? My boyfriend accidently spilled beer in them.

Good ol' beer puddle in my Christian Louboutins.

Now Holt Renfrew REALLY won't take them back, if not for that then for the soles which are all scratched up.

They are going up on Ebay tomorrow. If any of you are part of the occult and would like a pair of cursed shoes, please bid. You won't be sorry!

The Older I Get, The Bolder I Get

So it has begun. The job hunting and all its follies that plagued me throughout the summer. I'm in talks with the production company next week, about what I don't know but I guess they are thinking it over whether they still want to hire me or not. I'm not sure why they won't, after all I have a list of all the stuff I would be doing (had the government granted the mentorship to begin with) and well, they NEED someone to do this stuff. Plus I was going get paid peanuts anyway.

But I'm not crossing my fingers and hoping. I'm being proactive and applying EVERYWHERE anyway, just in case and what have you.

And this means of course dealing with the dreaded RECRUITMENT AGENCIES.

Yup. I've probably sent my resume to about FIFTY recruitment/hiring firms over the last 5 months and as you all know, they are all shit and never get back to you EVER.

Well, after sending the umpteenth resume to a certain firm, I noticed someone on Craigslist had posted a warning about them, basically stating what I thought to be true, that they are all fake jobs that are posted just to get resumes, etc.

So I decided to email the firm again and flat out asked if they were full of shit or not. Since there was a certain staff member whom usually puts out the ads, I asked if she was actually a real person or if they had made her up, like they made up all of their jobs.

Well, five minutes later, my phone rang.

It was said person stating (in a scary, brusque voice) that she did indeed exist.

Then explained a bit (or defended) why she never got back to me over ANY of the billions of resumes I sent (she actually knew who I was) and said I was usually dismissed because of my GOD DAMN Journalism degree - apparently there are no jobs for that, and I know that too since I apply for only admnin jobs, and I guess she didn't know how serious I was about taking any damn job.

Well, to make things short, she asked me to come in next week. She said she wants to talk with me and see what we can do - worst case scenario she can get me temp work.

So I guess calling someone you don't know a liar can really pay off.

We'll see at any rate - I'm not expecting anything. Just thought it was funny. The older I get, the more I don't give a shit, the more I speak my mind. How great

****

So some of you may bitch slap me over this, but I've been taking this stuff this week:


A mix of palm and wheat oil and yucky vanilla flavour, you take these creamer-type shots in the morning and perhaps again in the afternoon. What it does is the oil (like most oils such as olive) takes a long time to digest and sits in your intestines, making you feel full.

It says it makes you eat about 30% less a day and you know what, its totally true.

This week I've only taken in 1000 calories a day (yes I know, bad, borderline anorexia so sue me) and I'm not ravenous or hungry. Yes, I get MENTAL cravings for things all time, but this is not out of hunger and I just have to ignore it - particularly when I am bored.

I'm not planning on being on this for more than two weeks as I am sure somehow your body will eventually find out that it is being fooled but its all good. Like today, I didn't take mine and I still didn't feel hungry. If this is all placebo, who cares, its working. Last week I was eating around 1300 calories or so and I was RAVENOUS the whole time - I freaking bought a bunch of broccoli and ate the whole thing because I was THAT hungry. But now, its smooth sailing and I'm very happy.

And you know me and my tricky tummy, I haven't felt any adverse side effects. Except dizziness on occasion from lack of food - but dont worry, on days I work out I do eat more, about 1500 calories.

So if you were curious about these, I say give them a try. From their website you can try them for $9 for a month or two-week supply. I'm not sure if they are good for people trying to lose a lot but for someone like me who is ONLY trying to lose 6-10 pounds, its great.

@##&*%%%!!!

What does that mean? It means that the internship/mentorship with the production company that they assured me I would get (I believe I had a 90% chance) is not coming my way.

I just got the rejection letter from the Canadian Government (WHICH I HATE) today. No real reason for the rejection, in the end it’s just a big fat no.

Now I am so disappointed. This was my dream job (though how many times have I said that this year), it “fell” into my lap. Now it is whisked away LIKE SO MANY OTHER DAMN JOBS!

I feel so badly for the production company too because they were SO certain I was going to work for them – they kept sending me emails saying, “so excited for you to join our team.” BUT NO. Though they have been granted an internship worker every year, the year I APPLY, they get rejected.

Bet they really regret taking a chance on me now.

And what do I get to do? Fret for the next two weeks over getting a new job. Not that I haven’t done enough of that this year.

Fuck my life.