Starting F~R~E~S~H

Every January I tend to re-evaluate my life. Something about staring down the barrel of a calendar year does that to me. I don't make resolutions per se, but I do make changes (same thing I guess, though resolutions seem temporary and trivial) or at least try and seek out what changes would make my life better.

Lately (after going to Disneyland, actually), I started examining what really makes me happy. The truth is, I don't really know half the time. Clothes and buying them make me happy, as does new makeup and skin products (more on that later) but it's rare that I truly L O V E something. It does happen but not as often as I would like.

Disneyland made me happy - how could it not? But what was it about Disneyland that did? The weather, the freedom, the excitement, the change.

And so I surmise that my life is lacking sunshine, freedom, excitement and change.

The sun is shining - for once - outside my window as I write this but I know it's temporary. It will cloud-over tomorrow. But I have a plan for that.

This week I am injecting COLOUR into my wardrobe. Inspired by Spring and Sunshine and Flowers, I am shedding my all grey/black/navy wardrobe (I just can't get enough grey, sorry) and incorporating one HAPPY piece into each day's outfit, hoping to bring some more light into my life.

That aside though, how can I get more freedom, excitement and change?

Change is easiest - I've already started running more and am now officially training for the Vancouver Sun Run 10K marathon in April, something I have never done before, and considering my feet, something I never thought I could do. Along with my incresed fitness (oh the freedom of just being able to run), I will also be shedding the pounds.

Yes, go big or go home only works for me. Screw 5 pounds, I'm going for 15. I want changes, big changes and seeing those come to fruition will be exciting in itself. And bring a little bit of freedom along for the ride as well.

But in all honesty, freedom is what I crave most. And though I have generously been given three weeks vacation time from work, I only have one week left. And with my boyfriend's family reunion in July in Toronto, I have to save at least half of those days. Which means my dreams of jetting off to Palm Springs to join my parents or San Francisco to join my friend are dashed...as was my other plan to go to Paris in May.

See, what really makes me happy, what incorporates freedom, excitement and change, is travel. And if you've read my slightly defunct travel blog, you know how much traveling means to me.

Hell, my name is WANDERLUST after all, and I'm sad to say that the wanderlusting gene that was mostly dormant last year is back in full-swing and torturing me.

I need to get away. But I work and can not. I dream of throwing the job to the wind and taking off but I've never stayed with a job for more than 6 months and I finally have a good job (on paper) and feel I must stay for as long as I can...especially with this turbulent market out there.

Sigh. I guess there are worse problems to have, I just sometimes wish I was back in school where I could slack my way through the year and then travel all summer. All that freedom.

In the meantime though, I will work and calculate plans that would somehow bring freedom, change and excitement into my life. I'm not sure what I'm doing yet, but there is some creative force inside my soul that I can feel churning away and an impulsiveness that is distracting me from the mundane.

I've even brought out my journal, big blank pages, knowing that soon I will be writing in it, figuring out how to get the most from my life right now and how to make me the happiest I can be.

That's what I am doing for 2009.

******
In Disneyland I hit up the Sephora in Downtown Disney and spent a bundle on a few brilliant products. Normally I walk out of Sephora with a lot of hastly-chosen junk (but let's face it, nothing in Sephora is actually junk) but this time I was impressed:

-Gold Sephora Eyelash Curler
I used Shu Umera for years and it was starting to lose it's hold. I plucked this up thinking it was Shu Umera but didn't realize it was Sephora brand until later. Doesn't matter, this is the best eyelash curler I have ever had, hands down! Believe me, I have spindly, thin, pale lashes and this curled them so well that I didn't even have to heat it with a blowdryer (as I always do).

-Too Faced Mineral Eye Pencil
Another product to help my consistently tired eyes. This putty-toned pencil contains actualy mineral water so when you line the inside of your lash line, it not only cancels all redness but soothes your eyes as well. brilliant.

-Fresh Strawberry Flowers Perfume
So sweet and beautiful - spring in a bottle. Refreshingly authentic

-Korres Wild Rose Moisturizer
I have the Wild Rose Serum which lightens spots and dark circles so I was overjoyed to get this as a free sample. Though I have oily skin that doesn't need moisturizer, this one somehow makes my face feel soft and luxurious, without causing unusual breakouts.

-Tarte Cheek Stain in Tipsy
Again, this has a fresh, invigorating feel and is enhanced with vitamins and minerals. Water-based and oil-free too! Perfect coral flush with a slight sheen, going to look amazing with a tan come Spring and Summer...plus that apricot smell gives you a hankering for cool sorbet.

-Korres Pomengranate Lip Butter
An impulse grab but so glad I did it. A light coral-ish sheen, soft creamy feel - literally like rubbing a fruity butter on your lips.

-Benefit Erase Paste
Another weapon against my unyielding and horrendous under-eye circles. This thick brightening concealer really works. I apply it with a concealer brush before or after I put on my dermablend under-eye concealer for extra camo. It's quite wet and thick so you will have to powder it well so it doesn't rub off but this is quite a miracle-worker. Somedays it works better than others (somedays my circles are unmaskable) but I still recommend this to anyone who has struggled with covering those tired areas up. I think the slightly peachy tone really counteracts the blue\purple areas.

Spring is in the air!

Sorta. All the fashion mags and sites keep harping on about "Spring" fashion, even though it is very clearly winter outside. I must say I am torn. On one hand I want to still embrace winter because the season JUST started and to start dressing like it's spring is asking for dissappointment.

That said, skiiers and snowboarders today were treated to 17 degree sunny skies today, at the top of Cypress Mountain. That's tank top weather, people! It seems SO unfair, considering it's only 5 degrees here in the city below the mountain and we are shrouded in this never-ending fog. But it's called Inversion or something where the fact that we have fog means the warmer air rises to the peaks. Anyway, all I know is that I wish to be suntanning on the top of the mountain right now. Bikini skiing, anyone?

Anyhoo, I do think a few brights or muted shades of pastels would help break up the grey, grey, grey down here and seeing this candy-striped dress below on ASOS had me salivating.



I WANT! But I can't have for various reasons at the moment (discipline!)....so instead I decided to pretend I got the dress and then pretend to make one delightfully Spring meets Winter outfit. If you yourself wish to feel the season, it's all available at ASOS.com. Just keep in mind that I might be sporting this outfit come March :)



Muted Grey Tights

Nude Leather Platform Sandals

Candy flowered ring (not real candy but it looks candy-coated, I think)

Bright Bangles

J'Adorable necklace

Muted Grey Quilted Chain Bag

Spring Trends 2009: The Horror

When I travel I like to arm my plane seat with a crapload of fashion magazines...flying gives me 100% permission to spend tons of dough on the glossys (sadly I seem to travel most in January where mags are super skinny after the December wallop).

Anyway, as I was perusing the mags such as Marie Claire, Lucky, Elle etc, I noticed a "hammering" in of the upcoming trends for Spring. And I must say, I hate them all.

Hammer Pants - WHY? Why do you want to look like MC Hammer? It's not flattering! They say only skinny tall chicks can pull it off and sure since they pull off most stuff but even then, why would a skinny chick want to look like she's got a droopy butt like she's wearing old, smelly diapers?

Acid Wash Jeans - again, WHY? Why do we have to recycle EVERY look? I mean, these were bad in the 80's which makes them even more bad now. We don't all want to look like a Whitesnake reject.

Drawstring Bags - perfect for going grocery shopping with your grandma

Jumpsuits - sorry, have to say no to this too. Maybe it's because I have short legs and a long torso which means mucho camel toe if I were to try this...but even so, I don't think jumpsuits look good even on models. Fellow blogger Ashleigh is the only one I have seen (a mere mortal though it helps to have her model bod) make it work with her snazzy f21 number...but even that is less 80's because it was a short/corset combo. The worst? Hammer pant jumpsuits!

Tie-dye - eeeeeeh. I've seen it done right (more ombre effect and subtle) and I've seen it done VERY wrong.

Cross body bags - again, this is just a personal preference...unless I am traveling, I don't wear these...who wants their boobs seperated? Although as I write this I recall a cross-body bag that took me all over Europe and then some. I miss it.


Question #1: Any upcoming fashion trends that horrify you (or excite you)?

Question #2: So many of my usual blog reads have died a horrible death - I need to find more interesting (and hopefully funny) blogs to read and peruse...anyone have any suggestions? What's the blog you're loving at the moment and why? Yes, it can be your own :P

Just my luck!

If you've been reading this blog for a few years now, you know by now that although I travel often (and often by myself) and have been to quite a few places and pride myself on my ongoing Wanderlust and sense of adventure, I am actually a terible traveler.

I mean, things happen to me ALL the time...terrible things that normally turn any vacation upside down, except when they happen to me, they all somehow work out in the end.

It's like God keeps bailing me out of these situations which are brought on solely by my absentminded flakeyness. Is he rewarding me for stupidity? Or - as my lovely and amazingly patient BF brought up - is it only fair considering the unfortunate circumstances that have shaped my life?

Either way, I am grateful.

For a total list of all the travel mishaps, I suggest you read an old post HERE - and be warned, you will shake your head and want to smack me. But then come back to this post because I need to add the latest fiasco.

As you can see, I have bad luck with passports...in fact, last time I got back from Palm Springs, I got a call from a guy when I got home...turns out he was cleaning the plane and found my PASSPORT in the seat pocket. Yup. I just forgot it there.

Anyhoo...

Last Wednesday, my bf and I wento Disneyland. We did this last year at this time and had so much fun we decided to do it again.

I was so stoked...happy to have the time off work, happy to be in a stress-free environment (except that being around screaming children can be quite aggravating....am I the ONLY one who feels that Disneyland is actually a fantastic form of Birth Control???) and happy to have sunshine.

We got in the cab at 530AM to catch our 8AM flight. Everything was right on track. I was bleary-eyed and headed from the four hours of sleep but I was excited despite it and knew I was set with my passport, plane tickets, hotel confirmation, park tickets and money in hand.

Then, as the cab was 5 minutes from the airport, a sinking feeling crept over me. I had my passport, yes...but wasn't I supposed to reknew it recently?

I tried to shake it off, surely I went to the States recently and would have noticed...but why did I feel that it had expired in August of 2008?

I bit my lip, looked over at my BF who had a sleepy, dreamy look on his face as we approached the terminal and decided that I needed to know NOW whether my passport was expired or not. I had to know the truth.

I took out my passport in the dark and did a double take. It said it expired six months ago, August 2008. I closed my eyes, willed it to go away, and looked again.

NOPE. Still there. The cold hard reality was that my passport expired. I wasn't going ANYWHERE! The plane ticket, the hotel, the tickets...all a waste. Back to work we go. My heart absolutely froze.

I looked over at him and said meekly, "You are going to hate me."

"Why?"

"You'll hate me. I hate me"

"what?"

"My passport expired last year"

He told me he thought I had just forgotten something at home...nope. MUCH WORSE THAN THAT.

However, the cab driver overheard me and suggested we still go to the airport because he thought I still might be able to fly. I didn't see how that was possible, considering how strict Homeland Security is, but I was willing to do ANYTHING to still go.

We go into the airport after the driver wished us luck and I march meekly up to the Air Canada counter.

"We're going to Disneyland and I just realized my passport expired," I looked up at the ticket agent with tears in eyes.

The agent was very nice and took my passport to Homeland Security - for those who don't know, the Vancouver aiport has US Customs right in the airport, so you actually clear customs here and not in the US. This came MOST in handy this time, as the agent was able to talk to a customs agent about my dilemma. They said that there was no gaurantee but that they would look at my situation and see what they could do.

So the ticket agent processed our flight and tickets and checked our bag and I was off to Customs, where of course I got the huge "I" for inspecion written on my form and had to go into that room where you think only bad people are waiting.

By some grace of God, it didn't take too long before a customs agent saw me and even though she warned there might be a huge fee involved, the fee was waived for some reason and they gave me a temporary visa waiver into the States. Followed by a finger-wagging "don't do this again" type deal.

Don't do this again? I didn't even think I could do it ONE time?

Of course, now that we were safely cleared for our travel to Disneyland, one worry remained...how would I get back into Canada? Without a valid passport, how would I get on the plane back home? How would I get into the country? Would I be stuck in Canada customs and sleep at the airport, just like in The Terminal?

Somehow I put all these worries out of my head and enjoyed 5 days of hot sunshine, Disneyland, churros, Bubba Gump Shrimp, Rolling Rock beer, sore feet (ok, didn't enjoy that) and not-working.

Then it came time to leave - yesterday. At John Wayne airport I checked in electronically...it asked for my passport info and the expiration date...I made one up lol and it fooled the machine!

Then my passport was inspected prior to screening...the guy didn't notice anything.

Then before we connected in San Francisco, the ticket agent made an announcement stressing "if you do not have a valid passport or it is expired, please see me first."

I've never heard that announcement before, so I started to think it was directed solely at me. Homeland Security checking up?

Either way, he looked at my visa waiver and said everything was "all cool."

Cool. Now let's hope Canada Customs thinks my expired passport is cool too.

Guess what? They did!

After I explained what happened to the customs agent, all she said was: "Really? They made you sign a form? Why, we let Americans in with expired passports all the time! So, how was Disneyland?"

It all went a little too smoothly...was it because we were going to/coming from Disneyland which makes us innocent? Or that having a valid passport really isn't as important as they want you to believe?

All I know is that I am applying for a new passport this week - I've been lucky so far but there is no way I am pushing it :)

Now, on to the fashion! It was hard packing for Disneyland because I had forgotten what warmth and dry weather felt like. I am so used to heavy jackets and scarfs and umbrellas that wearing just a dress was confusing to me. But I think I made it work:




Miele Bianco fringe bag, nondescript sweater, Charlotte Russe jeans, Over the knee boots from some shop in Paris







chiffon rainbow dress: Max C, soft-knit blazer: Forever 21, suede mary-jane flats with lock detail: Juicy Couture, Japanese paper vegan bag: Mat & Nat






thigh-high foldable pirate boots: some store in Paris, long navy cardigan, grey leopard-print sequined tunic and skinny jeans, all: Forever 21, rose necklace and bow earrings: ASOS




blue ruffle shrug: ASOS, dersey dress: Forever 21, skirt (as petticoat): Charlotte Russe, sequin Minnie Mouse ears by House of Minnie Mouse ;)






grey tank: F21, grey suede boots: Ebay, pleated skirt: Charlotte Russe






splatter-paint ruffle racerback: F21, skinny jeans: also F21, grey suede boots: Ebay, Pluto: priceless!

Anne Hathaway, you copycat

Check out what Anne Hathaway wore on the weekend to the premiere of her lame-ass looking new film, "Bride Wars."



I appreciate the look, especially as I get the feeling she was going as "the groom" and Kate Hudson "the bride" (aside: is it just me or is Kate not looking as hot as she used to? Maybe it's the bangs and all the eye makeup she's been sporting lately..).

Anyway the point of this celebrity fashion shout-out is that Anne Hathaway is a copycat...take a looksie at what I wore on New Years Eve:



~~~Tuxedo Jacket by H&M, Pants by Zara, leather snakeskin heels by Guess, Lingerie underthingy by H&M, ever-changing jewelry by ASOS~~~



Yup. Totally not what I was supposed to wear on New Years Eve (you'll recall the posts I had about picking out a dress and finally the dress I bought). Well, because of my horrible recent weight gain which has really thrown me for a loop (but no fear, I am on track) my new dress just didn't look very good. And all of my back-up dresses were too tight, etc. So faced with a dilemma I decided to get BALLSY!



You see, I wear tons of dresses and skirts, I always dress up and rarely wear pants if I can help it. Even when I do, I make sure I still look girly. I'm a girly girl, I can't help it.



And I dress up EVERYWHERE - people expect it from me, in fact a few people were in shock that I showed up to my own party (at my parent's house) in a tux...they totally expected some over the top gown (which is what I would have worn, natch). And while I feel NYE is deserving of pretty dresses you can't just wear any night, I felt drawn to the tuxedo.



It is unconventional and unexpected. Plus it showed off what little good my weight gain has brought me (boobs) and covered everything else (arms, waist, hips, legs, butt). The only thing I couldn't hide was my fat face but I figured with my boobs out and centre, no one would look at my face anyway (and if they did, I made sure my red lips and defined eyes were immaculate).



Anyhoo, that was my NYE. It was definitely out of my comfort zone (in fact my bf and friends spent about an hour convincing me to come out of the bathroom because I did NOT in fact look like a man) but I'm glad I did it. I can wear pretty dresses anytime. How often do you get to look like James Bond. Or Anne Hathaway.

Holiday Over - Reality Hits

Hope you all had a great Christmas. I know I sure did, one of the best ever.

No, I didn't really get many gifts or anything like that but since my Christmasses have been known to be bawl-your-eyes-out total trainwrecks with my dysfunctional family, the fact that this one went smoothly - and was actually PLEASANT! - meant all the world to me.

Besides our Xmas Eve dinner going as good as one could hope for, there were other grand things in the figuritive stockings:

*My boyfriend and I's gift to each other was to go to Disneyland (we went last Jan too). We had ordered the flight and tickets (hotel was free) online on my mother's card since we were too in debt with our credit cards to do so. Our plan was to pay her back when we could. But her gift to US was that we didn't have to pay her back! Score! Free trip to Disneyland - couldn't have asked for more (except maybe an iPod) and I know how much weight that took off of my bf's shoulders.

*I refinanced my mortgage, meaning I pay a little extra each month (around $200) on my mortgage to have the peace of mind of paying off all of my credit cards. Yep, it's embarassing and nasty but I have well over $10,000 owed on credit cards. Bad spending habits, several trips to Europe, California, Hawaii, running out of money, all of these happenings since 2004 have caused this atrocious amount of debt. And now, finally, after years of having this on my shoulders, of knowing that I was spending over $400 a month in total on all my payments, barely going above the minimum and realizing I would be paying it for the rest of my life (which is what happens when you only pay off the interest), I will be free.

Best part of all - I think - is that the bank is forcing me to pay off the cards with the money and close them down (keeping one lowest interest paid off and open). So I have no choice. And while my credit will now improve over the years, for now it is so bad that there is no way I would be able to open another card - thus avoiding this again.

I do have to work hard at changing my habits though and only using the card if I have the means to pay it all off before the due date. But with a fresh start and a fresh year, I believe I can - and will do it.

Those were the great things that happened this Christmas...now here are some bad things:

*My boyfriend (he is a glass technician) got $250 for a Xmas bonus last year which the boss proudly gave to him saying that the business did well and this is the result...keep in mind though that the boss is a cheap, fat fuck and everyone else got $1000 in their bonus.

This year was their best year on record and my bf was counting on the same amount, and most likely more since the boss was flaunting how much money they were making. Anyway, turns out that because my boyfriend sliced open his hand last month and lost a day of work because of it, the boss was giving him only $150 this year, saying that the $100 cheque my bf got from Workers Comp counted towards the bonus! If that wasn't so damn cheap enough already, when the bonus actually came, there was only $50 in the envelope! My boyfriend had only $50 to buy all his Christmas presents. He was counting on that money for so many things, pay back people he owed, buy his parents nice presents, take his work buddy out for a beer or two. And yet he could only get a bottle of wine for his dad and that's it. I know that his dad understands and his parents are so rich that presents don't matter, but it matters to my poor bf.

I know how horrible it feels to not be respected by your boss. There are two owners though and the other boss, plus shop forman, think my bf is a fantastic worker - pity the one in charge of the money (who knows nothing about glass or people skills ) is so damn cheap and ignorant.

*Ahh and the coupe de resistance.

Earlier this year, my building switched property management companies. The new management company raised our monthly maintenance fees from $282 to $420 in order to make up for future elevator repairs (techincally we shouldn't pay until AFTER the work is done but whatever). It sucked and made living here a lot harder, I fell behind in payments as it was tough enough as it was ($282 is high anyway).

Now we get a letter saying that in FIVE days (no two-week notice, which is ILLEGAL) they are raising our fees to $640!

People are so outraged that we had a meeting over this yesterday and another one today.

The property management company is claiming they need to redo the parking lot - which not only means I have to be without my space for 6 months - but that we are all getting charged for it.

We don't own our spaces. We rent them. The company owns them. Asking us to pay is like a landlord asking a tenant to pay for all the repairs and renos they want to do. NOT FAIR AND NOT LEGAL!

Plus the money that they get from us renting the spaces each money equals $48,000 a year! That money goes into their pockets directly - they aren't putting towards any of the repairs! We have to pay and some of us dont even HAVE parking spaces!

Conveniently, the management company, Porte Realty ltd. is away until the 5th, even though they are taking out the new amount of funds out tomorrow (if you have direct withdrawal). Luckily I pay by cheque and you can BET that I, and many others, are not making out the amounts to include the parking lot.

Anyway, at the meeting last night, I volunteered to write up a petition and a letter to Porte Realty to explain how unfair this is and to arrange a meeting with them - good luck with that though, since no one can ever get them on the phone or reach them.

If that doesn't work, you can bet I will raise a stink about it. Imagine that, I have to pay all this money a month now. Can you imagine if I still had to pay a ton towards my credit cards? Can you imagine if my bf didnt live with me and wasn't splitting the costs? Even so we can't afford this increase...MY MAINTENANCE FEES ARE MORE THAN MY MORTGAGE PAYMENTS! Its the principal of the matter, the fact that the company has no proof that this is how much the parkade will cost, no permission from us to start another HUGE expensive project when the elevators are NOT EVEN FIXED YET and to expect us to pay for something when they HAVE THE MONEY TO DO IT THEMSELVES!

And to give us FIVE DAYS NOTICE? What bout people who want to move because of this, they need time to sell before it takes effect? What about people who rent, their rents will go up, what if THEY can't afford it?

This is so horrible and makes me so mad, I couldn't even sleep last night over the injustice. All I know is that today I am writing the best damn angry letter ever and we are going to get these bastards. As I said, I will make a stink if they ignore us - they say a few people can't make a difference and fight the system, especially if it's corrupt, but don't underestimate me at least. Even if legal options seem our only option, there is always the MEDIA and that can work best of all. You can bet that I will take this story to all of my connections in the media if nothing comes of it and at least will threaten the company with this action if they continue to ignore all 130 enraged occupants in this building!

On the plus side, my bf and I are still going to move out, regardless...we are going to buy a new place by April, you can bet on it. But since the market sucks big time now (and let's face it, who wants to move into a building with over $600 a month to maintaining shit), we are going to have to rent it out. But as before renting it out would have left us with profit, we are actually going to have to charge a very high price for a very unworthy place, just to break even!

It's mind-bending. I hate how the minute you get a handle on one with money-wise (ie, my debt) something else comes along and takes you back down again.

I thank my lucky stars though that at least I did get a handle on those things, before this horrible atrocity came along.

That Christmas Spirit

Yup. CHRISTMAS spirit! Put that in your pipe and smoke it - call me "un-PC" I don't care. It's called Christmas because it celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. Christ...Mas...

Yes, it is a terribly commercial holiday but regardless of whether you are a Christian and celebrate it on a religious level or are aetheist or whatever, it's still a time of giving and great food and folks dressed up like Eskimos (yes, also not PC). And it is still CHRISTMAS!

I have no qualms telling people Merry Christmas instead of Happy Holidays. Yes I am Christian but it is a Christian Holiday and after how many thousands of years now, I don't why people raise a stink about it now.

After all, we don't call Easter "Bunny Day" and we don't call Hannukah "Candle day(s)" - I understand that non-Christians despise the fact that it celebrates the birth of something they don't believe in. But if that's the case, WHY ARE YOU CELEBRATING IT? And if you still want to celebrate the "festive season" instead of the religious aspect, that's great (after all I think the majority of people don't celebrate it as a religious event) but DON'T think that you can change the name of a age-old, classic holiday because it doesn't suit YOUR beliefs.

Christmas is what it is - a time of joy, thanks and merriment. It should be enjoyed by everyone from all walks of life and beliefs because at its heart it celebrates human spirit and charity which I think everyone can relate to. But it's still called Christmas and in my mind, always will be.

*End Rant*

*Start of New Rant*

F*&*^*&ing Christmas!

Sigh, it brings out the best and worst in people.

For example, a huge snowstorm hit our province, British Columbia, AGAIN over the weekend and as a result my bf and I were snowed in at his parents house in the suburb of Tsawwassen. This meant I didn't have to go to work which was great but it also meant that at some point I was going to have to drive from Tsawwassen and back to my apartment in the city.

We had seperate cars so we both left yesterday at roughly the same time. Even downtown the roads were icey and dicey and buses were being pushed up hills and shoveled out. I managed to make it into my parking lot. But not to my spot. You see the parking lot had over a foot of snow in it and was not plowed or shoveled at all.

Slippery roads and tire-treaded tracks I can handle in my little Neon wih all-season tires but not a drift of snow. So after spinning the tires, revving the engine and smelling burnt rubber, I finally kinda made it through the whiteness and where my spot should be.

Meanwhile, my bf had packages in his car so he was going to park in our loading zone and unload them. The zone though was also snowed over so he parked in this clear space. He left a note on the dash stating he was in apartment 301 and left his cell number. After helping me with my car (pushing it) we went upstairs.

He got ready for the hockey game he was going to while I opened the window to listen to the streets filled with the sound of tires spinning and snow flying. Then I heard yelling.

Some woman in the parking lot below looked like she was trying to get into the space where Mike parked. She was screaming into a phone, telling someone his license plate and talking about tow trucks.

I told Mike he better get down there ASAP and move his car.

So he went down and I watched out the window. Mike moved his car out with not much effort while she took literally 10 minutes to pull into the spot he was just in. Tires spinning. Snow flying.

When he came back later I asked him how it went. He said while he was walking to the car she stopped him and asked him if it was his car. He said yes and tried to explain that he parked it there while he unloaded his stuff and was now going to move it.

Well she wouldn't even let him finish. She flipped right out, cut him off every second, used "fuck this" and "fucking that" every second word. She didn't believe he lived in 301 with me and wrote down my name and his and our apartment number. She said if she ever saw his car around the building she would have it towed. She said he didn't understand the severity of his actions.

His actions? He parked in another person's spot because the loading one was snowed in and only for 20 minutes max. He moved his car the minute she arrived. What's the freaking big deal.

I hope this bitch shows up at my door to complain because I am going to rip her a new vagina. Most wonderful time of the year indeed. Where is your Christmas Spirit, bitch?

Luckily there are nice people out there who redeem the bad ones. Like this morning. My bf had to park on the hill last night and this morning he couldn't back out without his tires spinning and without bashing into the car in front of him. Well after we tried aimlessly to shovel him out, laydown cardboard, etc, in below freezing temperatures, a man who was watching nearby came to give us a hand and push his car. Then he gave us some salt and a better shovel and soon enough my boyfriend was on his way.

It's nice to see that though a few bad apples out there can ruin the season, there are always others who want to change your mind.

Now I'm off to work after I've spent an hour myself trying to shovel out of my lot. Wish me luck!

AND ONE LAST THING - THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE TO BE CHARITABLE!!!!

I have a very special favour to ask all of you.

It's Christmas time, the time of thanks, a time of generousity and a time of compassion.

My boyfriend's talented band, The Saints Collapse has recorded a few Xmas songs with 100% of all proceeds going to the British Columbia Children's Hospital.

This is very dear to me because the BC Children's Hospital took excellent care of me during the first six years of my life - the hospital also took care of my Bf's dear sister when she had cancer (Lymphoma) at 11 years old. Thanks to the hospitals care and to generous donations from people like YOU, we are both the saucy young women we are today.

So please - go visit this website and donate. The donations are via Paypal and you may donate as much or as little as you like.

In return you will be able to download their Christmas songs - currently available is an amazing rock version of Carol of the Bells and a dreamy version of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. The band has done a wonderful job bringing this classic songs to a new light - and regardless of whether you enjoy rock or not - they are a great addition to the holiday season.

So please, donate, download and listen. Let's bring Xmas cheer into your home and into the hearts of BC's sick children!!!

I remember....

I had my birthday party last weekend and it was a lot of fun. My friends are the creative types so it's always interesting to have different groups mash together, you get a whole range of tastes and opinions. And of course, fashion sense...

My friend (and fellow blogger) Robyn and I looked quite smashing...



As did my boyfriend who was wearing a sweater I picked out for him...



We listened (begrudgingly) to the Goo Goo Dolls and Collective Soul



I put on this funky hat I saw on Blossom...



People were wearing the latest and coolest stuff











And though we still had our little cliques...









We got along great...









If you can't tell by now - or are starting to think my friends and I have the worst fashion sense EVER - I oughta tell you my party was a theme party.

And the theme was the 1990's.



How totally bodaciously awesome is that? I mean, what a "SCREAM!"

It was so much fun to either rip through your high school clothes (or your mom's current active wardrobe) or Value Village and seek out those nostalgic treasures from your youth.

For me, I went through many stages in the nineties. But I definitely remember having an affinity for tappered purple Guess jeans with zippers at the bottom (sadly coming back in style), Club Monaco sweatshirts and t-shirts (this was when Club Monaco was just a Canadian brand and had just started up), Flannel shorts, Converse high tops, Doc Martins (boots and shoes!), Anything Angela Chase would have worn on "My So-Called Life" (or her friend Rhianne, for that matter), Velvet chokers, Wallet chains, Bodysuits, Denim shirts, Leggings, The Rachel Haircut, Plaid, Cargo pants and babydoll tees, Slip dresses (anything Jewel would have worn), Overalls!...oh man, the list goes on!

And the makeup - MY GOODNESS, THE MAKEUP - What fun it was to create Matte eyes with tawny eyeshadow, sculpted cheeks with brown blush, darken my brows in Drew Barrymore tadpole style and fill my lips in with MAC lipliner in Spice (topped with powder for that EXTRA Matte look!

It was sooooo 1995.

What do you remember most about the 90's? Is there anything that you still wear today (for example, I'm totally wearing Doc Martins again!)?



Photo by Jesse Winter Heading. Jean Shirt by DKNY Jeans. Polyester Floral print dress by Jacob. Tights by H&M. Boots by Doc Martin. Cloche hat by Forever 21. Flower from the 90's