Lovers Day

Posted on February 16, 2011 | Leave a comment

No roses left when I got there

Lovers days has come and gone and I’ve survived. Actually, it’s probably the first year I really didn’t care and didn’t have a tiny stab in my heart every time I saw a man-lover rush to the flower store or walk past me bearing chocolates and stuffed toys or bags from Tiffany’s. Have I grown up a bit? Or perhaps I’m jaded? I can’t decide.

I had an awesome day hanging out with some friends, wicked BFF Solange and I met a friend of ours at Union station, she was heading up an event with Mattel. Did you know Barbie and Ken were broken up? And after a full out, nationwide plea, Barbie took him back. As any fictional love story would end, they got back together on Valentine’s Day and to celebrate, Ken was at Union handing out roses to other “dolls” while Barbie spent the day at the spa. I wish them happiness and a smooth divorce. I kid, just happiness, obviously there’s no such thing as Alimony Barbie (yet). I’m looking at my photo with the Ken’s and I can’t help but wish I had a better plastic doll pose, that left hand of mine is a little too awkward.

After meeting some friends for beer and wings, Solange and I caught a screening of Blue Valentine, pegged the ultimate anti-valentine movie. I was looking forward to it and was surprised when I saw a large number of loving couples in the audience, I thought…. ummm, you’re in love, get out of here. While I love both Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams, I was highly disappointed with this movie. I was looking for more fighting, more drinking, more abuse and it just wasn’t there, so when it ended I found myself wondering, well, how did that relationship end? Isn’t that normal? I guess not – looks like Solange and I have been missing out on Disney fairy tale love.

In reading a few reviews of the film, some critics didn’t like how sad it was. Really? I didn’t leave feeling one bit saddened. I didn’t shed one tear. I love sad movies and that’s what I wanted, darn it. It certainly was no Marley and Me where I left a mess and had teenage girls laugh at me (just you wait ’til you put down your first pet, silly innocence). I hate to admit this, but I think I felt more emotion and such after watching The Break-Up… it was totally realistic, n’est pas?

I’ve going to wrap this up before I embarrass myself any more. So what have we learned today? I have poor taste in films and should practice my doll stance in the mirror more often.

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Posted in Just For Fun, Life

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Exercising Patience

Posted on February 8, 2011 | 1 Comment

I wish it were possible to take a picture with my phone of me staring at my phone that included the phone. For now, this will have to do. I am, quite literally, willing my phone to ring. Ring, gosh darn it. Ring and whisper sweet awesomeness into my ear.

I feel like a teenage girl waiting for that cute guy I kissed on the weekend to call me back. Except, I’m not waiting for a guy to call me back and as a side note, teenage boys weren’t interested in teenage Ivana – I had yet to grow into my face. And was a bit weird.

Have been staring at my phone non-stop for the past few days. Checking my emails and ensuring I haven’t missed any voice mails.

Also, am welcoming distractions. Besties dropped by the shop today bearing coffee (which I had no time to pick up on the way to work this morning) and a cookie. More guests like this, please.

Please, I just need/want you to tell me I’m awesome. Because I really am. Kthxbai.

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Posted in Life, Uncategorized

Get Sweatered

Posted on February 7, 2011 | Leave a comment

Tribute to Johston's school photo days. Lasers.

Allo, allo. Seems silly posting this on one of the more mild nights this winter, however, I do wonder… how many of you turn down your thermostat on milder winter nights? Seriously, though. Observing my folks in their home, it’s safe to say they keep the thermostat on the same temperature all winter long.

I say this because I just spent the last little while (errr, fine, half hour) getting sweatered (see inset photo). You see, February 17th is National Sweater Day presented by WWF Canada and Loblaw. If you find yourself relaxing at home, in a tee, shorts and bare feet in mid-winter, you should challenge yourself to turn down your thermostat and throw on a sweater, some pants and slippers. Really, you can turn it down 3 degrees, easy peasy.

What’s in it for you? Well, aside from the potential savings on your hydro bill, you too can have a totally awesome portrait, like mine. It took me a while to get the face colouring just right (I couldn’t bring myself to go any lighter, it was starting to scare me). And, not to get all crunchy granola, but do we really need to use more heat than necessary? There’s a reason winter clothing comes with long sleeves and thicker material, it’s for both indoor and outdoor use. Let’s try to reduce on environmental footprint and make this a permanent change to our day to day lives, capice? I highly doubt you’ll notice the difference.

So get involved and make it fun. Find a hideous sweater and get cozy.

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Posted in Charity Work

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Lacking Comfort

Posted on February 5, 2011 | Leave a comment

Isn’t winter the season of comfort? Comfort foods. Comfortable clothing. Just comfort? I can’t help but feel like I’ve spent this season out of my comfort zone. I feel like I have no familiarity and not knowing what’s going to happen in the next day, week, month is starting to get to me. For years, I’ve been working towards short and long-term goals but being out of full-time work, an apartment, the works, I feel it’s difficult to set goals until I become a bit more committed to the path I’m on.

I’m in a position in which I’m able to do whatever I want and while I’ve got a few ideas and am working on a few things, I haven’t fully committed to one path. There is so much I can do, why not try for all and see what I’m meant to get in to? Right?

I initially started this post with, “whhhhhaaaaaa”. While I’m not in tears about the state of my life, I am thinking about what I’m doing, why I’m here and what I’m supposed to do. It was just yesterday, I found myself on the side of a country road, on the verge of tears, whining about how I want my life back. I’m in this transitional state and it’s killing me. I want things to happen, I want to move on with my life (or rather, start my new one), I had carved out a nice little life for myself since moving out of my parents place a few years ago and while I pretty much abandoned everything I had in the past few months, it was all for the right reasons. I think.

I find myself wondering if I have a problem, I know I’m an anti-hoarder. I purge. Not in the binge and purge sense, but I don’t have sentimental attachments to anything and I worry that when I’m on a purging spree, I can’t stop. Basically, I’m at the point that I’m concerned about the state of my purging habit. I need to stop removing things from my life, get out of this transition, shed my cold Eastern European shell and start adding to my life again.

Until I find something I’m happy to make a part of my life, I will continue to bake. Which I’ve been doing a lot of lately. Baka even likes to watch and comment on how I take after her with all the baking I’ve been doing, yet she still won’t share any recipes with me. Seriously? Seriously. I have a new Baka photo to share, while I wish having these photos up will shame her into passing along these heirloom recipes, she has no idea what the internet is. Or a cell phone for that matter. This is Baka over the holidays, likely after I asked her which of the grandchildren is her favourite (my brother, Jure, first born grandson, obviously).

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Posted in cat, Life, Uncategorized

Making Whoopie

Posted on January 30, 2011 | Leave a comment

Had the opportunity to try a whoopie pie at Bobbette & Belle in Leslieville. I was drawn into the cafe by their macarons but have yet to sample one, the whoopie pies were just so light and fluffy looking. I’d be pleased to just sit in this cafe with a cup of tea and I assure you, I would leave full after just looking at the wedding cakes and pastries they bake up fresh here – total visual orgasm.

Treated myself to the red velvet whoopie, so, so good. It reminded me of the recipe from whoopie pies I had torn out of an issue of Toronto Life a few months back and have yet to test out. Will do so in the next couple weeks. Old roomie has shacked up with BF and has asked for baking lessons as she’d like to become a bit more domesticated. I will come bearing her housewarming gift – baking cookbooks, every ingredient necessary to make whoopies and a few other goodies.

Off to make whoopie.

That sounds dirty.

Crap. It is.

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Posted in baking, food

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Most Anticipated Reunion

Posted on January 19, 2011 | Leave a comment

And no, it’s not more about BSB. This one’s legit. The 2011 Coachella lineup was announced last night and although at first, I was like, “yeah great bands, awesome show,” it wasn’t until I got to Day 3 where I was like, “Holy crap! I have to go! Where do I get a ticket! Expletive! More exclamation marks! Holy crap!”

Which band could have this effect on me? Death from Above 1979. I’ve only seen them as a unit once and then doing their own separate acts multiple times. I love them. They’re musical geniuses. And I may or may not have in appropriately caressed JFK’s foot one night at a bar – he was wearing ostrich skin DFA special edition Puma’s, come on.

While I enjoyed MSTRKRFT, I wasn’t entirely sold on Sebastien Grainger & the Mountains. These 2 just worked better as a unit and this is why I am beyond thrilled that they’re back together.

For real. I love them this much:

That's quite a lot of love

This was at the Toys ‘r Us in Times Square, we seriously spread the word around Legoland that DFA is where it’s at.

So, now what? Get a full-time job so I could pay for this sucker.

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Posted in music

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I Want Ray Ban Vision

Posted on January 14, 2011 | Leave a comment

I’ve rewritten the words to the song below, it’s a bit sad though. I lost my Ray Ban vision. Sort of.

I tried to recreate the scene in my front yard.

Was driving to work earlier this week, it was gloomy, the sun was just dying to come out, so I brought my Wayfarers with me. It seemed silly to wear them at the time, so I put them under my leg – to keep them warm. Have you ever tried to put on a pair of glasses after they’ve been sitting in a cold car? Fogged up lenses, frosted over at times. No good.

Anyways, on my way in to work that morning, I found myself with some extra time, I stopped by Cherry Bomb to pick up some coffees for me and my boss. It wasn’t until I was parking my car that I realize my sunglasses were no longer with me.

Not being ironic. I swear.

I knew immediately what had happened, it’s happened before with my phone, my access cards, etc. (I should really stop putting things beneath my legs when I’m driving). My sunglasses fell out of the car when I got out to grab coffees. Insert 10 expletives. I popped my head into the shop, dropped off the coffees and drove back (for a moment, I thought they were my prescription sunglasses….eeek).

Really, I should be happy I found them, but they were in a terrible state. The lenses were cracked and my poor glasses were flattened beneath a tire. (fyi… Nissan Altima, that was a no parking zone.) (Yes, that note applies to me, as well.)

Anyways, super boss observed the damage and since he has a bit of background in eye wear he told me they may be able to be salvaged. I’m heading over to see what can be done, fortunate I didn’t spring for the classic Wayfarers when I purchased my prescription pair last summer – that means I’ve got a spare set of lenses on hand. Rejoice!!!

Side note: Can I just tell you how my mindset has shifted? Normally, I’d be like, “no biggie! Now I can upgrade to the classic Wayfarers in tortoiseshell with polarized lenses.” Now, now, dear goodness, now my first thought was, “how do I fix this?”. That is what unemployment does to you folks, pinching my pennies resourceful.

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Posted in Life, Uncategorized

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