Mopey Monday

It's Monday. And it really feels like it. So what's cheering me up? This video, for one.




Also I finally caved and got me some neon pink nail polish last week. I keep seeing girls with neon nails and for some reason I find them very appealing. Maybe I'm just a sucker for anything bright. But whatever the reason, I really wanted to try it out. Though the shade is a little to ostentatious for work, I painted my toenails - and somehow just knowing that they're all bright in my shoes cheers me up. Shhh. It's our little secret.

Fill in the _____ Friday

1. One of life's most simple pleasures is... getting into bed at night after a long, busy day. That feeling that you don't need to worry about anything until tomorrow is golden!
2. Waiting on hold for eleventy billion years when I call to make a doctor's appointment... I'm not naturally a patient person, so of course it can easily make me grumpy. But I try to remind myself that for every minute I'm on hold, that's probably another half hour that the doctor has to work helping someone, and to be grateful that usually I'm just trying to get a checkup rather than dealing with a major health problem.Which I've had in the past, so I know how horrible it is!
3. I like... when I pick up my cat and hold him upside down and he stretches as far as his little paws can go and makes a little grunting noise... because... it makes my heart drool a little bit. This also falls under #1.
4. Toggle... is a word I pretty much never use and feel like a bit of an idiot when I do. It's a bit ridiculous.
5. If I had to choose one beauty product to use for the rest of eternity, it would be... a very bad day.
6. I'm happy that... I get to sleep in and relax all weekend!
7. I would never... knowingly hurt someone I love. 

Thanks, as always, to Lauren at The Little Things We Do for the blanks! 

Wicked Wednesday - My New Android!

Aside from the obvious (insert references to Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Radiohead here), I didn't really like my "smart" phone all that much at first. In fact (somewhat predictably), I dubbed it "stupidphone" by the time I had gotten home from the store.

But after countless hours wasted playing Angry Birds and some invaluable advice on apps and settings from my tech-savvy friend, I've come to quite like it. One of the main reasons being, of course, the photos!

I've always loved photography, and have become fascinated by the photos posted on Instagram by iPhone wielding friends. Of course, there isn't yet an Instagram app for the Android, but I found two that are just as fun: Picplz and Vignette. Along with the photo above, here are some others I've snapped:

Okay, so they're not very good, but I'm just getting started! There's potential. So for those of you who are considering moving over to Android, here are some useful apps and features I've found so far (strictly for those brand spankin' new to apps - they're pretty basic!):

• Vignette -  Free trial, then about $5, I think. Has lots of different effects you can do, and you can save multiple copies of the same image with different effects. 
• QuickPic - Free. It's a gallery of all the images on your phone in different apps and the basic camera. Makes it really easy to find your photos.
• Angry Birds - Free. There are three versions - original, Rio and Seasons. This game is so simple, but great fun when you're stuck waiting somewhere or in transit.
• Movies - Free. Lets you see when movies are opening and search showtimes in your area. Very handy. 
• Skype - Free. Honestly I have yet to use Skype, but from what I understand it lets you call from your phone to another phone - free! I have a friend who has called me with it and the sound is just as good as regular phone.
• Volume Ace Free - Wondering how to get rid of that irritating shutter sound that goes off whenever you take a photo? Download this app and set "System" to 0. Voila.
• Ringtone Maker - Free. Lets you edit songs to become ringtones. You can cut it to the chorus and fade in and out. 
• All the social media apps - Free. Facebook, Twitter, Google+ all have apps that take you to a mobile version of the site. Honestly a bit difficult to use, but not bad. Even Gmail ("Talk" is the app for Gmail talk) and Google Reader have handy apps.

 So all in all, I'm starting to warm to my little buddy. We might just get along after all.

Fill in the _____ Friday

1. My idea of pure perfection would be... having perfect health my whole life and getting to spend it doing something I love.
2. Laughter... is the second best feeling in the world. ;)
3. If it weren't for... not having any money...I'd... travel and become a photographer/writer.
4. Bloggers are... the new creative community.
5. If I had... a million dollars... I'd buy you... a loooooong vacation.
6. I'm glad it's Friday because... really, you have to ask??
7. Something I'm excited about is... sleeping in! Of course!

Thanks, as always, to Lauren at The Little Things We Do for the blanks!  

Fill in the _____ Friday

To view image source, click on image

1. My most favourite birthday was... my 25th. Overall one of the best years of my life - I was at my most social, had that temporary lull between figuring out what to study in school and what to do with the rest of your life when you just have to do the work and had stumbled into about three really great groups of friends. Also my first birthday with current boyfriend (I know, "awwwww...."). Had a big party at a restaurant with lots of people. Felt like a rock star.
2. My worst birthday was... warning: this could get depressing. It was the one after my parents split up. My mom rented out a hall and made a surprise party for me, all the people we knew were there, there was cake and a pile of presents... but it all just seemed really hollow, and all I could think was, "why isn't my Dad here?" Yeah. It sucked.
3. My favourite birthday memory is... see #1 above. 
4. The best birthday present I've ever received was... I'm pretty sure I got my first cat for my birthday. I was like 13 or 14, this was also the year after my parents split. She was such a comfort to me and, despite suffering through being named Scheherazade (Schezy for short) still seemed to like me. 
5. Birthdays are... honestly? A lot of pressure. The more of them I have, the less I like them. I always feel like I should be excited and they should be special, but really it's just another day in the end. 
6. My favourite age so far has been... see #1 above. But I'm really hoping that at some point in the next couple of years things will come together and I'll have a few that are even better!

Thanks, as always, to Lauren at The Little Things We Do for the blanks...and wishing her a very happy birthday! Clearly she likes them much more than I do ;) xo

Wicked Wednesday - "How to Properly Examine a Tattoo Portfolio"

To view image source, click on image

Getting a tattoo is one of the most important decisions you'll ever make about your appearance. (I'm ranking it right after that terrible koolaid dye-job your friend did for you in high school, apparently right before every single photo that ended up in the yearbook was taken.) So you want to be sure that you've not only picked an image that you will not get sick of or come to regret (like your boyfriend's name on your ass) but also that you've found the right tattoo artist for you.

Tattoo artists aren't like house painters. You can't just pick any one that works for a reputable company or looks fit and able to climb a ladder. They're artists. This means that not only their skill and experience, but also their style will vary. You don't necessarily want the same one who did your best friend's tattoo if yours is a multi-coloured life-like portrait and hers was Hello Kitty. No matter how happy she claims to be with the final result.

A tweet by Tattoo Artist Magazine showed up today with a link to an article called: "Guen Douglas: How to Properly Examine a Tattoo Portfolio." I was so impressed with how informative, thorough and bullshit-free it was that I decided to share it with you in the hopes that it will help you to avoid costly tattoo removal or living with "Paco" scrawled on your butt in a two-year-old's handwriting for the rest of your life. You're welcome.

Fill in the _____ Friday

To view image source, click on image

1. My go-to outfit for a dress-up occasion like a wedding is... I don't do weddings. Or places I need to dress up.
2. This week has been... long, for a short week.
3. When it's dinnertime and I'm feeling lazy, I'll usually eat... salad or one of Amy's organic frozen dinners
4. My favourite pair of shoes is... a pair of Blowfish ballet-slipper-style black shoes. They're like my feet, but a bit less vulnerable, and they go with everything.
5. A random item that I own that is completely unnecessary but that I couldn't live without is... are books necessary? If not, then my books. Though I guess technically my computer isn't necessary. I mean, it's not like food or shelter. But I definitely couldn't live without that.
6. My favourite person is... not my boyfriend, obviously. ;)
7. If I were going to write my own blank, it would say... a book that made me literally laugh out loud is... (and I'd answer with Good Omens.)

Thanks to Lauren at The Little Things We Do for the blanks!

Wicked Wednesday - Refinery 29

Clearly I'm not a fashionista. I don't like shopping, I definitely don't replace my outfits every season (or even every year), and I will never learn to walk in high heels properly. But every once in awhile, I like to check in on what's going on in the world of fashion/style/trends etc. and vicariously enjoy what other people come up with. You know, the ones who actually care enough to shop more than once every six months.

I came across Refinery 29 by accident when I found a link to a slideshow of stylish 70-year-olds. This impressed me right away. One of the things that turns me off about the fashion world is its preoccupation with youth and idealized beauty. Rarely will you see women much over 30, and when you do it's someone like Oprah or Michelle Obama or Anna Wintour - clearly amazing women whose accomplishments are the focus rather than any appreciation for their beauty (which is considerable, in my opinion).

Don't get me wrong. I'm certainly not saying it's a bad thing to value women for their skills, hard work and lifelong experience. It's very important, and provides great role models for young girls. I'm just saying that it's important to acknowledge them as beautiful, vibrant and sexy, too. So this article really got my attention. It made me smile and think, "finally, I'm looking at women who are what I want to be like when I grow up." The site won me over immediately for this one slideshow, and I've really enjoyed reading some of the other stuff they have to offer.

Here are a few links to demonstrate the range of the topics covered (I love that they cover women of all ages, plus-size fashion that actually looks good, DIY, socially conscious shopping, do-able makeup tips - even something for Harry Potter fans!):

• 18 Goods that Give Back to the World
• 10 Amazing Plus-Size Sale Finds
• Ovulating Women Can Tell Whether Someone's Gay
• Newsprint Nails: The Easiest, Coolest Nail DIY!
• A 78-Square Foot Apartment that Fits a Bed, Couch and Home Office
• 3 Hot Makeup Trends Modeled by a Trio of Local PYTs
• 5 Extreme Harry Potter Tattoos
• Style Bloggers Re-Create the Runways' Coolest Trends with Make Up For Ever
• Editors' Picks: Our Favorite Time-Waster Blogs
•  Designer Norma Kamali: 66 and Hotter than Ever!

And the post that started it all for me:

• Stylin' 70-Year-Olds: Fashion's New It Girls!

If you like style and fashion-centric sites that cover it all, this is a great one to waste some serious time on!