We surf the Internet. We swim in magazines.

I came across this ad in my magazine the other day. I thought it was neat and want to share it with you all.

We surf the Internet.
We swim in magazines.

The Internet is exhilarating. Magazines are enveloping.
The Internet grabs you. Magazines embrace you.
The Internet is impulsive. Magazines are immersive.
And both media are growing.

Barely noticed amidst the thunderous Internet clamour is the simple fact that magazine readership has risen over the past five years. Even in the age of the Internet, even among the groups one would assume are most singularly hooked on digital media, the appeal of magazines is growing.

Think of it this way: during the 12-year life of Google, magazine readership actually increased 11 per cent.

What it proves, once again, is that a new medium doesn’t necessarily displace an existing one. Just as movies didn’t kill radio. Just as TV didn’t kill movies. An established medium can continue to flourish so long as it continues to offer a unique experience. And, as reader loyalty and growth demonstrate, magazines do.

Which is why people aren’t giving up swimming, just because they also enjoy surfing.

No cows to be found; it’s just Pad Thai.

While watching TV the other day I stumbled upon a show called what’s cooking on CityTV; they were making pad thai. I’ve tried a few pad thai dishes from different restaurants around the city, but I always find that it tastes barn-like. Ok, before you go all “you’ve tasted a barn?!?” on me, think about it, you know what I mean. Just like some beer can taste like skunk, although I highly doubt you’ve ever actually tasted a skunk. It’s because our sense of taste and smell are closely linked. A lot of what we taste is because we can also smell it! Seriously. Anyways, the recipe and process looked easy enough for me to tackle, so I figured I’d give it a try and see if my home cooked pad thai would taste like a barn as well.

This meant that I would need to make my first trek to the new T&T supermarket on Hunt Club and Riverside, as most of my local grocery stores have pitiful Asian food sections. Oh and by trek I actually mean just pulling into the T&T parking lot from my regular commute to and from work each day. However, I have been too afraid to go in all these months, perhaps because the way people were describing it made this place sound like some kind of crazy circus, something that I’d rather avoid, unless I want random people touching me, which is definitely not my cup of tea.

So I decided to finally face my fear – only because I needed some rice stick noodles – and go inside. I have to say that I was rather impressed! They have a wonderful produce department, and all the seafood you could possibly want! The only negative thing I have to say is that there were too many noodles to choose from. I stood there for about five minutes, with my eyes glazing over trying to figure out which ones were best for my meal. So if my only complaint was that there was too much to choose from, I think overall it was a successful excursion and I will definitely be going back! Fear = unfounded.

With my rice stick noodles and all of my other ingredients in hand I created my pad thai masterpiece. It didn’t look like a masterpiece (hence no pictures of my actual dish), but it sure tasted like one! No barn taste at all! Good job me! I also made it for a second time this weekend for a friend, and got rave reviews!

Try it for yourself!

Creamy Peanut Pad Thai (Serves 4)

227 g (1/2 of 454-g pkg.) rice stick noodles
1 lb. (450 g) boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup Kraft Catalina Dressing, divided
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup Kraft Smooth Peanut Butter
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 cup fresh bean sprouts
4 green onions, sliced
3 Tbsp. chopped peanuts

Make It!
Cook noodles in boiling water 5 min. or until tender. Meanwhile, cook and stir chicken and garlic in 2 Tbsp. dressing in wok or large skillet on high heat 5 min. or until chicken is cooked through. Stir in egg; cook 30 sec. or until set.
Drain noodles. Mix remaining dressing, water, peanut butter and soy sauce in wok. Add noodles; mix well. Add sprouts and onions; toss lightly. Top with peanuts. Serve immediately.
P.S. Dish goes well with lots of wine ;)


Recipe #2 of 25 complete on my list of 101 Things to do in 1001 Days!


The more people I speak to, the more I find are actually reading my blog! Super exciting! If you do, give me a shout, leave a comment or message me. You can tell me what you’d like to see more of, or maybe less of. Anything!

Grilled Maple Mahi Mahi with Sour Scallion

So a recipe posting is going to come as a bit of a surprise for many of you, because I’ve really never been one to even set foot in the kitchen. But now that I am no longer spoiled by my mother’s cooking, I had to venture into the world of cooking for myself. Yes, I know, poor me. Just to prove this point, this is my side of a conversation I had with my mother the other day…

“Hi, mom it’s me. I was wondering how you make a stir-fry?
Oh, it’s that simple, that’s all I have to do?
Yes of course I have chicken mom! And I bought pre-packaged stir-fry vegetables all ready to go.
So all I need to do is just toss it all together and add teriyaki sauce?
Well I can do that! I thought there was more to it than that.
Thanks mom!”

Later I find out that my roommate thought this was the most hilarious thing she’s heard all day. The stir-fry turned out really well, only a few minor setbacks involving slicing my finger while trying to get fancy by adding ginger to my meal, and burning my toe with boiling water and kicking the dog in the process. My thumb, my toe and the dog are all fine, thanks for asking.

Back to the original purpose of this posting – grilled mahi mahi. A few months back I was in the Superstore perusing the frozen seafood section when I heard about a food sampling in the store. Score! They hardly ever have those anymore! And just as I looked up to see if it was around me, I realized I was practically standing right in front of it. So exciting that I didn’t have to go look for the free food, it came right to me! The lady asked if I’d like to try mahi mahi. Now, I don’t know about any of you but I thought mahi mahi was some kind of weird raw fish, but I tried it anyways, and it was delightful! It’s not raw fish, but rather a white dolphin fish. It had a delicious green onion and sesame topping. So I took the recipe she was handing out, picked up some PC fillets that were conveniently on sale, and went home to make it. I think you all should try it as well!

Grilled Maple Mahi Mahi with Sour Scallion

Mahi Mahi Marinade:

2 Mahi Mahi fillets (PC Blue Menu Mahi Mahi fillets are a good choice!)
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp teriyaki sauce
1 tsp ginger
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste

Sour Scallion topping:

3 tbsp olive oil
4 scallions sliced
2 tbsp roasted sesame seeds
Salt & pepper to taste
1 tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice
Method:Combine all marinade ingredients in a shallow bowl; coat both sides of the fish fillets thoroughly. Marinade in fridge for 30 minutes or overnight, turning at least twice.

Just before cooking the fish prepare the sour scallion topping:
Heat oil in pan and add scallions, salt and pepper to taste and cook on medium high heat until fragrant, about 1 minute, then add roasted sesame seeds.
Transfer the sour scallion topping into a small bowl then add fresh squeezed lime juice.
Preheat grill to 425˚F.
Brush the grill with oil, grill marinated mahi mahi on high heat for about 4 to 5 minutes on each side.
Top with sour scallion and serve with rice.


The lady in the store used a George Forman grill. But I pan fry mine, and it tastes just as good as hers did! I have also substituted the mahi mahi fillets with haddock fillets, and it turns out great.

Look at me making substitutions and doings things differently! I’ll be a pro in no time! But I still have a whole lot more to learn. Lucky me that I have two great teachers to show me the way! You know who you are!

1 out of 25 new recipes to try = complete! 101 Things to do in 1001 Days

HOly Overreaction Ottawa!

Ok, so I don’t know if any of you are following the contest that the New HOT 89.9 has going on, or shall I say the New HO 89.9, but it’s creating quite a stir in Ottawa. A creepy little thief has stolen their T, in their HOT 89.9 name, renaming it the NEW HO 89.9. The radio station has offered a $25,000 reward to find it, and helping Ottawa residents along by offering three clues as to its whereabouts each weekday. Personally, I think this is pure marketing genius!

Others, not so much. Some Ottawa residents are outraged that the radio station is using the word HO. It’s a contest for God sakes people! The Ottawa Citizen has been producing opinion piece after opinion piece of people who are really unhappy with HOT 89.9 because they are using this word. (This one cracks me up -If 89.9 were a boyfriend, I'd dump him fast)

People, the radio station is not using it as a derogatory term, it is merely a word. It is only derogatory when used in a sentence meant to insult. Santa says ho, a hoe (pronounced the same!) is a garden tool, I have friends with the last name Ho, does that make it a bad word?? Hell no! People need to calm down and get off their high horses. The radio station is merely saying a word, it is not targeted at anyone! And if you think that the radio station is calling you a ho, maybe you are!

I think that the people who are actually upset over this and take the time to write in to the Ottawa Citizen have nothing better going on in their lives, so they are creating drama for no reason other than the fact they are bored.

And for the parents who are telling their young children what the term ho means, that’s your own fault. You may have bigger problems. Tell them about the contest and that the radio station is missing the T in HOT. Get them involved in helping you to find the T to win the money. It’s not rocket science!

Get a life people, stop complaining about everything and go find that friggen T! I’m going to.

Rant complete.

Sisterhood of the Travelling Pink Gloves

At the end of March I decided to travel to Kitchener/Waterloo to visit my dear friend Robyn for her birthday shenanigans!

Side note: I also got an answer to a question I’ve had for a while but never asked…Why on earth don’t people just call it Kitchener or just Waterloo?? During my visit I realized exactly why this was – there is barely a distinction between the two cities. No division. One city ends then the other begins without warning. I think I even saw a house that half was in Kitchener and half was in Waterloo. I wondered what their address would be?

Ok, back to the original point of my story…Robyn’s birthday…there was a house party to be thrown in her honour. Friends travelled from near and far to be with this lovely lady on this special day. Many drinks were drunk, delicious food was eaten, and plenty of fun was had!

During the party, after having some kind of asthma attack and needing to take my inhaler – very similar to the reaction I get from being near cats, but there were no cats around…odd – I returned to my comfy seat on the couch to find that it had been stolen! Stolen!! The audacity! I quickly realized that I would need to be somewhat social and find another seat in the already crowded room before the show began again. Oh, did I forget to mention the show? Right. One of Robyn’s friends, Matt York (a recording artist – check him out, he’s awesome!) was playing a special acoustic show just for Robyn’s birthday! So I took a seat next to some lovely ladies that welcomed me into their sitting space on the floor. I was even allowed to stay after I spilled my martini on Julia (one of my new friends) :( I’m gonna go ahead and say that it was half my fault and half the fault of the martini glass creator. Whooo doesn’t spill when they are drinking from a martini glass?? Really?

Anyhoo, the story of the Sisterhood of the Travelling Pink Gloves came to be when I noticed an abandoned ticket stub on the floor. The ticket stub we all received when we paid our entrance fee for the party. Yes, it was a house party, but it was all very official because of the show! So we (Julia and I) stealthily grabbed the ticket stub and held on to it for safe keeping, as the stub could give us a chance to win a door prize at the end of the night.

We ended up winning with the ‘stolen’ ticket! So before opening our prize, we decided to share whatever it was. The prize – a brand new pair of beautiful pink gardening gloves!! Haha. So Julia and I each took a glove. This is where it gets a little blurry though (wine, martinis, etc). Throughout the night Julia and I had talked about all the travelling we had done over the past few years, so I guess this is where the brilliant idea came to be. We decided that we would take our pink glove on all the travels we do in the coming years and take a picture with it on in front of famous landmarks, buildings, whatever. Julia was the one with the brilliant idea to name it Sisterhood of the Travelling Pink Gloves and create a Facebook fan page of the same name.

These gloves won’t just be for Julia and I to use, but all of our wonderful friends on their travelling adventures. The fan page will document where the gloves have been and where they are going! Cheers to travelling and to new friends! :)

Become a fan of the Sisterhood of the Travelling Pink Gloves on Facebook!

Damn you Logan Huntzberger!

After watching way too many Gilmore Girls episodes for my own good lately, and pining over the oh-so-charming Logan Huntzberger, boyfriend to Rory Gilmore, I’m starting to wonder if these Hollywood ‘boyfriends’ are ruining our perceptions of what ‘real’ men are?

Logan is naturally the creation of a female mind – a fictional character. Of course he has his flaws, but he makes up for them times 10! He’s full of grand gestures, spontaneity, and surprises. What woman wouldn’t want him?

Unfortunately perfect characters like Logan Huntzberger are brought to us through TV screens and movie screens time and time again, causing us to measure our real relationships against these fictional ideals.

Although not everything we see in movies and TV shows have that perfect, happy ending, these are often the ones we remember, the ideals we may hold our own relationships to.

The stars of TV shows and movies we pine after often have the “full package” – good looks, great job, great personality, fill in the blank of anything you could ever want in a man. So we look for that in real life.

When we compare the men we know to the men in movies, it becomes extremely unfair to both parties. With such high expectations, real men can’t possibly be expected to actually ever live up to them. Consequently women are frequently disappointed because the men are not living up to these unfair expectations.

I’m in no way saying that you should not have expectations of your partner, because you most certainly should! But having expectations that are unrealistic may just end in disappointment.

While reading an article the other day on the book Marry Him: The Case for Settling for Mr. Good Enough by author Lori Gottlieb, it got me thinking more about relationships and expectations and the reason why controversy has surrounded this book. Critics have accused her of being anti-feminist because she uses the word ‘settling’ in the title. Gottlieb addresses this criticism by explaining that, “A lot of women took a you-can-have-it-all attitude and called that feminism, which it’s not. They confused feminism with you can have it all, and tried to apply you can have it all to dating.” When in fact her book says the opposite. She explains that at any age you need to look at what’s important and you should never settle for somebody that you don’t truly love. But in order to find that person you have to be more open-minded about who that person might be. So it’s not about lowering your standards. It’s about having really high standards, but only about the things that really matter.

I think Michelle Obama hit it right on the nose when talking about her husband in an interview. “He was special in terms of his honesty, his sincerity, his compassion for other people. Cute’s good. But cute only lasts for so long, and then it’s, Who are you as a person? That’s the advice I would give to women: Don’t look at the bankbook or the title. Look at the heart. Look at the soul. Look at how the guy treats his mother and what he says about women. How he acts with children he doesn’t know. And, more important, how does he treat you? When you’re dating a man, you should always feel good. You should never feel less than. You should never doubt yourself. You shouldn’t be in a relationship with somebody who doesn’t make you completely happy and make you feel whole.” Well said Mrs. Obama!

No one is perfect. Hell I’m not even close to being perfect, so why should the guy I date have to be perfect? ‘Perfect for me’ is what I will strive for. We shouldn’t focus on trivial things like height or movie star looks or how good they seem on paper, what matters is how you feel when you are with this person. Focus on things that will actually matter five to ten years down the road. And for God’s sake, keep movie romances in the fantasy world and don’t equate them with real life relationships!

Lotions, and sprays and candles, Oh my!

With the opening of Ottawa’s first Bath & Body Works, comes my continued obsession with all things scented. Whenever I journeyed to the Carousel Mall in Syracuse, New York with my friends, I would always make a beeline to Bath & Body Works and spend far too much time in there – so much time in fact that I would always be left alone to peruse on my own for a while. So now that we have our own B&BW, I find it rather thrilling that I can just stop in at any time! This is extremely lethal for both my wallet and my bathroom cabinets.

My first visit to B&BW in Ottawa brought on a new addiction. I smelled their Twilight Woods scent. I fell in love. I cannot describe it, all I know is that I love it and can’t get enough. I have a spray at home and at work, and would carry one around with me, except for the fact that the store in Ottawa does not seem to sell the travel size. Also, I recently purchased the Twilight Woods body lotion, and find that it complements the spray very nicely and as a bonus actually lasts all day!

I also bought a few items from the B&BW Aromatherapy Sleep collection. I’ve been having some problems sleeping for a while so I picked up the lotion, body wash and body spray (which I use as a pillow spray), all of which smell like deliciousness, or Warm Milk & Honey as it’s aptly named.

Other favourites include:

B&BW Signature Collection anti-bacterial soaps. There are soooo many to choose from that I always have a collection of them at home. Coconut Lime Verbena is one of my favourites.

The Wallflower scent diffuser in Warm Vanilla Sugar – perfect for smaller rooms because it’s not overpowering. But you can choose from any scent you’d like in the store.

Slatkin and Co. Scentportables for your car. Instead of hanging a pine tree from your rearview mirror, you can clip this on to your visor. It says it only last about three weeks, but I found it lasted over three months. There are many different B&BW scents to choose from.

Lastly, Bath & Body Works always seem to have some sort of deal or sale going on, which is horrible for me because I’m a HUGE sucker for coupons and really good deals! So I suggest signing up for their e-newsletter to reap the benefits!

Sooo… I joined a gym!

Hahaha it still makes me laugh a little, but seriously, it’s true, I joined a gym!

I’ve been a member of GoodLife Fitness for just over a week now, and I have to say that I actually enjoy it. I really had no idea of everything that a gym can offer. I thought it was all about treadmills, and bikes, and men pumping weights. But it’s not! They have classes, awesome leg lift machines, 20-minute Fit Fix Circuit workout, and even more classes! As you can probably tell I’m very excited about the classes. That is the selling point in getting a gym membership.

I’ve been thinking about taking up yoga for a while, but never really got my butt in gear to do it. GoodLife offers a class called BodyFlow that involves yoga, tai chi AND Pilates all wrapped into one class. SOLD!

So bright and early Sunday morning (ahem 11 a.m.) I headed on over to the gym to go to my very first BodyFlow class. I took a friend with me because it’s always better to have a friend to laugh with when you have no clue what you are doing. Overall, I think it went very well and we didn’t get too lost. I will definitely be going to this class once a week. :)

But classes aren’t all I’m gonna be doing. I enjoy the elliptical, and even though I have one that’s collecting dust in my basement, the gym setting is much more enjoyable for some reason. I push myself to stay on for a half-hour because people could be watching and think that I’m ‘giving up’ if I take mini-breaks in between like I do at home. Nope, not at the gym, I push on through the hurt! And soon I will try the 20-minute Fit Fix Circuit workout on my own. Yeah muscle strengthening!

I wanted to go to a gym to start feeling better. I should not feel like an 80 year old at 24. And even just after a week I’m starting to feel better. And whether I’m actually feeling more energized or it’s all in my head – I don’t care, because in the words of Michael Bublé, I’m feeeeeling gooooood!

So don’t be surprised if next time you see me I look like this, minus that face, and of course minus the fake tan.

101 Things to do in 1001 Days

The Mission: Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria: Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).

Why 1001 Days? Many people have created lists in the past – frequently simple goals such as New Year’s resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organising and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.

Official Start: October 9, 2009
Finish: July 6, 2012

Coding Key:
To be done
In progress
Completed


For Myself
1. Create a budget and stick to it.
2. Take a bubble bath at least once a month.
3. Buy myself a bouquet of flowers.
4. Actually drive further than Ottawa and its surrounding areas.
5. Get my hair dyed professionally.
6. Update my resume and keep it updated.
7. Save up enough money for a down payment on a house.
8. Stop complaining so much. Think of something positive instead.
9. Buy a car.
10. Save up to buy a bottle of Patron tequila.
11. Update my blog more often, including product reviews.


Healthy Lifestyle
12. Do Lafleche ziplining again (preferably not in the rain).
13. Take an AquaFit class.
14. Attend a yoga class at least once.
15. Floss weekly.
16. Use my elliptical once a week. (I joined a gym and go at leat once a week...does that count?) Sooo I Joined a Gym
17. Rollerblade at least twice a month for each Spring and Summer. 18. Learn to play golf.

Education and Learning
19. Learn how to speak French (better).
20. Learn how to drive a standard car.
21. Take a photography class.
22. Learn to sew up my clothes that have holes in them.


Cooking and Eating
23. Learn how to make my mom’s pasta sauce.
24. Learn how to make my dad’s penne arribiata.
25. Go through all my moms’ recipes and copy the ones I want.
26. Take a cooking class.
27. Try 25 new recipes. (2/25)
28. Host a dinner party and do all the cooking myself.
29. Bake something yummy to share with my colleagues.
30. Dress up fancy and go to a fancy restaurant, my treat.
31. Make and share a candlelit dinner with someone special.
32. Cook dinner for my parents.
33. Go to a Japanese restaurant where they cook the food in front of you.
34. Eat a Beavertail in the Summer.
35. Make homemade bread from scratch.
36. Have a cookie baking day with Cassandra.
37. Make my moms’ cinnamon apple and pumpkin muffins.
38. Catch a fish and then eat it.

Just for Fun
39. Go to an IMAX movie.
40. Beat someone smart at Trivial Pursuit.
41. Host a game night.
42. Go skinny-dipping.
43. Take my own pictures and hang them up at my place.
44. Go to Little Ray’s Reptiles.
45. Have a picnic in Gatineau.
46. See a movie at the drive-in theatre.
47. Plant my own garden (mint, coriander, chives).
48. Ride Behemoth at Wonderland.
49. Make a whole batch of wine for myself.
50. Go to an Ottawa Senators game.
51. Go drunken tobogganing.
52. Go to Saunders Haunted Farm.
53. See a Cirque du Soleil show.
54. Watch every movie that people say “I can’t believe you haven’t seen that!”
55. Go to the Nordik Spa.
56. Wear my Louboutins somewhere other than my house.
57. Go to the Rideau Carleton Raceway and bet on the horse with the best name.
58. Attend the Ottawa Wine and Food show.
59. Go to the Butterfly exhibit at Carleton.
60. Read all the books I own.
61. Watch all Oscar nominated best picture awards for 2010, 2011 and 2012.
62. See Dane Cook again.
63. Build a snowman.
64. Spend a day at the beach.
65. Jump in puddles like I used to do all the time when I was younger.
66. Take a fun dance class, like belly dancing.
67. Participate in HOPE Beach Volleyball.
68. Go to the water park near Ottawa when it opens.
69. Ride a mechanical bull and try to stay on for longer than 5 seconds.
70. Go to Wonderland's Halloween Haunt.
71. Go snow tubing.

Travel
72. Go on a vineyard/wine tasting tour at Niagara on the Lake.
73. Go to New York City.
74. Attend the Calgary Stampede.
75. Travel somewhere, warm, sunny and all-inclusive.
76. Go whale watching.
77. Visit Emily in Nova Scotia with Robyn.
75. Visit my Nona and my relatives from Sudbury at least once a year.

For Others
79. Donate old textbooks to a library.
80. Donate a toy to Toy Mountain.
81. Buy my mom flowers just because.
82. Sponsor a child from World Vision.
83. Visit my grandparents just because 3 times a year. (2010 - 1/3)

Tourist in Ottawa
84. Skate on the canal.
85. Go on Ottawa’s haunted walk.
86. Go to the Tulip Festival.
87. Go to at least one concert at Bluesfest.
88. Visit Parliament and Peace Tower.
89. Go on the Wakefield Steam Train.
90. See the ice and snow sculptures at Winterlude.
91. Take a walk downtown when all the Christmas lights are lit up.
92. Take a tour on the Lady Dive Amphibus.

Organization
93. Organize stuff for moving and get rid of any crap I don't need and don't use.
94. Go through my filing cabinet and organize it.
95. Go through all my music files and get rid of songs I never listen to.
96. Organize my closet, shoes, clothes, purses, and all.
97. Organize my shot glass collection and showcase them nicely.
98. Organize my jewelry.

List Goals
99. Document completed items in my blog.
100. Have a party to celebrate my 101 accomplishments.
101. Donate $2 to a charity for every task not completed.

101 Things to do in 1001 Days - Help!?

I listen to Hot 89.9 on my way to work every morning, and for the past few weeks they have been talking about a project people are doing called 101 things to do in 1001 days. Basically, you make a list of 101 specific tasks or things you wish to complete in 1001. I've decided that I want to do this, but I need your help! I've come up with a list of 40 things so far, but need 61 more things to add to my list. The things on my list are in no specific order. I'd love to hear your idea's on more things I should add to my list.

See new list above!

Back from outerspace...

Hi all,

So I've been a little distracted...erm, very distracted, and busy lately...I apologize. I've been doing alot since the last time I wrote, including going to Niagara Falls, Wonderland, Marineland AND Montreal. I will tell you all about my exciting adventures in the following weeks. Aren't you excited!? :)

I just have to say though, that I am NOT enjoying this weather. I know, we Canadians complain about the weather all the time but really? Seriously? Does it need to be this frigid when fall just begun?? We barely had a summer and now winter decides to come early!! Not cool mother nature. Not cool.

So as I freeze away at my desk, I begin to think about all that has happened in my life in the past few months - the positives and the negatives - and I can't help but think that everything truly does happen for a reason. I force myself to think of only the positive things and everything that is good in my life. I don't want to get all sappy, but I'm going to. I am thankful for so much that is good in my life and need to stop concentrating on the bad. I will look to the future with optimism and an open mind. I DO have an amazing family and fantabulous friends (yes I used a non-existent word, deal with it), I DO have a really great job, and Deep River really isn't that far.


SN: As I am writing this I get a cheer up note from a friend who shall remain anonymous...
"This will cheer you up: I’m eating animal crackers (yes I know I’m 6) and I keep finding ones that are stuck together and look like they’re having sex! But they’re often different species doing it!!!!!" - Anonymous.

Thanks, that was the perfect thing to say. :)

Sandbanks – the closest thing to a tropical paradise

I recently went on a girls camping trip to Sandbanks. If you know me, you know I’m not a big camper. But I figured what the hell, it IS Sandbanks, which means gorgeous, very tropical-like beaches, so that outweighed the fact that I would be sleeping in a tent for two nights and using outhouses.

As soon as we arrived we set up camp…literally. We set up our ‘tent mansion’ then our tarp. We were very crafty in setting up our tarp shelter in case it rained, which with the weather we’ve been getting all summer, seemed highly likely.

By the time we were all set up it was dark and we were ready for some roasted wieners! Kristen, with her awesome fire-making skills, built us a hearty fire! (Pretend I have a picture of this great fire…) We drank beer and played Tile Rummy all night. Tile Rummy is a game that involves thinking hard about different number combinations. Well, that description really gives it no justice at all… It’s actually quite a fun game! Really! But the more you drink, the harder it gets (ie having to think hard).

The next day we awoke to a gorgeous, cloudless day. It was time to hit the beach, and that is where we spent the remainder of the day.

The day went a lot like this: Lounge on beach, swim in water, lounge on beach, swim in water, snack and repeat. It was fantastic.

This is me and my awesome headlight. Comes in very handy for camping and night reading. I got it at Mountain Equipment Co-op. There were sooo many to choose from, but I went with one that had a colourful band. (If I look a little red to you in the picture, you would be accurate. I got too excited by the beach and the water aaaaand I forgot to keep re-applying my sunscreen. It hurt quite a bit. Yes I know, me, the queen of telling everyone else to wear their sunscreen, forgot to wear mine. I don’t wanna hear about it.)

When we camp, we dine in style, complete with pasta and Bolognese sauce, and mixed salad – compliments of Cassandra!

We drank more beer and played card games and Tile Rummy again all night! It was a very relaxing weekend. When we were going to bed that night we heard a loud grumbling noise from the next campsite that sounded much like a bear. Upon further inspection it was clear that it was not a bear, but indeed a man snoring. Usually snoring sends me into a spiral of rage, but it was too unbelievably loud to be maddening, it was actually quite funny. The man stopped snoring eventually and we were able to sleep.

The next morning we woke up to rain. Not a light sprinkle, but a downpour. It was awesome… So we packed up, and got out of there as fast as we could, but not before getting completely soaked and covered in mud. :S At least we got one nice beach day in! I’ll definitely be going back to Sandbanks next year!

**Please leave comments everyone! I love to see who's reading this and what you all have to say!!

Charlottetown, PEI

Last weekend I had the opportunity to go to Charlottetown, PEI on a business trip for a national police conference (yaaah, I’m a big shot). I made sure to seize this opportunity and extend my trip a couple of nights so that I could explore the city on my own. This would make this my first official business trip, as well as my first time really travelling on my own. It was awesome!

First I flew from Ottawa to Montreal, which barely felt like I was up in the air at all, then from Montreal on to Charlottetown. The Charlottetown airport went on record for being the smallest airport I’ve ever been in. I walked through the arrival doors, took a few steps, and I was out of the airport!

I stayed in downtown the whole time, and was able to walk around everywhere. I was right on the Charlottetown Harbour, complete with a marina, lots of cute gift shops, big churches, and even a Cow’s ice cream shop!

This is me and the Cow’s cow. My co-worker wanted me to get on top of the cow like all the little kiddies were doing, but I thought it best that I just pose in front of the cow.

This is Victoria Row, a pedestrian street complete with cute little bars and restaurants. At night, you can sit out on the patio and listen to local music. I enjoyed a few glasses of wine on this very street.

On my first day of being on my own it was a cold and rainy day, so I wasn’t able to enjoy much of the outdoors. I spent my time eating and shopping at all the cute shops near the water. For dinner I decided to go to a Mexican restaurant for dinner (my favourite!). This was my first meal in a restaurant by myself, so I decided to order a drink to celebrate my bravery. Little did I know that I had just ordered the biggest, most obnoxious drink I could get. See evidence below. I felt really silly drinking this ginormous (yes, I said ginormous) drink on my own, BUT it was definitely delicious!

At this point I had moved from the hotel I was staying in for work to a hostel right down the street. I ended up in a room with three Japanese girls, all travelling on their own, (what are the odds of that?). Each of them had been in different cities throughout Canada, working and learning English. It was really nice to be able to communicate with them. Now I have friends to visit in Japan if I end up travelling there one day! Maybe I will now make it a point to go. :)

On my last day, I decided to go on a tour around the outlying areas of Charlottetown… I’m glad I did it! I was able to see a lot of things I would’ve otherwise missed.

Large dead jellyfish, complete with my feet for size perspective. Jellyfish fascinate me.

I had really wanted to spend a day on the beach, but the weather wasn’t very cooperative so I settled for taking pictures of it. This is Cavendish beach.

Anne of Green Gable’s house… (Robyn – these pictures are for you!)

…and Anne’s room.

That night I figured it was imperative to have a lobster dinner seeing I was in PEI. So my new Japanese friends and I headed to Lobster on the Wharf for a real out East dinner.

I chickened out at the last second about ordering a full lobster and opted for the ‘lazy lobster’ where all the work is done for me and soaked in a delicious butter sauce.

My friends got the real thing.

Later that night I booked a sunset boat cruise around the Charlottetown Harbour on my own. I had a romantic cruise with myself.

Overall, I had a fantastic time in Charlottetown. It’s a beautiful city and I suggest for you all to go! I now know that I am able to, and actually like travelling on my own, so I will be planning more trips for the future!

Wasp –1, Val –0

As it was one of my good friends’ birthday this past weekend, we decided to celebrate by going downtown for the evening. Before heading to the bars that night, we spent some time at her sister’s place near Elgin. Five of us were all out on the deck enjoying ourselves when I spotted a chair in the corner. I was wearing white pants so it was best I didn’t sit on the dirty patio furniture, and this fabric foldout chair in the corner looked like it would satisfy my sitting needs. It was a decision I would soon regret. As soon as I opened the chair, out fell a wasp nest at my feet complete with about 20, now angry, wasps. I immediately panicked because there were many angry wasps now buzzing around. All five of us turned into a bunch of crazy girls. Four out of the five of us ended up getting stung before we could make it back in the house safe and sound. In all the chaos I managed to leave my full glass of wine outside. I did not dare try to rescue it.
I forgot how much a wasp sting hurts. It’s been years since I was last stung, and figured it hurt so much because I was a child. Nope, not the case, it actually really hurts. The pain comes in waves, like a burning sensation. I got stung on my knee so my pants kept rubbing against it, making it hurt that much more. We were all basically unimpressed. I felt bad because I had been the one to disturb the nest, but honestly, I had no idea there was a wasp nest lurking in this chair! Wasps are assholes. But I guess I DID disturb their home, and deserved some kind of payback. Nonetheless I still think they are assholes. Not cool wasps not cool.

In no time we all felt a little better (a special thank you to our friends wine and vodka), and continued on with the festivities of the night.

If you ever find yourself stung by a wasp, here is what you should do. First, clean the area and apply a cold compress to reduce swelling, ease the pain, and slow the spread of venom. Vinegar works to relieve the stinging, and a paste of baking soda can also be used to relieve some of the wasp sting symptoms.

I took a memory course, but I can’t remember anything I learned…

Recently, I took a trip with my parents to Georgian Bay to visit my aunt and uncle at their cottage. Well it’s not so much a cottage anymore seeing as they now call it home 12 months of the year, but regardless, it’s habit and I will continue to call it ‘the cottage.’ I’ve been going to ‘the cottage’ since I was in diapers. One memory that really stands out in my mind is the night my nonna got drunk. People from all over the Bay came over to party, something that happened all the time, and one of my uncles’ boisterous friends kept feeding her Sambuca shots. I was too young to know what being drunk was, but I witnessed the whole thing unfold in front of me. I never fail to mention this to her whenever I see her!



After leaving at about 9:30 in the morning, we finally arrived – after what seemed like forever – in Killbear Park close to dinnertime. (My dad likes to take in the scenery).

As this was my first vacation since starting full-time work in November, I was really excited to get away for a few days. I love going to Georgian Bay to relax (they even have a sauna!), but more importantly to see my aunt and uncle, and on occasion, a few other family members. This time I was lucky; my nonna (grandmother in Italian), my other two aunts, and my uncle (all from my dad’s side of the family) all came for a visit! Also, my uncle promised to take me fishing! Something I was very excited about. I’ve lately become a really big fan of fish, so of course I wanted to catch my own and then have a yummy feast!

That night, there was a huge thunderstorm that shook the whole upper cottage I was staying in, and provided me with a lovely light show. I look back now and I wish I had taken some pictures, but instead I cowered under my covers like a scared little baby.

The first morning there, my uncle, dad and I, took the boat out into the more open part of the Bay to get some solid fishing time in. As there was a storm the night before, the waters were very choppy (at least to me they seemed this way) and I went in and out of feeling like I was gonna hurl over the boat. But I sucked it up, acted like I was fine, and kept on fishing. My uncle fishes by using down lures, so I just had to sit there and see if the line popped up. In the two hours we were out there, and the boat swaying back and forth the whole time, we only got one measly bite. I tried to reel it in myself but it turned out to be quite a large fish – a 15-pound lake trout – so I undoubtedly needed help. My uncle took over, but we eventually lost it. A little while later we called it a day, with no fish in tow. :(

The next day we tried again, but in the Bay this time. Still no luck. I think the fishies new I wanted to eat them really bad. But I thank my uncle for taking the time to take me fishing two days in a row! Maybe next time I will try the more traditional way of fishing to see if I have luck with that.

Later that day, all my other relatives showed up. We had a blast catching up and getting a few drinks in us! I’m pretty sure I made about 30 Caesars over the weekend! Once one person see’s one, everyone else wants one! One of the funniest moments came when one of my aunts was reminiscing about a course she took not too long ago. It was a memory course, but apparently she forgot everything she learned. You may not find this funny, but to us, it was the funniest thing ever! Clearly by forgetting everything, she defeated the whole purpose of the memory course. Oh aunt Suzie!

Later that night, we had a Euchre tournament, which is what you DO at ‘the cottage.’ I was scared at first that my partner was my uncle Hughie because I remember trying to learn from him when I was a bit younger and he scared the bejeezus out of me with all his rules. But in the end we made a pretty good team, and I ended up learning a thing or two! The whole weekend went by way too fast, but I’m fortunate that we had decent weather and all the rain came at night. I’ll have to make sure that I don’t wait five years this time until I go back to Georgian Bay.