ten you challenge: one picture

i'm a dork and cool with it.

happy friday friends :)

ten you challenge: two songs

This has been a fun meme :) Here we are in the home stretch - I hope you've enjoyed it as much as me! You know I'm enjoying something if it commits me to regular blogging and actually finishing something. 

I love music. LOVE it. My last relationship was a case of always bashing my tunes. I think we shared a love for two bands. John Butler Trio and Rihanna. I know.


Then this summer I met a boy, who happened to be humming my favourite song only the day after I met him and was already heavily infatuated with him. Swoon. He's my musical soul mate. To this day, I'll text him the name of a song and his response will be, "only listened to it 400 times already". That's the way it should be.

Then there is the boy that I may or may not be crushing on that happens to be... you know only 4 years younger than me and on the other side of the country (we met through work of course). His favourite band is my least favourite band in the entire world. Nickleback. Ugh. Honestly their music makes my ears bleed. I'm incredibly ashamed of the fact that they're Canadian.

Next to my loathing for Nickleback is my distaste for country music.

If I end up with a boy that likes either of those two, he's either a) going to have to change that, or b) I'm going to need to go deaf.

Music is important. Music speaks to my soul.

It's what I listen to when I'm happy, sad, angry, or road trippin'.

Finding someone who I can go to concerts with and enjoy all of my music with is super important.

So... how about two songs that are on repeat right now?

The hipster in me hates to choose two songs topping the charts, but I can't help it... I love them!


{one}
Gotye - Somebody I Used to Know
this song is haunting to me. I absolutely love it and generally will listen to it 2-3 times in a row. If I'm listening to a song on repeat... I know it's love.



also... just as amazing, and the first way I heard this song is the rendition by Walk Off the Earth. If you haven't been keeping up with this Youtube sensation of a band, you have been MISSING out people. Go check our their whole channel.




{two}
Fun - We are Young (featuring Janelle Monae)
loveeeee this song.

What songs are you lusting after these days? 

Is music important to you?

ten you challenge: three films

I have a really hard time talking about specific movies. Truth is... I just don't watch a lot of movies. I love going to the movies, but beyond that? It's all TV for the most part, unless it's on TV or a movie I've been dying to see. I think this might have something to do with being single.

So how about three movies I'm really looking forward to?

{one}
Hunger Games.

If all goes well this scheduled post will still be true to say that I'm going to FINALLY be seeing Hunger Games tonight. I cannot freaking wait. I still get goosebumps every single time I hear "I volunteer as tribute". Every. Single. Time. I'm Team Gale by the by. Or... Team Finnick. I can't wait to see what hot piece of ass plays that boy in Catching Fire.

{two}
American Reunion
Um yes! The whole cast is back and even though they went to far with the American series with Jim's Dad (I stopped watching after Wedding), the series with the actual crew has never disappointed. I imagine this is going to be HILARIOUS. I can remember being far too young watching the pie scene with my family and not understanding anything. Oh innocence.

{three}
What to Expect When You're Expecting
Have you seen the case for this movie? I hope it is a success like He's Just Not That Into You instead of huge busts like Valentine's Day and New Year's Eve. So excited for this one, it looks hilarious! I mean... Chris Rock people!

What movies are you looking forward to?

ten you challenge: four books

I have to admit, I have totally fallen off the reading rainbow lately. I've been working on the third Hunger Games (Mockingjay) since Christmas.

{one}

The Time Traveler's Wife

This is my favourite book. I really want to read it again some day, but I mean, I have so many other books to read that that might happen in a bajillion years.

{two}

Hunger Games

If you're not a fan of bandwagons, this is one you need to just give in on. READ these books. They're amazing... the only reason I'm still on the third is because I have been too busy and too tired to read it at night. It's still fantastic. I am really sad I didn't go to the midnight viewing of Hunger Games, but I plan to see it next week. 

{three}

A Thousand Splendid Suns

This book is fantastic, as is his first book the Kite Runner. I highly recommend it to everyone. The writing is absolutely outstanding. I can't wait for Hosseini to come out with another book.

{four}

L.A. Candy

Okay, I'm going way girly here. The reason I mention Lauren Conrad's first book, is because this series is actually ridiculously good. If you watched The Hills, you have to read all of her books. Lauren has another book coming out soon! Time to catch up ladies (and chicklet male fans)!

I really need to get back on the book reading train... but this lady is tired at night... mainly because I go to bed super late. I should probably get some self-control and start going to bed at 11 and then I might have some energy to read more than 2 pages at a time. 

What have you been reading lately?

Happy Anniversary

So it kind of works out that today is a Sunday... because that means it's Post Secret day and when I see things like this, it just makes today even better.

One year ago today... I was this person.

I was so afraid for what I was about to do. I was so afraid to break off the life I had grown accustomed to. The idea of the life I wanted. The life I thought I had carefully secured and dreamed of.

I was so wrapped up in what I thought I wanted and felt I needed that I wasn't really asking myself if I was happy. If it was the life I even wanted.... and especially if it was with the person I wanted to spend it with.

One year ago today we broke up and my whole life was turned upside down, backwards, sideways and my heart was broken in a million pieces. Pieces were everywhere and I was suddenly a surgeon trying to figure out how to fix a heart that looked too messed up to fix.

But slowly I started to gather the pieces together and my heart started to look normal again.... and then I noticed the pieces that were missing for years that I didn't even realize I had lost.

I was lost and so was my heart.

So lost.

I would sob myself to sleep and hug myself so tight wondering if I did the right thing. Wondering if I chose the right life.

Then I went to Alberta.

Then my job opened it's doors to me and sucked me in.

And I found pieces to my heart that didn't exist before. Pieces that made it so whole and so together that it almost feels a little too big for my chest.

I found my life path.

I found where I'm supposed to be and where I'm supposed to be going.

Every day is an adventure and I am so fulfilled.

I get to travel the world and meet the most beautiful people that just connect with me and get me on a whole other level. Our souls connect.

And you know what?

None of this would have happened ever if we didn't break-up. If I didn't stand up for myself and what I deserved and literally take back my life.

Was I scared? Absolutely.

But it was the best thing I've ever done.

As terribly painful as parts of it were - this has been the best year of my life.

I still have some stuff I have to figure out... but I trust and know that I am where I am supposed to be. I am on the right path now and really...nothing feels better than that.

So... Happy Anniversary.

To me. 

ten you challenge: five foods

oh food. love hate relationship. 

{one}

pickles

I can easily eat a jar a week but I must refrain myself. I met Mr. Strub. Dills are my favourite. Excuse me while I go get one. I hate sticking my hand the jar but I'm too lazy to get a fork.

{two}

fries and poutine

I know you American's think the idea of a poutine is disgusting, but it's absolutely delicious. You don't put gravy on enough food over there. For those of you scratching your head, poutine is our signature dish, especially in Quebec... it's french fries, gravy and cheese curds. There is a restaurant (poutinerie to be exact) on the corner by my house. I have to try so hard to not go there. Fries are my vice. 

{three}

fish and chips

My momma owns a fish and chip restaurant. Best fish and chips in the world. I can say that because so many people tell us that, including people from England. Our restaurant is going to be on the Food Network's Restaurant Makeover this year!

{four}

salad

I feel like we talk about my love for salad a lot, so I don't think there is much to say. I love it. Ideal salad: baby spinach, chickpeas, quinoa, sunflower seeds, feta, red peppers, avocado, white onion, carrots, cucumber and tomatoes with balsamic dressing.

{five}

sushi

I just started diving into sushi, and only recently did I try a raw piece. I love it... so great. I can go crazy wild eating sushi. I love spicy california rolls and I have a soft spot for cream cheese and avocado. Yum. 

here

What's your favourite food?

ten you challenge: six places

Since I've already mentioned travel twice... I figured why not dedicate this entire one to travel? Why yes, don't mind if I do. Guess what? I'll be going to a total of six places this year :)

{negative one}
oh, canada.
yeah yeah I live here... so whuz, hence the negative one... it's where I started and I want to talk about seven places. I travel a lot within Canada for my job, mostly Alberta... and remember a few weeks ago when I went to Banff? Yeah my job is awesome. I also want to cross off Vancouver this summer/fall mayhaps. It's a big country and I want to see it all! One of my dream trips is the cross-Can road trip.

{one}
u.s. of  a.
in December I did Florida (yes I realize that was so last year) and in February I went to New Mexico! Albuquerque to be exact. I just started watching Breaking Bad, and it's really funny to watch now that I've been there! That trip will forever be known as the trip I watched 2 seasons of How I Met Your Mother in 4 days. I'm also not opposed to the idea of another Florida Christmas.

mine.

{two}
netherlands, holland if you will
oh yes, it's about to get interesting. First stop, Amsterdam. In June (maybe end of May, it's still up in the air) I will be starting the first leg of my Eurotrip journey. The bestie is currently residing 5 hours into the future in Amsterdam and this is where the whole epic journey will begin....and, why yes I am stoked for the cafes if you must ask.

here.

{three}
germany
Next stop... Germany. I'm pretty excited about this one, but I must admit that this one is mainly as a stopover for numero four. I think I need to start drinking beer regularly before I hit up Germany.

here

{four}
poland
ohhhhh lordy am I stoked. For those of you that don't know this peep right here is fifty polish and proud of it. I'm so excited to hit up where I'm from and eat perogies in Poland. My Babcia is pretty excited that I'm going!

my Babcia and I circa I was skinny (errr 2006)

{five}
france
Whenever I talk about going to Europe I've always wanted to go to Paris (and Greece, that's another year though). It was crucial that my Eurotrip includes plans to stop in France! Seriously can't handle how excited I am for this one.

here.

{six}
costa rica
ohhhhh yes. This one isn't totally planned yet but it's happening this Fall. The cousin and I are planning an epic trip to Costa Rica that includes yoga, ziplining, horseback riding, jungle adventures, snorkelling and everything in between. I seriously have always wanted to go to Costa Rica and cannnnnnot wait.

here

Do you like to travel? Where are your bucket list destinations?

First Day of Spring

So yesterday I was majorly down in the dumps. I kind of hit that point of frustration after having a few weeks of just feeling like crap. I couldn't pull myself out of it, and I constantly felt myself on the verge of a big cry but yet, no tears. It was really frustrating.

Source: strangeconnection.tumblr.com via Elizabeth on Pinterest

Then I had a moment and it all came out and the scheduled depressing post for today is no longer necessary.

The bike I couldn't get out of storage was brought out and I went for a bike ride (since my gym membership is still expired - long story there).

Work is still crazy busy, but I'm not as on edge as before. I know it's manageable.

And... well it's the first day of Spring today and the sun is shining.

I cannot wait for the green to re-emerge and the city to be beautiful again.

mine

In other happy news... I finally have my next tattoo booked for May 15! I met with the artist this weekend and he is amazing. I really can't wait to work with him, his first available appointment was May...crazy!! 

How are you feeling on this fine first day of Spring? 

Peace out Winter!! 

ten you challenge: seven wants

shalalala I'm a lazy blogger, but I love surveys of any sort so I have to say I'm enjoying this. I also like that I get to think of one less thing each time!

{one}

career success. I have to say I'm rockin' this want, but there is definitely a mountain ahead of me that I can still climb and before I have babies I would really like to tackle a lot of that. I am extremely proud of myself for becoming as successful as I have become for my age, and I really want to continue down that path. 

{two}

shop. I always want to go shopping. Can I just win a shopping spree already? Seriously. 

{three}

travel travel. Yes I know I already covered this in loves, but I also need to mention it in the want department because, well... I really WANT to travel the world. 

here

{four}

debt free. I mentioned I'm pretty terrible with money, but I really would like to work harder at spending less and paying down debt. My goal is to have less than $1000 credit card debt by the end of the year. 

{five}

babies. not yet, gross. But we covered this in fears. The reason why I am single right now is because my last boyfriend wasn't prepared to give me the white picket fence life in the future. Funny thing is I don't think I really want that whole thing any more, but I definitely want babies and a family one day. I'd rather have a more natural wood type fence ;)

{six}

a clean apartment. Why is it so hard? I really just want to be one of those clutter-free, really neat, no junk people. I am not at all. Every time I purge and clean the crap out of my apartment, it doesn't look like it a few days later. 

{seven}

world peace. legit no? 

here

ten you challenge: eight fears

This probably won't be a picture heavy post... because well you know. Scary stuff.

{one}
Number one spot for sure goes to snakes. That's all...can't talk about it. I

{two}
Spiders. My mom is reading this and laughing. I was always squeamish around them, but after a very terrifying encounter with a huge spider at my mom's friends it just got worse. We saw one when we were going to bed and my mom told me that she killed it (we're talking enormousness size of a golf ball spider) and let me fall asleep blissfully thinking it was dead but really it just ran away since she didn't feel like finding it. The next night it came back and I nearly had a heart attack and it took like 20 whacks to kill. Then the next year she bought a rubber spider that looked the same and put it next to my pillow... I screamed so loud my mom's friend had to sleep with her son that night. Henceforth I just really don't like them at all.

{three}
the dark...specifically in the bush. The part that How I Met Your Mother fails to talk about is the reason why Canadians are afraid of the dark, or at least why I am. Whenever I'm camping I get so afraid of all the animals outside. Last year I saw 9 bears in the week around my camping trip. I also had a yelping fox outside my tent at my family cottage. You know how scary going pee is when all those creatures are out there? I inevitably will get someone to pee with me, then get comfortable in my tent, get scared about going outside to go pee alone in the middle of the night and then have to pee again. Every. Time. 

{four}

ultrasounds. Listen here... I have bladder issues. For realz. I have a self-proclaimed 70 year old man bladder. I have to pee before I go anywhere, do anything, and then go again. Road trips are awful. Planes are the worst. I'm actually terrified of having an ultrasound because I hear that you have to have a very full bladder and they won't let you pee and then they push on it. 

{five}

infertility. Speaking of ultrasounds... I'm really afraid that whenever I get around to meeting someone and get around to getting engaged and then getting married and wanting kids that I will have troubles with infertility. Terrifies me. 

need boys and babies at some point. 

Source: ilovephotography.com via Amy on Pinterest

{six}

meeting someone. Sure I want to be single now, but I'm also very afraid that by the time that I want to meet someone I'll have to wait a long time or that I'll meet the wrong person again or that I end up an old maid. Real concerns people.

{seven} 

losing someone again. Grief is messy and it sucks. I miss my brother every day and that was the hardest thing I've ever been through. I hope it's a very very very very very very long time before I ever have to deal with losing someone close to me again.

{eight}

everything. I'm a bit of a hypochondriac and it extends to people around me. I am afraid of headaches being tumours and Vada not letting my touch one part of her back being some big thing. I'm going to be a mom that worries about everything. I like to think this is getting better, I'm not nearly as bad as I used to be, but it's still a problem.

ten you challenge: nine loves

So the second edition is here... I'm going all over the place with this one.  

{one}

turquoise. Oh man I love turquoise. Yes I love the colour, but what I'm talking about here is the stone. It's so beautiful. When I went to New Mexico I was in heaven because it just seems to be the stone down there. I got a pair of real turquoise earrings for $10 and an antique turquoise ring for $20. I would love to have a collection of a billion pieces of turquoise jewelry. 

Source: belljarsf.com via Candi on Pinterest

{two}

shoes. I realize this might be a silly one to put on here, because what girl doesn't love shoes? But I just love them. My favourites are wedges and boots. I could easily just go on a shoe shopping spree. I just got an amazing pair of brown leather boots from my cousin last week and I am in love. I saw Penny from Big Bang wearing a similar pair in an episode about two months ago and ever since then I've been lusting after a pair of brown riding boots. Then I found these and it was love at first sight and I had to have them. Luckily my cousin uncle recently came into some a lot of money and treated me :) 

from here

{three}
kitties. well duh. but if I'm talking about love, I obviously need to talk about kitties. I'm clearly the eHarm girl. Legit. Shout out to Vada especially.




{four}
music. I love finding new music. I love music that you don't hear on the radio. I love oldies. I love acoustic. I love mainstream (think Rihanna, hate Gaga). I love finding a song to play on repeat for weeks on end (still listening to Gotye's on repeat). I love screaming at the top of my lungs when you know all the words. I love finding the perfect song for your mood. I love sharing music. I love concerts. I hate Nickelback.

here

{five}
family. I mean this isn't just an obligatory I love my family one. My family is seriously awesome. From my parents, to my cousins, aunts, uncles and beyond. I just love my family. It's the glue that holds me together. I don't know what I'd do without them.

{six}
home. I love the beauty of home. I love the way my heart feels when I'm there. I love the people. I love my friends. I love that I grew up there...and I LOVE that I'm moving there for the summer.

mine. oldie but goodie.

{seven}
tatted boys. Seriously, I just don't think there is anything hotter than a (well-done) solid sleeve on a boy. It's so hot. My dream boy has a sleeve.

Source: brittanydoeslife.tumblr.com via Brittany on Pinterest

{eight}
friends. what's a world without friends? I hate that most of my good friends aren't in close proximity. Thank goodness for technology!

I always use the same pictures of friends that know about my blog - add some blur and I can protect the innocent!

{nine}
travel. oh man I want to travel the heck out of this world...and mark my words it'll happen. By the end of 2012 I'll have been in at least 6 countries. Hopefully I can add a few more in 2013!

Join in on the fun!