Dee Says

Review: Imagine: How Creativity Works

2012-01-25T19:59:00.000-04:00

I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

Imagine: How Creativity Works by Jonah Lehrer is the first non-fiction book I've ever reviewed. Please forgive me if it's terrible. Also, in case it is terrible, sorry to Penguin Books Canada and Goodreads, who got together and gave me this book for free. It showed up unexpectedly in the mail one Wednesday. Unexpectedly because I don't check my e-mail enough. An awesome surprise!

Imagination and creativity can seem like elusive beasts. Mythical creatures that come into our lives as a flash, and disappear just as quickly. Is that really how it is though? There are tons of beliefs and myths surrounding creativity that actually interfere with imagination. This book explores these myths, presenting scientific studies and real life examples to show that these beliefs are just plain wrong.

This book is full of science, statistics and studies. It's full of stories about real people and companies. It's full of surprises. Whenever I picked it up, I didn't want to put it down. It was easy to read, but never boring. In short: I loved it. Even when the research it presented was surprising, I never once found myself thinking, "What? I don't quite believe that..." because everything is backed up by examples, from Bob Dylan and Shakespeare to Pixar studios and the guy who created masking tape. I learned why ideas should be shared, why you should talk to more people and that you should fail - a lot - if you want to be innovative.

This book should be read by everyone, but especially...no, just everyone.

Happy Friday! How about a (Hot) Drink?

2012-01-20T07:42:00.000-04:00

I don't know about where you are, but here in Nova Scotia it can't decide if it's winter or not. One day it's negative ten with a windchill of what feels like negative a million, the next day it rains and is like, plus fifteen. Strange. It might be signaling the end of days, or at least that climate change is about to be a lot bigger deal then it already is. Anyway, this post is called Happy Friday not depressing friday, so lets change the topic. If it's deciding to feel like winter today in your neck of the woods, why not warm up with a Hot Toddy? Seems like as good an idea as any, right?

Last weekend, I was battling a cold, and made this, only with spiced rum. It was pretty excellent, and you should try it. It made my throat feel better and didn't taste as terrible as hot buttered rum.

Review: Timeline

2012-01-19T20:50:00.000-04:00

Timeline by Michael Crichton...let me say: Michael Crichton has never disappointed me. Granted, this is only the second book of his I've read (the first being State of Fear) but still. I was not disappointed in the least. Excellent book.

So basically, this book is about time travel. Well, no, not time travel. That's impossible. It's actually travel to another universe that the same as ours. And now it's the past. It's kind of complicated. There's quantum mechanics and science involved. Anyway, the book is full of science and history and sword fighting and flaming heads in the street. Yeah, that happened. Actually, it was just something that happened in passing, but seriously - flaming head! The other thing the book is full of - suspense. Even the boring parts were good because you just knew they were leading to better parts.

Was this the best novel of all time? No, of course not. But it was incredibly enjoyable. On a scale from Totally Awesome to Horrifically Awful, I'd give it a Pretty Excellent. If you like science and history and sword fighting - definitely check it out.

Things that are Awesome: Hilah Cooking

2012-01-17T07:06:00.000-04:00

If you like cooking shows - which I do, I could watch them all day - and quirky girls that laugh at their own jokes, you will love Hilah Cooking. I found it in a quest to find a video on hot buttered rum (which I did end up trying and it was...ok. I mean, it wasn't terrible, but I would not making them again. If you're on the fence - skip it. You really aren't missing much). That video was my favorite so far, but I already have it in the hot buttered rum post, so I begrudgingly decided not to post it again. BUT! Check out these instead (and then click on the hot buttered rum link to watch that one).

Awesome, right? I told you so.

Do you have a favorite YouTube chef/cooking show? Let me know! I'll waste a good chunk of my day watching if you do.

Music Monday: Super Bass

2012-01-16T07:34:00.000-04:00

So, Nicki Minaj is like really big or something. Yeah, I'm sometimes a little out of touch with trends (UNDERSTATEMENT). The first time I watched this video, I hated the song. My exact thoughts were, "Well, this is stupid." Then, one night when having a few drinks with friends this song came up in the playlist and I found that I really enjoyed it. I think this is a very important lesson in first impressions. Or something. Just watch the video...

Review: One Door Away From Heaven

2012-01-03T09:51:00.000-04:00

My first finished book of the New Year: One Door Away from Heaven by Dean Koontz. Yay, reading! I've only ever read one book by Koontz before (Dark Rivers of the Heart) and I really enjoyed it, so I was excited to start this book.

At the beginning, I loved this book. There were all these complex stories that didn't seem to fit together in any way. I was so excited to see where they would take me and how they would all come together at the end. Then it got weird. At first it was just eyebrow raising weird, but then it got really weird and the ending was disappointing. And weird. I'm not sure I liked it. I didn't hate it, but...it was just strange.

The parts about Leilani, her drugged out mother and her evil step-father - Dr. Doom were completely awesome. Leilani was born with one deformed arm and leg, and needs to use a leg brace. Her mother did too many drugs during pregnancy, and still does too many now. At nine, she is mature beyond her years, due to a terrible upbringing and psychological abuse. He step-father is a charismatic serial killer who hates the disabled and believes they should all be exterminated. I got to learn a little about the terrible side of bioethics. Their stories were horrifying, sad and evil. She confides all of this in her neighbours, Michelina Bellsong and her Aunt Geneva. I loved Micky Bellsong and Aunt Gen - with her almond cookies made with pecans and her vanilla coke made with cherry syrup. They have their own set of twisted pasts and problems, but they are completely taken in by this young girl and want desperately to help her. The bulk of the story centered around this group of characters, which is what made it a story worth reading. Their stories are complex and interesting, and I wanted to read more. In fact, if you took everything else out of the book, and just kept this part of the story, this review would probably be a lot more positive, and less confusing.

The story of Noah Farrell, the private investigator, was woefully under told. He, like most of the characters in the book, had a terrible past and a troubled present. He comes from a family of criminals and drug peddlers, grew up to be a cop (which didn't work out) and later a PI. I was really excited about this character, who had a lot of page time in the beginning, and then he just kind of disappeared. Nothing for chapters and chapters. He was brought in at the end, but he wasn't really necessary for the way the story unfolded. He had so much potential and it was wasted.

Then there was the story of little Curtis Hammond. It's his story that makes things weird and takes the book from good to meh. It starts off that he's a fugitive on the run, whose mother has just been killed. Sounds awesome, right? That's before things get weird. I'm not going to get too far into the weirdness, because it's a major spoiler. It's all over the internet anyway, so if you really want to know, check Wikipedia. Anyway, it gets weird, which kind-of but not exactly ruins everything. I mean, the book is still ok, but it could have been so much better.

Let's talk about the ending. Oh, the ending. It kind of felt like the Author was like, "Oh crap, I need to end this..." and then he did. The ending was truly bizarre but still managed to be dull and kind of...meh. Everyone lived happily ever after in camper vans with lots of dogs. It doesn't make a whole lot more sense, even if you'd read the book. When they needed money for this new lifestyle, he got a minor character that I'd forgotten all about to throw some money at them. The end.

On a scale from Totally Awesome to Horrifically Awful, I would give this book a Just Ok. If you have some time to kill, and no other book to read, by all means, check it out. Like if you're stuck in an airport for eight hours or something. It's won't be a total waste of your time. But if you have something else to read, choose that instead. You wont be missing out on anything by skipping over this book.

Here's to a Fabulous 2012!

2012-01-01T09:47:00.001-04:00

Happy New Year! I'm sitting here, feeling pretty good, having my first coffee of 2012. I want to start the year off right, don't you? Some times that thought can feel a little paralyzing - What does it even mean? Where do I even start? Here are a few ideas.

Are you nursing a post New Year's Eve hangover? (After sleeping in a sufficient amount of time) have a big breakfast. From a small town greasy diner is best, or made with love by your significant other or best friend. If all else fails cook yourself some eggs, bacon and toast and call it a day. Make sure to include something greasy and something carb-y. I don't know the science behind it, but it makes you feel better. Also, rehydrate! Sip some water all day, you'll be feeling ready to face the new year in no time.

Are you feeling like you need a fresh start? Start at home. Clean a room top to bottom - or your whole house if you're feeling really ambitious. Maybe you want baby steps. Do all your laundry and put it away. Clean out a closet or drawer. Wash the dishes. Change your sheets. Do something to make your space feel fresh, and you'll feel fresh as well.

Is a health related goal in your New Year's Resolutions this year? Have some fruit and go for a walk. It really is that simple.

Other ideas? Put on an outfit that makes you happy - whether it's a sparkly party dress or jeans and a hoodie. Hug someone you love - in fact, hug everyone you love. Hug some people you might only just like. Make sure the people in your life know that they're special to you. Eat something unusual or special - a big steak, crab cakes, pho, cheesecake, chinese buffet, etc etc... Start a project. Learn a new word. Smile a much and as big as you can. Snuggle. Propose to toast to 2012 - doesn't have to be with alcohol, you can toast with your coffee, tea, glass of water...whatever.

However you start 2012, I hope it's your best year yet and that it's filled with happiness, health and tons of fun.

Happy New Year!

Happy Friday! Help me remake this drink

2011-12-09T07:24:00.001-04:00

Happy Friday! Hope everyone had an awesome week. I have a request. I need some help remaking a drink.

Several years ago, several of us - some friends, my now husband and myself - decided to do an impromptu pub crawl. We started at Paddy's Pub in Kentville, NS.

I should mention, it was about this time of year - almost but not quite Christmas.

They had a drink special called the White Christmas, so we all had that. And OH MY GOD. It was incredible. It tasted like Gingerbread. Not gingerbread cookies, like actual gingerbread. So awesome.

We asked what was in it. I'm pretty sure it had four ingredients - Milk, Goldschläger, Vanilla vodka and....

I forget the other ingredient. I should mention that the drinking started before the pub crawl. And this was 5 or 6 years ago. But this drink has been tormenting me. I want it again, but I can't find anything like it online, and I've never seen it again at Paddy's.

So, awesome people of the internet: What do you think the fourth ingredient should be?

Magic Video

2011-12-07T05:00:00.000-04:00

The only way I know how to describe this video: Magical. Maybe a little whimsical, too.

Enjoy! Happy Wednesday!

Music Monday: The Sweet Escape

2011-12-05T06:05:00.000-04:00

Ad-tastic Christmas Present Ideas!

2011-12-04T10:38:00.001-04:00

This isn't really a gift guide. Basically it's a page full of amazon ads that might spark some holiday shopping ideas for someone on your list. Yay!

Amazon.com Widgets

I hope that's helpful to you! If not, maybe try these:

Shop Amazon's Gifting Page

Dual Review: The Girl Who Played with Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest

2011-12-03T09:01:00.001-04:00

I have decided to review these two books as if they are one, more or less. The reason, mostly, is a personal one: I started The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest literally seconds after finishing The Girl Who Played With Fire. I'm a little fuzzy on where one ends and the other begins. Unlike the first book, which has a definite end, these two are more or less a part one and two of the same story.

The Girl Who Played With Fire starts of awhile after The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo ends. Lisbeth Salander has been out traveling the world and pretty much being her usual self. The she goes back to Sweden and some people get murdered. She's a suspect. The media is in a frenzy and she's nowhere to be found. You spend a bunch of the book not knowing for sure if she murdered them or not, before a lot of other crazy stuff happens. It turns out her whole life has pretty much been a giant conspiracy against her. The people who know and like her seem to think that this all explains why she is the way she is, but I have a feeling she'd be how she is even if nothing bad ever happened to her. Does that make sense? Probably not. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest is more or less about tying up all the loose ends from the book that preceded it. There was a trial, that was the best part, I think. Then there was the aftermath of the trial, which almost, but not exactly, finished the trilogy off nicely. It's understandable that there were still unanswered questions. There were supposed to be a total of ten books in the series, but the author died unexpectedly. A fourth book was three quarters finished at the time of his passing, and his partner - Eva Gabrielsson - has said that she is capable of finishing the book. If she did, I would definitely read it. Sadly, she doesn't have the rights to it, as her and Larsson never married and his will was written unwitnessed. I have a feeling that book will never see the light of day. Sad. Very sad.

If that found that synopsis frustratingly vague, you might have a sense of how I felt writing it. There are so many secrets and twists that I found it impossible to write without giving away my favorite thing about these three books: finding out the truth, layer by layer, moment by moment. There weren't really any big reveals or surprises, but you also don't quite know where the stories are going to lead you. It's like you're on the verge of figuring it out - if you just had one more clue - but then you get that clue and you're like - ...ok, seriously this time - one more clue please? You kind of feel for the police in the novels: like them, you're always a step or two behind Mikael Blomkvist.

A very pressing question I have: Do people in Sweden really eat that many sandwiches, or was Stieg Larsson just strangely obsessed with them? It seemed like every time you turned around, someone was eating sandwiches. Morning, noon and night - Sandwiches, sandwiches, sandwiches. I mean, I love sandwiches, but it was excessive. Am I missing something, culturally? Are sandwiches the main diet staple in Sweden?

Back on topic. Were these two books as good as the first one? No, not even close. That being said, if you enjoyed the first one, you will enjoy these ones as well. On a scale from Totally Awesome to Horrifically Awful, I would give them an Absolutely Great.

Read my review of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo here.

Happy Friday!

2011-12-02T06:53:00.001-04:00

Hey all, it's Friday! I've been having a bit of a down week...nothing major, it's just been kind of...meh. Ya know?

This morning though, I'm pushing the blahs away! It's Friday, and that rocks. Also, youtube recommended I watch this video:

Yes, that is a BOAT FULL OF BEAGLES!

Thanks YouTube, you made my morning sparkle a little!

Now, how about a drink? It's December and it's getting colder. We don't have much snow left, even though we had a storm that dumped 40 cm over night! The weather has been so weird. Anyway, snow or no snow, it's pretty chilly out. What a perfect time to try something I've always wanted to try even though I had no idea what's in it exactly - Hot Buttered Rum!

...Also, I love her dress, and the pirate thing made me laugh.

Have you ever had hot buttered rum? It looks easy enough, I don't know though...rum, water, spices sugar and butter...sounds strange.

Whtad'ya think?

NaNoWriMo - My Results

2011-11-30T13:29:00.001-04:00

Hello! It’s been a while since I’ve been here, hasn’t it? Well, as I’d mentioned, I was doing NaNoWriMo this November. I made an attempt to write a 50000 word novel in 30 days. It’s pretty intense. So, the question is: Did I “win”?

...No. I made a good showing for my first NaNoWriMo. I got to 36670 words. Part of the problem was that I really had an idea for a long short story or a novella. There’s a lot of fluff and filler in there. Really, it only needed to be about 25000 words. I know, If I really pushed myself, I could pump that up to 50000 in the next few hours, but it wouldn’t be good. Just more fluff that I would delete in editing, if I took I took it that far.

I’m not disappointed that I didn’t Win, in the traditional sense. I finished the novel. It has a beginning, a middle and an end. In 30 days, I wrote a novel of over thirty thousand words, and that’s nothing to shake a stick at. I feel like it’s made me a better writer. It stretched my creativity muscles and helped me grow as a person. I think so, anyway.

Now, don’t get me wrong - it’s a terrible novel. Absolutely horrid and unoriginal. My plan at the moment is to let it sit for a bit. A month or two at least. Then I plan to do some major editing and release it as a free ebook. Even with the editing, I expect it to be pretty bad, fyi.

I fully expect to participate in NaNoWriMo next year. Maybe next year, I’ll even win.

How to Tie a Scarf...For Men!

2011-11-13T16:30:00.000-04:00

Happy National Scarf Day! We are coming up on the end of it, but there is still time to get in on the fun!

Men...Scarves...I think this is a great combination. If you're a man, and you want to wear a scarf but just don't know how to make it look right: This (last) scarf day video is for you!

What could be simplier? Now, go put on a scarf. No excuses.

How to Tie a Boho Head Scarf

2011-11-13T15:30:00.000-04:00

Hello again! It's been a pretty scarf-tastic day, hasn't it? Yes, I totally just wrote that. You've got your scarf on, right? It is National Scarf Day, after all.

So, maybe you're really not in to neck scarves. You can still participate in all the Scarf day fun! Check out these cute head scarf ideas:

These look really awesome, but I don't think I can pull them off myself. I'm just not Boho, ya know?

Do you wear head scarves?

Ways to Wear a Pashmina

2011-11-13T12:43:00.000-04:00

Hello again! You've got your scarf on, right?

Do you have a Pashmina style scarf? I have one. I usually just wear it like a regular scarf though. Here is a video of how to wear it with your evening wear. Pretty basic stuff, but some of us need that from time to time. Or in my case pretty much all the time.

Hey, how about sharing some scarf day resources of your own in the comments? I'd love to see it.

7 Ways to Wear a Scarf

2011-11-13T10:35:00.000-04:00

Hello my (hopefully!) scarf wearing friends! Welcome to the second post of (possibly self proclaimed) National Scarf Day! Need more scarf ideas? You've come to the right place.

Some of these are pretty similar to the ones in 25 Ways to Wear a Scarf (Companion videos here!), so be sure to check those out as well!

9 Different Silk Scarf Ideas

2011-11-13T06:24:00.000-04:00

Today may or may not be National Scarf Day. Either way, scarves are awesome, so look for scarf related content all day.

Put on a scarf today! Even if it's not National Scarf Day. In fact, let's make it National Scarf Day. Who's with me?

Rememberance Day

2011-11-11T07:37:00.000-04:00

Take a minute today at 11 o'clock to Remember the men and women who have fought and given their lives so we can be safe. And remember those that continue to sacrifice for the same reason.

Things that distract me from Writing

2011-11-09T07:51:00.000-04:00

As I've mentioned, I'm trying my hand at NaNoWriMo. If you don't know what that is, it's this insane thing where you write a 50000 word novel in 30 days. So far, I've had good days and bad days and almost good days. Distractions tend to pile up. What are some of the things that distract me from writing?

Twitter: When I sit to write, I can not have twitter open in a tab of my browser. That little number in brackets telling me how many tweets I'm missing messes with my head. For some reason I can't close it completely, so instead I go to @NaNoWordSprints. Then at least if I'm checking new tweets it's relevant.

Zombie Pandemic: Who has time to write when there are zombies to kill?!

My Cat: Once he has decided it's cuddle time he can be very demanding, and will not be ignored.

Everyday life: You know, everything - work, laundry, dishes, showering...

Do you have any distraction fighting tips for me?

Vote Bay of Fundy for the New 7 Wonders of Nature

2011-11-08T09:34:00.000-04:00

This Friday, 11.11.11, voting closes for the New 7 Wonders of Nature. Have you voted? There are some pretty incredible choices. You're allowed to pick seven, and I hope you'll consider the one that is in my neck of the woods: The Bay of Fundy.

The bay of Fundy has the highest tides anywhere in the world - 16.2 metres or 53 feet. That means that, twice every day, one hundred billion tonnes of water flow in and out of the bay that runs between New Brunswick and my home province of Nova Scotia.

Take a look at these videos, if you still need convincing. Or just like watching videos.

Plus, it gives us some awesome mud to play in:

Alright, that's all I've got. If you haven't yet, go vote. I hope you'll seriously think of voting Fundy. And, hey, why not visit us sometime? See the magic for yourself.

ps: If you don't want to word for it, how about some Canadian Celebrities?

Music Monday: Take a Minute

2011-11-07T05:43:00.000-04:00

This song is incredible. That's all I have to say.

Twitter in Plain English

2011-11-05T08:42:00.000-03:00

I love twitter, but have trouble explaining why to people who don't get what twitter is all about. I'm sure other people have this problem too. Maybe this video will help.

Happy Friday! Lets pour some Rainbow Shots!

2011-11-04T09:31:00.000-03:00

Rainbow shots, you say? Yes, these are pretty incredible and if you make them it will be sure to wow and amaze.

Yes! RAINBOW! SHOTS!

Lets look a another video.

I KNOW! I told you - incredible, right?

Ok, one more.

Insane!

Ok, how to time.

(Skip to 0:50...Intro is kind of annoying)

Ok, this one is a little less annoying.

Now you're ready to make some rainbow shots!

0 to 50000 words in 30 days...I'm in!

2011-11-03T08:20:00.000-03:00

It's not too late to join in!

nanowrimo.org

Rick Mercer's Rant: Teen Suicide

2011-11-02T06:06:00.000-03:00

If you haven't yet seen this rant/call to action from Rick Mercer, please watch it and share it with everyone you know. It's heartbreaking and important.

It's important for us all to be role models. I can't, and wont, pretend to know what it's like to be a gay teen. And I won't pretend I know what it's like to be bullied (which is surprising, because in high school I dressed like a Kandi Raver. In small town Nova Scotia). What I can say is I have read and heard too many stories like Jamie Hubley's and it breaks my heart. We all need to stand up and show kids that it's not only ok to be be different, but it's awesome to be different. We also need to find a way show bullies that this will not be tolerated.

Review: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

2011-11-01T09:46:00.000-03:00

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I’d been interested in checking it out for some time now, and I finally had the chance to read it. I quite enjoyed it.

So, the story is about this guy, who’s a journalist. He gets convicted of libel. And then he gets offered a job to write a book about a very prominent family, while secretly trying to solve a murder mystery. It’s also about this tiny tattoo covered girl, who’s a private investigate and hacker, emotionally damaged and may or may not have asperger’s syndrome.

I love a good mystery. I’m also usually pretty good at figuring them out. I remember watching The Sixth Sense for the first time with a friend who had already seen it. We were sitting in her basement. About half way through I made a statement about the outcome of the movie, to which she replied, “How could you possibly know that already?” I thought it was quite obvious. I’m not saying I’m never surprised and that I always know everything about everything, just I’m pretty good at figuring things out, is all. While reading this book, I had two main theories, and was certain that one of them was correct. Either/Or. Definitely one or the other. I’ll tell you, I was surprised. The outcome was an option that I knew was an option, but I never in a million years would have thought it was a real possible outcome for the story. I was impressed.

The story is very dark. There were some very uncomfortable, horrific situations in it - torture, sexual abuse - it’s not for everyone. Also, they killed my favorite character. No spoilers, but I will say that fire and torture were a factor, and they left her head on the motorcycle seat.

There was a lot of talk of food in the book. Mostly sandwiches. There were so many sandwich references that at one point I had to stop reading and go fix one for myself. This, I suppose, says a lot more about me then the book. One other food mention sticks out in my mind: bacon pancakes with lingonberries. I don’t know exactly what such a thing would taste like, but I suspect it would be incredible.

The descriptions of things and people are fantastic. My favorite was of the first sighting of Isabella Vanear: “She looked like an aging vampire---still strikingly beautiful but as venomous as a snake.” There was a lot of name dropping product descriptions - something that normally drives me crazy, but it didn’t even seem out of place. It’s something has the ability to ruin a perfectly enjoyable book for me, if done wrong.

On a scale from Totally Awesome to Horrifically Awful, I would give it an Almost Awesome. I absolutely enjoyed it. I will be reading the other two books in the series, that is for sure. I also can not wait for the movie.

Happy Halloween, Everyone!

2011-10-31T17:33:00.000-03:00

Hope your night is filled with spooky fun!

Happy Halloween!

Zombie Survival Resources That are Way Better then Anything I've Posted All Month

2011-10-31T11:00:00.000-03:00

It is the end of Zombie Survival Month! I hope you enjoyed it, and are thinking more about what you need to to do when zombies attack.

If you want more information about zombie survival, check out these links:

No Zombies (this one is my favorite!)

Preparedness 101: Zombie Apocalypse (zombie survival from the CDC)

Zombie Survival and Defense WIKI

Three Articles from CRACKED: Zombie Survival Guide, What's Your Zombie Contingency Plan? 11 Practical Strategies & 5 Popular Zombie Survival Tactics (That Will Get You Killed).

Top Reasons Why I'm Glad the Zombie Apocalypse Hasn't Started Yet

2011-10-31T10:34:00.000-03:00

Other then the obvious downsides of a Zombie Apocalypse (loss of safety, convenience and the possibility of being eaten alive, etc), there are several reasons I’m glad that the hoards of undead are not yet roaming the streets in search of a tasty snack.

I am really out of shape

Could I out run a zombie? Probably. Could I out run a hoard of zombies? Maybe. Could I do either for any length of time? Not a chance.

I don’t know anything about guns

I’ve shot a gun on occasion. But I don’t know how to aim one, load one or when the safety is off. I’d just feel a lot safer if I knew these things.

Survival tactics? Um....

I think I cold survive in the woods over night. In the summer. Maybe longer if you gave me a cooler full of food. Or some non-perishables and a can opener. Not much longer, though.

I don’t have a disaster kit, let alone a zombie survival kit

Which is pretty dumb, since I live in a place where we have ridiculous snow storms and hurricanes. And the threat of zombies is always high!

Are you glad that there are no zombies yet? Or are you ready to go out and kick some walking dead ass?

ZOMBIES

2011-10-31T08:09:00.000-03:00

1. Resident Evil..., 2. Don't Open Your Eyes When You Sneeze...., 3. Dirty Pretty Things., 4. Average Torontonian..., 5. Zombie Walk strikes SP!, 6. 104/365 - Zombie Prom Queen, 7. I think I'm turning Japanese I really think so, 8. Attack., 9. Tough Day..., 10. Don't Smoke Kids..., 11. Zombie Pooch..., 12. Bon Appetit!, 13. Raised by Sin, 14. Look Both Ways..., 15. Zombie walk

Music Monday: Walk Like A Zombie

2011-10-31T06:35:00.000-03:00

Happy Halloween! Lets start the day off right with a little zombie tune and some Nightmare Before Christmas visuals!

Zombie Survival Guide Excerpts

2011-10-30T09:41:00.000-03:00

Zombies in Plain English

2011-10-29T08:40:00.000-03:00

The only issue with this video is that zombies eat flesh, not jut brains. Otherwise this is an excellent and informative video. You should share it with loved ones. It's the best way to show them that you care (if they are eaten by zombies).

Happy Friday! What'cha Drinking?

2011-10-28T08:10:00.000-03:00

Happy Friday! Is it time for a drink yet? Maybe you want to make something with a cool and creepy name on this Friday before Halloween. Well, how about The Laughing Zombie? We all know the dead don't laugh, but that doesn't stop this drink from being absolutely awe inspiring!

How to Make the Drink:

Ingredients:

2 oz Gold Rum
0.5 oz Dark Rum
1 oz Lime Juice
0.5 oz Passion Fruit Juice
1 oz Grenadine
2 dashes Angostura Bitters

Place all ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake. Strain into a pre-chilled cocktail glass.

Top with pineapple foam and garnish with a sprig of mint.

How to Make Pineapple Foam

Ingredients:

2 Egg Whites
1 oz White Rum
2 oz Pineapple Juice
1 oz Simple Syrup
0.5 tsp Absinthe

Shake all ingredients - no ice! - and then add to a pre-chilled iSi creamer. Charge the creamer, shake and chill in the fridge until ready to use. Makes enough for several drinks.

IMPORTANT INFO!!! Photograph and recipe both came from 12 Bottle Bar. You should go check out the site, because it rocks.

Zombie Survival Quick Tip # 5

2011-10-27T08:19:00.000-03:00

Don’t get sentimental

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In anyway. First, possessions are just possessions. If you need to leave your home, don’t over burden yourself with objects that are not useful, but have sentimental value. Especially things that are heavy, like photo albums. If you’re not in immediate danger, then by all means, grab that one photo, but leave the rest of the album behind. Second, when your mom/best friend/husband gets bitten and turns...Well, you know what you need to do.

Don’t get sentimental. The zombies wont.

Physical Activities for Zombie Survival Training

2011-10-26T08:50:00.000-03:00

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Physical activity is always a good idea. It’s great for health, happiness and zombie survival. If you are thinking about taking up a new sport or activity, may I suggest one that would also improve your chances of surviving the zombie apocalypse?

The following activities, in no particular order, are all great for health and build skills that will aid you in surviving the zombie uprising:

Baseball
Soccer
Boxing
Any Martial Art
Tennis
Swimming
Canoeing/Kayaking/other boating
Paintball
Motocross
Parkour or Free Running
Capture the Flag
Jogging/Running
Crossfit
Fencing
Cycling
Mountaineering
Rock Climbing
Skateboarding
Roller Derby

*please consult your doctor before beginning any new exercise regimen. We wouldn’t want you dying before the zombies even get here.

Zombie Survival Quick Tip #4

2011-10-25T08:09:00.000-03:00

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Know Your Neighbourhood

Knowing your neighbourhood will save your life if you need to evacuate. Know all possible escape routes by car, bicycle and foot. Learn the shortcuts and know the obstacles. The more you know, the better your chance of escape. The best way to do this? Get out of your house and check it out. I like to just leave my house on foot and go which ever ways my feet take me. I take note of the yards I could cut through if trespassing wasn’t an issue, as well as buildings that might make good safe houses. This way I will be prepared when the uprising comes. Will you?

Music Monday: Zombie (x2)

2011-10-24T08:21:00.000-03:00

Since the first Music Monday post was a little strange and may not be everyone's cup of tea, here are two other songs, both with the same title: Zombie by Pretty Reckless and Zombie by Natalia Kills. (I like the second one the best. The lyrics are pretty incredible)

"Do you want me for my body? Do you want me for my brain?"

Music Monday: Hip Albatross

2011-10-24T07:29:00.000-03:00

Gorillaz always has been a little weird and wonderful. This song is a little weirder than most. It's not for everyone. My dog hates it. Seriously, she got up and left the room as soon as I put it on. I don't generally trust her taste in music, though. It is about zombies, fitting with my theme for the month.

Zombies Doing Yoga

2011-10-23T08:50:00.000-03:00

This is sort of an ad for a book I haven't read (but want to!). It made me giggle and it's awesome, so you should watch it too.

What to Do in a Zombie Attack

2011-10-22T08:56:00.000-03:00

When it comes to surviving a zombie attack, you can never have too much advice on the subject. Check out this charming vintage video. If you ignore the rampant propaganda, there is some sound advice.

Although this is an excellent video, there are a couple of myths I would like to dispel. First, zombies do not possess increased strength. However, their inability to feel pain sometimes makes it seem that way. Us living humans will stop if something hurts, but a zombie will just keep pushing until they either complete their task or loose an appendage. Second, zombies can work a doorknob! The video does suggest closing and locking the door, which is excellent advice on it's own, so I don't know why it would throw this myth on after that statement. Why bother locking the door if they can't work the knob?

Remember to take all zombie advice with a grain of salt. That also includes all advice from yours truly, of course! Use your still functioning brain to gather as much advice and insight into surviving as you can, and make your own decisions on the best defense for you and your family.

Enjoy your weekend, and stay vigilant!

Happy Friday! How about a Shot?

2011-10-21T08:48:00.000-03:00

I just re-watched Resident Evil on Netflix the other night. How awesome was that movie? (The correct answer is "Totally Awesome!"by the way)

The shots by The Drunken Moogle are so perfect. There is no mistaking what they are supposed to look like.

T-Virus (Resident Evil Shot) T-Virus Antidote (Resident Evil Shot)

Ingredients: Ingredients:

   3/4 shot Silver Rum                                        3/4 shot Silver Rum
              1/4 shot Everclear                           1/4 shot Watermelon Vodka
1 Blue Twizzler    1 Green Twizzler

The directions:

Wind a Twizzler around a tall double shot glass. It should stick to the sides of the glass. Pour in the silver rum and top with eitherthe watermelon vodka or Everclear, depending on the color Twizzler. Drink, then fish the twizzler out of the glass with your finger. Eat the twillzer. Revel in your own awesomeness for serving such a cool drink to friends and loved ones.

IMPORTANT LINKS! Drink recipe and photography are both courtesy of The Drunken Moogle. Click here for the T-Virus and Click Here for the Antidote.

Zombie Survival Quick Tip #3

2011-10-20T07:54:00.000-03:00

Running is better then Fighting

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Never fight a zombie that you don’t have to. Every close combat battle you engage in is a chance that you will be infected, no matter how skilled you are. Run when you can, and live to fight another day.

Skills you should learn for Zombie Survival

2011-10-19T07:36:00.000-03:00

Basic Wilderness Survival skills

You might want to consider taking a wilderness survival course. Even if you live in an urban environment, these skills will come in handy during the zombie apocalypse. Specific skills include how to build a fire, How to build a shelter, How to Snare Dinner in the Wild (also a good skill to capture and exterminate Zombies) and How to Avoid Hypothermia. Knowing how to kill zombies is useless if you die of starvation or exposure.

First Aid and Medical skills

It will be a crazy time and people will get hurt. I’m not talking about treating zombie bites here. Those people are doomed. It’s all of the other wounds and injuries that will need treating, so know how to treat them! Everything from cuts, sprains and broken bones, to bullet wounds and third degree burns. Learn how to dress a wound, make a splint, stop bleeding and how to treat a burn. Learn CPR. Once you’ve mastered all of that, you may want to learn some more advanced procedures. Because if you group up with other survivors, it doesn’t matter how much of an asshole you are*, if you can remove a bullet and suture the wound, they will keep you around and keep you safe.

Combat and Self-Defense

There are two types of people you will need to defend yourself from: Dead ones that want to eat you and alive ones that want to take things from you. Or are possibly just jerks. Either way, you’ll want to know how to defend yourself from both types. Consider taking some self-defense classes, or perhaps a martial art or two. Learn how to handle a firearm without blowing off an appendage.

Other skills you may want to consider

Construction - For building a shelter and barricading doors and windows. It would suck to die in your sleep because of a poorly barricaded door.

Welding - Welding can be also be used in barricading and shelter construction. It can also be used to create zombie traps and other such booby-traps.

Electrical repair - If your group has a means of distance communication (walkie talkies, cb radio, etc), you will want someone around who can fix it if it breaks. You can’t just go out an buy new ones, you know.

Sewing - Again, you can’t just go out and buy new clothes every time something gets worn or rips. There will probably lots to be looted and scavenged in early days, but that wont last forever.

Did I miss anything? What skills do you think will be most important for surviving the zombie apocalypse?

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*Don’t be an asshole. (This is a good life rule in general)

Book Review: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

2011-10-18T06:25:00.000-03:00

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is a mash-up Novel, where Seth Grahame-Smith adds Zombies to Jane Austin’s classic work. Jane Austin is credited as the co-author.

Having never read the original Pride and Prejudice, nor seen any of the movies, I don’t know exactly how closely the plot follows the original(amended: I watched the movie version with Kira Knightly after the writing of this review. The story line is remarkably similar). The book transports us back to Regency-Era England. Except that there are zombies. The story follows Elizabeth Bennet and her four sisters, who are all trained zombie hunters. Also, their mother wants to marry them off, hopefully to rich men.

If you read the reviews, it seems you’re either going to love it or hate it, and there is very little in between. I happen to one of the few in between people.

I really enjoyed this book. On a scale of Horrifically Awful to Super Awesome, I would give it a Pretty Great. Because I don’t read a lot of classic literature, I found it a little hard to get into at the beginning (but the following scathing remark from Mr. Darcy helped quite a bit: "Miss Bingley, the groans of a hundred unmentionables would be more pleasing to my ears than one more word from your mouth. Were you otherwise not so agreeable, I should be forced to remove your tongue with my saber."). As I got into the flow of things, however, I really got into it. I’m not going to go as far as to say it’s the best thing I’ve read ever, or even the best thing I’ve read recently, but it was Pretty Great. It seems most of the people who hated it had really high expectations going in, and they were not met. So, start off assuming it will be just not terrible, and you probably will like it. That’s my prediction, anyway. If you like zombies, classic literature, and fun books, you probably wont hate this book.

Music Monday: Get Scared

2011-10-17T06:36:00.000-03:00

This song isn't about Zombies, but the video is very zombie-filled. I liked the song well enough, so here you go.

Get ready: The Walking Dead Season 2

2011-10-16T06:02:00.000-03:00

Tonight is the night.

Oh Hell Yes.

Will you be watching?

How to Make a Flaming Zombie

2011-10-14T07:28:00.000-03:00

And no, it's not by lighting a zombie on fire.

Happy Friday!

Book Review: I Zombie I

2011-10-12T08:01:00.000-03:00

I Zombie I is written by Jack Wallen and you can get the e-book version for free from the kindle store. That’s how I got my hands on it. As a budding zombie enthusiast with little extra money, I was all over downloading this book. Plus, it had an average customer rating of four stars, so how bad could it be?

Basically it’s about this guy, Jacob. He’s a journalist, and one day he wakes up to the zombie apocalypse. So he does what journalists do: He documents it. Oh, also he is slowly becoming a zombie.

If I was to rate this book on a scale from Horrifyingly Awful and Super Awesome, I would rate it Not Bad. If you're keeping score, that would make it fall directly in between Bad and Ok. While reading it, I never once wanted to gouge my eyes out or wished the the Zombies would eat all of the characters that were not already zombies. I did, however, wish that the book would just end already at just past the half way point.

At some points the dialogue (even the main character’s inner dialogue) just seemed a little forced. Especially the romantic parts. Those were really eye roll worthy. Otherwise, it was...not bad. The story was good, the characters were believable, the zombies were zombies. It was a not bad, easy read. I finished it in just over a day, and then I got to move on to a new book. I don’t regret reading it, so I guess if you are out of things to read and you like zombies, you should read it too.

Zombie Survival Quick Tip #2

2011-10-11T07:57:00.000-03:00

Never Light a Zombie on Fire

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There is nothing worse the a flaming zombie.

It might seem like a good idea. Flamethrowers look like a lot of fun and when else would you ever get to play with one? Also, you have to destroy the head, and fire destroys everything. Win-Win, right? No, ya dummy.

Do you know why burning alive would suck? Because it would hurt like hell, it would take a long time and then you'd be dead. Except zombies don't feel pain because they are already dead. So basically it's just going to take a long time. And do you think that flaming pile of rotting flesh (which I can't imagine will be smelling like bacon, by the way) is just going to hangout and burn? Again, No. It's going to be wandering around, catching things on fire. Like you know, your hideout or your children.

So just don't. Alright?

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-10-10T08:35:00.000-03:00

This video is weird, and makes no sense. Anyway, Happy Thanksgiving!

How to Make a Zombie

2011-10-07T07:41:00.000-03:00

...cocktail. Obviously. Happy Friday, everyone!

Zombie Survival Kit: Getting prepared

2011-10-04T08:24:00.000-03:00

So, you're now thinking about the coming Zombie Apocalypse. Good. Remain vigilant, or whatever. You should now be thinking about putting together a Zombie Survival kit.

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Now, I'm going to tell you something about me. I don't even have a stocked first aid kit, let alone a emergency preparedness kit. In fact, the other day I need a band-aid, and I didn't have any. I used a piece of gauze and scotch tape. Because that's how I roll. So this research I'm doing is as much for me as it is for you.

Lets talk very basic emergency kit and work our way up to our Holy-crap-it's-Zombie-time kit (What? What do you call your kit?).

The easiest way to start your Zombie Survival kit is to just go buy a ready made one. Look, here's some from Amazon:

Sure, you could probably just go buy all of this stuff for much cheaper, but it would more more time consuming and wouldn't come in a convenient package (some of them portable! very important for when you need to leave before the Zombies overrun your home). If you want to put it together yourself, you will need the following things at least: Water (and/or water purification tablets), Food (non-perishable!), Manual can opener (for your non-perishables), Crank flashlight (It would suck to be eaten by Zombies because you're out looting for batteries), crank radio, Extra keys, for house and car, a first aid kit, Cash in small bill and Special needs items - medications, baby formula and diapers, and equipment for people with disabilities.

Next, you'll want to add some or all of the following:

Change of clothing and footwear for each person
Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person
Pet food and pet medication
Garbage bags and twist ties
Multi-tool or basic tools (hammer, wrench, screwdriver, etc.)
Duct tape
Plastic sheeting
Scissors or pocket knife
Whistle
Hand sanitizer
Personal hygiene items
Important family documents (copies of birth and marriage certificates, passports, licenses, wills, land deeds and insurance)

Now you are ready for all disasters that are not zombies. Well, I guess you're prepared for the beginning part of the zombie uprising, assuming you've fortified your home. Or live in a fortress. Or a house on stilts. You could hunker down and wait out the initial panic. Of course, this also may not be the best idea, because it gives time for their numbers to grow. Anyway, if there's a hurricane you should be good and prepared.

Ok, lets talk weapons.

Obviously, you're going to need some weapons for zombie survival. First, I want you to remember: Guns are only as good as the person who is using it. Unlike shooting a regular human being, you need to be able to execute a head shot. Every time. Otherwise you'll just waste ammo and probably get yourself and everyone you love killed. This is not as easy as movies make it seem. If you know (no, not think, know) that you can do this, then you probably know way more about guns then I do, so I wont get into guns. You know what you need.

Now, for the rest of us.

Because we've had to rule out projectile weapons, we're going to have to get pretty close to the enemy to attack. For that reason, running is always a better option then fighting when it comes to zombie fights without guns. That being said, always be prepared to fight, just in case.

Here is a quick (kind of awful but very informative) video with some weapons you may want to consider:

You should keeps a few of these with your Zombie Survival kit. I'd also suggest stashing some around the house. You know, crowbar under the kitchen sink, baseball bat under the bed, machete in the bathroom drawer...those sorts of things. (This should go without saying: If you have children, please stash weapons responsibly!) And if you only remember one thing, make it this: as cool as hacking threw zombie brains with a chainsaw looks (totally epic), it's noisy and messy. You'll be alerting all the other zombies in range to your location and you'll probably get zombie blood in your mouth or eye or something. FYI: That would be bad.

That's really all you need in your kit, but there is always room for more.

Other items you may want to consider:

- Dust mask and safety glasses (You know, infected blood splatter and all.)
- Local map
- Compass
- Gas mask (available at army surplus stores and online)
- Ear plugs (for better sleep, and also because all that undead moaning might literally drive you insane)
- Long lasting glow sticks
- Rope
- Tarp (8 x 10 at least)
- Paper towel
- Burlap sacks
- A deck of cards
- A journal or notebook, pens & pencils

Congradulations, you're prepared!

Is there anything that I left out that you'd put in your Zombie Survival Kit?

Music Monday (Repeat): Re: Your Brains

2011-10-03T05:03:00.000-03:00

Yes, I posted this song before. Less then a year ago. But I've got zombies on the brain, and this is the best zombie song I know. In case you missed it, here it is again. An awesome Zombie song by Jonathan Coulton. You'll love it, I promise.

"Things have been ok with me, except that I'm a zombie now..."

How could you not love that?

Zombie Survival Quick Tip #1

2011-10-02T10:00:00.000-03:00

Take out the Head.

Image Source

Lets start with the absolute basics, shall we? Just to make sure we're all on the same page. The only way to take out a zombie is to destroy the brain. Don't waste bullets or energy on anything else. If you don't want to be zombie brunch, take out the head.

Keep this in mind when you are practicing self defense for zombie survival.

Zombie Apocalypse: It matters to me and it should matter to you

2011-10-01T05:20:00.000-03:00

If I was smart, I’d be writing about pumpkins right now.

As I’ve mentioned before, the post here on Dee Says that gets the most hits is one about pumpkins that I wrote back in 2009. And I’m using the term wrote very loosely here. A couple photos, a short blurb...that’s it. And it gets more hits then anything else I’ve posted ever. Even in months that are not October. But it’s not just the one post. I have other pumpkin related posts that also get a good number of hits, especially as we get closer to Halloween. The internet has spoken: They like it when I write about pumpkins.

But I don’t want to write about pumpkins.

Instead I’m going to write about Zombies. Not that zombies really have anything to do with Halloween. Except that they are kind of scary and make an easy costume (or an elaborate one. You really can go either way with zombie costumes).

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I’m pretty concerned about zombies.

Unlike vampires, werewolves, ghosts and other paranormal/scary creatures, zombies could happen. Don’t roll your eyes at me. Science is pretty screwed up. And awesome. I mean, we clone sheep and make glow-in-the-dark cats, for god sake. You think an experiment gone wrong couldn’t create a zombie? Who would in turn make another zombie, and on and on until the world is in shambles and we’re fighting for our lives. And what about the other popular zombie premise: The Virus. A bit more of a stretch. A new, unknown virus that makes humans rise from the dead. But is it possible? Even in the remotest sense? I think you’d be hard pressed to say that it’s not with 100% (no margin for error) certainty. (Seriously, any Virologists out there, I would like an answer, especially if I’m wrong. Please comment!)

You might think it’s a waste of time to prepare for a horror that does not yet exist. I say when the hordes of walking dead descend on our streets, it may be too late. Sure, you might fumble your way through, becoming an expert slowly but surely (trial by fire, as they say). Or you might end up joining the ranks of the risen dead army sooner, rather then later. I don’t know about you, but I like living.

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“Why would I devote my life to something like this? Well, let me put it this way. I’ve never had my house catch on fire, but I have a smoke alarm. I’ve never been in a car accident, but I have an airbag. I’ve never gotten scurvy, but I drink orange juice at breakfast.” –Max Brooks, author of The Zombie Survival Guide

If you are prepared for zombies, you are prepared for just about anything life could throw at you. The CDC had it right: Preparing for zombie survival is much like preparing for any other disaster. With a few twists that they strangely left out of their article.

When preparing Zombies, you should start by preparing the same way you would prepare for any disaster: By making a plan. Your plan should include things such as escape routes, evacuation plans, family contacts and meeting places. Make sure you have multiple options for each, in case routes are blocked or meeting places are unsafe. Hint: If you’re already considering a disaster plan ICoZ (In Case of Zombies), it’s not much extra work to include plans for other disasters that could happen in your area. For me that would mean snowstorms, floods and hurricanes. Think about the types of disasters that might happen in your area, and if they might need adding to your plan. Plus, what if there was a mega-disaster like a hurricane hits at the peak of the Zombie Apocalypse. Mother nature doesn’t stop because of zombies, ya know.

Next steps: Make a disaster preparedness kit and hone important survival skills. More on that coming soon.

Are you preparing for zombies?

Goodbye, September!

2011-09-30T16:33:00.000-03:00

Is September over already? It seems like it had just begun. That's why I hate 30-day months. They always slip away so quickly.

September has been mostly uneventful for me. I tried some new recipes, I picked blueberries at my parents house, I went to farm markets, I did a lot of learning. I worked some day shifts, I worked some night shifts. I applied for more jobs.

I now have a complete Linkedin profile. I'm hoping that will help with the job hunt.

I've been doing a lot of online leaning this month. I started a new site to talk about that in more depth. The bulk of which was about social media marketing. I'd like to share a bit of what I learned.

Social Media Marketing

It's important to be yourself, while representing your brand or company in a positive light. Build trust from your customer by personalizing your interactions with them. Aggressive sales approaches and standard promotional practices don't work well. In social media, people want authenticity: A real, human touch.

Now, obviously, there is more to social media marketing then that, but I think that is the one thing that you always need to keep in mind to be really successful at it.

Yeah, that was pretty much September. Lets get on with it then, huh?

How was your September?

Help! I need a haircut!

2011-09-30T12:52:00.002-03:00

I need a hair cut.

I got my hair thinned out a bit and trimmed before my wedding in July, but It's really been about a year since I've had a real haircut. In the interest of full disclosure: this is partly because I'm lazy. But it's also because I don't know what I want to do with it. I know I want it to be pretty short, but not too short.

So, can I ask you a favor? Can you help me? I found a couple of photos, but I'm not sure about them. If you could give me a little feedback, that would be so awesome. You have no idea.

A couple of facts about my hair:

It is pretty thick. It's deceptively thick, actually. It doesn't look like it would be, and most people don't believe me when I say it is. When I went to get my hair trimmed before the wedding, the hairstylist grabbed a small (in context to the rest of my hair) handful of hair and said, "When I have long hair, this is my whole ponytail."
My hair has a bit of natural wave, but it is so easy to make it straight. I don't even need a brush, just a blow dryer. I mean, it looks better if I use a brush or straightener, but it isn't necessary.

...I guess that's it.

So, here is what my hair looks like, washed and blow dried.

But I almost never wear it down, because it's too heavy.

Alright, now I do have a couple of ideas of how I might want to cut it.

from Hipster-hair.com

from haircutshairstyles.com

from nypost.com

from stylebistro.com

I think my hair is too thick for the second last one. It's my least favorite anyway. The first one may be too young for me. I don't want to look like I'm trying to be a teenager, ya know? But I like it, so I included it. I guess it's really between the other three. And I was leaning towards the last one, I think. Unless you think you've got something better...

Alright. So what do you think? Please please please comment! And thank-you!

Lovefest

2011-09-29T11:30:00.000-03:00

1. Yo, wait up! I'm checkin' my prevs., 2. Day 105/365 : Sit down and tell me your story, 3. Just a little off the top...., 4. Shandi-lee XVIII {my boo-oo-oo-oo-oots}

Welcome to Thursday! I'm feeling like I need a little pick me up, so I'm thinking about things I'm loving right now.

Things like...

Learning, Reading, Cooking, The husband, The Kitty & Hound, Anticipating Pumpkin Ale (officially released tomorrow!), thinking about making pumpkin other things (more specifically pumpkin fudge and maybe pumpkin chocolate chip muffins), Coffee, Zombie Pandemic (Love Love Love this game, unsurprisingly), Zombie anything really, twitter, going for walks, AUTUMN (My favorite season! I wish it was Fall forever), scarves, long sleeves, boots (I need to get some cute/awesome ankle boots), Day off tomorrow!, earrings, laughing hard with awesome co-workers (the only thing that makes work awesome), Ridiculous police reports ("Two more charges were laid under the Wolfville noise bylaw for situations that arose on Gaspereau Avenue and Bay Street. Neighbours reported two men jousting with garbage cans lids and lumber."), zucchini, sharing crazy food photos that I find online (Google cookie cake pie or 3D Dinosaur Pancakes), applying for jobs, pasta.

Lots of food in my loves right now. What are you loving?

Music Monday: Tango shoes

2011-09-26T10:34:00.002-03:00

I love Bif Naked and I love this song. Also, I have wanted my own tank since I was in high school. Seriously. Mine would be pink and it would be awesome.

My newest site

2011-09-25T09:38:00.000-03:00

I am on a personal learning journey. Or something. I don't know. Anyway, I have a new site, where I'll be posting about my adventures in DIY Education.

Check it out: Dee Learns

Hello!

2011-09-24T07:05:00.000-03:00

I was writing a post about how I don't know what I'm doing when it comes to fashion. Or that I'm lazy. I'm not sure which. It was going to have photos and everything. But it didn't work out. I took the photos, I edited (most of) them. I wrote part of the post. And I hated the whole thing, so I deleted it.

Instead, here is a self portrait I took in the process of trying to make the post.

Happy Saturday, everyone!

It's Friday!

2011-09-23T06:56:00.000-03:00

Happy Friday, everyone! Who's ready for a drink? Ok, maybe it's too early for that, but it's not too early to start making plans for tonight. I'm pretty sure I'm having Mojitos. Want to make some too? They are pretty easy and oh so tasty:

What are you drinking tonight?

Lovefest

2011-09-22T10:40:00.004-03:00

1. Untitled, 2. Untitled, 3. sam赠牡丹花于我, 4. Legami di luce

It's been awhile since I posted a mega list of thing I'm loving. No time like the present! Right now I'm loving:

The husband, my hound, my kitty, learning, free e-courses, scarves, seeing some red maple leaves on trees (Fall!), anticipating pumpkin ale hitting the shelves at the NSLC, zombies, coffee, zucchini muffins, my slow cooker, writing, getting excited about job hunting again, updating my linkedin profile (check it out, maybe you know someone who wants to hire me (shameless plug)), twitter, fashion how-to videos, fun recipes (I read one yesterday for bacon salt that said, "Cook 9 strips of bacon to crispy perfection. Then eat 5 of them."), that I'm off work tomorrow and have plans, meeting new people, laughing, one particular co-worker who makes me laugh so hard I cry (it happened), another co-worker who is super awesome and who totally gets it when I go on rants about how, although w is an awesome letter, it really isn't a double U, it's a double V, and the french got it right (pronounced dubləve, literally double V) and that I might just start calling it doubleV ("I have actually had this exact train of thought." he said "How mad do you think our QA department would be if I started saying things like 'doubleV-doubleV-doubleV-dot-google-dot-com to customers?" (-me) "Probably pretty mad."), dark teal blue (still), reading about critical thinking, new seasons of TV shows, Zooey Deschanel, snuggling, pizza with hot peppers and pineapple and lots of cheese (and some misc meats too), picking blueberries at my parents house, farm markets, Mojitos, clear nights with lots of stars, making lists, apples, long sleeves.

What are you loving right now?

It's Wednesday

2011-09-21T07:06:00.000-03:00

It is Wednesday! If you thought, "Yay, the week is half over!", good for you! If you thought, "Holy crap, it's only Wednesday?" Well...Here's a Puppy.

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Feeling better about life now?

More help for Scarf Wearers

2011-09-20T07:14:00.000-03:00

Hey, remember when I posted the video 25 Ways to Wear a Scarf in 4.5 minutes? Well, if you're anything like me, you still will need a little help with all of those scarf styles. Guess what? There are companion videos!

Is it scarf weather where you are? Got any scarf wearing tips for me?

Music Monday: Don't Let Us Get Sick (cover)

2011-09-19T09:50:00.000-03:00

It's been a few weeks since I did a Music Monday. Music just hasn't been inspiring me lately. Then I saw an old bookmark for the lyrics this song. Years ago, I heard this song in a Crossing Jordan episode, but never found an MP3 of it, so I pretty much forgot about it. Except I'd bookmarked the lyrics, so I could maybe look again another time. That was...well, I'm not sure. At least five years ago. And now here we are. I love when things work out. So, here it is: Jill Sobule's cover of Don't let us get sick. (ps: It's one of those user created videos with the lyrics on the screen. I know, I hate those too. But it's what I've got, and it's worth putting up with to hear the song. Trust me.)

Three Blogs (and Bloggers) That I Love

2011-09-16T09:08:00.000-03:00

I was going to write a post called something like “Ten Blogs I Love”. Sort of a link post, I guess. I wanted to share some of the awesome on the Internet, ya know? Spread the love, or whatever. As I sat down to write it though, I realised that although there are tons upon tons of blogs (and their respective bloggers) that I like, the number I love is much, much lower. In fact, I was only able to come up with three. Thus the name and point of this post. I know, clever, right? Anyway, these are blogs you should be reading. Because they are awesome.

Sarah Von of Yes and Yes
What sort of things might you read about on Yes and Yes? What wont you read about would be a better question. Travel, fashion, amazingness, food, real life...and that’s just the beginning. I couldn’t possibly mention every topic covered. Every time a new post pops up in my RSS feed, I can be sure it will be something interesting. Plus, Sarah’s writing is casual and engaging, like a good friend sending you updates about their life. But a good friend who has an incredible grasp of written word.

Molly Ford of Smart Pretty and Awkward
The concept is so simple. I think that’s my favorite part. Every post has a quote for a title and three tips: How to be Smarter, How to be Prettier and How to be (Less) Awkward. The advice is always great and well written. And short, which is great if you don’t have a lot of time. Or if you sometimes feel overwhelmed because you subscribe to too many (incredible) blogs and you don’t have time to read everything and google reader is permanently showing that you have +1000 things to look at. Not that that happens to me. All the time.

Susannah Breslin of Pink Slipped
I just found Pink Slipped last week. Then I spent three days reading through back posts. There's a lot of career advice there. But not the type of career advice you find all over the Internet that everyone already knows. New, different advice, written in such as way that it’s blunt and straight forward without being sensational or annoying. That's not all you'll find, though. Check out 9/11 Stories: ‘No One Talks About That’. And then check out everything else.

Seriously, why are you still here? Go, read, be merry. Or whatever.

Happy Weekend, everyone!

25 Ways to Wear a Scarf

2011-09-11T09:12:00.001-03:00

It is absolutely scarf and sweater weather here in Nova Scotia! Right now, it is only 9 degrees out! That's Celsius, for anyone that's confused. Fall is my favorite. I just wish it wasn't followed by winter.

...I had a point...scarves! Do I ever love scarves. I just have trouble making them look right. But this video is a lifesaver! 25 Ways to Wear a Scarf in 4.5 minutes. It's an incredibly helpful video, plus the girl in it is totally adorable. Win-Win!

How do you wear your scarves? Share your favorite scarf photos, tutorials and links in the comments. I need all the help I can get.

Laughing at Nothing

2011-09-09T08:43:00.000-03:00

Image Link

Those who can laugh without cause have either found the true meaning of happiness or have gone stark raving mad.

-Norm Papernick

Jobs I Would Try If THINGS Wouldn't Get in the Way

2011-09-03T10:19:00.000-03:00

Image Source

There are lots of jobs I’d like to try out. Jobs, not careers or professions. Jobs I would like to do for a week or a month, maybe more, but not forever. They are jobs that seem fascinating, challenging and fun to learn about. But things get in the way. Money, transportation, opportunities or other. Sometimes all of those. THINGS. Things are pesky and annoying. They make all of these jobs impractical for me at the moment. But a girl can dream, right? These are some jobs I would try if THINGS would get out of the way.

I would work in a vineyard and a winery. There are lots of vineyards and wineries here in the Annapolis Valley. I’d love to work in the vineyard for the entire growing season. See what grape growing is all about. And learning about wine making? How incredible would that be? Grape blends, processing, bottling...and whatever else comes along with the wine making process.

I’d also like to work in an Apple Orchard. Another start to finish kind on thing. Apples are big here. They are a big part of our culture and history. I’d like to know what goes into biting into that juicy delicious apple. Plus, if you’ve got to work, an orchard is a pretty awesome place to spend your day. These first two, I know would be a lot of hard work, and my body would probably hate me for a while, but it would be worth the knowledge I’d gain.

I love coffee, so I’d love to work in a coffee shop. A small independent or a local chain like T.A.N. or Just Us!. If nothing else, I’d learn to make some awesome coffee drinks. I’m sure I’d learn other stuff though, I’m just not really sure what that other stuff would be.

How awesome would it be to be a Photographer’s Assistant? I mean, sure, I’d like to be a photographer, but that’s a whole different kind of dream. As assistant, I’d get to learn all about the field of photography. Plus, photography is a subject I never tire of learning about. Although I’d still categorize it as a job rather then a profession, I could probably actually do this one forever. So maybe it shouldn’t be in the list, but whatever, it’s staying.

What jobs would you like to try if things wouldn’t get in the way?

Goodbye, August 2011

2011-08-31T08:59:00.027-03:00

It's that time again! Time to say goodbye to another month. Farewell to August 2011!

I finished two books on the very first day of August. Going Candid, A free, downloadable street photography how-to and The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun. They were both excellent books, but I was particularly excited to read The Happiness Project. I've been reading the blog for years, so it's been a long time coming. Both have inspired me in their own ways, so I recommend both of them immensely! After that my book reading slowed down a bit - re-read Divergent and started reading 25 Days to Better Thinking and Better Living: A Guide for Improving Every Aspect of Your Life.

Other highlights of my month: I got to see my brother and sister-in-law. A family friend gave me a laptop (I had to buy a new battery for it, but still). I had some job interviews. I went to some farm markets. Went to camp day (open house) at Camp Aldershot. Did a lot of writing, walking and closest cleaning.

A few movies I watched this month that I would recommend: Whip It!, Sunshine Cleaning, Wristcutters: A Love Story & Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog.

I also like to think of August as the end of Summer (even though Fall doesn't officially start for several weeks). Want to know some things I've learned this summer? I like medium dry white wine better then all other wines (But my parent's wildberry wine is a close second!). My Style Statement is Comfortable Creative. I learned how to make a salad that had no greens and a pasta that included beer as an ingredient. (Among other things) What did you learn this summer? How was your August?

Life Lessons I Refuse to Learn

2011-08-30T09:37:00.000-03:00

There are some lessons that life that keeps trying to teach me, but I just can’t seem to learn.

Over the counter medication works...especially for headaches. No matter if it’s self inflicted or otherwise, if you have a headache, take an ibuprofen. It will make you feel better. The same goes for cold medication, usually. For some reason I feel the need to suffer, sometimes for hours, before medicating myself.

Don’t eat a huge meal right before bed...especially Donair panzarottis. This is a tough one, because I work a lot of night shifts. I get home from work, tired and hungry. So I eat and then I crash into bed. Which is ok if I eat a small meal, like half of what I would normally eat for supper. But I don’t do this if I’m eating something particularly tasty. Donair panzarotti. I should know better then to ever eat a full one. It always makes me feel nauseous. They are huge and full of bread and meat and cheese. And usually deep fried. So, you know, extra delicious. I always finish it, because apparently I hate myself. But eating one right before collapsing into bed? Such a bad idea! I feel awful and have trouble sleeping. Stop doing it!

If you leave things to the last minute bad things happen. Everyone knows procrastination is bad. Some of us just keep doing it anyway.

What life lessons do you refuse to learn?

Music Monday: Who's Lauging Now

2011-08-29T07:31:00.000-03:00

I've watched this video at least a hundred times this week. Love it! I love the song and the kid's expressions at 1:28 and just the overall video.

Goal Setting is Broken

2011-08-27T03:13:00.000-03:00

Molecular Cocktails

2011-08-26T05:28:00.001-03:00

These are indescribably cool. Who's ready for a drink?

Flickr Favorites

2011-08-24T06:45:00.014-03:00

1. coffee love, 2. did someone say treat?, 3. YES, 4. , 5. Untitled, 6. 'Til Kingdom Come, 7. mmmmm cake., 8. Untitled, 9. 66.365, 10. day 301, 11. THE GLITERATZI, 12. (20/52) this is my ride., 13. Love and Tea....14. Not available15. Not available16. Not available

A Short List of Books I've never read (and I don't feel bad about it, either)

2011-08-23T09:44:00.047-03:00

1984. To Kill a Mockingbird. Any of the Harry Potter series. Any of the Twilight series. The Great Gatsby. The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. Lord of the Flies. War and Peace. Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. Moby Dick. Great Expectations. Eat, Pray, Love. The Divine Comedy. The Origin Of Species. A Midsummer Night's Dream. Ulysses. Oliver Twist. For Whom the Bell Tolls. Any of the Little House on the Prairie books. Alice in Wonderland. Jane Eyre.

And many, many more.

What important/popular books have you not read? Do you feel bad about not reading them?

Quick Thoughts

2011-08-20T23:34:00.001-03:00

★I’m giving up whining about work. Customers, bosses, hours, co-workers. Done! All it does is make me more unhappy about working here, and I’m done with that. You should give up whining about something too. Trust me, you will be happier for it.

★ Cultivate me: Black Pens. I’ve decided that I’m the kind of person who only uses black pens. I realized the other day that I hate blue pens. This was a surprising realization, since I love the color blue. It’s one of my favorite colors. Now, red pens, they’ve always bugged me. And don’t get me started on other colors of pen ink. Pink? Green? Orange? Gross. No thank you. So, as part of my efforts to cultivate a more awesome me, I’ve bought a bunch of black pens. It’s the little things that make us who we are.

★I both love and hate things that taste like other things. Like, for example, last October we went wine tasting at Gaspereau Vineyards. They had a red wine (I don’t remember the type) that’s aftertaste tasted exactly like - I kid you not - movie theater popcorn butter-like food substance. Seriously. It weirded me out. But I want to drink it again. And again. The exception to this is Jelly Belly Popcorn Jelly Beans. I hate those things, because they are so popcorn-y tasting that I feel like the kernels are stuck in my teeth.

★Strange coincidence: I wrote that at work, and when I walked into the break room someone had just made popcorn.

★After reading The Happiness Project, I became really interested in the idea of a one sentence journal. But I can’t call it that, because I am so never going to only write one sentence. Maybe not never, but it’s generally going to be at least two sentences. Usually three or four. Gretchen Rubin makes allowances for this, but I just can’t do it. The point is that keeping a journal doesn’t have to be this big daunting thing. So I call it short journaling. So far, I’ve been pretty successful at it and am finding it pretty fulfilling.

★How about a couple of links? Two Oxen and a joke. LOVED the joke, and the oxen are adorable. I’m not really sure that they are oxen though. Whatever, it’s awesome. LED Lights make Augmented Vision a Reality OMG, I love science! 10 Ways to Find that Grown Up Feeling In case you’re like me and feeling horribly not grown up even though you feel like you should be.

Why Not be Furiously Happy today?

2011-08-20T08:50:00.000-03:00

Jenny Lawson aka The Bloggess, is the greatest person on the internet. And this is a presentation she gave about being furiously happy and doing silly things. It rocks so hard, I promise you. Plus there are zombies.

How to Open a Beer With Anything

2011-08-19T03:05:00.000-03:00

It's Friday! Planing on kicking back with a couple of beer this weekend? Here's a helpful video in case you find yourself without a bottle opener. Plus, opening a beer with a knife also doubles as a cool party trick (be careful! It's best to show this one off early in your night, if you know what I mean).

Things I Love: Old Photos

2011-08-17T02:21:00.001-03:00

I mentioned last week that I love old photos. I mean, absolutely adore them. Especially if they have people in them. That’s why I love The Commons on flickr so much - oodles of old photo awesomeness!

Check it:

The Number One Reason to Go Paperless

2011-08-16T10:14:00.007-03:00

There are lots of reasons to go paperless: Environmental, Organizational, Financial...but the number one reason to go paperless?

No more paper cuts.

:(

Dancing with Beagle

2011-08-16T04:01:00.000-03:00

This must be like, video week or something. THERE IS JUST SO MUCH AWESOME ON THE INTERNET! Seriously, I like this weird wonderful place.

Music Monday - Don't Tell Me That It's Over

2011-08-15T07:22:00.004-03:00

I love this song, which I found on You Tube by mistake. Isn't that awesome when it happens?

The Global Urgency of Everyday Empathy

2011-08-14T10:34:00.000-03:00

August 13, 1928

2011-08-13T19:25:00.001-03:00

August 13, 1928, originally uploaded by National Library of Ireland on The Commons.

Here we are, 83 years later. I just love old photos, don't you?

More on my love of old photos coming up next week. Stay tuned!

The Problem with Recommended Videos

2011-08-12T19:38:00.007-03:00

“Because we watched Wristcutters: A Love Story last night, now Netflix is recommending we watch a bunch of suicide movies...” -The Husband

Does this happen to you? I watched two videos on YouTube to learn how to make my own bridal bouquet (which I did, and it rocked. Plus it was super easy, and cost me total $30!), and now it keeps giving me videos about floral arrangement. I watched a video with President Clinton and The HIV positive Sesame Street muppet, and now anything to do with Sesame Street is popping up in my recommendation. But I watch a whack of videos that I'd love to see similar videos to and...nothing.

Is there anything you’ve watched on a video site that you regret because of the recommendations you now can’t get rid of?

PS: I really enjoyed Wristcutters...I'd recommend checking it out.

Quick Messy Updo Bun

2011-08-10T14:51:00.004-03:00

The girl in this tutorial is totally adorable and the hairstyle is cute. Plus the music works really well.

On Photography and Dabbling

2011-08-09T07:35:00.002-03:00

I recently read Going Candid... by Thomas Leuthard. First of all, this is an excellent free e-book and if you have an interest in photography, you’ll probably find it useful. If you have an interest in street photography - definitely check it out.

One of the tips in the book is that if you want to been known as a street photographer, you should only post street photography in your flickr/500px streams. I would suspect that the same is true if you want to be known as a food photographer, portrait photographer, pet photographer, etc. What it made me realize is that I will never be a niche photographer. In photography I’m a dabbler. I want to document everything: The changing of the leaves, the small town I live in, places I visit...I want to share that with the world.

I’m a dabbler in a lot of aspects of my life. Like, all of them. Being a dabbler means that I’ve never been particularly great at anything. I’ve been good at lots of things, sure, but not really great. Great takes a lot of practice, and I’ve usually moved on to something new before that happens. Part of the reason that I still don’t know (and probably never will) what I want to do with my life is that I have never really had a strong passion for anything. And maybe that’s a good thing. I’ve spent a lot of time hating this about myself. But I’m trying to reframe my thoughts. Being a dabbler means that I can enjoy many types of activities, I can have lots of experiences, I can learn lots of different skills. And I’m done feeling bad about that.

In photography, I sometimes feel like it’s my duty to document life in every way I can. I imagine other artists feel this way sometimes too. Or maybe it’s just me. I don’t know. But this moment in time? This one right here? It will never happen again. If I can capture that, in an interesting and beautiful way, I have to do so.

I’ll probably never be particularly talented in any aspect if photography. That’s my burden for being a dabbler. And I’m ok with that.

Music Monday: Make You Fee My Love

2011-08-08T08:49:00.000-03:00

I freaking love this song. Adele is awesome.

My Top Five Favorite Books of All Time (To Date)

2011-08-06T08:01:00.004-03:00

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy Series by Douglas Adams - Ok, so this is technically 5 books, but I own The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which is all the books in one, so it counts as one. Disagree? Too bad. Make your own list. If you haven’t read Hitchhiker’s Guide, you should go do it. I’m not joking. I have never met someone who’s read it and said that they hated it. Or even that they didn’t like it. I’m sure those people exist, but I’ve never met any of them. If this was a top ten list, there would be at least two other Douglas Adams titles on my list (Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency for sure), but it isn’t, so this trilogy in five parts will have to do.
World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks - In case you didn’t know - I Love Zombies. I love the idea that, Science being what it is, a Zombie Apocalypse could happen. That’s terrifying and incredible. I mean, not incredible if you’re standing in the middle of a Zombie attack....you know, it make sense in my head, but I’ve never been able to explain it to anyone. Anyway, This book has zombies and great story telling. How could you go wrong with that?
Divergent by Veronica Roth - Rarely do I finish a book and then want to instantly read it again. I read this book three times in four days. That’s how much I loved it. In fact, I think I might just read it again soon. I can not wait for the next book in this series! ps: Why not check out my review of Divergent?
Here's to You, Rachel Robinson by Judy Blume - I must have read this book a hundred times when I was young. Sadly, I no longer have my copy. I got a bit of a fix reading the “look inside” on Amazon, but that was just a tease. I’ve added it to my wish list, so I’ll remember to buy it in the future. Sadly, it doesn’t come in a kindle version. I only just learned that this is the second book in a series, but I really don’t have any interest in reading the first one.
The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead by Max Brooks - Because you gotta be prepared.

What books would you put in your top 5 list?

Rethinking My Happiness Commandments

2011-08-02T17:46:00.002-03:00

I’ve finally had the opportunity to read The Happiness Project. I’m a long time reader of the blog, so it was pretty exciting to read the book. Back at the beginning of 2010 I wrote some happiness commandments of my own, and I think it’s about time to rework them. When I go back and read the original list, they’re all still pretty relevant. In fact, there is only one I would get rid of. I'm adding a few, including Be Dee. Like the author, who’s first commandment is to Be Gretchen, I need to remind myself to be who I am, and that although I might want to like something (or thing I should like something), doesn’t mean I will like it.

My Updated Happiness Commandments

Be Dee
Do Something
Look Good, Feel Good
Never Stop Learning
Act how you want to feel
Healthiness is Happiness
Do it now, Don’t wait
Change leads to Growth
Spread joy, Knowledge and Love
Be Grateful
First things First
Get Out There
You Get One Life - This is it!

Do Something is a big one for me. I always seem to have lots to do, but I get little accomplished. I procrastinate (which ties into Do It Now, Don’t Wait) and do nothing - or at least nothing useful - and things don’t get done. Which makes me feel awful and guilty. Do Something reminds me that if I’m going to waste time, by lets say watching the first two seasons of Cougar Town for the bazillionth time, I better be doing something useful at the same time. And that when I’m feeling bored, I should do something. Something is always better then nothing.

So, anyway, that’s my happiness boosting efforts for today. Are you working on your happiness? Why not make some commandments of your own!

Music Monday: Nobody

2011-08-01T10:43:00.001-03:00

This video is weird, but I love it.

Goodbye July 2011!

2011-07-31T08:52:00.052-03:00

Oh, July 2011, What a month you have been! So much has gone on. First and foremost I got married at the beginning of the month! July 2nd 2011. The wedding was awesome - laid back, casual and just a lot of fun. Everyone said they enjoyed themselves.

We also spent a week out at camp, which is always a good time. Very relaxing and wine filled.

I discovered my Style Statement - Comfortable Creative - Which has inspired me to do all kinds of things, like apply for jobs I previously wouldn't have (out of fear). And one of them I got a call back for an interview! We'll see how it goes, but still - exciting! I've also been writing more, dreaming more and planning more. Plus, I'm blogging again, as you can see! Next steps are getting on top of my photo editing, taking more pictures and developing my personal style more. From here out, things are only going to be more awesome, I can see it already.

Things that are inspiring me right now: random online videos, cleaning out my closet, a stack of magazines that I've had sitting around but never gotten around to reading and the color teal.

Book I decided not to finish this month: Climate of Corruption: Politics and Power Behind The Global Warming Hoax. It wasn't that is wasn't an interesting topic. I just found all the hard data tough to focus on. Maybe I'll read some more non-fiction books and then try again. What I did find interesting was all of the ways that the facts about Global Warming and climate change have been twisted in the media. Now, before the hate mail comes, I am not a global warming denier. I'm just not sure about how much of the information we've been given has been disproven, when often all we get is the initial shocking data (there are plenty examples of this in the book). Keep in mind though, this if any information coming from the Climate-Change-is-real-and-scary crew has been manipulated and misused, I have almost certainty that so is information from the Climate-Change-is-a-Total-Hoax camp. Anyway, the point is that I gave up on the book, because it was making me not want to read.

I make my first trip to the Kentville Farm Market this month. That is the only plus to being on night shifts and working the weekend - I'm off on Wednesday afternoons. I got a giant bag of organic salad greens for three buck, and I learned that there is some kind of bug - a type of flea- that really likes arugula. Then he threw in some arugula with my salad greens. He said, "It wont hurt ya, that's just why there's holes in the arugula." Whatever, it was super tasty. I also got a special desert from a french lady. Chocolate and pear tarts. I served them warmed up with fresh raspberries on the side. Yum! Farm Market season is awesome.

How was your July?

Could-Have-Been Love Story

2011-07-30T08:58:00.002-03:00