Falling for Fall

Greetings!
It is the official last day of Summer. I know everyone is sad to see the cooler weather and shorter days come in, but I couldn't be more thrilled. While I love the summer and am a true summer baby, my absolute favorite season would have to be fall. Not too hot, not too cold, beautiful layered clothing, and not to mention Thanksgiving and Halloween are what makes this the best season of all. There is something cozy and comfortable about the weather that makes me wish it was like this all year. Sadly Fall is only with us for what seems like 2 weeks before the awful winter weather comes sweeping in. I am 4 months and 3 days away from moving to my new house and couldn't be more excited!! Even though moving in the dead of winter is not ideal, I am still looking forward to having everything in the house and cozying up by our brand new fireplace. Of all the upgrades we chose for the house, I think the fireplace was my favorite.

This weekend I have my 10km zoo run with my friends. Remember 5 months ago when I did my first 10km and was so pumped to do another?! Well, I am afraid that was just a phase and when I signed up for this zoo run I was in better shape, trained everyday and was psyched. Now not so much! I haven't trained all summer because, who likes running in the heat?! And I feel like this is going to be a much harder course. However, I am not putting any pressures on myself to finish the race in any certain amount of time. I will pace myself through as I see fit. It will be nice to just say that I ran a race at the Toronto Zoo :)

Tonight I have ballet class which started up a few weeks ago. I am really pleased with the class because I have been out of the dance classroom for quite some time now and it really feels like home when I get back at that barre. Hopefully I can continue my practice when I move to Bradford as well. It's very hard to find a good adult ballet class outside of the city!

And that is the latest and greatest going on with me. Hope you are all enjoying this last day of summer and are ready for Fall 2011!

Am I Too Old To Wear That?

Hello friends,
Hope you are enjoying what is left of summer. It's that time of year again...back to school!! Haha. Oh how I miss my school days. I wish I could go back. I always loved back to school time. Getting new clothes, buying new school supplies. I especially loved the smell of the school supplies!
But anyways. This post is about Back To School/Fall Fashions!
So I have been sauntering around the malls lately, and I don't know, but I feel like I am too old for some of the items on display. The stores I am so used to frequenting like H&M, Forever 21, and Winners seem to be getting a bit too "young" for me. The other day I noticed a cute grey skirt that I wanted to buy, but as I looked around the store at the younger girls picking it up, I thought to myself "Maybe this isn't age appropriate?"

Being 25 feels so much older than 24! At least when I was 24, I was in the early-ish twenties and could get away with little skirts and funky bracelets and neat hats. Now, that I am in my dreadful "mid" twenties, I feel like if I wear something a little orginal, I look like a 25 year old pretending to be a teenager going through an identity crisis.

Am I wrong to be thinking this way? Or am I just aging myself? Sorry folks, I am not taking this being 25 thing very well!

All this talk about clothes makes me want to shop for a whole new fall wardrobe. Not that I need anymore clothes! In fact last weekend my friend hosted a clothing swap where we alll brought clothes we didn't wear and traded. It was quite fun and I got a few cute finds. But I am addicted to clothes, so of course I still want more! Yesterday I bought myself some very cute black flats with bows on the front from Payless. And now I am thinking, "Are bows okay for 25 year olds to wear?"

They were too cute to pass up and I think I can still get away with them :) Here is the pic, let me know your opinions.

Other items on my list for the fall season include:

-A new pair of Dr.Marten's boots
I know! How early 90s of me! But hello! They are totally back in! There is even a Dr.Marten's store right by my work that offers the most selection I have ever seen. It is quite tempting, and I have been wanting a pair now for a couple months. I think I would just like a basic black pair. Midlength. Classy!

-Beautiful Fall Coat

I bought an ivory coloured one a few years ago, but it just always looks dirty! Note to self, never buy white coats. They always end up a disaster and are a hard to clean. Coffee spills and makeup stains? No thanks! So this year I would like to buy myself a lovely trench coat in black. Fitted and chic. All young professionals need one of these in her closet!

-Basic 3/4 length shirts

One in every colour please. Great for work and practical for the weekend too!

-Puffy Vest

Preferably with a hood. These are perfect for crisp days where you don't want to wear a coat but still want to be warm.
More to be added soon I am sure. :)

Summer Reading List

Hope everyone is having a great summer so far. We have really lucked out with all this gorgeous and hot weather. Why can't it be July everyday!?

Anyways, now that I am an official train commuter since moving back home, I have started to get back on track with my reading. Here is a list of some of the books I am reading, have already read or will be reading shortly.

Still Alice by Lisa Genova-

If you don't like sad books, don't read this one. I borrowed this one from Eric's sister, and once I started reading it, I felt I should at least finish it. I hate when I don't read the entire book! Anyways, it was tough to get through reading about the main character Alice Howland, a 50 year old wife, mother of three, successful professor who suddenly becomes diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's disease. It was a very interesting read, but hard to get through as her condition gets gradually worse as the book goes on. It was so interesting to see how such a disease can have such an effect on loved ones, especially when diagnosed at such a young age. A good read if you can handle it. This was one of "Heather's Picks" at Chapter's too!

The Trouble With Marriage by Debby Holt-

While wandering through the Chapters clearance section, I spotted this chic-lit novel right away. I am sorry, they are my guilty pleasure! Anyways, I just finished this one a few days ago and I couldn't put it down. So much drama, lies, deceite...all the ingredients for a perfect chic-lit book. This is about a couple Tilly and Robin who met in college, got married and had a few kids. Everything is going smoothly until Robin's parents decide to move down the street, Tilly becomes unexpectantly pregnant again and Robin's business is heading for bankruptcy. In an effort to save the marraige, Robin moves out and into his parents house, all while his mother tries to set him up with an ex girlfriend, Louise. The book takes you through the main character Tilly's life at home sans husband, including a potential new beau! I won't give away the ending, it's much more fun reading yourself.

One Day by David Nicholls-

I was in Walmart the other day and they had sale for 40% off books so I knew I had to get a few. This was one of them! I was intrigued by this book because I know there is a movie of this story in theatres with Anne Hathaway. I want to read it before I go see it. It's a romance novel, telling the story of a couple through reflection of years after they meet. I am only a few pages in and a little confused on the story line, but hopefully it picks up and I can read it quickly (it's a pretty thick book with small print).

The Room by Emma Donoghue -

This book was given to me as a birthday gift and I am excited to read it! I've seen it all over the bookstores but never purchased. It's about a woman who has been kidnapped and trapped in a room. This room is now her home where she grows up and has a son. The book is told through the eyes of the son, Jack who has never experienced life outside of the "room". I am very intrigued about this one, and can't wait to get started. The cover indicates it is an International Bestseller abd a Writer's Trust of Canada Fiction Prize Winner. Not too shabby! It must be good!

The Summer of Us by Holly Chamberlin-

This was the second book I picked up at the Walmart 40% off sale. It seemed like a good summer read about a group of three strangers sharing a beach house for the summer. Through the summer the group of girls develop a special bond over their individual sets of agendas and troubles. Seems like a nice light read that I woulnd't mind leafing through while chilling on a beach :)

And those are all the books I have at the moment. Stay tuned for more!! :)

Indian Summer

Hiya Folks!
Hope the summer sun is treating you all well (and you are treating your skin well with some SPF!)
Just thought I would share with you a new band I have been listening to lately, White Wives. I heard about them through the website, http://www.absolutepunk.net/ which offered a free stream of their album. I was immediately intrigued because two members of one of my favorite bands, Antiflag are part of this new group. (Chris Head and Chris Barker). The rest of the group consists of members from other bands called Dandelion Snow and American Armada. It is a lot softer than what I am normally used to hearing with Antiflag and their regular angry/aggressive tracks. But it works!
Together they have put forth an amazing album entitled “Happeners” that in my opinion, deserves a lot more media attention than it has received since its release date of June 28th.
Some stand out songs that I really like are “Indian Summer” “Hungry Ghosts” and “Sky Started Crying”.
They all have a sing-along song type feel to them which is perfect for summer. Give them a listen! I guarantee you will love them as much as I do.

The Cutest Dog In the World

Happy Monday :)

Book Review: The Get Your Man to Marry You Plan-Buying The Cow in the Age of Free Milk

Bonjour!

It's been a while since I have reviewed a book, so I decided to write one up on this lovely Sunday evening.

As most of you know, most of the books I tend to read are "How To" type books, or self-help/improvement. I like to read books that will arm me with knowledge that I can use to enhance or enrich my life. Most of the time the books I get are just random finds from the library, I seldomly seek out the books I read.

Anyways, a couple weeks ago while I was in Pittsburgh, I came across this book at a warehouse store, and for $3.oo, I just had to get it. Just for kicks! (As most of you know I have been in a relationship for 5.5 years, so I thought it would be interesting to see what this chick had to say!)

The book, written by Lori Uscher-Pines, highlights a lot of important notes about marriage and relationships in general. She begins the book by examining the modern day woman, and questioning the argument about a woman proposing marriage instead of the man. Before reading this book, I admit that I thought it silly to even think of a woman proposing to a man, but after reading Uscher-Pines' first chapter about women empowerment, I thought differently.

She observes that, while women may appear to be anti-feminist by wanting to settle down, those women who want to get married to the guy of their dreams are anything but! They are independent women who know what they want, so why is it so wrong to go after and ask for what they want and deserve? That sounds pretty logical right? I agree, that a woman shouldn't be forced to wait until the man decides he wants to get married, why can't a woman bring up the idea first? In regards to an official proposal with a ring and parent permission, Uscher-Pines explains that most men would prefer to get down on one knee the good old fashioned way, however there are some men who wouldn't mind a woman to take charge and do the official proposal.

After the first empowering chapter, the book is divided into sections of "excuses" that boyfriends will give their girlfriends about marriage, like having no money or having a need to "sew some oats". With each excuse, she labels them as either a "you" or "me" excuse, explaining if the problem has something to do with you or him. Each problem she gives a list of tactics to use when discussing the topic of marriage. E.g. "You care too much what your family thinks," would be a "you" excuse, meaning he still sees you as immature and not ready for marriage. Whereas a

"I am too focused on my career right now," would be a "me" excuse. Makes sense? Right! Moving right along...

For most women, they will use only parts of this book and hone in on the areas and excuses that apply to their man. There are even real-life examples used throughout the chapters. There was one story that made me chuckle. A couple in their late 20's who met back in college went on a mini-break before getting hitched. In college, the man was never very popular and wasn't smooth with the ladies, once his career had started and he grew out of his ugly duckling phase, he noticed more women paying attention to him and felt he owed it to himself to explore his options. The girlfriend, of course devastated, felt he needed to get this out of his system, but gave him the space he needed without saying a word. While it killed her inside to let him be free, she had to let him go temporarily until he realized how good he had it. Four months later, he came back, ring in hand and ready to settle down. He was a changed man. And all it took was a little break to see that what he really wanted and needed was with him all along.

Near the end of the book there is also a chapter called "Fouls". Meaning, bizzare acts that women wanting to get married should stay away from. Including, pretending to be engaged, being mean and resentful, withholding sex and a slew of others. Uscher-Pines brings up a good point: Men will be more inclined to propose if they think it is their idea. If a woman pushes her man into the idea, he will be more inclined to do the exact opposite. He would prefer to do on his own terms and feel that he came to the decision on his own. (With your subtle hints of course).

Depending on how long you have been with your man, or how much longer you can wait for that ring. The last chapter gives women the ultimate test, after all the tactics have been laid out, you should be either engaged or newly single. The point is, every man is different, and with this book Uscher-Pines gives different approaches for different personalities. Once the tactics have been used on your man, you should have a good idea of what he thinks of marriage and if you will be heading down the altar soon.

After reading this book, I felt I gained a little bit more insight on the "excuses" men give to their ladies. However, I don't think this book could be taken literally word for word without actually knowing the couple being dealt with. While books are good at the generalities of relationships, there is no way to know the exact thoughts of your man, because every guy is different and every relationship is different and while the book can be used as a good guideline to getting you down the altar, I wouldn't use it as a bible. But definately worth a read! I know I had my highlighter out as I read :)

Last month of condo living...

I can't believe we are in June already. I guess because the weather has been rather chilly and non seasonal, it makes it feel more like April these days! But it's supposed to warm up this week!
So this is my last month of living the glorious city life. No more short commute to work, no more walks to the library or grocery store, no more elevators, no more guest parking passes and no more coming home to my best friend :( Yes, it's going to be sad, I may even cry a little!
However, it's been a fun year and we have had some great times in the condo. A lot of memories were made here.
The city has been good to us. It is very convenient to live so close to everything, however I don't think long term city living is for me! There are just too many people and not enough space. I don't particularly like fighting for a seat on the subway every morning, dodging cars when crossing the street or waiting hours to get a table at a restaurant on a Friday night after work. But people born in the city are used to these types of things, where as I am not. But to each his own, right?

So I am slowly starting to pack things away for the big move out and I have come across heaps of clothes and knick knacks that I need to get rid of. I decided that I am going to have a garage sale in mid July. It will be just for fun and to make a couple bucks! Hopefully my junk can find a place in someone else's home. Stay tuned for further details!!

Saving Money 101

Happy early long weekend!! It’s Victoria Day weekend and I couldn’t be more excited!! Not that the weather has been great or anything, but I feel like I need some time to relax.
I don’t have any big plans, but I would like to go up to look at my “house” in Bradford. Buying a brand new house is so exciting and nerve wracking at the same time! On the one hand, I have all the freedom in the world when it comes to design! It’s like having a blank canvas and I can create whatever I want! But on the other hand, you don’t have a clear exact picture of what everything is going to look like in the end. What if it’s not as big as I imagined? What if the colours looked better in the samples? Why didn’t I opt for the siding instead of the brick? It’s these kinds of things I worry about when talking about the house. But I have a good feeling that we are going to end up with something really awesome and I am excited to see the final product. (Even though it is 8 months away!)

So as most of you know, to help save money with the house I have decided to move back in with my parents starting in July. Living in a condo with my best friend Shannon for the past year has been wonderful and I can’t believe how fast the time flew by. I am so sad to be leaving, but sacrifices need to be made on my end to help afford the house.
With that being said, I have taken it upon myself to be extra frugal and dollar savvy these days. No more frivolous spending!! It’s going to be easier once I start living at home again, but I want to save as much as possible so that when it comes to moving into the house, I will have more than enough saved for furniture, household items and décor. So needless to say, it’s going to be a pretty tight few months. So with that I have implemented some rules and tips to help me save more of my money, and hopefully you find these tips useful as well!

Tip #1
Go Shopping in Your Closet
I don’t know about you, but every morning when I wake up and wash my face, brush my teeth and head over to my closet to pick out the day’s outfit, I never seem to have anything to wear! Or I do, but I have nothing to wear my items with! It’s a vicious cycle…I buy the cutest pieces but then I have nothing to pair them with. So I have decided to actually go through my closet before I move and MAKE outfits with all my pieces and if I can’t…toss them! There is no use having a beautiful printed skirt if I don’t have a matching shirt to wear with it! I know I have tons of items in my closet, and some of which I forget I even own! So before heading out to the mall, I will shop in my own closet first and see what pieces I can use to help build an outfit. Who knows? Maybe my long dress shirt just needs an inexpensive belt, instead of buying a whole new outfit!

Tip #2
Leftovers…Learn to Love Them
Oh this is going to be a hard one for me!! But I must learn to make dinner at home and take the leftovers to work as lunch the next day. As much as it annoys me to pack a lunch, it’s a definite must. A better idea is to make it at night, so that way I don’t feel so rushed in the morning. I will feel better getting it out of the way, perhaps doing it right after supper! I am not the greatest cook either, so hopefully Mom and Katrina have some delicious meals for the summer that I can easily learn.

Tip #3
Groupon It!
Have you seen all the deals those coupon websites have? It’s incredible! I can find almost anything on there for at least a half the price off or more! From manicures to haircuts, and from dance lessons to bowling, these sites have a lot to offer for a great price. This will be a good way to find inexpensive ways to do social things without overextending myself. So far I have purchased coupons for running gear, facials and even ballroom dance lessons. There is a world of activities and fun out there to try and this is a great excuse to give them a whirl! I like this website, it pools all the deal sites together and lists them all conveniently on one page: http://www.dailydealzone.com/daily-deals.aspx You’re Welcome!

Tip #4
I’m The Winner!
Contests! Contests! Contests! I love contests!! Especially ones where I don’t have to do anything except write my name and contact info!! Just fill out a ballot, because you never know!! I like this website, it has links to various online contests for things like trips, cash, makeup, clothes and more! If they ask to refer a friend, you can always refer me, then you get an extra ballot entry. http://www.win-free-stuff.ca/

Tip #5
Be a tourist in your own city
As most of you know, I love vacationing! I love a good old getaway!! Travelling is always a luxury, as everything adds up! From flights to food to accommodations, one vacation for me can cost me upwards of $1500!! That’s my hardwood floor cost right there!
But travelling doesn’t always have to mean going far. Staycations are perfectly good ways to take a break and enjoy the city you actually live in. I don’t think I have ever tried being a tourist in my own city, but I would certainly love to this summer! Maybe I will do one of those Toronto Bus Tours or check out some museums and parks. Because let’s face it, we are always too busy to actually sit down and appreciate our surroundings. The Toronto Hippo Tour looks pretty amusing to me. I mean just check out the bus/boat we get to travel in! http://www.torontohippotours.com/home.html

Tip #6
Piggybanking
Remember when you were a kid and everytime you got some change, you put it straight in your piggybank? Well, I do! I remember having many piggybanks as a kid. There was my ladybug piggybank that was fuzzy that was really cute and my Disney Princess piggybanks that were shaped like Ariel and Sleeping Beauty. But as I got older, I stopped using them and it wasn’t until recently when Eric’s mom got me another Disney princess piggybank that I started using one again. And I must say it’s really fun putting in my loose change everyday, trying to guess how much I have in there. It’s one of those banks that you have to break in order to get to the money, so this way I can’t touch it until it’s full! I think this is a great way to save up some extra cash because really, who likes having pennies and nickels floating around their wallet anyway? Not Me!!

Tip #7
New Books at the Library
Not that I don’t love Chapters but sometimes their books can be a bit pricy! Recently I found a ton of good books at the library. It’s almost overwhelming to go in there and see everything they have on those shelves. I am a big fan of biographies on how to books so I am never at loss when I browse these aisles. Reading is also a good way to pass the time, especially in the summer. There’s nothing like a good book, the sun and a nice cold drink. If you get overwhelmed with book options, ask your friends what good books they would recommend. I am sure they wouldn’t mind lending you their copies of favouties.

Tip #8
Holler for a Dollar!
Everyone loves the dollar store! But have you been to one recently? That place has everything! And I mean everything! I find going to drugstores, items such as toothpaste and shampoo are overpriced, but stopping in at the dollar store I can find these items for a buck or two. And birthday cards from Hallmark are always nice, but I have seen just as nice ones at the dollar store too. Tupperware, showercaps, gum, toothbrushes…lots of little household items that you normally see at retail stores can be found at the dollar store for a fraction of the cost.

Tip #9
Hair Schooling
Hair can be quite the expense…cuts, colours, highlights and styles are never cheap. I am probably the biggest spender when it comes to my hair so this will be hard for me to do. But I have been thinking about trying out some hair styling academies to go for my highlights and cuts. I have been to the Aveda Institute in downtown Toronto before for highlights and they did a good job. Most people would be afraid to go to a student to have their hair done, but I trust the salon because a teacher is always supervising. The only downfall is that the hours of availability are limited and sometimes it takes a long time to get done. I have also been thinking about the Fiorio hair academy in the north end of Toronto. With these prices, I am almost feeling stupid paying full price for hair services. Fiorio Hair School: http://www.fiorio.com/mainsite/pages/academy/index.html Aveda Hair School: http://www.avedainstitute.ca/toronto-hair-salons.php

Tip #10
Take the Train
Gas is expensive and for most of us, we have to drive cars. But for a lot of people, public transportation is a good way to save money on gas as well as help the environment. I am a big fan of the GO bus and train (except for when there are delays!) I feel more relaxed knowing I will get to work at an exact scheduled time than being stuck in headache induced traffic for god knows how long. Paying for a monthly transit pass saves me money in the long run when you factor in gas, parking, insurance and other routine car maintenance. May be something to consider if you drive into the city everyday!

And those are just a few tips I have been trying to practice. Stay tuned for more!

Xox
Tasha

Beach Volleyball Season!

Today was my first day of my beach volleyball summer league at Ashbridge's Bay in the Beaches of Toronto. I would have never thought to sign up for such a sport...I am more of an individual sport type person: dance, running, yoga...but beach volleyball sounded like so much fun that when my coworkers asked me to join their team, I immediately said yes!
*Sidenote --saying Yes is always harder than saying No, but saying Yes is always more fun :)

Anyways, today was a nice day to start, no rain, clear skies...just a little bit cold though. As soon as my feet touched the sand I could feel them start to freeze! Cold weather is not ideal for volleyball! When the ball hits your bare skin it really hurts!
Today we were a team of 5 out of 7 but we made the most of it. It was quite funny. I am kind of a priss when it comes to sports, watching the ball fly by my face, or dip down in front of my nose "Was I supposed to get that?" were words that often left my mouth. But by the end of the 3 games we had played, I had gotten us a few points and gave a few good bumps and spikes. Not too shabby for someone of my athletic calibre.

It was nice being on the beach, wind blowing in my hair, kites flying by and sand on my feet. To be honest, it's the first time I have felt alive and happy in a while. Maybe it's these winter blahs that had me down and dumpy, but I felt a bit refreshed and excited to be trying something new.

I think also what helped was that I was AWAY from my blackberry! I have developed a love/hate relationship with that thing and to be honest, I think it causes a lot of my anxiety. I feel like I am always waiting on a message/call/BBM. I can't walk anywhere without it. But today, when I left it in my coworker's car for 2 hours, I felt almost free! Sounds weird, I know. But I do believe that the blackberry device makes me anxious. Perhaps I should try leaving my blackberry off for portions of the day and see how my stress levels change. Or maybe get rid of it altogether? Nahhh!!! :P

Well now that my arms are bruised and my hands are swollen, I think I am going to go to bed. I hope everyone is doing just splendid :) :)

xoxox

New Beginnings

Hello folks,

Yes it's been awhile...but I have been pretty busy!! Okay maybe not that busy, but pretty lazy :) It's been a good month though, lots of exciting things happening including the purchase of a brand new house! As most of you know, my boyfriend Eric and I had been looking to move this summer and had been looking at houses for a few months in the north end (Barrie area). However, after doing the commute to work, I realized a 2 hour commute to work would not be ideal for me. Feeling a little hopeless and defeated, we assumed we would have to lower our expectations in terms of price and size. We were keen on getting a detached home, but the prices in the GTA for anything detached is way too high for our budget. Even condos and townhomes in some of the areas we liked were above our budget. I was about to give up hope, assuming we were never going to find anything until we found out about a new subdivision being built in Bradford (just north of Newmarket). After looking around the model homes and taking a drive around the community, we knew we had found our new home! Thankfully we found something in our price range and thankfully there is a GO train right nearby! It just seemed so right! We signed our papers a few weeks ago and are now official homeowners :) The home won't be ready until earliest January 2012!! It's quite a ways away, but this gives us some time to save money for upgrades,furniture and closing costs. I am really excited to have a brand new house!! We get to pick all our colours, designs and finishings!! We are going this weekend to pick the colour of our brick and garage. This is what our house will look like (not exact colours). Ours will be brick:

With this house will come a lot of sacrifice in regards to spending money. Buying a house is obviously not cheap, so I will have to use the next 9 months to save like crazy!! This means I will be moving out of the condo come July 9th. *Sad face!

While this upsets me greatly, it is one of the biggest sacrifices I am making. I will either be living back home with my folks or at my grandmother's again. It's going to be tough, but worth it in the end! Living back at home with Mom, Dad, Katrina and Beau would be ideal. I haven't lived at home full time since before university!! That is a long time!!

The house purchase is probably the most exciting thing that has happened this month, but another exciting event also occurred this past weekend....The Sporting Life 10km Run!! This was my first ever race that I have been training for since early January. It was probably one of my proudest accomplishments. You see, I have never been a great runner. Dance? Of course! Soccer? Okay! Skiing? Sure, why not? But running?? No! I always had terrible endurance and would get bored very easily. But thanks to my good friend and avid runner Sio, me and five of my other closest friends were able to finish the 10km race together!!

My time wasn't the greatest...1 hour and 4 minutes! I was really hoping I would be under an hour, but I feel like I was poorly trained with my Nike Plus Trainer!! As I was running on Sunday, I wasn't feeling too well, I had some cramps which caused me to walk a lot more than I had planned. Once I started feeling better, I felt my pace was picking up. When I looked down at my Nike Plus, it said I was halfway done the race (5km), so you can imagine my surprise when I saw the 3km sign at the same time. My Nike Plus Trainer was way off! By the time I had completed the race, the Nike Plus had clocked me in at 12.77km!! That is almost 3 more km than I had trained for. It was a little discouraging and I felt lied to almost! How could that little gadget mislead me in such a way? The same thing happened to my roomate Shannon. We were quite upset at the time, but we realize that it was only our first run and we should be proud at how far we have come in regards to our training. This run has now got me hooked and determined to beat my time...I instantly signed up for the Toronto Zoo 10km which happens in September! Exciting!!

Below is a pic of my girls and I with our medals. I am so proud of us!!!

Come On Barbie Let's Go Party!

Happy Friday y’all!!! Ever since that Rebecca Black song “Friday” I think of that song every Friday!! If you don’t know what I am talking about, or happen to live under a rock, check it out here. It’s incredible how many people can get famous these days just over one little catchy song, no matter how terrible the lyrics! E.g “ Yesterday was Thursday, Today is Friday, Tomorrow is Saturday”. CRAZY! Back when I was volunteering at Canadian Music Week I got to sit in on one of the panels about Music in the Digital Age and it was so interesting to see how much has changed with the Internet in regards to music. Gone are the days when I used to go to the record store and buy a CD, open it up and listen to every single track. Now, we simply download one song and call it a day. In the seminar they also spoke about how songs get so popular due to the various versions available. Referring back to the Rebecca Black song, people have gone on to make Metal versions, acoustic and the like. I guess the more versions you have, the more popular your song will be. It’s very hard for artists to make it big, but with the help of the internet, one tiny little song like Friday can get you on the map!! Incredibly interesting! Anyways, it’s Friday and I am glad. The weekend is supposed to be warm! :)

Today I was reading an Elle magazine from a coworker and came across this amazing Barbie and Ken spread.

They took Barbie and Ken and dressed them up in different outfits from various Canadian designers like Joe Fresh and Roots and placed them in different locations across Canada. I instantly fell in love with all the photos, cut them out of the magazine and stuck them up around my cubicle. Then I proceeded to save the photos and order them to be plaqued down the street from my work. Am I crazy or am I crazy? I am not sure! But I simply love it and think it will be a great décor piece for my house!! :) They won’t be ready until next week; I will take photos and let you see how they turned out. So Happy Friday everybody!! Gotta get down on Friday!!! :)

April Fooled Ya!!

Happy April Fool’s Day everybody!! It’s finally April, finally feeling a bit more like Spring! Today I chucked the winter coat and busted out my new blue spring Bench jacket. It felt nice not being so bulky. I normally don’t like participating in April Fool’s day tricks, but I was feeling a bit funny today and wanted to play a prank on my boyfriend Eric. After lunch, I got back to my desk at work and brainstormed some ideas. I thought about telling him I won a trip or a car, but that seemed too unreal and I don’t like tricks that involve getting people’s hopes up! Then I had an even better idea! I created a story about a pet adoption that was happening at work and that I adopted a black lab puppy named Pepper! As I laughed at my little story, wondering if he would even believe it, I quickly sent him a text telling him the “good news”.

The texts that transcribed were as follows:

Tasha @ 1:40pm: I just adopted a puppy from animal house calls! It can be ours I am so excited!! :)

Eric @ 1:40pm: What? What are you doing?

Tasha @ 1:41pm:

There was a pet adoption at work! I had to have it!

Eric @ 1:41pm: Umm no. Where are you going to put it?

Tasha @ 1:42pm: In our new house silly :P His name is Pepper!

Eric @ 1:42pm: U need to seriously think about this. Cause we don’t even have a house. That was a mistake getting that puppy.

Tasha @ 1:43pm: Omg. I can’t give it back now! I just signed adoption papers!! It’s a black lab puppy!!

Eric @ 1:43pm: Not happening and I don’t want it. Wtf were you thinking!? U better be joking because this 100% won’t happen.

Tasha @ 1:44pm: Omg how can you not be excited about this?!

Eric @ 1:45pm: I’m not getting a dog. You better figure out what YOU are going to do about this Tasha @ 1:46p: :( omg!!

Eric @ 1:46pm: You never thought this thru

Tasha @ 1:47pm: But I couldn’t say no!!

Eric @ 1:48pm: YOUR stuck with it. I think that was irresponsible.

Tasha @ 1:48pm: But I thought you would want to do it with me!! :(

Eric @ 1:49pm: Do what? What r we gonna do with it and where r u putting it? You better tell your parents they r getting another dog.

Tasha @ 1:50pm: But it’s gonna be ours!! Not my parents even!!

Eric @ 1:50pm: It’s YOURS I don’t want it lol

Tasha @ 1:51pm: Eric!! It’s gonna come with us too!!

Eric @ 1:51pm: You should have thought this through. Sorry.

Tasha @ 1:51pm: But it will come to our new house too!

Eric @ 1:52pm: Come with us where and especially if closing won’t be til later. No I don’t want a dog.

Tasha @ 1:52pm: But what will we do with him then L

Eric @ 1:53pm: Don’t say we. I never agreed to adopt him. That’s for you to now figure out. Tasha @ 1:54pm: :( ericcccc how can you say that?

Eric @ 1:55pm: I never adopted him. This is crazy. I don’t want to talk about this right now. You shoulda put some thought into this tash.

Tasha @ 1:56pm: Fine!

After this text, I proceeded to find a fake picture of “Pepper” on Google images and save it as a Paint document and send to Eric. This little joke would have still been going on if I hadn’t done this!! Eric was too smart for me and googled “black lab puppies” and found “Pepper” immediately. I guess I shouldn’t have selected the first image that came up in the search :P Oh well, it was still funny and made my day a little bit brighter! Thanks April Fool’s!! J

Got that SPRING in your step?!

Greetings fine friends.

It is with great pleasure to be writing here today. Why? I don't know...there is no particular reason. "Just 'cause". As mentioned in a previous post, I have been reading the book "The Happiness Project", lended to me by my great friend Sio! It's a fun narrative written by Gretchen Rubin, a professional writer with a husband and two kids living in NYC and her quest to being happier. Not that she is depressed or upset with her life. Like most of us (I am being presumptious of all my readers), we live pretty nice lives; we have jobs, we like to go shopping, we have good friends, maybe kids or pets...a pretty fulfilling life, no? In The Happiness Project, Rubin sets out to seek ways in which she can make her life even MORE fulfilling and cheerful in the everyday. Just the simplest things can make a huge difference in the way we perceive ourselves and others.

The Happiness Project is a year long journey where each month Rubin focuses on one goal. For example, January's goal was to "Boost Energy". One of the first things she did in the book to help her feel happier was declutter!! And I must say it does feel good to organize and purge!! She said one of the key aspects to being happier is to first identify your problem!! I think a lot of the time, we know what the problem is, but we find excuses not to solve it. Once you admit to yourself what the trouble is, that is the first step in fixing it. I must admit that cleaning and purging also gives me quite the rush!! My friend is having a clothing swap in a couple weeks and I couldn't be more excited! Today I busted open my closet doors and started ripping down hangers of clothes I barely wear or hardly fit anymore. It felt so good looking at the free space I had made afterwards :)

I am already on month 9 (September) which is about Pursuing a Passion. In this chapter, Rubin promises to write a novel in 30 days. She is inspired by one of her friends who is doing the same thing and learns about video blogging to track her progress. If I could write a novel in 30 days, plus document all of the happenings of the Happiness Project...I would be one tired girl!!

One of the best pieces of advice I read in the book so far was early in the book, in the February chapter, about letting things go and picking your fights wisely. It's so easy to get upset and uptight about the littlest things--an untied shoelace, being stuck in traffic, or squabbling with a loved one. But sometimes it's best to just let it go. Is the minor setback or tiff really worth such a fuss? I think not! :)

So with Spring around the corner...oh wait...it's already here!! Obviously it doesn't feel like it with these cool temperatures and SNOW on the way for tomorrow :( But I think the weekend is looking good...and that gives me something to be happy about!! And I am also seeing Wizard of Oz at the Rose Theatre in Brampton on Friday night with Sio!! I am very excited as Wizard of Oz is probably one of my favourite movies of all time! And isn't it a coincidence that Rubin likes that movie as well!? I mean what's not to like?? It's simply classic!! I will give you my review on the show in my next post!!

Au revoir for now mes amis! :)

Bad Blogger Days

It's been a few weeks since my last post. Sorry, I have been a neglectful blogger! These past few weeks have been hectic because as stated in my previous post, my grandfather had another stroke and was in the hospital. He sadly passed away last week and we had his funeral on Saturday. It was quite the sad week and I am still coming to terms with his death. I am not used to dealing with sickness and death, it seems so surreal to me. When I found out about the death last Tuesday morning, I felt like a tinman because I didn't even cry. We knew it was coming, but I didn't expect myself to be so emotionless. It wasn't until the end of the week when things were coming together that it actually hit me. When I saw the memorial page online, when I was writing my eulogy, when I went to his house to sort through some things...that's when it really hit me. That is when I started to get more emotional. Saturday was a terribly sad day for the whole family. A lot of people showed up, most of them whom I didn't know but all seem to know who I was! It was awkward, but I think with all of the family together it helped us get through it easier.
Death is never easy. And people deal with it on their own terms. Some people avoid it, don't talk about it or even deny it. Some people are very emotional and need the support of others. And some people like to deal with it individually, alone and in silence. I think what helped me find closure was writing the eulogy. I feel as though it gave me some sort of closure to the whole situation. It gave me the opportunity to really reflect on our relationship and what it has done for me. It was hard to get through it on Saturday, but I had my aunt and cousin by my side to make it bearable.
I will miss my grandfather very much. It's hard to believe he is really gone. I am just glad he is not suffering anymore. It seems like it had been years since I had a decent conversation with him. It's so sad what strokes can do to a person. It's not fun. :(
And so now, in the wake of his death, our family will have to stay strong together for my grandmother to make sure she stays healthy and happy. I will do my best to visit her at least once every 2 weeks to check up on her. Family is important. At the end of the day, they are all you have. Remember that.

Live your Life

With each post I write, I hope to at least share something new with all of you whether it be about myself, a new movie or a good book. Today at work I attended an all day course on communicating up, down and across the organization. It was actually quite interesting and I learned a few key concepts about making my messages clear and concise, not only at work but in my everyday life.
The course instructor touched upon some really valid points about how your message is intened and perceived. He explained this equation about communication in general:

I (Intention) + P (Perception) = C (Communication).

To summarize, communication can only happen when there is an understanding between two parties, therefore, if your message is somewhat misconstrued and read in a different context, you could have difficulty getting your message across. Sometimes it is hard to be 100% accurate with your intention, especially with the use of email. It is hard to read tone, and tone of voice makes up for about 93% of your message, the other 7% is the actual context. I think if we all put a little more effort into the way we create and execute our messages to others, there would be a stronger sense of understanding among one another.

This was just one of the many points that we looked at today, but one that definately stuck out for me. It seems like common sense right? But it's funny how quickly we can sometimes forget these things. We aren't all be mind readers, which is why it's very important to say what you mean and mean what you say.

Speaking of which. I came up with a little rhyme today associated with that phrase:

Life is too short. Say what you mean. Mean what you say. Live life to the
fullest everyday.

Now, I like to think of myself as a happy, go lucky person who always seizes the day. But sometimes I get some depressing news and it really shakes me up and almost humbles me. Yesterday morning I got word that my already ill grandfather had yet another stroke (3rd one in about 15 years). It was a really bad one this time and the doctor's don't think he has very long to live. Of course we all knew this was coming as he was already very ill from his previous stroke, but just hearing it being validated by the doctor makes it all very real and all very upsetting. It makes me sad to think about his poor life, the opportunities he never had, the hardships he faced as an immigrant to Canada and the last suffering years of his life. It really puts things into perspective, at least for me, about what is really important in life and how precious life is. So what if you are stuck in a traffic jam one day? So what if you couldn't buy that new laptop on sale? So what that your bonus wasn't as big as last years? At the end of your life, will these things matter? Will you be remembered fondly? Did you make an impact on people's lives? Will you leave a legacy for the people you are leaving behind? What can you do today to make your life that much more interesting?
It's weird how death can provoke such emotions from people. But for me, I just want to be happy. I am currently reading "The Happiness Project" by Gretchn Rubin (leant to me by my great friend Sio! I am hoping to get some good insight from it about how to make my already content and complacent life just a little bit more cheerful. So far so good. Please note this is not a book for people who are depressed! (I am the furthest thing from depressed). I will give my full review on it once complete.

French and Fun

Bonjour!
Comment ca va? Bien? Tres bien?
Haha I am in a french speaking kind of mood today. Ever since I started taking french in January, I have been trying to speak in full sentences, but sometimes it is hard. I guess it's not as easy because no one I know speaks french; it would be different if I were more immersed into the culutre but I am happy with my progression thus far. Next week is my final class before moving onto the next level. We have a little test, so hopefully I do well. I was never good at tests. There is just too much pressure to do well. In high school my marks at the end of the term would always drop just a little because my exams were not the best. Maybe it's just the nerves. Je ne sais pas! :P

My friend Sio just tagged my blog in the 7 facts blog awards! Check it out:

The Rules:
Link the person who awarded you.
Post 7 random facts about yourself.
Pass the award on to 7 other bloggers. (Sorry I don't think I have that many people to tag) Haha

1. I still sleep with my baby blanket. It is yellow (more like an off green now). It used to have a matching pillow, but it vanished.
2. My favorite animal is a pig. I want a teacup pig so badly!! Dogs are so last century!!
3. When I was little, my dad's nickname for me was SLASH.
4. I am a proud owner of the cutest west highland terrier in the world, Beau!
5. Despite my independant lifestyle, I must admit I am a good old fashioned girl who wants a husband, house, 2 kids and a white picket fence and obviously a dog!
6. I hate sushi!!! But I really wish I liked it. I think people who like it are so sophisticated and cultured.
7. When I make waffles or pancakes, I break them up with my hands. Why make a dirty knife?


TAG, YOU'RE IT! I'm passing the 7 Facts Blog Awards on to these friends:

Half way there!! Woahhh Living on a Prayer!!

Happy Weekend All! It's the last weekend of February if you can believe it. Where did the month go? I am glad to see February go though, bring on the warm weather!!
I went for a quick 30 minute run today at the gym but at a slower pace. I find that doing timed workouts as opposed to distance workouts are better for me and I end up going a lot further and I am less tired at the end. So today I ran 5.25km which is about half way to my 10km! (Nothing to do with Bon Jovi--just thought I was being funny) I am tres excited!! I can't believe I am actually doing this. It makes me happy to know I will be running with some of my closest friends. It will be a great accomplishment we can say we did together.

Tomorrow Katrina, Eric and I are taking my parents to go see the Johnny Cash tribute show happening at the Panasonic Theatre downtown. I am looking forward to it! It seems like a really good show and the lady I was speaking with at work yesterday told me at the end, the actor who plays Cash comes out to the audience to take pictures and answer questions. Hopefully it will be a nice little afternoon for the family.

I am going through Beau withdrawl. That little guy has his paw imprinted on my heart!! He just makes me so happy inside!! Shannon and I were joking around about getting a dog for the condo...I mean who doesn't like being tackled by a sweet little puppy when you get home from work? I feel so loved!! The only downside is they are a lot of work and need constant attention. I would feel way too guilty leaving him alone, and I am rarely home so maybe not such a good idea :P

The Oscars are on this weekend and two of my favourite stars are the hosts: James Franco and Anne Hathaway!! I think they are both just lovely and I think they will have a good chemistry for the show. I can't wait to watch the red carpet and check out all the nominees and winners.
Who do you think is going to win big this year?!

New Season: New Layout!

It's almost spring time so I decided to brighten things up with a new blog template. I am tired of the drabby black...time for colour and fun!! Goodbye winter, hello spring!!

Hopefully the temperatures begin to rise soon. Wireton Willy would never lie to us! He said it was going to be an early spring this year, and I believe him.

Speaking of brightening things up, I am getting some highlights in my hair next week. I am bored of the super dark locks. I am not going as blonde as I normally do because I want to keep it healthy and natural looking. I will probably keep it to a nice warm golden brown. I am embracing the brown because I feel like I have spent a good portion of my teens and early twenties as a blonde! Don't get me wrong, I love being blonde, but I am a true brunette so I want to showcase my natural roots for a bit.

I have been sifting through hair pictures online, trying to find the perfect shade but I am so indeceisive. Above are a few of the ideas I like.

So come on winter, get on out of here! I have had just about enough. I want to run in the fresh air, add shimmery highlights to my hair and stuff away my bulky coat. Oh and get rid of this nasty sore throat!!

Paranoid Android

Oh happy Tuesday! Hurray for 4 day work weeks.
Yesterday was Family Day but I didn't do much with the fam. Shannon, Eric and I went out for dinner at Moxie's and we are like our own little family I like to think :)
The work day flew by as I was very busy since I was off on vacation last week. I like being busy, it keeps my mind off other things...like worrying! As most of you know I am a big worrier. I worry about the little things and over analyze everything. I am probably what you would call paranoid. What do I worry about mostly? I would have to say health and safety. I always think something bad is going to happen or chatastrophe strikes everytime I go to the doctor's office.
A good example of this unnecessary paranoia was today during my french class when I got a phone call from my doctor's office about my blood and urine sample from last week.
They simple requested I come and redo the urine test but failed to explain why. And what do you think my mind is thinking at this point: I have a disease. I am uncurable. I am going to die. To be honest I am still a little worried.

I am currently reading a book about worry and how to control it, it is called The Worry Cure.
I am almost half way in and it has some good insights. It explains how worriers always assume the worst case scenario possible as a method to try and prevent things from happening. Sounds kind of messed up doesn't it? But as I read more and more, I realize how much I relate.
Worriers always need to be certain about things. If they are not certain, then they worry until they are 100% positive everything will be okay. They see negative outcomes as the only possible outcome and reject any possible answers except for negative ones.
So after the call from the doctor I thought about it and figured I was worrying just the way the book had described. There is always a possibility that something is wrong with me, but there is also a possibility something is not. It is possible the sample was not good enough or not large enough. But my mind will not accept those possibilities because they are positive or neutral. I will only accept the worst and most negative answer. And that way I can find ways to prepare for devastation, fear and pain.
So I have decided to write about my worry as a way to help me try to control it. This way, when I read it outloud I can actually see how unreasonable I am being and not jump to any conclusions without getting hard facts.
So for those of you for reading, thanks for being a source of help. It means more than you know.

Dog Sitting Day 1: Being Bossed Around

It's my first official day of dogsitting while Mom and Dad are gone away on their cruise, and so far so good, except for the fact that I can't seem to say no to this little dog. What's a girl to do when those soft doe like eyes peer up at you when you are eating, or when those tiny paws scratch the edge of your bed?! You can't say no! My name is Natasha and I am a sucker for puppies.

It's like that episode of How I Met Your Mother when Lily and Marshall have the teacup pig and Lily has to practice saying "No" on the teacup pig for when she has to say it to her old ex boyfriend at work. Almost the same scenario!! Like last night for example, I went to bed at around midnight but was woken up at 1:35am to little Beau yelping at me from the bottom of the bed. I get up to see what he wants, his big beady eyes staring at me while he makes a motion for me to follow him to the family room. At first I think he just wants to play and I am in no mood for games. I follow him to the couch where he motions for me to lift him onto the couch, and I obediently follow his order. Then I lie down on the couch, showing him my lack of energy while he snuggles up beside me. I guess he just wanted a change of scenery? And so I ended up ditching my big comfy bed with fluffy pillows for a cold, stiff leather couch. Needless to say, my bed for the night was dictated by a 20lb West Highland Terrier. I wonder what bed he will pick for me tonight? The basement couch? Let's hope not, Beau.

Nike + Plus other news...

YAY! I just bought a Nike Plus Trainer to help me with my training. It is a pretty neat little gadget, it simply clips onto your shoe and it automatically calculates your distance, time, and playlist. It's really neat because this can all be shared online through a Nike Profile which can then be shared onto Facebook and Twitter. There are plenty of goals you can choose from that you can add to your profile, and specific training programs like for 5km or 10km runs. I am really excited to start using it and hopefully it will only help me to get better :) The run is just over 3 months away!! I know the time will just fly.

My Nike Plus Profile name is Tasha Pav. Add me as a friend if you like.

Speaking of time flying, I have officially been living with Shannon in this condo for 6 whole months! 6 months! Can you believe that? It seems like yesterday we just moved in. I think I will probably be living here for at least another year and a half. As much as I want to buy a house, I don't think I am ready to leave my fun city lifestyle. Once I get a house, I will be so far from everything. Plus, I am in no rush to grow up. Mortgage payments, property tax bills, Saturdays wasted cleaning a house...no thank you! I am just fine right here :)

In other news, winter officially sucks! I am so over it already. I realize I am such a hermit in these colder months. I don't want to do much as I spend most of my free time either at the gym or parked on the couch watching TV. I can't wait until the weather gets better and I can get back to my usual extra social self.

Tomorrow I am going to my second french class. I signed up for French classes last week at the French school just down the street from me. It's every Tuesday night for 3 hours for 8 weeks. It was at a relatively decent price so how could I not? I want to learn French because I was always good at it in school, I just never went on to pursue it. Plus, it's a beautiful language and could prove to be beneficial later on down the road. Also for when I finally get to go to Paris one day :)

Well that's all from me for now. It's bed time!! Happy Monday everyone!!

Training Day 3: New Kicks!

Today I was feeling a bit sluggish, but I pushed through and did my 2km at a rate of 4.5-5.0. I tried to stay at 5.0 for most of the time and finished in about 17 minutes! Not too shabby!! I am convinced it is because of my new runners!! I went to the running room last night and was thrilled with the service I received. A nice gentleman helped me find the perfect pair first by assessing my feet and then by my running. He brought out a bunch of pairs for me to try, and in the end I ended up getting a nice pair of Asics on sale from 169 to 50 dollars! Amazing! And not to mention they are pink too!!! He also told me about the Run Club that the Running Room offers for free. Basically, you meet every Wednesday night at 6:30pm and go on different routes around the area. There are different routes for a different distance which I thought was really neat. When the weather gets a little warmer, hopefully my roommate and I can join in on the fun. We now have more friends joining the 10km Sporting Life Run!! I am so excited!! This will be a fun thing that we can all do together. It’s so much easier to stick to a fitness schedule and training guide when you know you aren’t the only one doing it. I am proud of my friends and proud of myself for embarking on this journey together.

Half Marathon Training Day 1: PUMPED!

January 10, 2011- Training Day 1:
Today was my first official day of training for my half marathon which I plan to run in September in Disneyland with one of my best friends, Siobhan! I have never really been much of a runner, I would say more of a “brisk walker” or “elliptical enthusiast” but running, no way. I guess with me being in such a slump lately, I figured I needed something new to do, a new goal, or a new challenge. When Siobhan mentioned this run to me on the weekend, I was on board as soon as she mentioned Disneyland!! How fun would it be to run through a magical and enchanted theme park with one of your besties and some Disney characters!? Needless to say I am pretty motivated. So yesterday Siobhan sent me my own personal training manual!! I love having a free personal trainer! Haha. When I noticed my guide, I was a little scared. 4km on the first day?! I didn’t think I could do it, but I actually surprised myself when I pushed through it in 40 minutes time at a pace of 4.0-4.5 mph. Normally when I run on the treadmill I never look at distance, just time, so it was nice to have a new goal to work towards. Granted it was at a slow pace today, but at least I have a start! My boyfriend just bought me some new Skullcandy headphones so my music sounded extra loud while working out, plus I just revamped my Ipod on the weekend so I had a whole bunch of new tracks to hit the ground with (special thanks to MSTRKFRT for keeping me pumped up). I had a nice bean salad and chicken wrap for lunch after I ran and I feel amazing. I reported to my “trainer” Siobhan about my first run and she recommends we do the Sporting Life 10k in May. I think I can do it!! And I am excited!! Hopefully we can get some more of our friends to join…the more the merrier J