Chick lit…
01 Sep 2011 Leave a Comment
I’m not a stranger to chick lit and I’m not afraid to admit it. For most of you, you know that I am currently living in Kenya.
I only brought three books with me. THREE! So having started ‘The Power of One’ when I arrived two months ago, and really enjoying it, the decision was made to make it last. Incredibly concerned about going through all of the books on my tiny shelf too quickly, when over at a friend’s recently, I picked up a couple pieces of what you may refer to as chick lit. a.k.a literature written primarily for women.
Now, having said that, this wasn’t a first for me so I was not really excited by nor was I surprised about what was to come. Typical story, woman likes shopping, meets man who she thinks she loves, man dumps women, woman depressed, woman finds man who she originally didn’t think was ‘good enough’ for her, they all live happily ever after. I apologize for ruining the entire Shopaholic series for you, but there is a proven formula to these things. That’s why they sell.
The most recent piece of femme trash that has been occupying my brain was no different than the others I have read. However, this time I noticed a difference in how I was perceiving the novel. Things that I had forgotten about started to take over my thoughts – like shopping in large stores, buying brand names, using my credit card, having everything I could ever possibly want right in front of me. I cannot say I enjoyed the plot of the book, it was quite rubbish, but I did enjoy the process of reading about all those things that used to be once so familiar. It was like reading a piece of history of things that were.
So, chick lit, you are here to stay (temporarily), if not only to be a little escape from rural life and reminder of what was.
Leaving Iceland tomorrow…fingers crossed!
23 May 2011 1 Comment
in healthy, travel Tags: Blue Lagoon, flight, hostel
I have learned two things while in Iceland:
1. I am REALLY good at napping. I even fell asleep in the middle of a bus tour while the tour guide was explaining the sights. Vacationing is HARD!
2. Sometimes I enjoy seeing a pile of tourists show up at the hostel I’m staying in. Like everyone else I’m sure, I usually like my hostels not packed to the rafters (for those of you who have never stayed in a hostel, this is not an exaggeration) but still with enough people I like in order to have some fun. But this morning, I must say, as I returned from the bakery, I was almost ecstatic to see about 25 people in the lobby all trying to check in…why? you ask. It meant that the airport was open! WOO HOO. Flights at the Keflavik airport resumed today! Which means I’m going to Paris… :)
Oh yes, and I went to the Blue Lagoon today, which was unbelievable! It is a giant geothermal pool (35-40 degrees) that has loads of minerals that are good for you. They also have a sauna and some silicon mud masks for your face that are aMAZing! It was incredibly relaxing.
Iceland has been awesome. So much fun and there is tons to do (as long as your wallet is overflowing) and I have barely even noticed that I haven’t seen dark since I left the airport in Toronto on Friday night or that I’ve been wearing the same clothes (or 50% of my clothes at the same time) since I got here because it is so cold and I really packed for a trip to Paris in the Springtime. So, next time I come back to Iceland (and I hope there will be a next time) I’m bringing my down filled jacket and wool hat/mitts.
Would you like a side of volcanic ash?
22 May 2011 1 Comment
in exercise, healthy, travel, Uncategorized Tags: horses, Iceland, Reykjavik, volcano
Day two in Iceland = very eventful.
So, mere hours after my landing yesterday, a volcano erupted. Yeah, that’s exactly what I was thinking, what are the chances of it happening a second year in a row?
They are calling it the largest eruption in 100 years! The airport closed early this morning and all flights up until tomorrow afternoon are cancelled. I fly out first thing Tuesday. I hope.
Anyway, that aside, today I went on an amazing 2.5 hour horse trek (no, I didn’t learn my lesson in Bolivia) and a 4 hour tour around what is known as the Golden Circle. You can imagine how much healthier, stronger and more beautiful the horses were than in Bolivia and they were Viking horses (No, I didn’t wear a viking hat while riding :( ). On the Golden Circle, we stopped at a national park, two waterfalls (one of which was comparable to Niagara Falls, but on a smaller scale), some geysers (one of them was named Geysir, which is where the name comes from by the way), and a village with loads of greenhouses where they can grow anything they want! Anything – like bananas!
The scenery was amazing and the best part of it? We got to witness the volcanic ash as it took over the sky. Very cool. As long as my flight is still leaving at some point this week.
I also decided tonight that I was going to treat myself to dinner (restaurants are super expensive here). I ended up at this bar called Iceland Bar, which has free wi-fi. I just finished mowing down a $20 reindeer burger (sorry vegetarians) with teeny tiny fries, a $10 bottle of beer and THE most delicious dessert ever – Icelandic pancakes with rhubarb and whipped cream! And not that fake Dream whip crap – this is the real stuff!
Anyway, I’m not sure how anyone gets used to sleeping normally in this city. There was approximately 4 hours of ‘night’ last night, and I could still read without a lamp in my room. Our tour guide today told us that in the winter they have 22 hours of darkness…can you imagine?
Well, back to my low-fat dessert!
They should make a t-shirt that says “Reykjavik took all my money”
21 May 2011 2 Comments
in healthy, travel, weekend fun Tags: baths, Iceland, Reykjavik
Ok, first thing’s first, for those of you who were looking forward to seeing pics of my trip, you’re out of luck, cause I left my camera cable at home. But I promise there are some amazing pics!
Second, I feel like I have been in Iceland for a week!
I flew out late last night (our flight was delayed an hour) and slept probably 1 hour on the plane. The lady in front of my was spewing her guts out into those little plane sick bags…she went through three. Naturally, of course, my super imaginative and extremely tired mind couldn’t get to sleep because I was thinking that the vomit would seep through the bags and run backwards onto my feet and my backpack and my laptop and my camera, etc. Gross!
So I arrived in Iceland at 7am (but really 3am) with one hour of sleep and got to my hostel around 9am and sure enough, check in wasn’t until three. So, with a quick change of the unmentionables and a finger brushing of the teeth (I was so tired, I couldn’t remember where I packed my toothbrush) I headed out on the town to take some pictures (which you won’t be able to see for a couple of weeks). Yes, at this point, I’m sure I looked hot, but I didn’t care because my brain wasn’t even working. I dragged myself to a bakery for a quick bite and then walked around the city centre for 5 hours. I could probably create a virtual map with all of the photos that I took.
The city is absolutely beautiful – a quaint mix of europe and scandinavia. The people, for the most part, friendly, trendy and beautiful. The weather — think Toronto in March. FUN!
I came back in time to check in, meet my dormroom mate (a nice girl from Paris, who coincidently is on the same flight with me on Tuesday), take a quick power nap and pack my swimsuit to hit up the geothermal baths.
The geothermal baths were great – except for when you had to get out! Think hot-tubbing in March. Brr. Anyway, they are said to have magical healing powers because of the minerals in them, and although my skin feels really nice and I’m super relaxed (probably because I’m consciously achieving REM cycles, I’m so tired) I was more impressed by the wicked waterslide! It was lit up in parts and dark in others and actually scared the crap out of me, but was way fun.
I got back about eight, it was still amazingly light outside and I was hungry, so I went for yet another walk around the city centre. I ended up in a little cafe for dinner, eating a lobster and fruit salad, getting slightly drunk off a light beer (VERY LIGHT – it was only 2.5%) and waiting until it was dark just so I could finally go to bed.
It’s still not dark yet – and it’s almost midnight. Apparently the sun is only down from midnight until 4am – so I can bet you that I am going to be crazy tired by Tuesday.
Oh and they have the most amazing knitted wool ‘Icelandic’ sweaters here, but as I’m sure you can tell my this post title, they are stupid expensive. Looks like I will have to wear eight layers and my spring jacket on my horse trek tomorrow!
Anyway – above is why it feels like I have been here for a week – what a long day! Also, I got so much fresh air and sun today I am going to sleep like a baby (until 4am)!
8 more sleeps!
12 May 2011 2 Comments
in Art, books, reading, travel, weekend fun
Gahhh…..I just realized that NEXT weekend I will be in Iceland! Crazy! I haven’t really had a chance to do a lot of research on it, but I spent some time and came up with some initial ideas. I fly in early next Saturday so I’m thinking I will spend the day fighting my jet lag and touring the city of Reykjavik. Then on Sunday I am going to partake in a day tour (although I dislike organized tours, I’m on limited time) – something entailing Icelandic horses and the Golden Circle. Then on Monday I’m going to spend the day at the Blue Lagoon taking in all the earth’s wonderful minerals. And in case that wasn’t enough – I’m headed to Paris on the Tuesday (the 24th folks) to meet up with some friends! I’ve been to Paris a number of times, so I’m not sure what this visit will entail, but I’ve looked into the Catacombs, Centre Pompidou, some live Jazz and most definitely a visit to my most favourite book store in the world.
We are also considering a visit to our former place of residence, Reims, to see how far it has come in the last 7 years and likely consume some champagne. Well, maybe I’ll just smell the champagne.
Anyway, I’m super excited now and am not sure how I’m going to get to sleep tonight!
Update
15 Feb 2011 Leave a Comment
Yup. It’s been a while since I have written anything. That’s cause I’ve got nothing to say. Seriously.
There’s a lot going on with me: work is crazy busy, I’m trying to scrimp money together to pay off debt, my social life is off the charts (ha ha ha – big lie) and I’m trying to de-clutter my life.
So if you know anyone who wants to buy anything a formerly materialistic, shopping obsessed, hyper-consuming 28 (soon to be 29) year old female might have – let me know. If the price is right, it could be yours. I’m talking everything I own – dvds, cds, board games, video games, clothes, shoes, furniture, kitchen crap, and even a couple of books! I’m tired of having stuff laying around that I no longer need.
Oh yes, and I’m participating in the Ride to Conquer Cancer again this upcoming June. Coles notes: 200km ride from Toronto to Niagara Falls to raise money for cancer research. You can donate online here. Don’t worry – you have until June and you are likely to hear from me again.
‘Tis all for now.
Knock on wood
19 Jan 2011 1 Comment
So work is fairly busy for me at the moment and yesterday I got to talking to one of my colleagues about sleeping at night. She was telling me how she has had trouble sleeping the last couple of nights because she has so much on her mind. Well, being the type of person who can fall asleep just by closing my eyes (whether appropriate timing or not) I decided to enlighten her with how I never seem to have problems sleeping.
But folks, guess what I forgot to do??? That’s right, KNOCK ON WOOD.
I’m not normally superstitious but I suffered through a night of what I can only describe as being retribution for bragging about my extraordinary sleeping abilities!
So I’ve been up since about 4:30am, eaten breakfast twice and won $5 in a poker tournament. I guess it’s not all bad news…
When I grow up…
18 Jan 2011 2 Comments
I was sitting on the subway the other day on my way home from work when all of a sudden the following dialogue broke out between a 5 year old and his mother:
5 year old: Mommy, when you were my age what did you want to be when you growed up?
Mommy: I wanted to be a teacher. What do you want to be?
5 year old: Unemployed like Daddy!
Ok – so I may have exaggerated the last two lines because to be honest after I heard the little boy’s question, my mind wandered. I began thinking about being grown up.
I asked my mom a while back what I wanted to be when I grew up (for the life of me, I couldn’t remember) and her response?:
“Oh Erin, I don’t know. You could never make up your mind!”
Hmmm…hey, Mom didn’t that worry you? I was the only kid on the block who had no career aspirations as an eight year old. Every eight year old knows exactly what they want to be: a firefighter, a policeman, a hairdresser, a teacher…but not me. I would come back from school saying I wanted to be a teacher or I’d go get my hair cut on a Saturday and decide that being covered in other people’s wet hair was definitely what I wanted to do for a living.
So, I guess not much has changed. I’m almost 29 and I still have no idea what I want to be when I grow up – well, I have lots of ideas, but do I have to pick just ONE? Can’t I be everything?
The only conclusion that I have come to is that I don’t want to grow up if it means that I have to pick one thing and do it for the rest of my life.
absolute mayhem
04 Dec 2010 1 Comment
in weekend fun
Some days I wake up confused and alarmed. I don’t remember what has transpired in the last week, why my apartment is a mess, laundry strewn everywhere, dishes unwashed…
I am, by nature, a clean person. Seriously! This is why I wake up confused. I don’t understand how in the hell my apartment gets so messy. This usually happens on Saturday mornings.
I only work Monday to Friday. I’m usually home by 7pm. So where do my evenings go? By the time Saturday morning comes along I can’t seem to remember making a single meal, doing the dishes or my laundry. It’s weird.
I think I’m getting old. I used to work two jobs, get home at 10:30pm, get up at 7am, work both Saturday and Sunday and I STILL had time to clean up! What has happened?
It’s not even like my place is that big…ok, so ‘big’ isn’t even a word that I could use in the same sentence. I can pretty much mix a bowl of cereal in my kitchen from my bed…BUT somehow by Saturday morning the contents of my closet are on the floor, my cupboards in the sink, my bookshelf on the couch….it’s mayhem.
So, that’s what I do on Saturdays. I clean! No, not clean as in using Mr. Clean (I don’t think I’ve washed my floor since I moved in) but ‘tidy’ up, reassemble the contents of my ‘apartment’ back to their original state – before the tornado hit.
No, this isn’t a photo of my messy room (but you get the idea), because what SANE person would want to post their own filth on a blog her parents read…it’s from the Shel Silverstein book Messy Room, which was apparently written about me :)
a boy of good breeding
01 Dec 2010 3 Comments
in Uncategorized Tags: books, miriam toews, reading
I finished a book tonight!! It seems like forever since I have done that!
I was reading A Boy of Good Breeding by fellow Canadian, Miriam Toews. I always love reading books by authors who I have enjoyed in the past. This was the fourth book of hers I have read. I absolutely love her quirky and unique characters and exciting plot lines!
Book #1 – A Complicated Kindness
An exciting tale of a young woman trying to break free of the small Mennonite town that she was raised in. This story explores the boundaries of family ties and what keeps families together.
Book #2 – The Flying Troutmans
This novel defies family commitment and details a spur of the moment trip down the Western Coast of North America in search of the main character’s niece and nephew’s father. This exciting adventure determines how far one really go for family.
Book #3 – Summer of My Amazing Luck
A life in the projects has never been so entertaining. We follow the main character through a journey with her best friend to find the missing men to their children. An eclectic mix of characters surely keeps readers on their toes.
Book #4 – A Boy of Good Breeding
This one follows the main character, the ever-quirky Mayor of a small town outside Winnipeg, in his journey to meet his real father, whom he thinks is the Prime Minister of Canada. Definitely a great read!!
I absolutely love how random and eccentric Miriam Toews books are. She writes with a style that anyone can understand and most often her tales are about a group of characters who are down and out on their luck in life!
So, I’m on to my next read, and I just wanted to share the opening line with you guys:
“When all is said and done, killing my mother came easily.” YIKES!
