My tawdry love affair with the Kobo eReader

It’s official. I am in love with the Kobo eReader. I never thought it would happen. I’ve always said I love real books. I love the feel; I love the smell; I love the pretty covers; I love browsing the library to pick them up. But I now have a new love and it’s a little magical tablet that holds all my favorite books in a pretty little case that I can read anywhere.

The funny thing is I don’t even have one of my own. My mom lent me hers and I can’t get enough of it. It’s so easy to read it anywhere! While you walk, at the gym, lying in bed. I don’t get dizzy or lose my place or have my fingers cramp up. And I don’t even feel like I’m looking at a screen. It’s madness! If you have yet to experience its glory – you simply must – whether you have to beg, borrow or steal!

Ways to think more like a kid

Today it occurred to me that I often enjoy life more when I spend it thinking like a kid. Everything is more entertaining and enjoyable when you approach it from a child’s point of view. In that spirit I share with you questions you can ask yourself so that you can live every day more like a kid would:

“When waiting in line at a restaurant – why stand around whining about the slow service when I can spend my time making outlandish wishes in the koi pond until I run out of pennies?”

“Why walk to my next destination when I can run like a mad person with arms and legs flailing around at will?

“Is this cupcake really going to go straight to my hips or is it going to warm my tummy and sweeten my day all the way down?”

“Is this traffic truly the end of the world or is it just an opportunity to baffle those around me with my skills at 20 questions and the alphabet game?”

“Why cram myself into a smelly gym when I can chase my friend around in circles until we’re both dizzy and out of breath?”

“My underwear has become wedged and needs to be removed – is there any point really being coy about it?”

Hope these questions help you get more fun out of each and every day!

Day Zero Project

I have to tell you all about the awesomeness that is Day Zero Project. If you haven’t heard of it, it’s about creating a list of 101 things to do in 1001 days. I love the whole concept because it’s so much better than a bucket list or things to do before you’re thirty. It’s immediate. It gives you just under three years to accomplish 1001 things that you’ve been putting off. I made my list 100 things in 1000 days because I guess I like even numbers better or something. I started knocking things off the list on Halloween day last year so the fact that the anniversary of my project is just around the corner has me a little worried.

I got so excited about working through my list that I never actually finished it. I currently have 19 more items to add to the list, I’ve only completed 7 so far and a year has elapsed. Yikes! So if you have any suggestions of what should be added to the list – please share! I have plenty of things on the list – from baking a souffle to jumping out of an airplane – but I still need lots more ideas!

I really hope you start your own Day Zero Project because it really does help you think of all the things you want to accomplish in the immediate future…now I just have to accomplish them!

65 Days Until Christmas!

Now that I have shared my favorite Christmas movies, I felt it time to sing the praises of my top three Christmas TV special.

1. Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas

 

I love everything about this TV special! I love the voice over guy, the cute little dog, the Grinch’s bizarre pot-belly, and the witty rhyming lines. I never get tired of this one!

 

 

 

2. Frosty the Snowman

 

Such a cute and whimsical show! Even though the part in the greenhouse makes me want to cry every time – I still crave watching it every year. I wish I had my very own Frosty that would skip around singing and giving me wise advice. But until that happens at least I have Frosty and Frosty 2 to keep me entertained!

 

 

3. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer

 

So many random things happen in this Christmas special – between the growling yeti and the arrival of Santa Clause – I somehow always manage to forget what happens in the show before I see it again. But I love it every time!

 

So there you have it – my three favorite Christmas specials! If you have any others to recommend – please share!

In other exciting Christmas news…I was specially selected by my manager at Starbucks to convert the store to its holiday version on November 1st (I think being selected has something to do with the fact I jump up and down and clap like a seal every time there is mention of peppermint mochas or shortbread pastries). I can’t believe my luck – normally people laugh at me for wanting to start decorating and listening to Christmas music in mid November but now I’m being PAID to decorate on the very first day of November. I am soooo excited!!

Doing Activities With Family

For my race training I had to do 16km today which I’ve been nervous for all week. My work keeps my on my feet all day so I’ve been running a lot less than I should be because of leg exhaustion and an old injury. And it certainly didn’t help things that I woke up to a forecast of rain for the entire day and a high of 8 degrees. Fortunately fate was on my side because my sister happens to be in town and kindly volunteered to do the painful trek with me. So instead of doing a miserable, cold long run all by myself I got to do a humorous and entertaining one with my sister. My ankle was throbbing, my shoes were squishy with puddle water and my face was being stung by raindrops but I barely noticed because of the entertaining chit chat! Just goes to show…any activity is more fun when done with friends or family. Having my sister around turned a chore into the highlight of my day. My legs might be sore but I’m all smiles!

Taking a Class

I think it’s so important to keep learning new things and picking up different skills. And even though my jobs allow me to be constantly learning, sometimes I feel work-related learning isn’t quite enough. Sometimes I want to do something totally random and challenging in a completely different way. So here is a list of all the classes I want to try and take over the next year:

- Art classes (painting, pottery)

- Cooking classes (specialty baking…maybe how to make fancy cupcakes!?, cultural cooking – I would love to learn how to make really authentic Indian food)

- Dance classes (of every style imaginable!)

- Language classes (Start with Spanish and knock the rest down one by one)

If you’ve taken any other good kinds of classes that you’d recommend please let me know! I am always in search of new ways to broaden my horizons!

FRESH Restaurant

 

I just went for an incredible lunch at the restaurant Fresh and felt the need to write a post to recommend it. It is a vegetarian restaurant that also has many vegan and gluten free options – and the food is so good that even hard core meat fans will certainly find something they like. The place offers juices, smoothies, vegan burgers, wraps and noodle/rice bowls.

I had a vegan burger on a whole wheat bun, topped with lettuce, tomatoes, cheddar cheese, alfalfa sprouts, pickles and their own fresh mayonnaise; while my sister had an incredible looking avocado-tofu wrap. Both meals came with small kale salads and we split some yummy sweet potato fries. It was absolutely divine!

Every meal they create has an incredible blend of vegetables whole grains and protein so you can feel really good about what you’re eating. I left the place feeling very full but with no guilt because I knew I was filled up with sweet potatoes, alfalfa sprouts and chickpeas! And nothing makes the rest of your day a happy one quite like a healthy and fulfilling lunch!

Need new workout music? – It’s all about the 80′s!

I am currently training for a half marathon and my long runs have caused me to get very VERY sick of my collection of bad top 40s songs. Then, in a wonderful moment of inspiration I thought to myself…what about 80s music!? It’s upbeat, it’s catchy and best of all…I haven’t heard most of the songs in forever which means I won’t get sick of them after a single listen. I got myself a collection of the top 80s songs from the 80s and my runs have taken on a whole new fun level. Here are some options to get you started:

“Take On Me” – A Ha

“She Drives Me Crazy” – Fine Young Cannibals

“Call Me” – Blondie

“Centerfold” – J Geils Band

“Mickey” – Toni Basil

And I’m sure I’ll have many more suggestions to come as I make my way through the collection!

Dinner Party!

Last night my roommate and I had some friends over to see our new place and to celebrate my 22^nd birthday. We created a grand five course meal and I was quite pleased with the results.

We welcomed our guests with a nice fruity wine spritzer.

As we sipped away we enjoyed a lovely assortment of homemade chips and dips.

Then it was time to warm things up with some stuffed mushrooms – fresh from the oven.

We sat down at the table for a light and refreshing salad.

And for the main course a delightful risotto was served.

We decided to cut ourselves some slack and go for the store bought cake. We had initially hoped to create some mini cheesecakes which we’ve been dying to try out but since it was a birthday party we thought a cake would be appropriate. And this vanilla one from Metro is absolutely to die for.

I’ll be posting all the recipes throughout the day – I hope you find some ideas for your next dinner party!