stuck in doors in the burbs

It seems that this might be the best day of summer and I am stuck in doors! I stayed home from the cottage this weekend as his good friends Paul and Leah are getting married today. So I thought it would be a good idea to make a trip to the salon, touch up my highlights, trim my bangs and get a nice blow dry (it's amazing what a fantastic stylist can do!)...however I made the appointment a touch too early and now I am sitting in doors, doing laundry, watching tv, and sitting on the computer....all activities I was born not to do! I just don't want to go outside and mess up my hair! sniff sniff...so what's a girl to do? ...blog?
Because I have all the time in the world I may ramble for a bit!

Tid bit number 1: For all of you who always look to save a buck or two, Katie introduced me to Visa Perks (http://www.visaperks.ca/), and I seem to be telling anyone who will listen. I just can't believe I never knew about it before. Basically what you do is you visit the Visa Perks website and there is a list of stores that you can get discounts at...such as Running Room (20% off), Banana Republic (15%), Gap and some others. All you have to do is print the coupon and use your Visa card at the participating store and you get a deal. Crazy!

Tid bit number 2: As said by my good friend John Tesh, blogging can be therapeutic. It seems blogging is the new prescription of choice among mental health experts. According to Newsweek magazine, psychiatrists say that writing a blog can have a significant therapeutic effect. Not only is it a creative outlet and a forum to vent, it's a way to reach out to others and get feedback on your life. I subscribe to John Tesh newsletters (yes I am a nerd), and there was an entire write up on the effects of blogging. I found it quite interesting - there are times when I think 'why do I even blog', but for some reason it has turned into a little hobby and it gives me an opportunity to share my views on life and basically say anything I want - I know that i'm not much of a writer and will never compare to some of my friends abilities (Ie. Heather!!) but it's fun to just sit down and write!

Tid bit number 3: As I figured I would be home for the entire weekend I thought why not run the Oakville Half Marathon on Monday....so look out early Monday as I will be running the streets of Oakville with my other Oakvillians who got stuck in the city for the weekend!

My Vote

Dancing with the Stars, which is nominated for eight prime-time Emmys this year (and one of my favourite shows), kicks off its seventh season on Monday, September 22, on ABC....and the line up is.... (my vote is bolded):

• Toni Braxton, singer, 40, and season one DWTS champ Alec Mazo

• Lance Bass, singer, 29, and Lacey Schwimmer

• Ted McGinley, actor, 50, and Inna Brayer

• Cloris Leachman, actress, 82, and Corky Ballas

• Warren Sapp, former NFL star, 35, and Kym Johnson

• Rocco DiSpirito, chef, 41, and Karina Smirnoff

• Kim Kardashian, TV personality, 27, and reigning DWTS champ Mark Ballas

• Maurice Green, Olympic gold medalist track and field star, 34, and two-time DWTS champ Cheryl Burke

• Misty May-Treanor, Olympic gold medalist beach v-ball, 31, and Maksim Chmerkovskiy

• Susan Lucci, Emmy-award winning soap opera actress, 61, and Tony Dovolani

• Jeffrey Ross, 42, comedian, and Edyta Sliwinska

• Cody Linley, 18, actor, and two-time DWTS champ Julianne Hough

• Brooke Burke, 36, TV personality, and Derek Hough

(My vote may change after the first day.....stay tuned!)

if i were a dress

I was looking through some of my pictures I have saved over the years, and for some reason I stumbled upon this one of Katie Holmes circa "I just married Tom Cruise and inherited a stylist" era. I love love love this dress! It's fabulous! Ah I am craving a new purchase!

The end of summer

Today officially marks the last day of summer. I head back to class first thing tomorrow morning and then start my placement on Tuesday. Though I am going into my placement (lil' LP) with my two feet on the ground...I can't help but be a little nervous, excited, stressed, happy and a touch overwhelmed about what the next few months will hold (especially since my teach emailed me to warn me about how busy things are going to be). eeek! Any who, so my last few days of summer were spent with some of my friends...I was a bit of a no-mad and felt all over the place, but I enjoyed having convo's about life, love and playing the odd drinking game to get things rolling. Too bad the lack of sleep from the weekend kicked Katie and I to the ground our first couple k's this morning, but we managed to finish our 33km's in good time, and actually quite enjoyed ourselves (i am speaking on behalf of both of us!).
Here is to students and teachers who are approaching the end of the summer...."may every sunrise hold more promise and every sunset hold more peace!"
Ps. Next summer, I will be one of Katie's bridesmaids!!!!!!.and I can't be more excited and extremely honoured to know I will be part of Katie and Sean's amazing, special, and most fantastic day!!! Yay!

Why some don't make the cut...

My So Called Life

"Once upon a time there lived a girl. She slept in a lovely little cottage made of gingerbread and candy. She was always asleep. One morning she woke up and the candy had mold on it. Her father blew her a kiss and the house fell down. She realized she was lost.She found herself walking down a crowded street, but the people were made of paper, like paper dolls. She blew everyone a kiss good-bye and watched as they blew away."

"There are so many different ways to be connected to people. There are the people you feel this unspoken connection to, even though there's not even a word for it. There's the people who you've known forever who know you in this way that other people can't because they've seen you change. They've let you change."

For the love...

Before I begin, I am always game for comfort when it comes to shoes (well at least for day time shoes); I own a WIDE variety of flats ranging in style, colour and type…I even cherish my pair of Birkenstocks that though may not look so hot, feel awesome wearing after a long run (somehow I feel more balanced while wearing them). However!! a few years back when Crocs were introduced and they started popping up left right and centre and I saw entire families have matching pairs, I promised myself never will the day come where I buy a pair. Even as I age and find I have limited funds to keep with the trends…I will not go there! I have to admit though sometimes when I am looking for shoes at the cottage to run to the boat house I may slip on my mom’s pair (yes the Prada lover herself did succumb) and find they are in fact comfy…but every time I slip them on I feel some what like a smurf in the cartoons looking for my giant mushroom house. Not flattering. The reason why I feel the need to talk about the plastic smurf shoes, is because for 1. Billie from mix 99.9 has been talking about them for the last few mornings...and has the same out look (never should you wear a pair of shoes to work that you can hose off) and 2. Because I came across a picture of the latest invention…Croc high heels!! Please god no! I have kept quiet for quite sometime about the shoes, but have to draw the line there! Ha!
Ps. I start school on Tuesday. Where does the time go?

The Hills Season 4 - Trailer

The Hills is on tomorrow night...let the 'fake' but very entertaining gossip begin!

InStyle

Yesterday the best magazine ever arrived in my mailbox…the September issue of InStyle…it’s a mammoth! As I was approaching my house at the end of a work day (and by ‘my’ I mean my parents house), I saw the fat-est magazine stuffed inside the mailbox and knew it was that time of year again! So I grabbed it from the front door, ran upstairs, immediately put on my favourite stretched out most comfy lulu gear, propped up my pillows on my bed, put Oprah on that I had pvr’ed from earlier in the day and attempted to read through my addition of the bible! I have only read through ½ of it, but so far so good! I am saving the rest for when I am up north relaxing on the dock…ahh the life! Once I get through it I will let you know what’s hot for the fall (hopefully it’s what I already have in my closet…as my wallet has never been so hurtin’….boo hoo).
Ps. is it me or has the summer not flown by in the blink of an eye? I have one more week of work and then school starts…jeez la-weez!
Pps. I am still hoping that Canada brings home a medal! I have faith! Another fav Olympic moment...when the US gymnastics team performed like crazy last night....“In life, as in dance, grace glides on blistered feet”

The Sailor

This past weekend, Chris, won the US Open Championship (laser class) for sailing which was sailed in Long Beach, Califormia!! Amazing!! Congratulations Chris!!

Kick'n It Old Skool

Friday night the class of '99 and then some celebrated Mike and Brooke's engagement and upcoming wedding at the Brema resident. It was an awesome night - with lots of laughs, drinks and pictures ;) I couldn't help to reminisce a bit though; as Brema's house brings up lots of memories...especially since my old house since grade 7 was always just a 'hop over the fence' bit away. It's such a great feeling though to know that after all these years we can all get together again and have a hoppin' good time! Ha! It's also cool that all our of significant others gel so perfectly! So thank you to our gracious hosts and hostesses and cheers to mike and brooke!
(I was going to include a group shot of the night...but just as I was going to download my photos to my lovely surprise I realized I forgot my memory card up north...so will update at a later date!)
Ps. Katie and I just got back from a 29km run...holley molley...Friday night may have hindered our performance...just a weee bit!
Pps. Fav Olympic moment this far has been watching the girls bike race and the mens swimming! amazing!

Mama Mia, The Movie

Steph and I went and saw Mama Mia!, the Movie tonight and it was excellent!! I would see it again in a heart beat! Such a feel good movie! I have yet to see the Broadway musical, so I knew I would either love the movie or call it a 'pass'....but it is definitely a MUST see! 5 stars! Also makes you want to jump on a plane, grow your hair and move to the Greek islands! Synopsis (for those of you in the dark like i was): An independent, single mother who owns a small hotel on an idyllic Greek island, Donna (Meryl Streep) is about to let go of Sophie (Amanda Seyfried), the spirited daughter she's raised alone. For Sophie's wedding, Donna has invited her two lifelong best girlfriends—practical and no-nonsense Rosie (Julie Walters) and wealthy, multi-divorcee Tanya (Christine Baranski)—from her one-time backing band, Donna and the Dynamos. But Sophie has secretly invited three guests of her own.
On a quest to find the identity of her father to walk her down the aisle, she brings back three men from Donna's past to the Mediterranean paradise they visited 20 years earlier. Over 24 chaotic, magical hours, new love will bloom and old romances will be rekindled on this lush island full of possibilities.
Inspired by the storytelling magic of ABBA's songs from "Dancing Queen" and "S.O.S." to "Money, Money, Money" and "Take a Chance on Me," Mamma Mia! is a celebration of mothers and daughters, old friends and new family found.