The Reader

 

I've been on a major reading kick lately. After I decided that I would not spend one more second reading 50 Shades of Grey I immediately jumped into a new and better book. I'm sorry but 50 Shades of Grey is a horrible book. The writing is outrageously bad, she basically just repeats the same phrases over and over again for the whole novel and it just felt super degrading to women. I don't think it's degrading because she was becoming his submissive or whatever (ugh weird), but because she didn't even seem to want to but felt the need to give up her free will to be with some messed up man. She turned from a smart, strong-willed girl to basically a sex object. Honestly, every five seconds was a sex scene and nothing else, basically reading a porn. Thanks, but no thanks. If you're gonna rock that, you might want to make the characters interesting, or at least bearable and you might want to have some writing skills. Okay, that's my rant.

I stopped reading 50 Shades of Grey on a Wednesday night. I picked up Eleanor and Park on Thursday afternoon and had it finished by Friday night. That's how much I was craving a good book!

When my friend Laura first gave my the book I super did not think I was gonna be into it. I didn't think I'd want to be reading about a couple of highschoolers falling in love. Some times writers can make highschool romances seem so trivial but Eleanor and Park was so much more than that. The characters were so complex and I could not put it down. It was a great book. Highly recommended.

After that I dove into reading Paper Towns. I love me some John Green and I had been pushing this book to the side for a while so I was definitely ready to have some of his magic rolling through my brain again.

I'm not gonna lie, Paper Towns wasn't my favourite John Green novel but I don't know how he could really top my love for Looking for Alaska (or The Fault in Our Stars). Nevertheless, he's a wonderful author and it's hard not to at least enjoy his work. He really is amazing.

Right now I'm reading A Working Stiff's Manifesto: A Memoir of Thirty Jobs I Quit, Nine That Fired Me and Three I Can't Remember.

It's probably the perfect book for me to be reading right now. After the author spent $40,000 on a useless English degree he finds himself in need of job, any job. It's already so funny so far and I'm finiding myself relating to it so much.

Ahhh nothing like a good novel to keep yah happy. Amiright!??

Well kids, have a happy Tuesday. I get a four day weekend this weekend. Yah jealous!?

xoTaylor

Secret of the Week

I'm one of those people who will probably believe you if you say the world is going to end. Maybe not completely believe you...but there's a part of me that wants to have a panic attack too. I can't tell if this is a silly feeling or not.

Anyone else find themselves feeling a spark of fear when they hear things like this? Anyone think I'm crazy yet? haha

xoTaylor

Apartment Lusting

As you know, I'm moving in September. This will be my first time away from home (if you don't count living in the dorms in first year). I'm super excited and even though I live in an apartment in my parents basement so I basically have everything I would ever need in an apartment, I still dream of things for my new one. I'm greedy.

I've been checking out Modcloth's apartment section and finding some of the most adorable things ever!

Are you getting sick of my wish lists yet? Sorry, window shopping is my thing now.

*Oooo baby. This bird cage quilt is to.die. *

 *I'll probably start doing my makeup in my room since bathroom sharing can be tricky. I wouldn't mind as long as I had this beautiful mirror!*

 * Bad. ass. Enough said *

 * Such a pretty little detail*

 * I cannot get over this vase. It's pure perfection*

 *This is probably the most adorable way ever to store your knitting needles and balls of yarn*

 *Cozy cozy cozy*

 *So cute. I have a thing for birdcages right now..obvs*

 *I just really think I need these. They're so summer-y!*

*This is gorgeous! It reminds me of the circus. I want it!*

Well y'all, those are some of the gorgeous things I've been swooning over lately. Unfortunately I have to save my money for my rent and all those other boring necessities! Oh well, a girl can dream.

xoTaylor

I found THE bedspread

Isn't she a beaut!?

These pictures are a little grainy but that's what you get when you take them from the Target website!

Yes, this beautiful quilt set is from Target and I am ob-sessed! I can't wait to be in my apartment in Toronto with Erika, snuggled up in the nice warm quilt and listening to the sounds of the city outside our door. SO excited.

In other news, I may have a paying position at the end of my internship! This is seriously ideal. I love the writing I've been doing for my internship and their office is in Toronto so I'm going to be closer to them in September. Also, I can work from home, so less commuting and more sitting in my apartment writing on my Mac, very much like Ms. Carrie Bradshaw! (Common, it would be cool to live her life!)

Well, I have a ton of work to do today. Not even exaggerating. I have to write a feature, plan out an e-book. Start a mock up of Monday's issue and write two pieces for the e-book. That won't all happen today but it definitely needs to get started to I need to scram.

Have a happy happy Wednesday.

xoTaylor

Weekend Update

My weekend started off very wildly. Friday afternoon I watched the kids that my sister nanny's for her. It was exhausting. They were really testing their limits with me. Those kids, they really know how to take advantage of a new comer. This is what I get for always laughing when they do bad things! After that I went to see Tessa, who was babysitting her sister's baby. We watched chick flicks and smiled at baby Shay. I went home after that to watch over a sleeping Jack. Luckily he just slept the whole time. I was in bed by ten with the sounds of his baby monitor lulling me to sleep. Man, I sure felt like a professional babysitter on Friday.

Saturday Jordan & I spent the whole day together. We had lunch with his family, dinner with my parents and saw This is the End at night. It was a good day filled with food and family. A very solid Saturday.

Sunday I spent the day with my family for Father's Day. My Mom made french toast for breakfast and we went over for a bbq at my sisters for a late lunch. At night I had an amazing run. I ran 5K in 33 minutes. It was a personal best and I felt invincible! It was great. Jordan came over for a hot tub at night and I bragged all about my super speedy running!

Today has been a good day. I've been busy all day planning things for work. We have a huge project ahead of us so we definitely need to get our ducks in a row. I went to the gym with Erika in the afternoon and sweat a like a beast. Woot! Now I'm watching The Bachelorette and waiting to make my course selections at 10pm. I hate course selection. So stressful.

Wish me luck.

xoTaylor

Secret of the Week

Hope everyone wished their father a Happy Father's Day because one day they wont be able to.

xoTaylor

Bedspiration

So I know that today is the day for my weekly Currently post but I don't feel like doing a Currently today. Maybe I will next week, maybe I'll never do a Currently again but the idea of doing a Currently made me not want to blog and anything that makes me not want to blog should get outta here. But I digress!

I really want a new bedspread. I found all of these on the Urban Outfitters and Anthropology websites. They're a bit above my price range but a girl can dream right?

Check out these dreamy bedspreads:

*This one is quiet possibly my favourite*

Can you tell I'm looking for some floral sheets?? Love 'em.

Sleep tight tonight pals, no matter what kind of sheets you're rocking.

xoTaylor

Weekend Update

I had quite the weekend. It was very busy and very fun!

Friday night I went to a local bar with friends. Of course I was DD, as I basically always am, and played chaufer all night. I got to see lots of people and laugh a lot so I had a great time.

Saturday I woke up early to go workout with Tessa. After a grueling hour of non-stop leg workouts (ouch) Jordan and I went out for lunch and then saw The Purge. It was not as amazing as I was expecting (sigh). At night Erika and I traveled to Toronto and went out with her boyfriend and his friends to a club.

This was our excitement on the way there:

We danced a lot and drank (a lot). 

It was a pretty successful night but I'm still feeling the effects two days later. 

Here's how we were feeling after four hours of sleep:

We're basically half dead at this point.

I've been interning all day today. It's been busy but fun. I have a lot on my plate right now. We just got new assignments and I will be one busy girl. After work I'm working out with Tessa and then waiting for my mom and stepdad to get home. They've been gone for 17 days! Surprisingly I've been enjoying being on my own. I think that's a sign that Toronto is very necessary in the fall.

Happy Monday y'all!

xoTaylor

Secret of the Week

There's hope for us yet.

xoTaylor

Things I'm currently obsessed with

Let's just say I have an "obsessive personality." I get super into things and end up thinking about them non-stop. Ain't no shame in that game.

Soooo here are some things that have been on my mind a lot lately!

I saw  this trailer for the first time last weekend. LOOKS SO GOOD. First of all, I got goosebumps when I saw it. Second of all the main guy also plays Bill Weasley in the Harry Potter movies and I have a secret (well not-so-secret anymore) crush on him! The saddest part of this movie is that I saw on imdb that they originally cast Zooey Deschannel in the lead female role for this but she had to drop out. That probably would have made this movie perfection but Rachel McAdams will do alright too.

I'm pretty positive Frances Bean Cobain (aka daughter of Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love) is perfect. I basically stalk her twitter whenever I get a chance.

I'm also beyond excited to see this movie. Looks terrifying, but that's the way I like it. Hoping Jordan will take me this weekend (seeing as I'm too poor to take myself...shameless mooching happening over here)

I'm really getting into this album as of late. Track 4 is my favourite (after Track 3 of course). If you wanna know what those tracks are you should buy the album haha

This is so amazing and beautiful and progressive. Yay Target! 

Unfortunately Target has let me down though, because I REALLY want these sandals but they aren't at my closest Target (or maybe even in Canada). BOOO

I reallllyyy want a Dalmatian and then I remember that puppies are basically babies...except you can't put diapers on them. 

I have a thing for unnaturally coloured hair. Too bad I'm such a boring square!

Well kids, hope you enjoyed my current obsessions.

Until next time,

xoTaylor

Currently

*Freshly stolen from the garden. They smell so good!*

Obsessing over: Inspirational quotes. I have been so into them lately. I truly believe that some beautiful words can be just what you need to push you into doing something. When you're searching for answers they usually end up hitting you in the face. Just gotta keep an eye out for them.
.

Working on:  internship stuff. Today is a busy day. I've just finished drafting some questions for an interview this afternoon and now I have to move on to writing the feature for Monday's issue. Busy busy busy.
.

Thinking about: coffee! I'm one of those people who feels like their day just isn't right without it. I need to get my butt up and make myself some ice coffee. Yum!

.

Feeling: more motivated. I can't really say that I practiced what I preached on Monday (but I did try) and today I have so much to do that I have no choice. I have to get my butt in gear. It's good to be motivated because it leads to no regrets.
.

Wanting: my mom to be home. They've been gone for 12 days now and I really want to talk to her about my Toronto plans! I hope she supports and encourages my decision!
.

Wishing for: the willpower and restraint to be able to buy only the necessities this pay cheque. MAN! I was seriously thisclose to being absolutely broke before I got paid today. Not cool. Now I have a million things to buy, three presents and gas (damn gas). I realllyyyyy hope that I can make it to next pay cheque without DYING again haha.

Have a happy Humpday!

.

xoTaylor

Dreaming

So I officially told Erika that I am going to Toronto for sure last night. My exact words were "I've decided to throw caution to the wind!" Followed by a dramatic hand gesture. We immediately had to talk about how excited we were and get incredibly giddy.

I cannot wait to move in with my best friend. She's the funniest and craziest person I know. I just can't wait to be able to see her every day and talk with her whenever I want and watch a constant string of girly movies and reality tv shows with her.

I've been looking through my home inspiration Pinterest board this morning in hopes of finding some cute ideas. Let me make this clear: I am not moving in with a minimalist. Last night I said "We should only bring the essentials and then pick up what we feel like we're missing the next weekend." Her reply was "NO! We bring EVERYTHING and keep it there because we need it." Ladies and gentlemen, Erika Whitehall. These are the reasons I love her. When I want to be completely crazy and unrealistic, she's the lady who supports it. Obviously I will be following her lead and overloading our apartment.

What I'm looking for are some cute storage options and ways to brighten up a renter's space. Here are some ideas that i've found:

*These crates are such a cute way to hold our front door stuff. I think the hooks will be a no go though :( *

 *I love the idea of having pieces of us all over the apartment like these pictures*

*This is such a cute way to decorate while leaving minimal holes in the wall. Well, small holes at least*

 *I just love this little table. I think a two person table would be so cute. And the colour of those chairs! Swoon! *

*Covering the fridge with pictures would be another way to get personal touches of us around the apartment*

 *I officially think I need a new bedspread*

 *I have a thing for chairs as bedside tables. If only my bed were lower*

 *If we find an apartment with exposed brick I will sign the check right there and then!*

 *I have a lot of clothes. This is a cute way to find a place for them*

 *I love so much about this! The pictures on the wall, the fan, the bedspread. I need a fan to sleep and this is such a cute set up*

 *A bedside table that's gorgeous and good for storage? I'm sold*

*I'm obsessed with this room. All of the colour comes from the decor. I love the while walls and floor with all of these pops of colour. Beautiful.*

 

So kids, that's what I'm thinking so far. We shall see once we start looking for apts.

 

 

Stay tuned!

 

xoTaylor



Fear

The last time you heard about Toronto, I was feeling on the fence about the entire thing. I think fear has a lot to do with it. I will have fear no matter what I do. I fear that if I go, I may fail and if I stay, I may seriously regret it.

Luckily, I have one of the most amazing people in my life who supports me so much and truly knows what I want. His name is Jordan and you may know him as my boyfriend. Over dinner on Friday I told him about how I felt like Toronto may never happen and that maybe it shouldn't. He knows how much I've always wanted to go and how much it is something I truly need. He wouldn't let me put my dream aside. He talked to me about how I could make it happen and offered to help me in some seriously selfless ways. He's amazing. I really don't know how many boyfriends would be so understanding of their girlfriend wanting to move an hour away to a big city without them. He really knows what I need and I love him so much.

 As of now I'm saying it: I'm going to Toronto no matter what. I will find an apartment for September with Erika and save up my money until then. If I don't have a job by September I will have a little cushion to help me until I can find one but I am definitely going. I won't let ANYTHING hold me back.

I am completely terrified but also incredibly excited. This is what I need and I can't wait. September, can you come here now?

xoTaylor