Currently

Obsessing over: TEA! I've been drinking it non-stop! In Ottawa I found the most glorious tea store where you could get 10 tea bags for a dollar. I obviously got 20, plus some loose leaf tea, plus a tea infuser, plus the tea bag plate above, plus a new travelers mug. SO much goodness.

Working on: nothing, and it feel so good! This week has been my first week without school. I love coming home and being able to do whatever I want. I hit the gym last night with my best friend and then caught up on some tv. The perfect night.

Thinking about: going to see my best friend's new pup tonight! Her and her family are fostering a guide dog and they got it yesterday. It's the cutest little poodle named June. I filled out some paperwork yesterday to see if I was elligable to foster too, so we will see if they get back to me.

Listening to: Of Monsters and Men, on repeat. Ever since I brought their record home I've been spinning it constantly. It's so good.

Wishing for: this week to be over so I can get the weekend started. Luckily I only work a half day today and then I'm at the office alone on Friday which means lots of doing nothing. Hooray for that!
I've been feeling super inspired these last few days. I've been wanting to take pictures of everything because I've been seeing beauty everywhere. I'm also feeling some serious urges to art journal. I bought a Smash journal a few months ago and have only done one page since. Finally, the boyfriend bought me the most beautiful leather bound journal for an early birthday present. It has my initials engraved on it. I just want to start writing in it NOW but it feels so special I don't want to ruin it. I think I'll start writing in it tonight! See, I feel like I need to write, and capture and create so much lately but I love it!

Anyone else feeling the inspiration bug these days?

xoTaylor

A Weekend in the Capital

If I haven't mentioned it yet, I lived in Ottawa during my first year of school. I went to Carleton and really enjoyed being independent and getting the college experience but 5 hours was just too far away. I got home sick and after months of soul searching I decided I wanted to transfer to a university close to home. It was really hard for me to make that decision but I thought that I needed to do what I thought would make me happy. I really did love Ottawa and everyone I met there but home just felt like the place I needed to be. I came home at least once a month which was super expensive seeing as I was flying and everytime I would go back I would feel like crying the entire trip. I knew that I had to do what made me happy. Sometimes I wish I had stayed. I had a really good group of friends there and just knew a lot more people than I know at my school now. The city is beautiful and I wouldn't be living at home if I'd stayed but I still think I made the right decision.

That being said...this weekend kind of reignighted my love of Ottawa. Sheesh is it beautiful. I seriously consider moving there when I'm older and this time I know that if I did it would be right because I'd be ready. Time is a funny thing my friends.

Here's how the weekend went:

This is the amount of luggage I pack for a weekend. That's right people...two nights, three days. I'm a chronic over-packer. I actually get anxious if I think I won't like anything I packed and thus comes the overpacking. It leads to a lot of heaving lifting on my part but I'm never without options!

I was trying to eat healthy and we ended up going to a pub which made me terrified since basically everything is deep fried. Luckily I found this delicious balsamic chicken on the menu. Seriously tasted like heaven.

I was pointing out Quebec to the boyfriend, which is just across the river, and I also gave him his first glimpse of the capital buildings.

And there she is in all her glory. The boyfriend and I toured inside. This is what Canada's Hogwarts would look like, I'm sure of it. I'm also pretty sure that my Harry Potter mania has gone on for a little too long at this point haha.

Alright, I'm gonna be real with you, I've found the most delicious bagels in Ontario. I only say Ontario because Montreal bagels obviously top them all. If you're ever in Ottawa find a Kettleman's bagel. SO GOOD. They are made in a wood burning oven. That's not even the best part. The best part is that they make their own cream cheese. Seriously...mind blowing! I got dill pickle. Dee-lish.

  I found an awesome record store where I spent way too much money. It's called Vertigo records and they had an amazing selection of old and new. Against Me! was the boyfriends pick. I loved that he was getting into the record loving mentality too so I obviously snatched it up when I saw him holding it. The Of Monsters and Men record is bright pink! So cool! She and Him never dissapoints so it was a very successful shopping trip.

Finally, we stopped in this cookie store. It was supposed to special because Obama bought a cookie there. I didn't buy one but kind of wish I did. Unfortunately I'd spent way too much money at the tea shop across the street beforehand to even bother bringing out my wallet again. I got some seriously delicious teas though and a new travelers mug so I'm happy.

That, my friends, is what a successful long weekend looks like. Hope everyone enjoyed thier weekends too, long or not!

xoTaylor

Mid-Week Anticipations

So this is what my life has looked like lately. I've been on a health kick for the last while and so this delicious salad tasted like heaven to me. MMMMMM greeny goodness. I've catching up on readings so I can get my butt in gear and get my exam Friday ACED. Finally, I am now telling fortunes as you can see from my fashionable head wrap above. First prediction: tomorrow...I see...the sun coming up! Pretty great right? I know. I was just born with this talent.

2 days to freedom my friends because I will be DONE school (until September of course)! Until then...I'll just be busy pulling all my hair out!

xoTaylor

Currently

I've seen these "Currently" segments floating around the blogosphere and thought it might be a good departure from just telling you about my day. Also, I met my daily bow quota yesterday. So proud.

Here goes:

Obsessing over: Harry Potter. It's getting a little ridiculous. I found a Harry Potter tumblr and it got me feeling very nostalgic for the old crew so I've been working my way through the movies. Last night I finished The Order of the Pheonix which is probably my favourite.Since I've been watching the movies Harry, Ron and Hermoine have been starring in my dreams the last couple of nights. I know, obsessed. Not gonna complain because its fun! I honestly think the world is an unfair place because I can't go to Hogwarts. It just looks like the best thing ever. I guess I'll just have to settle for my dreams.

Working on: possibly, maybe thinking about starting to study. I'm feeling very unmotivated. It's like this at the end of every term. The last exam is the hardest because you're so close and you just want to be done but you're so close so you SHOULDN'T give up.

Thinking about: girls night tonight! All of the girls are going out for wings! I love getting together with everyone. It's so hard to see everyone when we are all going in so many different directions so I love when someone plans a night for us to all reconnect.

Listening to: the sounds of my space heater. I'm actually a freak. It's the middle of summer and I keep a space heater next to my desk. I have no idea why I like it but it keeps my legs so warm. Unfortunately it drowns out the sound of my music so most of the time I don't even realize the radio is on.

Wishing for: an A on my exam Friday! I know I can do it! I finished my other course yesterday night. I had a final quiz and I got an A on that. So happy.

Saturday morning my Mom, my Stepdad and the boyfriend and I are off to Ottawa for the weekend! I'm so excited. I lived in Ottawa for a year when I went to Carleton for my first year of university. I ended up missing home and transfered to my currect school after first year. I did love Ottawa though and everyone I met there. I can't wait to be back in the city and show the boyfriend around! So much excitement.

xoTaylor

Secrets

If you haven't heard of PostSecret it's a community art project started by Frank Warren. He began by placing postcards in mailboxes that were addressed to him and he instructed people to anonymously send them back to him with their deepest, darkest secrets on them.

Here are just a few:

These are just a few. Some are secrets about horrible things they've done to other people, or what horrible people have done to them. Some are their biggest fears or funniest stories. Some are love letters to people they will never be able to love, some are tales of embaressment or revenge. They're fascinating.

Check them out if you want more! Frank has put a selection into 5 or 6 books. I found all of these on various PostSecret tumblrs. Every Sunday on postsecret.com new secrets get posted. I love checking them every Monday morning. If you buy a book there's your own post card to send in. I'm yet to send one in but maybe one day!!

xoTaylor

Introspections

I'm definitely someone who is outgoing, loud and crazy but I also find that I'm stuck in my head a lot of the time. I over-think everything, I worry a lot and I find myself wondering about things more than I think the average person does. I'm fascinated by people...I probably schould have been some sort of psychologist...and I always find myself thinking about how other people feel or wondering what's going through their heads or just watching them to try to figure them out. Sometimes I like being a thinker like that but it's also made me a very anxious person. Over a month ago I went to my doctors and she was asking me some standard questions and she fell on the topic of anxiety. I knew I was anxious and maybe even a little OCD but after talking to my doctor I realized that I'm anxious a lot more than I thought I was, I just wasn't classifying it correctly. I also talked to her about the fact that I sometimes have panic attacks at night when I'm trying to sleep and my mind wanders to scary topics like death. It was nice to finally tell someone.

Today I'm going back to see her to talk about some possible reading I could do. Last time my doctor told me I may have some mild anxiety and OCD issues and that I could try reading some books about it, or see a therapist or even go on medication depending on what I felt was necessary or what I was comfortable with. At first I didn't want to do any of them but I feel like it's a good choice to start to educate myself with this. If I tried to stifle these feelings they may get worse. I'm happy with my decision to reach out and understand myself.

Basically I'm telling you this story a) to simply share with you and b) to remind everyone that things are not always as they appear. As of lately I've been trying to understand the people around me better. I think I make some quick explanations for why people are the way they are and it's important to try to see past what people show you and try to understand the motives behind how people act.

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle."

And I'll leave you with that.

xoTaylor

Weekend Update

I had the most wonderful weekend! On Friday me and my two best friends traveled to the deepest pits of Toronto to see a Michael Jackson/Jackson 5 cover band. I myself am not a big Michael Jackson fan but it was for my friends birthday so it was up to her. I had a suprisingly good time given the fact that I wasn't even drinking! The energy was so cool at the club. Everyone danced to the music and no guys were coming up behind you to rub their crotch on you which is always a bonus if you ask me. It was so fun and carefree and I got to do it with my best friends.

Saturday me and the boyfriend travelled to Missisauga to spend the night in a hotel and see a play. Although the play was only okay I had so much fun getting away with him. The next day we went to Playdium (a giant arcade) and played the afternoon away. I'm pretty pathetic at most things but I beat him at motorcycle racing. Booyah. After that we saw Spiderman and the moral of that story is: I want to be Emma Stone.

It was such a wonderful weekend! Now I've got to get my head back into school work. I have an essay due this Friday, a quiz on Monday and a final exam next Friday and then I'm free!

Hope the weekend brought as many happy memories for everyone else!

xoTaylor