Wreck This Journal & The Ultimate Winter Bedsheets

I mentioned the other day that I ordered Wreck This Journal from Amazon.ca using the Swagbucks I had. *seriously awesome free stuff!* Anyway, it arrived and has taken me a couple of days to finally get into some destruction/active creativity. If you've never heard of this book before, it's the brainchild of Keri Smith who was tired of reading books about creativity and wanted to just jump in and create something.

Each page instructs the user to 'do something'...whether it be taking the book into the shower with you, collect stickers from fruit to decorate the page or cracking the spine of the book (page 2).
I had this listed among my 35 Things to do...so that also makes me feel like I'm accomplishing something :)

I'll be adding photos to my Flickr account under the Wreck This Journal set if you are interested in seeing the rest of the images. :)



I also found a bedsheet & quilt set that I am IN LOVE with. Yes, completely.*swoon* The unfortunate part...it's sold out. *sigh* I saw an advertisement in the latest issue of Living and figured it would cost an arm & a leg. But I was wrong...it was in fact, very well priced (they are seasonal after all..which is what I wanted) and had I known this earlier, I would have bought it immediately. *sigh* I guess it will be on my radar for next year.



My brother found a Scottish store while he was in Niagara and bought me these. *sigh* I miss Scotland...and prawn cocktail crisps. *They taste like cocktail sauce* Speaking of the UK, if you have noticed..my relocation fund now sits at 51%. Crazy. I've been very good about putting money aside as soon as my paycheque appears and have definitely stuck to the monthly plan I make. The only thing I need to do now is to figure out how to make more money! :)

I saved my horoscope from the other day in the hopes that it will come true:

"If you're discontented with your surroundings, it's time to make changes. A new job

and happy relationship are within your grasp."

I hope so.

Recap?

I'm sure I've made mention various times on this blog about how fast time seems to be ticking and tocking it's way through 2009. Well, I only just realized that I barely gave you any posts for November! *Not that it's been terribly exciting mind you, but few updates nonetheless!*

Late last week I won tickets to go and see Gordon Lightfoot at Massey Hall from Roots Music Canada on Twitter (RootsMusiCanada)..I highly suggest you add them if you are a fan of roots/folk music in Canada.

Anyway, I took my very lovely cousin Kim with me to the show and we had just a really nice night in the city. (Although I think I talked her ear off about anything and everything that was irking/concerning/entertaining me...at.that.moment. *ack*) Sorry Kim!*LOL* The show was great and it's tough to imagine standing on stage at 71 and playing for a full house (however if one was to do it, that would be the way to do it!)

I ordered another book from Blurb.com to test out a few things for the family cookbook. Namely the wrap image cover. I'll be using this as a bit of a portfolio of sorts. I've printed things with Blurb twice in the past and have always been very pleased with their service and their products! I love the idea of a hardcover book without the dust jacket (although that's cool too) and I can't wait to see how it all looks together.

This weekend coming up I plan on photographing another recipe for the cookbook..most likely Rachelle's dip. *yum* (This also means I get to eat it...and consequently will need to really hit the gym hard to make up for it!)

On the "what the hell have I been doing to accomplish my goals" side, I have purchased 2 Christmas gifts *yeah* which means I don't have to go back to those crazy stores before the holidays.

I haven't bought any new pajamas yet (nor thrown out the tshirts*L*) and I abandonned the idea of NaNoWriMo entirely. Not this year, I'm not organized enough.

This paycheque will see me getting out of my Telus contract (thank GOD) and getting a new phone with Koodo (I think). Although I'd love to get a new fancy phone with all the bells and whistles, I can't justify paying the amount of money the monthly bill would be (and I do not want another contract in case I head overseas).

Anyway..I'm tired and should be heading off to bed, but thought I'd at least give you a minimal update.

Swagbucks

I'm not really sure how much I've spoken about Swagbucks since I joined them and I wanted to give you an update on what I've redeemed for!

Swagbucks is an online search engine that rewards it's users with Swagbucks. Swagbucks can be earned by using their search engine, reading their blog, surfing their site, hooking up via Facebook and Twitter.

Thus far I've redeemed for gift certificates, Paypal money and a couple of raffles.

I had $15.00 in Amazon gift certificates that I received just buy using their google search!
Sooo easy peasy. Earning stuff for doing what I'd be doing anyway is a pretty sweet deal.

Anyhooooo, I redeemed my Amazon gift certificates for my own Wreck This Journal by Keri Smith, which goes hand in hand with my 35 things list. (Go Me!)

I think if you are going to be googling anything or searching for anything online, you may as well get something super awesome from it! That's what I've been doing anyway :)

Seriously..check it out!
And if you are interested in joining, please use my referral link :)

Cheers!

October Recap & November Goals

Okay all, here's a recap of what happened in October:

I did manage to meet up with Scott! (Yeah :))

I did make an extra $25 this past month primarily via online surveys (check the links on the right hand column if you are interested in making some easy extra cash too!)

I photographed 2 strangers for the 100 Strangers Project...not the ten I had hoped, but better than nothing!

I went on at least 2 photo excursions (Black Creek Pioneer Village & the 7th Annual Toronto Zombie Walk)

I met 3 new men...granted it was online, but I think that still counts and we shall see what will come of it. :)

My goal was to add $700 to my relocation fund. I added $800! Yahoooo.

I collected a few recipes for the family cookbook and photographed one session...please note, if you haven't sent your receipes yet...I still need them!

I bought all new fancy bras (threw out the ones that were rather dire) in order to upgrade my feminine wiles. At least under my clothes! :) (This also puts me part way to my 35 Goals Project)

I stopped using take away cups for coffee and started using a thermal mug and went back to using the thermos that Darryl and Patti got me last Christmas. Yeah me!


November Goals are pretty basic this time around.

I totally fell off my budget the past few months, so I want to bring that back again. I plan on being pretty strict this November too!
I still need to save a lot for the relocation (if it is to even happen) and there are still some things I need to save for....new phone, Christmas gifts, new laptop, etc.

I want to sell and toss/donate some of my things. I have far too much that I don't need and that are just taking up space and energy.

I want to try a few new recipes to keep my lunches interesting.

I want to spend MUCH more time at the gym. There are a couple of classes that I like, but I need to ramp up my activity there in general!

I want to be more organized! So, keeping things neat and tidy and watching less television will help! I will also do much better at tracking things in my organizer.

I want to photograph 10 more strangers

I want to attempt NaNoWriMo...

I want to buy at least two new cute pairs of pajamas and throw out the old tshirts I've been wearing.

I want to add at least 20 things to my Etsy site.

I want to keep my living space tidy tidy tidy!

I want to restrict my intake of diet Coke...this will be tough for me, but I'm going to try and limit it to twice a week max.

I want to go and see the BodyWorlds exhibit...anyone wanna join me???

I want to purchase the majority of my Christmas gifts online so that I can be finished early!


Whew...looks like it will be a busy November *whew* I bet get started!!

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween everyone!
Well I'll be updating my goals tomorrow and I am seriously considering NaNoWriMo again this year...although I am a bit stuck as to what my novel would be about. Hmmmmm. Don't know if I am motivated to write thousands of words in a day again..like the dissertation. Gah.

Still taking photos on a regular basis and loving that everyone is starting to submit their recipes for the family cookbook!! Please keep 'em coming!

This week has been a lot about scary movies and getting to bed early to avoid getting sick again, catching up with some old friends and maybe even making some new ones.

Autumn & Zombies...and oh yeah..Scott!

The trees are all starting to lose their brightly coloured leaves and it won't be long until we need to scrape the cars of ice and switch over to flannel sheets on the bed. I love fall, but am less enamoured with winter. Every year I hope things will be different, but mostly it's all about staying warm and hibernating.
This year though, I do plan on breaking out the skates more often than I have in ages and involving myself with my many nerdy projects.

This past weekend I met up with Scott and had a really nice afternoon shooting zombies at the 7th Annual Toronto Zombie Walk

and just hanging out and kvetching about life. I do have to issue a bit of an apology to Scott though for my lethargic behaviour and wandering brain.

I found out that my bank card had been compromised and the bank had actually blocked the card. Hence I had like $20 to my name. It's all been fixed since and I didn't find out about all the fuss until Sunday, I just thought my transfer hadn't gone through! *sigh*

Scott is doing well...and is bearded! It was so great to catch up with him and hopefully it won't take as long as this meet-up did :)

Standing Up For Myself

I rushed around the house this morning getting dressed, making coffee, scarfing down some cereal and tossing together a tomato and an apple for lunch. It was the best I could do in such a hurry.

At lunch I remembered the snack machine in the lunchroom. I usually eat outside while the weather is nice, but it's getting tougher to do now that winter is fast approaching. The lunchroom was packed (as usual) but I managed to grab myself a seat and a package of Garden Salsa Sunchips ($1.00) to supplement my rather pathetic lunch.

A coworker sat across from me and made a comment about the tomato/apple I was having for lunch and how healthy I was. I replied back, "Yes, but I'm eating badly too..all about balance" and laughed and pointed to the Sunchips. I shrugged and went back to the crossword puzzle.

English is generally not spoken in the lunchroom (and rarely in my workplace!) and everyone went about chatting and eating. The coworker sitting across from me is one of the few other employees who speaks English.

I was halfway through eating my sad lunch...and was about to put a sunchip into my mouth and my coworker said, "You shouldn't eat that."

I was taken aback and a voice came out of my mouth that shocked even me when I looked up and said, "I'll eat whatever I like."

My coworker said "what?" And I repeated it.

This time, louder and clearer...and dare I say it...hopefully a bit meaner.

I often find that I get angry at myself when I don't think fast enough on my feet to put people in their place. I then stew on what I should have said/done all day. Well, not today. Today I was pleased for standing up for myself and taking ownership over what is MY choice.

I get that I am a bigger gal. I will never be a size 2, let alone a size 0. No offense, but I don't want to be a zero..never taking up any space in this world. But just because I am bigger than a size 6 gives you NO right to make comments on what I am eating. Just as if you were a size 2 I wouldn't comment on what you should be eating!

The more I think about it though, the more I notice that I make an effort in my life to not say anything to anyone that might be considered rude, out of turn or just none of my damned business! Whatever happened to tact, manners, grace? What gives people the notion that THEY should make judgement on someone else for their choices?

More often than not, I find it also reflects back on how I respond to people as well. I am generally taken aback when people make comments that I believe are inappropriate, rude or even downright derogatory. So much so that I don't say anything at all...and that is what I am going to change. Starting now. Offenders, be on guard.

I will not ask you how much money you make (and honestly, I'm not really interested unless you have a job for me too), how much you weigh, what size you wear..unless we are talking about shoes (cause I'm all about the shoes) or call you demeaning "masked as cute" nicknames (chipmunk cheeks) or make you feel badly about yourself. You don't deserve it....and neither do I.