Ok, so I was just watching this week's My Drunk Kitchen (developing a serious YouTube addiction I know) and Hanna featured Hank from a channel called the VlogBrothers... so I naturally clicked along, and pretty much fell in love!
Nerd alert! It was clear within about 10 seconds that these are my kind of people... I mean look at the bookshelves in this video....look at my book shelves.... Similar no? Anyways, wanted to share this video of recommendations for Christmas book gifting. And tell you a few I put on my list from it!
Here's what... based on this video.... I want to read ASAP
The emperor of all maladies: A Biography of Cancer.
The ballad of the whiskey robber.
Uglies.
The Magicians.
So if you're wondering what to get me this year any of the above would do... and I promise not to buy them myself until after the holidays.
Currently reading: The Land of Painted Caves....almost done it too!
Cheers!
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Wordless Wednesday - Flurry
This is my dog Flurry... who lives at home with my parents in the Sault... I thought I'd share him with you this Wednesday.
Poor Cone Dog.
He's a little fluffer-nuckle.
Peeing on the ice on the rink on the lake (that's my dad btw!)
Come on... isn't he a super cute sausage dog?
Anyways he's getting old and lumpy but I can't wait to see him when I get home for Christmas!
Monday, November 26, 2012
Black Friday Haul
Ok so against my better financial judgment I did some Black Friday shopping... yes we have it here in Canada, but it's way less intense than in the States...for instance noone pulls out pepper spray or guns.
I did pretty well as far as sales go.
Express had 50% from Thursday night till Friday before Noon. And I think they are doing 40% off Cyber Monday right now.
(clearly I need better natural lighting for photos) but I picked up a sweet neon yellow sheer blouse for 25, a yellow clutch for 7ish and an off white shirt (good with leggings) for 15.
Guess marked all their previously reduced stuff an extra 40%.
Picked up the knit dress... super cute and cozy for only $32 after all the reductions.
American Eagle... 40% off the whole store I think? I donno it was a zoo in there.
Doesn't this make for an awesome sweater party sweater... I tried it on in line (since the line was that long) and it even passed Kev's 'is it an ugly old man sweater' test (he says, nope!) I think it was like $20 (I wore it right away and got rid of the tag/receipt)
Lululemon... while they technically didn't do a black friday sale, lulu market mall marked down a bunch of stuff extra cheap and put it all on racks (so you didn't have to dig for it)....needless to say you had to buy without trying on.
Terrible pic I know (but I took these last night at like 11pm...seriously there was no lighting only flash). The two Run tanks were marked from 52 to $24. The Virtue Energy Pant were marked down from 98 to $59. Then I picked up gloves and a head band full price....cause I needed them. I also picked up a yoga bag.... no pic sorry... for $34 (it was the last one and followed a lady round the store until she put it down and left... so I could grab it....ok maybe black friday brings out the worst in Canadians too?)
Anyways did you shop? what did you get? (and mom when you read this... I know..."Stop Spending Money!")
I did pretty well as far as sales go.
Express had 50% from Thursday night till Friday before Noon. And I think they are doing 40% off Cyber Monday right now.
(clearly I need better natural lighting for photos) but I picked up a sweet neon yellow sheer blouse for 25, a yellow clutch for 7ish and an off white shirt (good with leggings) for 15.
Guess marked all their previously reduced stuff an extra 40%.
Picked up the knit dress... super cute and cozy for only $32 after all the reductions.
American Eagle... 40% off the whole store I think? I donno it was a zoo in there.
Doesn't this make for an awesome sweater party sweater... I tried it on in line (since the line was that long) and it even passed Kev's 'is it an ugly old man sweater' test (he says, nope!) I think it was like $20 (I wore it right away and got rid of the tag/receipt)
Lululemon... while they technically didn't do a black friday sale, lulu market mall marked down a bunch of stuff extra cheap and put it all on racks (so you didn't have to dig for it)....needless to say you had to buy without trying on.
Terrible pic I know (but I took these last night at like 11pm...seriously there was no lighting only flash). The two Run tanks were marked from 52 to $24. The Virtue Energy Pant were marked down from 98 to $59. Then I picked up gloves and a head band full price....cause I needed them. I also picked up a yoga bag.... no pic sorry... for $34 (it was the last one and followed a lady round the store until she put it down and left... so I could grab it....ok maybe black friday brings out the worst in Canadians too?)
Anyways did you shop? what did you get? (and mom when you read this... I know..."Stop Spending Money!")
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Weekend Recap Nov 25
Eeeep! only one month until Christmas people! And I am soooo not ready! I have a huge list of crafting and baking to get done by then, plus add in a tonne of school work....busy busy busy (but what else have I come to expect?)
What did I do the last couple days you might say? (Because naturally the details of my life are of utmost interest to everyone)
Thursday Night
Hope you had a great weekend too!
What did I do the last couple days you might say? (Because naturally the details of my life are of utmost interest to everyone)
Thursday Night
- Attended Young Women of Influence Evening Series, featuring a panel on Work/Life Balance (expect a post in the next week or so...I took notes like a champ)
- Came home and made super tasty stir-fried veggies in peanut sauce...
- Opened my chest freezer to get a chicken breast out.... and bam, everything was melty and rotting
- Threw out 20+ pounds of food including homemade raviolis, homemade perogies, and homemade chicken soup
- Called my mom and sulked about it
- Lay down on the floor, called Kevin and whined about it
- Emailed my boss about it
- Tweeted about it (you know when something like that happens, and no one is there the experience it with you, and you just have to tell everyone!)
- Woke up and cleaned freezer
- Went to the lab and ran an agarose gel
- Did some Black Friday shopping with my friend Sarah
- Practiced my hair styling on her, getting her ready for a winter formal
- Ran 3miles at the gym while watching the first half of the Vanier cup....McMaster lost :(
- Had a Euchre party in Kevin's room until 4am... much beer was consumed
- Woke up early to send everyone else out to Banff to snowboard
- Went back to sleep till 1pm
- Cleaned the party remains
- Baked these Apple Pie Squares from Leigh at All you Need is Love
- Went to her house to meet up with some of the other bloggers round town
- Drove out to Banff
- Wine was consumed (Apothic Red of course)
- Woke up to this view
- Spent a cozy morning with Kev
- Worked on a presentation for school
- Added a list of Calgary Blogs up at the top (in my header)
- Watched we bought a zoo
- Bed soon!
Hope you had a great weekend too!
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
15 firsts
OK... I'm waiting to meet with my supervisor, and I saw this was going around on blogs today (from Lacey at The Next Chapter) and thought oooh sounds like fun. So here's 15 firsts!
- First thing you do when you wake up in the morning: Apart from lingering in my bed for as long as I possibly can...brush my teeth, I hate tasting my own mouth in the morning.
- First thing you reach for when you open the fridge: If I’m being good the Brita filtered water (nice and cold, no tap, luke cold water for this girl)...If I’m being not so good, cheese of some variety.
- First things you do when you go to the gym: Treadmill (unless I ran to the gym) even if I don’t run more than a mile, it’s good to get your muscles warmed up before you get to anything else.
- First thing you do you when you get home from work: Pants off, comfy pants/shorts on!
- First car: I drove my parent’s Neon, and then the Mazda...and then because they spoil me they bought me the pretty blue civic which I currently drive and adore.
- First car accident / traffic violation: I got a speeding ticket in a work truck one summer on the highway (was literally only going 15km over, and he got me just past the sign where it dropped from a 90 to a 70). Never driven in an accident, but have been a passenger in one (terrifying!).
- First thing you wanted to be when you grew up: Used to want to be a vet...until I learned that I would have to put animals to sleep.
- First choice beverage: Ok, let’s be honest...I like Coca-Cola....Like in a I crave it every now and then kind of way. But I don’t allow myself to buy it/keep it in my apartment. Usually I’m just a water girl.
- First choice breakfast: One day I’ll get to go to Denny’s again, and get those potatoes....there’s a story here where 3 weekends in a row I got my hopes up and was denied (not fun on a hangover).
- First choice dessert:Vanilla ice cream with hot apple pie.
- First song that comes to mind: I’ve got an Adele song in my head... don’t know which one.
- First major purchase: I don’t know here.... um I had to spend 400bucks at once on maintenance on my car....it was a devastating day for me. But all my major purchases are flights!
- First job: I tutored Kumon math after school to primary aged kids...wasn’t a huge fan because you had to stop the kids from counting on their fingers (the way I learned basic adding and subtracting).
- First time you flew on a plane: I was only a couple weeks old... my dad’s a pilot and he flew us (me him mom) up to the Sault to visit the rest of my family when I was a wee little baby, and we were living in Southern Ontario.
- First real "big girl" job: I am a grad student....so getting a ‘big girl’ job is something for waaaay down the line...but really I want to stay in academia forever, and never have to do that.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Coffee with Scribbles and Sass
What a long day.... out of bed at 6 and in front of my computer in the lab at 6:30....but super productive! Put together a solid presentation for my lab meeting, and have my project back on track with feasible future directions.
After work I headed down 17th ave to Cafe Beano to meet Laura from Scribbles and Sass...if you haven't checked her blog out yet, I'd highly recommend you click on over there.
After work I headed down 17th ave to Cafe Beano to meet Laura from Scribbles and Sass...if you haven't checked her blog out yet, I'd highly recommend you click on over there.
Did you do it? Did you click it?
And since the Chinook we've all been enjoying here in Calgary for the last week or so finally blew itself out, and the temperature dropped about 15 degrees today, I decided it was time to get this puppy out.
Oh yeah, knockoff spirit hood time! love it!
Laura and I met to chat about a great Canadian Charity Yoga-extraveganza that's coming up in March. Laura is one of the fantastic lady behind the scenes here in Calgary, and she's convinced me to help out too (didn't really take much convincing because it's a great cause, and who doesn't love mass yoga events?)
The organization I'm talking about it Power Of Movement. This is a Yoga event taking place all across Canada to raise funds for the Arthritis Foundation, which raises funds and awareness to support research into a group of conditions which affect over 4.6 million Canadians (including children!). So while you can expect to see more about this group and event from me as we approach March, click on over to their website to learn more of what it's about and register!
And we chatted about lots of other stuff too! Like how we're both from Ontario, both half Italian, both 17th ave. And as for Cafe Beano... I've never been in before (not a coffee drinker) but it's a super cute cafe, great atmosphere, great, friendly service, and cozy!
A cup of Tea and The power of movement....oh and a kick ass pipette pen!
On the walk home I was stopped in my tracks by something I saw in the front window of Steeling Home (one of my favourite shops!).
All kinds of amazing Christmas Tree ornaments! Pay day is Friday... I'll be rushing to take some of these home with me for sure!
Monday, November 19, 2012
Dyeing my Lululemon Define Jacket to Hide a Stain
You might have noticed that I have a love affair...with lululemon that is. There's something just magical about being swaddled in Luon, and I've spent enough of my hard earned money there to have a drawer full of the stuff.
One of my all time favourite lulu products is the Define Jacket. I have three, a grey/black one, a red one and a blue one.
I love this jacket for casual wear and running, it's the perfect length, it doesn't ride up, it keeps you warm but not hot and you can stash things in the pockets. In fact I ran 2 10km races this year in my blue one.
Only my blue one isn't blue anymore. Remember the pink pants I wore to the Calgary Taste the Trucks food truck thing (here) well turns out they bled in the wash... and managed to leave an huge pink/purple stain on the back of my favourite blue define jacket.
So I figured, well I've had this sweater for over 2 years now, but I love it (and it represents $100 so I don't want to get rid of it unless I have to) so why not try to salvage it (I mean it can't get any more ruined).
A step-by-step guide on Dyeing your Stained Lululemon
1. Buy your dye, remember you are overdying so the colour you will get will be a combination of the old colour and the new, plus you want to cover the stain. Since my stain was pink and my lulu was blue, I bought a single package of Rit dye in Fushia, hoping for a purple final colour. You can get Rit online, or at most crafty type stores, I picked mine up at Micheals and it cost about $3.
2. Put your lulu into a bucket of hot (but not boiling water) I heated about 4litres of water in a kettle until just before it got to boiling. You want enough water that your lulu is just covered.
3. Premix the dye with half a litre of hot water, this way when you add it to the bucket you get a more even dye. Add it into the bucket by pushing your lulu out of the way and pouring it into the water (do not pour directly onto lulu).
4.Using your hands (in gloves) or a stirring apparatus, you want to mix/swirl/agitate the lulu in the dye for ~15minutes. If you keep it moving you will get a more even dye, if you don't you will get splotches.
5. Add half a cup of salt to half a litre of hot water, dissolve, then add into bucket. This will help set the dye. Again mix/swirl/agitate for about 15min.
6. Add a tbsp of laundry detergent to the bucket. This will also help set the dye. Again mix/swirl/agitate for about 5min.
7.Dump the bucket and lulu into your kitchen sink (or laundry sink, caution the dye can stain sinks and tubs, so that's why you want to go with your stainless steel one in the kitchen). Rinse lulu under warm water until the water begins to run clear (this took many many rinses, that thing held a lot of dye).
8. Hang to dry over the sink overnight.
Now I am going to wash my lulu in a regulalar old fashioned washing machine, by itself, before I wear it, as I don't want to risk having residual dye turn my skin/clothes pink. But I tried it on just to see how it looked!
Now this picture lighting fades the colour, it's actual a bit brighter purple. As you can see the dye won't change the zippers, it also doesn't take on the stitching they use (something to keep in mind when selecting colours). Interestingly the elastic loop on the back dyed much darker, and it has no effect on the reflective lulu logo either.
Overall I'd call this project a success, and I feel like I can wear this sweater again. This is a great thing to try if you've ruined any of your lulu in the wash (or if you've had issues with colours bleeding in general). I'll update this post once I've washed it a few times, and once I've run in it to see if it still preforms like it should.
One of my all time favourite lulu products is the Define Jacket. I have three, a grey/black one, a red one and a blue one.
I love this jacket for casual wear and running, it's the perfect length, it doesn't ride up, it keeps you warm but not hot and you can stash things in the pockets. In fact I ran 2 10km races this year in my blue one.
Only my blue one isn't blue anymore. Remember the pink pants I wore to the Calgary Taste the Trucks food truck thing (here) well turns out they bled in the wash... and managed to leave an huge pink/purple stain on the back of my favourite blue define jacket.
A step-by-step guide on Dyeing your Stained Lululemon
1. Buy your dye, remember you are overdying so the colour you will get will be a combination of the old colour and the new, plus you want to cover the stain. Since my stain was pink and my lulu was blue, I bought a single package of Rit dye in Fushia, hoping for a purple final colour. You can get Rit online, or at most crafty type stores, I picked mine up at Micheals and it cost about $3.
2. Put your lulu into a bucket of hot (but not boiling water) I heated about 4litres of water in a kettle until just before it got to boiling. You want enough water that your lulu is just covered.
3. Premix the dye with half a litre of hot water, this way when you add it to the bucket you get a more even dye. Add it into the bucket by pushing your lulu out of the way and pouring it into the water (do not pour directly onto lulu).
4.Using your hands (in gloves) or a stirring apparatus, you want to mix/swirl/agitate the lulu in the dye for ~15minutes. If you keep it moving you will get a more even dye, if you don't you will get splotches.
5. Add half a cup of salt to half a litre of hot water, dissolve, then add into bucket. This will help set the dye. Again mix/swirl/agitate for about 15min.
6. Add a tbsp of laundry detergent to the bucket. This will also help set the dye. Again mix/swirl/agitate for about 5min.
7.Dump the bucket and lulu into your kitchen sink (or laundry sink, caution the dye can stain sinks and tubs, so that's why you want to go with your stainless steel one in the kitchen). Rinse lulu under warm water until the water begins to run clear (this took many many rinses, that thing held a lot of dye).
8. Hang to dry over the sink overnight.
Now I am going to wash my lulu in a regulalar old fashioned washing machine, by itself, before I wear it, as I don't want to risk having residual dye turn my skin/clothes pink. But I tried it on just to see how it looked!
Now this picture lighting fades the colour, it's actual a bit brighter purple. As you can see the dye won't change the zippers, it also doesn't take on the stitching they use (something to keep in mind when selecting colours). Interestingly the elastic loop on the back dyed much darker, and it has no effect on the reflective lulu logo either.
Overall I'd call this project a success, and I feel like I can wear this sweater again. This is a great thing to try if you've ruined any of your lulu in the wash (or if you've had issues with colours bleeding in general). I'll update this post once I've washed it a few times, and once I've run in it to see if it still preforms like it should.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Tea....Tea....Tea Cozy?
So I've been on the tea wagon a bit lately... and as my collection grows, I decided I needed a pretty, cozy place for them to live. I decided a shoe box would do. But I thought I'd glue gun makeover that shoe box first.
What I used?
Extra fabric squares, left over from making the quilt from this Sparked My Pinterest. The shoe box which my new nike runners came in (featured here). And the glue gun that my brother got me for Christmas a few years ago (I maintain that a house is not a home without a glue gun, and that if duct tape is the handy man's secret weapon, then hot glue is the handy woman's).
Three minor finger burns later and voila!
Are you on the tea band wagon? Do you think it's here to stay? I don't drink coffee, so tea's an awesome alternative!
What I used?
Extra fabric squares, left over from making the quilt from this Sparked My Pinterest. The shoe box which my new nike runners came in (featured here). And the glue gun that my brother got me for Christmas a few years ago (I maintain that a house is not a home without a glue gun, and that if duct tape is the handy man's secret weapon, then hot glue is the handy woman's).
Three minor finger burns later and voila!
Are you on the tea band wagon? Do you think it's here to stay? I don't drink coffee, so tea's an awesome alternative!
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
I won a gift from Red Parka Designs
So like many of you, I enter quite a few give-a-ways on people's blogs. Last August I entered Kitty and Buck's group giveaway. And ooooh my goodness, I won a $30 dollar gift card to Red Parka Designs. So I happily clicked on over to Jennifer's shop and shopped my happy little bottom off! When my order came in the mail (all the way from Down Under to Calgary...as close to the other side of the world as you can get pretty much) I was a super happy camper!
Oh yeah, did I mention she took the time to personalize the packaging! Also check out how many stamps it took to get here. What did I get inside?
I got two sets of adorable fridge magnets, and then because it was too hard to pick and choose, I got a mystery 10 pack of awesome cards!
The magnets live on my fridge...currently holding up nothing but looking cool along with my Budweiser ones (they come inside the beers at the saddle dome!) my Calabria magnet and my Libin one!
Anyways here's a belated thanks to Jen at Red Parka and to Shell at kitty and buck for an awesome give-a-way!
Oh yeah, did I mention she took the time to personalize the packaging! Also check out how many stamps it took to get here. What did I get inside?
I got two sets of adorable fridge magnets, and then because it was too hard to pick and choose, I got a mystery 10 pack of awesome cards!
The magnets live on my fridge...currently holding up nothing but looking cool along with my Budweiser ones (they come inside the beers at the saddle dome!) my Calabria magnet and my Libin one!
Anyways here's a belated thanks to Jen at Red Parka and to Shell at kitty and buck for an awesome give-a-way!
Monday, November 12, 2012
Sparked my Pinterest 03
As a mechanism to avoid washing some dishes for just a little while longer... here's another volume of Sparked my Pinterest.
Items to Buy Well I mean it is Movember and these would just be the perfect earrings to rock this month!
Stuff to Make Since winter has full on set in here in Calgary, I could use an extra scarf or two... this cowl with a neat pattern of arrows would be perfect.
Things to Wear why is it so bad that I really really justwant to wear a sick furry coat like this one? It wouldn't be that crazy lady would it?
Food and Drinks This is such a great idea... its a cup cake recipe that makes only two cupcakes! This is what I need when I want a treat for the BF and I but don't want eat the other dozen or so most of my recipes makes.
Anyways you can always come and Pin Along with Me here!
Items to Buy Well I mean it is Movember and these would just be the perfect earrings to rock this month!
Stuff to Make Since winter has full on set in here in Calgary, I could use an extra scarf or two... this cowl with a neat pattern of arrows would be perfect.
Things to Wear why is it so bad that I really really justwant to wear a sick furry coat like this one? It wouldn't be that crazy lady would it?
Food and Drinks This is such a great idea... its a cup cake recipe that makes only two cupcakes! This is what I need when I want a treat for the BF and I but don't want eat the other dozen or so most of my recipes makes.
Anyways you can always come and Pin Along with Me here!
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Least we forget. Remembrance Day
November 11th in Canada is Remembrance Day, which marks the end of the first world war, at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. It has become a day to remember all of the people who gave their lives for our country, particularly in World War 1 and 2. We were poppies throughout November as a sign of respect. The symbol of the poppy comes from the poem 'In Flanders Fields' written by the Canadian John McCrae back in 1915. And while I am not a huge fan of poetry in general, this is truly one of the most beautiful, moving poems I know.
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.
This year, I think I'll take 2 minutes of silence with the rest of Canada at 11AM and remember not only those people who gave their lives, but also those who had them ripped away. Last year I had the opportunity to visit Auschwitz while I was in Poland, and there are few places in the world that I feel can touch a person so deeply as that. So whether you hold Remembrance Day in your hearts today or not, maybe take a second to Remember what you have to be thankful for, you are alive, you are free, and the fact that you are came from the sacrifices of so many people.
Friday, November 9, 2012
How many books is too many?
I like books. I like to buy them, and read them. I like to fold down the corners of pages rather than use a bookmark. I love to read in a bubble bath, and have on occasion dipped the corner of a book in the water. I can honestly say you'll never convert me to an eReader, there's just too much goodness that comes from a printed book.
Like every little brunette girl, I wanted what the Beast gave Belle, a library, walls covered floor to ceiling in books, beautiful books. Since moving into my own apartment over a year ago, I've started to make that happen (well many of the books I've had for years, half of the boxes I drove across the country were books).
This is what my living room looks like...it might be time for a fourth set of shelves soon. And some art/photos over the TV.
Lots of nicknacks live on my shelves with the books... and some shoes that don't have any other homes. Also a set of tiny mice from Ikea.
There's all sorts of books on my shelves including some old school medical encyclopedias, some cook books, and a heck of a lot of fantasy books (pushes nerd glasses further onto nose). If you look real close you can see the twighlight books live in disgrace at the bottom.
Book shelves, for all their inherant beauty are a pain in the but to dust tho... Fun fact most of these books I've read at least 3 times! Which in some ways justifies me owning rather than borrowing from a library.
This is an awesome vintage toy microscope, next to a tiny clay lizard man I made back in grade 10, in front of Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth books which I highly recommend.
Last night I bought another two books! I really may have a problem!
What was the last book you read?
Like every little brunette girl, I wanted what the Beast gave Belle, a library, walls covered floor to ceiling in books, beautiful books. Since moving into my own apartment over a year ago, I've started to make that happen (well many of the books I've had for years, half of the boxes I drove across the country were books).
This is what my living room looks like...it might be time for a fourth set of shelves soon. And some art/photos over the TV.
Lots of nicknacks live on my shelves with the books... and some shoes that don't have any other homes. Also a set of tiny mice from Ikea.
There's all sorts of books on my shelves including some old school medical encyclopedias, some cook books, and a heck of a lot of fantasy books (pushes nerd glasses further onto nose). If you look real close you can see the twighlight books live in disgrace at the bottom.
Book shelves, for all their inherant beauty are a pain in the but to dust tho... Fun fact most of these books I've read at least 3 times! Which in some ways justifies me owning rather than borrowing from a library.
This is an awesome vintage toy microscope, next to a tiny clay lizard man I made back in grade 10, in front of Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth books which I highly recommend.
Last night I bought another two books! I really may have a problem!
What was the last book you read?
Thursday, November 8, 2012
A blog award for me? Liebster
Wow never had one before... so when Brittany of Delightfully awkward Brit commented to say she had nominated me, I was all like whaaaat. Yeah! So first off thanks very much lady, you made me feel soooo special!
Anyways I think the award is supposed to go to smallish blogs (like myself) and hopefully via checking out all the other winners we get to grow together.
Here's what it entails.
I tell you 11 facts about me. I answer 11 questions from Brittany. I ask 11 questions of my own. I nominate 11 more people.
11 facts of Sara's Life.
What! and award for me, you must be kidding!
Anyways I think the award is supposed to go to smallish blogs (like myself) and hopefully via checking out all the other winners we get to grow together.
Here's what it entails.
I tell you 11 facts about me. I answer 11 questions from Brittany. I ask 11 questions of my own. I nominate 11 more people.
11 facts of Sara's Life.
- Waking up before dawn is one of my biggest pet peves... I am seriously considering buying on of those sunrise alarm clocks.
- Despite the title of my blog, I am very bad about remembering to wear my lab coat in the lab.
- I spend most of my money on rent, and spend the least of my time in my apartment.
- I constantly am making lists...without them I very likely would forget to put on clothes in the morning let alone accomplish anything all day.
- Calgary appears to have got half a foot of snow today...I still have summer tires on my car.
- It took me until July to remember to get the winter tires off and summers on last summer.
- I catch and throw with my right hand, even when wearing a baseball glove on my left, I will still try to catch the ball with my right. This hurts.
- Eating spicy food causes me to have almost an allergic reaction, I'm so sensitive to it that foods labelled mild are potent enough to make me sweat.
- When you want a fish as a kid, it will probably die right away. When you have fish as an adult, and no longer want them, they will live forever.
- My biggest fear in the whole world is drowning, I still love the water tho, as long as I have a pool noodle or something.
- I can eat a whole loaf of french bread and container of hummus in one sitting.... I don't do that any more cause I'm trying to be less of a carbs pig.
- What are you listening to right now? Nothing, I'm in the library... but I have the Mumford and Sons CD currently in my car.
- Cats or dogs- and why? Dogs because they want you to love them, but I'd settle for a cat right now, cause a dog would be too impractical.
- Favorite season? Fall, because I love the way the leaves smell when they are dying, combined with the crispness of the air.
- If you could get paid to do anything- I mean, anything- for the rest of your life, what would you choose? I'd want to just be paid for my ideas. I have a lot of good ideas, am en excellent thinker, but I sometimes hate putting in the effort to follow them through. One day I will have my own grad students, and force them to do all the work.
- Why did you choose the blog name you did? I choose my blog name back when I choose to start a PhD in Biochemistry, I would be in a lab all day, and thought that would be a good place to build my blog around (hence life
inout of a lab coat) - What is the best vacation you have ever been on? Oh so many choices, but for now I'll go with going to Italy this year with my family to visit where they are from.
- Is there anything special you are hoping to get for this upcoming Christmas? Not really, I am looking forward to some surprises tho (BF gift eeee!) but what I know I want is to get my car set up to plug directly into my iPod.
- If you could only buy clothes from one store for the rest of your life, which store would it be? Might have to go with H&M, I can always find something there, not matter what occasion.
- What's one item on your bucket list? I do want to try sky diving one day... lets go with that.
- What's your favorite color? Teal, and I even dip dyed my hair that colour this summer, much to my mother's dismay.
- If you were a super hero, what special power would you want? I'd be wolverine. That is all.
- Kate at Scientific Culture
- Kit at What a Peach
- Amy at A Design Dock
- Katie at Katie is a Teacher
- Trisha at Veranellies
- Hannah at she could be a pharmer in those clothes
- Jen at Nut Case In Point
- Becky at The Bex Factor
- MamaJ at the Secret Life of a Scientist's Wife
- Leigh at All you need is love
- Laura at Scribbles and Sass
- On a scale from 1 to 10 how much do you love cheese?
- If you could life anywhere else in the world where would it be?
- Who is your favourite band/musician?
- How do you feel about snow?
- What percentage of your day do you spend blogging/thinking about blogging?
- What was your favourite childhood tv show?
- If you could have a big dog and a little dog, what would their names be, and which one would be the alpha dog?
- Do you love what you are doing for work, would you trade it for something else?
- Which member of the beatles is your favourite?
- Do you prefer sweet, salty or sour?
- If you could change the colour of the sky, what colour would you make it?
Monday, November 5, 2012
One and only one post about the election
I am Canadian.
I don't really care about politics.
I am sick of hearing about this US presidential election, I mean come on, does it really take a whole year to elect someone...Canada does it in 6 weeks. That's right 6, and most people will agree that Canada probably isn't suffering for it.
Anyways, as tomorrow you guys to the South will be voting (and I suppose Alaska and Hawaii too) so today I thought I'd link you to some of the places I have been getting my election coverage from in the last few days.
Avenue Magazine's "a poser's guide to the 2012 American Presidential Election".
This awesome graph found on the Meanwhile in Canada Facebook page....I think it originally comes from the BBC.
Of course my two favourite pundits Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. Oh and well twitter in general.
And an article in O magazine where Oprah interviewed the first lady candidates.
Anyways get out there and vote tomorrow.... or don't..... or seriously consider moving to Canada, the weather was even nice today!
I don't really care about politics.
I am sick of hearing about this US presidential election, I mean come on, does it really take a whole year to elect someone...Canada does it in 6 weeks. That's right 6, and most people will agree that Canada probably isn't suffering for it.
Anyways, as tomorrow you guys to the South will be voting (and I suppose Alaska and Hawaii too) so today I thought I'd link you to some of the places I have been getting my election coverage from in the last few days.
Avenue Magazine's "a poser's guide to the 2012 American Presidential Election".
This awesome graph found on the Meanwhile in Canada Facebook page....I think it originally comes from the BBC.
Of course my two favourite pundits Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. Oh and well twitter in general.
And an article in O magazine where Oprah interviewed the first lady candidates.
Anyways get out there and vote tomorrow.... or don't..... or seriously consider moving to Canada, the weather was even nice today!
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Sara's First Half Marathon Blues
So you may have read this post back in September where I signed up to run in the last chance half marathon here in Calgary on November 11th.
And you may have seen a pair of updates on my early on training.
But if you follow my twitter you know that mid September I started suffering from really bad shin splints in my right leg. I took two weeks off running, and then got back at it...worked my way up to 15km runs then bam! shin splints back in full force.
I saw a doctor about it at the beginning of October and she said it was a soft tissue injury, perscribed an anti-inflamtory and told me to take another two weeks off, then ween myself back in to running extra slow.
What I'm getting at is I am nowhere prepaired for this run.
What I am debating back in forth is, is it worth it for me to give it a shot anyways (not a running shot, but a run then walk my lame a$$ the rest of the way kind of shot).
You see the run a half marathon goal (see my list of 25 things before I turn 25) was my first and number one goal this year. And I was really set to do it. I started following a tonne of lovely bloggers also runners training for marathon's/halfers for motivation. And I was super excited!
Having an injury related set back just crushed my drive. There's no reason I couldn't have got on a bike and did a tonne of low impact cardio training.... and there's no reason that since it started getting dark her by 5 I haven't been willing to run outside even at all..... except that I let myself suck.
So I don't think I'll be running next sunday... and I feel pretty bummed about it.
But as I was telling my bf today on the way to the gym, I'm still pretty proud of myself this year. Before setting that goal I was 0% a runner. And since setting that goal I've run over 200km this year (and still counting I swear) I ran in two 10km races and did a spartan race. I also did a boot camp, worked with a personal trainer, can seriously do pushups now, and touch the real weight equipment at the gym (squatted 85lbs today). I don't think that I could have accomplished any of that without that goal motivating me. I literally am in better shape than I have ever been, and have no intentions of turning back. And though I may not run that 21km next sunday... I may still try and do it before my 25th birthday...even if its just me and a treadmill.
Anyways I wanna finish this off with a shout out to some of the ladies (and gent!) who are so inspiring to me. I love reading your blogs, and truly wish I could be more like you guys!
And you may have seen a pair of updates on my early on training.
But if you follow my twitter you know that mid September I started suffering from really bad shin splints in my right leg. I took two weeks off running, and then got back at it...worked my way up to 15km runs then bam! shin splints back in full force.
I saw a doctor about it at the beginning of October and she said it was a soft tissue injury, perscribed an anti-inflamtory and told me to take another two weeks off, then ween myself back in to running extra slow.
What I'm getting at is I am nowhere prepaired for this run.
What I am debating back in forth is, is it worth it for me to give it a shot anyways (not a running shot, but a run then walk my lame a$$ the rest of the way kind of shot).
You see the run a half marathon goal (see my list of 25 things before I turn 25) was my first and number one goal this year. And I was really set to do it. I started following a tonne of lovely bloggers also runners training for marathon's/halfers for motivation. And I was super excited!
Having an injury related set back just crushed my drive. There's no reason I couldn't have got on a bike and did a tonne of low impact cardio training.... and there's no reason that since it started getting dark her by 5 I haven't been willing to run outside even at all..... except that I let myself suck.
So I don't think I'll be running next sunday... and I feel pretty bummed about it.
But as I was telling my bf today on the way to the gym, I'm still pretty proud of myself this year. Before setting that goal I was 0% a runner. And since setting that goal I've run over 200km this year (and still counting I swear) I ran in two 10km races and did a spartan race. I also did a boot camp, worked with a personal trainer, can seriously do pushups now, and touch the real weight equipment at the gym (squatted 85lbs today). I don't think that I could have accomplished any of that without that goal motivating me. I literally am in better shape than I have ever been, and have no intentions of turning back. And though I may not run that 21km next sunday... I may still try and do it before my 25th birthday...even if its just me and a treadmill.
Anyways I wanna finish this off with a shout out to some of the ladies (and gent!) who are so inspiring to me. I love reading your blogs, and truly wish I could be more like you guys!
And finally FitFluential and Sweat Pink!
Friday, November 2, 2012
Dinner last night at District Tavern
Last night I met up with some other McMaster Alumni round Calgary for dinner and drinks at District Tavern. While I had fun, I'm afraid I have to give this place mixed reviews.
Pro: great cozy atmosphere
Pro: produce from local farms
Pro: reasonable prices
Con: they don't give you menu's....instead you have to get out of your seat and walk around/physically move a bunch of chalkboards that have the menu on them
Pro: the long island ice teas were super tastey, and their happy hour meant I paid like 11 bucks for 2!
Con: the waitress dropped a fork on me when clearing the table, leaving a stain on my sweater
Pro: The linguine carbonara I got was tasty... but
Con: I swear the chalk board said it was supposed to have bacon and instead it had sausage and...
Con: I asked the waitress if it came with like a garlic toast, and she said yes on foccacia bread... what in fact came with it was a bottom bun of a hamburger that had been toasted (no garlic no nothing)
Con: they charged an automatic 18% tip... which I probably would have tipped 15 max all things considered
Anyways, would I go back, for drinks definitely... for dinner, I don't know.
Pro: great cozy atmosphere
Pro: produce from local farms
Pro: reasonable prices
Con: they don't give you menu's....instead you have to get out of your seat and walk around/physically move a bunch of chalkboards that have the menu on them
Pro: the long island ice teas were super tastey, and their happy hour meant I paid like 11 bucks for 2!
Con: the waitress dropped a fork on me when clearing the table, leaving a stain on my sweater
Pro: The linguine carbonara I got was tasty... but
Con: I swear the chalk board said it was supposed to have bacon and instead it had sausage and...
Con: I asked the waitress if it came with like a garlic toast, and she said yes on foccacia bread... what in fact came with it was a bottom bun of a hamburger that had been toasted (no garlic no nothing)
Con: they charged an automatic 18% tip... which I probably would have tipped 15 max all things considered
Anyways, would I go back, for drinks definitely... for dinner, I don't know.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Halloween Costume Round Up
Happy November First everyone! You know what that means, I get to show you what I wore for halloween this year. After briefly considering dressing like my supervisor, I settled on one awesome prop and two amazing costumes.
The prop?
A 6 foot (plus) long black whip.
The Costumes?
One safe for work, one not so much.
And in true Sara fashion, I didn't get any photos in the while I was actually wearing them (no room for cameras in costumes right?) and so I dressed up again just for you!
For this one, all I needed was the whip and the hat... the rest is just a tan shirt dress (Forever21), brown leather jacket (Zara) black leggings (Express) and brown boots (Nine West). Needless to say everyone had fun trying to crack that whip!
Ah cat woman... I mean it is a Batman year, but who wants to be like everyone else and dress up as Anne Hathaway cat woman (I mean it's not even a costume) when you can be Michelle Pfeiffer instead. The mask and corset I go online. For the rest I bought 3 pairs of fake leather leggings from Sirens (like $15 total) and got sewing.... make sure to use white thread and leave all your ends hanging. I also had a pair of black gloves with metal claws (metal hair clips from the craft department) poked through them (use black hockey tape to secure) but I lost them or something.
So that's what I wore this year, but while I'm in the sharing mood, here's some of the costumes of years past.... you'll notice 2 things: 1) I'm a huge nerd and 2) I never remember to take good pics!
Happy Halloween ladies, hope you had a great time!
The prop?
A 6 foot (plus) long black whip.
The Costumes?
One safe for work, one not so much.
And in true Sara fashion, I didn't get any photos in the while I was actually wearing them (no room for cameras in costumes right?) and so I dressed up again just for you!
Ah cat woman... I mean it is a Batman year, but who wants to be like everyone else and dress up as Anne Hathaway cat woman (I mean it's not even a costume) when you can be Michelle Pfeiffer instead. The mask and corset I go online. For the rest I bought 3 pairs of fake leather leggings from Sirens (like $15 total) and got sewing.... make sure to use white thread and leave all your ends hanging. I also had a pair of black gloves with metal claws (metal hair clips from the craft department) poked through them (use black hockey tape to secure) but I lost them or something.
So that's what I wore this year, but while I'm in the sharing mood, here's some of the costumes of years past.... you'll notice 2 things: 1) I'm a huge nerd and 2) I never remember to take good pics!
Happy Halloween ladies, hope you had a great time!
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