In Limbo → Life In Limbo.

That’s right, folks. I picked up and made the move to my own domain!

I’d been thinking of making the switch to hosting my own blog for a long time, and crystallized my desires over my reading break. Last Wednesday, in the medical sciences library I set up my new blog in about 10 minutes, and then proceeded to spend the next four solid days (we’re talking 8-10 hours a day – thank goodness I have a midterm hiatus) fixing it up and making it awesome.

There has been so much freedom and adventure these last few days – it’s more exciting than you can imagine! I’ve been waiting to make this change for a long time, so my days were spent efficiently ticking off the lists of things I wanted to incorporate. Problems came up, they were fixed (with lots of help from Google), and it was both invigorating and exhausting.

And now I’m ready to share it with you! You, my faithful, intelligent and wonderful readers. I want to stress that if you’ve loved this blog, you’ll be getting much of the same on the new website. For more info on the content of the new site, check out the introductory video I made for Life In Limbo!

I want to make sure that you wonderful people don’t miss a beat, so stay subscribed!

• If you were subscribed by email, re-subscribe by clicking here.
  
• If you were subscribed by RSS, re-subscribe by clicking here.

There are lots of other exciting projects in the works, including an email newsletter, an ebook, and more video blogging. If this sounds good to you, what are you waiting for??

Head on over to the new site, yo!

Be sure to check out the new About page + the updated Photography page.

And let me know what you think!

Tweet me: @effieboo

Email me: effieboo@lifeinlimbo.org

As always – much love.

Photo thanks to Christine Whelan

Hola! Oh, I’ve missed you. I had a borderline-hectic break this year. At least,  it was hectic compared to my typical “sleep, eat, and read-all-day” norm for school breaks – I only read two books. TWO! Oy vey. And I posted a grand total of zero times. ZERO! Mucho oy vey. But I must admit, I had a wonderful break. In fact, it was so wonderful that I was *forced* to spend the majority of it actually living, and thereby gaining material for my blog. Funny how that works.

The sad bit is, despite all the actual living I did during the break, the very first thing I want to share with you is how I was inspired by a particular book (once an introvert, always an introvert, eh?). Nevertheless, it’s true. The glories of my first trip to Crate & Barrel and the amusing number of comic book stores I went into this week will have to wait. First things first: The Happiness Project.

I’ll be quick to emphasize up front: the author, Gretchen Rubin, doesn’t present this book as an all-encompassing guide to happiness. It’s not a solution that pretends to work for everyone, but merely an account of one woman’s guide to become happier in her everyday life. The everyday life bit is the most interesting – she works on small, positive resolutions, and seeks to be happier where she is. She doesn’t pack up and move to Hawaii or quit her job, she simply resolves to increase her positive experiences and diminish her negative ones. In this way, the book becomes a lot more accessible and helpful than one like Eat, Pray, Love (which I also liked!) in that it’s more doable.

The premise of the book is, Rubin realizes that she’s living her life away, one day at a time, without much thought to happiness. She decides to devote a year to promoting her happiness, focusing on an area such as “energy”, “mindfulness”, “money”, etc, for each month of the year. She tracks her progress with small, measurable resolutions on a chart that she fills out each day. Along the way she learns several truths about happiness and adulthood, among other things.

The book is very well researched – it cites several studies and research findings, as well as countless quotes on happiness. In my reading, I found myself scribbling down quotes, ideas for resolutions, and thoughts on happiness. In fact, much of the book hit home for me, in unexpected ways. Of course, the author and I lead very different lives (for one thing, I’m not a married mother-of-two), but I could do well to remember the majority of her resolutions in my day to day life.

One thing I like about the book is that it emphasizes that each person’s happiness project will be utterly different, since we all derive happiness in different ways. In fact, one of Rubin’s “Secrets of Adulthood” is that “what’s fun for others may not be fun for you, and vice versa”. There are lots of these juicy tidbits of wisdom to snack on throughout the book, and I found myself gobbling them up as fast as they came. I felt a sort of “Aha moment” (a la Oprah) at several points in the book, and these statements are already pervading my everyday interactions just a few days later.

“Act without expectation” turns out to be my #1 commandment – I am a person with high expectations, which tends to interfere with my happiness. One crucial thing Rubin hits on in her writing is that certain of our actions can make us feel unhappy, such as nagging, criticizing, getting upset, saying rude comments, losing our temper. If we can work to diminish these reactions, we can increase our happiness. After all, the only person we can change is our self. With this revelation, I already feel a great deal more at peace. I am the type of person who doesn’t leave things unsaid, who loses her temper, who has high expectations (and gets upset when they are not met). Even in just a few days, practicing restraint on these behaviours (biting my tongue, letting it go, not worrying about it) has made me feel more uplifted and happy about myself.

Another important truth she touches on is feeling good in your body. Keeping myself well-rested, well-fed, well-dressed and well-groomed is so important, and yet I tend to let it fall by the wayside quite frequently. If I don’t feel good in my clothes, I don’t feel positively about myself; if I’m hungry, I’m grumpy and irritable. The simple task of taking care of myself has the power to influence all my daily interactions, and it should be taken more seriously.

Possibly my favourite tip from the book: if something takes one minute or less, do it now. It’s hard to think of examples, but in my day there are so many things that bum me out when I think about doing them, but that only take one minute. I’ve found that just doing them makes me feel more productive, and therefore: happier!

It’s much too hard to condense the whole book into a single blog post. She presents countless revelations and nuggets of wisdom throughout, and really inspires you to think more deeply about your own happiness.  I encourage you to check out Rubin’s website for the Secrets of Adulthood, the Commandments, and lots of other interesting articles on happiness.

I’ll end with a few of my favourites from the book:

You can choose what you do, but you can’t choose what you like to do.

It’s okay to ask for help.

It’s easy to be heavy, hard to be light.

Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

Act the way you want to feel.

The days are long, but the years are short.

I’d love to know – have you read The Happiness Project? If so, what did you think? Were you inspired to start your own happiness project, as I am?

And if you haven’t read it – does this post make you think about your own happiness? What makes you happy?

As always, I’d love to know what you’re thinking.

xoxo,

You can purchase the Happiness Project online here, and for your Kindle here.

{a single red rose from my beau for Valentine’s}

These past few weeks have been a hullabaloo of ups and downs. Writing exams, getting chocolates. Stuffy noses and ferris wheel rides. Cold winds and warm ones. Trips to Ottawa, long nights studying in my room. Fireworks and disappointing grades. Reading captivating novels and wordy textbooks. Being given gorgeous tiny diamond earrings. Coming home. Roasting marshmallows by the pier in Old Montreal. Eating delicious Italian food to the tune of live jazz music. Shopping sprees on warm Spring-like days. Coming back to my family home to delicious home made scones and favourite newspapers.

Okay, okay. So it seems like it was more full of ups than downs. :) And it’s reading break, which means that the coming week will be even more wonderful. Home-cooked meals, lots of time for reading, writing and watching movies. Lovely.

{milkshakes and burgers at The Works in Ottawa}

{Laughing all night at a local comedy club that my friend was performing at}

{Beautiful notebooks and pens from my favourite stationery shop, Papeterie Nota Bene}

{The war memorial in Ottawa}

{A fun wallpaper that’s been making me smile all week – get it here}

{Skating on the Canal on a beautiful day}

What wonderful things have been going on with you lately?

xoxo,

Since I’ve been struggling with midterms lately, my thoughts have turned to happier days: days when reading 100 pages a night is a mere whisper of memory, days when it’s sunny and warm, days when I am lounging and reading novels on the beach. Escapism is awesome, isn’t it? For now though, I’ve been diverting my thoughts by daydreaming about stuff. I know, it’s awful. I just had Christmas not two months ago! But that’s the thing about escapism. It doesn’t really listen to reason. So unbeknownst to me, sometime earlier this week a whole bunch of material things decided to take residence in my brain. They’re saying: “Buy me!! Buy me!!”. They don’t appreciate it when I say “I can’t afford to buy you!!”. So in an effort to shake these things from my mind, I’ve compiled them into pretty collages, which hopefully gives them enough attention that they go away. Anyways, you have the pleasure of seeing my wish-list today!

Here are some of the things I’ve been dreaming about lately – along with the entire stock of Crate & Barrel, but that’s another story entirely.

Sigh. Alas, since I have neither the funds nor the..well, funds, to acquire such beautiful and bright things, I shall have to resign myself to looking at them online. And maybe dropping a hint or two here or there. As in, hint hint, it’s my birthday in April!?

..Just kidding, I’m not that desperate. Or am I?? ;)

I’d like to know: what’s topping your frivolous wishlist lately? Do we overlap on anything?

xoxo,

Photo thanks to Neal

Today, love.

Appreciate, pamper, coddle, cuddle, hug, smile, reach out, embrace, accept.

Be kind, patient, happy, honest, caring.

Write that letter. Pick up that phone. Send that text. Reconnect.

Don’t expect, wish, or hope. Just appreciate.

This Valentine’s Day, don’t buy into the hype. No disappointment if you don’t get a candy-gram or a bunch of flowers. No shame that you don’t have a Valentine. No anger that your boyfriend ‘didn’t do enough’.  Let today serve as a reminder of how lucky you are to be surrounded by such magnificent human beings who love every inch of you! Be grateful for the people you love, and be happy just to spend time with them.

And make sure to take some time today to love yourself! Treat yourself to a day full of little luxuries, smiles, and unconditional love.

There are so many cynics out there about Valentine’s, but what a wonderful holiday – a day created to remind you to love the ones you love.

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!

xoxo,

This time of year makes it incredibly easy to be negative.

Think about it, we’re totally in limbo. Past the good parts of Winter – namely Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/awesome time with food, family & friends – and waiting for the beginnings of Spring. We stay inside most of the time, it’s difficult to find motivation to go to class, let alone to see friends. We’re marooned on a snowy island, waiting for a rescue boat! No, this isn’t exactly the time of year we tend to be optimistic and cheery.

Which is why it’s the perfect time for this message I’ve been ruminating on for a couple weeks. (Keep in mind, these ‘advice’ articles are just as much [if not more] written to remind myself of things as they are to ‘advise’ you). And the message is:

Focus on the wells, forget about the buts.

I will give you a few examples:

• “Well, I love most of my body, but my butt is too big”
• “Well, it’s bright and sunny outside, but it’s -20 degrees”
• “Well, my boots keep the slush out, but they’re kind of ugly”
• “Well, I love my boyfriend, but he works too hard”

I’m not saying that ignoring the buts is easy, because it’s not. The buts are the things that stubbornly invade our “otherwise happy” days. They shout out for our attention, distract us from the positive, and seem to constantly take up more of our thoughts than the wells. But I would venture to say that happiness is in the wells. Think of it this way: most of the time, the buts are things we can’t control. They’re constant. You can’t change them. So what’s the point of fixating on them? They’re not going away. You can’t alter the weather, no matter how much you try, and your body will always have the same basic shape, no matter how much you work out. So why waste so much time and energy focusing on the buts and ignoring the wells?

Another way of putting it: practice gratitude. It may sound all hippie and new-agey, but I honestly think one of the very best ways to find happiness is to learn to be grateful for what you have right now. Sure, you may strive to achieve a better life for yourself, more cash money, more clothes, etc, and that’s all well and fine – it’s great to have goals. But the real happiness comes with acknowledging every day how great your life already is. Focusing on the sweet spots of your day, reminding yourself to be positive, diverting your attention from buts to wells.

For a ton of perspective, please read this amazing article from Danielle Laporte on why you’re privileged. Two of my favourite quotes from it:

Really, what’s the worst of your problems?

We have so many rights, must we exercise the right to complain?

As much as possible, we should try to pull ourselves out from under the rubble of negative thoughts that crowd our minds. The way I see it, if the negative things are there to stay, and so are the positive ones, I’d much rather expend my energy stubbornly reminding myself to stay positive, stay grateful, stay happy. And no, I’m not being happy-go-lucky about this, it’s not always going to work, and there’s no such thing as being happy all the time. You can’t have light without dark after all! But in those everyday situations where we have a choice between acting/thinking/speaking negatively or positively, I think we should always try to choose positive.

• “Well, I love most of my body!”
• “Well, it’s bright and sunny today!”
• “Well, my boots keep the slush out!”
• “Well, I love my boyfriend!”

Some of you are sitting there thinking: “Wow, how naive! She is being so unrealistic. The world is a tough place, after all.” I know it is. We all do. But I don’t think that being realistic (read: pessimistic) about the state of the world is going to help us achieve any happiness. I’m well aware of the dangers, horrors, and terrors of our world. Yet I’m also aware of the wonders, loves, and beauty of it. And when given the choice of what to focus on, I think it will bring me a great deal more happiness to stay positive.

I’d love to know what you think! How often do you find yourself “but-ing” the heck out of your day, getting pulled into a spiral of negative thinking? Or do you try and make a conscious effort to be grateful every day? Any tips or tricks for us newbs about how to stay positive?

xoxo,

In fact, it is kinda a big thang, and I can assure you that I do not make elaborate food every night of the week. I’m lucky enough to have great friends and a few great (and relatively cheap) restaurants near where I live, so I’ve found I only end up cooking about three nights of the week, and eat leftovers most of the other nights. I love love LOVE leftovers! I love big one-pot meals that last me countless lunches and dinners to come!

Today I thought I’d share with you some of my favourite go-to meals for whenever I don’t really feel like cooking for a couple days.

One Pot Meals

Since I’m a vegetarian, these are my standbys. Simple and nutritious, tons of protein, comforting and delicious. Perfect!

My Mum’s Vegetarian Chili

Lentil and Sweet Potato Stew: adapted from here. I make it without the green beans (only because I never have any!), and top with some goat’s cheese – YUM!

Hot and Sour Soup. I use a recipe similar to this one, but without the water chestnuts or bamboo shoots. It’s so wonderful for when you have a cold, or just the winter blues.

Pad Thai. It’s so full of yummy goodness: tofu, egg, peanuts, lime, cilantro…yummerdoodle! I find it easier to use a package or jarred sauce than to wrestle with tamarind. It’s not as authentic, and it has a bit more sodium, but it’s worth the convenience, I think! Just cook the tofu and egg and set to the side; then stirfry together boiled rice noodles and green onions, add some sauce, add tofu and egg, add cilantro and bean sprouts and more sauce. Serve with lime wedges and peanuts! Delicioso.

Quinoa salad. Quinoa is so amazing for you (read why here), and so easy to make. I like to add chopped carrots, green onions, nuts (walnuts or cashews), dried apricots, and beets and cauliflower if I have them around. I usually eat mine with some balsamic vinegar, and it’s so delicious! You can add any veggies you want to it, and it always tastes lovely.

Dishes I Pretend Are Dinner

Warning! I am not advocating these foods as necessarily good, vegetarian healthy options. These are just the dishes I tend to throw together when I’m too tired to cook anything!

Sweet potato fry poutine. Make a mushroom gravy, cook some sweet potato fry wedges tossed in olive oil, salt & pepper and a dash of cinnamon in a 450 degree oven for about 20 minutes, top with cheese curds and gravy, and stuff your face.

Bruschetta. I couldn’t care less that it’s winter, this dish will never be out of season to me. I chop some tomatoes, sweet onion and yellow pepper and marinate them in olive oil, balsamic vinegar and salt & pepper. Then slice some baguette, top with the mixture, add some goat’s cheese and drizzle with some more balsamic vinegar. Then stick it under the broiler for a couple minutes until the bread starts to toast and the cheese starts to sizzle. Eat.

My favourite spinach salad. Spinach, sauteed red onions and mushrooms, fresh tomatoes, green onions, goat’s cheese and raspberry vinaigrette (not pictured, because I’m a silly goose).

Zucchini fritters. Oh man, this is my newest addiction. These things are delicious! And so easy. I roughly use this recipe, but mostly I just shred a zucchini, add an egg and enough flour to make it stick together, sprinkle the mixture with salt and pepper. Then form it into patties with your hands and fry like a pancake in some oil. Top with some sour cream!

Other Things I Tend to Eat

• Various types of grilled cheese sandwiches: mozzarella and apricot jam, old cheddar and caramelized onions and mushrooms…etc, etc!
• Perogies served with caramelized onions and sour cream
• Tostadas with refried beans, sour cream, salsa, guacamole and shredded cheddar
• Lasagna with zucchini and mushrooms
• Stir fries with red cabbage, snow peas, tofu, and bean sprouts
• Frozen pizza, my favourite is this one from President’s Choice – go Blue Menu! :)

I’d Love To Know..

What sorts of things do you eat for dinners? Are you a vegetarian or a meat-eater? What are your favourite go-to meals?  Let me know and give me some inspiration!! I always love to hear from you.

xoxo,

I love to read. Reading is my true love. So before we get into why I love the Kindle, I’d like to start by clearing up the following:

1. I will never stop buying real books
2. I will never get rid of my bookshelves of wonderful real books
3. I too, am a sucker for turning musty-smelling pages made of paper

So… it’s not like I hate books or anything, it’s just that there are so many situations where the Kindle is so much more convenient. Examples?

• You’re a journalism student, forced to read upwards of five newspapers a day. Rather than wrestle with the dastardly pages of print newspapers, you simply subscribe to them on your Kindle and they are delivered overnight via WiFi, at cheaper rates than print subscriptions.
• You’re an english lit student, forced to read several million classic novels per semester. You get them all for free on the Kindle store (since they’re old and out-of-copywrite) and bring your 8.5 oz device around instead of lugging novels to the library.
• You’re a business woman who loves reading, and who must go on several business trips per year. You simply browse the selection on the Kindle store, download on the go, and read!

Okay I have to stop. I feel like I’m writing a Kindle ad campaign. A cheesy one. An unsuccessful one. So let’s move on to the review portion of the post, shall we?

Features I Love..

• I can read with one hand. This may not seem like a big deal, but consider this: no more do I have to worry about the book closing if I don’t hold down the pages. I can read all like “Look Ma, no hands!”. It’s way more fun than it sounds, I promise.
• I can highlight whatever I want, and those highlights get collected for my later perusal. When I read A Fraction of the Whole, I underlined tons of enlightening paragraphs. But the only way I can find them now is by flipping through the book – frustrating. When I read Crazy Sexy Diet on my Kindle, I highlighted a whole bunch of tips on everything from veggies to exercise, so now I have the Sparknotes version on both my Kindle and my computer.
• I can search for whatever I want. With any books, I am forever flipping back through the pages, in search of that one sentence that stuck with me or that one character introduction that didn’t seem important at the time (but now I can’t remember who they are!). On my Kindle, I can search for anything on any page, and it’s actually a surprisingly reliable function.
• I can learn new words easily. Whenever I don’t know a word, I just move the cursor next to it and voila! A definition from the New Oxford dictionary.
• There’s a web browser, so whenever I have WiFi, I can look at anything I want online! And websites render surprisingly well on the browser.
• It has the capacity to Tweet or Facebook any highlights I make, if I choose. So get ready to geek out with me if I post my favourite passages from Alice in Wonderland!! Hehe.
• It has a stellar battery life. Since getting it mid-January, I’ve only charged it once, and it’s still going strong. If you keep the WiFi off except when you’re using it, I’m told this prolongs the battery even more.
• It’s really easy to buy content on the go – Amazon uses a one-click system which makes it simple to buy things without the hassle of typing in credit card numbers every time.

Wishes..

• I wish that the Text-to-Speech function was a little more refined. As it stands, almost any ebook you download from the Kindle store has the capacity to be read aloud to you by a robotic voice. As much as I adore the idea behind this feature – hello, reading while doing chores!!! – it doesn’t work very well right now. I’ve tried it several times now, and the voices (your choice of male or female) tend to blur words together, making it very hard to understand. But it’s such an innovative feature, so hopefully updates will come out soon!
• I wish the keyboard was a bit faster, it lags slightly. Not enough to really impair anything I do, but enough to be noticeable.

Content..

I’ve gotten most of the content on my Kindle online, for free. If you become the lucky recipient of a Kindle, the first place I would look would be Kindle’s own page on where to find free Kindle content. My favourite of these would be the Kindle Popular Classics page, or Project Gutenberg. Both websites specialize in free, out-of-copywrite classics – everything from Emma to Dracula.

I have a whole category of PDFs that I’ve gotten from various websites – Focus from zenhabits, A Brief Guide to World Domination from Chris Guillebeau, and various other personal documents (notes to self, lists, etc). Kindle supports most file formats (for a complete list, click here), and other formats are usually convertible to one that Kindle does support.

Newspaper and magazine subscriptions seem to be priced much lower on the Kindle than in paper, and most come with a free trial period, anywhere from 14 (Globe and Mail) to 60 (New York Times) days.

And the huge plethora of paid content is nothing to scoff at either! I mentioned that I read Crazy Sexy Diet, it was one of the first books I ever purchased on my Kindle. After seeing the price in the bookstore (about $30 Canadian), I decided to save myself some money, and bought the ebook version for $9.99! Sure, it won’t be an addition to my paper book collection, but I still got all the same information, and at a significant discount. It’s good for us students!

Your Thoughts?

Anyone out there have an eReader? If so, what do you use it for? What do you like or dislike about it? I’d love to hear any tips/tricks/hacks you have to share with a newbie owner!

And if you don’t have one, would you ever consider getting one? Why or why not? Let me know what you think about them in general.

As always, feel free to email me at effieboo.inlimbo@gmail.com or leave me a comment below!

xoxo,

Salsa can be mucho expensivo, especially if you’re like me and prefer Garden Fresh (which costs a fortune but is the tastiest thing on the planet). A simple alternative is to make it yourself! I was pleasantly surprised at how yummy and quick this was to make.

The recipe I tweaked is here, but I fear I probably did a disservice to the great PW by neglecting the jalapenos. My excuse? It’s freezing outside here, I didn’t want to go to the store!!! (weak). Anyways, feel free to follow her recipe more carefully, but my version turned out very tasty nonetheless.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 lime
• 1/4 of a red onion, diced
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• Big handful cilantro

I basically eyeballed this recipe, since I didn’t have PW’s suggestion of Rotel Tomatoes & Green Chiles either, and I only have a very small food processor. But it still turned out really nicely! Just taste after adding some of the onion & garlic, and season to your liking.

The recipe is incredibly simple. Just chop up what needs to be chopped…

…throw it into a food processor & pulse a few times…

…and serve in a pretty dish! Voila!

The consistency was wonderful: smooth and uniform. Just the way I like it.

Oh wait! Don’t forget the chips, or you’ll be sorry.

Yum yum yum.

Here’s to celebrating the Super Bowl the only way I know how! Not with sports knowledge, or cheers, or being a football fan. But with food. Wonderful, amazing food.

xoxo,

I had a big fight with my boyfriend a couple weeks ago. It wasn’t anything major, but tempers ran high and we were upset. In the subsequent days, when I had time to think, I realized that most of all, I felt tired. I didn’t want to have fights, I didn’t want to get upset, I was exhausted from feeling all these feelings. I questioned, as all couples do, if it was worth it. “It seems like we fight all the time”, “What’s the point of all this?”, “Why are we doing this to ourselves!?”.

It’s so easy to say those things in the aftermath of all sorts of bad feelings and really feel that you mean them. We tend to forget the wonderful experiences when we’ve felt uplifted and alive and honoured. We get ready to give up on the relationship the second it makes us feel badly.

While I was in this state of funk, I texted my mum. I told her we’d had a big fight, and she could tell I was down. After getting some of the details, she wrote something that made me stop, breathe and re-center:

Nothing worthwhile is easy.

It’s true, isn’t it? Things that are easy might be nice, and pleasant, and maybe even fun, but usually they’re not important & worthwhile. Of course, there are probably a few examples of worthwhile things that seem easy (not that I can think of any right now). I would argue though: were they without any negative emotions? Without feelings of doubt, fear, anger, hopelessness, etc? Although, of course, most human experiences have negative emotions, I think it’s harder to stick with worthwhile ones, because they require so much more work than other experiences. Wouldn’t it just be easier to turn to friends-with-benefits scenarios instead of engaging in serious relationships, to eat tasty junk food instead of learning to nourish yourself, to hang out with friends that only talk about superficial things? Yes. It would be easier. But would it be worthwhile?

worthwhile |ˈwərθˈ(h)wīl|
adjective
worth the time, money, or effort spent; of value or importance : extra lighting would make a worthwhile contribution to road safety.

You might have an easy relationship, but if it’s always easy, it’s probably not giving you much that could be considered of value or importance. Of course, this would depend on what you personally would define as valuable in a relationship, but for me: trust, understanding, inspiration, acceptance, communication. Those are things I believe are worthwhile, and consequently I don’t believe you can achieve any of those things without some effort, time, conflict and difficulty.

Think of a few things that you would consider worthwhile, important, valuable. Friendships? Volunteer work? Campaigning for something? Maintaining personal values? Nothing worthwhile is easy. Worthwhile things are wrought with struggles, frustration, negative emotions. But that doesn’t mean we should give up on them. It doesn’t mean that we should throw in the towel on a boyfriend or best friend just because there’s conflict. That’s the whole point: these things are worth it. Which means that working through the hard times will pay you back in great times.

To a certain extent, we all know this intuitively. When we really believe in something, we’re willing to fight for it against adversity, to defend it against criticism, to work for it because we know in the end it will be worth it. This is just meant as a reminder: are you considering giving up on something that might end up being worthwhile?

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the matter!

xoxo,

It’s been a while since I made this absolutely delectable treat (before Christmas!), but I loved it so much that I needed to share it with you.  Although I just finished reading Kris Carr’s absolutely outstanding and inspiring lifestyle book, Crazy Sexy Diet (read it read it read it!) which eschews sugar, dairy and processed foods, I’m having a hard time kicking my long-time habits. Until I get my hands on my boyfriend’s juicer and a basket full of greenery, I’m going to try to my best to use up the bad things in my pantry and fridge. So maybe that yogurt could be put to good use in this dessert? I’ll be posting about Crazy Sexy Diet (and my Kindle!) just as soon as I catch up on some readings..school’s been taking a backseat lately.

But in the meantime, I give you Joy the Baker‘s frozen chocolate chip cookie dough balls. Not only are they the tastiest cookie dough I’ve ever consumed, they’re also safe (no salmonella!) and take about 10 minutes to prepare.

Either click the link above for the recipe (I didn’t change much) or see below for more!

Baking up a storm!!

Ingredients:

• 1 stick unsalted butter (that’s 1/2 a cup, and FYI I used salted butter..oops!)
• 1 cup + 2 Tbsp all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup Greek yogurt/applesauce (I used Balkan-style yogurt, which was delicious)
• 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips, melted for dipping

Cream butter and sugars together.  Beat in yogurt and vanilla extract. Mix together the flour, salt and baking soda; add the mixture to the creamed butter/sugar. Once combined, mix in the chocolate chips.

Scoop out little balls onto a baking sheet, put in the freezer for a few hours. I found that the balls never really froze through, just got nice and cold, so I don’t think it matters exactly how long you put them in for. Then you can melt some chocolate chips, dunk the dough balls and put them back in the freezer for a little while. I was too busy eating them to take a picture of that step!

Oh my gosh, I may just have to run into my kitchen imminently and whip these up again!!

Or, alternatively, you could make me some and I could eat them?

Bon appetit!!

xoxo,

Photo thanks to fulbert05

..Banish the guilt. Boot the hesitations out the window. Crack open the windows of your soul and let in the fresh air. Don’t doubt.

If you’re my age, you’re handling a tricky time. Famous psycholgist Erik Erikson (great name, huh?) proposed that humans of ages 12-18 are struggling with their identity versus role confusion. During this stage, we try to determine who we are apart from our families and what we want in our lives. If we’re unsuccessful, we experience confusion and conflict. Sounds like heavy stuff, but I’m sure you all know what I’m talking about.

Everyone experiences the same struggle to figure out “who they are”: ie. their values, opinions, likes & dislikes, preferences, attitudes, standards. Along the way, as we try to find strength in our newly shapen identity, we stick (stubbornly) to our guns about our self-imposed opinions & tastes. At times, I’ve been known to insist I hate something that I haven’t tried, since I’ve already decided it doesn’t jibe with who I’ve decided to be. I’m sure you’ve all experienced that as well, either with yourself, or with friends and family.

The point is: it’s understandable, this stubbornness. No one can fault you for trying, in this crazy world, to figure out who you are and, once you’ve got it, stick to it with every ounce of your being. It makes sense!

But never be afraid to break the rules.

Never be afraid to smash down the restrictions you’ve set for yourself, when you said “oh, no, I’m not that kind of person” or “I can’t stand zucchini” or “I never stay up past midnight” or “I only like clothes in shades of black, white or grey”. Challenge yourself. Step up to the plate and break all your own rules. Your identity is important, but nobody else cares too much about whether or not it’s consistent. Try on different hats! Experience new things! See for yourself. Never get so boxed into your identity that you don’t try things you think seem fun or interesting.

If you want to, then..

…try the wackiest fruit in the grocery store, even though it’s “too exotic for you”

…start a blog, even though you have “nothing important to say”

…read the news, even though you “don’t really care about politics”

…read the tabloids, even though “they’re much too fluffy for your taste”

…take a nap mid-day, even though that’s “highly unproductive”

…try a recipe you think looks delicious, even though “it’s much too complicated for you”

…buy a vibrator, even though “you’re not that kind of girl”

…go out to a speech instead of a club, even though “that’s totally lame & nerdy”

…cry, even though “real men don’t do that”

…sleep around (safely, of course), even though “real ladies would never”

…use the five-second rule, even though “that’s disgusting!”

…eat nothing but junk food all day, even though “you don’t even like food like that”

…go figure skating, skiing, dancing, karaokeing, surfing, biking, running, even if “you’re not very good”

…do whatever you want.*

.

To a lot of you, this advice may seem totally intuitive. If it does, I applaud you. You’ve managed to keep yourself from being tied to a rigid identity. But I suspect that many of us are guilty of falling victim to this technique of saying: “that’s just not me”, and limiting ourselves from new experiences. Or, if we free ourselves from our restrictions, we feel an automatic sense of guilt about doing something outside the norm. We feel we’ve failed, somehow. I urge you (and myself) to escape this guilt. Say bye-bye!

If you feel like doing something, do it. Don’t question whether or not it’s right for you (it is, by the very nature of you wanting to do it), don’t worry that it contradicts “who you are”, don’t feel guilty about having done something you’ve previously deemed “uncool”, “unproductive” or “not like you”. Live your life first, and your identity will come later.

Happy adventuring, loves!

xoxo,

*Edit: It’s been pointed out to me that maybe some of these statements would imply going against your personal values/morals. That was not my intention! I’m not implying that you should push yourself to do anything that doesn’t jibe with your core standards. My only goal with this article was to serve as a reminder that our self-imposed ‘rules’ do not need to be so rigid. By all means, if something really isn’t you, at your very core, then don’t do it! Sorry for any misunderstanding. :) xo

It’s been a long time since I’ve done a web-wide roundup of articles or sites that have really got me excited. Therefore, today I shall do just that.

Remember how I wanted to watch the Top 250 IMDB movies this year? Well this tracker is absolutely perfect for my needs. I’m at a measly 49/250 right now, but slowly climbing up. I saw One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest last night, and the Diving Bell and the Butterfly today. Slow and steady wins the race!

This is my absolute favourite new website: How to Get a Grip. It’s hilarious, smart, and surprisingly true. It’s like a good kick in the pants if you’re wallowing in self-pity, self-consciousness, regret, and any number of other things that don’t serve you. A quote from the wonderful Matthew Kimberley:

Reward yourself? What are you? A dog?

Fuck that. Do the fun stuff first. It makes getting through the rest of the day easier.

And if you do choke on an avocado stone or pass out fatally from bleach inhalation, at least your last day on earth wasn’t without strawberry cheesecake.

I know I’m beyond late in the blogosphere on this one, but Seth Godin’s blog is absolutely wonderful. Every day, a short, well-crafted article slips itself into my blog reader and informs me about good business practices, good manners, and everything in between. Seth on annoying GPS instructions:

If it’s gotten to the point where we are uncomfortable disobeying a 3 inch by 4 inch touchscreen, then you know we’ve been brainwashed. It’s actually okay (in fact, quite possibly productive) to call out the Garmins, the bosses and the influencers in your life, and ignore them all you like.

And the last two blogs on my list of brand-new favourites are: Unicorns for Socialism and  If You Never Did, You Should. Both are stellar, check ‘em out.

This retrospective by Pandora is absolutely stunning. Her clothes are amazing!

I like this piece by Woman’s Day on Foods That Look Like the Body Parts They’re Good For.

Since I’m in the field of psychology, my professor lectured on an upcoming journal article to be published on ESP. The whole field seems either embarrassed or confused, but in our class we dissected the experiments (there were 9), and based on the criteria we use to evaluate all psychological experiments, the ESP studies passed with flying colours! The results are statistically significant and the experiments are reproducible, simple and straightforward. Read this piece in the NYTimes for more information.

On food: I have now made these chocolate chip cookies from Desserts for Breakfast (mentioned here) twice, the second time properly browning the butter with the help of Adrienne, and they are absolutely amazing. I am dying to make this comfort food, it looks so perfect for wintertime. If I don’t manage to make this Pizza Margherita at some point soon, I will probably drop dead. Veggie Wedgie is a vegan raw food blog, but the pictures are so gorgeous it doesn’t even matter that I’d probably never be able to make any of the recipes. I’m not sure if I could pull it off, but making even one of these beautiful cakes would make my year. I don’t pretend to know why my beloved Joy has sworn off butter and sugar and turned health-nut, but these potatoes redeem her. I would love to try them! My next ambitious project will be making these Winnie-the-Pooh cake pops from Bakerella. They’re so adorable!

I can’t help myself from loving Emily’s office from Cupcakes and Cashmere.

Was this how you pictured Scott Schumann?? For some reason, my mental image was much different from reality (when isn’t it?). Regardless, it’s a very cool short film about his process.

When I grow up, I don’t want the Glamourai’s style, but I want to know exactly what mine is, like she seems to. Check out these Christmas gifts she got that match her apartment and style perfectly! So glamourous.

The Selby’s favourite photos from 2010.

Whitehottruth never dissappoints, and I especially love the way she talks about money: plain, simple, no nonsense.

Just got my Kindle yesterday, so suddenly this article on hacks is so much more interesting! Kindle review coming asap.

I adore this song by Lady Gaga – so excited for her new material coming in May! Oh, and did you see the creepy new video for Kanye West’s ‘Monster’?

And that’s all she wrote! I’ve scoured my brain for more linkies, but that’s all I’ve got. Hope you enjoy!

xoxo,

This week has been full of simple, lovely things. I went back to my beloved yoga class, and my body informed me that it was about time, since I’ve been sore since Tuesday. I had my first column published in an online newspaper (take that, New Years Resolution #17!) and couldn’t stop beaming with pride! I had a much-needed girl’s dinner with a good friend: perogies (with sour cream & caramelized onions), salad (with tomatoes, walnuts, goat cheese and green onions) and delicious wine. We ended the night by making the easiest chocolate chip cookies on earth (and replaced chocolate chips with chopped up Toblerone). I heard my Dad get overjoyed about his Kindle (and got antsy for mine!*), watched more episodes of Modern Family than I care to admit, wished I could do Rihanna’s dance while I walked down the street listening to this song, got all my textbooks and felt alive and on fire in the best possible way. Here are some snapshots from the last week or so.

{two amazing Christmas presents that I am absolutely in love with!}

{my super convenient clip-on iPod that is perfect for mittened-hand control!}

{the first issue of my Vegetarian Time subscription!}

{just a few textbooks – I’m so excited about my subjects this semester!}

{I picked up some beautiful things from the Dollar Store – candles, a vase and two decorative bowls, perfect for entertaining!}

What’s floating your boat this week?

xoxo,

*Expect a Kindle review post as soon as I get my hot little hands on my belated Christmas present!

The first time I ate this dish, I wasn’t even done my first bite before I was scribbling down the recipe and asking clarifying questions with my mouth full of cheese and tomatoes.

The first time I served this dish, my apartment smelled like heaven, my guest was floored/impressed/hungry, and we drank white wine, ate raspberry crumble and watched Glee until the cows came home.

This is my friend Shosh’s delicious, simple, indulgent recipe. Thanks Shosh! :)

Oh stuffed shells, how much do I love you? Let me count the ways.

1. You are easy peasy.
2. You impress people with little-to-no effort made on my part.
3. You smell heavenly.
4. You contain four types of cheese: mozzarella, cheddar, goat and cottage.
5. You are absolutely positively one of the most delicious things I have ever consumed.

So if I have convinced you that this food must be put into your gullet at the earliest possible convenience, READ ON young foodies and be amazed, astonished, delighted, full.

Preheat that oven to 350!!

Ingredients:

• Jumbo pasta shells
• 2 Cans of diced tomatoes
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1 tbsp basil
• 1 package of goat’s cheese
• 2 cups cottage cheese
• 1 1/2 cups grated cheddar
• 1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella
• 2 eggs
• Salt & peppa!

For the sauce:

Combine the tomatoes, garlic, basil and goat cheese in a large saucepan. Stir together on medium heat until the cheese is melted and the sauce is a even consistency. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

For the shells:

Cook the shells like you would any other pasta – in boiling water with a bit of salt. I used an 8×8 glass baking dish, and I was able to squeeze in about 25 shells. Depending on the size of your dish you may want to cook more or less shells. Once they’re cooked, let them cool while you prepare the filling. Combine the grated cheese, cottage cheese and eggs (beaten). Put 1/2 the sauce on the bottom of the dish. Stuff the shells with the cheese mixture, and place them in the pan. Add the rest of the sauce on top. Cover with tinfoil and bake at 350 for about an hour.

And voila! Delicious, easy, impressive. Serve it to your friends and listen to them gush over your food. Experience a slight ego boost. :)

Hope you enjoy!

xoxo,

Photo thanks to bofh

So. You had a long, luxurious break spent gorging yourself on food, friends and free time. You wasted away the days sleeping in, watching movies and making sandwiches, leaving the mess for someone else to clean up. You had a wonderful, lazy, ridiculous few weeks off.

..Unfortunately, all good things come to an end, and school has presented itself as an inevitability that you are suddenly dreading with every fiber of your being. You have begun your goodbyes: “Goodbye, social life! Sayonara free time! Adios fun!” and begun your hellos: “Hello boring academic reading! Bonjour exhaustion! Ola junk food!”. Suffice to say you’re probably not feeling great about the coming semester. Visions of sugarplums summer vacation are dancing in your head.

Never fear! Your guide to beating the blahs is here!

1. Make it easier for yourself

Photo thanks to cfetcher

Get organized! Pick up some colourful binders, label them and keep your notes filed away where you can easily find them. If possible, take an interesting, easy course. Re-arrange your schedule so that it fits your life: for example, eliminate early classes. Stock your freezer with quick, easy meals like perogies, lasagna, edamame, pizza, burgers, bagels, frozen dinners, etc. Make it easy for you to eat whole, balanced meals instead of skipping them or ordering food (expensive!). Stock up on essentials like toilet paper, paper towels, kleenex, toothpaste, etc, so that you don’t have to always be running to the store for more.

Anything that you can do now, up front, to make it easier for yourself in the long run, I encourage you to do! That way, later on, when you’re running out of energy, time, and any essentials, you’ll be grateful to yourself for having cleared away some of the muck and creating a slightly easier existence.

2. Inject fun into your routine

Photo thanks to mlr

Brighten your note-taking with colourful pens and/or paper. Schedule a study/textbook reading/cooking gourmet food date with a friend once a week. Make time for your personal special activities: turn the computer off one hour earlier and spend the time reading, writing, drawing, dreaming. Take the scenic route to class. Create elaborate meals whenever you have time. Dress up for school. Take a bubble bath instead of a shower. Watch part of a movie every time you finish a reading/assignment. Reward yourself for doing annoying tasks (laundry, dishes, toilet-cleaning?) with candy, a magazine, a new eye shadow, etc. Resolve to wind down with a glass of wine once or twice a week. Listen to music while you’re getting ready in the morning.

I know people who say they just don’t have any time for fun. That’s nonsense! As long as you make a small effort in your day to stop and smell the roses & appreciate the little things, you’ll be happy at the end of every day, rather than burnt out and depressed.

3. Fix what’s broken

Photo thanks to daviddoctorrose

Replace that old towel that never dries you off properly. Buy a shoe rack so that it’s easier to find and organize your shoes. Write yourself a reminder to water the plants, take out the garbage, etc, etc. Pick your clothes up off the floor. Move that table that you keep running into. Re-organize your kitchen cabinets so it’s easier to reach the things you use most often. Hang up that picture that’s been leaning against the wall since March. Buy a timer for the oven so that you stop burning things. Re-arrange the furniture so that you feel more zen. Get to class earlier so you don’t get a bad seat.

By ‘broken’ I mean not working. Take a good look at your life, your home, your daily routine, and hone in on the things that annoy you every day. There are most likely several things that bug you on a daily, weekly or occasional basis that only require a few minutes of effort to change. In order to have a successful semester, try tweaking a few things in your life to keep you running smoothly and happily throughout the school year.

4. Make your space beautiful

Photo thanks to missvu

Buy new linens for your bed and make it a cozy, nest-y haven. Keep photos of friends and family around all the time. Clear the clutter off your desk or workspace. Cover the walls with magazine cutouts, photos, murals, collages, artwork. Keep all your favourite things in plain sight. Colour-code your bookshelves. Paint the walls your favourite colours. Hang up a blackboard and write inspirational quotes on it in colourful chalk. Buy scented candles. Have living things: pets, plants, flowers. Always have soft music playing.

Make your house a home, a place where you love to be. Make your bed just for sleeping so that when you cozy down into your fluffy duvet, it feels luxurious and comfy. Light candles, play music, keep beautiful things all around you. When exams roll around, it will be nice to have a special, comfortable place that relaxes and calms you.

5. Cut back on time-wasters

Photo thanks to balakov

One of the things I’ve never understood are people who complain and complain about how exhausted, burnt out and stressed they are, who complain about having absolutely no free time, and who spend several hours a day on facebook. Huh? I don’t get it. Unless your desired use of what little free time you have is to creep people on the internet, than this whole statement doesn’t make sense. The sad part is, I know people who say that no, they have no free time and no, time spent on facebook doesn’t count as free time. Wait, what? So they’d rather be doing activities that they actually enjoy, like reading a novel, riding their bike, hanging out with friends? And they can’t do those things because they don’t have time? But they have time to log into facebook for hours at a time? Confusing.

I’m not exactly a saint on the social media front, and I have logged a good chunk of time on facebook, but I would never claim that I had no time for activities I enjoy. I simply chose to spent that free time online instead of engaged in interesting activities. One of my resolutions for the new year is to cut down on time wasters. Force yourself off of facebook, off of twitter, off your blog reader, stop watching tv shows you don’t even enjoy, quit checking your email 340 times a day, and focus. Force yourself to find other ways to spend that time. Force yourself to do a more mindful activity. It won’t be easy, since your brain would initially prefer to be on autopilot skimming through pictures of that weird kid from high school’s family reunion, but your soul will thank you in the end. Pump up the creativity!

And Breathe Deep!

Find joy in the little things. Always plan so that you have something to look forward to. Put in the work every day so you don’t have to cram at the very end. Spend some time every day re-centering yourself, relaxing, and breathing deep. Work hard, play hard, focus in class (my very best advice to myself, it’s the single best way to spend less time reviewing at the end of the course), don’t procrastinate. Make time for the special things. Get enough sleep and good food. Don’t burn yourself out. Smile.

And banish those blahs!

xoxo,

Happy 2011!! Are you as excited as me about this brand new start, clean slate, chance for reflection and growth? Here’s how excited I am: me and one of my biffles, Isabelle, rang in the new year with champagne, a bonfire and stinky cheeses before reading ‘Oh! The Places You’ll Go‘ and brainstorming ideas and resolutions for 2011. We got out pens and paper and wrote down all the things we’d like to be better at, & all the things we’d like to accomplish before this time next year. No dream was too big, and there was absolutely no ‘reality’ check/negativity/cynicism, since dreams need encouragement in order to be achieved! We got all giddy and excited about the possibilities that the future holds, and now I am more jazzed up than ever! Bring it on 2011. :)

Looking back to my 2010 resolutions, I can see that I made a mistake. I was fairly vague in some of my resolutions: “take more chances” and “update my blog more” are not, in my opinion, very clear or easy to achieve. There’s no way of knowing if you’ve really succeeded! So even though I think I accomplished about 7/10 of my last year’s resolutions, it’s not concrete enough for me. I’d prefer goals that I can easily check off: done. That’s why this year, I’m only putting on specific, clear goals. Even though this type of resolutions are a bit scarier to put into words than the vague kind (ex. “be a better friend”), I think they’ll ultimately be more effective for me. They’ll kick my butt into high gear! So without further ado, my resolutions for 2011:

Personal Goals

By personal goals, I mean concrete, specific achievements I’d like to accomplish by 2012.

1. Post on my blog at least twice a week. This means 52 x 2 = 104 posts this year. At minimum.
   
2. Read 100 books. Not counting anything required for school!
3. Get a massage.
4. Spend 1 month eating vegan (at least one, if not more!)
   
5. Attend TEDxMcGill.
6. Complete some kind of physical challenge.
7. Participate in NaNoWriMo.
8. Watch the Top 250 movies on IMDB (the ones I haven’t already seen!)
9. Do one cultural activity per month (theatre, opera, restaurant, etc)
   
10. Save $1000.00 for travelling. Or more, if possible!
    
11. Get into the honours psychology program at my school.
12. Get a pet of some kind. I’m thinking a fish to start? Maybe a cat later? :)
    
13. Host a dinner party.
14. Do some sort of detox.
15. Go on a retreat.
16. Attend a conference on something I find fascinating.
17. Have photos and writing published.
18. Find my dream apartment.
    

Focuses

By focuses, I mean non-specific, vague ways that I’d like to improve.

• Bring joy to others
• Live in the moment
• Say yes, be open to new experiences
• Health & nutrition
• Unconventional moneymaking
• Be calmer & more zen
• Travel
• Make a difference
• Practice my French
• Practice my photography
• Be a better friend
• Eat consciously
• Cut down on Facebook and television
  

What are your goals and focuses for the coming year?

xoxo,

Before I post my 2011 resolutions (which I am massively excited to share with you!!), I’d like to do a bit of a retrospective on this blog you’re reading right now, In Limbo. This morning I received an email with a report already tailor-made for my blog (very classy WordPress, this is why we all love you) so I’m posting it below.

And before you read it, let me say: thank you. Without all of you talented, encouraging, supportive and interested readers (most of whom are awesome writers!) I never would have gotten a “wow” score on my blog. So, a million times, thank you! Keep the suggestions and blog love coming.

In Limbo 2010

Numbers, Names, and Search Terms

The stats helper monkeys at WordPress.com mulled over how this blog did in 2010, and here’s a high level summary of its overall blog health:

The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads Wow.

Crunchy numbers

About 3 million people visit the Taj Mahal every year. This blog was viewed about 34,000 times in 2010. If it were the Taj Mahal, it would take about 4 days for that many people to see it.

In 2010, there were 167 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 212 posts. There were 1029 pictures uploaded, taking up a total of 2gb. That’s about 3 pictures per day.

The busiest day of the year was April 21st with 3000 views. The most popular post that day was Reading Is Sexy.

Where did they come from?

The top referring sites in 2010 were wordpress.com, facebook.com, en.wordpress.com, twitter.com, and poeartist.wordpress.com.

Some visitors came searching, mostly for rudolph the red nosed reindeer, top 10 mac apps, effieboo, the grinch, and best mac apps.

Attractions in 2010

These are the posts and pages that got the most views in 2010.

Reading Is Sexy April 2010
73 comments

What to Bring to Your Dorm Room! August 2010
122 comments and 71 Likes on WordPress.com

Top 10 Free Mac Apps for New Mac Owners April 2010
8 comments and 4 Likes on WordPress.com

More VHS Than DVD December 2009
4 comments

About April 2009
26 comments

I couldn’t be more excited about my geeky stats. I can’t believe I wrote 167 posts in a year! Or that one of my posts got 71 likes on WordPress.com, somehow I missed that in all the confusion. Anyhow, this is just even more motivation to make this blog bigger and better in 2011.

Again, Thank You.

xoxo,

As I sit down to write this post, I’m struck by how much I haven’t accomplished this year. I know that’s not really the spirit, but it sort of puts things into perspective. It’s so easy to get caught up in day-to-day life and forget to do the things that you get really excited about. I’ll be posting in a couple days about my New Years resolutions, and I promise that they’re going to be bigger and bolder than any I’ve ever made before. I’m lucky to be surrounded by such amazing and inspiring people who encourage me to live my dreams, and this year, 2011, I will kickstart everything. I hope!

The reason I want to write this post is to document all my successes/joys/loves/excitements/obsessions of the past year. I want to have some sort of logbook so that when I’m old and grey, I can be assured I didn’t waste the best years of my life.

So. What happened in 2010?

Favourites:

• I was featured on WordPress.com’s Freshly Pressed twice (!); once on April 21, 2010, and once on August 26, 2010. It was so exciting, surreal, and humbling.
  
• In March, I recommitted to vegetarianism and have not once looked back. I’m very proud of this.
  
• In March, In Limbo turned one! Happy Birthday.
  
• In June, I bought my first DSLR camera: my Nikon D90. It’s everything I could ever want. This was big because it was my first major purchase, and it’s given me so much joy ever since. I learn new things with it every day!
• In August, my family took a trip to New York City! Among other things, I ate the best pizza of my life and visited the New York Public Library, so I was extremely content. :)
  
• In September, I moved into my very first apartment! I can’t turn around in the kitchen, when I sit on the toilet my knees touch the sink, and there are noisy trucks outside 24/7, but I couldn’t be happier.
• In November, I attended TEDxMcGill in Old Montreal. It was so wonderful to be around such inspiring people, just talking about their absolutely wonderful ideas that are going to change the world. Even more humbling were the speakers who were my age: it motivated me to start working on some amazing ideas of my own!

Most Memorable Times:

• January: a wonderful afternoon skating on Beaver Lake pond on Mont Royal
• February: out all night at Nuit Blanche; moshing, riding the Ferris Wheel and running through the maze like a five year old in Old Port
• March: smoking shisha at a bar for the first time; helped my Jewish friends throw a seder!
• April: having dinner with all of my new school friends at Le Commensal; getting customized cupcakes delivered from my Mommy for my birthday!; karaokeing & laughing with friends
• May: going to see Mamma Mia with my family; seeing Taylor Swift live at the ACC!; helping Kelcie’s family with landscaping; having my mom’s best friend’s family visit from England
• June: chaperoning my sister’s team for Relay for Life, Kelcie’s backyard birthday party; my other sister’s graduation ceremony (she was so beautiful!)
• July: a weekend spent saunaing, tanning, eating and reading with my five best friends at a beautiful island cottage; seeing Lady Gaga live at the ACC!!; seeing Jersey Boys with my family; staying at a cottage with my family; making tempura with my mom
• August: Toronto Zoo & Ontario Science Centre with my famjam
• September: cooking my first meals at my new apartment; partying at a gay club for the first time; going to a gourmet chocolate restaurant
  
• October: driving my mum to the airport to go climb Mt. Kilimanjaro!; Halloween :)
  
• November: going to my first professional hockey game (Habs vs Sens!); TEDxMcGill; getting lilies from my guy; first motorcycle ride!
  
• December: coming home to the coziest house in the world; being done exams; spending time with family & friends; reading up a storm!

Favourite Meals:

• French onion soup with my roomie
  
• Chef on Call with the boyfriend while watching Up
• Sweet potato fry poutine
• The nachos @ Lola Rosa
• Restaurant bruschetta with the most beautiful piece of goat cheese imaginable on it
• Creamy pasta with asparagus and grape tomatoes
• Quinoa salad!
• A summery meal of sweet potato fries, watermelon tossed with red onions, and potato salad
• Mushroom bruschetta at Bridges Restaurant
• Margherita pizza at Lombardi’s in NYC
• Deep-friend mushroom burger & chocolate milkshake at the Shake Shack, NYC
• Sweet potato latkes with Balkan yogurt, pomegranate seeds, green onions and apple sauce
• Stuffed shells.. omg
• Fried tempeh in golden mushroom gravy + mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans and ‘orange stuff’ for Christmas dinner. MMM.

Books I Read:

Lullabies for Little Criminals*, Shutter Island, Sway, Freakonomics, Nickel and Dimed, The Great Gatsby, What the Dog Saw, Eating Animals*, A Fraction of the Whole*, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, Her Fearful Symmetry, Sarah’s Key, Jesus Land, Prep*, Waiter Rant, Citizen Girl, Eat Pray Love, The Sharper Your Knife the Less You Cry, Gods Behaving Badly, A Million Little Pieces, The Bell Jar, Orange is the New Black, My Stroke of Insight, The Man of My Dreams*, American Wife, Classy, Cloud Atlas*, The Quality of Life Report, Unhinged, Skinny Bitch, Men and Dogs, Within Our Reach, Diary, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society, The Te of Piglet, The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie*, Quantum Wellness, The Weed That Strings the Hangman’s Bag, The Book of Awesome, Crazy Salad, Summer at Tiffany, Live the Life You Love, The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake, Never Let Me Go*, Gone With the Wind*, Brave New World*, The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, The Hour I First Believed, The Girl Who Played With Fire, Holidays on Ice, Room.

* = favourite

Favourite Things:

• Movies: The Black Swan, Inception, Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows, Julie & Julia, The Darjeeling Limited, Easy A, Toy Story 3
  
• Music: Lady Gaga, Mumford & Sons, Kanye West’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, Glee, Wicked, She & Him, The White Panda, The Avett Brothers, Taylor Swift, Jason Mraz
• TV: The Big Bang Theory, Glee, Raising Hope, Gossip Girl, How I Met Your Mother, House Hunters International, and I’m just getting into Dexter now!
• Websites: The Pioneer Woman Cooks, Joy the Baker, White Hot Truth, Gala Darling, Crazy Sexy Life, The Bloggess, The Trephine, Marc and Angel Hack Life, Desserts for Breakfast, Zen Habits
• Buys: My beautiful spring trenchcoat, my Nikon D90, my head massager from Chapters ($4.99 for the blissiest bliss you’ve ever felt), my Filofax!
• Simple Pleasures: avocado toast, Coco Mademoiselle, squared Moleskines & fancy pens, writing this blog, grocery shopping on Saturday afternoons, making dinners with friends, bubble baths, Starbucks.
• Best Habits: twice a week yoga for most of the year, journal writing almost every night, wearing a watch, always had a book on the go, cooking for myself, drinking green drink, saying affirmations, making time for my creativity.
• Gifts: Kindle (more on this soon!!), flowers, handmade wooden jewelry box from my Grandfather, signed copy of What the Dog Saw, cookie cutters in the shapes of lab equipment (beakers & test tubes), the best books ever, an adorable teapot.. I’m so lucky.
  

In Retrospect:

I had a wonderful year. 2010 was the year where I really came into my own: I could literally feel the shift inside of me. I became my own strong, independent, confident person and everything changed. This was the year I got really into blogs and blogging, and the content I’ve read online this year has changed my life in more ways than I could possibly count. I started yoga, which calmed and motivated me, and I slowly got stronger than I’d been in a long time (body & mind baby). I explored meditation, veganism, nutrition, cooking, spirituality, love, life. I feel like this past year has been the real start to the rest of my life. If my 2010 were a graph, it would chart like this:

..except that the months on the bottom would be shifted. For me, the disillusionment occurred from May-September, then the rejuvenation, reflection and so much anticipation for the months to come started in October. Today, I am happy, healthy, focused, driven, excited and grateful for the life that I have. I worked hard to diminish my anxiety this year, and I am reaping the benefits big time.

So thank you, 2010, for teaching me more than I would have thought possible. And a word to 2011 – I’m coming for you! My hunger for life is stronger than ever, and 2011 will be a year I live to the absolute fullest. I’m going to do it up big: big dreams, big fears, big chances, big changes, big scary awesome perfect crazy BIG. Stay tuned!

Happy New Year!!

xoxo,

Very

Merry

Christmas!

Hope that the food was delicious, the company was amusing, the gifts were wonderful to give and to receive. If you don’t celebrate Christmas, well, I hope that you had a marvellous day anyways!

Counting my blessings for a loving and supportive family, my health, the simple pleasures of being home, and being surrounded by love from all sides. Me and my sisters had a sleepover last night, I felt like a kid again! :)

xoxo,