Tag Archives: observations

30 Things I’ve Learned in 30 Years

Posted in Life Tips by

30th_birthdaySo, I’ve officially taken 30 trips around the sun. And in those 30 years, I’ve actually learned a lot. Here are the 30 most important things I’ve learned so far (trust me, it’s worth reading the whole list):

  1. Watch where you’re going both visually and in life.
     
  2. Dogs are the most important beings in the world! You should take as many pictures with your dog as you want because dogs don’t live as long as people. You need enough photos to get you through the years they are no longer with you.
     
  3. If you need help, don’t be afraid to ask for it (mentally, physically, emotionally, etc.).
     
  4. You need different friends for different things.
     
  5. Small car repairs don’t exist. Everything is expensive.
     
  6. Sometimes you don’t need to redecorate. You just need to clean your apartment.
     
  7. You don’t need to wear makeup every day. No one cares.
     
  8. Don’t do anything or be anyone  other than yourself just because you think you’re “supposed to”.
     
  9. Don’t make life decisions out of obligation. You’re the one who will have to live with the decision.
     
  10. It’s better to be alone then to be with the wrong person
     
  11. If someone makes you feel like throwing up, stop wasting your valuable time with them.
     
  12. You’re stronger than you think you are.
     
  13. Snow is not as pretty when you have to shovel it.
     
  14. If you don’t like your handwriting, change it.
     
  15. Happiness is not a competition. There’s room for everyone.
     
  16. Olive oil can freeze.
     
  17. Don’t be afraid to take a job because you feel like you’ll be trapped there. If you don’t like it, look for a new job.
     
  18. It’s not how much money you make, it’s how much money you save
     
  19. Don’t buy anything you can’t afford to pay for (within 30 days).
     
  20. Whether someone hurt you or not, if their parent dies, nothing matters anymore. You go to the funeral.
     
  21. When working out (or after),there’s a difference between good pain and bad pain.
     
  22. Eating a few pieces of pizza is fine. Eating an entire pizza is not fine, especially if done on a weekly basis.
     
  23. Jumping isn’t bad for your knees. Jumping poorly is.
     
  24. Not every doctor is considerate of your time. If you have a good one, stick with him/her as long as you can. If you’re not happy with them, take the time to find one you’re happy with. Your health is worth it. 
     
  25. Sometimes coffee isn’t as much as a benefit for you, as it is for those who have to interact with you.
     
  26. Don’t hand out “I love you’s” like candy.
     
  27. Winter boots that keep your feet warm and dry are better than ones that just look pretty.
     
  28. Original song lyrics are merely suggestions. Sing what you want.
     
  29. Dance in your car like you’re putting on a production.
     
  30. Laughing with your brothers is the best medicine.
     
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Hipsters in The Park

Posted in Navagating the Hipster Universe by

9138614929_adc3430b99_hDowntown parks have way more variety than parks in the suburbs. Sure, you have the typical runners and Frisbee enthusiasts, but there are so many more groups of people that you just don’t find in the suburbs.

Who You’ll Find at a Hipster Park

  1. The Ill Prepared

    It’s 30 degrees Celsius and sunny. Maybe don’t wear black slacks and a black polo shirt.

  2. The Well Prepared

    Why sit on the ground when you have a chair that folds away into our backpack?

  3. The Over Prepared

    It’s the park. It’s not a 10 day trek across the Andes.

  4. Stoners Learning to Hula Hoop

    Pretty self-explanatory.

  5. Old Hippies

    The hippie just pulled out his iPad. I don’t know how i feel about this. Aren’t hippies supposed to be against “the man”? I guess technology isn’t so bad? Although, his attention seems to be more drawn to the stoner hula hoopers.

  6. Hipsters That Think They Can Throw a Football

    Again, pretty self-explanatory.

  7. The Newlyweds That Think a Busy Park is the Perfect Wedding Photo Backdrop

    I’m sure they’ll look back at their photos for years to come with fondness…

Hipster Garage Sale

Another thing that can often be found in a hipster park is a garage sale. Hipster garage sales are not like ordinary garage sales. I grew up in a place where a garage sale meant collecting all of your old toys and clothes and hoping someone else wanted them. If someone was willing to pay you $10 for your “vintage” friendship making kit, that was a steal! I recently ventured downtown and learned that garage sales mean something very different here.

I don’t understand how all of these people just “happen” to have antique glassware and (overpriced) records they’re trying to unload. It would also appear that used hats are all the rage (Head lice risk? No, thank you).

Fan Clubs

Of course fan clubs meet in hipster parks. Now I’ve never seen Orphan Black, but from the fan club, it would appear to have something to do with clones and pencils. Black clothes and yellow hair also seem to play a role. Oh, they have press-on tattoos…I wonder if they have any that aren’t Orphan Black related.

Bonus Fun Fact: There’s never a fear of being the palest/least tanned person at a hipster park. At a hipster park, if you’re tanned, you stand out.

C-List Celebrity Sightings

Posted in Life Tips by

paparazzi_1Some days, you never quite know where the day will take you. One minute you’re just going about your day. The next minute you’re watching a random guy faun over a c-list celebrity while he tries to enjoy a coffee with his wife. Seriously, I’m pretty sure this rando is truly hoping they’ll become best friends. I don’t think the celeb feels quite the same way. Oh, he did not just mention he wrote a screenplay…Run c-list celeb! Run!

Now, I will not drop the name of the celebrity I spotted. Mainly, to protect his (or her) identity, but also to keep the mystery alive. I always think the world could use more mystery, but I digress. However, I am going to share some helpful tips so you don’t end up stumbling upon an embarrassing situation for yourself.

So, you’ve spotted someone famous, now what?

1. Are you sure they’re famous?

C-list celebrities are tricky. Unlike A-list (and most B-list celebs), you don’t always know when one crosses your path. They almost look like normal civilians. They don’t have swarms of people following them as if they’re Brad Pitt. You end up staring at them for an uncomfortably long time trying to figure out why they look so familiar. It’s generally best if you can figure out who the individual is before you interrupt their peaceful afternoon, or frighten them.

2. No, he didn’t come to Starbucks to meet you.

I know, it’s shocking. I love when a stranger just plunks himself down next to a fairly well-known actor and starts talking to them like they’re friends. Just because someone’s on TV, and (virtually) spends a lot of time in your living room, that doesn’t mean you know them. Okay, maybe you know them, but they definitely don’t know you. Just let the man drink his coffee. I bet he wishes he didn’t sit down at the communal table. That’s always a gamble. Fortunately, for me, the gamble payed off with this interesting exchange. I’m not sure this actor feels the same way.

3. No, you are not the same person.

I love when certain individuals meet people with interesting jobs and they all of a sudden try to justify how they’re pretty much the same person. Ok, yeah…that’s why you’re not a fire fighter. “Oh, you’re an actor? I did theatre in high school.” Yeah, that’s the same. “I’m actually working on a screenplay…” (They always happen to be working on a screenplay). “You have a “daughter” who wants to be an actor? Great…”

A Polite Ode to Canada Day

Posted in Canadian Living by

great_white_north_1Today is Canada Day. For you non-Canadian readers, every July 1st, Canada pauses to think about what truly makes us Canadian. We celebrate that fateful day where the Britain politely asked us if we wanted to be an independent country and we said sure. To commemorate this polite entrance into independence, most of us head up north, sit on a calm lake (or the dock in front of it), and think to ourselves, “It’s nice I didn’t have to go to work today.”

Unfourtunately, this year, Canada Day falls on a Wednesday. So unless you have some vacation time stored up, it’s back to work tomorrow. Needless to say, there’s not a whole lot to do with one day off in the middle of the week, especially when everything’s closed.

Right now, I’m sitting on my front porch watching the neighbour’s dog chase a fly. Some dogs are brighter than others…So maybe my dog’s not the sharpest tool in the shed (she may have tried to run through a sliding glass window), but she doesn’t chase flies! And there she goes. Master calls. Oh look, it’s starting to rain. I wonder how long it will crawl up those steps before I have to go inside. There it goes. Well, that didn’t take long.

Ok, so we’ve moved inside. Sorry, as I was saying, Canada is a pretty great place to live. Where else can you drop your wallet in the subway, have people help gather your things and not steal anything. Yeah, I checked.

Sure, Independence Day is flashy and full of heave ho (I assume), but sitting calmly and being politely grateful is kind of nice.

To check out a few more reasons why I love living in Canada, click here.

I’m Not Old. I’m Cinderella.

Posted in Thoughts About Life by

barney-stinson-im-too-old-for-this_2Not long ago, I took a highly revered internet test letting me know my true age. After a grilling list of questions, it revealed that I am 62. Seeing as I was only born 26 years ago, this should have offended me; however, since the description following my “real age” was pretty accurate, it was hard to argue.

I’ve recently noticed that I’m having a hard time keeping up with what the “kids” are into. Actually, it’s not so much that I can’t keep up as I don’t care. I’m not interested in the latest acronym or abbreviation. I don’t need to stay up until the wee hours of the morning in order to call the night a success. When the clock strikes midnight, I’m out. If you can’t manage to fit in a good time before that, you must not be very fun. I’m basically Cinderella, and you wouldn’t call Cinderella old, would you? Exactly.

I’m not quite ready to jump straight to matinee shows and early bird dinners…well, at least not every night. Even if I could skip working for the next 30-some odd years and retire now, I wouldn’t…probably. I want to enjoy living the rest of my days, working full-time and all. I just want to do it my way, the slightly older way. I’m young. I’m full of life and possibility, but I also want to go to bed at a reasonable hour and wake up in a familiar place. If that makes me old, then embroider me an afghan and call me Deloris.