let's face it.

I have strawberries on my face.

On purpose.

I picked up French Women For All Seasons, and it has compelled me to live a little bit better. One way involves mixing mashed strawberries with honey and Vaseline, and leaving it on my face for 15 minutes. It feels quite nice, actually.

The book also helped me snack less than I normally would have tonight, because I took the time to think about whether or not half of my portion was sufficient. (It was.)

Did I tell you the endorphins are back? Well, for today. I went for a jog and even though a bird dropped its droppings on my thigh, I'm going to take it as a good sign. (Agreed?)

xo
lori

my grandparents are comedians

Even though I'm spent, I don't want to forget the little gems that I heard when visiting my grandparents tonight.

She gave us each a slice of cake, and when I asked him "como dicia 'cake'" (I totally can't spell in Italian), he said "cake?", I said "yes, cake!" and he said "What do you think? It's a same-a thing. You think we had the cake in the old country!? Ma, gah geez!"

My sister tells her that my birthday is coming up in two weeks. (Note: my grandparents have a farm.) She says "Oh, I know! Lori's a birthday is when the beans are ready!"

There is a mole digging up holes in my grandparents' front lawn. He says "Ma, what am I a gonna do with this? I try to get'him with the shovel, but I can't! Whaddya gonna do?"

That's only three. If my sister remembers the others, I'll post them, too. Oh, and my grandparents both tried on my sunglasses. They looked super cute.

haha. And I wonder how I became so wonderfully crazy. ; )

xo <3

love or something like it

I just watched the Spanish Apartment in French with English subtitles. So happy to learn that there is a sequel and a third film in the works.

The ending of this film is completely awesome. And while maybe it's a little on the long side, I didn't really mind at all. I think watching someone else's adventure is almost but not quite at all like living my own. ; )

Am downloading OK Computer right now (how many years late?), mostly because "No Surprises" played twice in the film and I'm in the mood to hear it a third, fourth and fourteenth time.

P.S. This is the story of my life right now. At least, from my perspective. : )

22,000 is the loneliest number

It's so hot in this apartment I just might die.

It would probably be better if I wasn't sitting next to this increasingly hot computer. #timetobuyafan

The last few days have been a bit of a time warp, tilt a whirl, yay fun & adventure. It's nice to catch up with old friends, especially the ones where you don't seem to skip a beat, not a one.

However, I was reading Who's Your City while standing in the nearby bookstore and I learned a somewhat alarming statistic. I've always said that Toronto seems to be filled with fabulous single ladies, and I just don't seem to know as many amazing single men. And so it turns out there are 22,000 more single women than men in this city. No wonder! I'm not a killer or one of those die-hard go-getters and I just don't have the energy to battle through it all.

SO. Toronto is the worst city I could be living in, in that respect. Obviously, it is amazing for my career and it's close to my friends and family. And there are a million things to do and I do quite enjoy it. But, I just might have to enjoy it alone. Well, alone with 21,999 other ladies. ; )

So, where should a bright and lovely single woman be living?

1. Calgary
2. Ottawa
3. Victoria
4. Edmonton
5. Guelph

Maybe I should take a little tour. Well, I am going to Calgary next week (unrelated!!! promise!).

Maybe the city of Toronto needs to change its advertising campaign to something like... "Single! Women! Everywhere!"

Or not.

xo. night!

stealer face

I am home from the bar and a long and lovely day out in the world and all I want to do is eat! Is it bad that I just enjoyed my friend's vegan leftovers? To be fair, he did say maybe I could have them. : )

Anyways, I don't have much to say other than that today was nice. Delicious brunch. Nice drive. Scrabble. Transit ride. Bike ride. Bike buying lessons (but still no bike). Biking in the rain. Walking in the rain. Transit ride. Art gallery. Drawing in the art gallery (inspired by the youngsters). Yummy dinner. Trek up north. Long transit ride. Watching Victoria Day. Q&A with director. Long transit ride back. Recognized in real life by barista boys. Drinking very dark beer (what?). Dancing pour my friends the DJs. Eating friend's leftovers. Time for bed.

Good night. xo.

another one for monday

Did I tell you about the time I let a little crush get the best of me?

I swear, it's so easy for me to wrap my head around the possibility of something or someone that I just let my heart sink and swim with the slightest upturn of a smile.

It's funny that this is the moodiest I've been in a long time. Any survival tips?

Happy to have made plans with an old friend for a good one-on-one chat. : ) Looking forward to a fresh perspective this week.

xo, life.

lori

Am I good enough?

So questions the Bachelorette.

I can't believe how different this show is when a girl is "wearing the pants." Even though she has the power to pick her potential mate, she's not really in control of the situation at all.

She's constantly looking for confirmation that the guys like her... that they find her interesting and that they want to be there... completely opposite to the girls on the Bachelor, who all immediately spilled about how much they liked Jason.

Woah, she even kinda quoted one of the guys in her closing! "These have been the best dates of my life... and some of the best days too." Totally paraphrased the other guy.

Not saying I'd be any different, but it's just interesting to see the shift in dynamic.

P.S. I wonder if Ed will come back. That would be awesome.

a day away

Sun-kissed shoulders. Well, more like the sun totally made out with my shoulders. They're red, but they're used to it. Oopsy-daisy. (Oh, Hugh.)

Would love to have another pretend-vacation day. I want to plop into a new space every now and again, where I don't know a soul and where opportunity seems to be everywhere, all the time.

Randomly picked up a book today called Snoop: What Your Stuff Says About You. It's a little bit obvious so far, but it did let me take a mini personality test in which I learned (or confirmed) that I'm very open & agreeable. Oh, me.

xo. <3

how to be better.

I'm such a whiner, sometimes. 0 : )

Finally downloaded Phoenix.
Finally finished The Road.
Finally did yoga!
Finally spent a lesiurely day solo. <3

I think I want to give up drinking. #amIcrazy?

the emo side of life

I wake up lonely / and go to bed the same way

Today was one of those days where I was surrounded my friends but felt very alone. Do you know the feeling? (Hayden does.)

Sometimes I think that I've become a really amazing listener, but I don't feel like I have anyone to really listen to me. Well, about the things at the heart of it all. Like hopes and dreams and fears and genuine concerns. It's weird to be missing that kind of connection. And it's a little bit terrifying.

And I know that I do have friends who are there and would listen if I asked... but I don't really want to ask, you know?

(I miss it so much that it downright hurts.)

high / low

It's like all of a sudden my body started to shut down. It's like HEY, wake up, girl. You're so not giving me the fuel I need, and I'm getting pissed off.

So, really, I need to go for bloodwork and I need to eat a steak and I need to somehow become strong enough to not feel faint, and to not feel like my arm is going to fall off when carrying one somewhat full bag of groceries (filled with healthy food, I swear).

Why do I put off the most important things for so long? It's like I'm embarrassed to know how bad some things get. Or it's a fear thing. But I'm not being very smart about this at all, I know.

Oh, right. I titled this post high/low. That was the low. The high was the feeling I just had when the not-so-stranger stranger noticed me walking by and flashed me that familiar, so great-to-see you smile. I didn't feel tired at all when that happened. #stillswooning...stillshy

OK. I'm popping vitamins & then I'm cheering for those angel wings.

xo
lori

lists & leaving things behind

I should really call my French teacher. I've been back for more than a month and haven't caught her up on my mini-adventure or returned to my studies. I think I really need to get back into it, because I suddenly feel things becoming a little bit stale.

I was writing in this journal more often than I say 'oh la la' and then I must have been distracted by something shiny and pretty. Anyways, here I am again. I'm spending my nights sipping on champagne with strawberries, watching The Bachelorette with friends. I've been to another wedding, worn a new dress and felt my heart crush just a bit when I found out my cute @ home hairdresser already gave his heart away. I've been accepting early & bizarre birthday presents in the form of potentially e-harmony-ous gifts. I'm happy then sad then bored then buzzing with excitement. I'm falling for strangers and spending too much on my morning coffee. I'm running from things when they become overwhelming and sometimes just wish I could hide. I'm thinking it's still important to get enough sleep, so I should probably go to bed three hours ago. Oh. La. La.

And it's pouring outside.