Creative Kicks

"According to University of Texas professor Elizabeth Vandewater, for every hour a kid regularly watches television, his overall time in creative activities—from fantasy play to arts projects—drops as much as 11 percent."

I came across this article after a weekend of plenty of holiday parties (too much wine) and lots of television (too much television). Between the two activities, I had little energy left to get exciting about a freelance project, to write for me, to call my family, or to pick up a new book.

I did, however, have enough energy to browse the internets in search of something fun, engaging, inspiring. It started with potential travel destinations, then potential apartments, then potential ways to kick today's feeling. This quote make me want to kick my TV out, too.

Read the rest of the article here.

Life can happen really quickly if you're not careful. But if you're TOO careful, it seems to drag, drag, drag along. You'll end up second-guessing all of the choices you've made. But what's the point in that? I think one thing I'm proud of (there are MANY, FYI) is that I've been good at just living with what I've got. Being happy with my life. Finding good things all over the place. Hoping a few other things fall into place, too, but that will all happen in good time. And if it doesn't all fall into place so neat and perfectly, that's OK, too.

xo,

lori

the cure for the common blog

Peggy Olson is so awesome. : )

that guilty feeling

(Almost) everyone knows what's it's like to feel hungover.

Most people know what it feels like to eat too much, too. The food is just so good (or maybe you just have a need to clean your plate) and you don't stop when your stomach starts to say, "hey! what are you doing? i'm over it." It seemed like a good idea at the time...

So we can have too much alcohol, and too much food. How about too much TV? Or too much "contemplating your past/present/future." I had one of those weekends. I ran into someone from my past, and it put me in this funk for the rest of the weekend. Not that they (arguably) have the same impact on me, but it just brought up these questions of who I was then and how I respond to things now. I've been so busy and feeling so good lately, and this weekend just did a number on me. Hopefully I can shake it off.

I don't think I have a very strong point to raise, but I do like to stumble back over to this blog whenever I feel the need to purge.

Sorry for the mess.

xo,

lori

p.s. Funny enough, this was the bottle in my bag when I ran into said person. Chosen by a coworker & I based on the clever title and good design.

up, up & away

It's been three months since my last post! I wish I could tell you I spent it in Argentina or Bali, or Nepal or Italy. Maybe I was taking language classes, or building a house for a family in need or teaching kids how to write (or type) or just stretching out in the warm golden sun.

Maybe I was labouring away, day after day, on a collection of short stories about life in my hometown. Or maybe I started with the story of a tangled friendship, teetering between love and being alone. I could have been writing in my diary every night before bed, or updating another blog in a browser far, far away.

Imagine I cooked elaborate feasts for friends and family, or grew a small collection of produce on my sunlit patio. I could have put on party dresses and a smile, and worked a crowded room effortlessly and naturally, all on my own.

Maybe I wasn't afraid of failure or risks -- or anything, anything at all.

Remember that scene...

When Amelie is making dinner all by herself? And she imagines that Nino is coming home to dine with her, and she hears a sound and smiles... but it's just the cat that's making noise?

I kind of feel like Amelie in that moment. Well, just for the last couple of weeks (but no, I don't have a cat). I've been relatively withdrawn and not particularly engaged with any people, places or things. Probably a little bit lonely. Perhaps it's just the month going out like a lamb, or maybe it's a reminder to search for things that pique my interest a little bit more.

I think I'm nostalgic for European getaways and random strolls through Paris, meeting strangers and not quite knowing what's around the corner. See, I always know what's around the corner from my apartment. Well, except I did find out an interesting fella lives just down the street, but but but...who knows.

Well, gotta go. Tonight is all about wine and New York, I Love You. (Sorry, Paris).

xo,

lori

It only takes five minutes

to clean your house.

Well, sort of.

I went to "The Art of Marketing" conference in Toronto last week, and heard from one of the Heath brothers. (They have a column in Fast Company magazine, and have written two books. Yay, brothers!)

Anyways, at one point in their book Switch, they talk about why it's so difficult to clean your house. The task always seems daunting when you put it off too long, but they offered a different way of looking at it. Putting away a dish is not terribly dreadful, but putting away 27 dishes just might be. So the idea is to create small challenges. Set a timer for just five minutes, and start cleaning up. After five minutes, you can stop -- although it's more likely that you'll continue on, and rest easier/happier because you've taken care of your place.

I have guests coming over for the Oscars tonight, but somehow I've lost touch with my ability to properly host a party. My place is still a mess and I haven't picked up alcohol or food. Oops.

Well, I'm going to go set that timer now.

But I better have more than five minutes in me. ; )

xo,

lori

UPDATE: I set it for 10 minute (so ambitious!) and it worked. But then I got bored and took a break. But then set it (again!) for 20 minutes. And then I got bored and came to update my blog. OK, now it's time to set it for 30, and see if I can finish it off. xo.

Apathy or Boredom?

I've been neither apathetic nor bored this month, but that was a major theme in The Trotsky, a spectacular film by Jacob Tierney. You must see it when it comes out in May. I went as part of TIFF's Top 10 Canadian Films of 2009, and since I've been away from the blog for a bit, I'll document the Top 10 things of 2010 (so far).

In no particular order...

1. The above film. Yay! Also, love listening to director q&a's after a film. It reminds me of how much work & heart went into a project, and it makes me so proud of and happy for complete strangers. Is that weird?

2. The musical The Sound of Music. I still haven't watched the movie (one day, maybe), but I wanted to see it on stage before it said so long to Toronto. It was so very cute.

3. The 3-day green smoothie cleanse. The first major personal challenge of the year. I am proud of and happy for myself. Little steps like these remind me that I am capable of so much more than I sometimes think.

4. My work. The first week back I was rather bored (not apathetic). The second week my boss was back and I was inspired. I was also pulled aside and given a special gift for my work as of late, which was completely unexpected yet entirely appreciated.

5. My friends. I've been able to spend some quality one-on-one time with many of my favourite people, some of whom I was less connected to in 2009. It's funny how friendships have their own ebb and flow and peaks and valleys.

6. My alone time. I really enjoy nights when it's just me, a warm bath and a great book.

7. The 1st annual Golden Balls. I think I blushed just typing that, but it's taking place on Sunday and it's a theme party for the Golden Globes (all food must be in a spherical shape). What's more fun than a theme party?

8. My time in the kitchen. When asked what my NY resolution was, the first thing that came to mind was "I want to be like a '50s housewife, but for me. I want to be better at cooking and cleaning and maybe even sewing (though that's a stretch)." I've spent lots of time in the kitchen developing my culinary skills.

9. Yoga. I think that it kind of changed my perspective on life. Since I started regular classes in the spring of 2009, I've changed a lot of other things about myself. I think that I've grown a lot, but also somehow returned to being that bright-eyed girl before all the bad stuff went down.

10. This post. I miss taking time to just write about the things I'm thinking about, whether or not they change the world. Maybe they'll change the way you think about some things, and that can't be bad, right?

xo
lori

curious george

It's back.

That ugly feeling that sneaks its way into my life time and time again. Just when I think everything's copacetic (how can you not like that word?), I'm distracted by the reminder that, sometimes, my life is lonely.

Usually, I'm OK. Most days, I'm completely cool with my own company, or with the comfort that my close friends and family provide. But I think what did it - besides the couple-centred/family-focused holidays - was Up in the Air.

See, I'm not afraid to do things on my own. I've embraced it and enjoy doing all the things I love to do, regardless if there's someone else out there who wants the same thing at the exact same time. So, after my yoga class, I took myself to the movies.

Only the problem was, I watched Up in the Air... and it's definitely not best viewed alone. It will make you second-guess and reassess all of your relationships and where your life is heading and whether or not you are as fulfilled as you'd like to think... and as I type this, I'm realizing this could be a good thing. Cheers to looking on the brightside.

xo,

lori

can'twait

via stereogum:

THE NATIONAL
TBA (4AD)
Matt Berninger kept it quieter on Boxer than he did on Alligator (i.e. no shout songs like "Mr. November"), but the band deepened their instrumentation, wrote some of their most subtly addictive songs, and had their biggest year to date (both in the National and in ambitious side projects like The Long Count). Curious what kind of mood they're in now? Matt tells us: "We started out trying to make a fun pop record. I had the word HAPPINESS taped to my wall. We veered off that course immediately. We've narrowed it down to about 15 songs now and it's going to be our best record (one song you can dance to) but it can't be described as happy." They've been recording for almost a year and as Aaron Dessner put it to us "[are] emerging from that black hole to start mixing in two weeks." Bryce adds, "There are a ton of songs and we have been working for a year, but as always with us it's the last couple months that change everything so it's too early to say what the overall direction [will be]."

who takes care of you when you're sick?

I just saw a commercial for cold medicine. First, there was a kid in bed. Enter cold medicine. The kid is in a ballerina costume, twirling around in her room!

Miracles! Can! Happen!

I have been sick for the last two days. Totally weak. Lack of appetite. Zero energy to do all the things I need & want to do. Will this feeling go away? Please and thank you?

xo,
lori

P.S. It's funny that this happened after watching Kissing Jessica Stein (love that movie). One of the characters has a man for every occasion... except when she's sick. : /

P.P.S. The lead from KJS, Jennifer Westfeldt, has been with Jon Hamm (a.k.a Don Draper) for the last 10 years.

I won the math award in Grade 8

Now I drop hundreds on holiday dresses & coats.

And walk home to skip the $2.75 subway fare.

seeing ghosts

I was away for awhile and now I'm back with new feelings, experiences, emotions... and clothes. I accidentally spent more money than I make, which means I'm also back with that guilty feeling.

Watched Adaptation last night in an attempt to extend my vacation in Fort Lauderdale. Toured the Everglades. Learned about the rare and highly coveted Ghost Orchid. Received a special bracelet with the best alligator tooh because I can, at times, be "just adorable."

Anyways, that's not the quote I wanted to write about. Instead, I'm keeping track of the most memorable lines from my second viewing of this awesome film.

1. "When you spot your flower, you can't let anything get in your way."

2. "I want to know what it feels like to care about something so passionately."

3. "... the reason it matters is that it whittles the world down to a more manageable size."

4. "... it's a little fantastic and fleeting and out of reach."

And, perhaps the most important life lesson:

5. "You are what you love. Not what loves you."

xo

lori

the big reveal

Today hurts. My head feels like it got hit by a truck and now my stomach hurts from eating two too many crepes. My hungover self couldn't decide between sweet and savoury, so went with both. I actually can't believe I left the house today; now all I can think about is crawling back into my oh-so comfortable bed with books and movies.

Last night I wore a pretty black dress. I also wore crystal earrings and a diamond ring. I had a rose pinned to my dress. My hair was loosely curled (and even looser now). And I had more roses. And I had overnight cards. And I carried three framed 8x10 photos of Reid, Kiptyn and Ed.

And now it's time to go lie down.

xo
lori

wicked weather

The wind is blowing so strongly, and the poor trees outside my balcony keep doing a dance that lacks a certain rhythm. Halloween always seems to be the coldest of days, and leads to all these cutely dressed kids (and adults) piling on off-costume-brand coats, scarves & mitts over their creative outfits.

Last year, I dressed as Sarah Palin. But since it was the most popular costume of the year, I had to do things a little bit differently. My suit carried price tags from Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus; I carried a shotgun & an injured stuffed-bear hand puppet. I also wore a sash to give a shout-out to her former beauty queen days, which said "Miss Guided." I passed out business cards, too, that were designed by my neighbour using a perfect red, white & blue colour scheme. My title was "Sarah Palin: hockey mom, maverick and VP hopeful." They had varying pickup lines like "Is that a rifle or are you happy to see me?" and "You can see Russia from my bedroom." They were a hit.

To top things off, my neighbour - who I can see from my balcony - dressed as Russia. Yes, the country. It was pretty awesome.

This year's costume also involves props, but it's probably going to be a little less obvious than last year's look. I'll post the details soon.

xo
lori

1, 2, 3, 4...

Tell me that you love me more.

This week involved four run-ins with current, former, near & never-to-be loves. It was a strange week and maybe the reason why I buried myself in blankets, pored over pseudo-chick-lit, and drowned my liver with just enough wine.

Two of my favourite stories go a little bit like this:

1. After three dates, boy calls to ask us "where this is going." My inability to meet up with him the weekend prior sent him online to seek ladies. He didn't know what to do about the fact that he was interested in meeting girls online, but also interested in hanging out with me. The fact that he made a date on the SAME NIGHT that he scheduled date number four with me made it easy to decide that this dude and I were done. 0 : )

2. Met a boy at a friend's event. Didn't really pay attention, but a friend of mine said "he's so nice, he's so sweet, and he was so interested." And the friend who hosted the event said, "he was asking about you." He then follows me on Twitter (oh, Twitter). Anyways, after lame dude was done (see story #1), I thought I'd throw this one a bone (why not, right?). He sent me long emails about his day, asked me lots of questions, wanted to meet for lunch and for wine tastings. Told me all about his cute dog (even sends a photo). Well, I couldn't make it to lunch, and it was for the best. Because after briefly speaking with another friend, she informs me that he's -- wait for this -- not dating girls online... but he's married. So he tells me about his dog, but not his wife? Gah, jeez.

Life is funny, right?

xo

lori

chicklets

Remember those? They were one of my favourite things to collect in my trick-or-treat bag.

These days, I'm more focused on reading books by female authors (NOT THE SAME AS CHICK LIT). OK, woah, got that?

Except I don't want to tell you the titles of said books because they sound exactly like what I said they're not. I've read two in the past four days, but think that it's doing them an injustice to lump them into that category. I learned a little bit from them, I felt good reading them, and I think that they show that the world is not so picture-perfect, neat & tidy, oh-so sweet all the time.

Today I couldn't wait until lunch so that I could read another chapter. And I couldn't wait to get home so I could read some more. My dad once told me he used to read all the time. And then he realized that he became so consumed by the stories that he couldn't do anything else. And so he just had to quit.

I think I got my father's self-restraint.

two thoughts on tuesday

Well, I had more than two thoughts today, but I’m only going to record two on the Internet:

1) When you stop and think about it, there’s something, sometimes, a bit sad about returning home to an empty apartment. Usually I turn my music on before I even notice the absolute silence, but today I thought I’d unpack my groceries and work on dinner first. And did you know there’s nothing sadder than unpacking groceries for one in silence? No one to listen to the random and cute and sometimes awkward stories from the day? This is when I miss my old roommates and floormates and family most.

2) But when the music’s on, everything seems to be OK. I think that I’ve come home and turned on The National every night since Sunday because I want to hear a man’s voice. Really, there’s something comforting about his deep vocals and haunting lyrics and really all that’s left to do is light a musky candle and I’ll be in heaven.

Oh, maybe a real-life man would also do the trick. But sometimes imagining one is easier on the heart.

xo

lori

we'll stay inside 'til somebody finds us. <3

Tonight was just for me. And it was perfect.

cute art for cold days

Hugs are best when they're warm, and you hold on tight and you feel safer than you thought possible.

Also of interest:

I made you a cookie but I eated it.

Aww... the sky is crying.

When I put my lips like this...