Category: My Life

Transitions — Recaping the resolutions

Spring is a season of transitions. For me, the biggest transition is returning to Calgary for the summer. I’m trying really hard to have a smooth transition, but there is so much about this city that I feel is holding me back — but I’m trying.
I’m used to making these transitions — for someone who lived in the same house for 18 years, moving cities, Calgary to Ottawa to Calgary to Toronto back to Calgary is a huge adjustment. Each time I make the change it seems more and more difficult. Each time I leave Calgary I feel more disconnected, more like I don’t fit in here. Often I feel like I’ve outgrown the city, that I need to be near the big lights in the big city — but I’m trying to want to be here.
When I think of transitions, I think back to my New Years Resolutions, to the things that I wanted to accomplish this year — the changes I wanted to make in my life.
This year, I decided to truly hold myself accountable. In the first quarter of this year, I have managed to maintain some of my resolutions. I have successfully stayed in the douchebag-free zone. I feel that this is beneficial, because I have been taken more control of my life, and putting myself first. For the stage I am at in my life, this is really important. Though this accomplishment is related to the fact that I have also kept myself out of relationships — negative or otherwise — I have discovered that I enjoy being single, and that I don’t want to be tied down to someone at this point in my life.
My second resolution, was to be healthier this year. Honestly, I have kind of half-assed this so far. Yes, I have somewhat been watching what I eat, but I also binge on junk now and again. Being home means that I naturally eat better as I don’t have to budget my grocery bill, and there is someone else to help with the meal prep. It makes life a lot easier for me, especially now that I am working full time. I’ll be honest though, and say that I hardly worked out this semester. Yes, I occasionally went swimming, ran a few times and went to the gym, but I was highly inconsistent. Currently, I’m working on incorporating yoga back into my life, since I start walking 30km a day for work. I feel better when I do yoga, and I think this may just work out this resolution. Yoga brings balance to my life, and makes me forget everything going around me — it is helping me to stay grounded and relaxed in Calgary, something that I always find difficult.
I can proudly say that I have been successful on my third resolution, which was about putting more effort into my appearance. I know this is probably my most vain resolution, but at least I didn’t resolve to drop 5 pounds or something silly like that. I have been adding more accessories into my life — especially with the purchase of a fabulous belt, my cousin’s friend Naomi made. She is behind Flight Path Designs, and my new belt (which I will post pictures of at a later date) is really helping me out of a schlump.
Lastly, I have managed to read a little bit more. So far, non-school related I have read 2.5 books. Though they are all chick-lit, I am easing myself in. I have a few more books to read that are non-fiction and of a slightly more intelligent nature — but more on that later.
Overall, I think I have been doing very well on my new year’s resolutions. Now, I just need to find the happy medium between where I want to be and where I am right now. Location wise that puts me at about Winnipeg, and well — I think I’d rather put up with Calgary for 3.5 more months. I’m working on the mindset, but it’s difficult to maintain a positive attitude when something just feels off.

Twenty Things From My Twenties: Number 4 & 5

Number 4: Go to New York!

So I realize that some of my goals are not super ambitious, such as this one, but they are still things I want to do in the next 10 years. New York is pretty much the number one location on my places I want to visit list — partially because it seems realistic, seeing as it’s not that far away, and secondly because I simply want to go there, and always have.

Number 5: Go to at least one runway show during a fashion week

Another one thing I’d like to do in the next 10 years is attend a fashion show during one of the many fashion weeks around the world. If I could attend more than one, or go to multiple fashion weeks in multiple cities, well that would be a major bonus.

Twenty Things From My Twenties: Number 3

Number 3: Learn how to play guitar well.

Most people that know me, know that I’ve always wanted to learn how to play guitar. Last year I learned how to read tabs, and as soon as I can gain access to a guitar I’m going to continue to teach myself. Even if I can just play a few songs well I’d be pretty happy.

Twenty Things From My Twenties: Number 2

Number 2: Finish a degree (or maybe two?)

So numero two is slightly more obvious. I want to graduate with a piece of paper that says i accomplished something. If things go according to plan I will be 23 when I finish my degree. When I graduate I plan on pursuing my career in journalism, but if I decide I want to do something different, or my desire for expensive possessions (have you seen the price tags for number 1?) then I can always go back to school and get another degree.

Twenty Things From My Twenties: Number 1

I said that I was going to be making a list of twenty things I want out of my twenties. This list is going to be highly diverse, some things may be entirely materialistic while others will be goal-oriented. To start though, I am going with something completely and utterly materialistic.

A lot of my friends know that I like shoes… a lot. While I do not have bins full, I feel that my shoe collection is quite lovely. My favourite pair, my red patent Cole Haan flats with a slight wedge are my present pride and joy. I acquired these with my own funds (along with a more practical black pair by the same designer) before I hit twenty. So, before I hit thirty I would like to:

Number 1: Buy a pair of really expensive but fabulous designer shoes.

I know, I’m a huge girl and kind of materialistic, but I don’t care. Sometime in the next 10 years I want to invest in a pair of Manolos or Jimmy Choo’s or maybe a pair of Christian Louboutin’s. When (if) I have the money to do this I will find a fabulous pair. I know this is a very Carrie Bradshaw thing to want, but I love my shoes! Anyways, making this a long-term want gives me time to master the walk needed to accompany a beautiful pair of shoes.

Aren’t they absolutely stunning?

Relevation

My recent blog obsession is Stuff Journalists Like. The most recent posting, Messy Desk, has provided some clarity in my life. While I am merely a j-school student, for years people have been telling me to clean my personal desk. I can clean my room one-hundred times over yet, my desk remains untouched always. So you can finely get off my case because it may just be a suggestion that I am in the right program at school.

That being said, I am pleased to announce that after having no power for 24 hours, things are almost back to normal in my house.

My Year in Review

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?
I think I took more risks in 2008. Transferred schools, moved into a house with complete strangers and was somewhat more spontaneous.

2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I didn’t make new years’ resolutions last year, but I have made a bunch for 2009.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Nope

4. Did anyone close to you die?
I didn’t attend any funerals, and I’m pretty sure no one died.

5. What countries did you visit?
I stayed in Canada this year

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
I bought a lot of stuff in 2008, but I would like to have organization in my life.

7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Getting into Ryerson, it was my dream school so I was pretty excited about that.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Not always being myself, in the end it meant I actually found myself but for a while I wasn’t always sure

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I was pretty healthy this year, had some sort of viral thing in october but nothing else.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
That’s a hard question. I was pretty materialistic in 2008… so either my Matt & Nat bag, or my Cole Haan shoes.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
I don’t really know

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Likewise.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Food, booze and shoes.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Moving to Toronto…

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
Anything from the Mamma Mia soundtrack… good times have been had while singing along to it.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

i. happier or sadder?
Happier

ii. thinner or fatter?
Thinner… goodbye Frosh weight!

iii. richer or poorer?
richer but not by much.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
I wish I had read more

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
I drank too much last year

20. How did you spend Christmas?
Christmas in Brooks with my grandparents from Ontario.

22. Did you fall in love in 2008?
Nope.

23. How many one-night stands?
anyone that really needs to know that already knows the answer.

24. What was your favorite TV program?
Heroes or Gossip Girl

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
I generally don’t hate.

26. What was the best book you read this year?
umm…. I read most of Jan Wong’s China.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Kings of Leon and Mayday Parade

28. What did you want and get?
I wanted nothing more than to get into Ryerson and got it.

29. What did you want and not get?
I can’t ask for a lot.

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
Sex and the City or Mamma Mia

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 19. I got a birthday shrine from Day & Meg (best present ever), had cupcakes with them, then cake with my floor. Drank a lot… Went to Ollie’s and we’ll leave it at that.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Moving to Toronto

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
kind of boring… i wore t-shirts and jeans in Ottawa then my work uniform all summer.

34. What kept you sane?
realizing that no matter what my family would support what I did.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I don’t really know…

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
The whole coalition government talks

37. Who did you miss?
Everyone in the Calgary, and then since moving ever from Carleton.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
I met a lot of amazing people this year. I don’t remember what life was like before Kaitlyn though.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
That you can’t be happy unless you treat yourself properly and most of all if you aren’t yourself.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
The whole song “The Scene and Herd” by Relient K pretty much sums it up.

Holding Myself Accountable — New Years Resolution ’09

Overall theme — Be better to myself
This part year I haven’t always been treating myself properly.
This year I vow to:

  • In my love life, I am entering a douchebag free-zone. No more getting involved with douchebags, and instead doing what is right for me.
  • Be healthier — I went veg. in 2007, and don’t always eat properly. I need to make more meal plans, stop taking the easy route on meals and try new foods. I also want to become slightly more refined and cut out more animal byproducts. I also want to experiment in vegan baking, and experiment more in the kitchen.
  • Take more effort in my daily outfits. I get into schlumps when getting dressed and have been working on refining my wardrobe. I want to try taking at least a few daily clothing outfits and incorporating more accessories into my outfits.
  • Find an exercise regime that is right for me. Without the motivation of my former bath-roommates in res, I haven’t been very good about getting to the gym. I haven’t regained my frosh weight, but I haven’t been working out at all. This year I want to try and find ways that I will actually work out; I’m part of a curling team on Sundays now, and might try taking a new yoga class once the semester commences.
  • Read more. Since I started university (and maybe the last few years of high school) I haven’t been reading for myself. Apart from the daily paper and assigned readings I barely crack open a book. I plan on making a list of books I want to read and making myself read more. This will mean turning off my computer earlier at night and using that book light I invested in last year more often.

I think that is pretty much everything, let me know about your new years resolution, and stay posted to see how I do with mine!