Better Late than Never
...Not that we're keeping score or anything (cue Marshall and Lily from How I Met your Mother) ;)
Valentine's in Paris - *swoon*
Wouldn't it be amazing to be in Paris with your Valentine today?
"Lucky" me gets to spend my first married Valentine's Day with the TV as the husband entertains his coworkers as dates... not to despair though, I stumbled across this post from Girl's Guide to Paris and I plan to daydream the evening away...
Night Sky
Coffee and Hearts
Take a Picture, it'll Last Longer
So I told myself that I would take more pictures this year - in fact, I said it just last week. And now, 7 days later, I have nothing to show for it. The worst part is - over the past week, I have thought to myself, 'Oh! You should take a picture of this!'... and then I didn't. How hard is it for me to pull out my phone and take a picture? And don't even get me started on the dust my Digital SLR has been collecting... It's a sad, sad thought.
OKAY. Now I'm writing it and saying it out loud. I WILL take more pictures. Starting today...
(Ask me how I'm doing next week!)
Red Carpet Fashion Frenzy
With awards season in full swing now, the Golden Globes last night was no exception when it comes to red carpet fashion do's and don't's. There were a lot of amazing gowns, jewels and smiles happening - and one of the biggest trends I noticed were the VERY red lips! You can't tell from the montage of pictures below - but red is back (and has been for a while now) and better than ever! The gowns were in subtle, natural cuts and colors (minus Angelina Jolie's sharp cut dress) - but all in all, a lovely catwalk of fabulous gowns.
One thing I did notice was the lack of an engagement ring on the other Jessica's hand (Biel, that is)...
Photo from here
Acclimatizing thru the Winter
Every couple days I have to pinch myself. Life is still seeming so surreal… It’s been a couple months now in Toronto – and I don’t know if I’m completely used to it. At times I catch myself thinking of making plans with friends (in Vancouver), only to have to remind myself I’m not in Vancouver anymore.
I’ve been lucky in the fact that my parents have already visited, my best friend has already booked her tickets to visit and I’m able to go back to Vancouver in the spring… but I still feel strange calling myself a Torontonian. Maybe it’s a good thing – I mean, I feel so at home here that I forget I’m not in Vancouver (although technically, Toronto is my new home).
Maybe it’s the weather? It’s throwing me off. I’m not used to having to wear sunglasses in the Winter! (Although today is a scarves, mitts, toque kind-of day).
Whatever, it is, I’ll get used to it (along with the new last name!).
happy new year!
Well, it only took the start of a new year to get me back to my blog!
Saying goodbye to 2011 is a little bittersweet - it was a whirlwind of a year with so many life changes, I know that it'll make any other year seem like a snooze!
Let me recap my 2011 (in no particular order):
- Got married (IN INDIA)
- Moved to Toronto (from Vancouver)
- Downsized my closet (substantially - and that's why it's worth mentioning)
- Started a new job (in a new city)
- Spent a good half of the year flying back and forth from Toronto (airmiles... cha ching!)
- Switched to an iPhone (from a blackberry) - it's a life change, I don't care what you think!
- Flew to Vancouver (just for dinner one night)
- Went to India during monsoon season (not for my wedding, but for a friends)
- Kept up the tradition of an annual NYC trip
- Changed my LAST name!
Alright, now for 2012, here's what I'm hoping for (again, in no particular order):
- Take a dance class
- Honeymoon in the summer (to somewhere we'd never typically go)
- Cook at least 5 times a week
- Pursue rock-climbing
- Skype with friends in Vancouver on a regular basis
- Find a new home in Toronto (closer to work perhaps!)
- Avoid driving if transit/walking can take me there
- Blog more often
- Take more pictures and post them!
- Make healthy choices
I think those are all fairly doable :)
Extinction of the Creative Pause
One of my favorite books is Making Ideas Happen by Scott Belsky. And well, there was a guest post put up on FastCompany today by the genius' behind this book. It's around the extinction of deep thinking and sacred space - aka the death of the creative pause.
Let's be honest here, is the shower the only space that hasn't been bombarded and taken over by new media, gadgets, apps, and phones? And it's sad to think that in a few years (if not months), that sacred space will be with it's own distractions too!
I think the problem here lies in our dynamic society... the issue is that we don't want downtime. We want to be continuous moving, keeping up with the trends/the Jones', you name it! So if we're craving distractions - that's exactly how organizations and the rest of society will respond.
The world is what you make of it - and you surround yourself with a reflection of different parts of you. So maybe it's time to dig a little deeper - find that solitary you - even if it's just a few minutes a day. I think it'll make a huge difference once you get in touch with who you really are instead of always going full speed ahead. And who knows, maybe that little downtime will actually make you more productive and successful?!
The Importance of Community - A Business Lesson
I read this amazing article in the Harvard Business Review online today - written by none other than Starbucks CEO, Howard Schultz.It's called 'Invest in Communities to Advance Capitalism'.
The gist of it is to realize that philanthropy no longer cuts it - you have to get your hands dirty and build a community - only then will success follow. Here's my favorite paragraph from the article:
When looked at through the capitalistic lens, innovating the very nature of corporate-community relations is good business. Companies that hold on to the old-school, singular view of limiting their responsibilities to making a profit will not only discover it is a shallow goal but an unsustainable one. Values increasingly drive consumer and employee loyalties. Money and talent will follow those companies whose values are compatible with their own.
And if you haven't already - click on the link above. This one is worth the read!
