To my everybody...

THANK YOU FOR ALL THE BIRTHDAY WISHES YESTERDAY...OVERWHELMED and GIDDY the WHOLE DAY!

(I almost got fired TWICE last night at work - hahahahah!)

I'm a very-very lucky lady.

Agreed.

The Terrible Truth About Two Year Olds

Setting the stage for you guys, so you can imagine the following:

Myself (Auntie Lolo) and my niece (little Leia pronounced like Princess Leia in Star Wars) are sitting together looking at photos on the computer.

Leia: Who's that person? What he doing?

Auntie Lolo: Why Leia, that's your Auntie Lolo not a man silly!

Leia: Lolo looks silly! You're a silly grown-up Lolo.

Auntie Lolo: (laughing) Yes, Auntie Lolo is silly because she is NOT a grown-up. I'm only twenty....errrr, ohhh riiiiiiight. Shoot! I am a grown-up. Really?

Ugh.Sigh.Ugh.

This got me thinking: Really, 29???

And more importantly, do I really look like a man sometimes?

And secondly, how can 2 year old tell me to act my age when I am constantly acting my age?

Maybe the kid does have a point.

On second thought, you know what I say to that?

EAT MY SHORTS SWEETY!

Yes, indeed it's my birthday today... So yeah-yeah just gimme the candy!

(laughing)

P.S. Happiest Birthday to my darling Rhiannon! Can you believe we are 29, THANK GOODNESS!

I miss hanging out with you and causing trouble where ever we go.

Partners in crime. 

;-)

Gotye's Song = Slow Burn

Not sure if anyone has heard of this song...its become quite popular (it's now playing on the radio, the artist's name is Gotye not Sting). A guy sent this song to me a while ago and well, I was stunned. Even a little hurt. However he couldn't have made his message clearer, right? And if you have no idea what I am talking about, listen to the song and then you will say WHOA LAUREN: You really did get BURNED!

This weekend I participated in a job fair that reminded me of this song.

Lauren goes into the interview and sits down: first minute they want you to know they picked you because your special, next minute you are being told you're a great "fit" for them, soon you become perfect for the job and you yourself are enjoying the compliments and picturing a friendship forming then, before you even know what's happening all good feelings gone...

The position has already been filled.
Really?!?

Thank gawd I am not a sucker or naive.

To sum up:

 Job fairs are great because you learn a lot and can meet some fabulous people.

(I learnt so much this weekend I have new chest hair to prove it)

Second sum up:

Now when I hear the song I have another reason to wallow in self pity.

AWESOME.

thanks Gotye
(cough-cough-jerkface)

:-)

Free Nugget of Wisdom

"The world is a book and those who do not 


travel read only one page."

- St. Augustine    


I'm thinking and chewing about what you said Augustine...

(it's taking all my focus at the moment:literally)

Can I get back to you?

Done.

BOOM!

moi

Saying Goodbye: Not My Strong Suit

Would you wanna leave this place...? 

*sigh

I'm not entirely in love with Ottawa, especially those long & cold winter months, but for 

G-O-O-D-N-E-S-S-S-S-A-K-E-S

 I am head over feet in love with all the people that I know here.

(Warning: Lauren is getting both cheesy and sappy-sheeesh)

It's official I hate saying goodbye.

Why couldn't I be more like Scrooge? He had it so easy.
 The guy never flinched at being a jerk, saying goodbye, get lost, scram, so long forever - BOOM! Done.
Or am I getting confused with Oscar the grouch?
Either way, I need practice.

*repeat sigh

Trying to "Stay Awesome!"

What do all these pictures have in common?

This is how my brain has been feeling lately...too many great ideas and not enough freaking FOCUS!

It's my own fault of course, who asks everyone and their mom for advice?

UGH!

I need to invest in a filter ;-)

A Night of Flame-Throwers

Here are just a couple of candid shots of this past nights adventure...first ski of the season and well, let's just say the old hip-flexors are a little TIGHT! (does seizing twice count?)

Dearest Matt and Tina...success WE MADE IT!

Laurel playing with fire...Danger sign? Where?

Debating the hill...should I do it with this heavy pack? (also responsible for carrying the dinner - chilli;-)

Family shot

We don't mess around when skiing in the dark...except, I cannot tell a lie the only thing that I DIDN'T forget to bring was myself...everything else in this picture was borrowed.

Some things never change.

ugh!

Upon returning....

Fabulous night spent in a cabin with friends in the middle of GAWD KNOWS WHERE 

(actually it was in Gatineau Park)

Pictures and videos will soon follow in tomorrow's post so stay tuned:-)

Leave you with one of my favourites...Tee-hee-hee-hee!

This could be DANGEROUS!

WHAT DO THESE THREE THINGS HAVE IN COMMON ?

Never put six people in the same yurt with numerous cheese and homemade chili...this is DANGER!

I have a sixth sense that things might get a little smelley?

(I can see some of you shaking your head already;-)

WISH ME LUCK 

BOOM!

MY FIRST DAY BACK

After walking into a new school for the first time in 2 months, meeting my new associate teacher, and observing the class of grade 6 students I will be teaching for the month of March, I only wanted to do one thing...

SHOUT OUT FROM THE TOP OF MY LUNGS

 !!!

(smiling)

Priorities People ;-)

Something very special is happening at the end of this month. 

Errr 

correct, the month is ending bringing us one step closer to spring: YAY!

* Sigh. That is not the answer I was looking for (remember this blog is all about me, right?)

 Yours truly is getting her maturity "on" and turning the ripe-old age of 29...BOOM! 

Really, who doesn't love turning 29?

It's a year to celebrate in-and-of-itself just because its NOT the big 3 - 0 year... yet.

(All those who are in their thirties reading this don't hate, you were the same when you were in your baby-tinnie-twenties, scared because thirties seemed so...well, older).

But enough about a girl's age 

when can we talk about MY presents!?!?

That's why I started this blog.  

So I could get more presents for my birthday.

It's that simple.

For the next couple of weeks I will randomly insert gift ideas that well, I think are affordable.

Today we start with my favourite.

It's a token, really trifle ;-)

Pouches Were Made For Me

To me it feels so natural to have a pouch, right below your chest, on your tummy, where so many treasures can be stored all warm and cozy like...not forgetting to mention, easy access! Examples of stuff? Babies? Umm no, that's not where I'm going with this one (sorry Joey). Examples more like keys, textbooks, mittens, water bottles, bike locks, toothbrushes, carrots for horses that are often seen on streets in Toronto...hahaha! 

Small aside: Some officers don't like it when I pull out my little piece of carrot to feed the horsey on the street cuz

1) Horses can get kinda excited about the unexpected treat
2) Horses can or could-kinda choke...remember they do have a bit in their mouths, remember?

3) And pieces of little orange carrot, slime, and horse drool go everywhere..pretty gross and makes the horse look very unprofessional afterwards.
(tee-hee-hee-hee) 

But what can I do?

Sugar cubes always get crushed in my bag and apples are just too big and too expensive! Believe me I have tried.

To summarize:

Pouches on people are great for feeding horses.

BOOM!

(see how I made those two ideas come together in the end? Brilliant, I know ;-)

Needed some color today :-)

 Created by John Morse, these traffic warning street signs written as haikus appeared on poles around the big apple (New York city). When asked what he liked about doing this project John said "It's fun because it's dreadfully serious - the subject" (Lauren insert: yes, I concur!) "And yet, you don't have to bang people over the head"

Lauren's Note: I bike a lot, even in the winter like so many people in Toronto

 (there is no snow here and well, it's not Ottawa ;-) 

And sometimes you are right, it SUCKS to bike but most of the time (for me anyways) if I am prepared for the weather than it feels sooooo good and sooooo BAD-ASS to be on a bike getting to where you need to go just as fast if not faster than traffic! 

Some days biking feels very safe; like nothing could touch me at all. Other days of course, I am shaking like a leaf because someone almost or softy hit me.

Biking reminds me that I am not invincible but at the same time I am completely free.

Yup, I know.

Weird Lauren :-)

p.s. This post could not have been possible without the help of a small & lovely architect friend:-)

What can I do more of...?

Someone asked me on New Years Day, what I learnt about myself/life in 2011?
Ughhhhhhhhhhh.
I hate these self-reflective, therapeutic, crap type questions and normally avoid them easily. This time however, the question kinda stuck and sadly been nagging at my busy, little, delightful thoughts...BUT ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
I woke up and decided its time to finally put this question to rest.

So after careful consideration and 16 days of procrastination (it takes me a while to process things) this is what I came up with...
Question: What did I learn in 2011? 

Knitting is really not my strong suit.

Getting too excited about investing in yourself is never over rated...even if it means taking our a student loan - gulp; don't think about it Lauren!

Dark chocolate coffee beans are extremely DANGEROUS! 

I am a sucker for these little nuggets and limiting myself is crucial (4 or 8 is my max, I'm not joking). 

They don't hit you right away but when they do...OHHH dio!

My hands tremble and my left eye sometimes twitches! 

I don't understand it either, its a love & hate relationship.

In la suisse, my friends would always remind me to "controllez vos chausseurs Lauren: ça pue!" Translation? You're shoes freaking REEK! Its taken me years but I think I have finally found the perfect technique to maintaining good smelling shoes and happy feet!

Thank goodness for constructive criticism from love ones ;-)

The one (and most important thing) that I have learnt in 2011 is how freaking essential it is to tell those folks around you how much they mean to you. Even if its done in a way that is completely silly and ridiculous - its the thought that counts, right? I know what your thinking...cheeeesey! True.

But really - when did showing too much love become a bad thing?

I think I can do an even better job at showing my love to friends, family and strangers..tee-hee!

So this is my pledge for 2012. 

(same as last year but hey, I can't be original all the time) 

Leaving you with this thought;

BOOM!

Think about it.