When I started blogging my readership base was mostly guys but today I know that I have a strong girl readership level as well. Therefore I think it's okay that I write a Girls' Exclusive post. Not that I can really stop anyone with an XY chromosome combo from reading this post, but I really don't think you'd find it useful or interesting. I thought about not writing this post and only telling the story to my girlfriends, but that is just not very efficient anymore.
So here it is. You have been warned.
The Girls' Post
I went shopping on the weekend (That should stave off the last of the guys still intrigued). I had a $25 gift certificate for Ce Soir Lingerie that I won from an online contest and I had to use it by May 31st. I browsed the store and noticed that they did not appear to have anything in my size. It is a specialty store so I wasn't surprised that it seemed to cater to women with rather large chests. Should you ever find yourself in a similar situation do not be discouraged. Do not leave the store. I am sharing this secret with you, my dear girl readers because it could change your life. I left that store two whole cup sizes larger than I came in with and I did this without any pain, surgery, or extra cost. I didn't buy any of those rubbery chicken cutlets or cookies. Not only did I go up, I also went down! My band size went down one increment! It was a hugely successful day!
Okay, the real secret part. You know how everyone is always saying 90% of women are wearing the wrong sized bra? If you're like me you probably figure you didn't have any of the symptoms of an illfitting bra--ie, the cups are not runneth over and the band seems to fit the way it should. Maybe just for kicks you decided to give the odds a shot and so you tried a cup size up and/or down, and experimented with different band sizes. This probably did not yield favourable results so you concluded that you must be wearing the right size. When I inquired to the sales girl if she had any bras in the size I thought I was she looked at me and said "I think you may be wearing the wrong size, would you like a fitting?" I was skeptical and not at all excited about getting sized. I was also expecting her to tell me I was actually a 38 A or something depressing like that. The fitting was nothing to be shy of, she just gave me a different size to try on and it worked! It felt way more comfortable and I didn't even know that the size I had been wearing was uncomfortable! I did end up buying a $70 one. Most expensive brassiere I've ever purchased but at least it fits. Now I have about $150 worth of ill-fitting bras at home to purge.
Thinking that perhaps that store just had a wonky sizing system because all the underwear came from Europe and cost no less than $50 I decided to try my new size at La Senza. It worked there too! So I bought two bras there on sale for $16.99. They are the most comfortable pieces of underpinnings I have ever worn. Seam free, tag free and they come in a bunch of hot colours including hot pink and electric yellow (actually called Pink Power and Energy Yellow, see this amazing piece of foundation here )
That is my secret to non invasive breast augmentation. If anyone else has a similar story or if they try this method out let me know how it goes. I hope you are pleasantly surprised!
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Tee Time
I played my first game of golf last night in the fun league I signed up for at work (I keep telling people this place is just like high school, golf team, volleyball team, curling team, choir, art club, the list goes on). I think I was pleasantly surprised by my performance. I had not played since grade 11 gym and even then it wasn't the entire 9 holes we were supposed to play because the skies mercifully opened up and it started pouring. I didn't really enjoy the sport then, I think I feel better about it this time around.
I felt encouraged to give golf a shot again as we only play nine holes and many players are beginners. I also really wanted to meet some people outside of my department. My team mate Joanne has some experience and she was helpful with some tips and encouragement. I had some good shots and some not so good shots inbetween. I unfortunately lost my score card after the 7th hole. I really wanted to keep track of my first try so that hopefully I could see an improvement by the end of the summer.
Thanks to Rob who came out with me last week to the driving range. Thanks also to the anonymous guy who came up to me that evening to tell me that I was holding the club completely wrong--I had my left hand on the bottom, right on the top. Rob you were right about practicing off the tee. I need more of that.
I think I may understand some of the appeal of golf. It forces you to walk around a nice park like setting while completing challenges of various degrees of difficulty. You can't leave until you finish the last challenge however you can get there faster if you play better. To play better though you have to relax and focus. I can totally see how people can use golf to get away.
I'll keep you posted on my progress. Hopefully I make progress!
I felt encouraged to give golf a shot again as we only play nine holes and many players are beginners. I also really wanted to meet some people outside of my department. My team mate Joanne has some experience and she was helpful with some tips and encouragement. I had some good shots and some not so good shots inbetween. I unfortunately lost my score card after the 7th hole. I really wanted to keep track of my first try so that hopefully I could see an improvement by the end of the summer.
Thanks to Rob who came out with me last week to the driving range. Thanks also to the anonymous guy who came up to me that evening to tell me that I was holding the club completely wrong--I had my left hand on the bottom, right on the top. Rob you were right about practicing off the tee. I need more of that.
I think I may understand some of the appeal of golf. It forces you to walk around a nice park like setting while completing challenges of various degrees of difficulty. You can't leave until you finish the last challenge however you can get there faster if you play better. To play better though you have to relax and focus. I can totally see how people can use golf to get away.
I'll keep you posted on my progress. Hopefully I make progress!
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
My run for the border
I'm home again, but I want to go back. I went to Minneapolis this weekend with Lisa and her friend Christy. We left on Friday morning around 9:45 and arrived at our hotel around 7:00 I think. We had trouble with some maps and the elusive Flying Cloud drive. One of the most difficult parts about a seven hour car trip with three people is agreeing on the trip's soundtrack. I had to veto the Dixie Chicks but agreed to let Faith Hill play. As a nod to my compromise Lisa and Christy allowed me to play the Foo Fighters for them. Christy asked if they were a screamer band. I didn't think of them as that kind of band. I know screamo bands like Alexisonfire and I don't really care for that style either. However, Dave Grohl and friends were quickly ejected after he sang the line, "Can you hear me, hear me screamin'..."
On Saturday we went to the outlet mall. That place was awesome. Such good bargains it should be illegal. I only bought one pair of shoes, my dad figured I'd bring home several. They were from the NineWest store and I got them for $21. That is a big bargain for NineWest gold strappy heels.
On Sunday we went to the big mall. We had already spent our limits at the outlet mall and we were wearing down a bit. I ended up only buying some things for my sister at Abercrombie.
-->side note, I just did a spell check and it suggested that I replace NineWest with Minnesota, and Abercrombie with Crowded. I asked for spell check, not word associations!
After the mall I suggested we check out the statue garden in Downtown Minneapolis. I've been to the mall a few times before but I have never actually been to downtown Minneapolis. The gardens were neat. I was most excited about the cherry/spoon statue. I took some pictures--old fashioned film so they may make an appearance on here at a much later date.
That night we ordered in pizza and a movie--Tristan and Isolde--added up our receipts and prepared for the drive home. We weren't sure what we would have to pay for duty or if they would make us go into the garage for a search. We traded horror stories about border inspections and tried to imagine how much they would make us pay. I could easily have not claimed some things but I wasn't feeling very lucky that day.
The drive back went quickly until we hit the border of course. I think it was an hour wait in line and then half an hour spent paying our duties. They only charged us 14% on the overage so I paid seven bucks for being $50 over. I could have brought more home, but I was pretty happy with what I did take.
I do want to go back for sure. I don't even have to go back to Minneapolis, I'd be happy with Fargo I think. It also felt strange to be down south on a Friday night without going to the races.
And that was my trip!
On Saturday we went to the outlet mall. That place was awesome. Such good bargains it should be illegal. I only bought one pair of shoes, my dad figured I'd bring home several. They were from the NineWest store and I got them for $21. That is a big bargain for NineWest gold strappy heels.
On Sunday we went to the big mall. We had already spent our limits at the outlet mall and we were wearing down a bit. I ended up only buying some things for my sister at Abercrombie.
-->side note, I just did a spell check and it suggested that I replace NineWest with Minnesota, and Abercrombie with Crowded. I asked for spell check, not word associations!
After the mall I suggested we check out the statue garden in Downtown Minneapolis. I've been to the mall a few times before but I have never actually been to downtown Minneapolis. The gardens were neat. I was most excited about the cherry/spoon statue. I took some pictures--old fashioned film so they may make an appearance on here at a much later date.
That night we ordered in pizza and a movie--Tristan and Isolde--added up our receipts and prepared for the drive home. We weren't sure what we would have to pay for duty or if they would make us go into the garage for a search. We traded horror stories about border inspections and tried to imagine how much they would make us pay. I could easily have not claimed some things but I wasn't feeling very lucky that day.
The drive back went quickly until we hit the border of course. I think it was an hour wait in line and then half an hour spent paying our duties. They only charged us 14% on the overage so I paid seven bucks for being $50 over. I could have brought more home, but I was pretty happy with what I did take.
I do want to go back for sure. I don't even have to go back to Minneapolis, I'd be happy with Fargo I think. It also felt strange to be down south on a Friday night without going to the races.
And that was my trip!
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Take a selfish moment
I have been volunteering on the communications committee of the Red Shoe House of Winnipeg since the fall of 2001. Wow, I didn't realize it has been that long. Today I am ready to end my relationship with the house. It just drives me crazy.
Red Shoe House is a great charity. It is a home away from home for out of town families of sick children who need a place to stay while their child is at the Winnipeg Children's Hospital. The house charges only $10 a night for a room and it is conveniently located only a block away from the hospital. In addition to the affordable accomodations the house offers, families also benefit from the support of other families staying there going through similar situations.
I wrote the feature stories for the 3 issue/year newsletter on families who stayed at the house. After two years of working on the committee I was offered a job with The Agency, the ad agency for McDonald's (two of the people on the committee worked for The Agency). My dedication had payed off.
Today I no longer need the experience volunteering for the committee gives me, nor do I need the grief. We meet monthly at a time and location that is a little less than convenient. I sit through the entire sometimes 2 hour meeting only to finally receive my story assignment at the end. Recently however, they have decided to take a different approach with the family story which would see the family write it themselves. Great. What am I doing here?
The committee had pretty much wrapped up for the summer last month but a few weeks ago someone asked me if I could write the copy for an ad for the golf tournament. The golf tournament is put on by a separate golf committee. Why someone from that committee couldn't have written the ad I do not know. I was told the barest of details--time, date, location and given some collateral material to work from. So I borrowed and reworked and assembled, and sent it in. The response?
"I think they wanted something very brief announcing the date, time, place, cost – that kind of thing."
Fine. Square one. New slimmed down copy sent. Response is
"Looks good, a couple of things
- could we put if the public wants to make a donation they can also call.
- instead of putting the time down could we say if they are interested in golfing to call 774-4777.
- could we put a little blurb about what Red Shoe House is all about?"
I eventually sent in the original with a few sentences cut out. On second look it did seem wordy for an ad. This is the latest response
"I like it except for:
Red Shoe House is a home-away-from home for families from outside of Winnipeg who must come here for medical treatment for their children.
Could you replace the above sentence with something like .....
Red Shoe House is a home-away-from-home for families in Rural Manitoba with children undergoing life saving treatments at the Children's Hospital. Red Shoe House offers these children and their families a warm compassionate and comfortable home environment, at a nominal overnight fee. Parents find a place to rest and feel safe, while their children can lead as normal a life as possible."
So much for verbose.
I hate committee work. I hate quiting, but life is too short to waste time on doing something you're not enjoying. I don't work for The Agency anymore, I don't owe anyone anything. Sometimes I forget to be selfish when it counts.
Red Shoe House is a great charity. It is a home away from home for out of town families of sick children who need a place to stay while their child is at the Winnipeg Children's Hospital. The house charges only $10 a night for a room and it is conveniently located only a block away from the hospital. In addition to the affordable accomodations the house offers, families also benefit from the support of other families staying there going through similar situations.
I wrote the feature stories for the 3 issue/year newsletter on families who stayed at the house. After two years of working on the committee I was offered a job with The Agency, the ad agency for McDonald's (two of the people on the committee worked for The Agency). My dedication had payed off.
Today I no longer need the experience volunteering for the committee gives me, nor do I need the grief. We meet monthly at a time and location that is a little less than convenient. I sit through the entire sometimes 2 hour meeting only to finally receive my story assignment at the end. Recently however, they have decided to take a different approach with the family story which would see the family write it themselves. Great. What am I doing here?
The committee had pretty much wrapped up for the summer last month but a few weeks ago someone asked me if I could write the copy for an ad for the golf tournament. The golf tournament is put on by a separate golf committee. Why someone from that committee couldn't have written the ad I do not know. I was told the barest of details--time, date, location and given some collateral material to work from. So I borrowed and reworked and assembled, and sent it in. The response?
"I think they wanted something very brief announcing the date, time, place, cost – that kind of thing."
Fine. Square one. New slimmed down copy sent. Response is
"Looks good, a couple of things
- could we put if the public wants to make a donation they can also call.
- instead of putting the time down could we say if they are interested in golfing to call 774-4777.
- could we put a little blurb about what Red Shoe House is all about?"
I eventually sent in the original with a few sentences cut out. On second look it did seem wordy for an ad. This is the latest response
"I like it except for:
Red Shoe House is a home-away-from home for families from outside of Winnipeg who must come here for medical treatment for their children.
Could you replace the above sentence with something like .....
Red Shoe House is a home-away-from-home for families in Rural Manitoba with children undergoing life saving treatments at the Children's Hospital. Red Shoe House offers these children and their families a warm compassionate and comfortable home environment, at a nominal overnight fee. Parents find a place to rest and feel safe, while their children can lead as normal a life as possible."
So much for verbose.
I hate committee work. I hate quiting, but life is too short to waste time on doing something you're not enjoying. I don't work for The Agency anymore, I don't owe anyone anything. Sometimes I forget to be selfish when it counts.
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
If we had a water cooler maybe I would see you there
Hi. How are you? That's good. I'm fine thanks. A bit sleepy this morning. Sometimes I wonder about this decision to start at 7:30am. How was your weekend? Really? That's cool. Let's see, on Friday I went to Rob's dragon boat fundraiser. My friend Chris was there, who I don't get to see very often so it was nice being able to visit with him again. It was good to see Rob again too. Oh No! I just remembered, I actually had a cookie for him but I forgot to give it to him. Yes, I owe him one cookie. Don't ask. After that I picked up my friend Joanna and we met Sherry (both from work) at the cheap seats to see Failure to Launch. Stop laughing. Yes it is the one about the guy who won't move out of his parents' house. Whatever, it was Matthew McConaughey and Sarah Jessica Parker.
On Saturday I did a lot of running around getting gifts for my parents' anniversary and Mother's Day--they both are on May 14 this year. For the anniversary gift I found a set of deck or patio chairs at Zellers--padded lawn chairs essentially, anyway, it's something I think they wanted--so I picked out two, figuring that my grandma would want to buy the other two. After I paid for them the sales girl told me I should put them in a cart because they were a bit heavy to carry in the mall. So I did, somewhat reluctantly because as soon as I started pushing that cart I felt like I was about 70 years old. I don't know why, it's just something about pushing a cart. So anyway, I'm pushing this cart along and the entire time it is sending me shocks, like static shocks. I found that I was okay mostly if I made sure I didn't touch the metal part of the cart and kept my hands on the plastic handle although sometimes the charges jumped from the metal close to the handle--those shocks seemed to be the worst. So I got to the truck, put the chairs in, but then I decided that I couldn't be a jerk and just leave the cart there in the parking lot. So yeah, I pushed it all the way back to the store to return it. I saw another woman going for the cart after I returned it but I stopped her and told her, "you don't want that cart, trust me, it was shocking me the entire time I was driving it." She looked at me like I was a little crazy but then decided to take my advice. Yesterday I sent an email to Zellers to ask if it is their policy to electrify their carts to discourage people from taking them out of the store. I am interested to see how they will respond.
That was pretty much my weekend. Well, maybe I should go start some work now. See you at lunch?
On Saturday I did a lot of running around getting gifts for my parents' anniversary and Mother's Day--they both are on May 14 this year. For the anniversary gift I found a set of deck or patio chairs at Zellers--padded lawn chairs essentially, anyway, it's something I think they wanted--so I picked out two, figuring that my grandma would want to buy the other two. After I paid for them the sales girl told me I should put them in a cart because they were a bit heavy to carry in the mall. So I did, somewhat reluctantly because as soon as I started pushing that cart I felt like I was about 70 years old. I don't know why, it's just something about pushing a cart. So anyway, I'm pushing this cart along and the entire time it is sending me shocks, like static shocks. I found that I was okay mostly if I made sure I didn't touch the metal part of the cart and kept my hands on the plastic handle although sometimes the charges jumped from the metal close to the handle--those shocks seemed to be the worst. So I got to the truck, put the chairs in, but then I decided that I couldn't be a jerk and just leave the cart there in the parking lot. So yeah, I pushed it all the way back to the store to return it. I saw another woman going for the cart after I returned it but I stopped her and told her, "you don't want that cart, trust me, it was shocking me the entire time I was driving it." She looked at me like I was a little crazy but then decided to take my advice. Yesterday I sent an email to Zellers to ask if it is their policy to electrify their carts to discourage people from taking them out of the store. I am interested to see how they will respond.
That was pretty much my weekend. Well, maybe I should go start some work now. See you at lunch?
Thursday, May 04, 2006
I knew it
| You Are Figure Skater |
 Graceful and expressive - yet athletic and focused. You could bring the best of both worlds to this glamorous sport. |
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
California here I come
So it's all set. I'm going to California this summer. I would like to thank the major sponsors of this trip for making it possible-- Vince, Google, Visa, am I forgetting anyone? You know who you are. Feel free to send your logos for posting. You will get mentioned frequently.
To celebrate this announcement I am starting a list of songs that mention California or San Francisco. Feel free to add.
California--Phantom Planet (the theme song from The O.C.)
Hotel California--The Eagles
Californication--Red Hot Chili Peppers
I left my heart in San Francisco--Frank Sinatra
If You're Going to San Francisco--Scott McKenzie
California Dreamin'--The Beach Boys
To celebrate this announcement I am starting a list of songs that mention California or San Francisco. Feel free to add.
California--Phantom Planet (the theme song from The O.C.)
Hotel California--The Eagles
Californication--Red Hot Chili Peppers
I left my heart in San Francisco--Frank Sinatra
If You're Going to San Francisco--Scott McKenzie
California Dreamin'--The Beach Boys
When I die I’m coming back as a figure skater
I went to Stars on Ice last night with my aunt and my grandma. The ticket was a birthday present from my aunt. I have a slight obsession with figure skating, possibly because I wish (oh how I wish) I could do it. It also brings together my enjoyment of expression, music, and fashion. The show last night had its ups and downs. The best part was the seats. We sat in row 6. I have never sat so close to the ice before. The cast included Elvis Stojko AND Kurt Browing (you never get to see both of them in the same show), Salé and Pelletier, Joannie Rochette, Jeff Buttle and others.. It had all the potential of being an unforgettable show. But the music choices weren’t great. I’ve heard an ice show being described once as a rock concert on ice but this one didn't have the energy of a rock concert. Sometimes it picked up, like when Joannie skated to Like a Prayer by Madonna, and Elvis did (Wake me up) when September ends. But then someone else would bring it down by doing a jazzy number. I’ve been reading reviews of the show though and it seems that I am the only one who thought the show was weak. Just wait, the Jill B@rr0tt Invitational Skate Show will be fabulous some day.
Pop Secret
Abby let me borrow a book of hers that is a collection of secrets written on post cards. The collection was a result of a community art project that asked people to anonymously write a secret down on a home made post card (the secret had to be true and something you never told anyone before) and mail it to an address in Maryland. Some of the cards have been posted on a blog www.postsecret.com . The confessions are amazing, sad, and though provoking. Here are some of my picks (from the book, they aren’t mine!)
I trashed my parents house to look like I had a party while they were out of town…
…so my mom would think I had friends
I’m afraid no one will love me as much as my dog does
I wish I were a popular idiot instead of a lonely genius
I’m afraid of women who wear Capri pants
I stole your duck and took him to San Francisco
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