Movies, Songs and Books

Movies, books and songs that provoke memories.
You know what I mean, I hope.

That one song comes on and it takes you back to that moment when you first heard it or you had a meaningful experience associated with it.

"Truly Madly Deeply" by Savage Garden.  I was ten and it was my first dance with a boy.

"The Killer" by Mobile.  I heard this on the radio when I was in Washington, I think I was nineteen, and I searched for it for months on the internet and couldn't find it.  Finally I heard it tv, I think, and downloaded it right away.  It was a song I listened to late at night and I just felt confident.  The band came to my town and I imagined myself being in the bar, confident, dancing to my song and owning the room.  In reality, I sat at a table and enjoyed the band from there.

"I Will Wait For You" by Mumford and Sons.  I just started dating my now fiancee then and this song had just come out at the time.  I listened to it on repeat for months and whenever I went on the ferry to see him.  So I just associate it with him.

"Running Up That Hill" by Placebo.  My eyes tear up when I hear this song.  I relate it to a very dark time in my life and it's just a hard song to listen to now, but I still have it on my ipod.

"Crystals" by Of Monsters and Men.  We listened to this song so much last Summer, especially during our road trip to California. 

"First Date" by Blink-182.  I loved Blink-182, still do, but this song reminds me of being a teenager.  I would listen to this song from a mixed cd, on my discman (yes, a discman) and imagine going on dates with the boys I had crushes on.  I was pretty boy crazy growing up, but never did anything about it.

"Shh" by Donora.  I was 22, obsessed with Donora and some other bands that sounded like them and I was just weird?  I would come home from my 5 hour shift at noon and go for a walk.  I'd stop by the convenience store and get a red slushy from the cute blonde boy who worked there (like I said boy obsessed) and then walk while listening to music.  And that's what I did most Sundays.  I was really confident at that time and my anxiety wasn't really present during those 6 months.


Movies.  I love movies so much it makes me want to cry.
I wanted to be apart of movies so badly and make people feel the things I felt watching them.  I did acting classes for quite awhile and did some castings but never got anything.  It just got too expensive to keep doing the classes that I loved so much.  Those classes really brought me out of my shell and showed me how to express myself again and that I didn't have to keep feelings bottled up inside.

"Whip It".  Yes, the roller derby movie.  That was the first movie I ever saw alone.  I remember it was a really sunny day, I wasn't working yet, my Dad was up North with my Grandfather who was dying and I just decided to take the bus and see a movie.
This movie is what sparked that confidence I was talking about earlier.  I saw this and felt, empowered?
It just made me feel good.
I felt confident because I saw a movie at the theater alone.
The movie just inspires confidence.  I even watched it today because I was feeling down and this movie just cheers me up.

"The Vow".  Another movie I saw alone.  It was Valentine's Day, I had just finished work and realized the boy I was seeing at the time would never take me to see and I just felt like getting lost at the movies that day.  So that's what I did.
It's not the best movie ever, it's kind of a sappy chick flick but I love it.  I can watch it over and over again.

"The Labyrinth".  My Grandma got us to watch this when I was a kid, I was really young...I'm thinking six or seven.  Loved it, always have, always will.  Plus I remember when I used to work at the grocery store with my fiancee and he asked if I had seen it, all I could think was "this boy knows what The Labyrinth is????? Must date."
It is such an odd movie but it kind of set a tone for a lot of the movies I'd like growing up.

"Poltergeist".  Another movie my Grandma got me to watch.  I was ten and I was so into this movie.  I had to watch all three.  I remember writing a story at school about the movie, my teacher must of thought I was a really strange kid.

I read, a lot.
But I can only come up with a couple books that have impacted me.

"Gingerbread", "Shrimp" and "Cupcake" by Rachel Cohn.  I absolutely adore her character Cyd Charisse and her badassery.  She is so confident and I've always admired her for that.  I picked "Gingerbread" up when I was thirteen and then I think I got "Cupcake" when I was nineteen or twenty.  I'm curious how she turned out as an adult and if she has a successful bakery like I imagine her to have.

"Violet on the Runway" by Melissa Walker.  I used to talk to Melissa Walker occasionally on her website, it was really neat.  I don't even remember how I found out about these books.  They're easy reads but I really enjoy them.  Violet, is just an average awkward girl but she gets discovered by a model scout and the story goes from there.  I used to always want to model and so I felt like I got a feel for how rough it can be through these books.


I hope you enjoyed this post, let me know what movies, songs or books have had an impact on your life! 

Things To Be Excited For!

There are quite a few things coming/opening next month and I am getting so excited!!
Plus there are some things that come out this month/have already come out that I am excited for.

First off, last week Mumford and Sons released their third album, "Wilder Mind".  No more banjos, which made me a little sad, but I have found some songs I quite enjoy on it.
"Just Smoke", oh my gosh, when I first heard this my eyes starting watering and I couldn't stop smiling.  I haven't even listened to the words all the way through, this song just makes me happy and reminds me of Summertime.


Sephora opens here next month. Need I say more?

Of Monsters and Men releases a new album June 9th. I've been listening to "Crystals" nonstop, so I can't wait to hear more.

Jenny Han has the sequel to "To All the Boys I've Loved Before" coming out, called "P.S. I Still Love You".
I really enjoyed the first one and I can't wait for a light Summer read.  And that's supposed to be out May 26th!

A couple movies come out this month that I am dying to see.  This Friday, May 15th Pitch Perfect 2 is out.  I am ready to laugh.
Then May 22nd the remake Poltergeist arrives.  They're here.
I have loved this movie since I was a kid.  My Grandma always had us watching odd movies at a young age.  This won't live up to the original but I am anxious to see it!

Another book....actually a few.
Sarah Dessen's "Saint Anything".  I love Sarah Dessen.  Her website is actually what got me started into blogging, about six years ago.  I just love her books.  I could honestly go on and on.

If you read  Emily Schuman's blogs, CupcakesandCashmere then you would now she has a new book out, "Cupcakes and Cashmere At Home".  I love home related and entertaining things, so I pre-ordered this and it came this week!  So excited to delve in.

Along with that pre-order I also ordered Cassey's Ho's book, "Hot Body Year Round: The Pop Pilates Plan to Get Slim, Eat Clean and Live Happy.." 
Cassey Ho is a youtuber but I can't watch a video and workout. I've tried hooking youtube up to the tv and it's just not for me.  I end up writing down the exercises or printing them out (I used to do this for Tone It Up) and going from that. So I was so glad Cassey released a book along with Katrina and Karena from Tone It Up.  "Tone it Up:28 Days to Fierce, Fit and Fabulous".
I was an avid Tone It Up girl about 4 years ago when I worked out everyday, hardcore.
I'm excited because both these fitness books are about working out at home, which I prefer because I'm cheap, and just using the basics. I have a few weights, a yoga mat, medicine ball etc so this is perfect for me.  Time to get beach body ready!

Last thing I am excited for. . .
June 2nd, Florence and the Machine releases "How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful".
I love Florence.
Hands down the best concert I have ever gone to.
Her voice is so strong, so powerful.
I just remember jumping around in the grass at her concert in Vancouver in 2012.  That was just a great weekend overall.


I am sure I kind find more things to get excited about but I'll stop here for now.

What are upcoming things you exciting for?  Please share in the comments! Happy Friday:)

A Few Favorites

Good morning Lovelies!
I had intended for today's post to be my past to present (none) health and fitness journey, but the post ended up being way too long and I also felt like I went way out of my comfort zone.  So it will end up being a two maybe three part post, soon.

For today I will share some recent favorites with you!
This is not a beauty favorites today, but you can expect one of those soon. 
Today are some book and movie favorites.  If you can't find me scouring stores for new beauty products to try or reading blogs, you can find me curled up with a book or laying in bed watching a movie.

First off "Alice in Zombieland" by Gena Showalter.
Surprisingly Boyfriend was the one who got me into this series.  Christmas 2013 he bought me the first book and I was impressed.  An ass-kicking zombie slayer chick surrounded by hot boys? I'm in! But it's not all zombies throughout the trilogy. There is heart ache, love triangles and don't forget the bad guys (not just the zombies).  I'm on the last book now and I just can't put it down.

Another read I enjoyed last year was more light hearted.  "A Little Something Different" by Sandy Hall.  A love story with different points of view, including a squirrel.  How could I not read it?  Definitely enjoyable and something to make you laugh when you're having a bad day.

I can only think of two movies I watched last year.  One being the fan favorite "Catching Fire" and I guess the other would be a fan favorite too, "The Lego Movie".
Total opposites.  I enjoyed "Catching Fire" much more than "The Hunger Games". I've read the books but the first movie just felt a lot slower and while still interesting, the second movie just did it for me. 

"Everything is awesome!"  Boyfriend and I just can't stop singing this song.  It makes us smile and the movie is just hilarious.  We're both Lego lovers (played with it today actually)  yet we had both never seen this movie until just a few days ago.
We've watched it twice.

I have 5 more books to read and quite a few movies I'd like to see, so expect another one of these at some point!

Enjoy your Monday, see ya on Hump Day!

The 'Me Time' Tag!

Happy Monday!
Honestly? I hate Mondays.  They mean getting up early, going to work and coming home tired.
At the end of a long day there are things I like to do to unwind, so why not share them through a tag?

What do you watch or read during me-time?
I love watching "Gilmore Girls" to unwind. I'm scared my dvds are going to burn out by how much I watch this show.
I'm currently reading "Let it Snow" by John Green, Maureen Johnson and Lauren Myracle, it's a light Christmas-y read!

What do you wear during me-time? 
My polka dot pajama pants and a cozy sweater.

What are your me-time beauty products?
I love face masks. Currently I've been into Lush's Magnaminty. My skin is so soft after using this! And sometimes I'll give myself a pedicure, I currently have Essie's "Tuck in my Tux" on my toes.

Current favourite nail polish? 
Whoops! I answered this above. Essie's "Tuck in my Tux", it's from the 2014 Winter collection.

What do you eat/drink during me-time? 
I like to have popcorn as a bedtime snack and Boyfriend I have been drinking David's Tea "Earl's Garden" tea which is just an Earl Grey tea.


Current favourite candle?
This is the hardest question as I absolutely love candles (that's a Pisces for you). I'm going to go with Bath & Body Works Warm Sugar Vanilla three wick candle.  It just relaxes me and smells so good.

Do you ever have outdoor me-time? 
I used to go running as a stress reliever, but I've been slacking in that department so no outdoor me-time for me.
 

Would you ever go see a movie alone? 
Of course! I've done it twice and had the best time. The movies were "Whip It" and "The Vow", in case you were wondering. And I saw "The Vow" on Valentine's Day to top it off!


Favourite online shop?
Well, I do love shopping on Sephora's site, it's a nice way to unwind.

Anything to add? What else do you do during me-time? 
Watch youtube videos, read blogs and watch Boyfriend play video games.

I hope you have a super Monday and I'll talk to you again on Wednesday!

Where Are You Summer?

Hello Friends!
How are you?

Canada has come and gone and now we're into July.
It doesn't look much like Summer outside at the moment, but I'm hoping it starts to soon.
We did have a few days of hot weather and took advantage of it by jumping in the river.

It's a little bit of walk to get to our spot and there are these ugly black bugs that bite, but it sure is worth it.

Lately life has been including a few more things than working and sleeping, like watching Harry Potter (and falling asleep half an hour into it, every night.) eating too much ice cream (especially since lactose bothers me), lots of barbecuing and reading!

This weekend should be fun and not just me laying in bed like last weekend...
Have a good one!