salsa.

Oh my goodness, the month that I have been waiting for, for so long is just about here!

The February blues are stinky. So, along with my idea of celebrating each day like it's my birthday, I've renamed it the February Pinks.

I start my internship with Canada AM this month (which is an experience I'm looking very forward to), it's Valentine's Day soon (who doesn't love a whole day about love...whether you're single or betrothed) and it's slowly getting a little bit more light out later each day.

January is the slump month for me - so many things to catch up on after the Christmas season, the snow and cold, fighting the new, huge crowds at the gym...so February is a little bit more relaxed.

I've been lucky to have a great opportunity to get so many pieces written and broadcast on The Ryersonian, and now as a content reporter for the site/publication, hope to dedicate myself to the newsroom as much as I can.

Of course, there's got to be a balance. I'll be dancing in a show coming up soon and in a flash mob on Valentine's Day. Want more details? Send me an email or tweet me anytime.

I heard this great quote a few months ago, "Lack of passion is fatal" - I've been hoping to live and breathe this everyday.

PS as we head into the Superbowl weekend, I leave you with this divine little video - I hope to be recreating this on Sunday with my girls!



As well, I hit over 1,100 individual hits on the blogette this month! I'm absolutely over the moon and can't thank my readers enough for checking in and following my musings.

Merci beaucoup! Je t'adore.

teese.

It's hard to believe that it's almost February (gasp!). This has been one of the months I have been waiting for a bit of time - reading week, ending my schooling at Ryerson and starting my internship at CTV.

Needless to say, I'm pumped.

Another really cool thing happened today - I was quoted in a movie wrap up for Yahoo Movies about the Screen Actor's Guild Awards. When I saw my mention, I thoroughly freaked out, and in social media fashion, retweeted it.

May the rest of your week be lovely!

rolf.

Viktor and Rolf - Spring/Summer 2010.

The architecture of the clothes & the music (Roisin Murphy) altogether makes me swoon. This will forever be one of my most favourite shows to watch over again.



PS make sure to follow my fellow arts editor Nakita and I on Twitter tonight for all the latest updates about the Screen Actor's Guild Awards! Coverage starts at 6PM.

charlotte.

Have you ever stopped, looked around, and realized that you are completely and utterly in the right place?

I mean physically, as well as emotionally.

I'm pulling a complete Charlotte right now...

"Carrie Bradshaw: What makes you think something bad is gonna happen?
Charlotte York: Because! Nobody gets everything they want! Look at you, look at Miranda. You're good people and you two both got shafted. I'm so happy and... something bad is going to happen.
Carrie Bradshaw: Sweetie, you sh*t your pants this year. I think you're done." - Sex and the City (2008)

Now, I haven't done the last thing Charlotte did, but I finally understand where she is coming from.

I've been lucky, worked hard and finally found my place. As I've said before, it took me 18 years, but now I'm finally in my most constant environment...and also the one I have chosen for myself.

And Miss Bradshaw's words, Charlotte is the "Eternal Optimist". I think we all need to have a little bit of her in us. It makes all things more bearable.

And really (as I thought on my way home) how do we know when something bad will happen. If I live in protection all the time, how will I ever be okay.

Then I tripped on an uneven part of the sidewalk.

Whoops.

I got up and carried on. Maybe that's the universe's way of telling me "That's just what you do."

Just a thought.

reality.

"We are the girls with anxiety disorders, filled appointment books, five-year plans. We take ourselves very, very seriously.

We are the peacemakers, the do-gooders, the givers, the savers.

We are on time, overly prepared, well read, and witty,

intellectually curious, always moving…

We pride ourselves on getting as little sleep as possible

and thrive on self-deprivation.

We drink coffee, a lot of it.

We are on birth control, Prozac, and multivitamins…

We are relentless, judgmental with ourselves, and forgiving to others…

We are the daughters of the feminists who said,

“You can be anything,”

and we heard,

“You have to be everything."

-Courtney Martin

Good reality check for me this morning - all too often, I let so many of these things happen, or see it in the women I surround myself with.

Just a thought to go into the weekend with.

PS I have had some beautiful comments in regards to my Black Swan story - thank you all so much!

Have a beautiful weekend!

mint.

I can smell change in the air. I think there's going to be some good things come up soon - not necessarily talking about myself, but rather, the community I live in.

There are few things better than when things are clicking along in the best way possible. This week, there has been more than one bump in the road, but the ups have definitely outweighed the downs.

Since I like celebrations, I thought I would send out some love for my top five picks this month.

Lana del Rey. I am currently obsessed with her deep and soulful voice mixed with a nuvo-pin up look. Soundtrack of the moment: "Disco"

Dlish cupcakes - hands down, the best pick-me-up after a long day in the newsroom.

My choice is the salted caramel ones.

Cute Valentine's videos. Who says you need a sweetheart to enjoy all the treats?

Currently loving the mix of pink, red and gold together.

Coloured coats.

I have a funny story about this pink one I found at Zara last weekend (pictured above).

I saw this coat in the fall, and was this close to buying it, but couldn't part with the hefty $160 price for a jacket with bracelet sleeves.

This past weekend I was casually looking through Zara and saw the coat again

- it was on sale for 60% off.

It's now hanging in my closet.

You can find more coloured coats online at Asos.com.

Mint.com

I really, really respect people who have personal budgets and stick to them.

It can be hard as a student with limited funds to do this but this site

helps make things a little easier.

Also, McClung's Magazine will be hosting our launch party this Friday to celebrate our new issue - check out the Facebook event, and come to the Harbord House on January 27 to celebrate with the masthead! See you there!

mentality.

To be honest, I really, really dislike when people update their Facebook and Twitter statuses constantly.

Even in a choice career that favours the constant updating of social media (which I have no problem doing under a company account, that's the job) I have found it hard to share my work with others over the medium.

Every once in awhile, I would throw up a blog post or reporter piece for some people to actually see, instead of me constantly telling, what I was doing.

Things have changed. I'm addicted - especially when I'm generating fresh content every day.

Sorry in advance.

That's why I have created my profession Facebook page to share my latest work, thoughts, videos, et cetera on.

I find myself updating constantly, hope that's okay!

And I now take it all back. I'm now a part of the constant-update club. Le sigh.

Check out my latest piece below, it will be printed in tomorrow's copy of The Ryersonian.

Inside the Black Swan Mentality

All I can remember are the lights. White, bright, hot lights beat down from above and cause sweat droplets to form and drip down my spine. There was complete silence in the theatre; the audience held their breath, waiting for my next move.

“Okay Portia, get up, continue with your solo,” my brain said. Using all the energy I could muster, I tried to move my legs, but they were defiant and remained crumpled beneath me. Moments before, I had leaped into a grande jeté (a split leap) — a routine move I had been practising my entire dance career.

The next thing I knew, a pair of hands picked me up and carried my limp body off the stage. The show couldn’t go on.

repeller.

"Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence.

Talent will not;

nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent.

Genius will not;

the world is full of derelicts.

Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.

The phrase 'press on' has solves and always will solve the problems of the human race."

- Calvin Coolidge