One Year To Become Successful

Tina Fey's Bossy Pants

2011-10-30T17:06:00.000-07:00

Literature

I am rekindling an intermittent love for reading - this is the cumulative effect of various components: (1) A dramatic change *i.e. reduction* in (job-related) stress levels (2) more time and (3) a pending invitation to a local book group helmed by my gorgeous friend, Rebecca.

A major incentive to get my reading grove back.

So, on a recent trip to Chapters *happy sound* http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/home/ Darren and I picked up a ton of reading material ( D is a bone fide book-worm and charges through multiple books per week with gusto) and not wanted to scare myself during this early and vunerable stage, picked out Tina Fey's self-penned Memoirs entitled, Bossy Pants.

I loved reading this book - Tina Fey has a joyous way with words and I fell into her comical flow and whipped through the chapters in no time at all. I fell more and more for her stories, character and drive as I weaved through the book and now have a borderline obsession with 30rock and SNL. Gaaaa more TV!

Loved it, would highly recommend for a light hearted read and endearing story. This is a hard working girl done good!

New Fashion Blog

2011-09-05T18:36:00.000-07:00

Fashion/ Career

Uh oh...I've started another blog... and it's all about Fashion! It seems like my Success Blog had already spawned a successful offspring - I was starting to realized that (a) I love writing about beautiful dresses and (b) this love was somewhat eclipsing my Success Blog, so much so, that it was all I was writing about!

So... I have decided to syphon off all my Fashion Posts and start a new Blog, purely devoted to my favorite fashionistas and gorgeous frocks... And here it is:
Libby's Fashion Faves! Here's to the next Blogging chapter, hurray!
http://libbysfashionfaves.blogspot.com/

And just for old time's sake....

Sienna Miller in Dior

Here is one of my favorites fashion savvy stars, lovely Sienna in a divine Dior Dress back in 2005 at the Venice Film Festival. I love this style and her accessories, make up and hair are the perfect compliment to the outfit. Beeautiful!

Fashion Faves #5

2011-09-04T06:38:00.000-07:00

Fashion

Awwwww, I had to squeeze in another quick Fashion-Faves Post.. what with Venice Film Festival and a slew of premiers and other glorious high fashion events being catalogued in magnificent technicolor. Here are my picks from the week:

1. Zoe Saldana in a Barbara Bui dress

Zoe hits the jackpot again in this fabulous mini dress. not many could pull this off but the combination of her incredible figure and natural poise means she pulls it off with aplomb. Fabulous!

2. Kate Winslet at the Venice Film Festival

So simple yet so chic - Beautiful Kate blows us away with this classic LBD and classy beige blazer. J'adore her!

3. Madonna in a Vionnet Gown

Oooo lala, Madonna! I love love love this printed gown with cute and flattering butterfly design. The material girl still works it like the perennial pro.

4. Beyonce in Lanvin Dress

The big news of the week - Bey and Jay are having a power-bubba and broadcast the news in Super Star fashion at the MTV Music awards. Beyonce looks radiant in this gorgeous Lanvin Dress with (probably) one of the most photographed baby bumps in history!

5. Natasha Poly in Gucci

Good lord, I love this Scarlett Maxi! Ms Poly looks amazing - I love everything about this dress - the colour, the cut and the belt detail. Just beautiful!

Fashion Faves #4

2011-08-28T17:36:00.000-07:00

Fashion

I just can't help myself... I love blogging about beautiful people in beautiful dresses! Herewith my latest instalment of fashion favorites from the last couple of weeks.

1. Anne Hathaway in Alexander McQueen

Queen Anne continues to shine in this beautiful cream, lace-embroidered dress at the 'One Day' Premier. Her nod to old Hollywood glamour with her bright red lips and ravishing waves is picture perfect. Beautiful, beautiful.

2. Zoe Saldana in Valentino (dress), Louboutin (shoes) and Salvatore Ferragamo (clutch)

I love Uhura! Zoe Saldana's natural beauty is truly off the scale and she continues to soar above us mere mortals while wearing her daring and exquisite fashion choices. Here she looks amazing in a salmon pink leather dress and gorgeous heels.

3. Rose Byrne in Dolce and Gabbana (Dress) and Sergio Rossi (Shoes)

New-Kid on the Block, Rose is taking Hollywood by storm and it's no surprise when you she what she wore for her interview on Letterman last week - what a stunner! Go for it Rose!

4. Jennifer Garner YSL Blue Satin dress.

This is one of my favourite dresses of the year so far and I had to include. Ms Garner looks unbelievably gorgeous in this off-the-shoulder satin dress. So beautiful she almost takes your breath away.

5. Kate Winslet - St John Knits

I love Kate and love love love her new advertising campaign for St.John Knits. She has so much charm and grace as well and staggering natural beauty. A triumphant role model for the modern woman and looking sublime in this adds for the casual knitwear company.

Long Words

2011-08-22T04:42:00.000-07:00

Career

I have so enjoyed blogging and combined with a return to reading, I am finding my vocabulary has improved exponentially. I thought I would showcase a few of my favorites which I am sure, will help me as I strive for success:

Neolithic:
Pertaining to the Last phase of the Stone Age. Totally useless but such a great descriptive word

Agamemnon:
The commander of the Greeks in the Trojan war and son of King Atreus of Mycenae. What a superb word (and what a great name for a dog).

Salubrious:
Promotes health and/or pertaining to all things healthy. How fabulous a word. I feel virtuous merely typing it.

Sentient:
The power of perception that is directly linked to the senses and can also be referred to as 'The Conscious Mind'. AKA "Gosh, I feel very sentient today" **not the correct usage but I urge everyone to start using it and maybe we will invoke a revolution, particularly amongst the student world {It is the perfect way to demonstrate how one is recovering from a hangover}

Totemic:
A natural object given the status as the emblem of a group, family or clan. Sometimes distinctive. Sometimes weird.

Schlong:
A naughty choice and taken for the German 'Schlange', meaning serpent,

Perpetrator:
Someone or thing that commits a heinous crime. A strange choice but it has a nice ring to it and maybe linked to my recent discovery of 'Law and Order'.

Meniscus:
A marvelous word but the use of which is sadly restricted to commentary regarding the knee (i.e helpful for skiers and squash players).

I'll try and incorporate all the other into my day to day but will, of course, be on the lookout for more.. Ahh words, they add to the tapestry of life, make us chuckle and make us frown. I will continue my search for the ultimate word list!

The Girl Who Played With Fire

2011-08-21T12:07:00.000-07:00

Culture

Ahhhhh, I have finished another book. This time I succumbed to the hype and picked the second of Stieg's best selling trilogy, 'The Girl Who Played With Fire'.

I was in a funny place with the books - I had started the first ( and then lent it to a friend), seen the first film ( but fell asleep before the end), started watching the second film ( and fell asleep at the beginning) and hadn't even touched the Hornet's Nest. Hmmmmm. Where to re-start?

I plumped for the second literary installment and from the get-go, found it most compelling. I had a vague image in my mind of characters from the [Swedish] cinematic version but this was not entrenched too deep as to encroach on my own interpretation of the book. I am intrigued as to the Hollywood film release and wonder if they will sugar-coat the devastating first book which contains scenes that even the most haggard of souls would find disturbing.

The Girl Who Played with Fire (Vintage Crime/Black Lizard)

I really enjoyed the second part of Larson's Trilogy - the story continues from the first and revolves around a triple murder in which Lisbeth, our hero, becomes completely entwined. I don't have a huge experience in reading spy novels or thrillers, but this was a great introduction to the genre, was fast paced and extremely compelling. It has inspired me to re-watch the second film and most certainly encouraged me to crack on with the third book and then return to the first.. A cracking book to read on holiday, on the tube or just for fun - 9/10!

Fashion Faves #3

2011-08-14T17:11:00.000-07:00

Fashion Faves

Uh oh.. this blog appears to be turning into a fashion - lover's blog.. Well, let's see now, all the people in the photos below are extremely successful (so it's vaguely relevant).

1. Miranda Kerr in David Jones

She is becoming a favorite - check out the new mum (!!!!) looking unbelievable on the runway in this Scarlet gown.

2. Emma Stone in Dior ( the dress) and Lanvin ( the shoes)

Ahhh Emma, now a regular in the 'best dressed' columns and I love this 60's inspired dress by Dior. She is looking oh so grown up at the Teenage Choice Awards.

3. Nikki Reed in Etro ( the dress) and Ferragamo ( the clutch)

I LOVE maxi dresses and could wear them all day every day. This one caught my eye and I think Ms Reed from the Twilight contingent looks fantastic.

4. Miranda Kerr

Ahhh.... another Maxi and another picture of the gorgeous Miranda. She-who-can-do-no-fashion-wrong. What a gorgeous photo. And with a mini Bloom bundle in tow, who wouldn't gaze and sigh.

5. Uma Thurman in Versace
Uma looked amazing in this majestic Versace gown down in Cannes. The dress has beautiful lines accentuating her amazing figure and love her sea-green droplet earrings.

Looks like my fashion pages are becoming a regular fixture... so until next time...

Stretch and Tone

2011-08-14T16:02:00.000-07:00

Beauty

I am still on a beauty kick and experimenting with a few options - my thoughts today were to start a stretch and tone regime in order to try and sculpt own body in order to allure success. I have been attempting to throw out 50 sit ups a day using a variety of stomach crunching exercises and am ( I think....?) starting to see a change.

I have also been doing some deep stretches.. easy to do if you reach either side of your legs, for your toes and pulsate. Great for building core strength and tone and hurt like hell after about 30... I will persevere and see if i can get to 100 [non stop] which should [hopefully] shave off any residual stomach fat and mean I have better posture and circulation as a result of the increased core strength ( much better than the vanity thing in the long term).

My last exercise du jour involves a spinning turn table that is supposed to tone and stretch the obliques by facilitating the twisting of the trunk in a very user-friendly way.

So, here I am on the spinny thing - who knows if this works but it's kind of fun ( just don't make yourself dizzy).

So, I'll carry on and keep you all posted. Bring on the super abs and glorious posture!

And in other news:

1. Poor old Amy. RIP. Read this beautiful tribute from one of my all time faves, Russel Brand http://www.russellbrand.tv/2011/07/for-amy/

Fashion Faves Part 2

2011-08-04T10:33:00.000-07:00

Fashion

I couldn't resist - I am developing a deep desire to write about beautiful dresses so thought I would quickly post my faves from the week while I have 10 minutes to spare...

1. Kate Beckinsale in Gucci

Sigh... she is such a beauty - Here looking resplendent in a glorious Gucci Premier Gown. This girl epitomizes beauty and glamour and is holding the fort for the Brits here on this international red carpet in Cannes.

2. Katherine Kelly in Jen Scott-Russel ( The Hat) and James Steward Couture ( The Dress)

I am waaaay behind on the latest soap gossip from the UK but Katherine Kelly has burst into the World of Fashion with a bang following her appearance at 'Zara and Mike's' wedding. The girl from Corrie looks stunning in this gorgeous outfit. 10 Points!

3. Poppy Delevigne

The Cartier Polo tournament is always a great opportunity to view fashion at its best and no one so much as model Poppy who looks divine in this gorgeous LWD with strappy sandals, fabulous coral nails and super cool sunnies to finish off the look. Super chic and gorgeous.

4. Miranda Kerr

Well, she is a super model so bound to look fantastic most of the time, but I love her understated glamour in this floral maxi dress and belt. The ultimate yummy mummy!

5. Kate Moss in Yves Saint Laurent ( jacket) and PPQ (trousers)

Newly married Kate looks cool and classy in this ensemble. She rarely gets in wrong and I love this relaxed looking yet super chic looking outfit.

Career

2011-08-03T17:50:00.000-07:00

Financial

Despite being thrown into a strange limbo whist waiting for my various immigration visas to come through, I have been allowed a period of time to reflect and plan my future and how I am going to find a way to become more successful...

These are my current top 10 - I will also submit to Darren for an appraisal ( he is very shrewd in business and extremely articulate, especially in making good decisions).

1. Become a successful Artist

Ahhhh, the dream! I must say, people are much more supportive and optimistic about this being a viable option in Canada than the general consensus in the UK that all artists end up desolate and starving - But I am not un-deterred by the latter - Worst case, it doesn't work out and I try something else. But hopefully someone will be interested in purchasing a canvas or two after I blast my way through Art School next year!

2. Become a successful Blogger
Well, that would be pretty cool. Working from home, writing about things that interest me and that hopefully intrigue others *sigh*. There are some amazing writers out there and combined with the battalion of fabulously intelligent folk that are bombarding the Internet with information, I am more akin to a crazy lady scribbling wild folly online in comparison. I will keep tapping away however and hope that the hard work and long hours pay off some day.

3. Running
I could maybe try and win a prize or two *gulp* but hopefully without busting through any of my major muscle groups.

4. Poker
Ahhhh, Poker! Darren's favorite thing and he is willing to teach me a couple of tricks over the coming months as the dark nights of winter encourage us to stay inside and under blankets. I am currently watching 'Poker after Dark' as a preliminary preparation (which is actually extremely compelling).

5. Film
Well, it's a back-up plan.. although I don't think I would last two seconds in the industry these days, what with a new batch of whipper-snappers coming up through the ranks. Lets say this is 'a very unlikely' route towards success.... (But I had to fill out my top 10)

6. Be Beautiful
Well, they do say beauty can sometimes buy happiness and happiness can help the feeling of having success. Celebrities/ high achievers/ successful folk do tend to throw money at their appearance to ensure that they stay/ become more successful. I am not sure where I should start (there is a LOT of work to do) apart from the obvious ( running, body sculpting exercises, evening primrose, body scrubs and a ton of moisturizer). I might need to accrue more art-based success before this area is officially addressed... I am continually amazed at the price of beauty products and regimes - even getting my hair cut with a couple of highlights thrown in, is way over my monthly budget [combined]! I'll keep running, eat lots of tomatoes, condition my hair and hope mother nature is kind to me as I roar through the 30's!

7. Don't buy anything you don't need ( including plants)
This is pretty straight forward - no more plants until next spring and no other purchases unless they have been reviewed by two select panels, 95% of which will be declined. Again, my love of clothes, in particular vintage fashion has gone on hold but hopefully points 1 - 6 will yield many more purchasing opportunities.

8. Enter many competitions (including the lottery)
Yes yes yes!! I love the lottery ( you have gotta be in it to win it!) and I love competitions... I will endeavor to source out and enter as many (valid) competitions as possible and will keep everyone posted on my progress ( as I holiday in Tanzania with my new fridge freezer and $3000 worth of coupons from Home Depot.... here's hoping)

9. Work hard
This is another obvious one - they do say hard work brings you success ( as long as it doesn't bring you a nervous breakdown) so I'll give it another shot. The lack of any progeny means I have plenty of time on my hands, unlike so many of my gorgeous ( and extremely busy) friends. Even though I am unable to earn any hard cash, the experience from just sketching and scribbling away will hopefully be helpful years down the line.

10. Be fabulous...
...and everything else will fall into place.

11. Charity Work
The key to success and happiness most probably and I should get onto it right away. Maybe a small step would be running.. for charity. It's a start!

Fashion Faves

2011-07-24T10:36:00.001-07:00

Beauty

Ahhhh fashion. I love it. The first thing I sit down and read with my coffee every morning is Marie Claire online http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/ and British Vogue online http://www.vogue.co.uk. I thought today that instead of merely reading about my favorite fashionistas and their fabulous attire, I would put pen to paper and share my favorites from the week:

1. Emma Stone in Tom Ford

The flame-haired funny girl has launched herself well and truly into the Temple of Fashion, here wearing a FABULOUS Tom Ford creation at the premier of 'Crazy Stupid Love'. It's a risky choice but damn girl, you pulled it off. Combined with classic yet incredibly sensual hair and make up, Emma is the clear winner for 'Beauty of the Week'!

2. Jennifer Aniston in Celine

I wouldn't normally pick out a leather dress for my top 5 but I couldn't resist this short, racy number seen last week in London while Jen was promoting her new flick 'Horrible Bosses'. Her highly revered hair looks gorgeous as always. Here she is modeling a longer yet sultry bob and chic heels. Jen is looking fabuloso!

3. Cheryl Cole in Stella McCartney

The nation's sweetheart Cheryl maybe have been booed off the Stage 'Stateside', but I LOVE this Stella McCartney Dress she wore for her recent Birthday Celebrations. The make up is slightly heavy handed but her hair looks great styled in this softer bob and I just adore the dress and accessories. 10 points Ms Cole!

4. Diane Kruger in Marchesa

Diane Kruger ALWAYS gets it right. One of my fashion faves and she doesn't disappoint in this gorgeous Marchesa gown. She appears ethereal yet magestic and quite frankly, looks simply sublime.

5. Naomi Watts in Gucci

Another of my fashion icons, Naomi looks Divine in this pale pink chiffon Gucci Dress. I love everything about it - it is the perfect compliment to her natural beauty which is accentuated by scarlet lips and soft blond curls. Gorgeous.

I'll never look like these girls but I can dream and can certainly blog about it. More Fabulous Fashion posts to follow...

Evening Primrose

2011-07-10T11:19:00.000-07:00

Health

I am on a mission to beautify myself (apparently beautiful people are more successful?? ) and am currently focusing on my nails. My nails are dreadful: stubby, broken and vaguely resembling chipolata sausages. I decided to embark on an 'Evening Primrose' challenge by taking 2 tablets a day until my [full] jar had run out.

I decided on Evening Primrose after reading the plethora of benefits that taking this herb tincture can provide. It has been hailed as the most 'sensational preventive discovery since vitamin C': quite the statement but it turns out that even in the short term, I have started to see major benefits.

Evening Primrose contains a pain relieving compound called Phenylalanine and a fatty acid called Gamma Linoleic Acid {GLA} . Both these substances give Evening Primrose the multitude of preventive and therapeutic qualities and a stalwart in holistic, herbal and main-stream medicine. GLA, Linoleic Acid and other nutrients in Evening Primrose oil are essential for cell structure and improve the elasticity of the skin ( hence the documented benefits to beauty and health). They also regulate hormones and improve nerve function which has made the oil famous due to its major help in diminishing PMS and improving breast tissue.

Benefits include:

A cure for chronic headaches

Stop aging problems

Treatment for acne

Treatment for heart disease

Relief for MS

Prevent hyperactivity in children

Relief from PMS

Treatment for schizophrenia

Prevention of Obesity

And here are my nails! They are glorious! They are long, strong and look like nails! HURRAY! I am most definitely continuing with my evening primrose intact and hoping it will aid my beautification!

Earth Berries

2011-06-26T10:07:00.000-07:00

Health

We are arriving at a new age of increased focus and awareness centred on preserving dear Mother Earth. Cleaning products are one of major sources of concern with an alarming array of chemicals listed as ingredients on even the most banal of products. Darren and I have a sensitivity (of varying degrees) to washing detergent with side effects ranging from a mild rash to debilitating rosacea.

During an episode of Dragon's Den last season ( http://www.cbc.ca/dragonsden), we learnt of a new product called 'soap nuts'; officially berries, not nuts and found growing in areas of India and Nepal.

http://www.earthsberriesoapnuts.com

https://www.facebook.com/earthsberries

By a major stroke of luck, there is a lady in Collingwood who started a business a couple of years ago selling soap nuts; her company is known as 'Earth Berries'. Darren looked perplexed when I mentioned I was 'off to pick up some Earth Berries' but after explaining that Earth Berries were in fact our cleaning-saviour, he was extremely excited to give them a try. Earth Berries are very reasonably priced ($10 for a bag which claims to last for up to 95 loads!) and come, pre-seeded, in a neat little muslin bag, cute branding and 'mini' bag that would later be used during washing.

The detergent properties of 'saponin' found in the shells is what gives the nuts their magical cleaning properties. The instructions advise that you pop 6 halves of the shells into the mini muslin bag and just add that into the main compartment of your washing machine along with the dirty laundry. The nuts can be used on a hot or cold cycle ( if you use a cold cycle, soak the nuts in warm water beforehand) and are so effective, you don't even need a 'rinse' cycle at the tail end of the wash.

So, are the soap nuts all they are cracked up to be? Holy whites, YES! They are fantastic! You might be lured into thinking that because they are 'herbal' and 'green', they not as effective as the chemical products and laundry detergents you might find on sale at the store. I was overwhelmed at the effectiveness of soap nuts in the fight against dirt in the washing machine; our clothes come out clean, fresh and chemical free! Here is Darren with one of his shirts looking clean and ready for some summer action!

•Soap nuts are not damaging towards clothing and linen

•Soap nuts are very effective for washing delicates, wool and silk without spoiling their shape

•Soap nuts are great for restoring vibrant colour to clothes

•Soap nuts are hypoallergenic and excellent for anyone who suffers from skin complaints

•Soap nuts are more economical than traditional washing detergents

•Soap nuts reduce run off into our rivers and are totally bio-degradable.

•Soap nuts can be used for multiple purposes ( cleaning, pets, laundry, household etc etc). Boil 'em up and use the liquid as a multi purpose cleaner.

And here am I ( **my first attempt of using the '10 second snap shot' mechanism on D's camera) very relaxed sleeping on 'soap nutted' sheets. I would highly recommend soap nuts as a great alternative for the standard laundry soap, they are effective, environmentally glorious, easy to use and don't make my hands hurt! Hurray!

Running

2011-06-24T07:30:00.000-07:00

Health

We are rejoicing in a stretch of glorious weather. As many may know, I am an avid runner, have been for years. I run every day and despite the overwhelming benefits to my mental and physical health from the life long obsession, running does come with a unique set of 'issues' which I tend to stumble upon periodically.

Recently, I have been dancing with the 'UV' devil and exposing myself to inordinate amounts of sunlight causing significant pigment changes to the skin ( and not in a good way). Darren suggested that to 'burn over a burn' is most definitely not a good idea and as I was about to adorn my running shoes and head out to the great outdoors, he passed me a smallish black piece of taut material. On closer inspection, I realized he was giving me a 'visor'.

Not the coolest item in the wardrobe, but this visor was a life changer; I couldn't believe I had never run without the aid of an eye shield before ( I previously had an aversion to caps thinking it would get a hot-head). In fact, quite the opposite happened and my head and face remained cool whilst I was able to run without permanently squinting and probably acquiring irreparable damage to my facial tissue. What a find! I like to think I looked 'retro' in my visor.. in reality, I think I looked like a small, pink girl who was running late for the roller blade discotheque.. but at least I didn't get any more sun burn.

My other new found friend is an invaluable help in dealing with the [multiple] injuries acquired after daily, long distance road running. My current problem is focused around my Achilles but if it's not one thing, it's somethings else; it's an occupational hazard. As well as using Darren's amazing hot and cold wraps, I have started to use Arnica as a healing tonic for aching limbs and joints.

Arnica can be used externally to aid healing in:

Bruises
Sprains
Muscles Ache
Wound healing
Rheumatic Pain
Insect Bites
Inflammation after fractures
Conditions caused by over exertion ( i.e. running)

I must say, daily application of the cream appears to help my swollen achilles and has most certainly reduced the pain and 'electric shocks' I was experiencing when walking. I still regularly stretch my calves and have abandoned my favorite flip flops in an attempt to regain full ankle-power. All helps in my quest to become Blue Mountain Half Marathon champion for a second time in the fall!

Golf

2011-06-21T13:19:00.000-07:00

Health and Happiness

Ahhhh, Golf: The gentle sport... ( but also highly competitive seen in evidence most recently in Rory Mcilroy's incredible Victory at the US Open http://www.rorymcilroy.com). Darren is a huge fan of golf and also [extremely] good at it which has inspired me to pull my socks up and get putting!

Golf is played by millions of people around the world, most of whom confess deep love yet wild frustration at their game. Sure, it is annoying when you ball lands in a bog, so why do we all want to leap onto the golf train? I did a little research to find out more.

Relaxation:
Life is becoming more stressful and claustrophobic all the time and even at the gym, it is hard to switch off from the outside world with most people now physically attached to their IPhones, even on the Cross-Trainer. On the golf course, nothing can touch you, not even network coverage which allows the feeling of total escape, even for just one hour.

Beauty

Humans love beautiful things and Golf course are pretty much, without fail, Beautiful! We tend to respond extremely well to pleasing colours, landscaping and shrubbery and I challenge you to find a golf course that is gross; golf courses are invariably stunning and allow us to appreciate the countryside and nature at it's most glorious. Darren's good friend Jeff even teed off onto an alligator last year down in Florida ( although maybe this is a side of nature that one might prefer to keep at a distance).

The Game:
It can get a little expensive, but that is pretty much the only down-side to a round of golf ( there are many cheap alternative and deals out there). Golf is an extremely sociable game (possibly the only sport where a glass of pinot grigio can actually 'assist' one's game) and allows you to have quality time with friends and lovers out in the sun whilst actually engaging in a stimulating game.

Successful Shots
You may be a beginner and swipe the golf ball as if you were laying hockey, but we still all hold out for that magical moment when the ball is catapulted into the air, landing slap bang in the middle of the green like a golden egg. It's rare, but its awesome and worth every bit of flying earth.

Here are Darren and I at the drivin range: Darren is a fabulous teacher and I am improving with great speed. I love golf!

We've been practicing hard at the driving range; Darren is an excellent teacher and my swing is getting better and better. My goal is to get to a golf course by the end of the season!

Kevin Nealon

2011-06-18T05:49:00.000-07:00

Career Success

We love Kevin Nealon! Darren and I started watching Weeds after signing onto the infamous 'Netflix' and have never looked back. The joy of Netflix lies in the unlimited access to a huge selection of popular Television series which one is able to watch back-to-back with NO COMMERCIALS. 'It's like a dream' I hear you cry, but also potentially bad for anyone with addictive personality issues or a full time job.

Anyway, I started watched Weeds during a bout of heavy flu and then continued to watch further series whilst recovering from a wisdom tooth extraction. Weeds is a wonderful sitcom; well written, hilariously funny but the icing on the cake is the joyous discovery of the comedic treasure, Mr. Nealon.

We love Nealon; so I was exhilarated when during our last trip to Chapters in Barrie (http://www.chapters.indigo.ca) I stumbled across Kevin's first Novel, an autobiographical account of his journey into fatherhood, 'Yes you're pregnant, but what about me?'. I added it to my increasingly large pile of goodies ( we had gift certificates *yay*) and made a bee line for the magazine section.

As expected, this book is hilarious. Kevin is fortunately able to pen using fabulously witty prose and Darren was frequently tickled by hearing me roar with laughter from the bedroom. He discusses the classic high, lows and melodramas associated with early courtship, dating, marriage and pregnancy and is very clever at identifying the salient points in his life that will cause us to nod in agreement and then fall about laughing. I am a world away from having children ( other aspects of the 'success' clause need to be addressed first) but Kevin's light hearted account of his transition into parenthood made if seem not all that bad.

I urge all Kevin and non-Kevin fans alike to seek out this book as the perfect summer, pool-side read. It's an instant feel good romp and I promise, will have you laughing out loud; We love you Nealon!

My New Roots

2011-06-07T06:34:00.000-07:00

Health/ Financial

This blog is AMAZING! Gorgeous Karla found the link and ever since, I am hooked. 'My New Roots' is an utterly inspirational and beautifully crafted blog written by Canadian, holistic nutritionist and vegetarian chef Sarah Britton, now living in Denmark and who spends her days working in a prominent position in a top Copenhagen Restaurant. Her blog is award winning and on scrolling down through the posts, you can see why. It would appeal even to the most die hard Carnivorous, junk-food loving folk with it's melodic, witty prose and fabulous photography; this girl is good!

http://mynewroots.blogspot.com

Sarah brings a charming element to often very sophisticated information about various health food items. She claims to be able to turn 'even the most yukky, green things' into a fabulous culinary treat and I can testify to this having tried her 'Raw Cashew Dreamcake' first hand care of Aranka at Sakura; it was sublime!

http://mynewroots.blogspot.com/2011/01/raw-cashew-dreamcake.html

I love how 'My New Roots' makes healthy eating so appealing; with sumptuous, versatile recipes, fantastic photography and a wealth of well researched information about the various ingredients and produce. I am not surprised in the least to hear of Sarah's success and am very inspired to emulate her blogging achievement! Check out 'My New Root's, eat and be healthy!

Lily of the Valley

2011-06-04T18:23:00.000-07:00

Happiness

I will try not to deviate too often towards my 'favorite things' in striving for success but I am a sucker for anything in the garden and am alive with excitement with all the gorgeous colours that are illuminating Collingwood.

My current fascination is the rampant invasion of Lily of the Valley on The Georgian Triangle, a flower so beautiful and delicate that even the lovely Princess Catherine chose the blooms for her wedding bouquet.

I grew up understanding the beauty of Lily of Valley seeing my mum wishing it would grow in our garden and occasionally catching a wave of it's gorgeous scent whilst walking through the woods.

Lily of the Valley symbolises the return to happiness, purity of heart and sweetness. It protects you and the garden from evil spirits and fills one life with humility, happiness and Love's good fortune. No wonder Kate decided to walk down the isle holding a bundle of the stuff!

I couldn't believe it when I popped over to my gorgeous friend, Rebecca's house earlier in the week and found that her entire back yard was covered in Lily of the Valley. It was amazing. It didn't know where to rest my bike for fear of crushing one of the gorgeous blooms. I was very amused to find out that in fact the flowers were growing 'wild' and were actually a dominant species in the area *gasp*. Lovely Rebecca wouldn't let me leave without a large bouquet of Lily of the Valley; we picked it together, she has a relative field of the stuff! So Canada wins the prize for best crop of 'L of the V'; I am very impressed and excited to plant some in our garden and watch it blossom!

Here are a couple of my pots now thriving in our garden, strongly attributed to these intermittent hot days and stormy showers we are having as well as a good dose of miracle grow....

Surviving a Heat Wave

2011-06-03T18:01:00.000-07:00

Health

We have been catapulted into SUMMER! At a balmy 33oC degrees today, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to assess our summer-fun kit to ensure that we enjoy the next few months to the full!

I did a little research and in order to enjoy the seasonal heat wave, experts recommend we follow this [fairly self explanatory] list of guidelines:

1. Use Fans throughout the home (day and night)

**In the evening open windows and doors to promote air circulation

***After sun rise, close those doors and shut all blinds to keep the indoors a cool haven.

2. Water. Drink, shower, bathe, spritze; water is cooling!

3. Downstairs. Hot air rises... stay downstairs kids

4. Turn off things that are hot. No stove, oven, lights, radiators etc etc

5. Avoid alcohol and caffeine *boooo*. It's annoying.. but true.

6. Go to 'cool' places. Libraries, shopping malls, etc etc

7. Stay away from large, protein rich meals (They can increase metabolism and warm the body)

8. Recognize signs of heat related illness. Remember the number, 911!

9. Don't forget your dog! A cool bath, cool washcloth or fan will help. Call your vet if you find your pet has any of the following symptoms:

rapid panting
wide eyes
drooling ( and not because of your steak dinner)
hot skin
twitching muscles
vomiting
dazed expression ( and again, not because of the steak)

Darren and I decided that our summer would start with a little shopping trip to equip ourselves with the necessary items to enjoy the heat wave to the max.

1. A standing fan c/o Wall Mart. Check out this sunbeam beauty. She was cheap but she works *sigh*

2. Darren's Bike needed fixing so we took her in to Little Ed's in Collingwood. Ed LOVES his bikes and as we left Darren's bike to get her [very minor] repairs done to the handle bar grips, we caught him giving her a few extra bike 'spa treatments'.

And here is someone enjoying the new hot weather..

3. Patio Furniture from Canadian Tire. This involved multiple experimental comfort checks, squish monitoring and price analysis. In the end we went for cheap and cheerful (it seems one can pay anything from $10 - $1000!) and they look fabulous!

It's going to be an awesome summer!

How to get rid of Aphids

2011-05-29T17:20:00.000-07:00

Financial

Holy mother of Pete, I love my herb garden. I purchased a selection of herbs to try and curb the amount of money I was spending on fresh herbs from the supermarket [not a lot.. but enough to justify buying a cart full of foliage]. I now carry the following in our kitchen:

Basil
Two varieties of Thyme
Parsley
Lavender
Oregano
Sage
Rosemary

**(I wish I could find Cilantro [coriander] but no joy as yet)

Anyway, my herbs were thriving, I was elated, until whilst rubbing one of the sumptuous basil leaves this morning and I suddenly noticed that my forefinger was covered in small green dots *eowwww*.

Damn damn damn, my basil had aphids *ugggg* Code Red emergency!

I threw myself immediately at the mercy of google and found a number of articles discussing the use of soap as an insecticide, particularly when the insect in question is a certain monsieur aphide. I didn't want to use anything vaguely toxic so this was a most satisfactory option and has apparently been used as an insecticide for years with evidence for it's success documented on the Chinese Scrolls and Egyptian Papyrus.

Apparently Aphids are attracted to lush, healthy growth ( hurray!) which is a complement [I guess?] but also extremely annoying as I would have preferred to have used said growth on my Bruschetta. http://greenearth.dupont.chost.ca/features/soap_e.php

Green Earth seems like a great tool in the fight against the mini green skittles but I picked up a couple of useful tips along the way:

1. Aphids like lush, new growth so try not to over-fertilize

2. When you first identify that your plants have Aphids ( small green things on plant), spray heavily with water. This should dislodge a load of them,

2. Soap appears to suffocate the aphids so try this homemade version of the Green earth spray:

1 cup of vegetable oil

1 1/2 cup water

2 teaspoons of dish soap

Mix and spray!

Hopefully this will make them go away and you wont have to suffer from an Aphid invasion like us!

Sakura

2011-05-29T12:57:00.000-07:00

Health and Financial

I have already blogged about Aranka and her fabulous local business but I thought she definitely deserved a second mention. Sakura is her own inspiration and has grown into a thriving small business in town and has just picked up The Chamber of Commerce Environmentally Consious Business of the Year award in Collingwood. This girl is reaching for the stars!

Aranka is very cool. After graduating with a degree in Biological Sciences (I did the very same) she went on to complete a four year course to become a Doctor of Naturapathic medicine. She worked at a clinic helping sufferers with HIV before founding her own business in hometown Collingwood, 'Sakura'.

Naturopathic Therapies target the underlying cause of your condition and the profession is a regulated with Doctors of Naturopathic medicine receiving a minimum of 7 years of training. Naturopathic medicine endeavors to find the root of the problem rather than masking the symptoms with pharmaceutical intervention. It is a fascinating discipline and as a complement to this, Aranka is also promoting a toxic-free way of living which includes eliminating toxic chemicals for items we use daily such as shampoo and soap. It is very current and extremely important. Aranka is most definitely onto something here!

I love how she has taken a risk in setting up her own business and is really starting to see the benefits with a loyal following and critical acclaim. I have no doubt this is a tribute to her hard work and dedication and it is quite inspirational for me. Congratulations Aranka!

Kwikpix.ca

2011-05-27T09:26:00.000-07:00

Overcoming hurdles

Rain outdoors and whilst wading through the immigration paperwork, I decided to work on the photo album that I have to include with the residency application. Darren and I have to prove to the authorities that we are couple and photos are (of course) deemed great evidence and highly encouraged.

I have over 3000 photos of Darren and I and although every picture is worthy evidence that we are together, I am not sure that my allocated visa officer would appreciate an encyclopedia of pictorial evidence. I managed to edit the stack down to around 500 which I decided would be more manageable. My next challenge was to find somewhere to print the photos ( yes, they want them printed, labeled and mounted... *aggg*) and after trawling through various websites, I came across Kwik Pix.

This company is AWESOME! Based out of Toronto, I uploaded all my photos in around 30 minutes on to their very easily navigated website and they charged me £39, for 500 PRINTS!!!!

Two days later, this box appeared. Darren was intrigued ( it felt like a box of rocks it was so heavy) and I couldn't believe it when on opening the box, all the photos were there, stacked in neatly and ready for action!

I had picked up couple of cheap albums in Wall Mart and to work immediately. It is no mean feat mounting 500 photos and took me the best part of a day. I am yet to label them all.. I need to schedule in a couple of good movies and a cold Corona for that mammoth task.

The moral of the story is, Kwik Pix are awesome! If you need some printed photos ( quickly) I would highly recommend it! I am full of praise.

Beautiful Hair

2011-05-25T17:10:00.000-07:00

Confidence

I have launched my beautification process as part of my Success blog; we all know that Beauty is in the eye of the beholder *slight yawn* but what does it all really mean? Something or someone that makes us feel happy, excited and elated can be described as beautiful and all this is, of course, totally subjective. What one person deems beautiful might differ vastly from someone else and these differences are magnified when you compare what people from different cultures, race and generation.

It's a mission to beautify oneself on a limited budget and my penchant for running and the great outdoors will hinder this further, but I thought I would start with my hair ( my mum would be a huge supporter of this; she finds my hair upsetting and would love for it to be 'neat').

I found myself at my favorite Beauty Emporium in Collingwood, Strands, http://www.strandssalonandspa.ca where the glorious Skot worked his magic and I left feeling like a different person!

This is me, this is my hair *gasp*. Not sure how long it will last.. but hopefully for more than 24 hours. And having gorgeous hair did make me feel like I was on top of the world. I have a couple of secret weapons up my sleeve to try and maintain the gorgeous locks; Morroccan oil http://www.moroccanoil.com/ ( this stuff is like liquid gold) and the Aussie 3 minute miracle, https://www.aussiehaircare.co.uk/ ( my mum sends me these in the post [more please mutter.. x])

I did a little research and apparently long hair represents a young, healthy individual (without vitamin deficiency etc etc) which is possibly why hollywood sirens habitually court long, luscious locks. I have always had super short, cropped elfin hair so it will be interesting to see whether having 'longer' hair affects my life in any way. However, the bottom line is as long as Darren thinks I look beautiful then nothing else really matters ( and he very much liked my new do)

Talking of beauty, it seems that EVERYONE seems to think the new Princess Catherine is at the top of the list. After wearing this lovely Reiss Shola dress today during the Obama 'BBQ' [in central London?], the internet collapsed; turns out, every female with access to a computer had tried to order the dress online. I realized the gravity of the situation while I was chatting to my sister and skype shut down... she revealed shortly afterwards that she had tried to log to Reiss.com....

http://www.reissonline.com/holding/index.html

Morels

2011-05-24T06:42:00.000-07:00

Health

Today's major success was the discovery that our garden is providing the perfect growing conditions for one of the more the prized fungi, Morels!

There are several varieties of Morels and they can be found throughout North America. They have a distinctive 'pitted' cap and are sought after in gourmet Kitchens and regular homes alike but starting price can be as much as $20 a pound! The flavor is highly distinctive; Morels have a rich, nutty, smoky flavor and almost meaty consistency. Perfect with a knob of butter and splash of white wine. http://www.mssf.org/cookbook/morels.html

Morels come in a variety of colours but are primarily classified by their hollow stem.

*** Mushroom Warning. As with ALL wild fungi, please be VERY careful when picking and deciding to eat anything you find in the forest. Bad mushrooms can be VERY bad ( A module in fungal biology at University nearly put me off for life). If your 'morel' has a solid stem, it's a baddun: throw away. If in doubt: throw away.

Luckily, Darren has great experience with Morels and was responsible for the first sighting which lead to a good stint in the garden trying to hunt down more. They are tricky little blighter and very well camouflaged, even if they have achieved significant growth.

Once we had plucked the morels, we washed them in cold water and then Darren chopped them up into small pieces. In the sidelines, I had made up a mushroom risotto which we were hoping to serve with our garden treats.

Darren fried up the mushrooms in a pan full of melted, bubbling [full fat] better. After the butter has fizzled away, he added a huge slug of white wine and the morels were done!

We spooned the morel mix over our risotto and were good to go; it was pretty delicious and needless to say I am hoping our current forecast of perpetual rain my inspire more Morel growth in the garden!

Drink, BBQ, LOVE (ie. DBL)

2011-05-23T06:13:00.000-07:00

Happiness

Today's post slots nicely into the Happiness Category and was entirely influenced by Darren who's creative genius is a constant source of inspiration. Darren's brain wave encapsulated the themes generated by the universally loved 'EAT PRAY LOVE' ( check out the book.. and the movie. You may have heard of it http://www.elizabethgilbert.com/eatpraylove.htm )

But.. we thought we would harness the power of EPL but with a 'slightly' different mantra: Drink, BBQ, Love; in other words.. DBL!

It's the summer of love and the summer of the BBQ! We have a new BBQ ( it's a Weber.. check out the website, they are pretty advanced http://www.weberbbq.com/default.aspx). I truly believe, after the numerous BBQs that Darren and I have had, BBQs provide us with a love of food and the food for love!

This is a recent BBQ experiment that turned out to be amazing! I love everything about the BBQ; i love the preparation beforehand; the cutting of the veg; the marinading of the meat; Darren running up and down the stairs tending to the BBQ; the smell; the gorgeous food. Je t'aime le BBQ!

I am striving to find the perfect marinade and Darren may well have found it.. It is a combination of Ted Reader's Tandoori sauce and his [pre-made] pineapple and rum sauce. I would strongly advise everyone to purchase Ted's Everyday Gourmet Burgers. It is truly awesome and will exponentially enhance the quality of your BBQ life. http://www.tedreader.com/recipes.php

I made up a bowl of Jamie Oliver's fabulous guacamole ( avocado, tomato, fresh coriander, lime and green onions; so delicious, the fresh coriander is inspired) which was the perfect compliment to the tandoori basted chicken. http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/chicken-recipes/chicken-fajitas-with-homemade-guacamole

The veggies were a total experiment, but were an unexpected triumph. I cut up a load of veg ( potatoes, sweet potatoes, asparagus, hot peppers, tomatoes; basted them with bone dust ( another brain wave from Ted and perfect kitchen aid; you can put this stuff on anything!), oil and lime juice and we roasted them on the BBQ in a very neat contraption made specifically for BBQs. The bone dust was such a great addition to our classic roasted veg; it was a fabulous evening watching the food cook away while sipping on a Corona... sigh.

So, it's the summer of DBL! I highly recommend it to everyone ( and urge everyone to harness the combined BBQ potential of Mr. Reader and Mr. Oliver!