Frugality hurts

Slash and burn cost cutting can leave you gasping for air. I've been doing pretty well by staying away from malls and places where you can exchange money for pretty, shiny new things that will inflate your sense of self esteem. I'm truly a see no evil feel no pain type, so I'm going to try my best to stay out of the mall until Christmastime when I'll be looking for gifts for other people. So it will be less tempting. Until then... no mall. I know myself. I know my weaknesses and I know that going to the mall and seeing wonderful things that I can't buy will make me grumpier than a nest of hornets.

I've also curbed the on-line shopping. This has meant going on-line to find orders I've placed and canceling them. The most painful thing I've had to do was cancel the delivery of the Star Wars Original Trilogy DVD set. Damn.

So in the coming days, I'll going to throw modesty to the wind and bathe in a little greed. Yup, expect my shameless birthday wish list to be posted soon.

Today's sing-a-long song: "Gimme, gimme, gimme" by ABBA

HRH

Modest Mouse

This post has nothing to do with that band. It just seemed to work with the theme of what I'm going to be talking about. Of course, if you want to play their single in the background as you read, I won't mind. It's pleasant and catchy.

As part of my ongoing yen for change and self improvement, I'm going to take a stab at more modest living. I've been working at this job for almost a year now and I have been able to identify some grevious money wasting habits. Sucessive trips to Starbucks, impulse shopping at the Eaton centre, sushi for lunch all the time. Sure these things are nice, but their value for me is brief. And brevity has become tiresome. I'm looking for substance.

This change has been on its way for awhile, as I have been cutting out the impulse shopping and bringing my lunch to work. This is all in the hope that if I cut down on the flights of fancy I could save up for things that are really nice and that will last a long time. Things like a home or a DKNY suit. It turns out that my change in thinking is pretty fortuitous as there are good things on the horizon that will require some frugality in the short term for prosperity in the long term.

So there may be fewer beauty blogs in the next year (though I may use that time to refine my skills and share some tips and tricks), more nights of watching DVDs at home and brown bagging it to work. In all honesty I have enough make-up to last 3 people for a year. But that's all good. I see it as a challenge. My grandmother is giving me her sewing machine and my mother has agreed to make me some new pieces for my fall wardrobe as I'm perfecting that craft of sewing for myself (I'll spin it as "My clothes are custom made").

It's something different and something that could be exceptionally good for a long time so I have no hesitation in going for it.

Today's sing-a-long song: "Float on" by Modest Mouse

HRH

Freezer Burn

I'm going to be 28 in a month. It's a birthday, so that's nice. And I'm feeling less numb and that's nice too. I feel much less the sour puss ice princess and a little more me. I'm still awfully introspective and consequently pretentious, but I am regaining the ability to laugh at myself and I have recently been known to exhale in a manner that's different from a sigh. That's really nice.

Today I am this Rufus Wainwright song that I listened to on grey days in Prague (there were a lot of them. It was quite atmospheric.). It's a sad song, but it's all part of the thawing process.

Cigarettes and chocolate milk
These are just a couple of my cravings
Everything it seems I like's a little bit stronger
A little bit thicker, A little bit harmful for me
If I should buy jellybeans
Have to eat them all in just one sitting
Everything it seems I like's a little bit sweeter
A little bit fatter, A little bit harmful for me
And then there's those other things
Which for several reasons we won't mention
Everything about 'em is a little bit stranger
A little bit harder, A little bit deadly

It isn't very smart, Tends to make one part so brokenhearted

Sitting here remembering me,
Always been a shoe made for the city
Go ahead accuse me of just singing about places,
With scrappy boys' faces
Have general run of the town
Playing with prodigal sons,
Takes a lot of sentimental valiums
Can't expect the world to be your Raggedy Andy
While running on empty, You little old doll with a frown
You got to keep in the game
Retaining mystique while facing forward
I suggest a reading of 'A Lesson in Tightropes'
or 'Surfing Your High Hopes' or 'Adios Kansas'

It isn't very smart, Tends to make one part so brokenhearted

Still there's not a show on my back,
Holes or a friendly intervention
I'm just a little bit heiress, A little bit Irish
A little bit Tower of Pisa, Whenever I see ya
So please be kind, If I'm a mess

HRH

Paradigm shift

I'm all about change these days. Hair change is on the horizon and it's time to get back into body change.

The first thing I'm trying to do is give up Chai. True, Chai makes me really, really happy. But you know what else is true, non-fat, no water, Grande Chai lattes are 230 calories a pop. On an average day I consume 2 chais. On a bad day, I'll down 3. Which adds up to an extra meal in caloric intake. They seem innocuous, those sweet and spicy cups of delight, but they'll get you every time. What's worse is this summer I've been indulging in the Tazo Chai Crème Frappuccino Blended Tea on really hot days, sucking back 500 calories each time.

I spent days and hours trying to figure out why, if I'm generally eating sensibly, am I packing on weight. This may not be the key to it all, but it's not a bad idea to let go. Plus I've become addicted to the caffine. Better to sort that out now than when I'm older and can't stay awake for more than 5 hours at a time.

I'm also returning to the gym (I hope). I had a really good run of it there, until summer started. And then I just got lazy. I can make all kinds of other excuses, but the bottom line is, lazy. I'm off my anti-inflamitories for the first time since February and I'm doing okay. Running is out of the question again, but swimming is still good and doing abs during law and order won't hurt at all.

I've decided to start a second blog, where I will keep track of my food, my fitness and my sickness. the benefits are two fold: Readers of TRW will be saved my periodic rants about my battle with the bulge and I'll have a way to constructively document this project. Also, public pressure may be a contributing motivator and I really need more of those. So for those who care, I now have The Royal Munchies.

One day I'll get around to dealing with my much needed mental makeover, but hair and body is really enough for now.

Today's sing-a-long song: "Changes" by David Bowie

HRH

Since you asked

I have no doubt that you'll be able to get scads and scads of lovely photos of the bride and groom on the groom's Web site soon after he and his wife get back from their honeymoon, which works well for me since I don't really have any good photos of them. I was busy, you know, doing stuff.

So until then I can give you this. Please throw up the horns for the maids and men - chupa holders extraordinaire:



You may now return to your regularly scheduled matrimonial hoopla.

HRH

Twist on the landing

Tomorrow M and I are off to sunny Orangville for Mike & Dawn's super-fantastic-wedding-extravaganza. Go wedding. Sadly I will have to hope that this new and exciting pain in my right ankle, that made it's presence known as I was bounding down my stairs to meet fellow uber-bridesmaid Natasha this evening, will be well under control when it comes time for me to move with the Chelsea standard of grace.



Fortunately this twist of the ankle seems minor, add to that the reality that my expected bridal duties include sitting down, standing and holding up a canopy, not vaulting, sprinting or nailing my landing, so really, ankle not an issue. I predict a full recovery before the rehearsal tomorrow. (Translation: If Mike or Dawn reads this, fret not! Fret not!)

The issue, or more accurately event, will have nothing to do with any part of my anatonmy at all this weekend. In fact, the big deal is that one of my dearest friends is getting married. And married to someone pretty cool at that. And that's a good thing. And I fully endorse good things.

Go wedding!

HRH

What's in a word

Perhaps the most amusing thing about the last 24 hours has been how worked up everyone has become with regards to yesterday's news from Wired. The ranting, wailing and all around temper tantrum throwing I was witness to has left me with a couple of thoughts.

First, not even the pedants can agree on what's right in terms of grammar, which means that the rest of us (you know, the ones who care about other important issues facing our society) are pretty much SOL. Because really, if those who care can't even agree, the whole endevour is doomed.

Next, everyone who thinks they're right, is damn sure that they are right and should you make the mistake of pointing out what someone else has said, you're sure to have your head ripped right off your shoulders. Best just to keep quiet and absorb all the ranting. Save your debates for people who don't start to yell and flap their arms about when talking about the finer points of grammar. 'Cause really, if you're having a debate with someone who's doing things like that about grammar, you might want to consider backing out of the room very slowly.

Finally, I really don't care. If someone can make up a definitive rule book for all variants of English, I am more than happy to follow it. But we don't have that book. Dictionaries don't all agree, AP style, CP style, British English, American English... it's far too pedantic for my liking. I am not one of those writers who gets excited about grammar. I get excited communicating. Grammar is one of the tools that I use, but that tool can be in metric or in imperial. If people understand what I've said at the end of the day, then keen. Does that make me a traitor to the community of writers in the world. Maybe, but again I come back to the part about me not caring.

Of course it would be better if everything were metric, but it isn't. And honestly, I have bigger fish to fry than the capital "I" in Internet. I do write in the dictated style, but when it comes to creating that style, I'm really okay with being a follower on this one.

Besides, it doesn't appear that there is any kind of shortage of pedants out there who are more than happy to wail on about these issues without my participation. Just let me know when you all have it sorted out, okay.

Today's sing-a-long song: "Enjoy The Silence" by Depeche Mode

HRH

Down with capital letters

You cannot fathom the tizzy this article has created in my office today.

It's Just the 'internet' Now
By Tony Long
Story location: http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,64596,00.html

08:14 AM Aug. 16, 2004 PT

Effective with this sentence, Wired News will no longer capitalize the "I" in internet.

At the same time, Web becomes web and Net becomes net.

Why? The simple answer is because there is no earthly reason to capitalize any of these words. Actually, there never was.

True believers are fond of capitalizing words, whether they be marketers or political junkies or, in this case, techies. If It's Capitalized, It Must Be Important. In German, where all nouns are capitalized, it makes sense. It makes no sense in English. So until we become Die Wired Nachrichten, we'll just follow customary English-language usage. (Web will continue to be capitalized when part of the more official entity, World Wide Web.)

Still, the decision wasn't made lightly. Style changes are rarely capricious, since change plays havoc with the editor's sacred cow, consistency.

But in the case of internet, web and net, a change in our house style was necessary to put into perspective what the internet is: another medium for delivering and receiving information. That it transformed human communication is beyond dispute. But no more so than moveable type did in its day. Or the radio. Or television.

This should not be interpreted as some kind of symbolic demotion. Think of it more as a stylistic reality check.

Naturally, as part of a company name or organization -- the Internet Movie Database, for example -- the "I" remains capitalized. It also remains capped in headlines, where Wired News style decrees that all principal words are capitalized.

But now, by lowercasing internet, web and net, Wired News is simply giving the medium its proper due.

Tony Long is Wired News' copy chief. His previous atrocity against the cult of technology was inserting a hyphen in "e-mail."

It stemmed into a couple of arguments. Like do we wait for CP to catch up with what we've all been waiting for and we descended back into the at what point do we remove the hyphen as a word evolves.

The world of PR gets more exciting every day.

HRH

The World is my Candy Shop: Life is Sweet

So a couple of weeks ago I made an on-line purchase from Sephora.com. I thought, duty be damned, I'm getting some products shipped up here.

4 days after I clicked "order" on the site I was opening a black felt bag that included:

NARS Liquid Liner in Silkwood
Benefit Bathina Gettin Steamy, and
Benefit Maybe Baby Perfumed Power

The second best part (after the actual products themselves and before the black bag and 3 free samples of products) was that there was no duty. None. Nada. Zip.

It turns out, I really could have waited. Because... brace yourselves... according to the Benefit staff at The Bay, Toronto will be home to it's very own Sephora in November.

sniff... sorry, I really don't mean to get teary about it. I'm just SO happy.

I hope that this Sephora will have all the good goodies that make me squeal with glee. I may have to get a second job to finance it all, but it will be worth it. The possibility of being able to walk into a store and purchase a Mason Pearson Paddle Brush is enough to make my heart skip a beat. Just imagine the Philosophy Sweet Shop collection right there in front of you!

On a related note, I've added links to past beauty blogs, so if you're having a moment of "What was that blush I read on Chelsea's blog..." it's that much easier to find it.

Today's sing-a-long song:"Beautiful" by Snoop Dogg and Pharell

HRH

Without pie there is only chaos

I almost lost my mind today. But I found it again and it's going to be all good. I just need some food, some sleep and maybe a cocktail. Which I will get for myself after I get home. Yes, that would be... pretty good.

Until then I leave you with a little kungfu, to help you battle the things that strive to steal your sanity. Use the blue shoe, I've had a great deal of success with it.

Today's sing-a-long song: "Kung Fu Fighting" by Carl Douglas

HRH

Like you needed another reason for that Blizzard

I don't like to plug work on TRW, but today is a sweet exception.

Visit a Dairy Queen location near you today and buy a Blizzard. Why? Because you deserve a treat, ice cream and candy is nature's perfect union and because August 12 is Miracle Treat Day. Proceeds from every Blizzard sold at Dairy Queen locations across Canada will benefit the Children’s Miracle Network, who raise millions of dollars for children’s hospitals in North America. So whether you're out to help kids at Seattle Children's Hospital, British Columbia's Children's Hospital, CHOP, CHEO, KGH or our beloved Sick Kids, tell Dr. Atkins to shove it and have a blizzard, or two, or three...

Today's sing-a-long song: "I want candy" by Bow Wow Wow

HRH

Truly worthy of throwing up the horns

I'm exhausted. Happy, but awfully exhausted. I think that may be why we don't spend all of our lives at the peak of joy, because while it's an awesome emotion, it's really draining. Kind of the same way crying for hours really knocks you on your ass. It's draining. The great thing about joy, is that you're not numb the same way you are with sorrow. But you're still tired and sore.

I have to ask myself, why I don't play music any more. Performing and being part of that wall of sound (yes, it can happen with an orchestra) was one of the best feelings ever. You feel it throughout your body, all the way down to your toes and when it's perfect, it's impossible not to smile.

I had some of that feeling last night at the Curiosa show. I know it's not cool to get retarded about a band when you're 27, but honestly, in comparison to the joy I was feeling, coolness doesn't even register as something that matters. It was a great show. Muse lived up to the first time I saw them and this time the crowd exceeded my expectations. I want to thank the band for blowing my mind and for giving me (and everyone else there) the chorus of Stockholm Syndrome. It's the closest I'll ever come to a religious experience.

HRH

Mastery of misheard lyrics

You would think that since knowledge of song lyrics has been an integral part of my cast and M's present job, we would be pretty sharp when it comes to the understanding to mumblings of rock stars.

Sometimes they get the better of us and misheard foibles like the following occur.

Ben Folds Five
One Angry Dwarf And 200 Solemn Faces

I'm big and important, one angry Korn fan

Smashing Pumpkins
Bullet with Butterfly Wings

All my cool and drole lightbulb jokes

The Verve
Lucky Man

Cause I'm a lucky man, with fire in my pants

The Tea Party
Fire in the Head

Come chew me

I'd add in the misheard lyrics for Savage Garden's I want you, but it's profane to the point that it might upset some of TRW readership. Let's just say it's about having sex in an uncomfortable place.

Today's sing-a-long song: "I will talk, Hollywood will listen" by Robbie Williams

HRH

August 12 Edit: I can't believe that I forgot JK's contribution to the pantheon of misheard lyrics...

Bon Jovi
Thank You For Loving Me

You peed in my eye... and I couldn't see

I'll just be over in the corner laughing myself silly.

HRH

Getting my say

I am happy to report that I have now become a statistic. Yes, that's right, last night I was called by a polling agency and asked to give my opinion on a variety of topics ranging from National Park user fees and mergers, to the situation with the Toronto police chief. I'm sure some people see it as a nuisance, but I for one was happy to have a chance to have my say in a poll.

And I made the pollster laugh. Yay me.

Today's sing-a-long song: "Say it isn't so" by Hall & Oates.

HRH

Cleaning out my closet

What happens when a girl realizes that she's going to turn 28 in a month or so? Some girls might feel a tick-tock of the biological clock, and some girls might feel that it's time to get really aggressive about a career. Other girls might wonder why they're two years away from turning 30, and still unmarried. Even more girls might stop calling themselves girls, but I digress.

Me? I cleaned out my closet. I don't feel like I'm as old as I am, but I am starting to realize that it would be a good idea to at least dress my age. Getting older is a wonderful thing. I'm making more money, I'm wiser, I'm slowly but surely developing cheekbones. I'd hate to ruin all that wonderful development by dressing 10 years younger than I should.

It's not like there's going to be a huge change in my style. I'm in my twenties, not my forties. I've just come to a point where I'm tired of having clothes that last a couple of washes or shrink up an inch too far. So I've done away with a lot of it. I also let go of a lot of clothes that I've owned for years. Besides being out of style (though some of them were pretty timeless), there's the reality that I am not going to be the size that I was when I was 21. It ain't gonna happen. I remember what modest curves were like and I'm not going back.

Anyway, if anyone is a size or two smaller than I am, and in need of some clothes, I have 6 bags of clothes in pretty great condition I'm going to haul off to Goodwill.

Today's sing-a-long song: "New Born" by Muse

HRH