New year, new products

Tap. Tap. Hello? Goodness gracious it's quiet. The office is running a half capacity, I've gotten about 2 weeks worth of work done in the past 24 hours, there's NO ONE on IM, the boards are empty, no one is blogging... where is everyone?

Ahh well.

2004 marks a sad year for me, as my beloved Benefit Make-up Remover and Brush Cleaner, Baby was discontinued. But with loss, I have found new toys.

Benefit
Hollywood Glow
I used some of this today. Felt a little bit of the J-Lo glow, wore sunglasses for no good reason, had neutral lip colour, noticed lack of bling, noticed skin again, didn't need bling.
Gilded
Sephora was out of Mr. Frosty, so I opted for Gilded, cause what goes better with warm brown eyes... more warmth!
Body So Fine
La gave me this for the holidays and I can't wait for a chance to show some skin and use it.
EyeCon
When Dawn was shopping for presents, she did a wise thing a picked up a couple of jars of EyeCon. This stuff is always sold out it's that good. Then she did an even smarter thing and gave one of those jars to me. Another weapon in my battle against the dark circles. Excelsior!

MAC
Shadow Paint in Mauvism
I had about $20 left on an HBC gift card and I remembered that I'd seen a very stylin' lab tech at work with colouring a lot like me and fantastic purple eyeshadow. I've wanted to get in on this bold eyeshadow bandwagon for awhile, but held off because I'm lazy. I couldn't bear the idea of putting on primer nor could I bear wearing my eyeshadow on my cheeks, as inevitably happens. MAC to the rescue. Apply with a stiff brush, give the paint a minute to set and you've got bold, bold colour for the whole day. Weeee. If you're brown eyed like me, the most flattering colours you can choose for this look are purple and blue.

Bobbi Brown
Netural Lip Palette
SPF 15 Lip Shine in Claret
These are all solid lip glosses that last hours longer than what I usually wear. Which saves me from having to dealve into my much loathed land of lipstick.

Terax
Gloss, Spray, Lotion Shine, Latte
M's mother found out that I have a fondness for the Italian haircare line Terax and she went it with. My hair is going to shine like the top of the Empire State Building.

I also was given a cosmetics bag full of samples. Like 30 of them from lines like Phyto, GoSmile, Red Flower, DuWop and Ahava to mention a few. Weee!

Today's sing-a-long song: "New" by No Doubt

HRH

RIP Lenny

It saddens me to share the news that Jerry Orbach has passed away. I also find it strange that I'm moved by the death of one actor, but have been able to deal with the tragedy in Asia with very little feeling. I hope it's because it's easier to fathom one death than it is to understand 70,000+. Either that, or I'm a very awful person.

Regardless, thank you Jerry for being Baby's Daddy, For Lenny and for Lumiere.

HRH

The Earth has made it around the sun, let us reflect: Chelsea's Best of 2004

I can feel 2005 breathing down my neck and I'm happy to say that it smells minty.

Here is my best of's for 2004. These are, in my experience, what the best things were. I expect many of you to have different best of's and that's a good thing. In fact, I encourage you to take 10 minutes, alter the list as you like, compile your best of's and post in either on your blog or in the comments.

Best Muse show - Curiosa
The first Muse show of the three I saw this year was at the Mod Club theatre. It was also an amazing show, but the outdoor venue and the totally excitement at the Ontario Place show really made an impact with me. Hearing Stockholm Syndrome as a breeze washed across my face made it a true sensory experience. There was also a pink T-shirt to be bought and Tash stating, as only Tash can "Oh-MyGod-SO-Amazing!."

Best non-Muse show - The Killers @ Mod club theatre
It was a very intimate show and it occurred at the perfect point in terms of my listening to the album. The band was tight and the show ended early. M and Ian also had the chance to be photographed for a Snapple promo and there was free Snapple.

Best new product - Stilla Rouge Pots
It's a blush, it's a mousse, it's in a really cute pot. Nuff said.

Best new hair product - Frederick Fekkai Glossing Conditioner
Olive oil-based products are all the rage these days and there's a really good reason why. It gives your hair a gloss once reserved to southern Italian virgins who spent their days dancing in the fields, crushing grapes with their toes or being painted by Botticelli.

Best Swim - After the Zoo with M
M finally agreed to come swimming with me and was introduced to the joy that is the underwater somersault.

Best Song - What are you waiting for, Gwen Stefani
It's a shame the rest of the album isn't as awesome as this song. I'll forgive Gwen a lot of her self-indulgent lyrics on other tracks because of the following passage.

Born to blossom, bloom to perish
Your moment will run out
Cause of your sex chromosome
I know it's so messed up, how our society all thinks (for sure)
Life is short, you're capable

Best Album - The Killers - Hot Fuss
It's very rare that an album comes along and I like all the tracks on it. Throw some Cars, The Cure, Duran Duran and all that was good about New Wave and all that is good about right now and you have this album. I'm still waiting for their CSI guest spot.

Best Video - I'm not okay (honest) - My Chemical Romance
It could be my unexplained attraction to the guitarist with the short, black hair, or the moment when the two band members totally take down the mascot, I'm not sure. I am sure that I enjoy the video each time I see it and I appreciate the movie-trailer feeling it gives me. Now if only I could purchase the damn song on itunes.

Best Movie - Dodgeball
I've made the distinction between movie and film here because I can't bring myself to admit that Dodgeball was my best cinematic experience this year (thankfully I also saw Hero, so all is safe). I laughed SO HARD at this film that Shaver was afraid I was going to die. Tyla also noted that I laughed hardest at the line "A great dodge from the Submissive." I simply cannot wait to own this film.

Best Film - Hero
This movie has been out for a couple of years, but it finally made it's way to North America and into my vision this year. Gorgeous, awesome, epic. Everything I love about Chinese film.

Best DVD - Star Wars OT
Like any other DVD had a chance. The restoration is beautiful. Finally.

Best addition to my vernacular - "That is so ghetto"
Many thanks to my colleague Krista for sharing this gem with me.

Best food - Sushi on Bloor Crunchy Roll
Put some salmon and avocado together with tempura, roll it up and try to not eat it like it's your last meal.

Best new drink - Smirnoff Raspberry Twist Vodka with Ginger Ale
Light, yummy and tastes like cream soda. Even better, gives me almost no headache.

Best new TV Show - (tie) Desperate Housewives & House
While I never watched Dynasty, I did watch a lot of Twin Peaks and DH is a lot like a fusion of those two shows (imagine that). It's a mystery and it's pretty. House appeals to me in that it's also about solving a mystery and that Dr. House says everything that no one says but people need to hear. Besides the joy I get from trying to solve me medical mystery, his quips are enough to keep me engaged.

Best discovered TV Show - Arrested Development
I am so happy that we decided to leave the TV on FOX after the Simpsons one night. Otherwise it might have taken us even longer to discover Arrested Development. Any show that deadpans the line "I blue myself" wins a special place in my heart.

Best TV Show - CSI
While CSI:NY has yet to impress me, Las Vegas and Miami provide me with hours upon hours of entertainment each week. I was moved to tears and upset from Speedle's death on Miami and Eckley breaking up Grissom's team on Las Vegas. I like to think that I'm learning a little "science" each time I watch it. Of course, I like to think a lot of things. What I do know is that Gil Grissom is an adorable geek and Greg sports some great hair. On the Miami side, dramatic pauses and using your sunglasses to punctuate a sentence have never had it so good.

Best Web site - www.kotte.org
Miguel turned me on to this site a year or so ago, when I complained via IM that I couldn't find anything interesting on the Internet. I may never run out of interesting things thanks to Jason.

Best online comic - Penny Arcade
I can't pick a favouire comic from this year. I just suggest that you go through them all. It did pain me slightly to choose PA over Weebl and Bob, as Team Laser Explosion and kungfu made me laugh so hard it hurt, PA served up amusement three times a week and for that I thank them.

Best TRW post - Why do they even let me be part of this society
Me versus eggs. I'm happy to report that I have won the war even though the eggs won that battle. In even better news, I'm turning into quite the cook. Katka can bite me.

HRH

Looks like Christmas

Here we are at the apex of the Christmas holiday. Turkey consumed, gifts exchanged, passive aggressive games of Scrabble played. It's been pretty nice in all honesty. Highlights of the gift grab for me include the makeup case from Sephora, Star Wars Lego, a gameboy advance with a Star Wars Trilogy game no less, Muse singles, a sexy DC case for my ipod mini, a trip to the carribean with my family and M, a new scuba suit for the vacation, a cast iron frying pan (key for cooking serious fried chicken), an ice cream scoop, new pyjammas (which I am wearing right now... so soft), the Hero DVD, various make-up tools and the ever important infusion of socks. And there is still some more to come. Oy!

Aside from the converging of my family upon the homestead in Kingston, all the family cats are here as well. After the first 24 hours I can say with some certianty that Zeus is not so fond of Finnigan. Maybe it's because he doesn't have a greek name like Aristotle or Calypso.

I ducked out of the house for a little while today, before my father and I emmersed ourselves in a very good basketball game between Miami and LA, and took some photos. In the first two, you can see that my penchant for decorating and making things just so is, in fact, a genetic condition.





While this photo isn't so festive, I thought it was cool and since Christmas is about sharing, I thought I'd share another photo of a tree. Just cause.



Today's sing-a-long song: "A Marshmellow World" by The Rat Pack

HRH

Enjoy your roast beast

Happy Christmukkah Everyone!

Today's sing-a-long song: "The Christmas Song" by Nat King Cole

HRH

Everything, everything, everything..

Pardon my language but, fucking gorgeous!




Today's sing-a-long song "Everything is its right place" by Radiohead

HRH

New shade of skin

When I sat down to check my email this morning, I had no intention of changing my blog template. I was just going to read the mail, read some blogs, check the news and have my cereal. Then I read Kottke.org's Best Weblogs of 2004 and discovered by way of Anil Dash that there is a new theme for XP called Royale. I just HAD to download it. Not only was the name perfect, but it was blue like the sea before a storm is coming.

And then things got silly. When I pulled up my blog in Firefox (which you should all be using by now, because IE just plain sucks), the green of my blog didn't go with the pretty blue desktop theme. Rather than change back to silver I decided that it would be better to select and customize a new blogger theme. Yes, I chose an hour of tweaking over 3 clicks of a mouse.

There's still a bit of tweaking to be done, but I'm happy with this change thus far. If you notice something wonky, please let me know, otherwise, let the blue calm you. The storm isn't here yet.

Today's sing-a-long song: "Beyond the Sea" by Robbie Williams

HRH

Baby's back in town

It was only four days, but it seemed like weeks. And I can look forward to Christmas presents from New York City. Sweet.

M has to do his shopping for me very close to a given event. The reason being that he has to exercise some serious restraint from actually giving it to me before the appointed date and time. I understand it, that desire to give something to someone you love right away, because the gift is that awesome and you have to share it with them RIGHT NOW! My way of dealing with it is to wrap them as quickly as I can and get them out of sight. It seems to be working, but with it's hard. Especially with this converstaion, or a variation of it, happening every couple of hours:

M: Do you want your presents now.
C: No.
M: Are you sure.
C: Yes.
M: Do you want to just open one present tonight...
C: No and yes. If you open yours I'll just go out and buy another one to replace it.
M: But we had a deal, a limit. Don't do that.
C: I'll do that.
M. So no presents tonight?
C: No.

Of course I want all my presents right this very minute and I want M to see the gifts I've selected for him with love and care, but if we gave in and exchanged gifts 3 or 4 days before Christmas (there is some debate in this home as to when the actually holiday that we call Christmas occurs, but that is another post) we would just feel disappointed and guilty come gift exchange time. And knowing the two of us, we would both sneak out and get something for the other to open that day, against the plan and against the budget. Disaster with a capital D I tell you.

Today's sing-a-long song: "Mistletoe and Holly" by Frank Sinatra

HRH

Vacation, all I ever wanted

When you have the time to enjoy it, life is sweet.

I've been relaxing for the last two days, but my vacation officially starts today. I got to feel that particular glee when you realize the rest of the world is already at work when you slide out of your cozy bed. Even better was that last night as I bundled up for the cold minus 23 night I had the energy and interest to read.

I was once a very prolific reader, as every good writer should be, but in the past year I just haven't had the energy. That and I've had satellite TV, my computer and high-speed Internet. Its no wonder that I read more in Prague. Having the time and energy to read feels wonderful.

I got all of my marathon movie watching out of the way over the weekend, watching the extended edition of The Return of the King (crying most of the way through) on Saturday and having friends over to watch the Original Star Wars Trilogy on Sunday.

Once it warms up a little, I'm looking forward to heading out on my own in the city and looking at it with relaxed, instead of rushed, eyes. Otherwise I'll be spending the time before I return to Kingston for Christmas painting, reading and playing Chris' gamecube.

Happy Holidays indeed.

Today's sing-a-long song: "Vacation" by The Go-go's

HRH

Happy Birthday To ME!

So it might be almost ninety days late, but what mattes is that after much drama I finally have my mysterious birthday present. And WOW, it's totally amazing and I never would have imagined I would get something this wonderful.



To my friends Mike, Dawn, Tash, Chris, Tyla, Mike and Alasdair and my absolutely beautiful M, I give many, many thanks for being super-duper-spectacular. I love it and I love that the inscription on the back says only "Her Highnessness."

HRH

Red Glass Turkeys. Sure.

I had, possibly, the most surreal day at work, EVER. But I can't talk about it. I even asked Laura if she thought I could blog about the totally whack day we had and upon some reflection she said "You can talk about the turkeys." So I will talk about the turkeys.

The holiday season is a time to give meaningful gifts, selected with care and love, for those dear to you. It is also the time of year for the office holiday gift grab. There are varying ways of getting the gifts out there, some involve picking a name, others involve random gifts and strategic stealing. One of the two office parties I'm attending this year (yay cross-reporting) went with the latter strategy. By the end of the 61 some presents and chances to steal presents I ended up with a wonderful set of Milk-based beauty products. There was one person left to select and I was pretty sure that I was heading home with a random gift that suited my interests very nicely.

That one person, elected to steal the set from me, and apparently, my look of dismay was, as Laura put it, "priceless." First, I don't lose well and secondly, I was left with a set of chocolates that I am basically allergic to. Something I commented on in a less than ladylike tone. I'd considered myself pretty lucky to have come away from the whole stealing thing without any chocolate or wine, two things that often include allergens for me. And then I was TOTALLY thwarted.

And I was desperate. What was I going to do with these chocolates. Then I noticed that a colleague sitting across from me had fared really poorly in the game as well, as she was saddled with the following.


Yup. Williams Sonoma, red, glass, turkey shaped candle holders. I'll admit, I have no practical use for the turkeys. I don't have a dining room, let alone a dining room table to put the little red gobblers on. No, there was no way I could use them as intended by the manufacturer. These turkeys had a higher purpose.

That purpose is to amuse me.

I only had them in my office for two hours today, but in that time (between phone calls, e-mail and ALL KINDS work) I had arranged the four turkeys in stage positions from Hamlet, Macbeth and Romeo & Juliet and with the help of a crown made by Laura, coronated a King of the Turkeys and made the others turkeys in waiting.

And that was just during the first day. What adventures await me and my turkeys I cannot say, but I know that we have a bright future ahead of us. And thank you to whomever purchased this totally absurd holiday present. It's already been well worth it in entertainment value.

Today's sing-a-long song: "Turkey in the Straw" Traditional

HRH

When your cat turns to the dark side

HRH

Beware of beige

What made me think that scarfing down two cupcakes before I went to bed is in any way a good idea, I don't know. Nothing like trying to sleep with a sugar rush.

At about 6:30 this evening I got my "domestic diva" on. I don't know what inspired it. I just decided that there had to be food fit for lunch leftovers made and made now. Southern style chicken, chili, cupcakes, vegetable preparation by way of chopping veggies for lunches, juice mixing... It got a little out of hand.

While the spree was productive and the cupcakes delicious, it didn't produce the desired feeling. That feeling of "being done" that I'm hunting for. Even when I have "everything" done, I'm ill at ease, which leads me to believe that my feeling is really poorly named. I just want to know that everything is done so I can enjoy myself without feeling like I have to hold back some energy for another task later. I don't feel like I can go at something whole hog. I don't have that luxury. Who would clean up after me?

Why am I such an insane and grouchy person?

I've embraced painting again, but even that is becoming irritating since I have white, red and two colours of blue for paint. Not having green paint shouldn't be what holds me back from it (since I just have to mix the yellow and one of the blues for green), but I look at my easel and I think of something to paint and then I see that there's no green and I try to find something to clean instead. I seems meaningful to me that the missing colour is green.

I feel green a lot (cue Kermit). From feeling naive and new to things and just plain not knowing enough or from the choking, violent envy I have of people who have what I want (those things being a substantial disposable income and/or sanity), I'm green. I suppose suppressing these feelings or covering my ignorance is making me blue (oh the colour analogies just won't stop coming).

Is there a colour for frustration or being fed up with your own bullshit? I wonder if I could paint that without the colour green? I'll bet you any money that the colour of absolute sorrow and self loathing is beige. Mostly because it would make how you're feeling that much worse. Even the colour of your depression is dull.

At least today I'm kind of turquoise.

Today's sing-a-long song: "The River Below" by Billy Talent

HRH

Need a hand with that shopping?

15 days left of Christmas shopping and while I done my shopping for loved ones, I realized that I haven't really told my friends what I'd love to find under the tree.

• Hero DVD
• Dodgeball DVD
• Yoga Mat & Carrier
• Game Boy Advance (in Platinum)
• Sephora Gift Certificates
• Black Sephora Make-up case
• Champange (varieties I'm not allergic to include Freixenet and Veuve Clicquot)
• ipod Mini Arm Band

That and a little goodwill towards all men, cats, glamazons and Canerdians (and their fans) and I'm set.

Today's sing-a-long song: "Money (That's what I want)" by The Flying Lizards

HRH

Who knows where art comes from

HRH

Winter Blows

I've never been one of those people who grumble about winter. I can find joy in all the seasons. However, this morning as I was fighting my way down what I will unaffectionately refer to as the University Avenue Wind Tunnel, I wavered in my love of cold weather.

I can deal with wet, I can even deal with cold, but clearly I've been spoiled by living in Toronto and Prague. In the Kingston days I knew what wind was. There, the wind will not only kick your ass, but it will make disparaging comments about your parentage on the way by. 23 years of wind worthy of Olympic sailing regattas built up a good tolerance in me. But this morning, man did I hate the wind. I didn't sink so low as to actually shout at it, like I did that one time in Kingston (bad day), but grrr.

I don't want to overstate things, but I was having a fucking spectacular hair day. I know I should have worn a hat, but I thought I could use my hood or my umbrella and be safe and dry should the rain get aggressive. Even after deploying my hood, there's was still hair everywhere. I imagine it was quite the sight to see. A tall girl, carrying a purse and a pirate lunchbox being overcome by her own hair, walks into traffic in the midst of a wet snow storm. There's a way to go if I've ever heard of one.

Okay, so I didn't end up walking into traffic, but I was totally overwhelmed. Just when I'd managed to control my hair enough the direction of the wind would change and throw it all in front of my face, where it would then get stuck to my lip gloss. And man, that ticks me off.

I did make it to work and thanks to a comb it's been a pretty good hair day. It's just a shame that the mastery of coffiture I'd created had to be lost to the wind.

Today's sing-a-long song: "Blowin in the wind" by Joan Baez

HRH

Too many tree photos

During our lunch today Alasdair suggested that I have M take a photo of me, sitting at my easel, wearing a black beret, painting a picture of my Christmas tree. Maybe one of the less subtle ways of telling me to chill with the tree photos, but I get the point. I wouldn't have posted the one of the tree yesterday, but the light was good and the shot looked cool... And well, thank your lucky stars I don't have children otherwise it would be totally out of hand.

Now that I have time for a life beyond work, home and tree trimming, I will be sure to go out and get one. Of course, should I decide to post photos of that you're all going to have to suffer through it. Either that, or I go back to photographing trees.

Today's sing-a-long song: "This is your life" by The Dust Brothers

HRH

Another Tree Photo... Just Cause

Today's sing-a-long song: "I'd like you for Christmas" by Julie London
HRH

Chelsea v.28.2

When times of much stress finally come to an end, the morning after your first good sleep in weeks, you wake up feeling like a new person. Stress laden dreams about contingency plans are a distant memory. I'm pretty sure I woke up this morning to a better world.

How you ask? In the mirocosim that is my life, this day rocked because it wasn't a day of heart pounding stress, it was a day where Laura and I could actually take lunch and, get this, take time longer than lunch to do some very important shopping at H&M. I bought a brown sweater and a skirt for less than $40. That alone makes it a red letter day.

(I would just like to point out that today was my FIRST visit to an H&M in Toronto, which I think is an example of olypmian self-restraint for which I deserve much applause...(break for applause)...that's right people, the first time)

Also, Miquel treated me for all my efforts in recent weeks with a gift certificate to the itunes store. And I've purchased 7 songs so far. Sadly, the only mark upon my day is the puzzling situation at the music store where I can view the My Chemical Romance video for "I'm not okay (I promise)" but I cannot actually purchase it. Still some kinks in the system it seems.

Now that all the panic is over I have to wind down. I left work early today and upon my return home I had to fight the urge to clean or do laundry. I had to make myself sit down and do nothing. Just let it all leave my system. I hope that by tomorrow I'll be able to assume the human sloth state in all its glory. I may even buy chips for the occasion. Call it a warm up for my vacation in two week, where upon bathing may become something optional.

Life isn't about running around like everything's on fire. It's nice that I can see that now.

Today's sing-a-long song: "I'm not okay (I promise)" by My Chemical Romance

HRH

We are now officially potentially poor

Look what launched today...

This house is seriously going to need an allowance. So if anyone is wondering about holiday gifts for M or I, itunes gift certificates are never, ever a bad idea.

Today's sing-a-long song:"I've Got Rhythm" by Gene Kelly

Update: The part of me that hates buying and listening to entire albums is very, very happy.

HRH

Computers refuse to understand how I'm feeling today

I'm trying to fashion a glib post. Call it over-compensation. I had one of those days where the darkness humans are capable is impossible for me to ignore. Even if I cover my ears and sing "God Save The Queen" to try and drown them out. It's, or I guess they're, not things that are necessarily happening to me in all cases, they're certainly not things I can control, but they're resting heavily on my mind and in my shoulders.

Also, I wore the painful boots again today. That can make anyone blue. (Anyone know a good cobbler?)

So to all of it, the "really important people" who can't make a decision, those who see violence as the only answer, to those who let their insecurities make them act in an unsavoury way and to those who take themselves far too seriously, I'm turning on my heel (ow) away from you, holding my chin up high and refusing to let you get to me. Life is too short for you.

Today's sing-a-long song: "Who Invited You?" by The Donnas

HRH