Favourite Quotes

"Well, yes, ma'am, I do... I mean, I got everything I need right here with me. I got air in my lungs, a few blank sheets of paper. I mean, I love waking up in the morning not knowing what's gonna happen or, who I'm gonna meet, where I'm gonna wind up. Just the other night I was sleeping under a bridge and now here I am on the grandest ship in the world having champagne with you fine people. I figure life's a gift and I don't intend on wasting it. You don't know what hand you're gonna get dealt next. You learn to take life as it comes at you... to make each day count."

- Titanic

Happy Valentine's Day

February 14 is probably one of the most controversial holidays on the calendar. This day stirs up an intense amount of emotions and passion - not all good, not all bad.

When I was a little girl it meant that I got to spend all February 13th writing class members' names on cute little red and pink cards my mom and I had purchased from the drugstore. It also meant that the next day I got to consume candy by the tons. It meant that I received adorable little presents from my parents like lovebugs, teddy bears, movies, etc.

Perhaps one of my favourite parts about Valentine's day as a young girl was the excited feeling in my stomach or the skip of my heart when I'd open up my Valentine's Day basket that our teachers always helped us create. These baskets would hold all of our cards and candies from classmates.

Would someone make a card for me? Would my crush remember how to spell my name? Would someone make their card or candies to me extra special?

Who? What? Why? These questions seemed so exciting.

As I got older I embarked different feelings about this day. My first Valentine's day with a real boyfriend was when I was in grade 10. He went all out: made a delicious dinner, got me roses, danced to my favourite songs with me. It all seemed very romantic. The next day we got in a fight and briefly broke up.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't more angry than upset about the break up. What had all of that Valentine's day sentiment even meant? Was it all just a show? Was it society's standard and pressure that made him do all of that special stuff on Valentine's day even if it meant nothing?

I grew a hatred for this day. How could Hallmark and the chocolate companies create such a shallow holiday? Did Valentine's day mean nothing? Should couples not be treating each other amazingly every single day? Should they not always appreciate each other and spoil each other with love?

For the next four Valentine's days I was against the whole conspiracy. I had boyfriends for three of the four Valentine's days and urged that we do nothing special. No sappy love songs, no flowers, no chocolate. I didn't want anything of the sort.

That brings me to today. February 14th 2011. Valentine's Day. Single. Adoring the idea of today.

Why? It's difficult to say.

I had thought I'd always feel disgust when it came to this day. I had been the one that denied all of the cuteness and sweetness of this day from my past two boyfriends for the past several years! Why the sudden change?

Perhaps it's the key aspect that I am single this year. The past three Valentine's days have been times when I'd been in a long-term relationships. I thought that this day was a slap in the face to the relationships that I was in.

Suddenly though, today is mysterious. I'm feeling the same feelings I felt so long ago when I was a little girl in a big class with so many possibilities.

Will I be sent flowers? Will I receive a special "Be my Valentine?" text message? Is someone out there thinking of me? Do I have a secret admirer?

Epiphany!

I have new feelings about this day. I feel like it's a day filled with hope, courage and mystery. In fact, more than ever I feel that this day is meant for the singles. That's what makes it cute and sweet. The mystery. The first gestures. The beginnings perhaps.

So. For the first time in quite a few years I will say the words "Happy Valentine's Day" without a pinch of sarcasm or mockery. I will really mean it. Whether you translate it to "go get the girl!" or "don't be afraid to show your feelings!" or "get the biggest teddy bear you can for them!" I really do mean it.

Happy Valentine's Day.

The Kiss

Between Cher's "It's in his Kiss" song and the countless movies I watched as a young girl kisses have always been crazy romantic to me.

Sex, hugs, letters, late night phone calls - yes, that's all great. And given the right content/timing/person those above can be highly romantic. This is true.

There is something about the kiss though. That very, very first kiss.

Hours, days, weeks, months even years of anticipation suddenly built up into one giant firework moment. Two pairs of lips finally meeting.

Eyes closed.

Images racing through your head perhaps. Maybe no images at all. Just blankness and fullness at the same time.

Perhaps one of the most appealing and romantic aspects of the first kiss is all about the doors that can now open between two people.

Sort of like cracking open a book for the very first time when it's still new and untouched. Just like those first cracking sounds as the book cover initially opens and a whole story waits in front of you.

One of my all-time favourite songs is "A Kiss to Build a Dream On" by Louis Armstrong. Indeed, as a romantic myself, when the kiss is special it just... stays in your mind forever I think.

I believe so far I've had two meaningful romantic relationships in my life. In both cases I remember that first kiss so clearly I could shut my eyes and feel like it was literally yesterday. Both times were extremely different from one another yet both have an equally memorable place in my heart.

The first kiss... you never know where it will take you. But that hope is there. That crazy-filled intensity. Perhaps a kiss to build a dream on...

Wisdom Teeth

Hello fan(s)

Just thought I'd apologize for not writing for a few days. I got four of my wisdom teeth ripped out of my mouth on Wednesday and have been quite looped up on various amounts of drugs.

Just a few things about the whole experience:

It did not hurt! I'm not sure if I just had an incredible surgeon or incredible drugs but I felt no pain whatsoever for the past few days. I'm not sure what the big fuss is all about. Yes, my cheeks got extremely large on Friday and Saturday, and no I still can't open up my mouth very big for the moment, but throughout this whole process I have not felt any physical pain or discomfort.

Also, I just want to give a shout out to my parents who are both so amazing and nurturing. I must say, I quite enjoyed being treated like a little kid again and their pampering was truly appreciated. They are both so patient and caring individuals and they made this whole thing so much fun.

So thank you mom and dad! You rock. And thank you to the friends who were supportive as well =)

Can Men and Women be Friends...

It's the age-old question: Can men and women be friends?

This question seems to date back for quite some time and I feel that although certain people have managed to make a platonic man/woman relationship work this particular kind of relationship continues to be somewhat of a grey zone and somewhat of a struggle.

In one of my favourite movies of all time, When Harry Met Sally, Harry simply states that men and women cannot be friends.

Please watch:

What defines a friend?

Someone who you enjoy spending time with; someone who you care for and who cares for you;someone who is there for you and vice versa.

There. Simple. We've defined friends in the simplest terms.

Perhaps the tricky part of men/women friendships is when a member of the friendship becomes involved with someone else. Suddenly there is an elephant in the room - and not just on the friendship end but for the intimate relationship side as well.

Boyfriends and girlfriends (though they may smile and make as though they're totally fine with the friendship) will undoubtedly have a strong curiosity about the "relationship" that their other half has with this opposite sex friend.

When the romantic relationship is new and fragile this friendship may not pose a problem, but as partners get more comfortable with one another and suddenly one is saying to their girlfriend: "Hey hun, tonight I'm going to go out with Claire and see a movie," believe me... a fist has (perhaps slightly) but most definitely clenched.

"Why does he want to spend time with her and not me?" "What is he doing with her that he can't do with me?" "If he's going to be doing something girly, or watching a chick flick, shouldn't he be doing it with me?"

Of course the situation is quite identical in a vice versa situation. If a female chooses to spend the night with a guy friend instead of her boyfriend I'm sure there are particular thoughts running through the boyfriend's mind that do not sit well.

So where does this leave us? Is it okay to have a friend of the opposite sex until one is suddenly in a relationship? Is there a loop hole to this problem that doesn't involve gay friends of opposite sex?

In When Harry Met Sally, the movie cuts to five years later when Harry and Sally run into each other again and he attempts to come up with an amendment to his first rule about men and women not being friends:

I suppose there is yet to be a known answer about this situation, at least from this particular blogger.

What if Harry is right and the sex part is always out there between men and women? Can a straight man and a straight woman really and truly have a platonic relationship where feelings of lust and jealousy cease to exist?

If so, what ingredients do these types of men/women friendships require? Does one friend have to be ugly? Do both friends have to be in a relationship? Does age play a factor? Do hang-outs have to include more than just the two friends?

Perhaps the answer is to try to block out these questions and just have a good time with a friend that you thoroughly enjoy being around. And until boyfriends, girlfriends and unavoidable questions come along just take pleasure in knowing you've got a Harry... or a Sally.

Perfect Summary

"I also will not discuss here all the reasons why I did still want to be his wife, or all his wonderfulness, or why I loved him and why I had married him and why I was unable to imagine life without him. I won't open any of that.

Let it be sufficient to say that, on this night, he was still my lighthouse and my albatross in equal measure.

The only thing more unthinkable than leaving was staying; the only thing more impossible than staying was leaving. I didn't want to destroy anything or anybody. I just wanted to slip quietly out the back door, without causing any fuss or consequences, and then not stop running until I reached Greenland."

- Eat, Pray, Love [novel]

Perfectly describing something that was too difficult to put in words at a time.

Nostalgia

I suppose one of the biggest beauties of having a large collection of videos and pictures is the chance to look back on yourself from years ago.

I often look at myself and ask "what was I thinking?" or think about the fun I was having just at that precise moment the photo or video was captured.

What was I feeling? What made me smile like that? In what way were these people in the picture a part of my life back then?

Indeed, I do love looking back but after my nostalgic road trip I sometimes end up feeling a longing for the old days. Don't get me wrong, I love where I am in my life at this moment but every so often, after looking at old videos and pictures, I feel a yearning to go back to that certain place in time... maybe just for even a couple hours.

High school brings up a roller coaster of feelings for everyone I think. Those four years were so enjoyable at times and so dramatically stupid at others. I remember being excited to graduate but at the same time being scared to leave the comfort that high school had always brought me.

Anyway, many people say they'd never go back to high school - that they're happy they're out of there and will never look back. I don't know. There are definitely times when I, of course will cringe at certain high school memories but today I think I'd enjoy going back.

I've just watched a few videos and gone through a few pictures from my high school dance team's NYC trip in grade 12 and I suddenly miss all the people there and all the feelings I felt at that time so much.

I then got to thinking about the people there and what they're doing now. Some I've completely lost touch with and don't have a clue about what they're doing in life and others I haven't seen in quite some time.

Well, here it is: a little high school shout out to those that at one point meant so much to me and to those who still, though not seen as often, should know they have a very special place in my heart.