Jan
29
Her Master’s Voice: You Spin me Right Round
Filed Under Inside Out | 1 Comment
Anyone who has tried buying a CD at HMV knows exactly what I’m talking about. Confidence determines the list of must-have music be committed to memory. The list is then repeated mentally en route, and one final time before entering the shop. Suddenly, the list is wiped clean from your mind. Nothing inside the store is recognizable. The pesky, pressure-cooking question surfaces: “What am I doing here?” You leave with another Squeeze CD, Live in
Of course, this is referring to a time where people shopped for CDs.
– The author of this blog on what entering the domain of dating can be like.
Jan
26
The Toms to do Something is Now
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Toms Shoes designs stylish footwear with a charitable mandate. With each purchase of Toms shoes, a pair of shoes is donated to a child in a developing country. So far Toms has given tens of thousands of shoes to children in
The shoes are flat-soled, textured Ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA)–a polymer used for shock absorption in shoe construction. (EVA is present as Croslite, in the foam quality of Crocs.) The insoles are lined with leather; canvas, suede, or corduroy coverings.
Booties and boots are also available. Select types are vegan-friendly. A variety of colours, prints, and custom styles appeal to many tastes.
Toms shoes are available to order online and for purchase at various outlets internationally. Prices range from $42 for a classic slip-on to $98 for a knee-high boot. Perhaps a bit steep for a shoe with no structural arch support and just a canvas covering, but what do you think Converse are? Consider a Tom’s purchase as buying two pairs of shoes at once.
Thousands of people do. Certain sizes and styles are already sold out online. Heartbroken fashionistas will have to find comfort in Tom’s perseverance in getting their message across, and of course, their shoes on children’s feet.
Jan
21
Mad Men Heaven
Filed Under WTF | 3 Comments
Looking through my vintage Playboys recovered amazing advertising from the 1960s. The one above is for athlete’s foot. (Can you believe it?)
What I want to know is, how do you get that much shag in one shot?
It gets better. Read more
Jan
15
Dating Cycles. If they don’t already exist, they should. And if they do, allow me to describe my take on the classification.
There is definitely a cyclical pattern when seeking a mate. A pre–period, where scouting begins, and the search is more active, or at least made aware by individuals involved; a during period, where the idea of the relationship is being explored; and a post-period, where hopefully respectful goodbyes allow for the couple to seek partners which meet their individual needs.
Granted, I am only taking into consideration of pairings which are unsuited. I imagine the Cycle takes on a different shape when the relationship has taken off and has some longevity to it; where the wheels need to be greased, rather than stop turning. My interest, however, lies in the influential period between being on one’s own and entertaining the idea of seeking a soul mate. The small space in time where the potential transition from the world of one into the world of two is possible. Where the cycle, at once, ends and begins.
There are many studies out there scientifically supporting how being a couple, in a relationship, a marriage, or any kind of union among people, is just plain good for the health of human beings, in general. The research shows married people live longer and are healthier in old age; have lower rates of cardiovascular disease, cancer, respiratory problems, mental illness, and are better at coping with stress.
And that’s only the biology. If better health isn’t reason enough to find someone to wake up next to, then consider all the emotional and mental benefits too. Caring, kindness, support, thoughtfulness and much more just seem to be the elements needed in order to keep life in the balance, and many a time, livable.
Do I even need to get into the physical component of entering a relationship? Didn’t think so.
What are the arguments then against pursuing a mate? Excluding baggage, relationsham, baby-instinct and marriage (I know, right?), what prevents people from pursuing love? Read more
Jan
12
The Science of Sleepy-Eyed
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Leslie Feist and Charlotte Gainsbourg do that effortless I-go-good-with-coffee-the-next-morning look.
Jan
9
The Donning of a New Era
Filed Under Vogue Rogue | 1 Comment
With a new year comes the editing of clothing in my closet. Far from being a hoarder, I make every attempt to subscribe to the most frequently worn pieces, the absolute must-haves, and emergency formal wear. This means, the hoodies stay, the lint brush is taken to the knit black skirt, and as long as I remain this size, the full winter coat is a permanent fixture. The box-cut large-knit sweaters are out and so are the long-sleeved Ts–too loose to layer with, too thin to wear on their own. The crisp, white blazer, with the tag still on it, purchased nearly eight years ago, needs a new home. It seems I have followed post-Labour Day clothing convention without even knowing it.
Although my shopping habits are incredibly vigilant and absolutely tame, I am imposing a clothing moratorium of sorts for the better part of the new year lest I fall into many a fashion faux pas both my closet and my wallet will not be able to endure. I’m going to be less about owning, and more about styling and rediscovering the new ways on how to put existing items together. An image of Jean Shrimpton, in evening dress, will be my muse. Read more
Jan
6
2008 Best Books
Filed Under I'm a Bookie | Leave a Comment
The following list details my top-five fiction, old and new, read in 2008, I encourage everyone to check out. My criteria for my select reads include, exceptional writing, profound understanding of man’s imperfections, and development of original story. Also, all books must be initiatory worthy: the kind of books that deserve to be reread time and time again.
The Wednesday Wars, Gary D. Schmidt
Absolutely everything is in this book. Love, care, learning, becoming. A coming of age story, set in the 1960s,
Away, Amy Bloom
A read so authentic you could swear it’s historical fiction. A young mother, separated from child, who is determined to reunite with her daughter. The plot traverses from coast to coast,
Boy Toy, Barry Lyga
Highly controversial. A young boy is sexually abused by his teacher. The content is graphic, and the many layers building among the characters involved not entirely flushed out. But there is extreme care in the maturity of the story. The introspection is little and feels forced. Some may argue the book suffers for it; I think it describes the inner struggle with sincerity. (How many times do we wish to silence the voices in our head?) Read it and let me know your thoughts.
His Illegal Self, Peter Carey
This is a book that takes one moment and stretches it into pages and pages of narrative. A mix-up in the meeting of a woman and a young boy, leads innocently to an abduction which has both characters on the run. Here begins the story behind the story of a time where revolution was prohibited and its leaders are punished. Sentence structure eclipses storyline. Astounding.
Everyman, Philip Roth
How can such a slender book hold not only a story of a life but of many lifetimes? A man’s life lived is literally condensed to a point, or rather, a “hole.” The strength lies in the telling of shared aspects of everyone’s individual story–love, loss, deceit, confusion, and more–and yet no one person’s story in particular. An extraordinary exposition of humans, and human nature.