things I should, but can't, part with

While throwing things to and fro during the frantic packing of my room, I have been fairly ruthless in terms of getting rid of clothes. There are a few items, however, that I can't bring myself to part with.

Item One: black stretch pants with lace-up sides.
I bought these with the store credit I got from returning a relative's christmas gift. At the time, they seemed sooo much cooler than the gift outfit, and I was thrilled to have found these at The Bay. I was very into Evanescence at this point in my life. I can't throw them out because they are so bad, they're good.

Item Two: Faux suede tan lace-up (do I detect a theme?) pants
I can't remember what the original occasion for these was, but they quickly became a singing recital staple. I am saving them in case I ever consciously decide to become a cougar.

Item Three: Bubble gum pink, Faux satin, quilted jacket.
This one is pure camp. I still love it, unashamedly.

I know I should get rid of these, but I am just not ready yet!

hiatus for one more day

The final draft of my thesis, as I may have mentioned a million times, is due soon (as in July 1st), so I will be going into isolation mode to take care of that business. When I return, I have a whole new crop of pictures to share. Portraits, proms, and pride are among the photo themes. In the meantime, a preview:

working weeks and weekends

I'm working on the final draft of my thesis, which is due on July first. My posting may be inconsistent over the next while. Or, if I continue to procrastinate as well as I usually do, I will post at every available opportunity.

The Euro Cup is actually helping my progress. I pretend that the screams and wails of jubilant fans outside my window are directed at me and my epic quest to finish this freaking thesis.

thoughts bobbing up in the midst of my frenzied writing

Hardcore Sex and the City fans are embarrassing me as a woman. Since I'm working at home and constantly taking daytime tv breaks to "wash my eyes clean" (as my writer friend suggests), I have found myself smack in the middle of the the SATC promo target market. If I hear one more person compare herself to Carrie et al, I am going to lose my mind. Your life is nothing like those characters' lives! Get on with your own life!

That being said, I will be at the premiere tomorrow, and enjoying every mindless minute of it.

The smell of frying pork usually holds little to no appeal for me. After 5 days straight of 6-14 hours/day of writing, the stuff Brian has frying in the kitchen (yes, at midnight) is truly tantalizing.

I have a few new beauty products to recommend, that are making my regime easier and wonderful, so stay tuned for that.

Why, when I'm diligently working on my paper in a usually quiet coffee shop, do two girls have to pass all the empty tables and sit next to me while they cram for an exam that has something to do with ancient funeral rites?
e.g. "First they crush up the bones, right"
"No, they burn them, then dance around the fire."
"I was sure they did something weird to the bones first."
"Maybe you're thinking of cremation."
"No, I know what that is...wait, why do they dance?"

kill me.

My eyes are bloodshot to shit from staring at this screen, but here I am blogging. The problem with so much fun stuff being via computer is that I rarely remember to take my breaks away from it. A "break" means opening a Safari window and combing French street style blogs.

A girl who I haven't spoken to since high school added me to Facebook today. For some reason, her incredibly friendly, inquisitive message ("It has been so long....what has it been? Like 7 years since high school? Did you get to be everything you had always inspired to be back then? You really were a star...) was utterly depressing and hilarious at the same time when I looked at myself in my stained sweatpants and garbage-piled desk, and muttered to myself "oh yeah, this is everything I always wanted!" Let this thesis end for god's sake.

that is all

it brings out the crazy in me

I have tried all sorts of incentives and bribes. I try depriving myself of food until it's done. I try drinking a litre of water and then telling myself I can't pee until it's done. I try turning off my wireless adapter and cutting off my beloved internet connection until it's done.

None of this has worked. Dizzying hunger, my bladder, and my insatiable need to read about anything online always puts a damn wrench in my plans.

But finally, after months of procrastination and 4 days of solid, honest work, it's done. Weighing in at a sizeable 32 pages, chapter one of my thesis has been submitted to my supervisor. Seeing as I can now barely speak in proper sentences after shoving that many words onto paper, I shudder to think how strange I will feel when the whole shebang is done. My whole vocabulary (including key words that communication profs love such as "pervasive" and "ubiquitous") went onto those pages. I've got nothing left!

Last night, quitting at midnight, I decided to relax by making rice pudding (see above). Simmering milk during the wee hours and then eating the whole yield in one sitting is enough to make a lady feel crazy. It suited me just fine.

Another key distraction has been this book, for which I had to venture into the Teen Fiction department of the bookstore and endure a smirk from the employee who directed me there. Rozzie has warned me that I may develop a "book crush" on the fictional vampire in the story. As reading and writing are now my full-time "job," stories and words are steadily melding with my reality. A book crush at this point would not surprise me at all. In fact, I would welcome it.

Sorry, Brian.

masters of procrastination

What is it about some people that makes them unable to work without deadlines? I am definitely one of those people, and even I can't explain my compulsion to do everything but my work.

Sample distractions:

"Since I'm at the library anyways, why don't I look in the theatre section to see if there are any books on theatrical makeup (there were) and then read about aging techniques, applying bald caps and how to do 1940s style lips?"

"Since I just happen to pass the drugstore on my way home from the gym, I suppose I should browse this month's magazine covers. Oh, Avril posed for Maxim? I wonder if she stayed 'punk' or tried to do the whole ladylike thing?"

"Since I'm on the computer anyways, maybe I will Wikipedia Dexter to see where I recognize that actress from. While I'm at it, I'll just follow these links and read about the characteristics of a sociopath."

"Since I'm in that Oscar pool, I should probably look at critics' predictions before I make my final picks. Yep, I will go with Julie Christie fo best actress. What did her hair look like in Dr. Zhivago again? A simple Google image search will answer that..."

And so continues the demise of my thesis.

Luckily, a bunch of us from the program have recently started "thesis club," a weekly meeting where we discuss our week's progress. I'm not the only one having trouble committing to my thesis. We discuss our infidelities, set deadlines for eachother, and decide on punishments for those who don't meet them. I get by with a little help from my friends!

I'm heading to Philadelphia this weekend for a reading week I shouldn't be taking. But next week is full of promise!

lost in the mist

The past few days have been shrouded in a thick mist. It's one of those cases where the weather matches one's mental state. This is the week where I have to train myself to work independently, without the obligation of classes. Forcing myself to sit at my desk and work is not easy, especially with distractions aplenty online. Oh Youtube instructional makeup videos and Lost missing pieces, why do you tempt me so?

pre-holiday wrap-up

My essay is complete, my bags are (half-way) packed, and I'm prepping for an interview with the government. As such, the combination of elation and nerves is driving me to eat a hell of a lot of chocolate. Better that than booze, I guess.

Last night some friends and I celebrated the end of term at a relic of Montreal's past: Jardin Tiki. A 50s style resto/tiki bar that serves up a Chinese buffet and drinks in whole pineapples, this place was equally creepy and charming. We dined on bacon-wrapped hot dogs and deep fried coconut rice balls, while trying not to melt into our seats to the tune of a bad, bad Hawaiian-style Christmas soundtrack. This place also had an animal theme: our waitress had the hair of a cockatiel, and we heard rumours that the 3 pond turtles survive only on scraps from the buffet. Poor little guys. Quite the classy place, I tell ya. Still, I would recommend it to those who want to live on the edge.

My posting may be a bit sporadic over the next week, as I will be couch-surfing at my lovely friends' houses in various Ontario cities, and then home to the country for Christmas--sort of. I wish you all best of luck with exams, essays, work holiday parties and all that jazz. I will soon be back!

wishing for wine in april

Today is my brother's birthday and he is 22. Happy Birthday! This means in a month or so, I will be getting on in years.

As you can tell, I am working hard on all my year-end assignments. Aren't you impressed? Here are some lovely things I have come across in my research (*cough* procrastination).

1) Staring at Twitter, a random yet strangely addictive site that lets you see what people across the world are doing every few seconds. I still don't know what the point is (besides gathering more procrastination ideas from a bunch of internet addicts), but I can't stop watching it.

2) Watching videos of Amy Winehouse--the incredible neo-motown singer/hard drinker--performing while under the influence.

3) Shaking my head in disbelief at purity ball paraphernalia. And on the subject of father-daughter purity balls, what I really want to know is where the mother-son purity balls are?

4) Thoroughly enjoying the bird and the bee's music. Especially the song "Fcking Boyfriend." They are opening for Lily Allen, so for those of you going to see her, enjoy!

Okay, back to work. See you when the rain subsides and more of my work is handed in.