"I focused on the living animal in front of me and tried to make her love me. I spoke extravagantly, and, I hope, sincerely. Here’s what I remember:
I told her I didn’t want to leave Rome now that I had met her.
She again told me I was a nerd, but a nerd who made her laugh.
I told her I wanted to do more than make her laugh.
She told me I should be thankful for what I had.
I told her she should move to New York with me.
She told me she was probably a lesbian.
I told her my work was my life, But I still had room for love.
She told me love was out of the question."

Super Sad True Love Story by Gary Shteyngart

"If you ask me what I came to do in this world, I, an artist, will answer you: I am here to live out loud."

Émile Zola

the little things — January

Now:

- I’m super mega lovin’ the musical stylings of Florence + the Machine, Kimbra, and Gotye. (Click through to listen to my favourites)

- Reading up a storm! I’m trying to be more active on Goodreads, mostly for an easy way to track how many books I read in a year. I’ll be curious to see how many I’ve finished by the end of 2012…

- cooking some Spicy African Peanut Soup tonight for supper (vegan friendly, for Greg). I love making soups and stews in the winter time, especially with the help of my slow cooker. It’s amazing to come in from a windy walk home from the bus stop, to a piping hot bowl of soup. Last week, I made Loaded Baked Potato soup and it was insane. 

- using a new-to-me App called Everyday. Basically, its a Self Portrait A Day app, but it’s really simple and well-designed. I think its really neat to see the tiny differences in each photo, from day to day. Very fun!

Coming up soon:

- My long awaited tattoo appointment is next week!!! I am getting reaaaally excited, and a teeny bit anxious too. Its been almost five years since I’ve been tattooed, I barely remember what it feels like. Plus, this time around, its a much larger tattoo, which means I’ll be toughing it out for 3-4 hours. But I’ll have a good breakfast and bring a bag of candy, for frequent sugar rewards/bursts of energy, and try to get a good sleep in the night before. Would be weird to bring my iPad? I could for sure keep myself distracted with Carcassonne for a few hours…

I’m really excited to see how the design turned out. I hope I like it!! *struggling not to get too anxious* 

- I’m in the Planning and Logistics phase of a potential month long road trip adventure, for later this year! I’m In Talks with work, about the possibility of taking a month off in the fall, to rent/buy/steal a car, and take off on a rambling ambling road trip across the US! I’ve never done anything like this before, but have wanted to for as long as I can remember. I want to see things and go places and have an adventure! More details to follow…

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the essentials — January
Things to note:
- keep cup for early morning espresso
- green twisty (#mylifeiscablemanaged)
- tote bag from Parlour
- winnipeg winters = major dry skin

amazing.

Murmuration from Sophie Windsor Clive on Vimeo.

Watched this while eating a grilled cheese sandwich.

The sandwich is now cold and barely touched.

This video blew me away. 

I like that sometimes, puttering through the Internets leads me to something truly awesome and beautiful like this. 

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I loooooooove stuff like this. 

"Literature, at least good literature, is science tempered with the blood of art. Like architecture or music."

The Angel’s Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

"Sometimes it’s nice to be in the hands of a control freak."

Steve Jobs by Walter Issacson

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Someone posted this on my friend Derek’s FB page, and I can’t stop giggling about it.

"Days spent under duvet covers unable to speak or move, nights sprawled upon couches numbed by the white noise of network TV, blankets scented by memory, lips stained red by emptied Merlot bottles, the pained exhalation of that last cigarette, and the realization that he or she is never coming back: This is the music of Cat Power."

iTunes Store writeup for Cat Power iTunes Essentials