Shut the door to the moon... and let the souls wander

So in honour of August's beautiful moon I compiled a list of my favourite "moon" songs. Most are classics and I tried to mix up the genres a bit.

CCR – Bad Moon Rising

Frank Sinatra  - Moon River

Radiohead – Sail to the Moon

Iron & Wine – Half Moon

Matt Costa - Behind the Moon

Brett Dennen – Just Like the Moon

The Swell Season – The Moon

The Black Ghosts – Full Moon

Neko Case – I Wish I was the Moon

William Fitzsimmons – The Tide Pulls from the Moon

Bruno  Mars – Talking to the Moon

Chris Cornell – Moonchild

Patti Labelle – Moon Shadow

Debussy – Clair de Lune

Michelle Branch – Crazy Ride


Also I just wanted to include a few pictures taken of the full moon all across Canada. I take no credit for these pics, although for some I wish I could since they are gorgeous!

Green makes me happy

I avoid this blog like the plague. 


Short posts. I have been advised to stick to short, FREQUENT posts.

Let’s see if that works any better.

Look! Green! Green makes me happy! 

I have been looking into dresses for an upcoming social event this summer. Honestly, green is in. 

Very MOD look. I like the cut of the top. If the dress were shorter I would probably wear it like a tunic, paired with leggings. 

I know this dress is kind of a hit-or-miss, but I like this pixie-look. I like the double-sheer layer on top. I think a pair of moto boots would really urbanize the look. 

I'm not usually a huge fan of strapless, but I just love this dress, I really do. Green, lace print over black. Simple black ribbon around the waist that doesn't clash with the print. I am already daydreaming about the perfect pair of heels to go with this.

Unfortunately, all of these dresses range between Stella McCartney and Dolce and Gabbana so I don't think I will be affording any of these dresses soon.

However, not all hope is lost. Thanks to more more small-named designers with online shops, I was able to find equally nice dresses at a far more reasonable price. 

Luckily, they all range under $50 which makes me (and my wallet very happy). Although I suppose I could make my wallet REALLY happy and just stick to the wardrobe I have, but what's the fun in that? The cheapest, "green" look I could go for is this...

And that look comes naturally! Although I would look much happier being that green. 

Finished! Yay Summer!

*throwing textbooks, notes, and papers in the air* 

School is out for the summer! Wahooo!! 

I can't wait! I've got a lot of exciting stuff coming up in the next couple months! 

(And yes I will do my best to keep up with the details on the blog. Although really hoping to focus my time on some creative writing too.)

March Madness: What's been occupying me

So my absence on here is never really a surprise. Just thought I would dedicate a post to what's been keeping me occupied this past month.

Ok let’s get the bad out of the way first…

Thing that has been making me miserable: statistics course.

 

 

I hate math. I do NOT fit the stereotype of Asians and math. Give me a quill and paper over a calculator any day of the year. I just want to study the kind of psychology that looks at behavior disorders and suggest different cognitive behavioral therapy methods with clients during their sessions – not freaking calculating binomial distributions and hypothesis testing! Why oh why must the latter be a prerequisite for the former?! <queue in frustrated scream here>

One thing I’ve been really itching to buy:  One Step Land Polaroid Camera with the rainbow stripe

Really just look at this camera. It’s so puuuuuurdy. I just want it to call my own and attempt to capture beautiful instant images. He would make a great companion to Stewie (current FujiFilm Instant Camera). I am seriously in love with the potential quality of these films. I actually first found out about this camera from an Instagram pic and immediately dug up some research on the camera and it turns out I totally missed out on the chance to buy the Limited Edition version of this camera last summer. I read that some of the specs were just spruced up a bit and a new film number was created to go with it but I was also informed the original vintage version of the One Step Land is compatible with the new film. The older cameras are going for about $40 on ebay (it’s the price of film that kills ya) which leaves me with the “do I” or “don’t I” invest and just buy it… hmmmmm…

What the silver shade film is set to look like

What the coloured film is supposed to look like

Fashion trend I am on the fence about: coloured denim

Ok so I get that colour is supposed to be good. I am trying to move away from the greys and blacks. And it did take me like 15 years to even warm up to the idea of wearing jean denim and being comfortable with it. Let’s hope it won’t take me that long to come around for coloured denim. Out of the all the colours that are readily available I am most intrigued by the green and I’ve come close to just buying a pair, but what always gets me is the same question that really comes to mind whenever I make any purchase for articles of clothing for the lower half of my body: “How will my thunder thighs look in these?” More specifically, “how will my thunder thighs look in green pants?” Will it not just accentuate the thunderous size of them? I mean these are the big questions in life, aren’t they?

Movie I am absolutely STOKED to see: The Hunger Games!!

 

Two words: Team Peeta!

Enough said.

Don’t know what the Hunger Games is? Get out from under your rock you caveman! The countdown is officially on until I get to see it tomorrow!! Currently 5:10pm while I am writing this so that makes it a little less than 31 hours!!!

Food I’ve been craving a lot lately: breakfast food

Sister's plate

My plate

Ok who doesn’t like breakfast food? Well it’s just I’ve been craving it all the time. Last really great breakfast meal I had was when I took my sister out for a birthday brunch over a week ago and the food – as simple as eggs, bacon and pancakes can be – was just soooooo good! Breakfast any time of the day is just awesome.  And it doesn’t matter how many times I’ve had breakfast food in the past week because I just want it again the next day. In factI am kind of craving pancakes again right now…

Current app-craze: Draw Something

It’s like Pictionary but easier and harder at the same time. Easy since they give you a set of letters with the answer scrambled in there; hard since I can’t draw for shit. But it’s crazy-addicting and has been taking up a lot of my attention in lectures. Plus it’s a free app so bonus! But exhibit A of my awesome drawing skills...

And the n look at these total overachievers...

Album I’ve been listening to non-stop recently: Sucker Punch Soundtrack

Surprisingly the movie was not too bad – well not too bad as a bunch of girls in skimpy school girl and or leather outfits in action scenes could be. As a person with no extensive knowledge on CG and special effects, as an avid-movie fan I can admit all of that looked really cool even from just a computer monitor. What really made the movie for me was the soundtrack: it had everything from Bjork to Silversun Pickups, with even a few tracks sung by the lead actress herself, Emily Browning. The soundtrack has that “heavy metal/rock meets electronica” sound to it topped off with some haunting female vocalists. Moreover there is a pretty wicked Queen mash-up on the soundtrack that brings “We Will Rock You” to another foot-stomping level for me. Yet I have to say that my favorite song by far is Emiliana Torrini’s cover of Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit”… it’s just one of those rare moments when you go from liking an already good original song to loving it even more after hearing the cover.

Something that totally impressed me recently: sister’s mad cooking skills.

Ok so her cooking skills aren’t that much of a surprise since I’ve always known she was good at what she makes but she just recently tried something new and it was incredibly tasty! She found a recipe online to make dim sum and she totally aced it! Everything was homemade by her and they just look like the real deal you pay $5 for at a restaurant!  Way to go sis! Now go make some more (please)!

Youtube history: The Graham Norton Show

                                (First Graham Norton interview I ever saw)

So I discovered Graham Norton back shortly after the first Lord of the Rings movie came out. Orlando Bloom was the IT guy and I went on this huge rampage of being obsessed with him and subsequently looking up anything I could find about him or with him in it on the Internet, which led me to his Graham Norton interview. I didn’t look anything up Graham Norton-related for years until quite recently when I came across his interview with Adele and since then I’ve just been looking up ALL his interviews. He is quite hilarious and there is something about British shows where not only do they have a different, smugger sense of humor but they can pretty much get away with talking about anything on his talk show.

(Definitely worth watching this video compilation of all the funniest moments on the show)

My “who knew cats could be so cute” epiphany: The Scottish Fold

I mean, come on! Just look at this cat! Look how cute it is! That round head, its soft looking fur, its cute little poses!! I want one soooooooooooo bad!! I mean I’ve never really been a cat person but this is something I just want to have curled up on my bed with me! It is impossibly hard looking for a breeder in Vancouver and that aside these little furballs are hella expensive! But I am totally looking for one still. I am thinking my best bet is to look for a U.S. breeder since those seem more common, especially in the Washington or Oregon state. I mean this is the kind of pet that if I knew someone who had one, it would not be below me to steal it from their homes. Seriously! So cute!! You couldn’t blame me if I did! 

(Hands down the CUTEST Scottish Fold out there, I mean come on! Look at that box sliding!)

Sing it 'til it hurts

Current top ten songs that make the heart wrench just a little more. Some of which I found from our playlist. 


10. If you ask me how I’m doing 
     I would say I’m doing just fine

     I would lie and say that you’re not on my mind

     But  I go out and I sit down at a table set for two

     And finally I’m forced to face the truth

     No matter what they say, I’m not over you

     - "Not Over You"

9. Where have you gone?
   The beach is so cold in winter here
   And where have I gone?
   I wake in Montauk with you near
 
   Remember the day 
   ‘Cause this is what dreams should always be
   I just want to stay
   I just want to keep this dream in me
   - "Losing Your Memory"

8. And I'd give up forever to touch you
   'Cause I know that you feel me somehow
   You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be
   And I don't want to go home right now
   - "Iris"
 
7. You never get to choose
   You live on what they sent you
   And you know they’re gonna use
   The things you love against you 
   - "Falling Awake"
 
6. Oh lover I’m old
   You’ll be out there and be thinking just of me
   And I will find you down the road
   We’ll return back home to where we’re meant to be
   - "Duet"
 
5. I’d like to linger with you til the morning
   And pretend the winter has given to spring
   Conjure up guilty reminders together
   Fade into this like we both used to be To carry you on
   - "Tied to Me"
 

4. Bows and flows of angel hair and ice cream castles in the air
   And feather canyons everywhere, looked at clouds that way
   But now they only block the sun, they rain and they snow on everyone
   So many things I would have done but clouds got in my way

   I've looked at clouds from both sides now
   From up and down, still somehow
   It's cloud illusions I recall
   I really don't know clouds at all
   - "Both Sides Now"
 

3. You can’t play on broken strings
   You can’t feel anything that your heart don’t want to feel
   I can’t tell something that ain’t real
   - "Broken Strings"
 

2. Are you really here or am I dreaming?

   I can’t tell dreams from truth

   For it’s been so long since I have seen you

   I can hardly remember your face anymore

   When I get really lonely
   When the distance causes only silence

   I think of you smiling 
   With pride in your eyes, a lover that sighs

   - "If You Want Me"

1. Et nous aurons pour nous l'éternité
   Dans le bleu de toute l'immensité
   Dans le ciel plus de problèmes
   Mon amour crois-tu qu'on s'aime
   Dieu reunit ceux qui s'aiment

   (We would have eternity for ourselves

   In the blue of all the immensity

   In heaven, no more problems

   My love, do you believe that we love each other?

   God reunites those who love each other)

    - "Hymne à L’amour"

California Dreamin'

Whatever I am feeling... I am blaming it on having an extended case of the Mondays (more of a month-long thing), lack of vitamin D (yes, it has been sunny but I am always inside in class or at the Centre), and topped off with school.

School is usually the root of the problem to many things. But I think that’s what happens when you take 5 courses without an elective. Why oh why am I taking so many? *shouting out to the “heavens”* Oh right, it’s because I prefer to finish my undergrad before my ten-year high school reunion. That doesn’t seem likely. I am probably more likely to change my major again right before I am supposed to graduate. It’s kind of my thing.

I don’t really know what to write about. Sadly I have been able to keep up with all my 2012 resolutions except for keeping up maintenance on here. So what random thought can I share?

*thinking* ...

I am missing California. I really want to go there during spring break. I think it would be good for my mental and emotional health. Also just so I could get my Polaroid-photography on. Plus my shorts are collecting dust...

 (Pacific Coast Highway) 

Ever since I first went there, it just feels like a part of me stayed there. It’s found its niche there. Maybe it’s not that I miss California then; maybe it’s just me missing the part of me that’s back there. Or maybe I just miss the person I am while I’m there. There’s a lot of sentimental ties between me and that place.

(Santa Monica walk post-sunset)

So to help me quell my longing for the Golden coast, I have a playlist to help me whenever I fall into this mood. Here are just a few of the songs in an increasingly-growing playlist:

San Diego Serenade – Tom Waits

O Valencia – The Decemberists

California Love – 2Pac ft. Dre (Yeah, how could I not add this song?)

California Waiting  - Kings of Leon

 Santa Monica – Everclear (Probably one of my faves)

California – The Kooks

California English – Vampire Weekend

 California Queen – Wolfmother

 California Sun – Ramones

In California – Neko Case

 New York to California – Mat Kearney

Snow in California – The Stills

The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie - Red Hot Chili Peppers (So not exactly a song about anything California-related but it showcases Venice Beach wonderfully.)

Maybe if I do enough penny-saving I can do a quick trip up and down. Granted I survive midterms... fingers crossed.

Until next time...

-Caro-