Beginner Drawing - Class 2 of 4

So I spent Halloween drawing objects, learning how to measure and more accurately reflect sizes and distance between shapes. I am very slow, didn't come even close to completing the shoe last week and this week I was really enjoying the challenging shapes in the second composition but hadn't even finished the vinegar bottle by the time class ended.

Beginner Drawing - Class 1 of 4

I am taking a Beginning Drawing class at ARTiculations, in The Junction on Wednesday nights. Here is what I did on my first night.

The image on the right is a recreation from a Degas sketch, we used a grid technique to draw it. This is the remaining aspect of drawing that I can still do, I can recreate when someone else has already taken something and made it 2D, black and white, especially when it is a sketch, even more so if a gird is involved. It was nice to end on that, helped renew my confidence.

Toronto Has Not Been Good For My French

Me trying to get Jason out of the house faster:

"Donner les vetements a ton pieds!"

I wanted him to get his shoes on. It actually isn't very effective to try to talk to him in French, since he doesn't speak it, but then again, neither do I. The above was supposed to translate roughly into, "Give the clothes to your feet." I couldn't remember at the time that the word for shoes is chaussures.

Flippy Floppys

There wasn't a dress code at the last BIA I worked in, however, my boss didn't really like open toed shoes/sandals so we agreed that we wouldn't wear them to work. I don't really think that flip flops are work appropriate, but it is a casual day today, with no meetings. Also, these ones are so much nicer than the usual $5 Old Navy style. I got them for Taylor's wedding, they are getting pretty worn out but I still love them.

Also, my awesome red pedicure is from Ottawa. We went out to get pedicures the day after Canada Day - such sore feet after waiting in lines, dealing with mud, and walking all over downtown. I didn't choose the colour to be patriotic, but lets pretend I did!

A Weekend Challenge

This past weekend I challenged some friends to go through this list of questions with their spouses. (Some are with their life partners, while others are newer couples, some were married, some engaged, etc.) I agree that the following questions aren't fun to go through, some are intimate and some might be awkward, but they are designed to spark honest discussions.

For the most part Jason and I had been over this content before - in some fashion or another, at some time or another. But it is always good to take serious stock of your relationships - have serious conversations, just to do so, just to see if things have changed, if anything surprises you, if you truly are on the same page.

I don't think that any of my friends actually did end up sitting down with their spouses and going over them, but I figured I shouldn't issue the challenge and not follow through myself. So Friday night I texted Jason the link to the article, said, "Let's head to bed a bit early and go through these together" and made my way upstairs. I didn't present it as a fun game - cause it really isn't. And I didn't ask him if he wanted to - because I didn't want to hear he wasn't interested. I didn't want to argue over doing it or not, whether there was worth in doing it. So we did it.

The Questions

The questions and article were from the New York Times and you can see them and the reasoning behind asking each one ONLINE.

To get a sense of what the conversation was, this is the list of questions:

1. Did your family throw plates, calmly discuss issues or silently shut down when disagreements arose? 
 2. Will we have children, and if we do, will you change diapers? 
 3. Will our experiences with our exes help or hinder us? 
 4. How important is religion? How will we celebrate religious holidays, if at all? 
 5. Is my debt your debt? Would you be willing to bail me out? 
 6. What’s the most you would be willing to spend on a car, a couch, shoes? 
 7. Can you deal with my doing things without you? 
 8. Do we like each other’s parents? 
 9. How important is sex to you? 
 10. How far should we take flirting with other people? Is watching pornography O.K.? 
 11. Do you know all the ways I say “I love you”? 
 12. What do you admire about me, and what are your pet peeves? 
 13. How do you see us 10 years from now?

Since I had sent the link to Jason's phone I thought having him read the questions would be best, it also would mean that he could control the speed of the conversation, quickly jumping to the next question or stay on a topic if there was more to talk about. He asked the question, I answered, he answered, then sometimes we would want to know more or needed clarification and he would read the little background bit included in the article.

Our Outcome

Jason and I are intensely open about, and on top of, our money/finances. So I figured the questions related to that would be easiest, however 6 ended up being a short but interesting conversation. Firstly, neither of us had any idea how much a couch costs because we haven't ever bought one. Jason compared it to buying the king-bed and mattress, but even then I was struggling with the high cost of these items more than him. There are definitely certain things that I am not happy spending money on. I barely bat an eye at dropping multiple thousands to travel but the thought of spending a grand for a couch makes me exceedingly uncomfortable - couldn't we get something nice for less than that?

Both Jason and I had the same price point for shoes with a max of $250, however I consider the need to spend that much only in the case of a highly specialized product, like boots for trekking in the Arctic. In general, I can't image go near that cost for the types of shoes I usually need - where that price seemed normal to Jason for anything from winter boots to hiking, biking, or running shoes. Lastly the question led us into a discussion about buying a new car, which we are considering doing next year. We will need to revisit the cost breakdown for that again but it is a major purchase that we need to work out together.

I have noticed from doing this post that we actually didn't end up talking about the last two questions! We stopped on 11 because it was a cool way of looking at relationships that I hadn't really heard of before. It got us talking and we forgot about the rest of the quiz. I really want to get the book by Gary Chapman that is the reference for this question. We both agree that we show each other love through affirmation and physical touch. On top of that, Jason he feels like I demonstrate love through giving him gifts and in contrast I think his acts of service are one of his primary languages. I think this is a really interesting way to look at love and relationships, I want to know more.

A Day Of Prep

Tomorrow is Rob and Andrea's wedding!! And, tonight I was asked to join in the Rehearsal events, both at the church and dinner afterwards. (Jason is Rob's Best Man.) Here is how I got ready, in my usual ADHD fashion is was scattered and done in stages. Note that between all these steps I would be off doing something else:

7:00am  - (At home) Had a bath
7:30am  - Put product into hair, then tied it up in a loose bun
7:35am  - Packed make-up and redid the stuff I keep in my purse
7:55am  - Put on red dress and black flats
8:50am  - (On Dufferin Bus) Take down hair from bun
9:05am  - (Bathroom breaks at work) Put clips in hair
11:30am - Put on pantyhose
12:55pm - Laura helps fix the clips in my hair
2:35pm  - Apply foundation and blush
3:50pm  - Put on eyeliner and mascara,
3:55pm  - Fix clips in my hair, again
4:05pm  - (On King Streetcar) Apply lipstick
4:45pm  - (In taxi) Switch flats for heels

Panda On My Shoes

Panda Sits On My Shoes

Photo by Me (with my phone)

Buying Appliances

Sunday Mornin' Coming Down - A post about my Dad each Sunday, named after a song that he loved.

Jason and I visited a Sears Whole Home store yesterday in Ottawa. It was a bit difficult for me, as this was the type of store that Dad had worked in for the last 10-15 years of his career before retirement. I remember him making the move from Brantford Sears to sell appliances in Ancaster at this new type of store, I was in Grade 7 or 8 at the time.

We are looking for a stack-able washer and dryer for the new house and it is hard to find decent information about what would be the best one to get (we are considering cost, size, height, durability, and value.) I have been researching online, but am really missing the knowledge I could have gotten from Dad on this - the man knew his appliances.

I wasn't super impressed with the guy that spoke to us at the Ottawa store. Definitely didn't have the charm that I know my dad would have had on the sales floor, since he was pretty enjoyable to be around in general. The vibe at the store was familiar though - employees joking around with each other, the two sales guys hanging out side-by-side, one gave the other a 'nod' as to who would 'get' us.

Dad used to say that he always told potential customers to come back and ask for "George with a beard." I guess at some point there was a second George? It is a bit funny to me because for a while, when I was really young, he used to have a mustache. I always wondered if he had to change his line when he changed his facial hair. However, I think the 'mustache phase' was when he worked as a Department Manager (in many different sections, everything from shoes to seasonal) so he possibly always had a beard by the time he moved into sales.

Where I Get It From - Feet

Sunday Mornin' Coming Down - A post about my Dad each Sunday, named after a song that he loved.

Size: Mom - Small, 7 - 7.5. My mom's are even smaller.
Shape: Mom - High arches.
Toes: Dad - Aunty Nicky says they are 'prehensile toes'
Calluses: Dad - Very prone to calluses
Corns: Mom - Also prone to corns
Bunions: Dad - Luckily avoided them so far
Shoes: Neither - I have adopted my own shoe style, flats
Ticklish: Mom - We are not ticklish
Ankles: Dad - Weak and easily twisted/sprained

I love feet, I mainly love women's feet, I really love my feet!

Down 10 Pounds

It is nice to announce various weight loss milestones. So, I have now lost 10 pounds in 2014! (A little bit more actually since it was last week when I hit that mark but didn't post about it.) It took 8 weeks, and I would really like it to be going faster than that, but until I start really working at exercising than I doubt it will come off any faster than one or two pounds a week. Before I talked about the goal of being nice and trim for Teri's wedding, since I was so happy about what I looked like at Taylor's. At the time I was looking to add a specific picture to that post but couldn't find it on Always Standing or my computer. I noticed it today on Facebook:

Shoes!

Kristen, Taylor, and I

At Taylor's Wedding

Photo by Stephanie Beach Photography

I love this picture, it is one of my favorites of all time. The only thing I would change is that I wish I had remembered that it is my left ankle that is the ugly one, affectionately referred to as My Hoof. (I sprained it way back in 2004 or something and the huge ball of scar tissue that never properly healed makes it look weird.) I should have switched sides with Kristen, but I was pretty drunk by this point in the night, in fact I barely remember the photo being taken.

Housecoats

Sunday Mornin' Coming Down - A post about my Dad each Sunday, named after a song that he loved.

It is 5:00am and I am awake, sitting in a chair in the living room at The Cottage, wearing one of my dad's housecoats. I have no idea why I can't sleep - I didn't even take a nap this weekend, which is something I usually do.

As a place, The Cottage feels more connected to my mom than my dad, and always has. He loved it here but the creation of it: from its design, to decor, to furnishings, to activities, feel more related to my mother, her personality, life, and relationships. However, the garage feels utterly and totally connected to Dad, I will write about that some other time. Even thinking about brings a lump to my throat, and going into it breaks my heart.

So, today, I am going to write about housecoats. Dad liked to wear the housecoats. I remember him being in them many a morning, but I can't really remember how they fit into his morning (not that he really had a structured morning routine.) I think they were a 'before shower' thing, and that after he showered he would get dressed - but I can't confirm this. I do remember him sitting at various tables throughout my life reading the paper in a housecoat. I also remember he kinda had a thing about not wearing them past noon. If he did wear them for most of the morning he would always make a comment around noon. They also were definitely used when going to and fro from the hot tub, as were Crocs, but that is also something to write about on a different day.

First he had a thin multicoloured one. It may have been thin out of use, even when I was a kid it was already old. I don't think it is around any more. It was white with many different coloured vertical strips (red, blue, yellow, etc.) I think at some points I would wear it around the house singing Joseph (A musical that I went to as part of a school trip. Dad came along as a supervisor actually.)

The classic robe is a solid brown one, with a small white brand logo on one side of the chest. This one was bigger than the first, and more substantial. It is still here at The Cottage but looks a little worse for wear, the collar is pretty torn up.

Lastly, and the one that I am currently using, is a big, thick, fluffy, navy blue one. It is by far the newest of the bunch. I think there are two of these at The Cottage, I guess one for each of my parents. I think this one would have been Dad's, especially since I found it on the back of the door in the downstairs bathroom - his bathroom.

But I Get 10 To Your 1

I destroyed another pair of ballet flats. Admittedly, I wore them all through the winter and the last part before they died I walked in a rain storm from Liberty Village to downtown. I always have a collection of different flats to wear, but I like to have black ones at all times. The ones I ruined were my black pair so I had to head to Ardene's the next day. Sure enough they still offer tons of styles at 2 pairs for $20, so I have 2 new sets of black flats that will last me a few more months. Here is one of the pairs:

Teri, and other friend's of mine, often suggest I just invest in a high quality pair instead of having to keep replacing my cheap pairs. I thought about it this time but I still don't think it makes sense for me. 'Better' flats (from Aldo, Clarks, etc) range in price from $60 to $120, so let's say $100 to make it easy. They do offer some things that higher quality shoes tend to offer - like being made of leather, more durable soles, etc. However, I have decided that my way works better, here are my thoughts:

Firstly, you really can't tell the difference. Put my flats next to a more expensive pair and yes you can tell the other  is made of leather but both pairs are still going to look cute, clean, basic, and nice. It doesn't make me look any less professional, stylish, cute, sexy, trendy, etc. Black flats are black flats, not really super exciting. So you can't see a difference and if you can that difference doesn't matter.

I can get 10 of mine for the cost of 1 of those. That means I get to go shoe shopping 4 more times! Since I get 2 pairs at once that means $100 gets me 10 pairs over 5 shopping trips - and I really like shoe shopping.

When replacing my shoes I only need to find $20 - but to get a nicer pair I would have to budget better and have $100 to spend on a pair of shoes, which happens only once a year or so and tends to be reserved for running shoes, boots, getting shoes for a wedding, etc.

I have the versatility of two different pairs at any given time and get to change styles frequently. I have had rounded toes, pointed toes, sparkles, different toe details, textures, bows, etc. Though a black flat is pretty basic no matter what.

I am hard on my shoes. I have no doubt that a higher quality pair would hold up better and last longer, but I still wear ballet flats about 95% of the time, all through the year. I wore them through the last two winters, partly because Toronto is pretty mild compared to Ottawa and also because I haven't found a pair of boots that I like. I also don't switch to sandals in the summer because my (very lax) work dress code doesn't allow for open toed shoes. Right now I replace my set of 2 black pairs about every 4 months, so $100 lasts 2 years - I would need the expensive pair to last that long, look fresh, not scuff, etc.

Lastly, and I feel most importantly, by some crazy luck/miracle I do not need to 'break in' a new pair of flats from Ardene's. Every style is perfectly comfortable - instantly (though I never get that strange kind that folds up because it has the elastic all around the top part - they look like they could be painful). I can buy a cheap pair and then wear them for 12 hours straight the next day. That might happen with a good pair too, but it might not. Sometimes shoes, even great ones, give you a blister somewhere at the start, or cut at your heel for a bit so that you need to wear a band-aid, etc. And in the end, for me, comfort is totally going to trump it.

Healing Is Hot

I fell yesterday - randomly. I was walking outside, in new shoes that I can't even call heels, and I think my ankle just collapsed. Which isn't really that strange, it was the weak one that I sprained years ago and I affectionately call 'my hoof'. Because I was holding things, I landed on my elbow, forearm, and right knee. It didn't hut and thankfully didn't wreak my jeans. However, when I got home I found out I scrapped it up pretty good and it was bleeding (but it didn't go through my pants so I don't really get how that happens.) Anyway, y knee got a little swollen over night and is sore now when I bend it. Hopefully it will turn into a really impressive bruise! The strangest thing though is that the whole knee area, around the scabby part, is very very warm. I know that is how you tell a injury, but it is really strange to feel the difference in temperature between my two knee caps. I can't remember really experiencing that before.

Signs Of Spring

Over the last couple of days the following has happened:
- Left a window open in Bayit for a full day
- Unpacked all my spring/summer shoes
- Saw my first robin of the season
- Sunscreen has moved to the seasonal section of Shoppers
- Teri made mojitos
- My parent's put the boat in the water
- I wore the slip-on silver Puma's I bought for Taylor's wedding

Last Night's Lies

- Eyes - contacts instead of glasses
- Face - make-up when I normally wear none
- Chest - bra that moves me up 2 cup sizes
- Height - 3" heels
- Hair - straightened when naturally curly

If I ever do end up meeting someone at a bar when I'm out drinking and/or dancing with my friends, they really aren't meeting me after all. I think I would feel badly that in the end they would not get what they originally thought/saw.

Why I'm Not Running

Ottawa has started to have great weather, but I haven't started to run again yet. I'm a little less motivated because there is no real guarantee that I will come back to the city to do the Army Run again in September, also Curves is going really well. I might need new shoes but I won't know that until I run a few times in the old ones. I also want to wait for JennB to move in so that I can start running with her dog, Oliver, I don't want to get too far ahead of the little guy in terms of my training. However, the real reason is ... I'm waiting for the canal to get filled up. (Actually a few days after since it smells pretty bad right after they do it.)

Flippy Floppys

Summer is here! (Almost)

I got these flip flops at Old Navy today - 3 pairs for $10.

Painfully True

"I will not wear high heels. Because heels are a male invention designed to make women's butts look smaller... and to make it harder for them to runaway."
-She's The Man by Ewan Leslie

Fashion 101

Lessons I learned today in the area of fashion:
-It is way to hot outside right now to wear even a light sweater
-Avoid sleeves and potentially avoid sweat spots
-Wide necklines mean wearing a strapless bra
-Once underwire in a bra pokes out the bra is toast
-Black is truly slimming and elegant
-Dress pants are more appropriate for work than jeans
-No socks in shoes makes your feet smell
-Breaded pigtails are not professional looking
-In humidity, hair products must be used to avoid frizziness

9:00 - 2:30

I realised a long time ago that I needed some new dress shoes. Actually Teri was down and we were heading out to a nice bar when I realised I only had open-toe heels. I have been on the hunt for a nice, comfortable, cheap pair of dress shoes I can wear out as well as to work ever since. Shopping the other day I found these - a nice pair at Spring, and only $17.95. I bought them and wore them at work today. (Not to work, I wore my usual black winter boots.) Well, I'm still terrible at wearing heels. I made it until 2:30pm in them before they became horribly uncomfortable (not painful, just annoying and unpleasant.) I took them off, putting back on the winter boots. I feel 5.5 hours is pretty good for my first day, but most of the women in my office wear heels all day everyday. Maybe next time.