Settle

At long last, I have new boots! This might seem entirely trivial, but for a while there, after my last ones broke, I had no footwear other than summer heels, a pair of flats, and some semi-functional thingies that left the whole top of my foot exposed. None of these are conducive to actually walking, even for short campus-cross distances, in increasing snow and dropping temperatures.

Hence, today I bought a pair of camel/tan pleather boots that are far too trendy for my taste, but they work for what I need. I can be picky later when my size isn't limiting to the one shoe I can (almost) fit. I mean, really—I always have a difficult time shoe shopping, but I literally could not find any pair that fit well. These are the closest, and they've no arch support while pinching my big toe on one foot.

How hard is it to make a size forty-three/forty-four in something classy, brown and multi-purpose—without being clunky and 'work boots?!' My big feet do not mean I want to sacrifice style, dang it!

Solstice Spending

Mmmh, I came back from shopping about an hour ago. Lovely Midnight Madness, I spent almost two hundred dollars.

What did I spend it on? (If my roomie wasn't sleeping, I'd take photos….)

I bought a --- -- ------ ---------- for said sleepy roomie, which I know she'll love.

I bought a --- --- for our floor exchange, and I'll stuff it with something small for goodies's sake.

I bought a ----, ----- ----- and ---- ------ ---- for my best friend. I walked into the store, and almost the first thing I saw was the ----,  and I knew it was perfect.

I also bought myself three dresses from this store called Bali—so cute! I'll be wearing one tomorrow, bright, very bright, red, and so comfy. Perfect for rushing about, prepping for a crazy concert! The other is this lovely golden colour, and the last is a really interesting cowl-ish sweater dress, with a pattern (for me, that's huge—I rarely if ever wear patterns. Yet two of my four sweater dresses seem to have heavy patterning…. Hmm) in brown, black and other neutrally-monochromatic-but-still-a-nice-brown scheme. The brown actually is nice, a warm golden if you get close.

I still need to find Solstice gifts for one…two…three…four…five(?!) people, plus my siblings and S.

The last three will be most challenging, I think.

Or maybe the friends….

I can send cards to the 6AC, and something memento-like.

Ugh.

Why did I have to be generous (read: susceptible and complacent to the capitalist system we are all operating under) this year?!

LBD, Wrapped

What to write about today? Oh! I found a dress for choir, and shoes to match. Not at all what I originally planned, it's a very form-fitting, short and slightly rouched knit dress. I looked briefly at a more 50's style woven and structured dress, but its casualness led us to decide against it. I'll have to take a photo before our performance next month….

The shoes are alright, low and rather plain, but I don't know what our stands will be like, and i don't want to be standing in spikes for over two hours on something that's unsteady—especially if I'm only getting used to high stilettos.

I suppose that's that for today….

Cramming

So, a month. All too often I seem to be doing the 'it's been too long' speech…so I'll leave off it this time. I do feel like a general update is in order, though.

I recently switched to veganism, after nearly two years of vegetarianism. I found it was no longer ethically enough to soothe my conscience. Research into it—how chickens are the worst treated animals on the planet, for instance. Or how 'they' get that dairy cow to produce your 2%. Or what the fashion industry does to foxes for the one piece that is desired for a finished product.

It's sickening. Compassion and empathy over profit and greed, any day.

What else? My family is moving, so while I have my semi-permanent home on my university campus, they'll be hauling all of their things hours northwest of here to settle in a tiny town of four hundred people (that jumps up to nine hundred in the summer).

Wow. Crazy, yes?

I've fallen in love with the uni lifestyle—definitely something I'm glad I did. I'm currently on a break, and (shh!! Don't tell my folks!) visiting my hometown. I'll swing by my old place on Sunday, surprise them all.

Speaking of surprises, yesterday I had a delivery made to my Mommy (the librarian I used to work for, and who I've adopted…) that was me, with a bow stuck to my face, carrying a pen. She was surprised, and we spent about four hours or so together, going out for supper, looking at photos, and talking, talking, talking! (Turns out local pizza is way better than chain! So much flavour!)

A friend of mine put me up last night…at his grandmother's. I know, ridiculous, right? We had to get out of town by 0730h to be on time for his 0830h class, and I had set my alarm for 0630h. It didn't got…. His grandmother, lovely woman, came down at about 0705h, asking if I was going in with N today, and if so, I better get up!

Needless to say, I rushed through my toilette, and was ready and waiting by 0730h. (He was a few minutes behind.)

Now I'm sitting in the café in his (used to be mine, too!) college, waiting for the Winners to open so I can spend the gift card that I can't at home, and then go to Fabricland for the same reason. A crazy day ahead of me, that's for sure!

Sh-Sh-Shopping!!

I had such a very productive evening today…I've spent it eating yesterday's leftovers (I've always wanted to eat out of one of those funky little take-out boxes, and Wok Box has them. Score!), avoiding the scholarship essay I need to work through (read: write!)…and looking at planners for next year. 

I've been through the At-A-Glance site, which is the company that out out my beloved 'little black book.' They call it a collegiate planner…that's really not nearly as much fun. 

Anyway, I think I've found the one! It's a lot bigger than this year's (8" x 9 7/8" versus 3" x4 1/2"), but I think with all that I'll be doing, extra, it'll work. I might need to either a) clear out a permanent home for it in my purse, which it might not fit…at all, or b) get a new purse for it. I need to get a new purse anyway, mine's starting to fall apart, and I would really like something more modern. The one I have is practically my mother's, it's not me at all. It's sort of become me, but still….

I want function, always, but a little more style with it…. I've looked into the Miche bag system—look them up, it's really quite interesting—and I've decided I want their 'Prima' bag with the 'Katheryn' shell. It's still brown, like mine, still has pockets and compartments, but it's a bit larger, it's more modern, and, frankly, I'm tired of this utilitarian look. I want a little more poshness.

I was told not to do it, as it's not leather, but honestly, it's not like I'll use this for forever, and I'm really not nearly as into leather as some people I know. Sure, it's nice for shoes and everything, but it can be such a pain in the ass sometimes…and there's the whole 'dead animal' thing. Not really my cup of tea!

So I guess I have a few things to purchase in the next little while…. I've come into a bit of money, what with grad, so maybe I should treat myself? What do you think?

Planning

So tomorrow I'm having someone over, finishing the spring cleaning, making more shampoo, and trying a new recipe. Not in that order…at all. I'll have to get up at six, finish tidying down here, do some homework, and go shopping for 0900h. Pick up groceries, run some errands, be back by 1000h. Then everyone will be up, so I can vacuum and do laundry.

After the kids leave, I'll mix the shampoo (last try before I switch back to store-bought!) and give it a shot.

Then, in the evening, I'll try my new recipe—that I bought $16.00 of nutritional yeast fore—and see how it goes.

What does a busy Sunday look like for you?